CHURCH GOODS, t)ORSEf, 15^2. 197 



parson, or vicar, or curate, and churchwardens, and, with three or 

 four of the discretest and most substantial men of every parish, to 

 make a true inventory of all vestments, plate, jewels, and bells, and to 

 leave one inventory in each parish, subscribed with the hands of these 

 persons, who were to have the charge of the goods, so that they might 

 be safely kept and preserved. A copy of the inventory was to be sent 

 to the custos rotulorum of each county. 



On March yd, 1551, an order was issued by the Privy Council, 

 addressed to all shires, " to take into the Kinges handes suche plate as 

 remaineth, to be employed unto his highness use" 



On January 2<)th, 1552, a letter was addressed to the Custos 

 rotulorum requiring him to deliver the inventories of the church goods, 

 taken in \ 549, which were in his custody to the Commissioners then 

 about to be appointed. 



A year later, January ibth, 1552, another Commission was 

 appointed to see that the instructions given to the former Commission 

 had been carried out, and to collect the money, plate, and jewels certified 

 under it. 



Six months later the King died. 



On the accession of Mary, an order zvas given that, where possible, 

 church goods were to be restored to the churches, and in one county 

 ( Westmoreland] certainly the whole of the plate was redelivered to the 

 churches. 



In Dorset, as in some other counties, the Commissioners had been 

 dilatory, and had not completed their work at the time of the issue of 

 this order, for Dorset was one of the counties to which the order was 

 sent, and in a few of the following inventories of church goods it will 

 be seen that suits of vestments were left, as well as surplices, for the 

 use of the church, though this may have been done before the Queen's 

 accession, and in anticipation of such an order which it was expected 

 would then be made. 



The following document will be a valuable one to the genealogist, as 

 it gives the names of the incumbent and principal inhabitants in each 

 parish in the county. 



The commission sent into Dorset was doubtless a copy of that issued 

 to the Marquess of Northampton and others for the county of 



