Church attendance figures were not normally recorded until the mid 19th C though from at least the 13th C, incumbents and churchwardens would have an idea of the number of Easter Communicants since they had to provide for them. Easter communion (after confession) was compulsory for all those after the age of puberty (thought of as 12 for a girl and 14 for a boy).
Some people wanted to get their church-going out of the way and preferred an early mass to the main mid-morning one. So called "Glutton Masses" would allow those who had attended to spend the rest of the day eating and drinking.
The early 16th C Duke of Buckingham had a long bridge built from his castle to the church.
The chamberlain of a lord might be sent ahead of him to church to prepare his pew with cushion, carpet, curtain, beads (rosary) and book.
As well as craft guilds etc. there were also "companies" of maidens, young men and wives.
Schoolboys were urged to kneel in church, not to whisper or tell stories or cross their legs as this was slovenly and could bring ill luck. Congregations were told to be silent and devout, to say prayers or other devotions. Children should not run around tumultuously in churchyards or other places near churches.
In 1429 the parishioners of Coverham in Yorkshire were bringing swords, bows, arrows and staves to church. They left such a stack of them in the porch that it was hard to enter.
Meredydd Wynne, a gentleman of North Wales in the time of Henry VII lived not far from the church but when attending he would leave guards at home and post a watchman on a near by hill journeying flanked by 20 archers.
Disturbances could be caused in church by the restless walking around etc., gossips, quarrellers and the resentful calling out etc. (pp168f)
One man contemptuously washed his hands in the font and have holy bread to his dog.
Men seem generally not to have uncovered their heads in church, only at the elevation of the wafer.
It was the practice to receive unconsecrated bread and wine after communion.
At least since the 14th C, it was common to bow at the name of Jesus since Paul had said "at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow"
Kneel in English could mean a brief genuflection or getting down on both knees.
On making the sign of the cross see p176.
Tyndale complained that the people cross themselves with a legion of crosses behind and before, on their very arses and heels and soles of their feet (p177)
The priest would kiss his assistants, the altar, the consecrated chalice and the pax at the mass.
One writer could say in 1554, "who could, twenty years ago, say the Lord's Prayer in English?" It was better known in Latin.
People expressed their scepticism in picturesque ways: There is more good in a cask of ale than in the four gospels. Matins and evensong are no better than the rumbling of tubs or the mass of a bad priest than the sound of a barking dog. I would as soon see the consecration of a pudding as a mass or as soon be buried under an oak as in a Christian cemetery. When you see my soul hung on a hedge, cast stones at it.
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