74 Some Western Circuit Assize Records 
We remember that Somerset wsa Admiral Blake’s county. Can 
timber for the navy be wanted? If so, some two months after this 
there would be further interest in the matter; when news came of 
his capturing the Spanish treasure-fleet off Cadiz on the 9th of 
September, and the arrival of the Spanish plate at Portsmouth on 
its way to London. The Justices might fear that the whole county 
would be denuded in those days of Puritan simplicity. However 
that may be, the order does not relate to what we would have 
described as timber-trees, but only to pollards. 
Then there is an order to enable “ the nowe-waymen” of War- 
minster to be reimbursed for monies expended by them in repairing 
their highways. 
At Dorchester, March 18th, 1657, it appears that Thomas 
Erlebridge and William Ogle “ nowe remaininge in the gaole were 
very dangerous and suspicious people, this Cort [Mr. Justice Hugh 
Wyndham] orders that they be by the Sheriffe of this County 
carried from hence to Shaston [Shaftesbury] and there be whipt 
on their naked backes untill they bleede and from thence be sent from 
tything to tything by passes to the severall places of their birthes.” 
At Chard (Somerset Assize) the Grand Jury present to John, Lord 
Glynne (Penruddock’s judge), “a great scarcity of corn, that there 
are so many maltsters that the barley in the market is so soon 
bought up, that the poor cannot but at extraordinary prices have 
any to serve their occasions, by reason whereof they are much 
damnified. The Cort refers the matter to the justices of peace of 
this County, and desires them to meet with all convenient speed ; 
and take such course for the suppressinge the multiplicity of those 
malsters and supplying the occasions of the poor as shall be agreeable 
to Jaw and justice.”” This old and widespread grievance, was ag gra- 
vated much by the Civil War, bad seasons, and perhaps now again 
by increase in population in certain districts where land transport 
was diffleult. I find from Mr. Hamilton’s book on Devon Quarter 
Sessions, that in Devon in 1630 malting was altogether prohibited 
by their Quarter Sessions, and I mentioned in my previous paper 
that this occurred also in Cornwall A.D. 1648. And at Easter 
Devon Sessions, 1649, a similar order was made which mentions a 
