vast fabric of spoliation by sending
commissioners to visit all the cathedrals and parish churches, and
seize the superfluous plate and ornaments for the King's use. Even
quite small churches possessed many treasures which the piety of many
generations had bestowed upon them.

There is a little village in Berkshire called Boxford, quite a small
place. Here is the list of church goods which the commissioners found
there, and which had escaped previous ravages:--

"One challice, a cross of copper & gilt, another cross of timber
covered with brass, one cope of blue velvet embroidered with
images of angles, one vestment of the same suit with an albe of
Lockeram,[22] two vestments of Dornexe,[23] and three other very
old, two old & coarse albes of Lockeram, two old copes of Dornexe,
iiij altar cloths of linen cloth, two corporals with two cases
whereof one is embroidered, two surplices, & one rochet, one bible
& the paraphrases of Erasmus in English, seven banners of lockeram
& one streamer all painted, three front cloths for altars whereof
one of them is with panes of white damask & black satin, & the
other two of old vestments, two towels of linen, iiij candlesticks
of latten[24] & two standertes[25] before the high altar of
latten, a lent vail[26] before the high altar with panes blue and
white, two candlesticks of latten and five branches, a peace,[27]
three great bells with one saunce bell xx, one canopy of cloth, a
covering of Dornixe for the Sepulchre, two cruets of pewter, a
holy-water pot of latten, a linen cloth to draw before the rood.
And all the said parcels safely to be kept & preserved, & all the
same & every parcel thereof to be forthcoming at all times when it
shall be of them [the churchwardens] required."

[22] A fine linen cloth made in Brittany (cf. _Coriolanus_, Act
ii. sc. 1).

[23] A rich sort of stuff interwoven with gold and silver, made at
Tournay, which was formerly called Dorneck, in Flanders.

[24] An alloy of copper and zinc.

[25] Large standard candlesticks.

[26] The Lent cloth, hung before the altar during Lent.

[27] A Pax.

This inventory of the goods of one small church enables us to judge of
the wealth of our country churches before they were despoiled. Of
private spoliators their name was legion. The arch-spoliator was
Protector Somerset, the King's uncle, Edward Seymour, formerly Earl of
Hertford and then created Duk