43 



Taunton, to the same effect, and that William Roberts had been 

 fined twenty shillings for travelling with liis packs on the 

 Sunday.* With these troubles about the poor there were still 

 difficulties -with the currency, and the Mayor of Taunton, Philip 

 Lissant, with Koger Hill, Justice ; John Trowbridge, William 

 Lechlande, Hugh Godsall, Hugh Pytcher, Jasper Chaplin, and 

 Henry Godsall, of Taunton, were obliged to complain to the Privy 

 Council under date the 19th May, that " of late" such extraordinary 

 quantities of fartliings " of several sorts" were brought into 

 Somerset, and their town especially, that the poor weavers and 

 labourers were obliged to receive their wages in farthings. The 

 great supply aroused suspicions and caused a rumour, that the 

 " greatest part" of these coins would not be acknowledged, " being 

 suspected to be brought into the kingdom by some indirect means." 

 The traders of aU sorts refused to take them, so that the labourers, 

 not being able to buy their necessaries, made a great timiult on 

 the market days, and " were like to perish unless some speedy 

 course" were taken for their relief f 



The interference in this, as well as other matters, wliich 

 continued to increase, was presently met by an outspoken pre- 

 sentment of the Grand Inquest at the Assizes held in Bath on 

 2nd Jidy, 1638. With other things not pertinent, it was then 

 presented, that the excessive rates for com and other provisions 

 was occasioned not so much by scarcity, as by the great and 

 heavy taxations by new invented ways, which laid so heavy a 

 burden upon the fanners that they were obliged to sell their 

 grain at high prices to support it. Consequently their labourers 

 were not able to get sufficient sustenance for their families, and 

 so committed many thefts and felonies. Further, as "a great 

 grievance," agriculture had been much interfered with by 

 several "commissions" from the Secretary of State, for taking 



• 1634, p. 445, Vol. cclxxv., No. 7. 

 t State Papers, 1634, p. 32, Vol. cckviii., No. 32. 



