By 1 Eliz. c. 2, s. 13, "Such ornaments of the church, and of 1 Eliz. c. 2. the ministers thereof, shall be retained and be in use, as was in Goods and this Church of England by authority of parliament in the second ornaments in general. year of the reign of King Edward VI., until other order shall be therein taken by the authority of the queen's majesty, with the advice of her commissioners appointed and authorized under the great seal of England for causes ecclesiastical, or of the metropolitan of this realm."

Other order.]-Pursuant to this clause, the queen in the third year of her reign, granted a commission to the archbishop, bishop of London, Dr. Bill, and Dr. Haddon, to reform the disorders of chancels, and to add to the ornaments of them, by ordering the Commandments to be placed at the east end (a).

And by the rubric before the present Common Prayer Book, Rubric. "Such ornaments of the church, and of the ministers thereof, at all times of their ministration, shall be retained and be in use, as were in this Church of England by the authority of parliament in the second year of the reign of King Edward VI.” (b).

Table.

By Can. 82 of 1603, "Whereas we have no doubt, but that in Canon 82. all churches within the realm of England convenient and decent The Holy tables are provided and placed for the celebration of the holy communion, we appoint that the same tables shall from time to time be kept and repaired in sufficient and seemly manner, and covered in time of divine service with a carpet of silk or other decent stuff, thought meet by the ordinary of the place if any question be made of it, and with a fair linen cloth at the time of the ministration, as becometh that table, and so stand, saving when the said holy communion is to be administered: at which time the same shall be placed in so good sort within the church or chancel, as thereby the minister may be more conveniently heard of the communicants in his prayer and ministration, and the communicants also more conveniently and in more number may communicate with the said minister, and that the Ten Commandments be set up on the East end of every church and chapel, where the people may best see and read the same, and other chosen sentences written upon the walls of the said churches and chapels in places convenient; and likewise that a convenient seat be made for the minister to read service in. All these to be done at the charge of the parish."

In the case of Newson v. Bawldry (in the reign of Queen Altar rails Anne), the case was, that the communion table of ancient time and platform. had been placed in the chancel, that there were ancient rails about it which were out of repair, that at a meeting of the majority of the parishioners a parish rate was made to replace the communion table in the chancel, and to repair the said rails, and raise the floor some steps higher for the sake of greater decency; and upon refusal to pay the rate, and a prohibition prayed, the court inclined that the parishioners might do these

Decisions as

things; for they are compellable to put things in decent order, and as to the degrees of order and decency there is no rule, but as the parishioners by a majority do agree (b).

In the case of Faulkner v. Litchfield (e), it was holden by the to structure of Court of Arches that a holy table of solid stone so weighty as Holy Table. to be irremoveable except by mechanical means, was unlawful, and the decision of the Consistory Court granting a faculty to confirm the erection of such a holy table was reversed.

Second Holy
Tables.

In the case of Liddell v. Westerton (d), the Privy Council approved of this decision, and held that "a marble slab with a super-altare on the side nearest the wall," standing "apart from the wall, supported upon stone carved arches, the arches resting upon a stone plinth, which is let into and embedded in the pavement on which it stands," with a cross "attached to the super-altare," was unlawful.

These decisions, however, so far as they turned upon the necessity of the holy table being moveable, or upon the supposed propriety of making the holy table unlike a Roman Catholic altar, will require careful reconsideration, having regard to the subsequent decision of the Privy Council authorizing a ledge or retable upon the holy table, and the subsequent decisions of the Privy Council and other courts authorizing reredoses of great splendour, whose only rationale is as an adjunct to a permanent holy table, and which would be found equally appropriate to a Roman Catholic altar (e).

There is also a difficulty in moving by manual labour a holy table of the usual magnitude beyond the altar rails; and altar rails are legal and usual.

When it is remembered further that the Church Building Acts provide that, where a church is built partly in one and partly in another diocese or archdeaconry, the jurisdiction over it is to be determined by the position of the altar or communion table (ƒ), which would be absurd if the holy table were to be moveable, it will be seen that the last word has not been said on this matter.

