The armorial bearings of the deceased are usually represented on brasses, and also personal or professional devices. The founders of churches hold representations in miniature of the churches which they founded. Bishops and abbots have a pastoral staff; priests, a chalice, or a book; wool merchants have woolpacks beneath their feet, and other tradesmen have similar devices denoting their special calling. Merchants' marks also frequently appear; and the mediaeval taste for punning is shown by frequent rebuses formed on the names of the deceased, _e.g._ a peacock, for one named Pecok; a fox, for a Foxley; four tuns and a cross, for Master Croston. England may well be proud of the brass memorials of her worthy sons and daughters. It is, however, terribly sad to see the destruction which fanatical and greedy folk have wrought on these beautiful monuments. As we have already noticed, the spoliators of the Reformation period accomplished much wanton destruction, and removed tombs "for greedinesse of the brasse." Cromwell's soldiers and commissioners did a vast deal more damage, violating sepulchres and monuments, and destroying brasses everywhere. A third cause of the defacement and loss of these valuable memorials has been the gross carelessness of churchwardens and incumbents, who during any alterations or restoration of their churches have allowed them to be sold, destroyed, or appropriated by the builders. Truly we have entered upon a diminished inheritance. It behoves us to preserve with the utmost vigilance and care the memorials which fanaticism, greed, and carelessness have spared. [5] The following are the principal emblems of the Apostles:-- St. Andrew, a cross saltier; St. Bartholomew, a knife; St. James the Great, a pilgrim's staff, wallet, escallop shell; St. James the Less, a fuller's bat, or saw; St. John, a chalice and serpent; St. Jude, a boat in his hand, or a club; St. Matthew, a club, carpenter's square, or money-box; St. Matthias, a hatchet, battle-axe, or sword; St. Paul, a sword; St. Peter, keys; St. Philip, a tau cross, or a spear; St. Simon, fishes; St. Thomas, an arrow or spear. CHAPTER XVII THE PARISH CHEST Contents of the parish chest--Parish registers--Effect of Civil War-- Burials in woollen--"Not worth L600"--Care bestowed upon registers-- Curious entries--Astrology--Gipsies--Jester--Heart-burial--Plagues--Royal visits--Licences for eating flesh, for to be touched for king's evil-- Carelessness of custody of registers--Churchwardens' account books--Their value--Curious entries--Sports and pastimes--Paschall money--Brief books--Strange entries in registers and account books--Dog-whippers-- King's evil--Treating bishops and poor scholars of Oxford.