"Siste gradum, viator, ac lege. In spe beatæ resurrectionis hic requiescunt exuviæ Johannis Chapmanni et Isabellæ uxoris, filiæ Gulielmi Allen de Wightford, in comitat. War. Ab antiquo proavorum stemmate deduxerunt genus. Variis miserarium agitati procellis ab strenue succumbentis in arrescenti juventutis æstate, piè ac peccatorum poenitentia expirabant animas. "Maij 10 die Anno Dom. 1677. "Sistite Pierides Chapmannum plangere, cujus "Spiritus in coelis, _nomen in orbe sonat_." A correspondent observes--"Sir, I know the Elmley Castle epitaph that has astonished you, and I am rather surprised you havn't bottomed it. Why it's transparent as crystal, and is simply a verdant try-on at a pun. '_Nomen in orbe sonat_,' says Mr. Chapman's epitaph--and right enough too; for what other name does so sound over the world as Chapman's? 'Dealer and Chapman' is the generic designation of the vendors of commodities from pole to pole, and so the mystery fadeth." THE KING'S DUTY. In the register of Besford parish is an entry of "King's duty paid for four christenings, 4s." In the Himbleton register there are traces of a similar tax, as follows: "Baptisms in 1783, since the commencement of a late Act of Parliament, to demand 3d. for each baptism." "Burials in 1783," ditto ditto. "Examined and received the duty to 1st of Oct., 1785. For Ben Pearkes, sub-distributor--J. Wensley." I believe the duty on bachelors and widows, and on marriages, births, and burials, was imposed in 1695. In that year a charge is made in the parish books of St. Nicholas, Worcester, for the King's tax for burials. By the Act 6th and 7th William III, every clergyman was directed to keep an exact register of all persons married, buried, christened, or born in their respective parishes, under a penalty of £100 for every neglect. This regulation, however, was not properly attended to for ten years afterwards. By the 4th of Anne, chap. 12, sec. 10, it is mentioned that many of the clergy not being sufficiently apprised of the full import of the above Act, had incurred the penalties thereof, whereby they and their families remained exposed to ruin; the Legislature therefore directed that they should be indemnified from the consequences of such omissions provided the duty for every marriage, birth, or burial, should be really answered or paid, or notified and brought in charge to the collector of the duties. Can any one state how long this Act was in force, and when it was allowed to expire? SCULPTURES ON CHURCHES.