April 1667

Great Court Leet held on the 22nd of April, 1667, before Thomas Sumpner (Mayor), Ralph Farnworth and James Archer (Bailiffs), and Edward Rigby (Steward of the Court).

The 24

Jury 

Presentments:—

1. John Woods for making an Assault & drawing blood upon ye body of Robte Ingham & therefore to pay the ffyne of 5s.

2. Robte Ingham for making an affray upon ye body of John Woods & therefore to pay the fine of iijs. iiijd.

3. Richard Toogood for geting sodds upon Preston more contrary to the third ordr of the last Guild Concerning bricke and getting of sods and therefore to pay ye ffine of xs.

4. Alexandr Swansey for seting his dogg upon ye townes bull, being then upon ye Marsh belonging to this towne, and thereby forcing into great confusion and disordr the Cattle belonging to the Burgesses inhabitants wthin this towne, to ye manifest hazard and damage to many of them, upon ye Lords day, to the evill example of others, and therefore to pay ye fine of xxs.

5. Willm Charnock sen and Willm Charnock jun for an Assault and drawing blood upon ye body of John Cowbourne being then in the execucon of his place & office of pinder and therefore wee amerce them to pay ye fine of vjs. viijd.

6. John Kellet, groc [grocer], frequently and obstinately, after divers prmonicons [premonitions], hath kept open his shopp doore and sould goods upon ye Lords day, thereby greatly pvoking [provoking] god and given occasion of Scandall and offence to men, and contrary to ye second ordr of the last Guild concerning the sabboth, and therefore we amerce him to pay ye fine of iijl. vis. viijd. for his past offence, And such other corporall punishmt as Mr. Maior shall thinke meet for soe great offence, according to ye afforesaid Ordr, and further yt he pay ye fine of xxs. for every sabboth day hee shall continue to comitt ye like offence, besides his corporall punishmt appoynted at ye discrecon of Mr. Maior as afforesd.

7. Mr James Hodgkinson for harbouring John Hankinson, his wife and child, noe security beign first given by them to save the towne harmless and therefore wee amerce him to pay for the time past vjs. viijd. and yt Mr Maior doe cause them imediately to be removed or the towne be secured from being charged wth them afforesaid.

8. James Hilton for harboring Stephan Piersan, his wife & five children haveing not first given security to save the towne harmlesse and therefore wee amerce him to pay for ye time past vjs. viijd. and yt Mr Maior doe cause them imediately to be removed or ye towne secured from being chargeable wth them as afforesaid.

9. Willm Bannester sen for making an assault wounding & drawing blood upon the body of George Gray and therefore wee amerce him to pay the fine of vs and also Roger Bannester, his brother, for the like assault and drawing blood upon the body of ye said George Gray at ye same time ye like fine of vs.

10. Yt these psons following did not appeare at this last Leet Cort being duely Sumoned thereto and therefore to pay ye fines of iijs. iiijd. apiece.

James Sharples, John Clifton, Henry ffisher, John Hind, Thomas Sheppard, Henry Kilshawe, John Whalley, James Langton

11. These psons following for gathering Cowdunge from ye Commons belonging to this towne to the great prjudice of ye Burgesses thereof and yt they be punished at ye discrecon of Mr Maior and severe charge given yt noe more comitt ye like offence.

John Taylor, Willm Arkwright, uxor Edw Leache, Tho: Beckonsall

12. Thomas Gregson for giving notice to fforaignrs of and hereby preventing an intended seizure of goods forfeited to this towne, contrary to ye sixt Article of his Oath, therefore we amerce him to pay for this his first offence ye fine of vjs. viijd.

13. Mrs Elizabeth Weardon yt she cause her ditch to be kept scowred against ye Crooked acre in the broadgate Lane upon paine of 3s. iiijd. for every month shee neglected to doe ye same.

14. Mr Henry Blundell for yt he hath not caused his hedge sufficiently cutt yt hangs over ye Highway in Salter lane to ye great annoyance of the people yt passe yt way haveing had notice to cause ye same done in due time, therefore wee Amerce him in vjs. viijd.

15. Thomas Wearden for yt he hath not caused his ditch to be scowred agt his close in Salter Lane by reason of wch ye water flowes into ye Lane and thereby spoyles the Highway to ye great prijudice of the people, having had notice to cause ye same done in due time therefore wee doe Amerce him in vjs. viijd.

