e Minister hathe ever chosen the parishe Clarke and
one of the Churchwardens and bothe the Sydemen.

"Item if they bring a beere or poles with the corps the
Clarke is to have them.

"If any Corps goe out of the parish they are to pay double
dutyes and to have leave.

"If any Corps come out of another parish to be buryed here,
they are to pay double dutyes besides breakinge the ground;
which is xiij s. 4 d. in the church, and vi s. viii d. in the
churchyard.

"For marryage by licence double fees both to the Minister and
Clarke[89]."

[Footnote 89: _Sussex Archaeological Collections_, 1873, vol. xxv. p.
154.]

In addition to the fees to which the clerk is entitled by
long-established custom, he receives wages, which he can recover by law
if he be unjustly deprived of them. Churchwardens who in the old days
neglected to levy a church rate in order to pay the expenses of the
parish and the salary of the clerk, have been compelled by law to do so,
in order to satisfy the clerk's claims.

The wages which he received varied considerably. The churchwardens'
accounts reveal the amounts paid the holders of the office at different
periods. At St. Mary's, Reading, there are the items in 1557:

"Imprimis the Rent of the Clerke's
howse . . . . . . vi s. viii d."

"Paid to Marshall (the clerk) for parcell of
his wages that he was unpaide . . v s."

In 1561 the clerk's wages were 40 s., in 1586 only 20 s. At St. Giles's,
Reading, in 1520, he received 26 s. 8 d., as the following entry shows:

"Paid to Harry Water Clerk for his
wage for a yere ended at thannacon
(the Annunciation) of Our Lady. xxvi s. viii."

The clerk at St. Lawrence, Reading, received 20 s. for his services in
1547. Owing to the decrease in the value of money the wages gradually
rose in town churches, but in the eighteenth century in many country
places 10 s. was deemed sufficient. The sum of L10 is not an unusual
wage at the present time for a village clerk.

The dismissal of a parish clerk was a somewhat difficult and dangerous
task. In the eyes of the law he is no menial servant--no labourer who
can be discharged if he fail to please his master. The law regards him
as an officer for life, and one who has a freehold in his place. Sixty
years ago no ecclesiastical court could deprive him of his office, but
he could be cen