"There is a curious inscription on an old seat in a church at Whalley, which seems to throw some light on the early history of private pews; it is this:--'My man Shuttleworth, of Hacking, made this form, and here will I sit when I come, and my Cousin Nowell may make one behind me if he please, and my sonne Sherburne shall make one on the other side, and Mr. Catterall another behind him; and for the residue, the use shall be first come first speed, and that will make the proud wives of Whalley rise betimes to come to church[114].' "The first seat thus appropriated was, no doubt, a rude wooden bench; but certain it is, that no sooner were even these claimed as private property than _quarrelling_ began[115]; and the quarrel has, alas! been kept up to our own day. The right to these _faculty pews_, as they are called, is, however, in most cases very questionable, and often leads to costly law processes[116]. Many sensible men and earnest Churchmen are giving up their supposed right to them, and are contented to take their place in church like _ordinary mortals_. I sincerely trust, gentlemen, this may be your case. "Now, let me notice a few of the evils which are common to _all pews_. They tend to destroy the _unity_ and _uniformity_ of common worship, which forms so grand a feature in our church system. 'They are very inconvenient to _kneel_ down in, necessarily oblige some to sit with their backs to the speaker, and when they rise up, present a scene of confusion, as if they were running their heads against one another[117]. As God's House is a House of Praise and Prayer, so before all things the arrangement there should have reference to the proper _posture_[118] of praise and prayer. Then see how these pews shelter and encourage _levity_ in God's House. As long ago as the year 1662, a bishop of Norwich wrote this satire upon pews: 'There wants nothing but beds to hear the Word of God on. We have casements, locks and keys, and cushions--I had almost said bolsters and pillows--and for those we love the church. I will not guess what is done within them: who sits, stands, or lies asleep at prayers, communion, &c.; but this, I dare say, _they are either to hide some vice or to proclaim one_[119].' I will only mention one more objection to pews: they harbour dust and dirt[120], and otherwise disfigure the beauty of our churches." "Well, Mr. Ambrose, I must confess myself brought to the same opinion as yourself," said Sir John, "and the reformation of the evil may commence at Droneworth to-morrow without any obstacle whatever from me." "Nor yet from me," rejoined Mr. Parvener: "I certainly never heard the case fairly stated before, and now I have, I own I'm convinced."