66 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
Charity has disappeared ; and a curious fact, which I am unable 
to explain, is that in 1655 and some subsequent years £20 is said 
to be paid under the head of " Mr. Baron's annuity " to a certain 
Mistress Hunt. The receipts were insufficient for this purpose, 
and the Mayor and Commonalty had to make up the deficiency. 
John Scoble, in December, 1629, bequeathed Is. 6d. weekly to 
the poor of the town, during the lifetime of his wife, Elizabeth 
Scoble. He had then left Plymouth, and gone to reside at 
Wickhampton, in Dorset. She, in October, 1631, bequeathed this 
sum for ever, to be distributed in bread weekly ; and her daughter, 
Johane Cole, wrote to the Mayor, November 2nd, 1641, that the 
charitable work begun by her father, and continued by her mother, 
should not through her neglect " falle to the grounde, but shall 
rather by me receaue enlargement." This letter also is dated 
from Wickhampton. The accounts of the poor fund show that 
Elizabeth Scoble commenced payment in 1630; and it was after- 
wards continued by Cole. It cannot now be traced. 
In 1631-32 John Bound (Mayor 1621-22, 1630-31) paid £40 
for a grant in fee farm, and granted the town an annuity of 6s. 8d. 
for ever. Under his will, April 30th, 1642, he gave an annuity 
of 20s. out of Thistle Park, which was increased by his son 
Thomas to 40s., and continues. 
In 1633 we find a yearly annuity of 20s. given to the Mayor 
and Commonalty for the use of the poor, under the will of George 
Baron, gent. The fate of this is unknown. 
At this date, too, <£1 yearly was paid to the poor out of the 
"Sheaf." 
Hugh Willan, sailor, August 24th, 1644, left all the monies 
owing to him to the poor of Plymouth. 
The most curious bequest I know of in connection with 
Plymouth comes next in order, and is recorded in an entry in the 
Receiver's Accounts for 1646-7 : 
"Itm reed of M r Thomas Sherwill of London for eight yeares 
arrearages of an annuitie of v 15 per annum given by M r 
Thomas Sherwill M te deed out of his lands att Hundiscombe 
to the towne to buy powder two yeares of the eight being 
abated him in regard of the troubles his being the first pay- 
ment of that annuity to Continue flue and twenty yeares . xxx li 
