Reviews — The Nottingham Coal-field. 475 



III. — The Nottingham Coal-field. 



Ancient Historical Records relating to the Nottingham 

 Coal-field, 1526 to 1600. — The Historical Manuscripts Commission 

 have recently issued a Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton 

 of Wollaton Hall [Cd. 5567], 1911, price 3s. It is well printed (by 

 the Hereford Times, Limited], well indexed, hut badly sewn, the top 

 sewing having entirely failed to hold the sheets. 



In this volume of 746 pages is much interesting matter relating to 

 the early history of the Nottingham Coal-field and indication of a vast 

 deal more which it was impossible to print in a volume of this nature. 

 We find accounts of tbe sinkings, levels, and getting day by day, 

 with the quantities and prices, wages, and cost of plant. "We have 

 rules to be observed by miners in the coal-pits, proposals for carrying 

 coal from Nottingham to London by sea via Hull, improved pumping 

 machinery, and many other matters of considerable interest. 



The rules to be observed are as follows : — 



" The Stevers' [sic] Charges. 



"This is our master's commandment that all you stovers of the 

 feild shalle make your just account unto your undermen everye nowne 

 and every nyght what you have gett and sould. For every tyme that 

 you do mys, you must losse iijs. iiijd. 



"And for every bourdenne of colles that you do sowfer to be borne 

 from the i'eilde, you must losse xijd. 



" And for everye bordenne of wood the like xijd. 



" And that you shale make just raesseures betwene the lord and the 

 countre, to make to every halfe rooke 1 ix corfulle, 2 and to every 

 three quarters xiij corfulle, and to every whole rooke xviij cor-full of 

 just and good messeure without fraud, deseate or guile, as you will 

 answere at your perille. 



" And if aney one be takene with aney of the pit candels hearinge 

 whome to his house [a fine of] iijs. iiijd. 



" And if ane one be takene withe ane of the pit towles [= tools] in 

 his bowse, to losse iijs. iiijd. 



" And if aney one be taken cuttinge of aney of the pit rowpes or 

 withe aney in his howse, to lowse vjs. viijd. 



" And if aney one be taken knotinge 3 in of ane worke, it is fellonie ; 

 the must b[e] used at the lordes plesure. 



" And for every of these defaultes whosoever he is, it must be taken 

 up [off] of his wages the next Seterday after. 



" More, if aney mann do take ane of the lordes money without the 

 comand of him or his offe[ce]res, to losse xs., and so to Departte the 

 towne and the feyld." 



Among the accounts are the following: — 



" 1548, January 19. Paid to Pole and his feylows for dryvynge of 

 a thyrle [= shaft] in the newe leyvell, by daytale, for iiij dayes 

 dim. [— f J iiijs. vjd." 



1 A rooke was 2 J yards high and 1 yard square. 



2 The contents of a corf or basket. 



3 Knocking, beating down ? 



