By T. H. Baker. 



309 



psons against their owue expresse consents and Agreein ts some p re iudice is likely 

 to befall the pish, if the business be not wholel}* lost. 



" Nowe for that the matter is of greate considericou the land being of 

 estimaeon worth 50 u p an. to be setled vpon the pish for ever, by the good 

 Imploymt whereof the growth of pou'ty (so much threatned) wilbe prevented, 

 and the poore so well pvided for, that the burthen will be much eased, and 

 the poore people in farre better condicon, therefore I resolue to ioyne w th many 

 more of the more substautiall pt, and endeauo r to settle this (soe beneficiall a 

 busines) vpon the pish for the releife of the poore, though it cost some charge 

 w ch I suppose shall not be much and should be glad if y r . selfe for y r interrest 

 would ioyne w th vs, for whome I shalbe carefull as for my selfe : the obiecons 

 that are made are 2. 



" 1. The} r say it ought to lye in Comon : to w ch there is an answare before ; 

 and in truth, increase of Comons doe increase, not lessen poore, in my ob- 

 servacon. 



" 2. They say, if it be held inclosed, then Zeales that haue noe Comons, will 

 haue a benefltt by lessening of the charge of the poore. this is answered 

 thus, that this being allowed for the better support of the poore of the pish, 

 it is greate reason that all those who did beare pt. of the charge should 

 pticipate of the releife. 



" Sr. my cosen Chafins desires runing along w th my own inclynacons hath 

 given you the trouble of this Informacon. My pticular interest lyes all along 

 w th those opposers but the right lying otherwise, must make me leave them ; 

 I wish yo u would lend y r assistance, the busines much deserves it in y e 

 judgpm* of 



e< S r . yor most humble Serv* Rich : Gkeene." 



(Addressed) " To his very much honoured ffriend Richard Maijor Esq 1 these 

 present at Hursley." 



8m Hugh Wyndham's Charity. 



Sir Hugh Wyndham by his last will and testament, dated 21st 

 day of April, 1680, gave to the poor of the parish of Mere the sum 

 of ten shillings yearly for ever out of his lands in that parish, and 

 willed that the said sum of ten shillings should be yearly paid and 

 distributed in the said parish upon Christmas Day unto and amongst 

 twenty of the poorest sort of people of the said parish in sums of 

 sixpence apiece. 



Harding's Charity. 



James Harding, of Mere, gentleman, by his will, dated 16th 

 June, 1725, gave to the minister and churchwardens of Mere and 

 their successors for ever a rent-charge of fifty shillings out of a 

 close called the Grove, being part of the farm called Benjafield's, 



