British Museum_

THE CLERK ATTENDING THE PRIEST AT HOLY BAPTISM 196
_By permission of the S.P.C.K._

THE DUTIES OF A CLERK AT A DEATH AND FUNERAL 198
_By permission of the S.P.C.K._

THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD. By W. P. Frith 199
_From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.

PORTRAIT OF RICHARD HUST, THE RESTORER OF THE CLERKS'
ALMSHOUSES 200

THE CHURCH OF ST. MARGARET, WESTMINSTER 210
_After an engraving from a photograph by Messrs.
W.A. Mansell and Co_.

WILLIAM HINTON, A WILTSHIRE WORTHY. Drawn by the Rev.
Julian Charles Young 239
_By permission of Messrs. Macmillan and Co_.

SUNDAY MORNING. By John Absolon 270
_From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.

THE PARISH CLERK OF QUEDGELEY 280
_By permission of Miss Isabel Barnett_

JAMES CARNE, PARISH CLERK OF ST. COLUMB MINOR, CORNWALL,
THE OLDEST LIVING CLERK 320
_From a photograph by Mr. R.P. Griffith, Newquay_

PREFACE

The race of parish clerks is gradually becoming extinct. Before the
recollection of their quaint ways, their curious manners and customs,
has quite passed away, it has been thought advisable to collect all that
can be gathered together concerning them. Much light has in recent years
been thrown upon the history of the office. The learned notes appended
to Dr. Wickham Legg's edition of _The Parish Clerk's Book_, published by
the Henry Bradshaw Society, Dr. Atchley's _Parish Clerk and his Right to
Read the Liturgical Epistle_ (Alcuin Club Tracts), and other works, give
much information with regard to the antiquity of the office, and to the
duties of the clerk of mediaeval times; and from these books I have
derived much information. By the kindness of many friends and of many
correspondents who are personally unknown to me, I have been enabled to
collect a large number of anecdotes, recollections, facts, and
biographical sketches of many clerks in different parts of England, and
I am greatly indebted to those who have so kindly supplied me with so
much valuable information. Many of the writers are far advanced in
years, when the labour of putting pen to paper is a sore burden. I am
deeply grateful to them for the trouble which they kindly took in
record