A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



trade was emphasized by the predominant in- 

 fluence of the ale wife, yet the strict supervision 

 which was at all times exercised over its conduct 

 gave rise in the course of its history to more than 

 one spirited incident. The brewers of Newark 

 paid tolcestre 4 to the lord of the manor for liberty 

 to brew. The amount of fines thus received 

 was 58*. in one year.' A similar custom pre- 

 vailed in the manor of Fiskerton, where, ' if any 

 ale wife brew ale to sell she must satisfy the lord 

 for tolcestre.' 6 Presentments of offenders against 

 the assize abound in the Nottingham Records. 

 In 1396, John lie, John Dauntre, and Richard 

 Armer were presented for selling ale by measures 

 not signed. 7 Fraudulentsales werenot unknown in 

 the early trade in Nottingham ale. In 1397, we 

 find William and Agnes de Brodbury complained 

 of by Roger de Strelley, who had bought ale of 

 them for 2d. per flagon, having been previously im- 

 pressed by the good quality of a former similar 

 purchase. On this occasion, however, the said 

 William and Agnes had, it would appear, 'griev- 

 ously deceived,' not only the original purchaser, 

 but the men at Lenton fair, to whom Roger 

 had sold the ale, for it had been discovered that 

 the good ale had been reserved by the said Wil- 

 liam and Agnes for sale by them at home, and 

 the bad ale had been disposed of to Roger 

 for yl. instead of 2d. per flagon. 8 



Malt, purchased as ' good and fitting,' but 

 which on examination proved to be so ' raw, reeked, 

 and damaged with weevils that hogs, hens, and 

 capons, were therewith killed as above,' was 

 called in question in 1432, in a suit brought by 

 Thomas Abbot of Colwick against Thomas Sharp 

 of Crophill, from whom he had bought the same, 

 Sharp considering himself damaged to the value of 



2CH. 9 



In a valuation of household goods in 1498, 

 the following items connected with the brew- 

 ing industry are of interest : ' A gylle fatt 

 (or gyle tun) (a fermenting vessel for the 

 wort), value 2od., and 2 ale-looms, 10 value 

 8</.' " 



At the Nottingham Sessions 5 October 1500, 

 Elizabeth Fisher, housewife, was presented for 

 buying much malt in the market of that town 

 on divers days before the market bell had rung, 

 and selling the same in the town over again, also 

 for carrying the same to Derby, causing the great 



1 ' One sextary of beer called a tolsester.' Cal. 

 Chart. R. i, 168. 



5 Brown, Hist. Newark, \, 54. 

 6 Thoroton, Notts, iii, 64. 



I Stevenson, Rec. Boro. Nott. i, 315. 



8 Ibid. 347. 9 Ibid, ii, 131. 



10 ' Loom,' a drinking vessel for ale (lama cerevislaRs}, 

 but sometimes holding from 8 to 1 8 gallons. Marga- 

 rett of the Hylle was presented at Nottingham ' for 

 selling of ale after the rate of 3/. 6d. for a loom of 

 ale.' Stevenson, op. cit. iv, 494. Ibid. 97. 



II Ibid, iii, 299. 



dearness of malt in Nottingham, and grievous 

 detriment to the king's lieges. 18 



Presentments relating to this industry at the 

 Nottinghamshire Sessions 21 July 1520, include 

 that of Thomas Stabollys for selling ale above the 

 mayor's price, that is, above the price fixed by the 

 assize of ale. 13 In January 1556, the mayor 

 having, it would appear, dealt somewhat leniently 

 with certain offenders against the assize, was 

 promptly presented by the constables, ' because 

 he seys no execusion of the bruars and tepellars 

 for sellynge theyr alle abowf the syes.' 14 Again, in 

 1576, Master Mayor was advised, the measure of 

 ale being too small, that one constable in every 

 ward should have a sealed measure. 16 At the 

 same time it was suggested that every innkeeper 

 and tippler should keep in his house a quart-pot 

 and a pint-pot of pewter, and that a quart of ale 

 or beer should be sold for id., and a pint for ^d. y 

 both to travellers and townsmen, upon pain of a 

 fine. 16 In 1524 the mayor was quaintly 'be- 

 sought to be a good master to us, and to see a 

 remedy to the brewers, for we find us grieved 

 with their ale.' 17 Nicholas Haa, malt-miller, 

 was presented in this year for grinding malt for 

 the toll, whereas burgesses were wont to have it 

 ground for id. per quarter, after the old custom. 18 

 Helen Attewell, known as 'Ellyn of the High 

 Pavement,' was presented in 1533 for selling ale 

 contrary to the mayor's command, not under 

 id. per gallon, nor out of her house by mea- 

 sure. 19 



From the Chamberlain's Rental, 18 October 

 1548, we learn that the 'Malt Mill ground paid 

 2s. at Candlemas,' x also that Bryan Smetheley 

 held a'Maltinmylne'in the Narrow Marsh, paying 

 quarterly 3 6s. 8d., held by virtue of a twenty- 

 one years' lease granted to him in 1 532-3. 2l 

 Margaret Styholm, a mediaeval tenant in the 

 same town, paid the same rent quarterly at 

 an earlier date for ' the Maltmyln in Berker- 

 gate.' 22 



At a special court held at Newark for fining 

 brewers and tipplers (the Tolsester Court of 

 Brewers, Tipplers, and Hucksters of the town of 

 Newark), held there on the Monday after the 

 Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, 1567, Robert 

 Simpson was fined I2d. because his wife is a 

 common brewer and sells against the assize, 

 Nicholas Godderd, tanner, being fined \d. at the 

 same time because his wife was a common tippler, 

 and sold ale with unstamped vessels. 23 



Malt of Nottingham was furnished in 

 15912, for the use of the captive Queen 

 of Scots, the Chamberlain's Accounts for 

 that year containing the following item : 

 ' Paid to Cottes and Rawson for carriage of 



11 Rec. Boro. Nott. iii, 79. 13 Ibid, iii, 356. 



" Ibid, iv, no. Is Ibid. 166. 16 Ibid. 195. 

 "Ibid, iii, 357. "Ibid. "Ibid. 373. 



M Ibid, iv, 94. " Ibid. 95. Ibid. 370. 



" Brown, Hist. Newark, 67. 









