court of this diocess, and having their doors blocked up Vet for ever! This may sound rather arbitrary, but what shall we say to this? May 3, 1749, on the day the vestry met to accept a bequest made to the parish for a sermon on Good Friday, they couple with their agreement certain conditions, which they do consent and appoint by a perpetual order never to be revoked. Surely, after this we ought to say of any fixed decree, 'It is as unchangeable as an order of a Coventry vestry.'

It is a fact in history, that those who are most arbitrary towards others are often most indulgent towards themselves. Nor did these 'good men of Coventrie' refute this fact by their example; for on October 10, 1739, the entries in the vestry-book are suddenly stopped with these ominous words, Adjourned to the Mermaid.' January 22, 1740, 'This vestry is adjourned to Benjamín Connigraves, at the Three Swans.' March 19, 1740, ‘Adjourned to the White Bear.' 'Talking is dry work, yer honour,' says Paddy, and so thought the Coventry vestrymen, (by-the-bye, Coventry men are now remarkably kind and hospitable ;) however we were not at all surprised to find no entries of business transacted after these adjournments. That like sociability, however, was costly to the parish we concluded from these entries:-Oct. 11, 1736, paid expenses in walking the parish bounds, £9 38. 1d., and October 23 and 24, 1755, paid expenses for going parish bounds and ringing, £23 15s. 6d. In a list of articles belonging to the parish church, 23rd of July, 1750, we find among other items: 'one iron crow, with a tin watering-pot, and a tin tobacco-box.' That the tobaccobox was not for empty show and parade,' we gathered from this: 1734. Paid for tobacco for the whole year, 10s. 10d.' Almost all the old accounts open with this entry: A quarter of coals, a pottle of Malmsey, and a queer of paper.'

Mr. Skidmore has now put the lighting of St. Michael's

PART 73.

Church on a glorious footing, but he was not without h rivals in this work. 1567. 'Paid for a rope for a lar tern in the church, 17d.;' and in 1605, 'Paid for settin up a panel-board before Mr. Mayor's seat, to set a cand on, 2d.'

*

To those who have heard of pepper-corn rents, this entr will be interesting. 1594. 'Paid quarter of a pound o pepper for chief to Mr. Gregory.' This was rent for par of the churchyard.

Some curious entries connected with visitations are als to be found. In 1592, we have an entry headed, 'Vişi tatio Episcopi,' and a charge of 4d. 'for copying and writing out' the registers of the marriages, baptisms, and funerals of the three years elapsing from the previou visitation. How small must have been the payment, of how small the population, when this work could be per formed for such a trifling sum! Perhaps, as now, church men endeavoured to save the souls of those who worked for them from the temptation of riches, by charitably doling out to them the smallest possible amount of money for the largest possible amount of work.

Travelling in those days was no easy matter, and the parish officers seemed to have entertained the bishop and archdeacon hospitably when they came amongst them. Fees were also paid to the ecclesiastical officers. Thus, in 1674, 'Paid for wine for the archdeacon, £00 06s. 00d. 'Paid the archdeacon for swearing the churchwarden, £00 08s. 08d.' 'Paid for mending the archdeacon's hood, 03d.'

1589. 'Paid at the same visitation for our oaths, 6d.' For our examinacyions, 6d.'

'For our bill of presentyments, 1s. 2d.'

'For entering of our regyster, 6d.'

1670. We find this curious entry by the churchwardens. At archdeacon's dinners, 'paid four (sic.) our dinners, 6d..

1734, Nov. 10. 'Paid visitation fees, 128.' 'Paid for two gallons of wine at the bishop's visitation, 138. 4d.' 'Paid for one gallon and a half at the archdeacon's visitation, 108. Paid for churchwardens' dinner; 6s.' 'A bottle of Muscadine, 4s.' 'Minister's dinner with bishop, 28. Gd.'

When on the subject of wine, we must state that amongst many entries for sacramental wine, there is this extraordinary one, made during the incumbency of Dr. Obadiah Grewe: 'Paid for wine for fourteen sacraments, £19 108. 9d.'

