ngness to pay a sum of money equivalent to about
fifteen hundred pounds in the present day, in order to be relieved from the
honourable service of waiting clothed in uniform, each with a silver cup in
his hand, helping the Mayor of London to perform the office of butler at
coronation feasts. However this may be, it is still somewhat remarkable
that, in the seventeenth century, Nicholas Assheton of Downham, Esq., and
other gentlemen of Lancashire, upon a less important occasion than a
coronation feast, dressed in the livery of Sir Richard Houghton and
voluntarily attended, day after day, at the lords' table at Houghton Tower,
and served the lords with biscuit, wine, and Jelly.

J. LEWELYN CURTIS.

* * * * *

FEMALE PARISH CLERKS.

(Vol. viii., p. 338.)

The cases of Rex _v._ Stubbs and Olive _v._ Ingram, mentioned in the
following extracts from Prideaux's _Guide to Churchwardens_, p. 4., may be
of service:

"Generally speaking, all persons _inhabitants_ of the parish are liable
to serve the office of churchwarden, {475} and from the cases of Rex
_v._ Stubbs (2 T. R. 395.; 1 Bott. 10.), in which it was held that a
woman is not exempt from serving the office of overseer of the poor,
and Olive _v._ Ingram (2 Str. 1114.), in which it was held that she may
be a parish sexton, there may, perhaps, be some ground for contending a
woman is not exempt from this duty."

RUSSELL GOLE.

A few years ago (she may still be so) there was a gentlewoman the parish
clerk of some church in London; perhaps some of your readers may be able to
say where: a deputy officiated, excepting occasionally. But many such
instances have occurred.

In a note in Prideaux's _Directions to Churchwardens_ (late edition), the
following references are given as to the power of women to fill parochial
and other such offices: Rex _v._ Stubbs, 2 T. R. 359.; Olive _v._ Ingram, 2
Strange, 1114.

H. T. ELLACOMBE.

Rectory, Clyst St. George.

I beg to inform Y. S. M. that when I went to reside near Lincoln in 1828, a
woman was clerk to the parish of Sudbrooke, and died in that capacity a
very few years after. I do not remember her name at this moment, but I
could get all particulars if required on my return to Sudbrooke Holme.

RICH. ELLISON.

Balmoral Hotel, Broadstairs, Kent.

I am able to mention another instance of a woman acting as parish clerk at
Ickburgh, in the county of Norfolk. It