Bkrrv— The "Friday Book,'^ 1567-1611. 481 



to the city, for which it seemed difficult to find room, was stored in the upper 

 rooms, of which the mayor had the key. 



The ancient city watercourse is occasionally noticed. The Talbots of 

 Templeogue, through whose lands in that part of its course the stream flowed, 

 are frequently mentioned in the city records in connexion with it. In 1608 

 Eobert Talbot made claim to port corn out of every mill in the city and 

 suburbs which used its water, as also to the watercourse itself, as his ancient 

 inheritance, and he commenced a suit against one of the city leaseholders. 

 There is a note appended to this entry to the effect that the port corn had 

 been granted to Richard Talbot by the city for the purpose of enabling him to 

 maintain the course, with a reference to the book of By-laws, 4 and 5 Ph. 

 and Mary. 



Government constantly applied to the Assembly for loans on pressing 

 occasions. At such times, citizens likely to lend were appealed to, and a 

 warrant under the city seal was given for the necessary amount. The parties 

 willing to assist entered into bonds, which were cancelled on the repayment 

 of sums advanced. 



Whenever any measures for the advantage or interest of the city were 

 being preferred to the Crown, it was customary to send over agents as 

 "solicitors " to London. In 1608 Michael Hamling, acting in this capacity, 

 was to accompany the recorder to England, when provision for his expenses 

 during a probable absence of even more than six months was made. During 

 1609 the city agreed to take up £350, through their agent, Eobert Cutts, of 

 London. To secure the parties guaranteeing, a number of prominent citizens, 

 the recorder heading the list, agreed to deliver into their hands plate worth, 

 in each man's ease, £10, until a general cess could be made. On this occasion 

 the mayor and sheriffs wrote to Sir James Lye, asking that should- their 

 causes be referred to him he might signify their deserts to the King, and 

 make known to the Lord Lieutenant their loyalty. The matter more 

 particularly in hand at the time appears to have been that of the Dutch 

 merchants before referred to. The practice of depositing plate in pledge 

 appears to have been a usual one. Thus, when in 1595, the sheriffs still 

 owed money on their account, one of them, Mr. Ussher, delivered to the 

 treasurer two silver bowls with a cover, double gilt, London touch, he under- 

 taking to pay later on. :' 



Questions as to infringement of the charters and as to their maintenance 

 arose. That under which the mayor acted as escheator was questioned in the 

 Exchequer ; and special counsel were retained in 1505 to assist the recorder in 

 defending the rights of the city. Commissions were also directed to the mayor 

 for trials of capital crimes, which were questioned, and it was resolved that he 



