April 1663

Great Court Leet held on April 16th, 1663, before William Bannester (Mayor), Thomas Hodgkinson and John Kellet(Bailiffs), and Edward Rigby (Steward of the Court).

1. Roger Sudall gent & hath not set a yate & a style at ye end of his house milne on Chethams Backside accordinge to ye fourteenth prsentmt of ye last Jury of Leete and therefore to pay ye fyne of xxs charged as a paine upon him in case he should neglect to doe ye same.

2. Ye first prsentmt of ye Last Jury Leete Abell Mosse was prsented to repaire a Cawsey Leadinge downe ye ffryer lane from ye Street towards ye house of Correccon before ye seacond day of ffebruary last upon paine of ye fforfeiture of vjs. viijd. as a fyne for his neglect. Now upon ye Compl(ain)t of ye said Alell Mosse And upon viewe & exaiaton of the matter we finde yt ye said cawsey ought to be repaired & amended by ye Bailiffes of ye towne for the time beinge upon ye townes Charges & therefore doe prsent yt ye prsent Ballifes shall cause ye same repaires before ye xxjxth day of September next upon paine of vjs. viijd.

3. Thomas Martin Alderman for yt he hath not removed his dunge lyine behinde ye ffriergate barrs before a croft now in possession of George Woodhouse accordinge to ye Elleaventh prsentmt of ye last Leete & therefore to pay his fine of vjs. viijd. & wee doe also find & prsent yt he ye said Thomas Martin shall remove ye same dunge before ye xxjx^th day of September next upon a further paine of vjs. viijd for every month he shall neglect to remove ye same.

4. That whereas James Ashton gent beinge formerly prsented for neglectinge ye office of houselooker for ye ffryergate whereunto he was Ellected & chosen doth still p(ser)sist in ye wilfull & obstinate neglect of ye said office whereby ye Burrough is in danger to receive much pruidice And also for that it is of badd Example to other officers yt are or shall be chosen to serve the towne in ye same or ye like offices & therefore to pay ye fine of xiijs. iiijd.

5. James Abbott for yt before ye first day of may Last he hath not taken downe or removed his doore at ye end of his garden adoyninge to ye water willowes but hath suffered ye same to be made use of as a foot way or passage out of his garden into & upon ye lands of Edward Hindley being in ye said water willows contrary to ye 49th prsentmt at last Inquest of office & therefore to pay the ffyne of xxs imposed upon him by ye said prsentmt and we further prsent yt ye said James Abott shall remove or otherwise make up ye said doore before xxjx^th day of September next & shall not hence forward use nor suffer ye same to be made use of as a way or passage into ye said close called water willows upon apine if vjs. viijd for every time he shall make default contrary to this prsentmt.

6. Yt George Addison, Richard Taylor keep welshman & George Addison have not taken ye oath of a ffree Burgesse of this Burrow accordinge to ye third of ye last Leet And first we prsent Mr Thomas Bannester George Bannester his brother yt they have not taken ye said oath of a free Burgesse and therefore to be called upon by ye Maior to take ye same.

7. Whereas by ye 25th prsentmet of ye Inquest of Office for this Burrough sworne ye 5th day of ffebruary , the 13th year of the reign of our lord Charles II, Henry Chorley stands prsented for makinge a staffe hedge settinge quick setts upon ye Lands belonginge to James Hodgkinson then Maior & thereupon ye same was ordered to be removed upon paine of vjs viijd And whereas by a prsentmt of ye Jury Leet sworne ye forth day of Aprill in ye same yeares ye verdict of ye Inquest of office was Informed And ye same Henry Chorley was ordered to remove ye said Hedge before ye first of May then next ffollowinge or els to pay vjs. viijd for every month it should stand after yt time unremoved, Now upon Complaint made revue of ye same And Examination of severall wittnesses upon Oath we finde yt the Lande upon wch ye said Staffe Hedge was then made by Quickwood there sett under and it hereas it also apeared by ye oathes of severall wittnesses that ye said James Hodgkinson togeather wth John Cowell his servt. did upon ye xxth day of March last in a violent & fforcible manr plucke upp & Carry away ye said Staffe Hedge & quickwood setts in length about eight yeards Contrary to ye peace of our Soveraigne Lord ye Kinge therefore wee fine & amerce ye said James Hodgkinson in xiijs. iiijd.

