"[245] Finally, parishes would now and then make some cautious
speculation in real estate, such as the buying of a local market or
fair with a view to profit.[246]
Leaving the subject of endowments we shall now take up in order the
measures which may be called _Parish Expedients for raising money_.
Of all means ever devised for obtaining large sums of money for parish
uses, the most popular, as certainly the most efficacious, was the
_Church-ale_. Widespread during the first years of Elizabeth's reign,
church-ales, for reasons hereafter to be mentioned, ceased to be held
in many parishes towards the end of the reign. They constitute,
nevertheless, at all times during the 16th century an important
chapter in the history of parochial finance. In some wardens' accounts
the proceeds of these ales form a yearly recurring and an ordinary
receipt item; in others ales were resorted to when some unusually
large sum had to be raised, or some heavy expense was to be met, such
as the rebuilding of the church tower, the recasting of the bells, the
raising of a stock to set the poor to work, or the buying of a silver
communion cup.[247] Frequently, also, funds were raised by means of
ales called clerk-ales, sexton-ales, etc., to pay the wages of clerks,
sextons and other servants of the parish.
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