One of the demands of the Devon “rebels” in the time of the religious changes in Edward VI.’s reign had reference to this question of baptism. “We will,” it ran, “that our curates shall minister the Sacrament of Baptism at all times, as well as in the week-day as on the holy-day.” To this Cranmer, in his reply, says, “Every Easter and Whitsuneven, until this time, the fonts were hallowed in every church and many collects and other prayers were read for them that were baptized. But alas! in vain, and as it were a mocking with God; for at those times, except it were by chance, none were baptized, but all were baptized before.” The offering for the administration of baptism was strictly voluntary. Whenever any difficulty arose between the parson and his people on this matter, the bishop always took the opportunity of laying down as the common law of the Church that nothing could be exacted. Bishop Grandisson, for instance, in 1355, in a case at Moreton Hampstead, declared “that no priest could deny, or presume to deny, any Sacrament to his parishioners by demanding money, but that he might afterwards take what the people chose to offer him.” [Illustration: SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM] The reverence with which our forefathers regarded whatever had been used for any sacred purpose is illustrated in a matter connected with this Sacrament. Bishop Quevil, in the Synod of Exeter in 1287, states that when in case of necessity a child had been baptized in its own home, the vessel that had been used should either be destroyed by fire or given to the church to be used for ecclesiastical purposes; and that the water should either be thrown on the fire or taken to the church and poured down the “sacrarium.” Myrc, in his _Instructions_, gives this same order-- “Another way thou might to yet In a vessel to cryston hyt, And when scho hath do ryght so Watere and vessel brenne hem bo, Other brynge hyt to the chyrche anon And cast hyt to the font ston.” Bishop Quevil, in the same Synod, also states the law of the Church as to god-parents. For a boy, two men and one woman were permissible; and similarly for a girl, two women and one man. All others could only be regarded as witnesses, and did not incur the bond of spiritual relationship as true god-parents and their god-children did.