Mecent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Aiiicles. 355 



1626. Two curious letters from Richard Berkeley, of Stoke Gifford 

 (Glouc), offering livings to " Mr. Ferrybee, Vicar of Bishops Cannons," 

 and to Mr. " Heires," of Chippenham. 



1627. A memorial from John Ivie, Mayor of Salisbury, and others, 

 sets forth the sad condition of the city, then suffering from a visitation 

 of the plague — with eighty-eight houses shut up as infected and two 

 thousand nine hmidred persons in receipt of relief. 



1636. A writ was issued against Samuel Yarworth, Clerk of Hindon, 

 but when the officers endeavoured to execute it, the misdemeanant took 

 sanctuary in the chapel, where apparently he bid defiance to them until 

 he found opportunity to escape to London. 



1637. The plague was severe at Calne, and the bill of expenses incurred 

 in connection therewith, amounting to i'BO 17s. lOd., is here given. 



1638/9. Jan. 8. The parishioners of Calne petition the justices to 

 apply to the King for a general collection to assist them in re-building 

 the Church. They had contracted for the repair of the tower and steeple, 

 which were much decayed ; but the pillars were unsound when first 

 built, being of freestone, and the greatest part being filled with ill-made 

 mortar and small stones, and the tower being too weighty for them 

 suddenly fell on 25th Sept., and with the fall of the bells beat down all 

 the chancel, and five aisles, and a great part of the body of the Church, 

 all of which before was very strong and substantially built ; and what 

 remains is much shaken, and it is conceived must all be taken down. 

 The cost will be i-3000 at the least. 



1646. Potterne and Marston were grievously visited with the plague, 

 as also Wilton, Fugglestone, Highworth, Fisherton Anger, Maiden 

 Bradley, and Horningsham ; and Twyford and Swallowfield, then out- 

 lying parts of Wiltshire, now in Berks. At Wootton Bassett sixty persons 

 died. 



1647. The broad weavers of Chippenham, Calne, Bromham, Melksham, 

 Seend and other places adjoining, represent their miserable condition for 

 want of work ; even when their hands were full they could hardly 

 maiiitain themselves and their families with mean fare and worse habit. 



1648. An inn named The Searcli-hoope is mentioned at Warminster. 



1649. Christiana Weekes, of Cleeve Pepper, is indicted for using 

 certain "witchcrafts, enchantments, charmes, and sorseres," in professing 

 to know where lost goods could be found, and in 1651 a man of Manton 

 is said to have given her £4 4*. Orf. to charm an evil spirit out of his leg. 



1651. The people of Holt complain that one of the churchwardens 

 has taken away one of the bells out of the Church, and refuses to restore 

 "him." 



Throughout these years the greater number of entries refer to soldiers 

 on the Parliament side hurt in the wars, who are recommended by their 

 officers or others for pensions. There are also many certificates of 

 marriages by justices of the peace and ministers. 



1651 and 1652. A list of intruded Puritan ministers of Wilts parishes 

 whose names occur in the records is given. 



1654. The parishionera of Chippenham who had been compelled by 