16. Edward Rigby Esqr for yt he hath not cased his dung to be removed that lyes agt ye mill hill according to ye 29th prsentmt of ye last Leet whereby ye highway is much annoyed and the people greatly obstructed in theire passage to ye towne and therefore we amerce him in vjs. viijd. and yt he cause ye same to be removed and noe more Laid there upon paine of vjs viijd for every month hee shall therein offend.

17. Mr James Hodgkinson for yt he hath not caused his dung to be removed from ye other side of ye lane agt ye mill hill to ye great annoyance of ye way and therefore wee amerce him in vjs. viijd. and yt he cause it to bee removed before ye first of August and Lay noemore there upon ye paine of vjs. viijd for every month hee shall offend therein.

18. The new hall Laine is in great decay, and yt ye supvisr doe cause ye same to be repaired, and ye cawsall to be paved a Long ye Lane side Leading to ffishwicke.

19. Yt these psons ffollowing doe cause ye ditches to be clensed yt ye water may have a free passage wch for want of clensing overflowed and spoyled new hall Lane to ye great annoyance of people yt passe yt way.

Mr Willm Lemon said to clense his ditch at ye south side of ye new hall lane.

The sonies of Mr Willm Hodgkinson theire ditch and watercourses at ye same side.

Mr James Hodgkinson his ditches on ye same side.

Thomas ffoole his ditch upon ye north side of ye same Lane.

20. Hugh Martin and John Critchley doe ffish wthin this river of Ribble and wthin the bounds and Libties of this Incorporacon wth netts whose maske [mesh — from the A.S. max; middle English and German masche] is not above an Inch broade [though] by ye statute it ought to bee two Inches and one halfe broade, and therefore wee doe amerce them to pay ye sum of 51i.

In fourteenth-century London there was a squabble between certain fishmongers and fishermen over the mesh of the nets used. The protesting fishmongers were worried that the Thames would be fished out. After some searching of the ordinances it was found that the minimum mesh size should be 2 inches.

21. Ye bridge at ye end of ye broadgate Lane being many times repared, yet in a short time is brought to decay by ye force of water yt comes often upon it, and for yt ye passage is very dangerous over it at High water when ye usefullnes of it is most necessary to ye people that passe that way; wee therefore thinke it most advantageous to ye towne yt an arch of stone bee made over ye said watercorse for ye prventing ye inconveniencies yt doe and may arrise for want thereof, and yt ye now balives doe cause ye same to be done accordingly.

Is this the first reference to a stone bridge at Broadgate. It sounds like it should replace a wooden one.

22. Yt ye bridge upon ye moore is out of repaire and therefore yt ye now balives doe cause ye stoopes and railes yt are now wanting to be repaired.

23. Yt ye causall over peell moore is in great decay and yt ye bridge over debtall brooke upon ye Moore is also in great decay and therefore yt ye supvisors doe cause ye same to be repaired.

24. These psons ffollowing doe cause or suffer theire ashes orginarily to be ridled in ye street to ye annoyance and prjudice of theire neighbors and make dunghills in ye street and therefore yt they remove ye said dunghills and have notice to forbeare to comitt ye like offence upon ye paine of vs. for every time every or any of them are found offending herein.

Ralph Eaves, Isaack Salisbury, Martin Marbury, John Place, Tho: Bickerstaffe, James Longton.

25. Ralph Woodhouse for harbouring James Sudell and his wife not having given security first to Mr Maior to save ye towne harmlesse and obstinately refusing to continue his offence notwthstanding what Mr Maior could doe to ye contrary and therefore to pay ye fyne of vjs. viijd for his past offence and yt Mr Maior doe cause them to be removed forthwth or security begiven to save ye towne harmless as afforesaid.

26. Ralph Woodhouse togeather wth his man George Ingham for making an assault and drawing blood upon ye body of John Bray as he was doeing his duty of heardsman upon ye Lords day and therefore wee doe amerce him in vjs. viijd.

27. Thomas Burton for harbouring John Barton and his wife not having first given security to save ye towne harmless and therefore to pay for his offence for ye time past 6s 8d. And yt Mr Maior cause them imediately to be removed or security be given to save ye town harmles as afforesaid.

