m Seventh Report of the Deputy-Keeper of the Public Recorda, p. 312.

We see by this Commission that "all singuler redye money, plate, and Juelles," which are to be "immediately collected and brought together," are especially to be confiscated to the king's use. This at once shews the character of the Commission; and when we look to the Articles, we find this character more fully exhibited. The coverings of the Communion-table, and other linen ornaments over and above what were actually needed, were to be given to the poor, "in such sort as may be most to God's glory and our honour;" the copes and other rich vestments are to be sold, and the proceeds given, not "to God's glory," but "to our own use;" the belle are to go excepting one big bell, (which it seemed necessary to leave to call people together,) and the "Saunce bell," (which was so small that it would have added very little to the king's exchequer). This last definite instruction to the Commissioners-that the "Saunce bell," (which, whether it here means the little band-bell inside, or the bell in the little bell-cot outside, was rung at the Elevation of the Host,) was to be retained - shews how little the desire to rid the Church of superstitious ornaments was present to the minds of the Commissioners, or else we must believe that the ringing of the bell, and all the meaning which it involves, was not by them considered to be superstitious, and so not to be included amongst illegal Ornaments.

The history of Edward the Sixth's reign as regards religion, when written in the light of authentic documents, is very different to that frequently written under the influence of Protestant zeal, or of the contempt for all real and earnest religious feeling whatever, displayed in one at least of our modern historians who has written of this period.

These Inventories enable us to form some notion of the beauty and costliness of the ornaments with which even our smaller parish churches had been, by the devotion and piety of the parishioners, endowed. They shew us, moreover, that for years after the Reformation may be said to have been complete, - after the new Prayer-Book had been in use four or five years, - after all the ornaments adjudged to be superstitious had, in accordance with Edward the Sixth's Injunctions of 1548, been done away with, - after Protestant zeal had had its sway, and unlawful peculation had had its fling, there was much remaining for the grasping hand of the Crown to melt down, or turn into money, in order to benefit the royal exchequer.

But they have a definite and peculiar interest for us. As long as the rubrick at the beginning of our Prayer-Book stands, and as long as that Prayer-Book is part of an Act of Parliament unrepealed, "the Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof, as they were in use by the authority of Parliament in the second year of King Edward Vl.th," and continued so until the sixth year of the same king, must have an interest and concern for us. "Whether it is ruled that the clause was in some indefinite and obscure manner repealed in Elizabeth's reign or not, it has still to be shewn why it was reprinted exactly as it stood when the Prayer-Book was carefully revised in King James the First's reign, and more so, why the substance of the original rubrick was repeated, strengthened only in its form by the change or addition of a few words-No doubt disuse of many of these Ornaments permitted, nay more, frequently encouraged, in obedience to popular clamour, by those in high position in the Church of England, when laxity in all matters of religion was the fashion, has rendered it not only difficult, but, as is contended, unwise and impolitic to enforce the use of them at the present time: still, as long as disuse does not in such cases, by the law of the land, involve forfeiture of rights, the Ornaments recorded in these Inventories must, until the same powers which ordained them in 1662 (that is, Convocation and Parliament combined) take them away, be considered the true and lawful Ornaments of the ministers and of the Church now, and therefore worthy of the attention of all who respect discipline, and have no sympathy with the laxity which brought them into disuse.

These Inventories are given entire, with the exception of the headings, and the memoranda of exhibition. The Newbury inventory represents in general the prescribed form almost invariably adopted. Where the words are contracted in the originals, they are here, as a rule, printed in extenso.

As the lists are not extensive, it is scarcely necessary to make any remarks upon them here.

It will be observed that there are many words which, from disuse, have become either obscure, or unintelligible. A few brief notes, therefore, have been added at the foot of the page. Instead'of burdening the text, fuller explanations of the less-used words, and of the special subjects to which the Inventories refer, have been relegated to a Glossary at the end. These do not profess to be new, or of any historical value; they are taken from the writings of several well-known authors, treating of liturgical subjects; but the substance of the information thus scattered in various works, is brought together here for the convenience of readers.

W. M. J. P.