Wilts/dre Quarter Sessio?i8. 



7 



Thus impelled the court voted to Sumner a payment of twenty- 

 nobles, to be contributed in equal proportions by the treasurers for 

 the northern and southern parts of the county. But, even so, he 

 rested not content, for, under his further solicitations, Lord Hertford, 

 at the Michaelmas Sessions, 1606, thus moves the court anew :— 



" I have heretofore written unto yo u upon y r like reference from his Ma tie in 

 y r behaulfe of this poore impotent man Richard Somner for an allowance of xx 

 markes to be given him in lewe of a Pension for his former service donne as a 

 Master Gunner in her late Ma ties time, who as I am enformed hath received of 

 that some onely xx nobles and beinge nott well satisfied therew th hath since 

 troubled his Ma tie whose pleasure signifyed by Sir Julius Ca3sar is that eyther he 

 should have the full some of xx markes given him or a yearely pention for his 

 releife The necessity and misery of y e pore man moves me very much to re- 

 commend his sute unto yo u who havinge spent that little he had at the Bathe 

 and ellswhere seekinge for help is nowe destitute of all meanes of releife Where- 

 fore yt were very convenyent yo u did take such order amonge yo r selves that he 

 may be satisfyed, that neyther his Ma tie nor yo u may be any more troubled 

 therew th And soe w th my very hartie comendacons I comitt yo u to God. From 

 my Lodge at Tottenham this first day of October, 1606." 



The justices seem to have resolved that they would "not be any 

 more troubled therewith," for the above paper bears the following- 

 note : — 



" Mr. Kent [clerk of the peace'] We have allowed this_berer Richard Suner 

 the iu of v 1 to be p d equally by the Thrers of the collecon of the reliefe for 

 maymed soldiours." 



The "patents" under the hand of Sir William Wade are of 

 frequent occurrence : one candidate had served under Sir Francis 

 Stafford, another under Sir Francis Rushe, others under Sir Oliver 

 St. John, Sir John Throgmorton, or Captain Richard Byngley. 

 Ireland had generally been the scene of their exploits. Sir Oliver's 

 man is described as having been " a souldier of my Foote company 

 during all the tyme of my being in Ireland in the late rebellion of 

 Tyrone, and the moste part of that tyme was a corporall of a squadron 

 in that company": Sir John's candidate had served "her late 

 majy in the Kingdom of Fraunce." Sucb old soldiers formed a 

 substantial contribution to the ranks of vagrancy, and occasionally 

 got into trouble, even when travelling with a proper passport. One 



