TABLE OF STATUTES. 8. 25 s. 62 . . . . . . . . 8. 65 s. 70 s. 71 Page 13 Edw. I. c. 1. ... 140 23 Hen. VIII. c. 9 159 51 Geo. III. c. 151 ss. 51, 52 75 58 Geo. III. C. 45. 77 78 s. 63 id. s. 64 81 80 128 129 s. 73 .. 80, 81 6,7 6 s. 77 78 s. 78 .. 78, 79 81 59 Geo. III. c. 134 77 s. 14.... 125 s. 26 .. 82, 83 83 8. 75 8. 76 Page 3 Geo. IV. c. 72, s. 21 .... 129 8. 23 .... 7 s. 24 .. 79, 84 80 5 Geo. IV. c. 103 77 8. 10.. 84 7 & 8 Geo. IV. c. 72 ...... 77 1 Will. IV. c. 21, s. 1..165, 169, 173 1 & 2 Will. IV. c. 38 ...... 77 s. 2.. 130 s. 4.. 84 s. 21. 79 84 2 Will. IV. c. 61 77 2 & 3 Will. IV. c. 72, s. 2.. 46 1 & 2 Vict. c. 107 77 85 3 & 4 Vict. c. 60 77 82, 83 8 & 9 Vict. c. 70 77 s. 1 101, 102 83 130 11 & 12 Vict. c. 72. 77 8. 22. 8. 79 8. 18 8. 5 8. 27 s. 30 s. 11 8. 15 6 79 101 3 Geo. IV. c. 72... 77 8. 20 .... 130 8. 33 .... 8. 40 .... THE LAW OF PEWS, CHAPTER I. THE ORDERING AND DISPOSING OF THEM. Accommodation for the 2 No Seats allowed before the Reformation Free Seats 6 May be increased . 7 Pews the property of the Parish id. Seat without payment ... id. Ordinary's authority in Parish Churches id. In Chapels of Ease 8 Rector's interest in the Chancel id. Ordinary's power extends there id. The disposal of Seats in Churches id. Exercised by the Church. wardens 9 Not arbitrarily id. But for the general accommodation id. With a just discretion.... id. Subject to the Ordinary's decision id. Churchwardens, officers of the Bishop id. Right, independent of the Ordinary 10 Cannot be prescribed for.. id. Pym and Gorwyn's case.. id. B id. The first Seats were moveable. 3 Property of the Incumbent id. Few old cases on the subject id. Pews provided in later times id. Fixed Seats part of the Fabric id. The law has been little understood id. Rector has principal Pew in Chancel ...... 4 Vicar originally had a Seat there id. Right to retain it id. Ancient Stalls A Perpetual Curate... 5 His right to a Seat there.. id. Dr. Lushington's dictum.. id. Not meant as an opinion.. 6 Clergyman's Seats under 58 Geo. 3, c. 45........ Churchwardens' Pews.... id. Subscribers' Pews id. id. id. .... ........ id. sons away a Seat id. Custom, cited by Gibson.. 11 Where large Pews are al- id. 15 Rule holds in London id. Persons may be removed .. id. Churchwardens may be Permanent Pews cited for not doing their By concession or allotment id. duty id. Different from a Faculty id. May be called upon to shew Appropriation by Church- 12 16 A sufficient return id. Seats cannot be disposed of Want of space id. to non-parishioners id. Permission to erect a Pew id. Nor to extra-parochial perOn condition to pay the id. Parish id. Case of a man quitting the Where Churchwardens take Parish id. 13 Ordinary cannot meddle Every housekeeper has a with temporal rights.. id. right to a Seat id. Has no power over Seats in Must have one allotted to Private Chapels 17 him id. Nor in Proprietary Chapels Building a new house in Church in an Old Monastery id. the Parish Seats ordered by Patron.. id. Where Church must be en Clergyman and Vestry have larged id. no right to interfere ... id. Allotting vacant Pews.. id. Incumbent's authority. 18 14 id. May remove intruders.... id. rank id. Removal of Parish Clerk from his desk..... id. Families are to be seated together id. 19 Unnecessary force In our Cathedrals, and other ancient ecclesiastical edifices, there seems to have been an entire absence of any fixed and regularly constructed accommodation for the laity, as an essential part of the building. (a) For, before the time of the Reformation, no Seats were allowed, nor any distinct apartment in the Church assigned to distinct inhabitants, except for some very great persons. (6) (a) See Johns, 175; Ken- (6) Degges, P. C. part i. ch. Dett's Paroch, Antiqu. 596. 12. Accommodation for the Laity. No Seats allowed before the Reformation. . The first Seats permitted to be used were move. The first Seats able forms, for the ease of the Parishioners, to sit were moveable. during those parts of the service, for which kneeling or standing were directed by the ritual of the times. (c) These moveable Seats were the property of the Property of the . Incumbent, and in all respects at his disposal; and Incumbent. they were frequently bequeathed by Incumbents to their successors, or others, as they thought fit. (d) The common law-books of an early period men- Few old cases tion but two or three cases upon this subject, and on the subject. those relating to the Chancels and Seats of persons of great quality. (d) In later times, however, Pews have been usually Pews provided provided, as conducing to more undivided attention, in later times. and affording a point of union and mutual good example among individuals of families, so that they are probably an assistance to the devotions of the occupiers. (e) When the Seats in a Church are reckoned part Fixed Seats of the Fabric, it is upon the supposition that they Fabric. part of the are fixed into the ground. For, if they are loose and moveable, they are not then to be reckoned as parts of the Fabric, but are of the moveable Goods or Utensils of the Church. (f) The general law, with respect to Pews and Sit- The law has tings in Churches, was, for a long time, little understood ; and erroneous notions on this subject are even now current, at least in many parts of the been little understood. (c) Jacob v. Dallow, 6 Mod. 231 ; Tyrr. Prid. 115. (d) See Johns, 175; Kennett's Paroch. Antiqu. 596. (e) Jacob v. Dallow, 6 Mod. 231 ; Tyrr. Prid. 115. (f) Prid. 32. |