Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

the benchers' pews on the Inner Temple side ; " and again, in Decem-
try, union is buried in 1639, table " of by the burial clerk's high of Altar seate," Mr. above Farrar, showing thea
xcviii INTRODUCTION.
P. 355 In June, 1631, Mr. Daniel Cudmore is buried " in the middle Ile by
the communion table on the Inner Temple side." In 1637-38, came
the order from the king and council to which reference has been made.
bencher, " in the middle Isle neere the steps of the High Altar before
steppes near unto Mr. Nicholas Hare's monument." In 1641 Hugh
P. 359 Cholmeley is buried " under the second stone of the high altar." In
P. 359 1642 Lady Elizabeth Younge " near the high altar." In 1643 the
order was issued by parliament dealing with the altars and ornaments
of churches. This order having been complied with, and the
high altar removed, we find in February, 1644-5, that John Whyte is
360 buried " above the steppes on the Middle Temple side at the upper
end of the church close to the end where the altar lately stood."
No further references to the altar or the communion table are made
in the burial registers until 1657, when the late master, John Littleton,
that the table was then in the same spot in which it had been placed
before it had, for a short time, occupied the position of a high altar.
The choir, which was enclosed, with passages behind it on each
side, was handsome and elaborate, with pews for the benchers on
their respective sides of the centre aisle. Pews or benches were there
found for the choristers, who were also provided with books and
Vol.i., P. 173 candles. Servants of the two societies kept the doors of the choir,
which led into it from the long walk on either side. No women were
admitted into the choir and none but the clergy, the choristers, the
Vol.i.,p. 221 benchers, and privileged strangers of the rank at least of a knight.
The space between the western end of the choir and the round
walk was occupied by barristers and other worshippers. The place
thus set apart was fitted with benches or open pews somewhat
in the modern style, a custom which had prevailed in England,
though not in foreign countries, even before the reformation.' A
p. 116 handsome carpet or cloth with " velvet, purple ingrayne and purple
An instance of this is given by Bacon, who has an anecdote of Sir Thomas
More, where he is described as attending mass and sitting in the chancel while his wife
sat in her pew, out of his sight (Spedding, vol. vii., p. 138). See also " The Ornaments
of the Rubric " by J. T. Micklethwaite, F.S.A. London, 1897,p. 44-