274 Notes on the History of Mere. 
The payments to the ‘“‘ Clarke of the Markett ”’ are still continued 
of varying amounts; this year (1627) it is x*, but there is no 
record showing who this official was or what his duties were. The 
payments to soldiers, poor Irish folk, and others who travelled with 
passes, for many years about this time are too numerous to give 
here, but they are full of interest as bearing on byegone customs. 
1636. In an inventory amongst other things is included :— 
“One barrell of Gunpowder Vases ii. c. weighte and more of Gunpowder of 
seers 99 
1674. Item gave the officer who Collected the ffire hearth money" m 
for signeinge a Certificate to excuse the poore people from payinge 00, 01, 00” 
At this period is given a list of briefs collected in the parish for 
various sufferers (principally for losses by fire). They are annually 
recorded up to 1707, when they cease. 
TERRIER OF CHuRcH Lanns, &c., e’rea 1640. 
(Copied by T. H. B., 1890, from a document written on paper in the Muniment 
Room of Salisbury Cathedral. The values printed in italics are interlineations 
in a later hand.) 
“VALUATION OF LANDS AT MEER. 
“One Cottage in Rooke street in Meere with A Garden, Orchard, and Two 
Acres of Meadow in the Tenure of Johnathan Bowles. the yearly is 6 a yeare. 
**One Close of Meadowe, and A Close of pasture in the Tything of Woodlands 
in Rook street aforesaid in the Tenure of Woolstan ffoster. the yearly valy is 
8" a yeare. 
“One Cottage in Church Street, with A Garden and Outhouse neere adjoyning 
in the possession of the sayd Woolstone ffoster. 
“One Cottage in Castle Street and one plott of meadow in the tenure of the — 
Widdow Burt. : 
“One other Cottage in A Street called Church Street with outhowsing and an ~ 
Orchard thereunto adjoyning and 4 Acres of Arrable Land in the Comon feilds 
of Meere in the tenure of William Crompe. the yearly valy is 5" a yeare. 
“One Cottage or tenement called Blackhouse and fiveteen Acres of Land, — 
Meadow and pasture. the yearly valy is 144 a yeare. ; 
1 Fire-hearth money was a duty payable to the crown on houses. By Statute — 
14, Car. II., cap. 2, Every fire hearth and stove of every dwelling and other — 
house within England and Wales (except such as pay not to Church and poor) — 
shall be chargeable with 2s. per annum payable at Michaelmas and Lady Day to — 
the King and his Heirs and Successors, which payment was called Chimney 
money. This tax, being much complained of as burdensome to the people, was — 
taken off and that of windows imposed in its stead, 7 and 8 W. III. 
