able director. Upon this the learned Blackstone * observes, that when the shires, the hundreds, and the tythings were kept in the same admirable order in which they were disposed by the great Alfred, there were no persons idle, consequently none but the impotent that needed relief; and the statute 43d Elizabeth seems entirely founded on the same principle. There is not a more necessary or more certain maxim in the frame and constitution of society, than that every individual must contribute his share, in order to the well being of the community; and surely they must be very deficient in sound policy, who suffer one half of a parish to continue idle, unemployed, and dissolute, and then are amazed to find that the industry of the other half is not able to maintain the whole. To return, however, from this digression, and proceed with the corporate proceedings :-the body corporate having power by their charter to acquire, take, and enjoy other lands, &c., the ten men seem to have become purchasers of a certain real estate, the situation of which is not particularized, but a memorandum is made thereof, which proves that the parties were sufficiently attentive to their personal comforts. "Item. Paid for the expences of James Saylebank, "John Rogers and his wife, and Robert Adams and his wife, on 29th and 30th September, at Lynn, in going to "Mr. Justice Gudger, to have the fine acknowledged, "as well of the lands which are purchased of the said "Rogers, as are purchased of Robert Adams, for the use "of the towne. -Blackstone's Commentaries, page 9. wyne and sugar "Item. For the forage of us and our horses "Item. For one qute of wyne afore supper, "and our suppers and wyne and sugar.. “Item. For a qute of wyne, sugar and cakes "in the morning. "Item. For our dinners, and three quartes of "Item. For our horse meat, and gyven to the "chamberlayne and others 0 4 4 10 0 11 5 10 S 0 18 .... "precipe and concord " Item. Paid Mr. Huett for the dble fyne, } 28 4 "Item. Paid to him towards suing forth the 36 8 66 same. "Item. Paid and given to Rogers' wyffe "More I paid at London towards suing forth "the fines... 23 4 ❝Item. More I paid for the fyne when I took? "that forthe..... The fine above alluded to appears to have been issued out of the court at Westminster, but it was not unusual to acknowledge fines relating to property within the isle of Ely, before the chief justice of the isle, as the undermentioned chirograph will show. "Insula Elien." St. Hec est finalis concordia fca in cur S" dni regis apud Ely decimo die Aprilis "anno regni dni nri Caroli sedi Dei gra Anglie Scoc Franc "et Hibine regis fidei defensoris &c. decimo octavo coram Whilst noticing the law proceedings, we present another Han's entry from an old book, Heames' Black Book, relating Harris to the legal customs of the isle, or rather to ancient usage in the hundred of Wisbech, by which it appears that the fair sex were held in a higher degree of respect and estimation there than in other parts of the kingdom. The paragraph is as follows: "Heame's Nig. Lib. consuetudo in Hundredo de "Wisbech ex recuperationibus in termino Sanctæ "Trinitatis 1 H. 14 rot 332.-Tho Reson petit versus "Johannem Hely medietatem messuagii in Wisbech "et declarat quod est consuetudo in Hundredo de "Wisbech ab antiqua usitata cujus pdicta villa est << parcella quod mulieres quæ sunt dotabiles de "tenementis in eodem Hundredo debeant de medietate "dotari."+ • The original of this fine came into the compiler's hands as a trustee of Mrs. Wright's charity, and is still amongst the title deeds of the estate left by that benefactress to the town. "Thomas Reson demands against John Hely a moiety of a messuage in “Wisbech, and declares that it is the custom in the hundred of Wisbech, by ancient usage, of which that town is a parcel, that women who are "dowable of tenements in the said hundred ought to be endowed of "a moiety thereof."-The above curious extract was furnished by a friend, to whom the compiler is much indebted for the interest he takes in this compilation. In king Edward's charter it is ordered, that £3. 15s. A.D. should be distributed amongst the poor annually, 1596. according to the discretion of the ten men, which sum is for the first time here noticed amongst the benefactions made by the capital burgesses as follows: "Item. They distributed the £ 3. 15s. which was the king's gyfte." The account of bonds for monies advanced on loan had now increased in value to £453. 6s. 4d, which afterwards accumulated in amount to £940. 18s. 6d. all which sums were advaneed for the benefit of the inhabitants of the towne, to be repaid with interest. The style of election is again changed, being here 1598. called "A meeting of the inhabitants of the bodye "corporate of the towne, by virtue of the letters patent "of king Edward VI., which did assemble themselves "in common hall, by the greater number of which inhabitants, were of new chosen, ten men of the better and "more discreet of the inhabitants, cherishing families in "the said town, to the intent, that same ten should have power for one year to demise for the inhabitants, the "lands, &c. belonging to the said body corporate." The names of the ten are then enumerated, the first named of whom is William Sturmyn, esq. whose widow left certain almshouses. We have before remarked on certain differences relative 1599. to Wisbech high fen, but from the brevity of the proceedings, little of their nature can be discovered, and * again in this year disputes arose between the town of Whittlesea and Wisbech hundred, respecting the high fen, whereupon a commission was sued forth in chancery, and the suit ordered to be conducted by the body corporate, but the issue thereof is not noticed among the proceedings. From this period the elections of the capital burgesses became more regular, or at least are recorded with more accuracy, although no extraordinary event occurred for the next ten or eleven years; but the ten men, after their election, took upon themselves the direction of the general affairs of the town. A.D. The corporation at this time became purchasers of 1610. certain lands in Walpole, but doubts having arisen as to their power to make purchases, Edward Buckworth, esq. and two other of the burgesses were directed to go up to London with their charter, there to take advice concerning the confirmation thereof, and altering the course of the election, by confirming the same to the freeholders inhabiting within the town, or the greater number of them. The inhabitants also were sued for service to the king, relative to the lands at Walpole purchased by them, but they were released by pleading the charter. About the same time they applied to his majesty king James I. † for the renewal of their charter, with further powers for purchasing lands, and restricting the election of burgesses to freeholders only of forty shillings per annum and upwards. * Wisbech high fen and Whittlesea parish adjoin each other in the wash. + An abstract of this appears in that of king Charles II. |