80 Some Stray Notes from the Marlborough Court Books. 



to help hym* . . . godwylling at my pper cost dewryng my lyfT and hys of 

 sych ponre conyng as god hays indued me withall comyng home to me or els 

 consyderyng my payn comyng to me 

 4 Therefore I have subscribed my name 



"Kobt Barbar.' " 



The matter was referred to arbitration, but on the 6th June foll- 

 owing" Mrs. Munday is recorded as in default for not proceeding 

 with her suit. 



Of the suspicion with which strangers were regarded, and of the 

 searching enquiry made into their movements, more than one in- 

 stance is found. The examination was not always very successful in 

 elucidating anything important, and page after page is filled with 

 monotonous depositions as to the wanderings of the suspected persons 

 from alehouse to alehouse, and from town to town. 



" 12 Marcli 34 Henr. viij. 



" Eodem die Elizabeth Williams uxor Thomae Williams de Marleburgh sawyer 

 ys sworen and examenyd befor William Symans mayre of the borough of 

 Maryborough and his brethern ther and seith that she cam fyrst to service to 

 Eobt Byde on Wyttsonday last past and dwellyd with the said Byde from that 

 tyme unto Seynt Edwards daye next after and whyle she dwelt w th the seid Byde 

 there resortyd thyther dyvers and sundery tymes certen men beyng strangers 

 oone John Darby thelder dwellyng in Cotyold and with hym oone Edward (w* a 

 redd face) and att an other tyme came to the seid Byde's howsse oone Herry a 



shomaker and att an other tyme came thether oone Eyles lyke 



unto a Keper (with a whight f ryse cote) and further she seyth that the seid 

 Edward att a tyme brought thyther a walett and karyed yt upp in to the chamber 

 hym self and pullyd of his bootts and called for oone to sett hym hys Showys in I 

 his walett. Then seid Byde hyr master I will go my self. Mary I praye ye doe I 

 seid Edward — and so went hymselff an sett the seid Shone. Att which matter 

 the seid Elizabeth marvelyd : and when she spyde hyr tyme she seith she went 

 up and lookyd in the said walett and therein she sawe a bundell of halters and 

 horslock Keys bounde to geyther and further she cannatt sey." 



The sentences on trampers and beggars seem to have been lenient 

 enough. In days when flogging was the accepted punishment for j 

 a variety of offences the judgment on vagabonds *vas frequently no 

 heavier than to depart the town. A man who to vagrancy added a 

 theft of 4<s. was sentenced to have his ear fastened to the pillory, 

 and to quit the town. The pillory which — in excellent preservation 

 — has a place in the adjoining museum, is more than once mentioned 



* With the ailments of the late lamented Mundy we need not concern ourselves. 



