Chelmsford, Essex, Eng.: Essex County Council, 1973. "Essex Record Office Publications No. 63," taken "Mainly from Essex Archidiaconal Records." xiv, [2], 348 p.: frontispiece, 8 unpaginated pages of illustrations, folded map of Essex "showing the ecclesiastical jurisdictions"; 25 cm. (10 inches). Black cloth with gilt-stamped spine title. Color illustrated dust jacket. Includes index of subjects and index of persons and places. First Edition. "The social historian is here given a wealth of entirely new material on the Elizabethan permissive society, a subject obviously of interest also in the general reader. But while moral offences half fill the book, this is a serious, not sensational, account of the business of the Archdeacons' Courts (popularly known as the 'Bawdy Courts'). It includes absence from church, conventicles [illegal meetings for worship by dissenters], usury, licensing of school-teachers, dilapidated churches, plate and bells, as well as the Church Settlement and Visitations. Having read the 100,000 entries in the Elizabethan court books of the two Essex Archdeaconries--among the most complete series in England--Dr. Emmison has provided the quintessence in an eminently readable form" [from the dust jacket]. ISBN 0-900360-41-0. Extremely useful source book for anyone interested in English religious life in the age of Elizabeth! Book is in Near Fine Condition: small ink mark on front free endpaper; otherwise all pages are clean and tight. Dust Jacket is in Very Good- Condition: front section rubbed; head of spine chipped; 1mm [¼-inch] closed tear top edge of front section; old, faint dampstain at tail of spine along back joint; back section soiled.. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good-.