April 1668

Great Court Leet held on April 3rd, 1668. The only person named in the heading is Edward Rigby, Steward of the Court.

The 24

Jury

Presentments : —

1. Yt ye Exercise of Artillery is not used in this towne according to the fforme of the statute in that case made and pvided and that the now Balives shall set stoopes and raies about the Butts on Spittle Mosse for the prservacon of the same and to keepe Cattle for throwing them downe at or before the 24th of July next upon paine of vjs. viijd.

2. That the Assize of bread and beare is not observed and kept within this towne (as it ought), Although Corne bee at Easy rates yet nothing is donne in relief thereof According to ye Statute in yt case made and provided. Wee therefore desire Mr Maior to take this prsentmt unto his Serious Considacon.

3. Yt ye prsentmt of the last Jury of the Leet and likewise the prsentmt of the last Jury of Inquest is not affeared wch wee conceive to be prjudicuall to the benefitt of this incorporacon, Wee therefore desire yt Mr Maior will take care yt ye same prsentmt may bee affeared wch as much expedicon and speed as Conveniently may bee yt ye wayes may be amended and oter things done and pformed according to the tenor of the said prsentmt ot otherwise the fynes to be Levyed according to ye affearing thereof.

4. The sevrall psons hereundr named wch contrary to theire oathes as Burgesses, being summoned by ye Serjeant, not haveing or craveing any Leave or Lycence from Mr Maior did absent themselves from theire duty to this Leet wthout any Lawfull cause wee therefore Amerce them and Every of them in theire sevrall fynes as followeth.

5. Robte Whittingham for keeping scabbed and disseased horses upon the townes wast he prtending ye same to bee his owne horses But ye said belonge to fforraignrs and Strangers for ye wch offence wee doe Amerce him to pay ye sume of xxs.

6. Yt Willm Blacowe shall set a Sufficient Stile at ye side of the ffryer lane into his Croft Leading into Mr Ashtons Land at or before ye 13th of July next upon paine of iijs. iiijd.

7. Evan Rogerson for Sufring his Cherry trees to hang over and Lye upon ye house of Lawrence Cowp by wearing? and beating downe ye thatch of ye said house, And yt ye said Evan Rogerson shall Lopp ye said Cherry trees that they may bee noe more annoyance there at orbefore the 15th of August next upon paine of xs.

8. Thomas Sudell ffeltmaker for pressing or forcing downe a hedge of Willm Abrams by Laying extraordinary weight of Earth upon ye Same hedge and if ye said Thomas Sudell shall remove ye said Earth yt it may not force downe ye same hedge at or before ye first of June next upon paine of vjs. viijd.

9. John Gurnall and Thomas ffisher the pindrs of this towne for neglecting theire office of pindrs wch is contrary to ye ffourth ordr of the last Guild concerning ye Marsh by suffring Horses, Heyfers and sevrall fflockes of Geese to depasture upon ye Marsh, therefore we amerce them to pay 5s apiece or otherwise bee punished at ye discrecon of Mr Maior.

10. These psons following for that they contrary to ye first ordr of ye last Guild doe Suffer theire Geese to grease upon ye Marsh therefore they and every of them to pay theire sevrall ffynes of three shillings & four pence apiece.

Henry Graystocke, Tho: Walmesley sen, Tho: Shepard

11. George Bennet for suffring his hourse Coults and Geese sevrall times to Grase upon ye marsh contrary to ye first Ordr of the last Guild therefore wee fine and Amerce him in ye sume of xxs.

12. These sevrall psons following that conrary to sevrall Guild Ordrs heretoforemade being not Lycenced doe Retails aile and beer not being free Burgesses of this towne the wch being very prjudiciall to ye ffree Burgesses of this Incorporacon therefore wee Amerce them and every of them to pay ye sevrall sumes as followeth.

John Barons wife 2s 6d, Henr Wilding 8s 0d, John Powell 10s 0d, John Threlfall 5s 0d, John Whitehead £1 0s 0d, Thomas Silcocke £1 0s 0d, John Hankinson 10s, Mathew Porter 10s, Tho: fforrest £1 0s 0d

13. Elizabeth Woodhouse widow that she hath erected a porch standing upon 2 posts into ye street at her house side over her Seller staires, And she is rented to pay for ye same ye sume of xs ayeare and yt ye said rent hath not as yet beene paide wee therefore desire ye said Rent may bee Collected & gathered According to ye ordr thereof made.

14. Ye now Balives have not caused ye minspit well, ye goose well, and ye foure draw wells within this towne to bee sufficiently Clensed and Repaired according to ye time given them, and therefore have fforfeited ye sume of xxs.; And therefore yt ye said Balives shall cause ye said minspit well, the goose well, and ye said draw wells to bee sufficiently clensed and repaired at or before ye xx^th day of July next, upon paine of xxs.

