November 1656

Inquisition of Office taken at Preston he 16th day of November in ye yeare of our Lord 1656 before Seth Blackhurst Maior of ye Burrough aforesaid, John Cottam and Henry Wilson, Bailiffes of the same Towne, and Evan Wall Steward of ye Court here.

The names of ye Jury to enquire aswell for his Heighnes, ye Lord Protector as also ye Maior, Bailiffs and Burgesses of ye Burrough and Towne aforesaid.

1. Ye now Churchwardens of this Towne hath not set a Steele at either end of the Clarke yard, according to tyme given, And have therefore forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

2. Ye supervizors of ye highways shall repair & amend ye new cawsey at ye East end of ye Towne, ye Brow end at ye entrance up into Ribleton Lane, and ye cawsey all alonge ye same lane, and shall sett stoopes in convenient places for ye preservacon of ye said cawseys, before ye first of June next in paine of xxs.

3. Mr. James Hodgkinson hath not opened his platt and scoured his Ditch at Hesketh field, according to ye tyme given him, therefore hath forfaited ye some of vjs. viijd.

4. Ye now occupier of ye Lands of Mr Ashton lyeinge at ye new hall Lane, have not opened ye platt and scowred ye ditch belonginge to ye said Lands, accordinge to tyme given, and therefore have forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

5. Ye Supvizors of ye heigh wayes shall repaire and amend ye Causey at Salter house, and make ye lane from thence to Swillbrooke good and passable for cart and carriage, before ye first of June next, in paine of xs.

6. Yt John Preesall and Ann late wife of John Evans decd hath not scowred and clensed theire ditches, & made theire fences, at ye end of their Crofts abutting upon ye sykes accordinge to warneing and tyme given & have therefore forfeited either of them. vjs. viijd.

7. Mr. Maior, Mr. Werden, George Addison, Bartholomew Worthington, John Mitton, and Henry Chorley shall cause their middings lying before their Barnes, in fishergate Lane, to be removed before ye first day of May next, in paine of every one makeing default vjs. viijd.

8. Mr Marsh, George Tasker, Edward Taylor, Raph Eaves and Edmund Hill shall cause their middings lyeinge in ffishrgate to be removed, before ye first day of may next, in paine of every one makinge default vjs. viijd.

9. Nicholas Watson hath not filled up his miding steed being on ye backside of ye house [undecipherable] nor hath not carried ye water from his backside there accordinge to his right and accustomed course, & accordinge to ye tyme given, & hath therefore forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

10. John Higham hath not cutt his hedge & paired his copp at ye Alley end, nor scowred his ditch at ye further end of ye said Alley according to tyme given & hath therefore forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

11. Ye now Bailiffes of this Towne shall cause railes to be sett at Davill Bridge before ye first of May next upon paine of vjs. viijd.

12. Timothy Woodward hath not taken away ye yate guttering into a certain close now in ye accordinge to Jane Walmesley late wife of Willm Walmesley decd and wch said yate hangeth upon a post sett in her grounds and slucheth towards his barne neither hath he scowred ye water course betwixt his & her barne and accordinge warninge tyme given & therefore hee hath forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

13. Ye now bailiffes shall cause a sheepfold to be made before ye first of may next in paine of xs.

14. Henry Gradell, Willm Walmesley, Willm Charnock and Robert Shakeshaft for yt they have not scowred their ditches in ye meadow lane according to warning and tyme given, & therefore have sevally forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

15. Mr Maior, Mr Werden, Mr Wm. Shawe, Mr James Hodgkinson, Henry Wilson, Widdow Wall, Raph Eaves and John Preesall for yt they have not scowred their ditches in ye Meadow Lane according to tyme & warning given and therefore have forfeited everyone of you ye some of vjs. viijd.

16. Mr Edmund Werden, Mr James Hodgkinson and Richard Rydinge for yt they have not clensed their ditches in ye North Meadow Lane, accorfing to warnings and tyme given & therefore have servally forfeited ye some of vjs. viijd.

17. Thomas Walker for yt he hath not removed his house or office, from of ye of Widdow Walmesley barne & sett it upon his owne ground, according to tyme given, for ye tyme past 3s iiijd and if not removed before ye first of May next then to pay vjs. viijd

18. Mr James Hodgkinson & John Powell remove their midings lying in ye Churchgate before ye tenth of April next in paine of either of them vjs. viijd.

19. Mr James Hodgkinson, Mr Wm Shawe, Mr John Marsh shall lay upp their Timber aloft to ye Church wall side, & soe shall all others yt have any timber there, before ye first of May next upon paine of evy one vjs. viijd.

20. Mr Luke Hodgkinson & Richard Mosse for yt they have not removed their midings, lying at their house doores in ye ffriergate, having continued there for a very long tyme to ye greater annoyance of ye streete therefore to pay for ye tyme past either of them 3s 4d. & if not removed before ye first of May next to pay either of them vjs. viijd.

21. Such psons as have any midinge lyeing in St Johns Weend or behind ye ffriergate barrs shall remove their said midnigs (sic) before may ye first next, in paine of evy one yt shall make default ye some of vjs. viijd.

22. That now inhabitants within this Towne shall put downe their cattle to ye marsh before six of ye clock in ye morninge, but shall keepe them untill ye herdsmen be ready to receive them, upon paine of ye forfeit for evy offence iijs iiijd. and if ye pindrs find any cattle upon ye marsh before they goe down, with ye rest of ye cattle, & doe not impound them then ye said pindrs to forfeit for evy neglect xijd.

23. Mr Wm Wall hath turned his water course on ye backside of his now builded house in ye Markett Streete, & therefore shall carry away ye water upon himself. Ye said John Higham for yt hee hath not made foure sufficient adjoyninge to a fold called toby croft & scowred his wat(er) course wch goes ye right way to ye moore accordinge to ye 33rd psentmt of ye Last Leet & ye affeereing those of wch should have beene done before ye 2nd of ffebr last upon paine of xiijs. iiijd. & therefore for non performance of ye said psentmt and for his default therein to pay for ye tyme past xiijs. iiijd. & if not made sufficient before ye 10th of April next then to pay ye some of xxs.

Mr Morte hath not rebuilded his barne in St weend, & therefore leave ye same to ye discrecon of ye Maior and his councell.

Affeared by us Rich: Sumpner, Thomas Walmsley, Wm: Shawe, Symon Hynde