38 THE WILTSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE 
that Kytson’s share of the English exports may be 
determined. The Exchequer year ran from 
Michaelmas to Michaelmas because the Crown, like 
other great landlords, made up its accounts at 
harvest time. The export figures for cloth and the 
customs derived from them were recorded by port 
officials and ultimately the summation of these 
figures was made up by Exchequer clerks in the 
Exchequer Enrolled Accounts.” 
The Wiltshire clothmen and the numbers of 
‘whites’ they sold to Kytson in each ‘Exchequer 
year’ are shown in Table 2. The clothmen and their 
collated numbers of cloths are listed in 
chronological order, as they appear in the ‘Boke’. 
Unlike in Somerset where Thomas Kytson 
bought the greatest number of cloths from a single 
clothman (3340 cloths from John Clevelod of 
Beckington), Kytson had no preferred Wiltshire 
clothman to supply his needs. Over the 10 years 
covered by his Boke of Remembraunce the 
principal Wiltshire suppliers were Richard Batte, 
Roger Tanner and John Lawrens, all of Westbury, 
who each supplied more than 400 cloths. Richard 
Erlle of Melksham, Robert Adlam and John 
Table 1. Thomas Kytson’s purchases and exports of white broadcloths, 1529 - 1539. 
Exchequer Year, Michaelmas to Michaelmas 
1529- | 1530- | 1531- | 1532- | 1533- | 1534- 
1530 1531 1532 1533 1534 1535 
Number of whites 
bought by Kytson 
other or 35 14 
unknown* 
1029 we) zs 980 538 500 
30 33 33 20 
556 822 1409 
1479 | _1107 | _1531 
Wiltshire share % 50.4 31:3 42.1 
Number of whites 
exported by 
Kytson 
Wiltshire 655 
30.4 
659 | 939 | 123 |__ 894 | 
548 284 
1722 
1480 
1848 818 
Wiltshire share % 8 
Total number of 
cloths exported by 
denizens. ** 
Kytson / 
Wiltshire share of 
total exports % 
I — 
He. 5 
eae a Ee 
42,812 | 36,069 | 32,241 | 44, ae — 292 | 42, — — 143 | 47,458 | 49,288 
Sources: 
1, Cambridge University Library (CUL) Hengrave Hall MS.78/2. (Raw data). 
2, E. M. Carus-Wilson and O. Coleman, England’s Export Trade 1275-1547. (Number of cloths exported by denizens). 
* The figures for cloths from Wiltshire and of other or unknown clothmen differ slightly from those originally given in 
Reference 1. This is partially accounted for by re-attribution e.g. Katherine Pyarde (whose domicile is not given) is now 
assumed to be the widow or daughter of Christopher Pyarde of Trowbridge. Additionally a few whites (‘cowrse whites of 
Herefordsher makyng’, ‘Walche whites’, ‘Castelcomes’ made in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, and ‘long whites’ of 
Weobley and Ludlow) are not included in the above figures. 
** Woollen cloths were accounted for in terms of the standard ‘cloth of assize’, measuring approximately 24 yards long by 
1% to 2 yards wide when fulled and finished. Cloths of other sizes were converted for customs purposes into cloths of 
assize. The Wiltshire broadcloth ‘whites’ conformed to cloths of assize. ‘Denizens’ are defined as merchants who were 
regarded for customs purposes as if they were native-born subjects of the King and who cannot be identified as aliens 
from the accounts. 
