THE WATCHMAN OF RAME. 209 



was i^aid to two men — apparently unconnected with. Eame — "that 

 watched the water syde for pyratts." My next entry is dated 

 1543-4. 



Itm. pd. to the waycheman at Eame when the Sowthermen came 

 home iiijii 



This was evidently a payment by the job, and at an advanced 

 rate. The reference is clearly to the return of some Plymouth 

 ships that had ventured into the South Seas, whither William 

 Hawkins the elder had pioneered the way. In the same year we 

 also have a proof of the growing importance of the Newfound- 

 land trade. 



Itm. to the waycheman at Eame when the bekenys were burnyd iiijd 

 Itm. for his comyng hether by nyght when the new founde land men 

 came yn viij'^ 



Instead of a penny a time for coming to Plymouth the thriving 

 watchman had now 4d., and double pay for night duty — say 

 about 2s. 6d. for the one, and 5s. for the other. 



The last entry I shall quote refers to the Armada. In 

 the memorable 1587-8 mayoralty of William Hawkins, the 

 brother of Sir John, which witnessed the X3i"eparations made 

 in Plymouth harbour for the reception of that great fleet, 

 the authorities were ever on the qui vive, and boats were at 

 different times sent out, precisely as phrased by Macaulay — 



'■ To pry along the coast."* 

 while we have the exact justification of the companion line — 



" And with loose rein and bloody spur rode inland many a post." 

 in such an entry as this, — 



Itm. pd to Nicholas Lane for Carrienge of a letter to Mr. Edgcombe 

 vppon reporte of the Spanishe fleete to be on y^ coste vj'^ 



I need hardly say that the " Mr. Edgcombe " here referred to 

 is one of the ancestors of our President, whose family find fre- 

 quent mention in the Plymouth archives. At such a time of peril 

 the value of Pame as a look-out station was enormous, and so we 

 read, — 



Itm. pd to John Gibbons and Henry Woode for watching at Eame hedde 

 iiij dales when the Spaynyers were vppon the Coaste xs. 



The old Chapel had th.en for many years ceased to be used 

 either for religious purposes or as a lighthouse. 



*In one case the boatmen " that went to discover a fleet" had 2s. ; and in 

 another 6s., while in a previous year a boat was actually sent to Brittany for this 

 purpose. 



O 



