Various causes, too, especially the scanty and scattered population, have contributed to the late date at which nearly all the Forest registers commence.[259] Still, at Eling, there occurs the second earliest parish register in Hampshire, beginning one year before Cromwell’s Act has been passed; showing, as was before noticed, that this part of the Forest was always the richest, and, consequently, the most civilized.[260] In this register we find the following most interesting entry:—
“1654. Thomas Burges, the sonne of William Burges and Elizabeth Russel, the daughter of Elizabeth, the now wife of Stephen Newland, were asked three Sabbath dayes, in the Parish Church of Eling: sc: Apriel 16th, Apr 23rd, Apr 30th, and were marr: by Richard Ld Crumwell, May xxiid.”
I need scarcely add that it was under the Protector that an Act of Parliament was passed in 1653, enabling any persons, after the due proclamation of the banns in the church or chapel, or in the market-place, on three market days, to be married by a simple affirmation before a magistrate; thus in a remarkable way nearly anticipating modern legislature.[261] The Protector’s son, at the date of this entry, was probably living at Hursley, about ten miles away to the north.
Going across to the other side of the Forest, we shall, at Ellingham, find, in the Churchwardens’ Books, an entry in a different way quite as interesting. The leaf is, I am sorry to say, very much torn, and, towards the lower part, half of it is wanting. I give, however, the extract as it stands, indicating the missing passages by the breaks:—
“Martii 13. Anno dõm. 1634. A special license, granted by the moste reverende ffather in God, William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace, under his Grace’s hand and seale, used in the like grants, dated the nyneteenth day of ffebruarie, Anno dõm. 1634, and second yeare of his Grace’s translation. And confirmed by the Letters patents of our Sov̄raigne Lord Charles the King’s ma.tie that now is ... Under the Greate Seale of England ffor Sr White Beconsaw of this parish and county of South̄ton ... (and) Dame Edith hys wife ffor the tyme of their naturell (lives) ... to eate flesh on the daies p̄hibited by the Lawe ... (upon condition of their giving to the) poore of the pīsh ... Thirteene shillings....”
Whether or no the knyght and his lady were to give the sum yearly, as seems most probable, it is impossible, from the torn condition of the leaf, to say. Their daughter was the noble Alice Lisle. The licence, of course, refers to the prohibition against eating meat on Fridays and Saturdays, and other specified times, first made by Elizabeth for the encouragement of the English fisheries, which had even in her reign begun to decay.[262] And now that we are on the subject of Churchwardens’ Books, let me give some brief extracts from those of Ellingham:—
| “1556. | Itm̄ for waxe | ixd. |
| Itm̄ for a gyrdle | iijd. | |
| Itm̄ for waxe and for makynge of ye paschall and fontetapers | xvd. | |
| First payed for a rod (rood) | xijs. | |
| Itm̄ payed for the paschall and fontetapers | ijs. viijd.” | |
| “1558. | First payed for the pascall and fontetapers | xxijd. |
| Itm̄ payed for frankeincense | id.” |
Such notices well prove how quick and strong was the reaction from Protestantism to Catholicism when favoured by the State. Again, to still further show the variety of entries, let me make some extracts from the Fordingbridge Churchwardens’ Books:—
| “1636. | Itm for a fox-head | 0 1s 0 |
| Itm for one badgers head | 0 1 0 | |
| Itm for one fox-head | 0 1 0” |
Among miscellaneous notices, as giving the average wages of the day, and the prices of various articles, let me add also the following from the same accounts:—