the churche iijs. viijd." The last is explained by a third entry: "to the apparator for suffering a plaie in the church." (_Op. cit_., 367.) This looks like bribery, or blackmail, or both. For examples of bribery see Wing Acc'ts, _s.a._ 1561, _Archaeologia_, xxxvi ("to ye S[um]m[o]ner to kepe us ffrom Lincoln for slacknes of o[u]r auters"). Abbey Parish Acc'ts, _s.a._ 1600, _Shrop. Arch. Soc_., i. 65 ("paid to Cleaton, the Chauncelor's man for keeping us from Lichfield"). Great Witchingham Acc'ts, _Norfolk and Norwich Arch. Soc_., xiii, 207 ("Simp the sumner for his fees for excusing us from Norwich"). _St. Mary Woolchurch Haw_, London, _Acc'ts, s.a_. 1594 ("more unto the paratour and Doctor Stanhopes man for their favours"). Hale, _Crim. Prec_., 202 ("_Fassus est_ that he gave xs. to ... the apparitor to thend that he might not be called into this corte." 1590). For examples of fees paid for absolution from an unjust excommunication see _Minchinhampton Acc'ts, s.a_. 1606 ("layd out [at] Gloucester when we wer excommunicated for our not appearinge when wee were not warned to appeere, vj s. viij d"). St. Clement's, Ipswich, Acc'ts, _East Anglian_, in (1890), 304 ("Payed for owr Absolution to the Commissary, being reprimanded for that we did not give in our Verdict, where as we nether had warning nor notice given us of his Corte houlden, ij[s.] x[d.]:" and: "Payed more ffor the discharg of his boocke, viijd." 1610). Churchwardens accounts are pretty reliable evidence, for they were subject to the scrutiny of those who had to foot the bills. [184] See Mr. Andrew Clark's _Shirburn Ballads_ (Oxon. 1907), 306 ff. Mr. Clark's notes and illustrations drawn from other contemporary sources are most valuable.