8. Henry Blackburne for yt he upon fryday the xij^th day of June, 1663, did in open Markett buy off John Loxam a veale calfe for the price of viijs. and Imediately After upon ye same day did againe sell ye same calfe to Edward Oram, butcher, for eigh shillings vid., which is contrary to ye Statute made against regrators & therefore to pay viijs. vid. ye vallue of ye goods, and to be further punised accordinge to ye forme of ye statute in that case made and provided.

9. Also we find and prsent Henry Wildinge, then servant to Richard Whittle, for byinge of two sheepe comeinge to ye Markett within four Milles of ye towne, and the same day sellinge ye said sheepe againe in open market, contrary to ye Statute made agt forestallinge, and therefore to forfeit ye sume of xis., being ye value of ye said goods, and further to be punished accordinge to ye statute in that case made and provided.

10. Ye ye prsent balliffes shall before 29th day of September next sufficiently repaire & amend ye Syke troughs on ye South side of ye towne neere Avenam upon paine of vis. viijd.

11. Ye Kay on this side on ye rivr Rible, were ye boat Landeth, to be in great decay, & ye present balliffes shall take a care to repaire and amend ye same before ye 29th of Septem next, upon paine of vis. viijd.

12. George Mitton Shoomaker for makinge a ffray drawinge blood upon ye body of Henry Blackburne therefore to pay vs.

13. Roger Bannester for makinge a tusle & ffray upon ye body of Nicholas Mitton therefore to pay ijs. vjd.

14. Nicholas Mitton for makinge a tusle & ffray upon ye body of Roger Bannester therefore to pay ijs. vjd.

15. Henry Blackburne for makinge an Assault & affray upon ye body of Willm Graddell therefore to pay iijs. iiijd.

16. Lawrence Cowp for makinge an assault & affray upon ye bodies of Ralph Sharrocke gent Willm Bushall & Willm ffrance therefore to pay ye summe of iijs. iiijd.

17. Henry Ashton gent for makinge an Assault & affray upon ye body of Ralph Woodhouse therefore to pay iijs. iiijd.

18. Robte Hesketh gent for makinge an Assault & affray upon ye body of Ralph Woodhouse therefore to pay iijs. iiijd.

19. Ralph Woodhouse for makinge an Assault & affray upon the bodies of Robte Hesketh & Henry Ashton gents & therefore to pay iijs. iiijd.

20. Peter Harrison for that he beinge summoned to take his oath before ye Maior to give evidence to this jury on behalf of our Soveraine Lord ye Kinge did wilfully refuse to goe to the Maior to take his oath & did departe in Contempt of ye same And therefore to pay vjs. viijd.

21. Upon ye Informacon of the house lookers yt these prsons followinge do hide in ye towne as Inmates not being ffree Burgesses & therefore to be removed by ye Maior.

Richard Wingreene his wife & one child harbored by Widdo Copeland

Henry Wareinge his wife & three children harbored bt widdowe Copeland Mary Bamber & one child

Henry Haworth his wife & 2 children harboured by Tho: Scoles

Lawrence Nicholl & his wife harboured by Mr Willm Parkinson

Thomas Wilkinson his wife & children harboured by John Langton

Edward Sudell his wife & children harboured by Mr James Hodgkinson

Gyles Leach his wife & children harboured by Henry Chorley

Willm Wasle al(ia)s Johnson his wife & child & Edward Shakeshaft his wife & ffamyly by Mr Robte Hesketh

Henry James his wife & child harboured by Willm Curtis

Richard Thornton & his wife harboured by Tho: Sumpner of Syke hill & his mother

22. Ye psons abovenamed accordinge to ye late Act of Parliamt for ye maintenance of ye poore may claim a settlemt wthin this Burrough not haveing recd legall disturbance wthin ye Space of 14 dayes now last past therefore to prvent ye like inconveniences for ye future wee think fitt to psent ye Maior of this Corporation for ye time beinge shall for ye future cause ye house lookers to make theire prsentmt to ye Maior every month who shall Imediatly thereupon give a note of ye names of such as shall be prsented as Inmates to ye Churchwardens & over seers of ye pore wth a warr(en)t to remove them so they may not claim a quiet & an uninterrupted settlement by ye space of 40 dayes and thereby become settled by Law in ye towne & ye towne be bound to maintain them.

