298 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
easily as lock one up; and what with prison, pillory, whipping- 
post, stocks, and cucking stool, had plenty of ways and means of 
making his will obeyed. He was not only the president of the free 
burgesses of the municipality, but he was also the direct representa- 
tive of the Crown, and to him royal letters and mandates were sent, 
involving at times no little charge. Moreover, he issued passports, 
and I have a copy of one in which William Thyckpeny, on the 
16th of March, 1492, in choice medizval Latin, bespeaks for one 
John Cropp peaceable passage, without being vexed or troubled, 
in his journey to visit divers shrines—to wit, that of the blood of 
Christ at Haylys, “San Johem in pria de Scotland,” the blessed 
Virgin of Walsingham, St. Thomas of Canterbury, thence to 
transact certain business, and then to return by “ Beatem Regem 
Henry ap* Wyndsore” (Henry VI.) to Plymouth. 
Here is an order made by his worship circa 1450, which shows 
the strict local police of those days: 
Maister mayer chargyth and comaundyth yn our sourayng lord the kings 
be halffe that all man of stranges resortyng to this towne bere no wapyn 
swerd byll glevys or other wapyng vppone the forfayture of the same wapyng 
and there bodys to pson and ffyn and Ransom to the Kyng. 
And allso that none of then habytance of this said towne wtoute the mair 
ys comaundement were no wapyn vppon the forfayture of the same excepte 
siauntes and constables or suche as be assigned thereto by the mayr or suche 
officer as ben wtyn the said towne for oure said souraigne lard the kyng. 
Itm that eury strang loged wtyn the said towne be atte his logeyg sone 
vppon vj or vij atte clocke att leste. Aud thake vppon theyme to loge eny 
pson or psons butte as they wolle onswer for theyr goode beryng. 
Itm that no vacabundes or travelyng men or beggers passing thorowe the 
contray a byde here ovyr a day and a nyght vppon the payne of ympsonment 
and theyr hosts to answer yn lyke wyse for the same. And also that all 
mant of vytelers wtyn this said towne sell theyr vytaill att aresonabyll pse 
aswell to stranges as to deynzyens vppon payn of forfayto' of the same as 
well yn brede, fflesch, ffyshe, wyne, ale, Eggs buttt chese and all other vytaill 
so that eury pson as well strangrs as other maybe resonabely yntretyd. 
And also that eury pson loged yn the schypps a nyght take theyr loggyng 
ther be tymes by the our aforsaid. 
And also that no pson nor psons wtyn this said towne take vppone hym 
tobe owte of his house ovyr viij atte cloke excepte offyces or wachemen by 
the maire there to assigned. 
And god save the king and send vs pease. 
So, too, the mayor was general of the town by land and sea, 
which involved in those days more serious duties than the honorary 
colonelship of volunteers. The townsfolk were charged with the 