In Ridsdale v. Clifton (g) the late Dr. Stephens contended, in a forcible argument on the subject of the position of the minister during the consecration prayer, that the holy table must always be placed during the celebration of the holy communion in some position away from the east wall and tablewise; but his argument found no favour with the Privy Council.

In some cathedrals and large churches there have always been two holy tables, placed in different parts of the church. Of recent years several applications have been made to diocesan chancellors for faculties authorizing a second holy table. In

(b) 7 Mod. p. 69.

(c) 1 Roberts. p. 184.

(d) Moore's Special Report; and see Durst v. Masters, 1 P. D. p. 373.

(e) Vide infra, p. 733.

(f) 59 Geo. 3, c. 134, s. 6;

2 & 3 Will. 4, c. 61.

(g) 2 P. D. p. 276.

some cases it is believed such faculties have been refused; but in many they have, upon special reasons being given, been granted. A reported case, which illustrates the state of the law on the subject, is that of Re Holy Trinity Church, Stroud Green (h).

In ancient times the bishops preached standing upon the Pulpit. steps of the altar; afterwards it was found more convenient to have pulpits erected for that purpose (i).

By Can. 83 of 1603, "The church-wardens or quest-men, at Canon 83. the common charge of the parishioners in every church shall provide a comely and decent pulpit to be set in a convenient place within the same, by the discretion of the ordinary of the place if any question do arise, and to be there seemly kept for the preaching of God's word."

By Can. 82 (just quoted), a convenient seat shall be made Canon 82. "for the minister to read service in " (j).

Reading desk.

The Court of Arches has in the days of compulsory church Spire. rates issued a monition against churchwardens to repair and reinstate, in its original form, the spire of a church which had been destroyed by lightning (k).

By Can. 81 of 1603, already quoted, "there shall be a font Canon 81, of stone in every church and chapel where baptism is to be Font. ministered; the same to be set in the ancient usual places" (1).

alms.

In an act in the 27 Hen. 8, for punishment of sturdy Chest for vagabonds, it was enacted, that money collected for the poor should be kept in the common coffer or box standing in the church of every parish.

And by Can. 84 of 1603, "The church-wardens shall provide Canon 84. and have, within three months after the publishing of these constitutions, a strong chest, with a hole in the upper part thereof, to be provided at the charge of the parish (if there be none such already provided), having three keys, of which one shall remain in the custody of the parson, vicar, or curate, and the other two in the custody of the church-wardens for the time being which chest they shall set and fasten in the most convenient place, to the intent the parishioners may put into it their alms for their poor neighbours. And the parson, vicar or curate shall diligently, from time to time, and especially when men make their testaments, call upon, exhort, and move their neighbours to confer and give, as they may well spare to the said chest, declaring unto them, that whereas heretofore they have been diligent to bestow much substance otherwise than God commanded, upon superstitious uses, now they ought at this time to be much more ready to help the poor and needy, knowing that to relieve the poor is a sacrifice which pleaseth God; and

(h) 12 P. D. p. 199. See also The Vicar of St. Peter's, Eaton Square v. Parishioners, Consistory of London, August 8th, 1894. (i) Ayl. Par. p. 121. Vide supra, p. 723.

(k) Viscount Maynard v. Brand, 3 Phillim. p. 501. See also Re Palatine Estate Charity, 39 Ch. D. p. 54.

(1) Vide supra, p. 487.

Basin for the offertory.

Canon 20. Chalice and other vessels for the communion.

Bells.

Bier.

Canon 80.
Common

that also, whatsoever is given for their comfort is given to Christ himself, and is so accepted of him, that he will mercifully reward the same. The which alms and devotion of the people the keepers, of the keys shall yearly, quarterly, or oftener (as need requireth) take out of the chest and distribute the same in the presence of most of the parish, or six of the chief of them, to be truly and faithfully delivered to their most poor and needy neighbours."

By the rubric, whilst the sentences of the offertory are in reading, "the deacons, churchwardens, or other fit person appointed for that purpose, shall receive the alms for the poor, and other devotions of the people, in a decent basin, to be provided by the parish for that purpose."

This offertory was anciently an oblation for the use of the priest, but at the Reformation it was changed into alms for the poor (m).

