Burial without Baptism!

[Jayson]

Hi

In the parish registers for Audlem in Cheshire during the 16th century I have frequently come accross entries which say "A man child son of . . . buried without baptism".  Is this an indication that the entries relate to stillbirths?

Jayson 

[stanmapstone]

I would think so as any baby born alive in danger of death is baptised straight away, but you can't baptise a dead baby.

Stan

[Jayson]

Hello Stan

Thank you! I thought that this was the case but wanted to check it out here first to be sure.

Jayson 

[avm228]

I don't think you can assume the babies were stillborn.  If a baby lived only a very short time (a few minutes, or an hour or two) there may well not have been time for baptism, even if the infant was obviously frail.  And some babies may have appeared to be healthy at birth and therefore not have been baptised in a hurry, only to die suddenly and unexpectedly.  Sadly, sudden infant deaths occur even in this day and age.

The burial entries simply mean precisely what they say - that the baby was buried without having been baptised, for whatever reason.

Anna

[stanmapstone]

It has always been recognised in ecclesiastical law that a person who is not a clergyman, can baptise in an emergency, indeed in the Middle Ages midwives were licensed by bishops with that eventuality in mind. They were advised that they should under no circumstances neglect baptism in the presence of witnesses, if there was any likelihood of a child dying before the arrival of
a priest.


Stan