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Deeds, as the Reparation of High Ways, the Relief 0 f thePoor, &c. The receipt and disbutfements of thefe Sumswere committed to the care of the Dean and RegifterMr. Afhmole, has made this addition in his Library'which it will not be out of our way to obfcrve forthe information of thofe who may be defirous to knowhow the Point then ftood ; that not withftanding theaforefaid Order in Chapter, made the 24th of MayAnno 32 Hen. VIII. for changing the Number of Maffes'ufually Sung for defund: Knights, into a pecuniaryRate, according their degrees ; the Prayers for Soulsdeparted, both by private Perfons, as alfo by the Clergy,in Maffes and Exequies; nay farther, to give Almsto others, and to pray for them, was continued bythe Church of England feveral Years beyond that fpacejfor in a Book, entituled the Injlitution of a Chrijlian Man,&c, made by the Clergy of England, as appears by theSubfcriptions of the Archbifhops, Bifhops, and others ofthe Clergy to the Preface ; dedicated by them to KingHenry VIII. and printed by Thomas Bartelet, the King’sPrinter, Anno 1537. cum Privilegio, the Article of Purga-tory is there fet down.
But to proceed. This charitable diftribution, in a Chap,ter held at Greenwich, 5 Edw. VI. was enlarged to therelief of the Poor in the Town of Windfor, and otherTowns, Villages, and Places, at the difcretion of theDean of Windfor. And though the laid Decree was con-firmed by King Edward VI. Queen Mary, and QueenElizabeth, yet for many Years, the Collodion of thefeObiit Monies was negleded ; till in 9 Car. I. the Earlof Portland, out of his great Generality, as well as his Zealfor reftoring fo pious a W ork, reiterated to the Sovereignthe ancient Decrees made in this Cafe. Whereupon itpa {fed in Chapter, that the fame fhould be revived, and forever continued ; and that the fame fhould begin for thefive Knights, whofe Atchievements were offered at thatFeaft, the King of Sweden, the Eled or Palatine, theEarls of Northumberland, Banbury, and Rutland. And astq Stranger Princes, it pleated the Sovereign to exprefshimfelf, T hat as by the Statutes they are left to performthefe Payments by themfelves, if they wou’d ; fo, if itwere not done by them, that both then, and for the fu-ture, the fame foo.uld be paid by the Sovereign him*fdf. After?