PARISH PRIESTS AND THEIR PEOPLE.
FROM THE XV. CENT. MS., EGERTON 2019, f. 142.
PARISH PRIESTS
AND THEIR PEOPLE
IN THE
MIDDLE AGES IN ENGLAND.
BY THE
REV. EDWARD L. CUTTS, D.D.,
AUTHOR OF “TURNING POINTS OF ENGLISH CHURCH HISTORY,”
“A DICTIONARY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,”
“A HANDY BOOK OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,” ETC.
PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OE THE TRACT COMMITTEE.
LONDON:
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.
NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.
43, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C.
BRIGHTON: 129, NORTH STREET.
New York: E & J. B. YOUNG AND CO.
1898.
PREFACE.
great mass of material has of late years been brought within reach ofthe student, bearing upon the history of the religious life and customs ofthe English people during the period from their conversion, in the sixthand seventh centuries, down to the Reformation of the Church of England inthe sixteenth century; but this material is still to be found only ingreat libraries, and is therefore hardly within reach of the generalreader.
The following chapters contain the results of some study of the subjectamong the treasures of the library of the British Museum; much of thoseresults, it is believed, will be new, and all, it is hoped, useful, to thelarge number of general readers who happily, in these days, take anintelligent interest in English Church history.
The book might have been made shorter and lighter by giving fewer extractsfrom the original[Pg vi] documents; but much of the history is new, and itseemed desirable to support it by sufficient evidence. The extracts havebeen, as far as possible, so chosen that each shall give some additionalincidental touch to the filling up of the general picture.
The photographic reproductions of illuminations from MSS. of variousdates, illustrating ecclesiastical ceremonies and clerical costumes, areenough in themselves to give a certain value to the book which containsand describes them.
The writer is bound to make grateful acknowledgment of his obligations tothe Bishop of Oxford, who, amidst his incessant occupations, was so kindto an old friend as to read through the rough proof of the book, pointingout some corrigenda, making some suggestions, and indicating someadditional sources of information; all which, while it leaves the book thebetter for what the bishop has done for it, does not make him responsiblefor its remaining imperfections.
The writer has also to express his thanks to the Rev. Professor Skeat,Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Cambridge, and to the Rev. Dr.