Of the sign of the HOOPS we have two examples, one at Littlebury, the other at *Saffron Walden, while a beer-house at Buttsbury is so designated. Anciently signs were not always painted on a sign-board, as now, but were often carved in wood and suspended within a hoop, from which custom many inns became known as the “Something-on-the-Hoop,” and thus the sign of the HOOPS arose. The WELCH HARP at Waltham Abbey, probably taken from the arms of the Principality of Wales, is presumably the modern form of the HARP, which existed there in 1789 and long after. At the same time, and long after, there was also a HARP at Epping, and twenty years since there was even a JEW’S HARP at Waltham Abbey. The STILL, which has been used as a sign at Barking for many years, is very appropriate for a spirit-merchant. It occurs on the arms of the Distillers’ Company, and is also depicted on the tokens issued at Thaxted in 1666 by William Purchas, and on those issued at Witham three years later by George Robinson. The family of Purchas was well known in Thaxted two centuries ago. Samuel Purchas, the author of the quaint, though celebrated, book of travels known as _Purchas, His Pilgrimes_, was born there in 1577. Another member of the family--very possibly a son of the William mentioned above--came to a very bad end. He murdered his mother in a fit of drunkenness, and was hung for it about the year 1635. His “Wofull Lamentation” on the occasion is to be found in a quaint broadside of about that date preserved in the celebrated collection known as the _Roxburghe Ballads_ in the British Museum. A LAST occurs on the token issued at Braintree in 1670 by Thomas Mirrils, who was doubtless a shoemaker. A PESTLE AND MORTAR are depicted on the token issued at Felstead in 1669 by Henry Bigg, who was probably an apothecary. A LIME-KILN is represented on the halfpenny issued at “Pvrflet Limekill” in 1669 by Samuel Irons, who was without doubt a lime-burner. THREE HATS are shown on the halfpenny tokens issued by “Barge Allen at the [Three Hats] at Stebbing in Essex,” and a HAT on those issued at Stebbing in 1668 by Richard Sayer, who doubtless kept the same house. The Rev. W. H. Beckett of Stebbing has inquired of the oldest inhabitants of the town (two of them being over ninety) without being able to hear of any tradition as to these signs. Both Allen and Sayer have been, but are no longer, Stebbing names. The TWO PIPES crossed, which appear on the tokens of Samuel Leader of Saffron Walden in 1653, of William Leader of “Safforn Wallding” in 1668, and of William Martin of “Brayntry,” the THREE TOBACCO-PIPES, which are represented on the tokens issued in 1666 by “Miles Hacklvitt in Bilrekey in Essex,” and in 1668 by “Thomas Warrin of Waltham Abby,” and the ROLL OF TOBACCO, which is depicted on the token of “Iohn King, grocer, in Cooldchester,” were probably, all of them, more or less, tobacconists’ signs. The