In the days of the chantry, lands, tenements, and other gifts were presented and bequeathed that "obits" or prayers for the dead might be offered before the altar and image of "oure Ladye." Dr. Fuller gives the following account of "obits" at Waltham: "The charge of an obit was two shillings and two pence; and, if any be curious to have the particulars thereof, it was thus expended: to the parish priest, three pence; to our Lady's priest, three pence; to the charnel priest, threepence; to the two clerks, four pence; to the children (these I conceive choristers) three pence; to the sexton, two pence; to the bellman, two pence; for two tapers, two pence; for oblation, two pence. O, the reasonable rates at Waltham! Two shillings and two pence for an obit, the price whereof in S. Paul's, in London, was forty shillings! For, forsooth, the higher the church, the holier the service, the dearer the price, though he had given too much that had given but thanks for such vanities. To defray the expenses of these obits, the parties prayed for, or their executors, left lands, houses, or stock to the churchwardens."[18] These obits were abolished when the chantries were suppressed in the first year of the reign of King Edward VI. "Now," says Dr. Fuller, "was the brotherhood in the church dissolved, consisting as formerly of three priests, three choristers, and two sextons; and the rich plate belonging to them was sold for the good of the parish. Superstition by degrees being banished out of the church, we hear no more of prayers and masses for the dead. Every obit now had its own obit, and fully expired; the lands formerly given thereunto being employed to more charitable uses."[19] [Footnote 18: Cap. iv.] [Footnote 19: Cap. v.]