272 



Chippenham. Notes of its History. 



bailiff (meaning, the head magistrate) : and if any body dared to 

 do so, he was shut up in the Guildhall chamber 2 days and 2 nights 

 and was also fined 3s. 4d. to the poor man's box. 



Moreover — no burgess was to quarrel with any other burgess, 

 nor to sue him at the law without the bailiff's leave: but was to 

 be content to be reconciled by the bailiff : and if all duties were 

 reasonably yielded and reconciled, he was no longer to vex or 

 grieve his brother burgess. If he did, he would be fined 15s. 



These, which I have mentioned, are some of the original rules 

 and regulations for the better government of Chippenham in the 

 days of Queen Mary. 



Lent. 



In the reign of Queen Elizabeth there were some very curious Acts 

 of Parliament passed, such as would surprize us very much now a 

 days. For instance, in order to encourage the fisheries, and such 

 part of the shipping as was connected with fishery ; an act was 

 passed in 1569, commanding every Wednesday throughout the 

 year, and every Saturday, to be kept as Fish-days, when nobody 

 was to eat meat ; the penalty for eating meat, instead of fish, on a 

 Wednesday was simply this : £3 for every offence, or 3 months 

 close imprisonment. 



But if any body was ill, and meat was necessary, they might eat 

 it by license, either from the Bishop or the Clergyman of the 

 parish : the license was to be registered in the parish register ; and 

 it cost 4d. 



I have frequently seen licenses of this kind. There are some 

 entered in the register book at Malmesbury, sometimes in Latin 

 sometimes in English. One of them even so late as 1621, runs 

 thus : — 



" Mem: That I, Thomas Fidoe, Curate of Malmesbury in co. Wilts, did 

 give and grant license to Emma Thorner wife of John Thorner, of M. 

 aforesaid gent, to eat flesh in this time of Lent during the time of her 

 sickness, according to the forme of the Statute in that behalf made and 

 provided. Witness my hand this 7 th day of March, 1621 : per me, 

 Thos. Fidoe." 



The keeping of Lent was enforced by Proclamation, and in 



