Report on the records of the City of Exeter. Presented to Parliament by command of His Majesty
Great Britain. Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts | Exeter (England) | Wylie, James Hamilton, 1844-1914
»S«4l J7-/9»ff fi (i "t'i'ji tii en J?iiijtiJf*']jillUi '!'*••• HilslilllltJ'^'ri ■<**] IQkDrTU UlJRART HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS COMMISSION. KEPOET ON THE RECORDS OP THE CITY OF EXETER. ^regenteu to parliament bg (Sommanu of 1&i$ ^lajestg. LONDON: PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE By THE HEREFORD TIMES LIMITED, Matlobd Street, Hereford. To be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from WYMAN & SONS, Limited, 29, Breams Buildings, Fitter Lane, E.C., and 23, Abingdon Street, S.W., and 54, St. Mart Street, Cardiff; or H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE (Scottish Branch), 23, Forth Street, Edinburgh ; or E. PONSONBY, Limited, 116, Grafton Street, Dublin ; or from the Agencies in the British Colonies and Dependencies, the United States of America and other Foreign Countries of T. FISHER UNWIN, Limited, London, W.C. 1916. [Od. 7640.] Price, 2s. 3d. CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction ------- v Report ._-._-_. i Index ---_--... 435 The whole of the text of this volume, including the introduction, was prepared, on behalf of the Historical Manuscripts Commissioners, by Mr. J. H. Wylie, M.A., D.Litt., who only lived, however, to pass the first 160 pages finally through the press. The remainder has been passed by his son, Mr. James Wylie, Barrister-at-Law, who has followed his father's manuscript exactly except for some minor verbal alterations. The index has been compiled by Miss Ethel George. 4 INTRODUCTION. In Tudor days the Gty of Exeter was fortunate in having as custodian of its records a learned and travelled man who, besides taking an active part in the events of his own time, had a keen perception of the value of original documentary evidence as a guide to an accurate knowledge of the historic past. John Vowell alias Hooker,* as he usually calls himself, was born at Exeter about the year 1526, and on Sept. 21, 1555,f was appointed the first chamberlain of his native city. On May 20, 1568 {Book 51, /. 3556) he went to Ireland at the request of Sir Peter Carew " for the recovery of certain land appertant to the inheritance " of his patron, and while there he sat in the Irish Parliament of that year as a representative of Athenry. In the following yearj he received official per- mission to print the Statutes and Acts of Parliaments of Ireland, but as this was to be " at his own charges," it is not surprising that the proposal seems to have come to nothing. After a three years' stay he returned to England and sat as one of the two burgesses who represented the Gty of Exeter in the Parliament that met at Westminster on April 2nd, 1571,§ and his diary of attendance at that Parliament, together with his claim for wages, is still preserved among the Gty archives (see Booh 60A). After this he was employed in a re-issue of Holinshed's Chronicle, to which he contributed the section on Ireland || and the account of the " commotion " at Exeter in 1549,^f during which he had himself been present. In addition to his office as Chamberlain, he held at various times the offices of Coroner of the Gty, Bailiff of the Manor of Exiland, Collector of the Small Custom, and Judge of the Admiralty in the County of Devon**, in all of which capacities we have abundant evidence of his activity still preserved in the Gty records. In 1561 Queen Elizabeth granted a Charter for the estab- lishment of a Court of Orphans, the members of which were charged as trustees with the administration of the estates of deceased citizens. As Chamberlain Hooker was the * He often calls himself John Vowell alias Hooker, or John Hooker alias Vowell, owing to his descent from the family of Vowell of Pembroke. See Transactions of Devonshire Association, July, 1882, p. 636. t Act Book II, /. 1426, has an entry on that date : " John Hoker to be Chamberleyn of the said Citee." See also Oliver, 242. t i.e. March 20, 1569, Cal. of Carew MSS., i, 387. § Holinsh., ii, 121 ; Oliver, 246. He also represented Exeter in the Parliament that met at Westminster, Oct. 15, 1586. Return of Members, I, 417. || i.e. Vol. II in the edition of 1586. II Holinsh., iii, p. 1007. ** To this office he was appointed on April 5, 1566. See Book 57. VI president of this Court, and details in connexion with its proceedings occur frequently among the records, while under the social stress occasioned by the dissolution of the religious houses he interested himself keenly in the pressing questions of providing work for the poor and free schooling for their children, both of which topics also are fully illustrated in the collection. In 1575 he published " Orders enacted for Orphans &c." (see Book 51, /. 