Chap. 1.] GENERAL HISTORY. 39 



Down to the Catholic Emancipation Act, the Roman Catholics, or 

 " Papists," as they were commonly termed at the time, were liable to 

 a double assessment on their rates, because of their non-conforming to 

 the Test Acts of William and Mary. In the accounts for Alston in 

 1749, the following interesting statement occurs : — "Protestant Equal 

 Assessment is £17 12s. lid. The Papist Double Assessment is £24 

 2s." But, in 1787, a case had been stated for the opinion of Edward 

 Law, Esq., a Barrister of the Inner Temple, as to the legality of this 

 mode of assessment. In his opinion, Mr. Law emphatically declares 

 th.at this double assessment of non-conforming Papists is legal. 



There seems to have been a good deal of ill-feeling between the 

 rulers of Longridge in the eighteenth century and their brethren at 

 Eibchester. Details of the expenses of certain "Tryalls" are pre- 

 served. These disputes appear to have been chiefly about roads. In 

 1 748-49 the bill came to £2 3s. 2d. Mr. Starkey was the legal adviser 

 of the "Men of Alston." 



In 1813 a dispute took place as to who ought to repair the road from 

 the White Bull in Alston to the Eibble. One lawyer's bill was for 

 £12 15s., while another came to £7 9s. 2d., and the litigious " Men of 

 Alston" lost the case. 



Some of the entries in the minute book of the " Select Vestry " of 

 Alston are very curious reading. For example, contrast the following 

 applications for relief and the answers thereto : — 



"Aug. 31st, 1820. — William Windle, of Alston, wants one pound to 

 enable him to become a hawker." Reply — "Agreed to lend him one 

 pound, to be repaid at such time as the Committee think jiroper." 



"Aug. 17th, 1820. — William Almond, of Dilworth, wants something 

 to carry his wife to the salt water." Reply — " Nothing granted." 



Frequent applications were made for "shifts" and clothing, which 

 were generally left to the officers to deal with. 



On Nov. 21st, 1822, Mr. W. Buck, who seems to have often acted 

 as chairman, proposed a resolution, which was unanimously carried, 

 that Alston-with-Hothersall should, if possible, be made into separate 

 townships. The following entry is often found : — " A regular meeting 

 was held this day, and no paupers attended." 



