CHURCH-WARDENS (ecclesiæ guardiani), in the English ecclesiastical polity, are the guardians or keepers of the church, and representatives of the body of the parish. They are sometimes appointed by the minister, sometimes by the parish, sometimes by both together, as custom directs. They are taken, in favour of the church, to be, for some purposes, a kind of corporation at the common law; that is, they are enabled, by that name, to have a property in goods and chattels, and to bring actions for them, for the use and profits of the parish. Yet they may not waste the church goods, but may be removed by the parish, and then called to account by actions at common law: but there is no method of calling them to account but by first removing them; for none can legally do it but those who are put in their place. As to lands, or other real property, as the church, churchyard, &c. they have no sort of interest therein; but if any damage is done thereto, the parson only or vicar shall have the action. Their office also is to repair the church, and make rates and levies for that purpose: but these are recoverable only in the ecclesiastical courts. They are also joined with the overseers in the care and maintenance of the poor. They are to levy a shilling forfeiture on all such as do not repair to church on Sundays and holidays; and are empowered to keep all persons orderly while there; to which end it has been held that a church-warden may justify the pulling off a man's hat, without being guilty of either an assault or a trespass. There are also a multitude of other petty parochial powers committed to their charge by divers acts of parliament.