By the Rev. H. T. Kingdon. 69 



after the death of Sir Walter Long^ney) Hugh Latimer, well-knowa 

 as an advocate of the new learning", was appointed by the king to 

 tlie living of West Kington, and, contrary to the custom of the 

 time and the wishes of the court, went himself to reside on his 

 benefice. While he was here we are specially told by Foxe that " his 

 diligence extended to all the country about." It may well have 

 been that during this time he became acquainted with this interesting 

 specimen of a vernacular service. But again after he was bishop it 

 might have been brought to his notice. 



(ii) Mr. Maskell, to whom the volume was lent by Bishop Denison, 

 its former possessor, was inclined to think that the book had be- 

 longed to some large Church in the diocese of Worcester. He was 

 led to this conclusion from the insertion of the local feast of S . 

 Wulstan upon June 7th. Had he observed the note of the obit of 

 Sir Walter Longney he would have found his conjecture confirmed, 

 for at that time Arlingham was in the diocese of Worcester. Now 

 Hugh Latimer was made Bishop of Worcester in 1635, so that 

 again he was brought into some near connection with our vernacular 

 service. What more natural that now being in a position of au- 

 thority he should give his sanction to the service, and at the same 

 time add a jingle to be used at the giving of the antidoron, or 

 blessed bread ? For as there was holy water to remind Christians 

 of their baptism, so was there holy bread handed round during or 

 after service as a reminder to the non-communicant of the blessed 

 sacrament of the Eucharist. 



Some years ago, when I first recognized the value and interest of 

 this service, I communicated with some courteous correspondents 

 connected with Arlingham. Only two points of interest bearing 

 upon the subject of this paper could be elicited. The one may be 

 thought to have some hidden reference to a lingering attachment 

 to holy water, the other has no doubt some connection with the 

 former owner of the manuscript. 



First, there was prevalent in Arlingham a few years ago a per- 

 suasion that the consecrated water in the font in which a child had 

 been baptized was an infallible cure for the toothache. Next, the 

 Vicar of Arlingham informed me that there were children of a 



