224 



Extracts from the Records of the 



1607, bearing twenty signatures (all written by the same hand) 

 the Clerk of the Peace (Mr. Kent) — an obvious and accessible victim 

 — is sacrificed to the popular discontent : — 



"Whereas of late we made o r cornplaynte at the Devizes at the last Quarter 

 Sessions there kepte To the Worshipfulles Mr Tucker and Mr. Hidde and we 

 have had noe Redresse since In whom the faulte lieth we knoweth not Excepte 

 it be in Mr. Kentt Now the Justices of o r Devision S r William Eyre and 

 Worshippfull Maister John Hall Esquier two of His Ma tie9 Justices of the Peace 

 will make redress for us as soone as it may be returned to them. 



" Now these be the names of them of the towne and Borowe of Bradford that 

 wanteth broad weaving." 



The question of bridge-repair had, early in the reign, become one 

 of general interest throughout the county. 



3rd May, 1603 :— 



" Yt is ordered by the Courte That the Clarke of the Peace of this countie 

 shalbe an humble Peticoner unto the right Honourable the L. Keeper of the 

 great seale of England for a comission to he obtayned of his Lsp for enquirie 

 whoe of righte or by p'scripcon ought to repaire the decaied bridges standinge 

 upon the great waters within the saide Countie the same Comission to he directed 

 to all the Justices of the Peace of the same Countie or to any three of them or 

 otherwise as his lordshippe shall be pleased to give order for, to thintent that the 

 saide decaided bridges maye be repaired by those whoe of right ought to be 

 charged therewith. And that Mr, Awbrey one of the Treasurers of the colleccon 

 for the reliefe of the poore prisoners of the King's benche and marshalsey and of 

 suche hospitalls and Almshouses as are within this countie shall forthwith paie 

 and deliver unto the said Clarke of the Peace the some of Thirtie three shillings 

 and foure pence of lawful Englishe money out of the surplus of the stocke of the 

 saide colleccon for the charges of presentinge of the saide Comission." 



Same date : — 



" Yt is ordered .... That William Baskervile gent one of the Treas- 

 urers of the collection &c . . . . shall deliver and paie unto S r Willm Eire 

 Knight .... the some of Twenty pounds .... to be imploied 

 about the reparacons of Mitford Bridge in the foresaide Countrie And yf hereafter 

 upon exaiacon and proofe to be made yt shall fall out that the Hundred of 



meanes of his threts and other unjust and ungodly practises hath drawen the some of xls from 

 them for a composicon of a p'tended misdeamenour supposed by him to be done by them . , 

 . . and moreover intendeth by continuinge of his threts and subtill practises to force them to 

 release him of the moitie of the value of the said clothes due to them by p'vision of the foresaid 

 statutes." 



The court sided with the searchers, and ordered Crispe to pay £3, the sum already 

 assessed as the value of the cloth, and to repay the 40s. which he had obtained 

 from the searchers. 



