March 1657

Great Court Leet, held on the 30th of March, in 1657, in the Moot Hall, before Seth Blackhurst (Mayor), John Cottam and Henry Wilson (Bailiffs), and Evan Wall (Steward of the Court).

The names of the Jury to enquire aswell for his Highnes the Lord Protecot as for the Maior, Bailiffes and Burgesses of this Burrough & Towne of Preston who were sworne the day & year abovesaid.

1. Ye exercise of Artillerie is not used in this Towne accordinge to the fform of the statute in that case made & provided.

2. The Assize of Bread & Ale is not observed and kept accordinge to ye statute in yt case made & provided.

3. Yt Mr Maior shall cause his officers to try the weight & measures within this Towne before ye 24th of June next.

4. Yt ye pinfoulde called ye sheepe fould is gone to decay & ruinated & yt ye now Bailiffes doe Repaire ye same with breeke before ye forth day of August next upon paine of xxs.

5. Seth Morte shall erect and build up a farm in St. John Weend where formerly his barn stood upon ye Townes Land, accordinge to ye xxth prsntmt of the Leet in Octobr 1653 and that he shall pay ye ffine of 40s already forfeited accordinge to ye said prsentmt. And also shall erect one before ye first day of August next upon paine of 40s and for every month after in default ye some of xxs.

6. Ye now bailiffes shall cause ye well called ye Minspitt well & the well called Goose well & ye ffriargate well to be scowred & kept clean foure tymes a year upon paine of every tyme neglectinge vjs. viijd.

7. Mr Maior shall cause all the inhabitant burgesses within ye Towne beinge of 2j yeares of age & upward and as yet hath not taken ye Oath of a Burgess to be sumoned to appear before him to bee sworn accordinge to ye Custome of this Towne and as many as hath been sumoned and hath refused to appear before him to pay 3s. 4d. and as many as shall refuse to take theire oath to pay vjs. viijd.

The name of those which have been sumoned already and hath refused vizt.

James Werden, Willm Merton jun, George Slater snr, Thomas Werden jun, Jo: Sumpner jun, John Werden, Jo: Singleton, Henry Graddell, Thomas Slater, Thomas Tomlinson, Nicho. Mitton, James Mason, Robte. Ingham, John Withington, Wm Tasker.

8. Yt ye prsntmts of the last Jury of Inquest is not affeared. And wee desire yt Mr Maior will cause ye same to bee affeared with as much speed conveyniantly may be, yt ye mayor may be amerced and other thinge done accordinge to ye said prsentmt or otherwise ye ffines Levied accordinge to the affears thereof.

9. That ye psons herewith named (who are not free men, yet wee find them stallanged) yt care may be taken by Mr Maior & the Brethren for theire security of ye Towne if it may not bee ye pruidiced but ye stallanger may bee soe finned or ye pties removed as the Councell shall see cause.

Roger Haworth, John Weengreene, Robte Hoult, Thomas Sergentson, Raph Porter, John Myres, Thomas Pattrick, Tho: Hoals, Edw: Parkinson, Henry Cotton: uxor, Tho: Anderton, George Hindley, John Jameson, Henry Shakeshaft, John Broughall?, John Royle, Henry Wareing.

10. These persons hereunder written brought unto us by ye houselookers And therefore Mr Maior is desired to scowre the Towne of them until they be removed & if they think fitt Stallanged vizt

John Bamber & his wife harbored by Edward Dawson

John Norcross & his wife harbored by Mr Wm Hodgkinson

Jane Singleton & her child harbored by ye said Mr Wm Hodgkinson

Lawrence Barnes & his wife & children harbored by Mr Wm Banester

Raph Winnall his wife & children harbored by Mr Willm Patton

Richard Hicks his wife & children harbored by Robert Haighton

John Baker & his wife & children harbored by Richard Rydinge

John Shorte & his wife harbored by Thomas Cowpland

Martin McGury and his wife & child harbored by Edmund Werden

James Markland & his wife & children harbored by Mrs Blundell

Thomas Noblett & his wife harbored by Nicholas Watson

Willm Holder & his wife harbored by Robert Tomlinson

Thomas Burscough to be removed.

11. Edward Dawson, Mr Wm Hodgkinson, Mr Wm Bamber, Mr Wm Patten, Robt Haighton, Richard Rydinge, Thomas Cowpland, Mr Edmund Werden, Mrs Blundell, Nicholas Watson and Robt Tomlinson shall cause their inmates Removed before ye first of August next els evy one to pay xxs apeece & every month after to forfeit & loose the use of the Towne vjs viijd a peece.

12. Mr Edmund Werden hath removed & taken away ye timber at one house and one barne of ye Townes Land and carried forth of ye Libties showeth, therefore wee desire yt may be taken into consideracon by Mr Maior & ye most parte of ye Brethren.

