lˈeɪɾɚɹ ˈɔn, ɐbˌaʊt ðə fˈɪftiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi ðə pɹˈæktɪs wʌz ˌɪntɹədˈuːst ʌv ɹᵻsˈiːvɪŋ hˈoʊli kəmjˈuːniən nˈiːlɪŋ, ænd sˌoʊ ðɪ ˈɔltɚɹˈeɪl ɡɹˈædʒuːəli kˈeɪm tʊ ɐsˈuːm ɐ fˈɔːɹm bˈɛɾɚ sˈuːɾᵻd tə ðæt jˈuːs, ænd lˈaɪk wʌt ɪɾ ɪz æt pɹˈɛzənt bˌɜːɹɐsˈeɪ, dˈɪkt. dˈɑːɹtʃ.
Later on, about the fifteenth century the practice was introduced of receiving Holy Communion kneeling, and so the altar-rail gradually came to assume a form better suited to that use, and like what it is at present (Bourassé, Dict. D'Arch.