Part 14 (1/2)
The register of Sparsholt, Berks, records an instance of the body of a dead man being arrested for debt. The entry is:--
”The corpse of John Matthews, of Fawler, was stopt on the churchway for debt, August 27, 1689. And having laine there fower days, was by Justices warrant buryied in the place to prevent annoyances--but about sixe weekes after it was by an order of Sessions taken up and buried in the churchyard by the wife of the deceased.”
A dog-whipper was an ancient parish official, whose duty was to drive out all dogs from the church. The Wakefield accounts contain the items:--
”1616. Paid to Gorby Stork for whippinge s. d.
doggs 2 6”
”1703. For hatts shoes and hoses for s.e.xton and dog-whipper 18 6”
Another official was the person appointed to arouse members of the congregation from their slumbers during divine service. The parish accounts of Castleton record:--
s. d.
”1702. Paid to sluggard waker 10 0”
Sometimes the cost of a journey to London was defrayed by the parish in order to enable a sufferer to be touched for the king's evil. The Ecclesfield accounts contain the following entry relating to this custom:--
”1641. Given to John Parkin wife towards her travell to London to get cure of his Majestie for the disease called the Evill, which her s. d.
Sonen Thorn is visited withall 6 8”
The clergymen were required to keep a register of all who were so touched, in order that they might not again go to the king and receive the bounty which accompanied the touch. Hence we read in the register of Hambleden, Bucks:--
”1685. May 17, Mary Wallington had a certificate to goe before the King for a disease called the King's Evil.”
The treating of bishops and clergy is often noticed in the accounts.
Sometimes a sugar-loaf was presented, as at St. James', Bristol:--
”1629. Paid for a sugar loaf for the Lord Bishop 15's 10'd”
Sometimes items relate to their refreshment:--
”1593. Pd for a galland of beer given to the Beishopp of Hereford iiii'd”
”1617. Pd for a quart of wine and sugar bestowed upon two preachers x'd”
The status of students at the Universities was not so high in former days as at present, and poor scholars used to beg their way to Oxford and Cambridge, and receive the a.s.sistance of the charitable. Hence we read in the Leverton accounts:--
”1562. Gave to a pore scholar at Oxford. 2s. 0d.”
With this record of ”a pore scholar” we must leave our study of the contents of the parish chest, which afford such valuable and accurate information about village and town life of ancient times.
[6] 812 registers begin in 1538, 40 of which contain entries prior to that date. 1,822 registers date from 1538 to 1558, and 2,448 from 1558 to 1603.
[7] In the Whitchurch books we find: ”1671. Paide for a coate and wastcoate for good wife Clarke 13s., also for linen and shoes; to the Chiurgeons for looking at Ezechiell Huller's legg 3.” And such-like entries.
CHAPTER XVIII
STAINED GLa.s.s, TILES, AND MURAL PAINTINGS