13. Ye persons hereafter named, whoe contrary to theire oathes as burgesses beinge sumoned by ye Sergeants not havinge or cravinge and Lisense from Mr. Maior, did absent themselves from their duty to this Leete without any Lawfull cause as abovesaid, Wee amerce the[m] in evy one of them iis. apeece. Mr Wm Banester, Richard Hynd, George Hodgkinson, Henry Bullen, Evan Bewley?, Wm Richardson, Thomas Eccles, John Barker, Nich. Cunliffe, Thomas Cumberall, Lawr Cowlinge, Wm Charnock, John Burton, Thomas Sumpner jun, Tho: ____, Timothy Woodward, John Worell, John Barwick, Tho: Myres, Thom: Balshawe, Chrofer Santer, Rich: Balshawe, Wm Grundy, Tho: Seede, Symon Hynd, Lawrence Tomlinson, James ____, Robte. Ingham, Seath Morte gent, Luke Hodgkinson, Richard Rydinge, Wm Blackowe, Lawrence Roper, John Dickenson, John Langton gent, Edward Taylor, Wm Leamon, John Wall, Oliver Hatch, Anthony Quickholme?, Wm Cottam, Willm Harrison, Roger Dickson?, Willm Walmesley, Joseph Pennington, John Anderton, John Powell, John Cartmell, Richard Woodburne, Chrofer Sowden, Roger Woodcroft, Robert Kightly?, Roger Bayley, John Singleton, John Gregson, Lawrence Poole, Rich: Abraham, James Longton, Roger Mosse, John Abbott, Evan Rogerson, Wm Curdell?, John Wall, Edward Craven, ____ Myres, Thomas Copeland, Tho: Dolphin, John ffisher, Wm Blackburn, Wm Gardner, Roger Charnock.

14. Noe Pson or Psons within this Towne shall put any goose or goslinge to ye Marsh from the 25th of March until the 29th of September upon paine of forfeit for evey one soe offendinge halfe to the use of the Towne vjs. viijd And yt ye pinders take care to see this prsentmnt Executed and Bringe all such goose as they shall find trepasing upon ye Marsh into ye Towne, and to in pound them there till the ownrs bee knowne, & have paid theire ffine of vjs. viijd and if the pinders bee found negligent & make default in ye Execution of this prsentmt to forfeit for any offence iijs. iiijd. or three dayes & three nights punishmt. and if any rescouse their goose soe taken to pay for evy goose soe rescoused. iijs. iiijd.

15. Thomathy Woodward for takinge flock of Goose to ___ and keepinge them upon the Marsh for yt wth offence wee amerce him to pay vjs. viijd. And after warning given him to ye Contrary yt hee remove them or els to pay for every weeks vjs. viijd.

16. John Wall for sweepinge Rubbish downe from his caseway until ther mens caseway and also stoppinge ye Chanell to ye anoyance of his neighbours & stoppinge ye watercourse at Evan Rogerson house soe yt it was like to have driven downe the house, & givinge verry hard language to his neighbours concerninge it and would not bee reclaimed from it, for the which wee amerce him to pay iijs. iiijd.

17. Henry Burton for keepinge false weights for buyinge and sellinge, for ye which we leave to bee examined and considered upon by Mr. Maior and his Counsell.

18. John Twistleton for takinge ye soyle out of the Laine Leadinge it towards brockall to ye great preuidice of all the inhabitants of this towne for ye wch wee amerce him to pay 3s iiijd.

19. The now bailiffs to cause ye Causeway to bee repaired betwixt ye bridge and the schoole house, and that ye same be repaired before ye first day of June, upon pain of iijs. iiijd.

20. Mr. Wm. Patten for yt his sonne and His servante have abused and foyled ye Towns bull, by sleating doggs upon him; therefore wee referre ye ffine to bee ordered by Mr. Maior and the most pte of his councell.

21. Roger Tomlinson for keepinge a horse, supposed to bee pon[i]es, & not beinge past twelve or thirteene hands heigh, & doth ride ye Mares upon ye More yt hee remove yt from the Comon upon notice given him for the same, or els to pay ye use of Towne vjs. viijd.

22. Willm Cowlinge yt hee did make a fray with Willm Bennet ye younger and did give ye said William Bennett verry unsufferable blowes, & did drawe blood on him soe yt wee therfore amerce him to pay 5s.

23. Edward Taylor hath incroached at his shopp in ye friergate in Length three yards & a halfe & one half yard in bredth & that the same may bee rented at ye discrecon of Mr Maior and his bretheren.

24. John Gregson & John Mitton did make a tusle by theire owne confession for ye wch wee amerce them to pay either js. iijd. a peece.

25. James Parcevell did make a Tusle in ye Church with Willm Clarkson and abused him, wherefore wee amerce him to pay js. iijd.

26. Margt ye wife of Nicholas Watson for making a Tusle with Richard Tyssinge, and struck at him with a board, and did hit him on ye face, and thereof did Drawe blood, therefore wee amerce her to pay 5s.

27. Tho: Walmesley hath not appeared with ye Rest of ye Jury, but hath absented himself from us contrary to his oath therefore wee amerce him to pay for his neglect ye some of iijs. iiijd.

28. John Barker Liveinge at ye home of Richard Rydinge, by the moss side, & not beinge a free burgesse doth turne his horses & cattle to ye comon, contrary to ye order of the towne to ye preuidice of the free burgesses; Therefore wee amerce him to pay xxs. & for every weeke thereafter for doeinge to forfeite, ye some of vjs. viijd.

29. The pinders for neglect of their office yt they have not brought until us any prsentmets, and therefore for their neglect wee amerce them, to pay vjs. viijd. apeece, or els to be punishd at ye discression of the Maior and his bretheren.

30. Nicholas Watson shall well & sufficienly make & repair the hedge between John Higham & Falshaws croft within fower dayes after notice given until him or els to pay xls.

Wee desire yt Mr Maior will be pleased to put in Execucon all these prsentmts wch concerne him & to prove the Councelle advice in what concernes ___ which wee hope hee will doe as soon as conveniently may bee. xs

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

The psons hereunder named Stallandged in ye year 1657 att Rates followinge.

Stallengers