SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY 



John Watson, Francis Darragon, and Stephen Darragon paid the ordinary rate. Nor can the 

 solution lie in the fact that some of these were already denizens, for the only one to be traced on 

 the Patent Roll is Edmund Jordan, and he paid double.^' 



It is somewhat interesting to note that comb-making, which still lingers in York, and until 

 the last few years was a flourishing industry there, was carried on by Robert Jordan, brother of 

 this Edmund Jordan, who was made free of the city in 1552, eighteen years after his brother had 

 been enrolled.^* 



In 1558 it was thought advisable by the central government to collect statistics of all the 

 Frenchmen in the kingdom. Four Frenchmen only were returned in the city, Stephen and 

 Bartholomewe Darrange," smiths, and Robert and Edmund Jordan,", the former a comb-maker, the 

 latter a surgeon. The alderman and a special jury of twelve men had made diligent search and 

 certified that they were of honest behaviour, of good name, and behaving themselves 



as obedient and faithful liegemen to the King and Quenes Majestic and other the Quenes noble 

 progenitours according to the lawes and statutes of the Realme and so have continuyed ever 

 sithens the date of the severall letters patente and as touching landes tenementes rents fees or 

 annuities they have none — except only yt the saide Edmunde Jordan hath one mansion house 

 within the said citie." 



The alien list in the lay subsidy forms a political barometer of the period ; in 1572 the Scots 

 had almost disappeared from York, and immigrants from the Low Countries had taken their place. 

 It was obviously useless to double the tax on their possessions, for they had nothing. Leonard 

 Howbert^* paid 2s., Edmund Jordan lox., and John Harper 6s., at the rate of 2s. in the pound as 

 aliens settled in the city for several years. But against the newcomers since the last collection there 

 is a pathetic reiteration of nihil ; it is no longer the skilled artisan attracted by visions of a wider 

 sphere for his skill, but the refugee flying from persecution, that figures on the roll. The list 

 seems to merit quotation, for these men were probably the first religious refugees to seek an 

 asylum in that county which is now the great stronghold of English Nonconformity. 



The register consists of Antony Riscorde,-'' Augustine Dockam,^" Robert Frankrewe,^' 

 Francis Dowell, Christopher Leyrkes, Esdras and Peter Bravenig,^^ James Moltrees,^' John 

 Devowe,^ Andrew James, John Legge, Patrick Maesterman, Isaac Mayer, John Hannaye, none 

 of whom had any possessions. Each, however, paid a poll tax of 4^.^' 



The fact that in the great Yorkshire wool trial of 1 6 1 3, when witnesses of advanced age 

 were brought from di£Ferent parts of the West Riding, not one of them referred to any aliens, 

 although it is quite clear from the depositions that the trade had been long established there, seems 

 to be fairly good presumptive evidence that any Elizabeth settlement of Flemish weavers was small 

 in number and limited in influence.'^' 



According to tradition a number of refugees from the Netherlands who came to the Humber 

 were disembarked near Hull, and by the influence of the Earl of Shrewsbury were sent to 

 various parts of the county. 



Those who followed the weaving industry first attempted to settle in York, but the civic 

 authorities, in pursuance of their usual exclusive policy, refused them admittance. The story is 

 interesting and plausible, but so far nothing more authentic than this anonymous newspaper letter, 

 which unfortunately contains other statements easily refuted, has come to light.^' Nor is there any 

 evidence in the York Municipal Records of an attempted alien invasion, though the minutes of the 

 Lord Mayor's Court are singularly full and precise for the reign of Elizabeth.^' But the letter of 

 ' Traditional of the children of the Refugees ' is so circumstantial and has, in spite of its many 



" W. Page, Letteu of Deitization, 1 509-1603 (Huguenot See. Publications viii), 138. 



" Tork Freemen (Surt. Soc), i, 273, 254. 



" Ibid. 257 (1537). 'Stephanus Darragon, Gallicus, loksmyth.' 



"Ibid. 254 (1534). 'Edmundus Jordain, surgon.' He also figures in the Patent Roll: 'Jorden, 

 Edmund, of York, surgion,' from ' Orlyaunce.' W. Page, op. cit. 138. 



" York Munic. Rec. xxii, fol. 137, 20 Sept. 1558. '^ 7'ork Freemen (Surt. Soc), ii, 11, 3. 



" Ibid. 12. 'Anth. Rayskaert, Docheman, arres werker.' (1570). 



'" Ibid. 6. 'Augustine Doekham,tayllyor,' 1564. " Ibid. i. ' Roberte Frankrevye, potycary,' I 5 5 8. 



"Ibid. 12. 'Esdras Browyns Ducheman arres v^orker ' (1570), 45. 'Susan Brooence, spynster, fil 

 Esdras Brov^ens, ares worker' (1599). 



'^ Ibid. 'Jacobus Mattys Ducheman,' 1572, 14. 



" A John Lavaux, servant to the Dean of York, is entered on the Westm. Deniz. Roll, 36 Hen. VIII. 

 W. Page, op. cit. 147. 



« P.R.O. Lay Subsidy Roll, bdle. 218, no. 133, 14 Eliz. 



'* Exch. Dep. Yorks. Mich. 1 1 Jas. I, no. 9, 1 1 . 



" Letter in the Sheffield Mercury, dated 24 Sept. 1 8 1 8, and signed * Traditional of the Children of the 

 Refugees,' published 4 Oct. 1 8 1 8. 



" York Munic. Rec. 1 558-1603, vol. xxii et seq. 



459 



