BRIDrORT CORPORATION RECORDS. 103 



statutes. The number thus licensed was usually from twelve to 

 twenty a small number it may appear for the population, but in 

 the year 1574 the twelve men say " Wee, the twelve men, do 

 most humbly desire you and your successors, bayliffs, that from 

 henceforth ther be not so many tiplers apointed within this 

 borough." It does not follow that there is any connection between 

 the two, but the entry preceding this states that " Walter 

 Perygood did hang himself in the Gildhall." In the year 1577 the 

 Bailiffs, " Considering the great inconvenience that doth and may 

 grow by the excessive number of Typlers yerely apointed," desire 

 the twelve men to decree that no one shall be licensed but such as 

 can make one sufficient bed, furnished, for the lodging of travellers." 



A presentment of the jury made on the 3rd October, 1566, shows 

 that the disease of leprosy was still found in Bridport, " We 

 present that Thomas Russell is not fit to be among other persons 

 because he is a leper in the Latin, { Lezarus.' " At the same 

 Court William Tucker alias Singleman and others were presented 

 " Because they do use to ware ther hatts uppon the Sabbathe dayes 

 and Holie dayes," this being a breach of the statute 13 Eliz., c. 19, 

 repealed, 39 Eliz., c. 18, sec. 45, which required all persons to wear 

 on Sundays woollen caps made in England ; they were fined 20sh. 

 each. 



Another order of the same Court is that the cucking stool and 

 pillory be repaired by Midsummer, whence, it appears, that there 

 were in those days scolds. 



CORPORATION ACCOUNTS. 



The earliest of these accounts were kept on sheets of parchment. 

 Most have perished ; the oldest remaining is for the 1st year of Ed. 

 II. reign, and the latest for about the fourteenth year of the same 

 reign. From these accounts it appears that the practice of giving 

 presents to great men was prevalent here as elsewhere. Thus a 

 gallon of wine, price 6d., was on several occasions sent to Sir R. do 

 Farendone ; presents of chickens, beef, veal, and fish were also 

 made to the same personage, who was a Deputy-Sheriff residing 