28. That whereas there are divers prsentmts by sevrall Juryes of ye Leets concerning an accompt to be rendred to ye free Burgesses of this incorporacon of ye sume of six hundred pounds and upwards raised the last Guild holden wthin this Burrowe as by ye 26th prsentmt of ye Jury Leet 17th April, ye 31st prsentmt of ye Jury Leet 23rd 8br 15th year of Charles II, ye 30 prsentmt of ye Jury Leet 15th April 16th year of Charles II, ye 17 prsentmt of ye Jury Leet 7 April ye 41 prsentmt of ye Jury Leet 20 October 17th year of Chalres II. And notwthstanding these sevrall prsentmts as yet noe accompt hath beene rendred to them to ye great dissatisfaction of ye said Burgesses in genrall and thereby likewise occasioning in them a manifest jealousy and suspicon of ye ??? of ye afforesaid money to ye wrong and injury of ye said Burgesses, wee therefore thinke fitt and necesary fro ye satisfaccon of ye Burgesses aforesaid and takeing away of theire said Jealousies and for prventing ye inconveniencies yt might arrise thereupon yt Mr Maior (yt now is) doe cause an accompt to be given to ye free burgesses of this burrough in genrall in writing at acertain day to be appoynted my Mr Maior before ye first of octobr next and due notice to be given to ye Inhitante burgesses of ye day & time of such accompt to be given upon paine of twenty pounds for his neglect thereof.

29. These psons following for suffring theire geese to grase upon the Marsh contrary to ye first ordr fo ye Last Guild concerning geese and therefore to pay ye fine of 3s. 4d a piece.

Henry Graystocke, Tho: Sheppard, Tho: Walmesley de hole house, Mrs Swansey widd, James Bickerstaffe, Willm Graystocke, Mrs Preston, George Bennet Jane Mitton widd, Mr John Wearden.

30. Thomas ffrance for making an assault & affray upon ye body of Robt Newton & therefore to pay ye fyne of iijs. iiijd.

31. Thomas Gregson for yt he detayneth a stray ____ willfully denying to delivr ye same to ye officers who were apoynted by Mr Maior to receive ye said beast from him to ye wronging of ye towne and contempt of ye govmnt thereof and therefore to be punished at ye discrecon of Mr Maior for his said contempt and to pay his fyne of xs for delaying ye said beast as afforesaid.

32. These psons following for turning theire horses beasts to ye comons & townes wast being noe ffreemen of this Burrowe and there fore to pay ye fine of vjs. viijd apiece and yt they forbeare to offend here for time to come upon paine of iijs. iiijd. for every weeke they shall be found faulty.

John Threlfall, John Henkinson, James Billington.

34. Richard Balife ??? for assaulting and great abusing Mr Robte Hesketh when as he was discharging his office of Supvisr & therefore to pay for his Assault 3s. 4d. and for his further offence agt an officer? such corporal punishmt as Mr Maior shall judg moot & according to ye nature of ye offence.

35. Mr Edmund Wearden late of Preston did for ye advantage of his watermill cutt two watercorses over crosse yt pte of ye Marsh nere to Thomas Walmesley of ye Holehouse wch for want of platts over them become unpassable especially in ye winter time to ye great prjudice of ye people yt have occasion to passe over them and therefore yt ye Levies ffeoffees or ??? of ye said Mill or Land Late Mr Edmund Weardons doe cause good stone platts to be laid over ye said watercorse before ye first of Septembr next upon paine of 40s & yt they have speedy notice thereof yt it may be done in due time accordingly

36. Mr Nicholas Sudell yt he cause a plat to be laid leading to his yate at Salter field yt ye water may have a ffree passage before ye first of September next upon paine of vjs. viijd.

37. John Cowbourne & John Bray for neglecting theire duty in not pinding ye Horses & Heyffers yt pasture upon ye Marsh being contrary to ye fforth Ordr of ye last Guild concerning ye Marsh moore & townes field therefore to be punished at ye discrecon of Mr Maior & ye said ordr appoynts.

38. Edw: Rigby Esqr. yt he cause a plat to be laid leading to his close in Ribbleton lane for want whereof ye way in Ribbleton lane is over fflowed to ye great prjudice of ye said Highway and yt it be done before ye 1st of September next upon paine of vjs. viifd.

39. Mr George Pigot yt he cause his ditch to be clensed in Ribbleton Lane before ye first of Septembr next upon paine of vjs. viijd.

40. Robt. Hall and his wife have not only throwne in theire wash but also filled upp a well upon ye townes wast, by wch a great many families now [are] supplyed with water, wch was done by him wilfully and resolutely with scorne and contempt to ye govrmnt of this towne, and yt hee bee therefore severely punished according to ye discrecon of Mr. Maior for ye offence past, and yt he give securyty to forbeare such violence to ye wrong and priudice of ye neighbourhood for time to come.

Affeered by us

Wm Shawe, Ric: Hodgkinson, Symon Hynd, Willm Weardon.