St. Swithin's was probably the then parish church of the mayor. I suppose the mayor did not attend the Cathedral officially on public occasions before 1 Edward IV, as on the 20th of January in that year the Prior of Worcester granted the corporation a permission to attend divine service at the Cathedral, attended by their officers.—See "Nash's Worcestershire," vol. ii, p. 309.
Entries frequently occur of "chimney money" paid for poor widows and others during the reign of James II. Was this a national or local tax? Returns were ordered by parish constables, in the latter half of the seventeenth century, of all fire hearths and stoves in every house rateable to church and poor, and this was probably in reference to the "chimney money" above alluded to—being a tax which poor widows and others, not being absolutely paupers, were unable to pay. The ministers who preached here—probably on special occasions only—had each a bottle of wine given them; and means were taken to prevent any "backing out" on the part of the juveniles when the sermon was commenced; vide:
"Paid Henry Richards for timber, boards, and works, for mending gallery stayers and stoping the boyes ffrom creeping down, and making Mr. Panting's stayers to his reading pue, 12s. 7d."
Among the noticeable miscellaneous entries are the following:
(1680.) "Paid Mr. Evans for common prayer book for the church, 14s. 6d."
(1681.) "Paid for engrossing Mr. Mayor's warrant for burying in woollen. 1s." [I believe an act was passed about this time for the encouragement of the woollen trade by compelling burials in woollen.]
(1682.) "Paid 1s. for charcoal to dry the writings in the treasury" (chest).
"Rosemary and bayes at Christmas, 2s. 6d."
"2 lbs. hogg's liquor (Query, lard?) for the chimes, 7d."
"Paid Ginks to carry the bones to the scullhouse, 3s."