s. d. "1499. Paid for a coat for Robin Hood 5 4 " for a supper to Robin Hood and his company 1 6 " for making the church clean against the day of drinking in the said church 4" "1531. Paid for five ells of canvass for a coat for Maid Marian 1 6-1/4" "Bells for the Morris dancers," "liveries and coats," "bread and ale," "horse-meat of the horses for the kings of Colen on May Day," are some of the items which appear in these books. Another book tells us about the "Gatherings" at Hock-tide, when on one day the men stopped the women, and on the next the women the men, and refused to let them go until they gave money. The women always succeeded in collecting the most money. s. d. "It'm. receyved of the men's gatherynge 7 3 " " " women's gatherynge 37 5" Traces of this custom are still found in many country places. The practice of "hocking" at Hungerford and "lifting" in Lancashire subsist still, but the money collected is no longer devoted to any pious uses. The item "Paschall money at Easter" frequently occurs. This was originally a collection for the Paschal taper, which burned before the high altar at Eastertide. When, in the reign of Elizabeth, the taper was no longer used, the money was devoted to buying the bread and the wine for the Easter Communion. Another item which often appears is a payment of "Smoke farthings" to the bishop of the diocese at his Visitation Court. This is another name for Peter's pence, formerly given to the Pope. In the accounts of Minchinhampton we find the entry under the year 1576: "For Pentecost money, otherwyse peter pence, sometyme payed to Antecryst of Rome xvi'd." After the Reformation the tax was collected, but given to the bishop. There are very many other points of interest which a study of the churchwardens' books presents. In more recent times we find constant payments for the slaughter of sparrows, and many other items which scarcely come under the head of ecclesiastical charges.[7] But of course the vestry was then the council chamber of the parish, which managed all the temporal affairs of the village community. Possibly, in these days of Poor Law Unions, District and County Councils, our affairs may be managed better; but there is much to be said in favour of the older system, and Parish Councils are not much of an improvement on the old vestries.