90 Ancient Wiltshire Customs. 
at Newbury, he told me that there are two ancient officers attached 
to the great church there, who are paid 4s. a year each; their 
present duty is to walk up and down the church, each bearing a 
black wand, and show the inhabitants to their pews; they are now 
generally called vergers, but when he was a boy they were called 
Dog-rappers. They still receive the ancient salary of 4s. a year as 
Dog-rappers, though they also make a collection at Christmas for 
their present services as vergers. 
I was also informed by the Rev. W. Heslop, the vicar of East 
Witton in Yorkshire, that in his parish there was a person ap- 
pointed at a salary of 8s. a year, who had a whip hung up in his 
pew in the church, and was called the Dog-whipper. Probably one 
person at 8s. a year, instead of two at the usual salary of 4s. each. 
It also appears from the church books of St. Mary’s parish at 
Reading, (cited in Man’s History of Reading, p. 301,) that in the 
year 1571, Mr. John Marshall was chosen clerk and sexton of that 
parish ; and the entry goes on to state that “for the more orderly 
discharge of Divine service, it was agreed by all the parishioners 
present that from henceforth, John Marshall now being admitted 
clerk and sexton, shall have thirteen shillings and fourpence per 
annum; in consideration thereof he shall, from time to time, see 
the church clean kept, the seats swept, and clean made; the mats 
beaten, the dogs driven out of the church, the windows made clean, 
and all other things done that shall be necessary to be done for the 
good and cleanly keeping of the church, and the quiet of Divine 
service.” 
At the time when Dog-rappers were required, the state of the 
canine race must have been very different from what it is at present ; 
however, Captain Grose in his Olio, in an essay entitled “ Sketch 
of worn-out Characters,” says, “The country squire was an inde- 
pendent gentleman of £300 a year, [worth eight or nine hundred 
now, | who commonly appeared in a plain drab or plush coat, large 
silver buttons, and a jockey cap, and rarely without boots. He 
was commonly followed by a couple of greyhounds and a pointer, and - 
announced his arrival at a neighbour’s house by smacking his whip, 
or giving the view halloo.” This was the squire of about 1745; 
