The ceremony by which the mediæval churchyard was consecrated was performed by the bishop of the diocese, or some other bishop, by his authority and in his name. The fees were to be paid by the parish; and the parochial accounts give examples of this expense having been borne by the wardens. Thus at Yatton, in 1486, the churchyard was greatly enlarged, and, when the new wall had been constructed, the bishop came over and consecrated the ground. The parish entertained him and his ministers at dinner, and paid the episcopal fee, which was 33_s._ 4_d._ One of the expenses of this ceremony, noted down by the churchwardens, was, “We paid the old friar that was come to sing for the parish, 8_d._” In the churchyards thus dedicated to God were set up stone crosses or crucifixes, as a testimony to the faith and the hope in the merits of Christ’s death, of those who lay there waiting for the resurrection. The utmost reverence for these sacred places was ever enjoined upon all. Children, according to Myrc, were to be well instructed on this point-- “Also wyth-ynn chyrche and seyntwary Do rygt thus as I the say. Songe and cry and such fare For to stynt thou schalt not spare; Castynge of axtre and eke of ston Sofere hem there to use non; Bal and bares and such play Out of chyrcheyorde put away.” And the penitent soul was to inquire of itself whether it had done its duty in ever offering a prayer for the dead when passing through a cemetery-- “Hast thou I-come by chyrcheyorde And for ye dead I-prayed no worde?”