22 Extracts from the Records of the 



uppon the Sabaothe daye to make ane uprore and quarrell w*^ mee. hee answer- 

 inge Who art thou ? [Ae continues in language altogether intranscrihihW] 



" I answered I ame the sonne of an honesteman and thou arte a drunken fellowe 

 to use mee thus, and I will complaine of thee unto my Lord's Officers for abusinge 

 of mee in his honors Cure uppon the Sabaothe daye. 



"Hee replyinge said Arte thou the sonne of ane houeste man? l_then more 

 ahominahle abuse']. And wheras thou calleste mee drunkarde .... if 

 thou tveere w"^out the Ghourch ya^d I would baste thee as well as ever thou 

 weer basted 



" Whj' said I are you such a man 



" Yes said hee I have taken duwne a better man then thou arte, and so it may 

 bee I shall doe thee 



" Indeed said I you are well p'vided w^^i a good dagger and a staffe but I pray 

 bee gonne and trouble mee noe more, who would not, but continuinge his Eaylinge 

 speeches made mee depte from him." 



Still the dialogue continues for eight lines more, but it became, 

 on the part of Sweep, so very abusive, that from the pen of some 

 indignant censor it has undergone a studious obliteration. 



Sweep discreetly recognized the churchyard as affording the vicar 

 sanctuary. Assault within its sacred precincts would have brought 

 hira within the range of 5 & 6 Edw. VI., cap 5. which, beginning 

 with suspension ab ingressu Ecclesm, awarded at last mutilation and 

 branding to inveterate " fray-makers and figh ters.^' Notwithstanding 

 these penalties anger occasionallj^ got the better of discretion. 



At the Easter Sessions, 1 605, appear the following presentments :— 



"Hundred of Melksham. 

 " Item we p'sent that John Holbroke doth report that Toraas Smeth of Sende 

 sone of John Smeth dyde streke the mynester in the churcliyerde one Good 

 Friday laste beinge the xxix**! daye of Marche and the sayde John Holbroke ia 

 hcare to testifie the same." 



" Liberty of Bromham and Rowde. 

 " Item we p'sent that abont Sunday was a moneth w*in the churchej'eard of 

 Rowde was a bludshed comytted by Willin Maundrell of Rowde uppon one 

 Richard Breache the sonne of Wilhn Breache of the Devizes in s'ving the King's 

 Mat"=' proces graitnted against the said Will" Maundrell after yevening pi-aj'cr 

 this fact comytted." 



Shorncote was disturbed by " a man most uuquiett," who, when 

 Mr. Harpe, the parson of the parish, " aboutes Christmas last . 

 [1605] was goinge towards his p^ishe churche to reade divine service 

 without any cause of offence offered .... the said Jo: Browne 



