"Item. The said wardens, now accomptants, received of Mrs. Elizabeth Morley, widow, towards the new making of a Rood, Mary, and John, in the roodeloft, at the time the parish be of power and substance, to build and make the same rood loft, the sum of £10. 0ˢ 0ᵈ. "Item. Received of the gift of Watir Gardynar, to the making of the rode-loft in the middle isle within the church, as more plainly appeareth by acquittance made by the said churchwardens to the said N. Watir, dated the ... day of October, the 9ᵉ yere of the reign of King Henry VII., £38. 0ˢ 0ᵈ". The next item occurs in the reign of Edward VI.— "Paid to Thomas Stockdale, of XXXV ells of cloth for the frunte of the rood-lofte, whereon the commandments be written...." It appears from this, that the commandments were set up originally in the rood lofts, and not over the altars. But in the succeeding reign of Mary, this cloth, on which the commandments were painted, was turned to a different purpose, for in 1557, we find the following item: "For making iii serplys of the cloth that hung before the rode loft, written with the commandments, 2ˢ 0ᵈ." In 1559, the rood was destroyed, and in a barbarous manner, for we find the following items: "Paid to John Rial for his iii days' work to take down the roode, Mary, and John, 2ˢ 8ᵈ. "Item. To the same for cleaving and sawing of the rood, Mary, and John, 1ˢ". In 1561, "Paid to joyners and labourers about the taking down and new reforming of the rood loft, as by a particular book thereof made doth appear, £37. 10ˢ 2ᵈ". This is the last item which occurs respecting the rood loft of this church. S. LAWRENCE, READING. _From Coate's History of Reading._ "1499. "It. Rec. at Alhalow-tyde for the rode light xˢ iiiiᵈ. "It. Payed for xliii.-li. of ire wark, on the south end of the rode loft to stay the lyght, the li. iiᵈ Smᵃ viiˢ iiᵈ. "It. Payed for xxvi. li. of irewark on the north syde or end of the same rode loft to stay the same lyght, pic le li., ii. Smᵃ iiiiˢ iiiiᵈ. "It. Payed for lyne to draw the curtens in the same lofte, iiiᵈ. "It. Payed for scouring of the laten bolls in the said loft, iiiiᵈ. "It. Payed for six laten bolls on the north side of the rode loft, viiiˢ. "1506. "It. Paied for settyng up of the said rode, Mary, and John, for the remouing of the organs, and for making yᵉ sete for yᵉ player of yᵉ same organs, xxᵈ. "It. Paied to Henry Blanksten, paynt for gilding the rode, Mary, and John, in the rode loft, xiiiiˢ." EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCHWARDEN'S ACCOMPTS OF ST. MARY HILL, LONDON. _Costs paid for penting of the roodes, with karvying, and oder costs also._ "1497. "Item. To Sir John Plomer, for makying of the fyugyrrs of the roode, £0. 1ˢ 8ᵈ. "Item. To the karvers for makyg of iii. dyadems,[19] and of oon of the Evangelists, and for mendyg the roode, the crosse, the Mary and John, the crown of thorn, with all odir fawts, £0. 10ˢ 0ᵈ.