They seem to have entered parish churches at service time and
disturbed or annoyed the congregations. This probably led to the
parish order of Mere, Wilts _(Mere Acc'ts_, p. 80, in _Wilts Arch_.
[etc.] _Mag_.), which in 1585 forbade such persons going about the
parish or entering the church, but enjoined them all to repair to the
Mere churchwardens for contributions to be given at the expense of the
parish.
[305] At Winsham, Somerset, a document was drawn up in 1581,
apportioning among certain parishioners (by virtue of their holdings),
the vicar, and finally the whole parish, how many feet of wattled
fence each should keep in repair, or what stiles each was to maintain:
_Notes and Quer. for Somer. and Dor_., v, 538. See a similar agreement
in _Morebath_ (Devon) _Acc'ts_, 38. Also in Marsh, _Hist. of Calne_,
372, the list at Calne. Here are 25 groups of houses and certain
individuals charged with making and keeping the churchyard bounds. See
also _Canterbury Visit_., xxv, 34 (Suit brought before the archdeacon
against the tenant of a holding whose former owners had for 40 years
repaired a portion of the church fence, 1611). For presentments to the
courts Christian for non-repair of church fence by individuals, see
_Dean of York's Visit_., 214, 228, 325 (1570-1599).
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