[120] Canon 47; (1838) 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106, ss. 75, 76, 81-98, 120-122, 130; (1885) 48 & 49 Vict. c. 54, s. 9. [121] See ch. ii. § 15; (1838) 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106, ss. 77, 85-87, 105; (1885) 48 & 49 Vict. c. 54, ss. 1-3; (1898) 61 & 62 Vict. c. 48, s. 9. [122] Hubbard _v._ Penrice (1746) 2 Str. 1245; Reg. _v._ Allen (1872) L. R. 8 Q. B. 69; Pinder _v._ Barr (1854) 4 E. & B. 105; Lawrence _v._ Edwards (1891) 1 Ch. 144; 2 Ch. 72. [123] 6 & 7 Vict. c. 37, ss. 11-14. [124] Martyn _v._ Hind (1776) 2 Cowp. 437, 440. [125] (1865) 28 & 29 Vict. c. 122, ss. 3, 6. [126] (1838) 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106, s. 83. [127] (1838) 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106, ss. 95, 97. The notices require no special formalities; Tanner _v._ Scrivener (1888) 13 P. D. 128. [128] (1838) 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106, s. 77; (1885) 48 & 49 Vict. c. 54, ss. 2-8. [129] (1885) 48 & 49 Vict. c. 54, s. 13. [130] Trebec _v._ Keith (1742) 2 Atk. 498; Barnes _v_. Shore (1846) 1 Rob. Eccl. 382; Freeland _v._ Neale (1848) _Ib._ 643. As to beneficed clergy, see above, ch. ii. § 11. [131] Gates _v._ Chambers (1824) 2 Add. 177. [132] 7 & 8 Vict. c. 59 (Lecturers and Parish Clerks Act, 1844), ss. 1, 6. CHAPTER IV LAITY OF THE PARISH 1. There is no general law as to the relations between an incumbent and the lay officers of a parish. They vary in ancient and in new ecclesiastical parishes, and in particular places are modified by custom. 2. The vestry in an ancient parish consists of the ratepayers who are inhabitants of the parish or who, though not residents therein, are rated for the relief of the poor in respect of the parish, and of occupiers of hereditaments so rated. A meeting of the vestry is called by the incumbent and churchwardens by a notice in print or writing, and signed by the incumbent or a churchwarden or overseer, and affixed on or near the doors of all the churches and chapels in the parish in which the service of the Church is performed, on some Sunday at least three clear days before the meeting is to be held.[133] The incumbent is _ex officio_ chairman of every vestry meeting. In case of his absence, or of there being no incumbent, the members of the vestry present elect one of themselves as chairman. In case of an equality of votes the chairman, as such, has a casting vote in addition to his previous right to vote as a member of the vestry.[134] In the event of a poll being demanded, it is taken by open voting, and the members of the vestry have from one to six votes, according to the amount of their assessment, those assessed at an annual value of under £50 having one vote, and those assessed at £50 and upwards having one vote for every complete £25 of their assessment up to £150; all at or above that figure having six votes and no more. In a new ecclesiastical parish or district a meeting in the nature of a vestry is composed of the same persons as would, if the parish or district were an ancient parish, be entitled to vote in the