RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 89 



hee disbursed to the clearke, a pennie to the sub-collectors, and 

 a pennie for his owne paines : the manner was in times past for 

 the collectors to ride from to^aie to towne and place to place, 

 and to have 6d. allowed for the collectinge of everie pownd. 

 The receivers will aUowe the collectors three pence in the 

 pownd whensoever they pay in any money, but they cannot 

 have theire bonds given or delivered till such time as all theire 

 accounts bee given in. Wheare men are not able to pay theire 

 rates the collectors have full power to distreine on the asses- 

 sors. In small villages, wheare there are not many inhabitants, 

 two assessors will serve, but in greate townes they have usually 

 fower, five, or sixe. Some townes pay subsidy monies two 

 wayes, as Walkington doth the Provest fee and the Bishops fee. 

 Beverley is a free place and a pri^dledged place, and therefore 

 hath a collector within it selfe for its own hbertie. The rich- 

 est and ablest men in everie towne are, or shoidde allwayes bee, 

 subsidjnuen, and the poorer and more insufficient sorte onely 

 bearers with them ; and againe the wealthiest and most able 

 subsidy men are allwayes sette downe soe much in terris, and 

 the meaner sorte of them in bonis ; as for Recusants they are 

 allwayes rated per pole, viz. ; eight pence a man. Nowe as for 

 those that are sette downe in terris, look howe many powndes 

 they are assessed, and they are to pay for everie pownde 4s. ; as 

 for example, a Justice of Peace is usually sette downe lOZ. in 

 terris, out of which hee is to pay 40s., and those that are rated 

 in bonis are to pay for everie po'svnd 2s. Sd., or as wee say 4s. 

 in the pownd for landes, and eight groats in the pownd for 

 goods. Some townes have it customarily to bee assessed soe 

 much in terris, or soe much in bonis, as for example Emswell 

 rate hath allwayes beene lOZ. ill bonis ; and hkewise two as- 

 sessors and two subsidymen. and the rest of the farmers bearers 

 accordinge to theire abihty. Such as are rated above theire 

 abihty are (for theire redresse) to complaine to the commis- 

 sioners, and that before the constables bills are given in. 



A note of the olde rate for EmsweU, she^vinge what every 

 subsidy man then payed for one whole subsidy, as the bill was 

 given in to the Justices that day, beinge the 18th of Aprill, 

 1621. 



Henry Best in bonis 41. William Whitehead in bonis 31. 

 WiUiam Binder in bonis SI. 



A note of the receipt. 

 Received the 12th of May 1621, of Henry Best in full for 

 one whole entire subsidy due to his Majestic att this present the 

 summe of 10s. 8t7. Per me Bartholomeum Steere, collectorem. 



N 



