A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



plaint, having let the close in question to Thomas 

 Whissentide, who allowed Barley to occupy it. 

 Redeswell in the sequel, though previously 

 declaring that he had been injured to the extent 

 of 35. 4^., withdrew from the suit. 8 In the 

 following year Redeswell was defendant in a 

 suit brought at the instance of Robert Greg of 

 Lincoln, who had supplied him with bell-metal 

 worth 37J. 8 In 1436 Thomas Glen, who had 

 been engaged by Redeswell to serve in the craft 

 and business of bell- found ing, had exchanged 

 his master's service for that of John Barley of 

 Plumbic (probably the same with whom Redes- 

 well had been to law two years previously), by 

 whom he was being received and harboured. 4 



There was a William Belyetter carrying on 

 his trade in Nottingham at the same period, for 

 we find him complained of in 1437 by one 

 Hugh Bladesmith on account of a plea of debt of 

 2s. for metal of brazen pots bought from him 

 at Michaelmas last. 6 In mediaeval times, it is 

 worthy of note, the art of the bell-founder and 

 that of the potter (maker of brazen vessels) were 

 frequently identical, and there are numerous 

 interesting examples in the early records of the 

 borough of Nottingham. 6 



Richard Mellers or Mellors, who was twice 

 mayor of Nottingham, seems to have been at 

 work at least as early as 1487-8, when his name 

 appears in connexion with the grant of a mes- 

 suage in Castle Gate. 7 In 1499, he cast the 

 second bell of St. Peter's Church, the gild 

 book of St. George still recording the payment 

 received by him. In earlier documents, he is 

 styled ' bellyetter,' the old form of bell-founder, 

 and the origin of the modern name of Billiter. 8 

 Mellers' foundry is supposed to have been in 

 Parliament Street, Narrow Marsh, suggested by 

 Bailey as a probable site, having no evidence to 

 support the claim. 9 



A pardon granted to Mellers in 1507 acquaints 

 us with his offence against the statute of weights 

 and measures, and thus incidentally with the 

 connexion already referred to between the bell- 

 founder's and the potter's arts. 10 Reference to his 



' Stevenson, Rec. Bon. Nott. ii, 143 ; Notts, and 

 Derb. A', and Q. Jan. 1896, p. 3. 

 * Stevenson, op. cit. ii, 143. 

 4 Ibid. 159. 'Ibid. 161. 



6 There is an entry, says Mr. Stevenson, in the 

 Nottingham Court Rolls of an action in 1437 by 

 Margaret Potter against John Sellers of Nottingham 

 for brazen pots bought from her for 2t. \d. ; Rec. Bora. 

 Nott. ii, 1 66. William Langton, who appears to 

 have entered into partnership with Richard Redes- 

 well by that date, was complained of in 1438 by 

 John Westhall, with whom they had covenanted to 

 make for him from certain metal agreed upon between 

 them to a certain weight two brazen pots and a chafing- 

 dish (' et unum chafur'). They had, however, only 

 made one pot and one chafing-dish ; ibid. 



7 Ibid, iii, 428. " Phillimore, Old Notts. 107. 



8 Ibid. 1 08. 10 Ibid. 109. 



business as a bell-founder is made in his will, by 

 which he bequeaths to his son Robert (of whom 

 little is known) all the instruments of his trade. 11 



The widow of Mellers, Dame Agnes, the 

 foundress of the Nottingham Free School, left 

 by her will the sum of IO marks to William 

 Mellers son of William Mellers of Leicester. 

 ' There can be little doubt,' says Mr. Phillimore, 

 ' that this William Mellers of Leicester was a 

 younger brother perhaps of Richard Mellers of 

 Nottingham, and the William Mellers, Bell 

 Heytaur, whose will was proved at Peterborough 

 in 1507, and whose widow afterwards married 

 Thomas Newcombe ' la of the famous bell- 

 founding dynasty of that name. 



Mellers' mark is as follows : In the centre 

 of a shield a cross, on the dexter side of which 

 is the letter R., on the sinister side a bell, and in 

 chief two crowns (the arms of Nottingham). 13 



Robert Mellers, of whom little is known, 

 succeeded to his father's business. In 151718 we 

 find him figuring in an action against one Thomas 

 Blyth of Linby. 14 He cast bells for Louth and 

 Wigtoft in Lincolnshire in 1510 and I525- 1 * 

 He married Juliana Mapurley, and left one 

 daughter, Elizabeth, who married Humphrey 

 Quarneby or Querneby, who succeeded to his 

 father-in-law's business, 16 and was among the 

 founders who purchased bell-metal from the 

 commissioners at the dissolution of the religious 

 houses, one of his purchases being a small bell 

 weighing 4 cwt. 3 quarters, which belonged to 

 the Grey Friars. 17 The register of St. Mary's 

 contains the following entry for 1589: 'For 

 carrying the bell for Master Quarnby to the 

 Church, 6d.' u A second item relates to the 

 payment to Master Alvie of j IQS. 8^. 'for 

 the second bell of St. Mary's,' \d. being paid in 

 addition ' for an obligation for the bell's cast- 

 ing.' I9 The following item appears in the 

 churchwardens' accounts of Worksop for 

 1559-60: '3 6s. 8d. Humfrey Quern by in 

 part of payment of a more somme as appeareth 

 by his acquittance.' w 



Like many of his fellow-craftsmen in mediaeval 

 times, Richard Seliok comes before us in the 

 Nottingham Records in 1536 'complaining' of 



11 Ibid. " Ibid. 108. 



11 Reliquary, xiii, 8 1 . A bell at Morcott, Rutland, 

 has R. Mellours' trade mark together with a lion's head 

 stamp used by Newccmbe and Watts of Leicester. 

 (Communicated by Mr. Walters.) 



14 Stevenson, op. cit. iii, 141. 



" North, Church Bells Lines. 103. 



16 Phillimore, op. cit. ill. 



17 Ibid. The original record of this transaction 

 is printed in White, Dukery Rec. 384. (Blyth Ch. 

 Gds. 1 2/4), and runs as follows : ' The grey friars 

 caste j small bell pond, iiij cwt. iii quarters sold by 

 me William Bolles to Humfrey Querby of note for xx/. 

 le c. and yet unpaid.' 



18 Rec. Son. Nott. iv, 233. " Ibid. 225. 

 *> White, Dukery Rec. 316. 





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