8 



Facts relating to Marlborough, 



Tin Corporation Seals. — As to these see ante, Vol. Ill, p. 114. 

 Tun Old Makkkt House, Marlborough. — As to this see ante 

 Vol III, p. L06. 



The Military Musters. 



There is in the Public Record Office a manuscript volume, 

 (privately printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart.), 



"The oertyfyoatt of the vewe of abull men as well Archars as Byllmen 

 taken the X days of Aprill, in the XXX th yere of the reign of our Sovereign 

 Lorde King Henry the VIII th , by the Grace of God Kingo of Englande and of 

 France, defendour of the fayth, Lorde of Ireland, and in the earth most suppreme 

 hed of tho Churcho of Englande, hy Sir Henry Longe, Knight, John Hamlyn, 

 Esquyer, and Wylliam Stump, Esquyer ; Commissioners; assyned by vertue of 

 of the Kyngs Commysshyon to them and to others dyrected, whiche abull men 

 theyr names hereafter follow, that ys tosaye : The Hundred of Northe Damerham. 

 Chyppenham, Callne, Malmesbury, and Wharwell Down." 



"The towne and boroughe of Marlboroughe" mustered 62 Archers,* including 

 the names of 'Richard Brannyng' (evidently Banning), and Ptandall Meryman, 

 and 32 Billmen. The Mayor, Richard Dickenson, providing a harness (suit of 

 armour), a bow and a horse ; other inhabitants providing 14 harnesses, bows, 

 swords, sallets (helmets), splints (gauntlets), daggers, and sheafs of arrows. 



There were annual musters at Marlborough, in the reigns of 



Queen Elizabeth and James I ; commencing in the year 1584, and 



ending 1618. 



The entries of these musters are contained in one of the Corporation Books at 

 Marlborough, and are interesting as showing the construction of the militia, or 

 trained bands of that period, thus in tne muster of all the able men within the 

 borough on Nov. 3rd, 1587, evidently a levy en masse, to repel the Spanish 

 Armada, there were 57 pikemen, 104 calivers (the caliver being a short match- 

 lock fired without a rest), 12 archers, 71 billmen ; no billmen appearing after 

 1588, and no archers after 1595; and in another large muster of 1601, the force 

 was 61 pikemen, 63 musketeers (the musket being a long matchlock fired with a 

 rest), 109 calivers, 24 pioneers. 



The following are specimens of the entries of these musters: — 



1584. 



COESLETS. 



Anthony Diston, Maior j Corsl. 



John Lovell j Corsl. 



John Cornewall j Corsl. 



Robte. Longe j Corsl. 



Thomas Weare als. Browne j Corsl. 



* The arohers at this time probably acted as skirmishers, as the riflemen and light companies do 

 now ; the billmen, being the infantry of the line. 



