THE RECORDS OF ROCHESTER.
The Records of Rochester. By the Rev. C. H. Fielding. (Snowdon Brothers, Dartford.)—Mr. Fielding has gathered these records with most laudable industry. First we have a list of the Bishops from Justus (604 A.D.) down to John Reginald Harmer (1904), ninety-nine in number. Then follow the parishes from St. Margaret's Addington down to St. Margaret's Yalding, with list of incumbents, and various details. The diocese has been not a little changed from time to time. Thus the first parish in the list was transferred to Canterbury in 1845, and retransferred in 1905. Other parishes were separated when the See of Southwark was created; among these were Eltham and Greenwich, the first having seven, the second twelve, churches and chapels. (Mr. Fielding includes foundations that have ceased to exist, besides chantries and religious houses.) After the parishes comes a com- plete list of the clergy, past and present, who have worked in the diocese. It occupies two hundred and seventy-six pages, and may contain between seven and eight thousand names. Finally we have notes from the diocesan and parochial registers. Of course there is much that is interesting to be found in these details. Thus we may compare the tenure of benefices in the earlier and the later centuries. The lists are commonly complete from the fourteenth century. Here are some examples taken at random :—
Burnham
1322-1629 ... 41 1629 onwards ... 15 Chalk ... 1316-1647 ... $8 1647 „ ... 21 Chatham ... 1319-1635 ... 37 1635 „ 18 Chiddingstone 1310-1636 ... 32 1636 „ ... 15
In one we have an average tenure of nine years, in the other of sixteen.
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