204 



Ancient Ales in the County of Wilis. 



12. Ales for Special Purposes. 



Of these an instance is given in the Saturday Magazine, for 

 Dec. 8, 1832. (Vol. I., No. 28, p. 221). 



"In the church of Thorpe le Soken, in the county of Essex, is an ancient 

 wooden screen, formerly situated towards the east end of the north aisle, but 

 now removed to the west end of the south aisle, in the centre of the upper part 

 of which on a scroll borne by angels is the following inscription : — 



®jris rnst is t jj b Muslim, mairc iiij §br: 

 iljBsu Jib tljn mjir. 



"Which is thus explained : — This cost (the expense of this screen) is defrayed 

 by the single men of the parish, by collections made for that purpose : Jesus be 

 their mede (reward)." 



With respect to some of the species of ales before-mentioned, I 

 have not yet met with any instance in the county of Wilts, or in 

 in the diocese of Sarum, but I here notice them in the hope that 

 our clerical members may find entries respecting them in old 

 churchwardens' accounts, and communicate those entries to the 

 Society, and it may be that some of the information contained in 

 such entries, otherwise obscure, may be explained by some of the 

 facts here stated. 



F. A. Carrington. 



