36 



supplied. By going themselves to see tliis done and getting 

 offenders punislied, tlie scarcity was turned into plenty and the 

 prices had fallen to near one-half of what they were.* 



Walt. Bath and Wells and Eob. Barlow found, that in Wells 

 there was no money given to " pious uses," but what there was, 

 " was bestowed according to the intentions of the donors." Others 

 differed apparently on this last conclusion, and the enquiry seems 

 to have stirred up a nice little squabble. Thomas Baron, the 

 mayor, and Henry Foster, one of the " Masters" of the City, 

 certified that the churchwardens of St. Cuthbert's had relieved 

 theu' poor, the rates being raised one-half more, and with their 

 " condiscents," had bound out fifteen apprentices, thirty others 

 being ready when money was raised to clothe them. Several 

 sums of money amounting to five hundred pounds, had been given 

 to charitable uses, for the maintenance of the magistrates and to 

 be lent to burgesses who were tradesmen in the city. Part of this 

 was found to be employed according to the will of the donors, and 

 other part thereof was " misemployed," which they intended to 

 correct by putting " in suite" those who had the money in their 

 hands. There was one almshouse founded for the maintenance of 

 thu'ty poor people, men and women, and there were then thirty 

 such therein. Johii Wookey, an innkeeper of Wells, and John 

 Aborne, a maltster of Bruton, had been bound over to appear at 

 the next Sessions ; Wookey for receiving corn into his house and 

 so forestalling the market, and Aborne for bringing it for sale 

 otherwise than through the market.f A few days later John 

 Baber, Recorder of Wells, wrote to the Sheriff that he had given 

 orders to the " verderors" to survey the poor and they had pre- 

 sented a list of four hundred. The overseers had asked for £20 

 from the city revenue, to clothe those apprentices who were "placed" 

 but had not fit clothes, and a hundred pounds more to set the poor 



* State Papers, 1631, Vol. cxcii., fol. 50, 26th May. 

 + State Papers, 1G31, City of Wells to Sheriff, Vol. cxciii, fol. 75, 12tb June, 



