Church by this (presuming all the rest in proportionable equipage) when the
desk, whereon the Priest read, was inlaid with plate of silver.
Item, Sold a rod of iron which the curtain run upon before the Rood, nine,
pence.] The Rood was an Image of Christ on the Corss, made generally
of wood, and erected in a loft for that purpose, just over the passage out of
the Church into the Chancel. And, wot you what spiritual mysterie was
couched in this position thereof? The Church (forsooth) typified the Church
Militant, the Chancel represents the Church Triumphant; and all, who will pass
out ot the sormer into the latter, must go under the Rood-lost; that is, carry the
cross and be acquainted with affliction. I add this the rather, because
Harps¦field, that great Scholar (who might be presumed knowing in his
own art of Superstition) confesseth himself ignorant ot the reason of the Rood-scituation.
Item, Sold so much Wax as amounted to twenty six shillings.] So thristy
the Wardens, at that they bought not candles and tapers ready made, but bought
the wax at the best hand, and payed poor people for the making of them.
Now they sold their Magazine of wax as useless. Under the Reformation
more light and fewer candles.
Item, Paid for half of the Book called Paraphrase, five shillings.] By
the seventh Injunction of King Edward, each Parish was to procure the Para∣phrase
of Erasmus, namely, the first part thereof on the Gospels, and the
same to be let up in some convenient place in the Church.
Item, Spent in the Visitation at Chelmsford amongst the Wardens and other
honest men, fourteen-shillings four pence.] A round summe I assure you in
those dayes. This was the first Visitation (kept by Nicholas Ridley newly
Bishop of London) whereat Waltham-Wardens ever appeared out of their own
Town, whole Abbot formerly had Episcopal Jurisdiction.
Anno 1551 the 5th of EDWARD the 6th.
Imprimis, Received for a Knell of a servant to the Lady Mary her Grace,
ten pence.] Cept-Hall in this Parish being then in the Crown, the Lady (af∣terwards
Queen) Mary, came thither sometimes to take the air probably,
during whose residence there this her servant died.
Item, Lost fourty six shillings by reason of the fall of money by Proclamati∣on.]
King Henry much debased the English Coyn, to his own gain and the
Lands loss (if Soveraigns may be said to get by the damage of their Subjects)
yet all would not do to pay his debts. His Son Edward endeavoured to re∣duce
the Coyn to its true standard, decrying bad money by his Proclamation,
to the intrinsick value thereof. But, prevented by death, he effected not
this difficult design (Adultery in Men, and Adulterateness. in Money, both hard∣ly
reclaimed) which was afterwards compleated by the care of Queen Elizabeth.
Item, Received for two hundred seventy one ounces of Plate, sold at se∣veral
times for the best advantage, sixtie seven pound fourteen shillings and
nine pence.] Now was the Brotherhood in the Church dissolved, consist∣ing
as formerly of three Priests, three Choristers, and two Sextons; and
the rich plate belonging to them was sold for the good of the Parish. It may
seem strange the Kings Commissioners deputed for that purpose, seised not
on it, from whose hands Waltham found some favour (befriended by the
Lord Rich their Countrey-man) the rather▪ because of their intentions to
build their decaied Steeple.