23. Yt whereas Compl(ain)ts have beene made & Informacons have beene offred to this jury concerninge these sevrall misdemeanours ffollowinge vizt agt ye pinders for sufferinge younge beasts & geese to pasture upon ye Marsh agt John Abbott, John Gleave for excorifying ye trade of Cowys not haveinge served as Apprentices to ye trade & also agt Willm Birches sonne of John Birchesse & Thomas Wright for gettinge whins upon ye Moore And also agt Widdowe Clayton for washinge beasts Intralls in ye Sike trough & also for sweepinge ye dung into ye Channell layinge timber in ye streets & frameing buildinges in ye streetes for dossinge & wateringe strawe & at sevrall Wells in ye streets and wateringe horses at ye same wells wch offences are only (as we conceive) agt ye Guild orders of this Burrough but ye offences afforesaid theire several pennalties ye Jury cold not prsent for want of ye orders made at ye last guild Leete for this Burrough wth orders are confessed to be in ye keepinge of Mr Willm Bannester now Maior who by severall psons of this Jury by ye Appointmt & any behalfe of ye whole jury hath beene desired & Intreated to lend them ye said Orders to use whereby ye might be Informed how to drawe upp not only ye sevrall prsentmts affore said but also to prsent such others as have offended agt ye said orders wch ye said Willm Bannester Maior hath & doth still obstinatly deneys so to doe whereby ye towne is likely to suffer great damage we doe therefore prsent ye said Willm Bannester Maior for his neglect in due Exercise of his office in not delivering unto us ye Guild orders affore said to be made use of ffor the good of this Burrough & for ye better punishinge offenders agt ye Lawe & constitucon of the towne & doe ffyne him for his offence therein in ye Sume of five pounds And whereas by ye want of publishinge & makeinge knowne ye said Guild orders & Lawes ye ffree Burgesses are kept in Ignorance of these things there are sworne to maintain & for beare whereof they must undergoe severe punishmt we therefore do fwith or conceive it fitt & prsent yt ye said Guild ordrs be tuscribed? & made publique to ye Burgesses of this Burrowe & yt if any ffree Burgesse or Burgesses of this Burrough shall hereafter desire coppies of all or any of ye said Guild orders they shall have faire Coppies of them or any of them they payinge a reasonable sume for ___scribing thereof.

