OLD PARISH DOCUMENTS 221 



of war, and who remained behind, when, after the Peace 

 of Amiens, his countrymen returned to France. He 

 first appears in the " Accounts " as " John the French- 

 man," but is afterwards always spoken of as " French 

 John." The parish treated him with great kindness 

 and consideration. Besides granting him a Hberal 

 weekly allowance he had many small luxuries in his 

 sickness. " Honey for French John," and " gin for 

 French John," frequently occur, and sometimes the 

 quaint entry, " English gin for French John." But 

 even "English gin" could not keep " French John" 

 alive ; after about a year's sickness, we come across 

 the final entry, " For the laying out of French John, 

 4s. 6d." 



The expenses for pauper funerals contain one or 

 two curious items. In the latter half of the eighteenth 

 century a parish coffin cost 9s. ; but this was by no 

 means the only, or the most serious, expenditure. A 

 shroud, probably a survival or the times when no coffin 

 was used, was always bought, and cost four or five 

 shillings. The "oath" or "affedevy" was is.; the 

 clerk's fee, 2s. 6d. ; and the black cloth, is. ; while the 

 women's expenses were considerable. For " washing 

 old master Clery and laying him out, 6s. " ; to say 

 nothin^^ of the " bred, chees, and beer," or " vine and 

 brandy," which sometimes came to six shillings more. 

 But though the wardens and overseers were willing 

 to pay for " shroudes " and " black cloths," and were 

 liberal in the way of beer and brandy for the good 

 woman who laid the paupers out, yet with practical 

 good sense they were not going to be imposed upon. 

 If the parish helped the paupers, the paupers must 

 help one another. On one occasion we read of " the 

 improper conduct of some of the paupers in refusing to 