As some of our entries have related to festivities, let us glance at some relating to fasts. It is a well-known fact that as the observance of fast days, as ordered by the Church, died away, the law stepped in, and for certain political purposes, especially the encouragement of fisheries, forbade the eating of flesh meat on certain days, and at certain seasons. Licenses, however, could be obtained from the clergy to permit infringements of the law. Thus, 1631, 'License granted by Mr. Samuel Bazz, Vicar of St. Michael's and Trinity, Coventry aforesaid, to Mr. Christian Hales, of St. Michael's aforesaid, for the reformation and recovery of his health, to eat flesh for eight days after the date thereof.' 1635. 'Roland Wilcox did put into the poor-box 68. 8d. for his license to eat meat on days exhibited by the law.' Such entries frequently occur.

We must now draw towards a conclusion; but naturalists may like to watch the symptoms of parochial hatred to various birds and animals.

There were then no regular fox-hounds we may suppose, for the entries of moneys paid for foxes' heads are numerous; but in 1667 we have also, 'Paid for a net to catch the starres (starlings) in the porch.'

1578. For killing eight urchins, (not dear little boys, but hedgehogs,) and one rope, 28. 3d.'

1588. 'Paid, at sundry times, for ropes and bullfinches 3s.'

1596. 'Paid for five buzzards' heads,

1579. 'Paid for six kingfishers, 6d.'

1654. 'Paid powder and shot to kill starlings, 3s. 6d.'

6

1699. Paid for tarr to take the swifts with in th church, 2d.'

66

With these extracts we must conclude, not that we hav at all exhausted the subject. We have only slightly shown to covetous antiquarians what a California may lie before them in the neglected books of many a parish church. It were, however, wrong not to make som reference, in conclusion, to the church of St. Michae itself. This church, (saith Dugdale,) famous for the tal and beautiful steeple, which, for its excellent workman ship and height, is inferior to none in England, and which was more than twenty-two years in building, being begun in Anno 1373, and finished Anno 1395," was a few years ago disfigured by five great galleries and many huge boxes of pews. Thick coats of whitewash covered the noble pillars and walls of its five aisles and of its chancel, while the altar-piece was beautified according "to Mr. Jones." A few years ago, some zealous churchmen, availing themselves in part of a legacy left for the purpose, set to work vigorously to restore the interior of the noble edifice. Under the care of Mr. G. Scott, the famous architect, pews, galleries, whitewash, and beautified altar with stucco wing, all disappeared. The whole church, restored as far as possible to its pristine beauty, was re-seated with low, straight seats; and the clamours of the gallery-lovers were stilled when it was discovered that, spite of the non-erection of their beloved treasures, no accommodation was lost, but rather nearly 700 new sittings were gained by the fresh arrangements of the seats. This fact, so encouraging to pew and gallery, destroyers, ought to be known throughout

the length and breadth of the land. The area of this noble church is very large, the extreme length from east to west being 301 feet, two feet less than the height of the spire; but we can bear witness to the fact, that it is by no means a difficult church to officiate in; and though the clergyman must necessarily exert himself, he may be well heard throughout it. We may well recommend any lovers of antiquity to visit Coventry. Ford's Hospital, the Bablec Hospital, St. Mary's Hall, St. Michael's, the Holy Trinity, St. John's, the cloisters of the Old Abbey, which now form part of the workhouse, and very many other architectural treasures, will well repay their trouble. The church of the Holy Trinity, more beautiful internally than St. Michael's, is being also restored by Mr. Scott; for the churchmen of Coventry are no sluggards, and we think that their good works are 'looming in the distance.' But a pilgrimage to Coventry during the winter months would well repay those who love such sights. To be present at an evening service at St. Michael's, to see that noble church magnificently lighted, after designs by Mr. Skidmore, to see the large congregation which assemble there, and which generally consists of more than 2000 persons, (we have seen nearly 3000,) is a most cheering sight. To all this we may add, that the free seats are, for the most part, in the best parts of the church, and are therefore well filled, and that no gallery or pew breaks the view from west to east.

NOTES ON INSECTS.

CHAPTER I.

'Chacun a sou stile; le mien, comme vous voyez, n'est pas baconiqne.' Madame de Sévigné.

Of the many who pass the whole, or great part of their lives in the country, surrounded by the sweet sights and