260 A FARMER'S YEAR 



last three hundred and fifty years, with much more certainty 

 than many of their betters. It is probable, however, village 

 morality being what it is, that in the majority of cases a descent 

 during such a period of time would not always have been such as 

 is recognised by law. It would include a proportion of bars 

 sinister. 



Here are a couple of curious epitaphs from Woodton church : 

 On a stone, under the symbol of a skull and cross-bones and an 

 hour-glass with wings rising from it, is cut : 



My breath is stopt, 

 My glass is run, 

 My life is cropt, 

 And I have done. 



The second is from a brass : 



In Wootton porch among these stones 

 I craved leave to lay my bones 

 Erasmus Stanhow inter 3 is heere 

 The I October the 78 year. 



This is confirmed by the registers, which state that ' Erasmus 

 Stanhaw of St. Margarite in Suffolk was buried heere Oct ye ist 

 1678.' 



In the register-box was a torn piece of paper which proved to 

 be an interesting memento of the time when, in order to give 

 encouragement to the wool trade, every corpse must by law be 

 wrapped in a woollen shroud. Here is a copy of it : 



' Elizabeth Wirr made oath igth Jan. 1756 that the Body of 

 Anne Squire Deceased and Buried in the Church of Wotton, was 

 not wrapt, or Bound up with any material, But Sheeps wool only 

 and that the Coffin was not lined or Faced with any thing but 

 Sheeps Wool only. 



' Sworn before me Francis Johnson Vicar of Brook. 

 ' In Presence of ANNE CHURCH 



MARY LINCOLN ' 



