& singular the Appurtenances theirunto belongeing duringe hir life Naturall and No longer and then to Come unto James Coates of little Barugh Husbandman all the Right & Title of the above saide Tennemente in Pickeringe aforsaide after the death of my saide Mother in Law Hee payinge theirfor year by & every yeare for Ever the some of Twelve shilling of Lawfull money of Englande to be paide unto the Poore of Pickeringe att the feaste of Sainte Martin the bishopp in winter to begine the firste paymente at Martinmas after the death of my saide Mother in Law & not before which Twelve shilling shall be distributede at the discretion of the saide James Coats or his assignes Togeather with the advice of the Church wardins & overseers of the saide towne of Pickeringe for the time beinge.”

[Illustration:  THE JACOBEAN ALMS BOX IN THE PORCH OF PICKERING CHURCH.]

The briefs collected at Pickering for various purposes were very numerous between 1661 and 1665; they are set out elaborately at the back of one of the registers, but they are given below in condensed form:—­

BRIEFS COLLECTED IN PICKERING CHURCH.

1661.  July 28. 6s. 6d. for Condover Church, Shropshire. 
      Sept. 8. 6s.  Parish Church of Pontefract. 
      Nov. 10. 4s. 2d. for the losses of Henry Harrison, mariner. 
      Nov. 3. 13s. 7d. for the poor Protestants of Lithuania.
1661 Aug. 11. 5s. 10d. for the Parish Church of Scarborough. 
      Dec. 15. 5s. for the Parish Church, Dalby-Chalcombe,
                          in the County of Leicester. 
      Dec. 29. 5s. for the reparation for the Collegiate
                          Church of Rippon. 
      Jan. 29. 3s. 4d. for the loss of Christopher Greene of
                          Beighton, in the County of Derby. 
      Feb. 23. 4s. 4d.  Brief by his Majesty’s special order for
                          promoting the trade of fishing.
1662.  April 6. 4s. for the loss of Thomas Welby in the
                          County address.
        " 13. 4s. 4d. for the loss of William Copperthwaite. 
      No date. 5s. for the relief of John Wolrich of
                          (erased) County of Staffords.
1665.  April 16. 4s. 2d. for the repairing of the Parish Church of
                          Tinmouth, in the County of Northumberland.

The system of briefs became subject to great abuses, and in 1828 it was abolished.  Most of the Pickering collections were very small, but the people evidently had some sympathy for the poor Protestants of Lithuania, for they gave nearly three times as much as usual.