270 Notes on the History of Mere. 
©1559. Itm for the hyre of certeyn pewter vessell at the Church 
ale / and for one platter w°® was lost there 
“Ttm for bryngyng home of the greate Crocke of the 
parishe from Gillyngham to Mere 
“1562. Itm for a Cote for the vyse or ffole! at the Churcheale 
“1565. Item for the Cuckowe lord’s expenses 
“Ttem for Tynnen spoones and trenchers and potts bought 
to thuse of the Church 
“Ttem for gunpowder spent at the King riding 
Item for the hyre of too Dozen vessells at the Church Ale 
Item for two Dosen of spoones 
“Ttem paied to Michaell Lanyng the Cuckow prince 
“Ttem allowed to Randoll Coward being Cuckow King 
towards his expenses in that office 
“1577. Item for v cruses for the Church ale 
“Ttem for other cuppes 
“1579. Item paied for bread and drink to make the Sumer Lord 
of Gillingham Drink 
©1589. Item in bread and beere on Trynitie sunday to make the 
Company drink that came from Gyllingham 
“1595. There was this yeare neither Church ale nor collection 
for the repicon of the Church 
1596. Item to make the Lord of Gillingham and his Company 
drink 
©1598. Item for bread and drink to make the Lord of Gillingham 
drink 
“1621. Itm for Cakes and beere on Whitmunday to entertayne 
the lordes of Gillingham 
* 1569. 
1575. 
xx?,”’ 
a om 
Li} Neos 
Vise 
vij’.” 
xvji.” 
viij?.” 
CV ee 
inne 
ih pose 
Vee 
viij’.” 
ey CV 
ESA y 
nothing” 
if’) Vitae 
see sane 7 
ij’. itij’ 
Wo. Vien 
The last entries confirm the statement of Mr. Carew as to the 
custom of neighbouring parishes visiting each other. 
The Gilling- 
ham people paid an annual visit to Mere, and it appears were 
hospitably entertained. 
Other entries in the churchwardens’ book are valuable and in- 
teresting, exemplifiying the customs of bygone days, but space will 
only permit a few examples to be given here. 
The Holy Loaf.2 The first entry is in 1568 :— 
“Ttem for money receyved for the holy lofe for this yeare after the rate of iij*. 
for ev’ry sunday over and besides iij’. allowed to the Bedman for Easter Day 
yearly xij*. iij*.” 
This entry is continued year by year, and the sum of xij* ix.* 
1 j,e., the Vice or Fool; the Vice was the buffoon of the early dramas. 
2 See Appendia A. 