24. Whereas ye sume of £400 formerly given to this towne by Henry Bannester late of Hackney Esqre was bestowed & lade out in ye prchase of certaine lands in Brockhalle ye proffits whereof are brought to recd by certaine ffeoffies & to be imployed towards ye maintenance of a Lecturer at ye p[ar]ish Church of Preston & for ye bindeinge of poore Children Apprentices wthin ye said towne as by ye last will & testamt of ye said Mr Bannester & by one deede off ffeoffmt made by Execrs or feoffes of said Mr Bannester is limited & Appointed & whereas ye power of disposing ye said Lands & receivinge ye proffitts thereof is now by sevrall conveyances lawfully vested in Willm Bannester gents now Maior of this Burrowe, Willm Sudell, Edmund Werden, Tho: Sumpner, Seh Blackhurst, Evan Wall, Rich: Sumpner, Tho: Bickerstaffe, Rich: Bostocke, Bartholomew Worthington, James Cottam, Thomas Martin, Willm Mortimer?, Rog: Sudell sen, John Hinde, Hen: Atherton, Nich: Sudell, Thomas Walmesley, Richard Kinge, Willm Curtis, James Jodgkinson surviving ffeffies named in one deed of ffeoffmt dated 3rd ffebruary 1648 who have leased the same Lands to Richard ffarrington of Ribbleton gent for ye terme of 1000 yeares under ye yearly rent of sixteene? pounds payable at ye ffeast of Pentecost & first of Septembr £10 whereof is to be paide to a lecturer as aforesaid in case there be nowne then onto such Charitable use or uses within ye towne of preston as the said ffeoffes or ye greater parte of them shall thinke fitt & the other six pounds is to be disposed on for ye binding rent ye same hath beene Imployed for ye space of two yeares last past & yt ye psons Intencion of ye doner may not be made ffurst rate through the neglect of ye ffeoffes it is desired yt ye now Maior will call ye said ffeoffes together before ye xxixth day of September next & in case he neglect soe to doe yt then all ye said ffeoffes will meete together at some time or place Convenient & yt they or ye Maior ptd? of them will Informe themselves how the said yearly rent for two yeares last ____ hath beene disposed on & thay they will take case for ye future yt the same may be wholly concerted? & Imployed accordinge to ye Intencon of the donour as afforesaid.

25. And whereas Informacon is given to us yt ye sume of ixl per Annum was hereto foregiven by George Rogerson for ye use of ye poore people habitinge wthin ye said towne for ye helpe & Maintence of poore Apprentices within this Burrowe to be displosed by ye Maior for ye time beinge & forme of ye Ancient Aldermen wth the privitie & consent of ye ffeoffes wch was charged upon certaine Lands wch afterwards came to ye possession of Roger Langton Late of Preston gent decd who by Indenture dated 1st octobr, 5th year Charles I conveyed the same to sevrall psons Intrust whereof John Sherburne late of Ribbleton & Willm Sudell of Preston gent then were ye Surviveinge ffeoffes who by theire deed dated ye 7th August, 19th year of Charles I ye same to Mathew Addison, Nicholas Wallmsley, Willm Shawe, Rich: Sumpner, Robte Blundell & Evan Wall gents for ye uses afforesaid & whereas all ye last menconed ffeoffes except Richard Sumpner & Evan Hall Gents are since dead & for want of renowinge the said deeds & makeinge now feoffes ye said sume of nyne pounds per annum is in danger to be lost & for as much as wee are Informed yt ye said nine pounds for two yeares last past hath not beene Imployed to & for ye uses appointed by ye donor by ye privity & consent of ye Survivinge ffeoffes but yt ye same is misimployed therefore doe finde & psent yt ye yt ye prsent Maior shall ar or before ye xxixth day of September next call ye said Evan Wall & Rich: Sumpner to make a newe deed to some honest & ablemen of this burrowe intrust for ye uses afforesaid & that if the prsent Maior shall ffaile to doe wthin that time yt then ye said Surviveinge ffeoffes shall make a newe deed to such psons as they shall thinke moote yt soe ye good Intent of ye donor may not be ffrustrated.

26. Informacon is given to this Jury yt during ye time of ye late guild Merchant holden for this Burrough wch did begin on or about ye first day of September 1662 severall great sumes of moneys have beene Raised & used by the then Maior Aldermen & comon councell for ye use of the Maior Bailiffes Burgesses of this Burrowe Amountinge in all to ye Sume of 600l & upwards whereof thereis yet as yet any Accompt given to ye ffree Burgesses of this Burrough for whom they are Intrested & to whom they are & ought to be Accomptable & wch is Contrary to ye trust reposed in ye said Maior Aldermen & comon councell men wether aforesaid & present yt ye said Maior Aldermen & Counsell of this Burrough shall at or before ye next Cort of Ellector & of Affeerers ffor this Burrough give unto ye Burgesses then prsent a pticular accompt in writinge therein what manner they have disposed of ye said 600s to what uses yt soe the said Burgesses may be satisfied howe they have discharged ye trust they have undertaken on ye said Burgesses behalfes.

Affeared by us

W: Wall, Tho Dewhurst, John Kellett