50 THE WILTSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE 
advancement? Within a year or so Thomas Kytson 
was elected to the shrievalty of London. 
The sale of one bale of Ulmus fustian to John 
Rennolds was coupled with a sale of nearly two and 
a half hundredweights of pepper. Thomas 
Wasshington noted in his memorandum that his 
master had ‘in gayge’ (engaged = bound by 
contract) for the sale of one bale of dry pepper to 
Rennolds. The pepper was to be delivered to 
Rennolds in three months time when the payment 
of £17 16s. 8d. for the fustian was made. 
Presumably John Rennolds subsequently sold most 
of the pepper to his Wiltshire neighbours. 
Other entries in the ‘Boke’ are of interest to 
Wiltshire, such as the memoranda penned by the 
clerks: 
Memorandum that I Thomas Wasshington hathe 
payd unto Henrye van Acland of Andwerpe for 
stoppes, holes & other fawtes in John Vaugham 
clothes sold to hym in the Sinkson Martte 1533, Sum 
40s Flemish 
Memorandum that I Thomas Wasshington hathe 
payd unto Lenard Depetter factor for Nycholas 
Wollffe for stoppes, holes & other fawtes in John 
Adlam clothes sold to hym in the Bamis martt 1533. 
Sum 40s Flemish 
Here Thomas Wassyhgton was recording that 
recompense had been paid to Henry van Acland 
and Nicholas Wollfe for faulty cloths of John 
Vaughan and John Adlam sold at the Sinxten and 
Bamis marts in 1533. The two Flemish merchants 
had each been paid 40 Flemish schellingen 
(shillings). Altogether there are records of 13 
instances where recompense was paid for faulty 
cloths made by Wiltshire clothmen. It is not clear 
exactly how many cloths were faulty but on the 
basis that recompense was paid at some 10s. or 15s. 
per cloth, it appears that about 28 cloths or 0.5% of 
Kytson’s exports of Wiltshire ‘whites’ had escaped 
detection by the aulnagers’ inspections before they 
were exported. Another entry of this type is: 
Memorandum that I Nicholas Lonne [Lunne] hath 
resaved agayn of the Pymmels 10 whites of Roger 
[Richard] Battes whiche I sold to them in the Passe 
marte 1534, which was sold to them for £51 [0]g, 
which I toke a gayne as yt was agreatt by 2 indeferent 
men whiche clothes was fulle of holles & stoppes, and 
was sold agayne to Ayrt van Wellick as yt appereth by 
my enteryng [2] for £45 [0]g [Flemish]. Wherin ther 
was lost £6 [0]g to be resaved of Richard Batte. 
Item mor paid by me Nicholas Lonne to Anthony 
Bumbargym for fawttes in Robert Mayes clothes sold 
to hym in the Cold mart 1533 for holles & stoppes. 6s 
8g [Flemish] 
Resaved of Robert May the 28th day in September 5s 
sterling 
This entry records that two independent 
arbitrators had been appointed to settle the 
complaint of the Pymmels against Kytson. The 
Pymmells probably were agents, because there are 
instances where faulty cloths were recorded as 
being ‘resaved from the Pymmels, sold to Garard 
van Rotyngham’. Nicholas Lunne had taken back 
10 whites of Richard Batte, repaid the Pymmels 
their 51 Flemish pond groot and resold the defective 
cloths to Ayrt van Wellick for 45 pond groot. Lunne 
then recorded that the resulting loss of 6 pond groot 
was to be received from Richard Batte in the future. 
In the second item there is a glimpse of the 
exchange rate at the Cold mart in 1533. The 
payment of 6 schellingen 8 groten is equated with the 
5 shillings sterling which the clothman, Robert 
May subsequently paid. The exchange rate was 26 
schellingen 8 groten to 20 shillings sterling. 
From these records can be learnt the names of 
some of Thomas Kytson’s dissatisfied customers in 
Antwerp and Barrow. Besides Henry van Acland, 
Nicholas Wollffe, the Pymmels, Ayrt van Wellick 
and Anthony Bumbargym there were Philip 
Lenycke, John van Clett, George Kester and Jacob 
Stott. 
Thomas Kytson’s financial arrangements with 
his clothmen show that he always paid his 
established suppliers in cash on receipt of the 
cloths. When he made a bargain with a new supplier 
it appears that, not surprisingly, he wanted to see all 
the cloths that he had bargained for before paying 
any money. An entry in Kytson’s ‘Boke’ reads 
Bought of George Adlame of Westbere under playne 
the 18th day of March of the year 1529 
Item 20 whites £33 6s Sd at £33 6s 8d the pack. Sum 
£33 6s 8d 
Resaved the same day 10 whites 
paid the same day £33 6s 8d 
Item that I George Adlame promyse my master to 
delyver by twene this & Witsontyde & herveste. 10 
whites. I have sette my hand & he to have for them £33 
6s 8d, so that they be as good of leynthe, wole, 
spynnyng & makyng &c by me [signed] George Adlam 
Resaved the 18th day of May of the year 1530 10 
whites 