By Can. 20 of 1603, already quoted (n), the church-wardens, with the advice and direction of the minister, are to provide "a sufficient quantity of fine white bread and of good and wholesome wine;" which wine is to be brought to the communion table" in a clean and sweet standing pot or stoop of pewter, if not of purer metal."

The parishioners shall find at their own charge the chalice or cup for the wine (o).

Which, says Lindwood, although expressed in the singular number, yet is not intended to exclude more than one, where more are necessary (p).

The parishioners at their own charge shall find bells with ropes ().

The parishioners shall find at their own charge a bier for the dead (").

By Can. 80 of 1603, "The church-wardens or quest-men of Prayer Book. every church and chapel shall, at the charge of the parish, provide the Book of Common Prayer, lately explained in some few points by his majesty's authority, according to the laws and his highness's prerogative in that behalf; and that with all convenient speed, but at the furthest within two months after the publishing of these our Constitutions. And if any parishes be yet unfurnished of the Bible of the largest volume, or of the book of homilies allowed by authority, the said church-wardens shall within convenient time provide the same at the like charge of the parish."

Bible.

Bible of the largest Volume.]-This was directed by the second of Lord Cromwell's Injunctions under King Henry VIII.; and in the thirty-third year of the same reign it was enforced by proclamation and a penalty of 40s. The like order for this, and

(m) Ayl. Par. p. 394.
(n) Vide supra, p. 525.
Lind. p. 252.

(P) Ibid.

(9) Lind. p. 252; see Pearce v. Rector of Clapham, 3 Hagg. Eccl. p. 16.

(r) Lind. p. 252.

also for the paraphrase of Erasmus, was in the Injunctions of Edward VI., and continued in those of Queen Elizabeth, and (together with the Book of Homilies) in the Canons of 1571. But what Bible is here meant by that of the largest volume is not very clear. King James the First's translation was not then made; Queen Elizabeth's Bible was called the Bishop's Bible; and the translations and reviews commonly called the Great Bible, were those of Tindal and Coverdale in the time of King Henry VIII., and that which was published by direction of Archbishop Cranmer in the reign of Edward VI. (s).

Lately explained.]-To wit, in the conference at Hampton Court (t).

By 14 Car. 2, c. 4, s. 22, a true printed copy of the present 14 Car. 2, c. 4. Book of Common Prayer was, at the costs and charges of the parishioners of every parish church and chapelry, cathedral church, college and hall, to be provided before the feast of St. Bartholomew, 1662.

By Can. 80, just quoted, a Book of Homilies was to be Book of provided.

Homilies.

The register books ordered by canon and by statute to be Register provided have been already mentioned (u).

books.

By Can. 99 of 1603, the table of degrees of marriages pro- Table of hibited, "shall be in every church publicly set up and fixed at degrees. the charge of the parish "(x).

By Can. 82 of 1603, already quoted, the Ten Commandments Ten Comshall be set "upon the east end of every church and chapel, mandments. where the people may best see and read the same " (y). It seems they need not be put up in the chancel (z).

By the same Canon, "Other chosen sentences" shall "be Sentences. written upon the walls of the said churches and chapels, in places convenient."

The laws as to the monuments of the dead in churches have Monuments. been mentioned above (a).

Besides what has been observed in particular, there are many other goods other articles for which no provision is made by any special law, and ornaand therefore must be referred to the general power of the

ordinary.

ments.

ornamental.

In Butterworth and Barker v. Walker and Waterhouse (b), it Organs, when seems to have been the opinion of the Court of King's Bench legally neces that the consent of the parish is not necessary to the ordinary's sary, when ordering an organ to be erected in a church; but the parish cannot, without their consent, be charged with the expense of erecting or repairing it, or adding new ornaments. Nor can the consent of the vestry bind the parish without immemorial usage.

Gibs. p. 202.

Gibs. p. 201.

Vide supra, pp. 497, 498, 634.

Vide supra, pp. 569, 570.

Vide supra, p. 723.

(z) Liddell v. Beal, 14 Moo.

P. C. C. p. 1.

(a) Pp. 691-696.

(b) 3 Burr. p. 1689.