ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



rebuilt shortly before 1 301 , when the tower was in ruins and was said to be in 

 a dangerous condition.'* The energy of the parishioners was exhausted and 

 they refused to do more. The archdeacon failed to bring them to a better 

 state of mind, and finally he reported the matter to the Bishop of Lincoln, 

 who issued a commission to the Archdeacon of Bedford to compel the people 

 to begin repairs." The work, however, proceeded but slowly, and apparently 

 unwillingly, for in 13 14 public opinion seems to have made no outcry against 

 certain persons who kept in their own hands goods left towards repairing the 

 fabric, and the bishop proceeded against them by sentence of excommunica- 

 tion."" At Stapleford, also, an episcopal injunction was needed and issued 

 in 1 301 before the parishioners would finish their belfry.^ That this state 

 of affairs was not confined to the early years of the 1 4th century is evident from 

 the fact that in 1382 Bishop Buckingham warned the people of St. Mary's, 

 Berkhampstead, that he would proceed to excommunication unless they would 

 contribute to the repairs of their church." 



The money for these repairs and rebuildings was probably collected by 

 the churchwardens, who with the parson were the parties to the contract with 

 the master mason.' In many cases special parts of the work were undertaken 

 by individuals whose memory was preserved by inscription or achievement. 

 In 1728 the steeple and east window of Knebworth Church still bore the 

 arms of Sir John Hotoft, lord of the manor in 1428,* while at East Barnet 

 a small stone in the middle aisle besought prayer for the soul of John 

 Beauchamp, the builder.' Gifts such as these could only, however, have 

 been made by the man of comparative wealth ; but the custom of leaving at 

 least a small sum to the fabric of the parish church appears to have been 

 well nigh universal, and innumerable cases might be cited.' 



All these were local means of raising money, but there was a natural 

 desire, then as now, to appeal to a larger public. The system of indulgences 

 for this purpose was in favour throughout the 14th century. One of the 

 earliest Hertfordshire indulgences was that obtained from the pope in 1291 

 for penitents who visited Norton Church on the four feasts of the Blessed 

 Virgin Mary and their octaves.'' Such a pilgrimage was rewarded by the 

 relaxation of a year and forty days of enjoined penance and was bound to bring 

 many to make offerings in the church. Under Bishop Dalderby (1300—20) 

 indulgences became numerous ; they were obtained in aid of the funds of 

 I the churches of Puttcnham and Tewin, the conventual church of Ashridge 



* and the priory of Hertford.* Two like indulgences were issued by Bishop 



Bek (1342—7) for the churchyards of St. John the Evangelist of Aldenham 

 and St. Nicholas of Great Munden.' 



In two of the four returns made for gilds in Hertfordshire in 1346" 

 there is express mention of the chaplain of the fraternity, and in the third 

 his existence is implied. A comparison of the names of places at which 



'* Line. Epis. Reg. Dalderby, Memo. fol. 44 d. 



•Mbid. lO" Ibid. fol. 166. 1 Ibid. fol. 2+ d. ' Ibid. Buckingham, Memo, ii, fol. 248. 



' cf. De Banco R. 921, m. 271. * Salmon, Hist, of Herts. 261 ; V.C.H. Herts, iii, 115. 



^ Salmon, op. cit. 56 ; cf. pp. 11, 95 ; V.C.H. Herts, ii, 174. 



' e.g. Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. ix, App. 46. Sharpe, Cal. of Wills proved in the Court of Hustings, ii, 296 ; 

 P.C.C. 4 Luffenam, 31 Stoneham, II Stokton, 22 Godyn, I Wattys, I Milles. ' CaL Papal Letters, i, 531. 

 * Line. Epis. Reg. Dalderby, Memo. fol. 1 2, 44, 51, 317, 399. ° Ibid. Bek, Memo. fol. 6 d. 



^^ Chan. Misc. file 39, no. 64-7. 



4 305 39 



