308 Notes on the History of Mere. 
of certain rights of common which the poor of the parish of Mere 
had over the disafforested forest of Gillingham. 
The articles of agreement by which this property was allotted to 
the poor of Mere are dated 30th January, 1651. It is vested in 
thirteen trustees, 
“and when eight of them shall bee dead, then the survivors of them shall convey 
and assigne the said Fowerscore Acres of Land to the use of themselves and of 
eight others of the most ablest and discretest Inhabitants of Mere aforesaid such 
as they shall make choyce of and of theire Heires and Assignes for ever. Upon 
the like trust and for the intents and purposes aforesaid and upon noe other 
rr”? 
trust nor for any other Intent or purpose whatsoev’. 
According to the original deed the income is to be appropriated 
“for the better relieving of the poor from time to time inhabiting Mere in such 
manner as the trustees shall in their discretion think fit.” 
The following letter, from among the papers at Zeals House, is 
printed in Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, Sept., 1897 :— 
“ Mere 23 Martij 1651. 
‘“ Sr 
“There is nowe in agiticon a business concerning o' pish wherein yo" 
are concerned the state whereof I thought fitt to represent unto yo" w is thus. 
Vpon the disafforestacon of the Forrest of Gillingham there was an allowance of 
100 acres layd out for the Freehold"s and Comon of the Mannor of Mere, w°" 
was enioyed w" the rest of the Comons ever sithince that tyme, w° was about 
27 veres past. In the tyme of the troubles some of the enclosures of the Forrest 
were throwne open and ypon the late reenclosure, the Inh’itants of the pish 
laboured to have some further allowance and intrusted me in the busines whoe 
travelled therein, & vpon search found in the Articles annexed to the Comision 
for disafforestacon a clause, that care should be taken for the poore of Mere (who 
formerly had a greate pt of their maineten’nce out of the Forrest) in regard that 
vpon the improvement & enclosure they were wholely cast vpon the pish, and 
vpon treatye w' the owners of the Forrest and in fine, I concluded with them 
for 80 acres in satisfaccon of that clause in the Articles and soe agreed to accept 
of those 80 acres (to be imployed for the comfort and releife of the Poore) and 
the 100 acres (formerly layd out for Comon) in lieu and full satisfaccon for all 
claymes in the Forrest as well for Comm" as for Poore : this the pishioners of 
all sorts well approued and desired me to gett setled w°' I putt in order; but 
when the tyme of setlem' came, some few of the pish (w‘" made greate vse of 
the Comons) would not agree to the Enclosure vnlesse the 80 acres (gotten ypon 
the interest of the Poore) might be vsed in comon as well as the 100 acres 
allowed to the Comon' although it was expressely allowed to the pish for the 
better support of the poore, and agreed to be he/é (?) inclosed and made vse of 
for that purpose. And by meanes of this vnworthy opposicon of some ynworthy 
