14 Burials in Woollen. 



In this parish (Bremhill) the entries are made by themselves in a 

 long narrow book, of paper bound in parchment, Bin. wide by nearly 

 15in. long. The affidavits are generally given under the hand of 

 some one or other of the clergy of the neighbouring parishes, Calne, 

 Hilmerton (Hilmarton), Christian Malford, Sutton Benger, &c. 

 In 1692 an affidavit is brought, under the hand of Sir Greorge 

 Hungerford, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace ; and in 

 1709, an affidavit under the hand of Thos. Long, one of Her 

 Majesty's Justices of the Peace. Sometimes it is noted that no 

 affidavit is brought, as in the entry of the burial, Apiil 30th, 1698, 

 of George Hungerford, Esq., to whom there is an elaborate monu- 

 ment in the chancel of Bremhill Church : in these cases a note is 

 added that the omission was certified to the churchwardens. 



In 1711, after the entry that a notification had been given that 

 no affidavit had been brought, there is a further entry (Oct. 14th) 

 three weeks after the buiial, that the affidavit was brought after all, 

 " which by neglect had been laid in Wm. Smith's Junr. his window." 



In 1666 (18 Car. ii., c. iv.) a short Act of two clauses was passed 

 directing that no one should be buried in any sort of grave clothes 

 that were not entirely composed of wool, under a penalty of five 

 poimds : but as this Act was not found to be sufficient, a longer 

 Act was passed in 1678 (30 Car., ii., c. iii.,) which recites the previous 

 Act, and declares that it was intended for the " lessening the Im- 

 portation of Linnen from beyond the seas and the encouragement 

 of the WooUen and Paper Manufacturers of this Kingdom." 



Section ii. enacts that " Noe Corps of any person or persons shall 

 be buried in any Shirt Shift Sheete or Shroud or any thing what- 

 soever made or mingled with Flax Hempe Silke Haii-e Gold or 

 Silver or any Stuffe or thing other than what is made of Sheeps' 

 WooU onely, or be putt iu any coffin lined or faced with any sort 

 of Cloath or StufPe or any other tiling whatsoever that is made of 

 any MateriaU but Sheep's WooU onely, upon paine of the forfeiture 

 of five pounds of laAvfull Money of England, &c." Other sections 

 enact that persons in holy orders are to keep a register : that an 

 affidavit is to be brought, this affidavit to be made before a justice 

 of the peace for the county or other person authorized by the Act. 



