medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear All,
This is a bit off topic, but its roots will be in the MA.
I came across the phrase "surplice fees" in an 18th C source (Parson
Woodforde's Diary) and asked a priest friend if I was right to think that
these were fees paid for the occasional office: baptisms, churchings,
weddings, burials. Their reply was that it must refer to weddings & burials
only since baptisms (and possibly churchings) were free - but then added
that this may have only been true since the coming of state registration of
birth since 1832. Before then baptism acted as a birth registration.
Can anyone throw light on this ? Were baptisms performed for free in (any
part of ) the Middle Ages ? Post Reformation ? Wikipedia lists "baptisms,
weddings and burials" as generating surplice fees but we all know how
accurate THAT is. And it does not mention churchings.
In anticipation,
Brenda
Brenda M. Cook
Independent Scholar
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