Parish life in mediaeval England (1907) (14586334400)

Identifier: parishlifeinmedi00gasqrich (find matches)
Title: Parish life in mediaeval England
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Gasquet, Francis Aidan, 1846-1929
Subjects: England -- Church history 1066-1485 England -- Social life and customs 1066-1485
Publisher: London : Methuen
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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ster the Sacrament of Baptism at all times,as well as in the week-day as on the holy-day. To thisCranmer, in his reply, says, Every Easter and Whitsun-even, until this time, the fonts were hallowed in every churchand many collects and other prayers were read for themthat were baptized. But alas ! in vain, and as it were amocking with God ; for at those times, except it were bychance, none were baptized, but all were baptized before. The offering for the administration of baptism was strictlyvoluntary. Whenever any difficulty arose between the parsonand his people on this matter, the bishop always took theopportunity of laying down as the common law of theChurch that nothing could be exacted. Bishop Grandisson,for instance, in 1355, in a case at Moreton Hampstead,declared that no priest could deny, or presume to deny,any Sacrament to his parishioners by demanding money,but that he might afterwards take what the people choseto offer him. The reverence with which our forefathers regarded
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SACRAMENT OF BAlTISM i92 MEDIEVAL PARISH LIFE whatever had been used for any sacred purpose is illustratedin a matter connected with this Sacrament. Bishop Ouevil,in the Synod of Exeter in 1287, states that when in caseof necessity a child had been baptized in its own home, thevessel that had been used should either be destroyed by fireor given to the church to be used for ecclesiastical purposes ;and that the water should either be thrown on the fire ortaken to the church and poured down the sacrarium.Myrc, in his Instructions, gives this same order— Another way thou might to yetIn a vessel to cryston hyt,And when scho hath do ryght soWatere and vessel brenne hem bo,Other brynge hyt to the chyrche anonAnd cast hyt to the font ston. Bishop Quevil, in the same Synod, also states the law ofthe Church as to god-parents. For a boy, two men and onewoman were permissible ; and similarly for a girl, two womenand one man. All others could only be regarded as witnesses,and did not incur the