[266] Morris coats, caps, bells and feathers were frequently
loaned out for a consideration by wardens to other parishes.[267]
_Church-house_. Here were the brewing kettles and the spits, and here
was stored church grain or malt for beer making.[268] Here, too,
presumably, the pewter ale pots, trenchers, spoons, etc., which figure
in the accounts, were kept. These were hired out to other parishes for
their ales.[269] While ale was brewed and drunk in the church-house
for the benefit of the parish, and that apparently on other occasions
than church-ales, it does not seem probable that the place was often
allowed to degenerate into a common ale-house, even though in some
parishes it may have borne the name of "church tavern."[270] When not
required for parish purposes the church-house was rented out, and
rooms in an upper story were used for lodging.[271]
As church-ales fell into disfavor _Offerings_ or _Gatherings_ in
church or at the church door became more frequent[272] and more
systematized. As time went on these collections were regularly taken
up in many parishes every quarter, usually at Easter, Midsummer,
Michaelmas and Christmas.[273] Hence the name quarterage.[274] When
the proceeds went to general church furnishing and repairing, the
gatherings wrere sometimes called in the accounts "church works.
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