1599. Vicesimo quarto die februarii Joh'es filius Reginaldi Shakespeare bapt. fuit. 1690. Nicholas Chroucher after a Coroners inquest upon his body which was don to death by the fall of a tree in Bouruwood was buried on ye 23 April. The same year. May. William Fox an innocent boy was buried 9th From a note made by the Rev. Thomas Brett, Rector in 1705, I extract the following: "The greatest mortality in the parish appears to have been in 1612, when there were 29 burials; it is certain that ye parish in those years was fuller of inhabitants than now (1705), for Richard May, being aged about 96 years, told me he could remember at least ten houses more in ye parish than were in now. He also told me that he had heard his mother say when she was a girl, which was probably in ye years 1637 or 1638, that the small pox was got into the parish and many died of it, but this year was no such infectious distemper." In 1401, John Notebem of Rokynge desired to be buried within the church there, next the grave of his wife. To the high altar he bequeathed one cow. To the fabric of the church he bequeathed two cows. To the church he left his toga of silk, in order that a vestment might be made therefrom. To Sir William Septvans he left two silver cups; and a bequest of "muttons" to five men in the house of Sir William Septvans. In 1463, John Crekynge of Rokynge left money to pay for St. Gregory's trental of masses, to be sung for him in Rokynge Church, but he desired to be buried at Bilsington. Mr. E. W. Oliver has ascertained from wills, made during the reign of Henry VIII, that the chancel in the north side of the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and that in the south aisle there were images of St. Thomas of Canterbury and of the Holy Trinity. He likewise found mention made of two new windows; one in 1489, and another in 1513, the latter being on the south side. In 1529 a bequest was left for buying a treble bell. In 1464 a testator speaks of paving the church, from the south door to the stall of John Symons; and in 1515, another will provides for making small seats, between the south door and the image of the Trinity. Mr. Oliver finds, in various wills, mention of lights in this church, dedicated in honour of our Lady on the north side, our Lady beside the Trinity, the Holy Trinity, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Michael, St. Christopher, St. Margaret, and St. Katherine. Mention occurs likewise of the roodlight, the torch-light, the herse-light,* and a wax taper of 4 lbs. weight before the sepulchre. In 1640, a petition was presented to the House of Commons from the parish of Rockynge, from which it appears that Mr. Richard Marsh was the Parson of Rockynge in January, 1640, but, from being Curate of the parishes of Leeds and Broomfield at the same time, was unable to attend to the spiritual wants of the parish. No fault was found with him, but, it says, we have not that preaching amongst us that we could desire. I will conclude with an anecdote, or rather narrative, of the Rev. Daniel Joanes, who was Rector of the parish for sixteen years, from 1807 to 1823. He lived, during that time, in a very penurious way, for the purpose of repurchasing his father's estate in Wales. In his old age, he was enabled to do so; but going there to take possession, and occupying on the night of his arrival the very bed in which he was born, he was found dead in it the next morning. The Rev. G. R. Gleig's novel, The Country Curate, is founded on this story. * HERSE LIGHT.-A triangular candlestick made of bars, like a harrow with many branches or candlesticks without feet, varying from seven to thirtytwo, and containing sometimes twenty-four white lights, or else fourteen yellow tapers at the side, representing the eleven Apostles and three Marys, and a white light, symbolical of our Saviour, at the top.-Walcott, Sacred Archæology. NOTES FROM RUCKINGE WILLS AFFECTING RUCKINGE CHURCH. BY EDMUND WARD OLIVER. THE Registers of the Consistory Court, at Canterbury, commence in 1396; those of the Archdeaconry Court, in 1449. The will of John Notebem (1401) is the only will, of a testator resident in Ruckinge, proved before 1463. From 1463, until 1541, 78 years, sixty-two of such wills were proved; seven in the Consistory, and fifty-five in the Archdeaconry court. Of these wills, fifty-eight contain gifts to the high altar, "for tithes and oblations forgotten;" the gift of John Notebem (1401) was a cow, but each other gift was in money; the amount varying from 2d. to 3s. 4d. Six wills direct burial in the church; forty-six, in the churchyard; and ten contain no directions as to burial; thirty-six contain devises of land. Every will commences with a bequest of the testator's soul to God, the Virgin, and saints; and thirty-nine contain directions for masses, or other religious services, for the testator's soul. The wills shew the existence of eleven lights in the church; one before the rood; two dedicated to our Lady, one on the north and the other on the south side of the church; others, to the Trinity, St. Mary Magdalen (the patron saint of the church), St. Michael the Archangel, St. Christopher, St. Katherine; and two, called the Torchlight, and the Herse light. Two of these lights are mentioned in connection with guilds, fraternities, or brotherhoods, but others were probably maintained by similar societies. Most of the wills contain bequests to one or more of the lights; the gift to each is small in amount, varying from 3s. 4d. to 2d.; and in one instance it consists of three |