538 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
who was a prudent wary man, and endeavoured 
as much as possible to accomodate all y e differences. 
I was a furor, viz one y l chooseth y e Jury, forto 
choose the Mayor this yeare. 
I were chosen churchwarden this yeare of s* An- 
drews Parish. I Rebuilt y e Gallery, painted it, sett 
up y e Kings, Towns, and B ps Armes thereon : as also 
the Picture of King Charles y e Martyr with perti- 
nent Inscriptions, made a new clock, new poynted 
a very great part of y e Roof, built divers new seats 
in y e chancell and yet left my Successor above 50£ 
stock. 
1682-83 233. Peter Foot [Foote]. 
My L d Landsdoun, and lady come hither. 
The B p made his triennial visitation. 
Our contentions revived by y e folly of this man 
set us anew into a flame, and at last broke y e govern- 
ment in peeces for (Influenced by m r Je?mens y a 
crafty spightfull man the Mayor being a peevish, 
talkative Idiot) studyed all wayes of affronting y e 
Comon Counsell, but cheifly by choosing a new way 
viz. without y e Assistance of y e comon Counsell by 
y e Magistrates; thus they chose w m martin & Joseph 
Webb & Immediately made y e former a magistrate, 
this begatt great Regrett, but soon after, the fopp 
passing a Judgment ags fc y e king, in a tryall about 
y G excise ; he was called befor the counsell, repri- 
manded, and y e atturney gen 1 . 1 ordered to Issue a 
quo warranto ag* o r chartar, this made the com on 
counsell quiet knowing It were invayn to dispute 
about a government, that would not long subsist. 
An order in the Black Book, signed by Foot and other magistrates, 
eight in all, decrees that for the space of five years common councilmen 
shall be chosen by the aldermen only. The alleged grievance and reason 
were, that whereas the magistrates had been accustomed to nominate a 
certain number of freemen, out of whom the assistants chose their 
fellows, the common council had frustrated the good intentions of the 
magistrates by choosing persons of mean condition, instead of persons 
of quality and known loyalty. A note appended, in the handwriting of 
Yonge, denounces this as a usurpation. 
