27 



and training of youth in trades ; the reformation of disorders 

 and disorderly persons ; repairing the highways ; keeping watch 

 and ward for the punishment of rogues and vagabonds, and for 

 the relief of the poor and setting them to work. In some places 

 the poor-rate was doubled or trebled, and the magistrates at 

 Wrington taxed parishes of "more worth" to help the poorer 

 ones in relieving their poor * But whilst the " poor" were thus 

 cared for, masterless servants or such as lived out of service 

 were sent to gaol, there to work for their living. Consequently, 

 " all betook themselves to masters," and rogues and vagabonds 

 were so severely punished, that in some districts not a wandering 

 person was to be found. 



Of the returns or certificates made by the Justices of the 

 Peace in respect to this order and forwarded to the sheriff, some 

 ai-e more full than others, and some enlarge on one, some on 

 another, of the questions submitted. 



The plan they adopted was to meet together, and then call 

 before them the constables of hundreds, the churchwardens and 

 overseers, and a jury, from the various parishes, giving theiai 

 directions to bring in their presentments by a certain date and 

 to continue them monthly. 



The first report is dated from Wellington, 3rd December, and 

 came from William Francis and William Every, for the hundreds 

 of Milverton and the four Western Tythings of Kingsbury, and 

 certified that there was there sufiicient corn of all sorts. The 

 prices — best wheat 7s., rye 5s., barley 4s. 4d., beans 4s., peas 

 3s. 8d., and oats 2s. the Winchester bushel.t 



On the 7th December, J. Wyndham, Thos. Luttrell and Thos. 

 Windham, from Watchett, replied for the hundreds of Williton, 

 Freemanors and Carhampton that they had sufficient of all sorts. 



• State Papers, 1631, Vol. cxciv., fol. 28. 

 t State Papers, 1630, Vol, clxxvi., fol. 18. 



