Afterwards, about the time of our last conquest,
the country was sorted by a more orderly maner into parishes,
& euery parish committed to a spirituall father, called their Parson,
who stept into that roome, not by election (as some imagine)
but mostly, by the nomination of him that eyther built the Church,
or endowed the same with some liuelyhood, or was L. of the soyle
where it stood. As for Vicarages, those daies knew few, for they
grew vp in more corrupt ages, by the religious houses encrochments.
Besides this Incumbent, euery parish had certaine officers, as
Churchwardens, Sidemen, and 8. men, whose duety bound them to see
the buildings & ornaments appertaining to Gods seruice, decently
maintayned, & good order there reuerently obserued. And lest
negligence, ignorance, or partiality, might admit or foist in abuses,
& corruption, an Archdeacon was appointed to take account of their
doings by an yerely visitation, & they there sworn duly to make it.
He & they againe had their Ordinary, the Bishop, euery 3.
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