Show PEWS IN ENGLISH CHURCHES in early times furnished with sofa and tables private pews first allowed as per bonal favors appeared in english churches in the reign of henry VIII in spite of the opposition of sir thomas more and others they gained ground under elizabeth and charles I 1 and after the restoration came into increased favor and use among well todo to do citizens swift humorously de scribed how one was appropriately made out of a large wooden bedstead and in early georgian times cewa were to be found furnished with sofas and tables and provided with fired places bishop eden states that in one case a livery servant entered tho pew of his master between prayers and sermon with wine and light refresh ments thickly curtained or highly partitioned box pews were so numer ous in some churches at one time that the poor were practically excluded or thrust back into comfortless sittings in the coldest and darkest parts of abo church where they could hear little of the service before this there were no seats in the churches at all the people standing during the sermon and kneeling while the rest of the service was going on this old custom may still be observed in many con tin cathedrals |