460 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
> 
It is most probable that before entering this John (afterwards 
Sir John) Trelawny, Receiver in 1584-5, had been repaid the 
advance thus noted ; 
More to hym xxvj" for money disbursed by hym this yere to S* 
Francis Drake knyght for the townes adventure wth him in this 
viage.* 
The Accounts show very clearly what the extent of the burdens 
on the Corporate finance were. ‘Then in 1585-6 while the re- 
ceipts were £314 11s. 6d. the expenditure was £412 4s. 8d.; and 
though the next year left a current credit balance of £36, the 
next, which was the Armada year (1587-8), entailed an expenditure 
of no less than £659 11s. 63d. which had to be met by leasing 
out various properties on fines; and in the year following the 
outlay was still as high as £408 3s., which on an -average may be 
taken as nearly double the ordinary Corporate expenditure at that 
period in time of peace. 
During the mayoralty of John Blitheman (1589-90) the 
Corporation felt themselves once more in a position to undertake 
the work, which they commenced, presumably, some time in 1590. 
There are, however, as usual no monthly dates to the various 
entries of payment; and the first entry anent the matter is very 
preliminary. 
Itm pd for a staffe to [take] the levell of the water 
& for mendinge the hedde, » Reng broken and for 
ledde . : : a eS 
We next have 
Itm paid for hire of a horse to buckland for ae 
about ye water . : : : > ‘Pxig® 
By Buckland here we must undoubtedly understand the Abbey, 
Drake’s residence, and from Drake’s will we learn that Rattenbury 
* Did the Corporation have a share also in the voyage of circumnavigation ? 
It seems very likely. We read in 1580-81 :— 
Itm rec of S* frauncis Drake keneighte Sed, in the howse ap- 
poynted for ye Bridewell ‘ ; a 
Gifts were so recorded ; and the only gift to the towne credited to Drake is 
the half of a broken brass cannon given by him and John Hawkins as metal 
for the church bells. 