15. Ye now Balives have not repaired the pavemts and made a particon wall in the pinfould according to ye time given them, and therefore have forfeited ye fine of xxvis. viijd., And therefore yt ye said Balives shall cause ye pavemt to bee repaired and ye particon wall to bee made in ye said pinfould at or before ye 29th day of July next upon paine of vli.

16. These psons following to bee Inmates and yt every pson that harbors them shall pay theire sevrall fynes as followeth vizt.

Richard Tysing for harbouring John Threlfall to pay xxs.

Widdow Gradwell of the Syke hill for harbouring John Trees to pay xxs.

Jane Patten for harbouring Mathew Porter - xxs.

Mrs Jane Lawe for harboring Henry Boulton - xxxs.

James Hilton for harbouring Stephen Pearson therefore to pay xs.

Mr Willm Bannester for harbouring John Mangnailes? - xxs.

Mr Robte Hesketh for harbouring Thomas Silcocke - xls.

Henry Chorley for harbouring Roger Singleton & his wife - xxs.

17. Thomas fforrest for not being a freeman of this Incorporacon and doth brew or retaile Ale or beere contrary to sevrall Guild Orders and also yt hee doth keepe avery unlawfull house by harboring mens servts to Tipple & drinke at unlawfull times of the night for ye wch offence wee amerce him to pay ye sume of xls.

18. George Mitton for a Tusle upon Robt Core therefore to pay ye sume of iijs. iiijd.

19. Robte Core for a Tusle upon George Mitton hee being full of drinke & giving blasphemed Oathes against all threatening to burne ye house of ye said George Mitton, for ye wch offence wee amerce him to pay xiijs. iiijd.

20. Yt ye supvisors of the highway have not according to the twentysixth prsentmt of ye last inquest repaired the bridge at ye bottom of ye Long Causey leading to Caddiley noore and likewise ye same Causey in needfull places According to the time given them and therefore have forfeited ye sume of xxs., And ye said Balives shall repaire ye said Bridge and ye Causey at or before ye first of Augst upon paine of xls.

21. Ralph Eaves and Martin Mayberry for turning theire swine into the Leanes and suffring them to trespas into mens ground to ye great prjudice of sevrall psons and therefore to pay vjs. viijd. apiece.

22. Robte Tomlinson for stopping ye watercorse betwixt his owne house and ye house of Thomas Becconsall and yt ye said Robte Tomlinson shall let open ye same passage yt ye water may have its usuall Corse at or before ye first of August upon paine of xxs.

23. Symon Hind for Laying wood or boughes and making ye foot path unpassable Leading towards ye broad meadowe being Annoyance to all ye neighbours yt occupy any Lands thereabouts both for Carts and all other passages and ye said Symon Hind shall take upp ye said wood or bouges before ye xx^th of July upon paine of xs.

24. Mr James Hodgkinson for an Incroachmt at ye house where John Clifton doth now inhabit by seting apaire of Seller staires therefore ye same to bee rented at ye discrecon of Mr Maior & his Councell.

25. John Smith for a grosse abuse, by striking a boy, servt unto Thomas Scholes, with a bunch of Keyes, and thereby did breake 3 of his teeth, wee Amerce in iijli. vjs. viijd.

26. Willm Woodward that hee shall Lopp and cut his hedge and open the plat nere unto ye Titmouse barne at or before ye xx^th of July upon paine of xs.

27. We continue all prsentmts heretofore made by sevrall other Juries of this Leet concerning an accompt to be rendred to ye Burgesses of this Incorpontcon of ye sume of 6001i and upwards, raised by ye last Guild, and yt Mr. Maior yt now is doe cause an accompt to be made and given in writeing to ye said free Burgesses of this Burrough at a certaine day appoynted by Mr. Maior, at or before ye first day of August next, and due notice to bee given thereof to ye said Burgesses of the day and time upon paine of Cli.

28. Ye pindrs for neglect of theire office and denying to drive mens kine to ye Marsh and likewise for suffering mens kine to bee miched upon the Marsh to ye great Losse and annoyance of sevrall psons within this Burroughe, wee amerce in xxs.

29. Thomas Shepheard yt hee shall opne his platt in Lancr Lane yt ye water may have its usual Corse at or before ye 25th of July upon paine of xs.

30. Mr John Wall for suffring his swine to goe unringed contrary to sevrall Guild Ordrs made concerning ye same therefore wee amerce him in vjs. viijd.

Affered by us

Luke Hodgkinson; Chri: Santer; John Tysan.