ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



£S i6j-. zd. a year, and out of this sum jT^ ^°^- 6^- was distributed to 

 ' bedefolk,' leaving £2 p. 8/ for the priest. 



Other chantries within parish churches were those of Beeston, Caunton, 

 Coddington, Edwinstowe (280 communicants), Laxton, Mattersey, Mister- 

 ton (400 communicants), Misson (200 communicants), Ratcliffe, Rcmpstone, 

 Saundby, Sturton (400 communicants), Thorpe, Thurgarton, and Wil- 

 loughby. 



One of the earUest actions of the council of the boy king Edward VI 

 was, in 1 547, to procure a new Act by which these threatened chantries, 

 colleges, &c., might be suppressed and their revenues confiscated to the 

 Crown. A twofold plea was put forth for their suppression, namely that 

 they promoted superstition and that there was need of money for the 

 army;"' new commissions of survey were therefore issued for each county. 

 The Nottinghamshire commissioners, appointed on 14 February 1548, were 

 Sir Gervase Clifton, Sir John Hersey, and Sir Anthony Nevill, lets., and 

 William Holies, esq."' Their detailed report covers much the same ground 

 as that of their predecessors, but they were also expected to give the age of 

 incumbents (doubtless with a view to their pensions), and to state whether 

 they were learned or unlearned. How the latter fact could be ascertained 

 by the commissioners during their hasty visits to certain centres it seems 

 impossible now to conjecture. It has been stated that ' unlearned ' meant 

 without a degree ; but this is not possible when a considerable number 

 arc entered as unlearned and a small minority as learned. The chantry 

 priest of Willoughby was ' indifferently lerned ' ; of Saundby, ' meanley 

 lerned ' ; and of Anncsley, ' metely lerned.' There is only one reference to 

 the universities: the stipendiary priest of Sturton was 'a student at 

 Cambridge.' 



Like their predecessors, these country gentlemen were bold enough to 

 set out the great need of these foundations, at all events in certain cases. 

 Thus of Annesley they say : — ' It ys reputed that in the parish of Annes- 

 ley there are above 260 parishioners and the parish being very large and 

 wyde and of greate dystaunce betwene the standing of the houses. They 

 have no more mynysters to helpe the Curate but thie Chauntry preiste.' Of 

 South Leverton : — ' The churchwardens there have deposed that there ys a 

 chappell within the parishe of South Leverton called the Chappell of 

 Cottam . . . dystant from the parishe Churche one mylc and that there are 

 belonging to the sayd chappell 80 people that Receyvethe Communyon and 

 other rytes ecclesiastical. And further they sale that many tymes they are 

 environed with waters that they cannot come to their parish churche of 

 Leverton. For the whiche cause the churchwardens for the tyme being have 

 alwaies bene accustomed to Receyve the above named xxvjj. viij^. towards 

 the finding and maynteyning of a preist at the said chappell of Cottam.' 



These commissioners were also required to report on the numerous small 

 endowments for providing lights in churches, as well as for obits for main- 

 taining the memory of deceased parishioners on the anniversary of their deaths. 

 As to bequests for lights or lamps, they were found in thirty-six parishes, 

 usually for a single lamp ; but in some cases, as at East Markham, Hickling, 

 Maplebeck, and Thorpe by Newark, for divers lights. 



'" Stat. I Edw. VI, cap. i+. "» Chant. Cert. no. 37. 



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