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North Countrymen had an eye to the main chance even in 
those days, and these Briefs were often for Chapels—Donatives 
and other quasi private parishes and Chapels of Ease, and the 
results, I grieve to say, were generally red brick restorations, 
and the best I can learn about these buildings in after years is 
that they are usually styled “neat edifices.” One old English 
Church was restored in the Grecian Style and of only one have 
I yet found it said the restoration was made with “ true regard 
to the preservation of its original structure ” (?ss. style or design). 
In one instance the charge of excessive begging is clearly proved. 
The Brief for Todmarden Chapel, Lanc., 1767, was for £1,352, and 
Anthony Crossley restored it for £605 A.D. 1770. I grudge even 
the 7d. contributed by Keynsham. 
An inundation desolated the persecuted Vaudois in A.D. 1709, 
and a Brief was read on their behalf, the amount obtained is 
omitted, but, as in former years, large collections had always been 
made for them, I hope the people of Keynsham gave liberally. 
Briefs served many purposes, but strangest of all they played 
their little part when Fire Insurance Companies were proposed. 
The issue of Briefs was urged in a petition A.D. 1638, as an 
injury to a scheme of Fire Insurance, whether by the monopolists 
or the congregations I do notknow. Nothing was worth begging 
for, unless it exceeded £1,000, or perchance the fees were the 
same for everything under that sum; so if only the kitchen 
chimney caught fire a claim was made sufficient to rebuild the 
house, £1,000, when only £200 or £300 were needed. 
In the case of fires, if the estimate was too small, two districts 
united to press their claims, for instance, A.D. 1753, North 
Nichols, Lanc., Yoxhall, Staff.,and Wallington, Oxon—a longrange 
and likely to produce wide spread sympathy, somewhat lessened, 
however, when it is discovered that £400 a piece was the extent 
of the estimated damage, but Robert Town, Yorkshire, and 
Holbeton, Devon, for £1,248, would suggest either diligent search ~ 
for a good partner or acentral agency with liberal commission ; and 
Briefs were farmed and many were the complaints thereof. 