1336), preceded by an Epistle Dedicatory addressed to " the Mayor and Senators," in which he spoke of himself as " beeing many times privy of your dooings and present in your councyls " (p. 56), adding that : " it is lamentable to see what troupes and clusters of children boyes and elder persons lye loytering and floistering in every corner of the citie " and that " great shewes have been made and attempts pretended for erecting of the Hospitall and for employing of such idle children in some honest artes, but of these great blothes cometh small frutes " (p. 9) ; that " these swarm in clusters in every corner of your citie and for want of good education and nurturing doo growe to be thornes and thistles," and that "it is your juste and bounden dutie to provide for the education, instruction and whatsoever is necessary for suche," and " as you have been and yet are careful and studious to doo what in you lieth for the erection of an hospitall, a thing in respect of the poore destitute and helpless children necessary and expedient to be done, so am I in good hope of your like affection, zeale and good will for and in the erecting and establishing of a free gramer school within this citie, a thing no more needful then most necessary for the general education of children of all sorts and degrees in learning " (p. 22), and " although your beginnings be hard and have many sisemies [sic] which doe what they may to hinder the same, yet you know that of hard beginnings come good endings and good attempts have good success " (p. 226). Hooker died at Exeter in 1601, and the last entry in the Act Book of that year (Act Book V, /. 276) records that on Sept. 15, 1601, the chamber " have elected in the steade of John Hooker, Chamberlyn, decessed, William Tickell to be Chamberlyn of the said Cittie." As chamberlain, Hooker had official charge of the City Eecords, but before his appointment we have some earlier evidence as to their custody. Thus in Book 56, /. 566 (temp. Ed. IV), in the oath of the Common Attorney, occur these words : " Also all suche evydences, charters, escrypts, and munyments as heirafter shall come to yowr hands ye schall se them safely and secretly kept and to redelyver them agayn;" and in Book 52, /. 5056, Dec. 11, 1510, under the heading " Recordes and Recorder " is the following note : " Everye Mayor at the ende of his yere and before the newe Mayor do take his othe shall cause the Recordes of the yere past to be brought yn to the Counsel! Chamber and there to vn remayne in the place apoynted for the safekeepinge of the sayde Recordes." Towards the end of his life, when he found himself " unweldye and imperfecte," and when, as he says : " My sight waxeth Dymme, my hyringe very thycke, my speche imperfecte and my memory very feeble," John Hooker summed up his work in connexion with the Exeter Records in a letter* which he wrote to the Mayor, Senators and Commonalty, in which the following interesting passage occurs : Of his duties when first appointed Chamberlain he writes : " I was Ioyned to suche persons of that house (i.e. the Chamber of Exeter) as were appointed to veiwe, peruse and examyne all the Recordes, writinges and evidences which were then out of order and by mann's Remembraunce not before Donne by any. And what was then Donne was layed up in the places of your thresury as was meete. But after- wards by Meanes and Casualties and by reason of my absentes in other affayres all was Confused and out of order. And then I was once againe fayne to Reforme and reviewe the same, but yet it was not so well Donne as I wyshed and ought to be. Nowe therefore once more and the thirde tyme 1 have perused and Reveiwed the same in the best order I cann and oaused places to be appointed and presses to be made with kayes and lockes and with a booke wherein I have Regis tred every writinge and Rolls of all such evidences as then Remayned all which nowe I have Caused to be locked up in salfitie without farther spoyle and the keyes to Remayne in your owne Custodye." These keys, presses and boxes have all now disappeared and I cannot with any confidence identify the " book " to which Hooker here refers ;f but a few months before his death, viz.; on Jan. 26, 1601, he handed in to the Chamber a document which fortunately is still preserved. J This he called : "A viewe and survey of all the Recordes, Evidences, Charters and Writinges whatsoever appertaininge to the Chambre and Citie of Excester," in which he refers to the documents as placed in 43 boxes, which appear to have been kept in presses which he refers to as the " great press," the "new press" and the " Presse behynde the dore;" and though none of them have actually survived, I have found a few occasional references to them here and there. Thus in Act Book II, /. 