during the Great Rebellion. 313 



raarriage was to be accounted a marriage, according to the laws of 

 the Commonwealth of England. But in case of the marriage of 

 dumb persons^ the act expressly provides that the Justice may 

 dispense with the pronunciation of the words aforesaid, and oi joining 

 of hands in case of those that have no hands. All the old church 

 registers were to be handed over to the civil power ; for registration 

 of birth, a fee of 4d. was charged, and the same for burial — but 

 in case of poor people " who live on alms, no fee for any cause is 

 to be taken." The age for a man to consent unto marriage was to 

 be sixteen years, and the age of a woman fourteen years, (with the 

 emphatic limitation " and not before.") This act seems to have 

 remained in force for five years. All marriages but one were per- 

 formed before Mr. Stokes, one before Mr. Shute, sometimes at 

 Chippenham, sometimes at Tytherton. For the first years the 

 entries are regularly made and signed by E. Stokes ; after that 

 there is no entry of marriage solemnized, but many of contracts 

 published ; some in church, more in the market-place, up to No- 

 vember, 1658. In 1659, nine persons are married, presumably in 

 the church, as the page is subscribed, " Ita testatur, Jon. Geare, 

 Vicar." 



An old churchwardens' account book of the parish of Chippenham, 

 commencing A.D. 1620 to 1673, is not now to be found; it is 

 bound in a page of an old missal. Canon Jackson made some 

 extracts in 1853. From his paper the following selections are 

 taken : — 



£ s. d. 

 1 645. The great bell new cast (at 'Warmiiister) 



1650. Griven to the ringers when Col. Cromwell came through the 



Town 2 6 



Paid to the ringers when the Ifewes came for routing the 



Scottes 5 



For mending a seat the soldiers pulled down 8 



1651. For making clean the Church which the soldiers defiled ... 38 



To Edw. Maundrell for defacing the King's Arms 2 6 



[In 1637—8 the Parish paid £10 10s. Od. for painting the 



King's Arms, 8 other arms, and writing 24 sentences on 

 the wall of the Church.] 



- For a rope for the Canopye of the Font 8 



1652. To a poor Minister that preached 3 



1653. For mending the Canopye over the pulpit 2 6 



