The Accounts of the Churchwardens of the Parish. of St.
Michael, Cornbill. Edited by W. H. Overall.—A handsome volume, containing much curious and interesting matter, which wo owe to the enterprise and liberality of Mr. A. J. Waterlow, who has frequently filled the office of Churchwarden in the parish. The accounts extend from 1456 to 1608, and there are extraots from Proceedings of the Vestry for the years 1563-1607. The entries during the years 1549-1562 are peculiarly interesting. The now order of things that followed the accession of Edward VI. is indicated by very significant entries. Under the head of " Receyts for Ornaments of the Churoho that were Soldo," in 1540, we have a vast number of items ; " ono blowo coops wyth Ravens," "one coope of rod clothe of golds," " ono awtor clothe of purple volvott," "two copes of green tyssow," &o. No less than eighteen copes and as many vestments seem to have been sold during the year, some of them fetching a very high price ; that of "rod clothe of golds," for instance, being sold for as much as seven pounds, an enormous amount when we consider the increased value of money. That year the proceeds of sales of church vestments and ornaments came to nearly fifty pounds. In the year following the sales of the same articles wore continued, and realized more than sixty pounds. That the vestry of one parish church should have contained vestments to the value of at least a thousand pounds of our money it very surprising. Probably wo cannot realize the enormous wealth which the Church had accumulated when the storm of revolution broke upon her. The money seems to have boon spent, for the most part, in repairing the church. Soon a change comes over tho entries. Mary succeeds, and we have, "Paid for makings of the High Awlter," &c., "Paid for takings dean the nave pewee that stood° in the ohauncell, the baokes.towards the Awlter." There are a few entries for the purchase of ornaments and voatmonts, but the amount is not large. Oao item is curious, under the year 1555 :—" Paido to Ringgors when words was brought that the Quoouo was brought to hod, ils." In 1562 we have among the "receiptos " such items as, " For too corporal cases," "for a holy water stocke of lead" (lead was worth, it seems, five farthings per pound); "for ii. oldo albos," "for a cope, a vest- ment," &e. It would be well if more of those accounts were made accessible, not printed, of course, at full length, but judiciouely selected.
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