The English law as to this official was laid down in the Constitution of Archbishop Boniface of Savoy, in the thirteenth century. The benefice was, according to this, to be bestowed “upon poor clerks.” And as there had been many disputes about the bestowal of the office, the archbishop decreed that henceforward “the rectors and vicars (of parish churches), who know better than parishioners those that are fit for the office, shall institute such clerics in these benefices as they know in their hearts can and will properly serve in the Divine offices (of the church) and will obey their directions.” Upon which law Lyndwood remarks, that it is always the privilege of the Ecclesiastical Superior to appoint his inferiors in his own church, and that it is no part of the right of any patron; which, in this instance, may be taken to include the parishioners, who were supposed to find the salary. In the manuscript accounts of the wardens of St. Botulph’s, Aldersgate Street, a payment of £4 a year was made to the clerk, and this sum was specially collected for the purpose. [Illustration: HOLY WATER CLERK] A note “of clerke wage owing” in the accounts of St. Michael’s in Bedwardine, Worcestershire, makes it appear that there, ordinarily, each householder paid 1_d._ a quarter for the clerk, although one person, to whom is prefixed the title of “Mr.”, evidently pointing to a man of “class,” paid a shilling each time. St. Mary-at-Hill, in London, paid its clerk at the rate of £6 13_s._ 4_d._ a year, and he also received certain offerings at obits, etc., kept in the church. The regular wage was specially, although apparently not very regularly, collected by the wardens. [Illustration: BLESSING OF FOOD BY HOLY WATER CLERK] The actual payment of the clerk was sometimes a difficulty; and Archbishop Boniface anticipates this possibility by asserting the English custom of the parish paying for his services. It was in consequence of this, he says, that parishioners had asserted their right to make the appointment. He directs that, should there be objection made to this payment by any parish, the people should be compelled to do their plain duty by ecclesiastical censures. On the other hand, Archbishop Peckham seems to have thought it reasonable that those who paid the money should elect to the office, and held that the parishioners ought to appoint the parish clerks to their offices.