ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



exception, however, was at Berkhampstead St. Peter, where the Baptists 

 were strong in numbers *^ ; here a new marble font was given to the church 

 by Francis Wethered, comptroller of the works to Charles 11/' The fine 

 hangings provided for the chapel of Chelsea Hospital and other London 

 churches at this time found their counterpart in the cushion and pulpit cloth 

 of crimson velvet fringed and embroidered with gold given by Mrs. Bird of 

 Mardocks to the church of Ware in 1694," in the purple cloth and cushion 

 and 'Suit of Dammask Linen ' given to Hitchin in 1704,''' in the altar-cloth of 

 ' Red cloth, with gold and Silk Fringe embroider'd with Gold : The Pulpit- 

 Cloth and Cushion of the same Cloth and Embroidery' given to Little Berk- 

 hampstead,*' and in many other gifts of the same time. Still more extensive 

 were the gifts to Widford Church made by John Plummer of Blakesware, 

 who in the autumn of 1708 set up there a new pulpit with a purple cushion 

 and in 17 12 gave a new communion table furnished with a purple ' carpet.' *^ 

 The use of liturgical colours seems to have been unknown in Hertfordshire 

 in these early years of the i8th century, but the dislike to pictures in church 

 was not then felt, for about 1703 a Captain Polehampton gave to the abbey 

 church of St. Albans a picture of the ' Last Supper,' which was used as a 

 reredos throughout the century.*^ A ' branch ' or candelabrum was given to 

 Hitchin Church in 1678 and gifts of plate were numerous.*^ 



Apart from these minor gifts a good deal of restoration was done, chiefly 

 by the local squires. William Gore of Tring Park was especially active, 

 and in 171 4 he relaid the pavement throughout the church with freestone ; 

 the pillars were painted and ' a handsome vestry ' arranged under the belfry, 

 while Sir Richard Anderson wainscoted the chancel, making it, in the best 

 opinion of his day, 'decent and capaciouS; and worthy a Choir.' ^° 



Anything like a modern trained choir was unknown in the county 

 parish church of the i8th century. At Bishop's Stortford, and probably 

 elsewhere, there had been a choir of men and boys in pre-Reformation days," 

 but no record of it in later times has been found, though Elizabeth's 

 injunctions provided for the maintenance of choirs ' for the comforting of 

 such as delyte in musicke.' ^^ Music was not encouraged by the Puritan 

 clergy, and in Salmon's time almost the only Hertfordshire churches with 

 organs were those of All Saints, Hertford, and Bishop's Stortford.'^ Hertford 

 was fortunate in having as vicar Ralph Battell, whose unmarried daughter 

 Mary was organist.'* Mr. Battell seems to have had some struggles with the 

 churchwardens over the instrument, for on bequeathing a sum of money for 

 the organist's salary he added the proviso that the trustees should pay for 



*2 Urwick, op. cit. 377-8. 



*^ Salmon, op. cit. iz6. The churchwardens' accounts (Add. MS. 18772, fol. 173) show that in 

 1661-3 11/. were given 'to John Turner bringing the font' and ^l to Rich. Ward 'about the font.' 



^* Salmon, op. cit. 249. *^ Ibid. " Ibid. 26. 



^' Locicwood, Widford and Widford Church, 11. *^ Guildhall MS. 43. The picture is still in the church. 



*' Salmon, op. cit. 163 ; F.C.H. Herts, ii, \u, passim. See also Topography, above. 



'" Salmon, op. cit. 131 ; Clutterbuclc, op. cit. i, 508 ; 'Speculum Dioecesis.' 



^1 Glasscock, Rec. of St. Michael's, 41. 



^2 Injunctions geven by the Quenes Maiestie, 1559, § 49. Sandys in 1571 inquired whether 'such partes 

 onely of the Common prayer be Sung, as by the Booke of Common prayer are appoynted to be Song ' 

 [Articles to be enquired of . . .in the Visitation of the Dioces of London, § 4). 



'^ Salmon, op. cit. 272 ; Clutterbuck, op. cit. ii, 158. 



** Clutterijuck, loc. cit. She died in January 1698-9, and on 13 February died Elizabeth Cranmer, 

 who left X*°° ' ^°^ ^ perpetuall encouragement to the organist' (ibid.). 



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