4 Extracts from the Records of the 



It will be readily understood that from these sessions rolls or 

 bundles may be gathered a mueh more complete narrative of any 

 given transaction than could be expected from the condensed entries 

 in the minute books. The case of the army pensioners may be 

 cited as an illustration. In the minute book there would perhaps 

 be a brief note of the man's service and of the pension awarded 

 him : on the sessions rolls are to be found all the papers connected 

 with his candidature. Some particularity had evidently become 

 necessary in the mode of preferring these applications, a necessity 

 dealt with in the third clause of the following articles : 1 



" Wiltes. Articles agreed on at the Quarter Sessions of the Peace holden at 

 Marleboroughe the tenthe day of Januarie in the second yeere of his Ma ties 

 raigne .... 



" 1. First it is ordered and agreed uppon That the Justices of peace of eache 

 sev'all Divizion in this said county shall before the Feast of Thannunciation of 

 the blessed Virgin Mary next assemble and meete togither in theire sev'all 

 divisions To consider what is fitt to be done concerninge the statute of Quinto 

 Eliz for Labourers touchinge Relievinge dep 'tinge wages and orderinge of Ap- 

 prentices and servants in husbandry and all other trades menconed in that Statute 

 And that they will consult w th men experienced in husbandry and other trades 

 for their better informacon therein. 



2. Itm That the Justices of ev'y divizion of this county shall meete at the 

 Devizes on Tuesday before Easter next for that purpose and bringe w th them men 

 of ev'y sev'all divizion experienced as aforesaid, yf theye shall finde it convenient, 

 there to consider togither for the better execucon of the saide Statute against the 

 next Quarter Sessions. _ 



" 3. Itm That the Thres [treasurers] for maimed soldiers paye noe pencon 

 but to suche as shall bringe theire patents to them under seales and that they 

 take a note of the time and effects of ev'y patent and returne the same to the 

 Clarke of the Peace. 



1 The following additional order concerning labourers illustrates the utility of 

 the assizes as occasions for magisterial conferences. 



Hilary, 1605-6 



"It is thought fitt and soe ordered .... That all the Justices of the Peace of this Countye 

 wch shalhe p'sent at the next gen'all Assises and Gaole delivery to be holden within the same shall 

 at some convenient time and place in the time of the said assises or in the eveninge folowinge 

 ttiende of the same assises convene and meete together to consult conferre and advise by suche wayes 

 and meanes as to there discrecoris shall seeme best touchinge the p'porcion of rates for the wages of 

 servants labourers artificers and handy craftsmen to be given and taken wthin the foresaid Countye, 

 to thintent that att the next gen' all Sessions of the peace to be holden wthin this Countye after the 

 Feast of Easter next ensuinge an indifferent rate of the wages aforesaid may then be agreed upon 

 and concluded and sett downe respectinge the price and rates of things as the times nowe stand I 



. . and the rather for that at the meetinge accordinge to the counsells orders the same may be 

 put in due execucon." 



