The granting of briefs gave rise to much abuse, and they were finally abolished by the advice of Lord Palmerston.
The contents of the parish chest afford an unlimited mass of material for those who love to study the curious customs of our forefathers and their strange usages. Here is a record of a much-married person:—
“Mary Blewitt, ye wife of nine husbands successively, buried eight of ym, but last of all ye woman dy’d and was buried, May 7th 1681.”
In the margin of the register is written, “This was her funeral text.”
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 sexton
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"