| Show pews in churches in anglo angio saxon and some norman churches of vury early date a stone bench was made to project within the wall running round the who whole I 1 e interior except the east end in 1310 they are represented as sitting on the aroun ground d or standing about this time the people introduced trod low rude three lebed legged stools promiscuously over the church I 1 wooden seats were introduced soon at aber er the norman conque conquest jn in 1287 a decree was issued in regard to the ir wrangling for seats so common that none done should call any iny seat in the church his own except noblemen and patron patrons each entering and holding the one he first entered As we approach the reformation from 1530 to 1540 seats seata were more appropriated the entrance rance being guarded by cross bare bars and the initial letters engraved on them immediately after the reformation the pew pei system prevailed arwe as we learn from a complaint the poor commons addressed to henry viii in 1546 in a reference to his decree that a bible should be in every church at liberty for all to read because thy they feared it might be taken into the guyte guyre or some pue in 1603 1003 galleries were introduced As early aa 1611 pews were arranged to a amford afford fro d earlies comfort rt by being baided or c d ii athile hile bile the edes sides around were so high as to hide those within a device of the puritans Pu ritana to avoid been seen bythe by the officers who reported those who wha did not stand when the name of jesus was mentioned the services were often greatly protracted so that many would woula fall asleep nence hence swifts pithy allusion A bedstead of the antique modes molt compact of timber many a idad load F ucb uch as our anceto ance anoe tr tid did lid we into pew which still their ancient nature keep keen ay lodging tolls folks disposed to sleep 11 with the reign of charles 1 I the reasons for th the heightening the sides disappeared and from the civil war they declined bradu gradually alluto to their present height |
