absent

(90) William Newton, in pastoral directions to his parishioners first published in 1726, and still in print in 1793, complained that "there are too many among you, as in all other parishes, grossly defective" in coming to church, and that the law had been "slackened in favour to the scrupulous Dissenters; and the wicked negligent absenters have taken tee advantage and plead liberty of conscience to stay at home, and not serve God at all." He argued that absentees should be presented before the courts, even if it drove them into the arms of Nonconformity, and he bemoaned an increasing trend to fortnightly, monthly or still less frequent attendance.

Here 8 percent of clergy failed to answer the question, 28 percent categorically stated that they had no absenters, and 31 percent made more_qualified denials, using evasive language ("the church appears to be regularly fill'd," attend as regularly as in the neighbouring parishes," and so forth) which almost certainly concealed some non-attendance, even if it was a matter of irregularity rather than complete neglect.

Another one-fifth asserted that they had none and a further 21 percent made a similar claim but with some qualification, usually along the lines that they did not know any absenters or that people "generally" attended.