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Rh sanctuary. The actual fabric of most of the churches was seriously in decay ; many wanted new lead for the roof, where the rain came in ; pillars and buttresses were crumbling, walls sometimes black with mois- ture, and seventy-four at least had one or more of the windows broken and dammed up with boards or straw. The pavements were sunk and uneven ; huge funeral monuments darkened the windows which remained unbroken. Only in four cases, it should be mentioned, was the altar out of its proper place, and only in two were the rails abso- lutely wanting : what the visitors had to deal with was a general disorder and decay.

Their requirements may be briefly summed up. Actual decay and ruin must of course be repaired ; but beyond this a minimum of uni- formity was desired, which most Churchmen of the present day would think very moderate. The pews must be reduced to one level, and the eastern benches transformed from seats into desks ; the walls must be whitewashed and painted with sentences from Holy Scripture ; the communion table must be in good condition, and stand altar-wise against the wall, covered with a ' carpet,' if possible of silk, and fringed ; over it must hang not the King's arms, nor some gentle- man's arms, but the Ten Commandments neatly framed. The rails must extend from wall to wall, and a kneeling-bench must be placed below them that the communicants might have no excuse for stand- ing. The pulpit must have a cushion upon it ' well stuffed with feathers,' and provided with tassels, and a fringed cloth to match the carpet.' There must be a surplice and a hood for the priest, a linen cloth and napkin for the altar, a chalice with a cover, a flagon, a bier and a hearse cloth. Every church must possess, as well as the Bible and service book, a copy of the canons and the homilies, and