The Early History of English Poor Relief

APPENDIX VIII.

Report of the justices from Lackford and the half hundred of Exning February 7th, 1622/3. Dom. State Papers James I. Vol. 142. 14. 1.

The following is one of nine reports forwarded by the Sheriff of Suffolk to the Lords of the Privy Council on April 2nd, 1623.

All nine returns together with many others were sent in reply to orders of the Privy Council issued in consequence of the distress in 1622-3[755]. If we compare this reply with the draft of the orders corrected by Burleigh in 1586 (App. V.), we shall see that the orders issued in 1623 must have been substantially the same as those of 1586/7. This report also shows, like the orders themselves, that the direct relief of the poor was improved in consequence of the measures of the years of scarcity.

Suff.

A Certificate to y^e right hono^ble y^e Lords and others of his Ma^ties most hono^ble Priuie Councell.

The quantitie of corne and grayne w^thin y^e hundred of Lackeford and y^e halfe hundred of Exninge, taken y^e 7th. day of Februarie a(nn)o regni regis Jacobi AngliÆ 20^o a(nn)oq(ue) d(omi)ni 1622 by presentm^t, and inquiry of a Jury in y^e said hundred and halfe accordinge to his Ma^ties booke, is as followeth.

Inprim. in wheate two hundred fiue score and ten Com^bs and thre bush^lls.

In Rye thre thousand and two combes.

In Barly eight thousand thre hundreth and fiftie fiue com^bs.

In Malte foure thousand, twenty seauen combes and thre bushells.

In Pease foure hundreth twentye seauen combs and thre bushells.

Deductions out of this

For persons remayninge in y^e houses of those y^t haue y^e said corne for their mainetenance till Haruest fouretene hundred threscore and two persons.

For Lands to be sowen this yeare followinge beinge six thousand thirtie fiue acres.

For forehand bargaines to be deliu(er)ed w^ch amounts to seauen hundred fiftie foure combes and two bushells.

For Sheepheardes wages ten score and foureteene combes.

For wheate, rie, barly, malt, sheepheards wage, and Pease six score is accounted to each hundred; for persons in house, lands to be sowen, forehand bargaines as aforesaid, fiue score is accounted for each hundred.

There beinge within the hundred of Lackeford diu(er)ssome Townes, consistinge of a greate number of miserable poore people w^ch neither plowe nor sowe for Corne, we thinke in o^r opinions and iudgem^ts y^t all y^e corne and graine aforesaid, the said poore people beinge prouided for, and the deductions beinge allowed as before is expressed, will hardely serue y^e people nowe inhabitinge within the said hundred, and halfe vntill haruest next.

For y^e Marketts within y^e hundred and halfe aforesaid they are nowe sufficiently furnished with corne and graine, the poorer sorte of people within the seuerall townes and places are ordered to be sett on worke, hauinge caused these deere times y^e weekely collections of each towne for y^e poore to be raysed and augemented. And y^e better sorte of people that haue corne doe sell to the poore of each towne within y^e hundred and halfe eight pence, ten pence and some twelue pence in y^e bushell vnder y^e value y^t corne is sold in the next adioyninge marketts.

For Maltsters, Brewers Ingrossers and millers wee haue taken such order as by his Ma^tie is com(m)anded.

The prizes of corne and other grayne sold at y^e last markett day at Mildenhall beinge y^e xxviii^th. of Februarie is

For wheate y^e combe	xxii^s.
for rie y^e combe	xvii^s. iiij^d.
for barly y^e combe	xiij^s. vi^d.
for pease y^e combe	x^s. viii^d.
oates y^e combe	vi^s. viii^d.

This wee y^e justices of y^e Peace inhabitinge within the hundreds aforesaid accordinge to o^r bounden duties doe most humbly certifie.

J. Heightting?, Roger North.
Joh. Smythe.

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