8G RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 



the 16th day of July 1638. Mar. Langdayll. Phyl. Stapylton.* 

 Of Heiiry Best 1 2s. — Of William Whitehead 5s. 4cZ.— of Wil- 

 liam Finder Ss. 4d. — Of Edward Lynsley 3s. 4(Z. To the Con- 

 stable of Ehnswell. J. B." 



For Elmswell. 

 The custome is that if the Lord of the Manner bee sette in 

 the bill onely 4Z, in bonis towards the subsidy, hee is to pay it 

 all himself, and to have noe bearer, because it is for his de- 

 maines ; but if hee bee sette downe 71. in bonis, viz. ; 41., and 

 SI. for his farmes wheare tenaunts are wantinge, hee is then to 

 have halfe the bearers in the towne, and as much borne of his 

 SI. as the other subsidy-man hath of his. 



The Forme or Manner of Collectinge a Subsidy, or parte 

 thereof. 



First of all commissioners are (by the burgesses of Parliament) 

 mentioned, and by the kinge maide choise of and appointed, to 

 see that such moneyes bee assessed and colleckted as are (by the 

 parHament) graunted to his Majesties use. The commissioners 

 are usually justices of the pease, or other country-gentlemen of 

 good note and quality, and for the most parte fower or five in 

 number, or sometimes sixe, wlioe usually serve for all the hun- 

 dreds or weapontackes within one whole ridinge ; these weapon- 

 tackes have in former times beene called Cantons, from centum, 

 which should bee an hundred townes. His Majesties com- 

 missioners for the subsidies will (for theire more ease and ready 

 dispatch) divide themselves, and meete and sitte togeather some 

 in one place and some in another ; and there manner is, fii-st of 

 all, to give charge to the cheife constables of everie beacon to 

 sende theire warrants abroad to all pettie constables within 

 theire severall divisions, assigninge them when and weare they 

 shall meete his Majesties commissioners ; then, when they are 



• Sir Philip Staplcton of Wartre, Kt., was youn'jor son of Henry Staplcton, Esq., 

 of "Wighill ; his wife a dauKhtor of the famous Sir John Ilolham. Dngdale's Visi- 

 tation tells us that ho " died at Calais in 164G or thereabouts," and that his son John 

 Stapleton of Wartre was aged 28 in 1065." lie had the honour to be one of the 

 eleven leading members of tlie House of Commons impeached by the army the 26th 

 of June, 1647. It is said that ho "got the plague on shipboard, and dy'd in a 

 ditch near Calais the 7th of August, 1647." 



b The initials J. B. can refer to none other than John Best, son of our mithor, 

 and as I believe, transcriber of this manuscript under his father's directions. There 

 are many little additions in a more recent ink and in a hand, evidently that of the 

 same person when more advanced in years. That he was only the transcriber of 

 the first book, but ailded to it a few marginal notes, and composed, possibly for his son 

 Charles, a similar scries of useful memoranda, seems to be pretty certain. 



