s on taking himself a copy of anything in the books, that
case is not provided for by the statute_: but if he requires a copy
certified by the clergyman, then he must pay an additional fee for it.

"It was consequently _an illegal act_ in the defendant to insist that
the plaintiff should pay 2s. 6d. for each entry in the book, of which
he might choose to make an extract," &c.

Mr. Baron Martin says:

"With respect to the statute, counsel (Mr. Robinson) says, because
taking extracts is not mentioned in the statute, it is competent for a
parish clerk to take an extra payment for allowing them to be made.
Where a man is allowed by statute to receive money, it is, as it were,
by virtue of a contract that the statute makes for him, and he cannot
make a contract for a different sum. The defendant here is bound by the
entirety of the statute; _he may be paid for a search_, OR _for a
certified copy_, BUT THERE IS NO INTERMEDIATE COURSE."

This decision will, I hope, have the effect of removing the difficulties so
often experienced in making searches for genealogical purposes. At all
events, the person making such search can now _safely_ make his own notes,
none daring _lawfully_ to make him afraid. I have to apologise for the
length of this letter.

G. BRINDLEY ACWORTH.

12. King's Bench Walk, Temple.

* * * * *

THE HONOURABLE MISS E. ST. LEGER, A FREEMASON.

(Vol. iv., p. 234.)

There is an inquiry in Vol. iv., p. 234., as to whether there is any truth
in the story, that the Honourable Miss E. St. Leger was made a freemason;
and as no account of the circumstances has yet appeared in your pages, I
send you the following statement, which has been extracted from _The
Patrician_. Apart from its value as a record of this singular fact, it
contains other particulars which you may deem worthy of preservation in "N.
& Q."

"The Hon. Elizabeth St. Leger as the only female who was ever initiated
into the ancient and honourable mystery of Freemasonry. How she
obtained this honour we shall lay before our readers, having obtained
the only genuine information from the best sources.

"Lord Doneraile, Miss St. Leger's father, a very zealous mason, held a
warrant, and occasionally opened Lodge at Doneraile House, his sons and
some intimate friends assisting; and it is said that never were the
masonic duties more r