191, Nov. 10, 1559, is a note that the Indentures of " prenteshod " of an apprentice were brought into " the Guyldhall and put into the presse in a box of letters." * See Prefatory Epistle in Book 52, published by Reynolds from MS. 3,530 (not 3,520) in the Chapter Muniments. Hist. *MSS. Various Collections IV, 33. Also in Harte, pp. 1-7. t It may perhaps be Book 56 or 57. X It is now filed at the end of Mr. S. Moore's Calendar, though it may be doubted if that is really the safest place if the Calendar is to be frequently consulted. I have printed it verbatim at the end of this Introduction. Vlll In Act Book VII, /. 1706 (Sept., 1619), a document is referred to as " put into Sir John Acland's Chest amongst his other wrytinges." In 1624, when John Prouse proposed to send from London a copy of James I's answer to the Houses of Parliament, he suggested that it was " worthie the keping in the Cittie's Chamber." L. 268. In 1656 the early deeds belonging to Wynard's Charity were kept "in a box for that purpose ordained with other writings and records of the City," where they " had been kept for many years before." Gidley, p. 14 ; Act Book X, /. 78. In Act Book X, f. 78, Oct. 14, 1656, deeds relating to Irish lands were " putt into the boxe ; " on Jan. 5, 1669, some of the City Charters when returned from London were " putt in one of ye boxes in ye Councell Chamber," Act Book XI, /. 83 ; and when Dr. Oliver was examining the collection in 1821 he made the following entries in his calendar : Aug. 28, 29, 1821. — Mr. Jones and Mr. Campion employed in arranging and putting away the old parchments and Papers found in the Presses of the Receiver's Office. Book 60m., p. 338. Dec. 15, 1821. — Arranging, dating, marking and putting away in the Press opposite the Door of the Private Hall all the Books belonging to the Chamber. Ibid., p. 305. Hooker's example bore excellent fruit, and in the hands of Samuel Izacke, who was Town Clerk from 1624 to 1647, the documents become much more abundant, and most of them are carefully docketed in the Town Clerk's own hand. On Oct. 25, 1653, his son Richard Izacke* was appointed Chamberlain. He indexed the first ten volumes of the Chamber's Act Books, and continued the docketing of the detached documents, and his first-hand acquaintance with the whole of the collection is evidenced by the frequent occurrence of his handwriting on the margins and faces of the originals, though his endorsements are not always quite accurate. In 1677 he published his " Remarkable Antiquities of the City of Exeter," in compiling which he is now generally credited with " unacknowledged pilfering " from Hooker's materials,! but in the copy of his Memorials of the City of Exeter " still existing in MS. among the Records (Book 53), he refers to " the indefatigable labours of my princifide predecessor in this place and office, the learned Mr. John Hooker, whose workes bespeake him famous within our gates." Richard Izacke's work was re-edited and continued by his son Samuel, who was the City Chamberlain from 1693 to 1729. * For an account of him by the late Dr. T. N. Brushneld, see Transactions of Devon Association (1893), vol. xxv, pp. 449-469. t Freeman, 154. IX On April 22, 1755,* the Town Clerk (Benjamin Heath) and Surveyor were directed to put in order the Books, Deeds and Evidences in the Council Chamber and get the said Books properly titled. Mr. Heath's account for this business is still extant ,f and in the course of it he says : "I sorted out and put in order the Charters, Records, Deeds and Evidences in the Council Chamber &c. These, which were all confused and mixed together, are separated and placed in distinct compart iments. Records of the Mayor's Court &c. were examined, sorted and distributed under their several heads into the boxes according to their respective titles. The doing this at two different periods took me up above 3 months." In Nov., 1820, Dr. George Oliver, J the historian of Exeter, assisted by Mr. Pitman Jones and Mr. Campion, was employed by the Chamber to draw up a Calendar of many of the documents, which were then referred to as being in Drawers E.F.D. &c, and the result of their labours may still be con- sulted in four small volumes (Books 60i-m) in the Muniment Room of the Guildhall. For his services he received a " kind present " from the Mayor and Chamber, the receipt of which he acknowledged on July 12, 1823 (L. 608), " on my return from Tor Abbey yesterday." This search yielded abundant material for his " Monasticon Dicecesis Exoniensis" published in 1846, where many of the documents are referred to, several being printed in extenso, though unfortunately with no more detailed reference than : " Ex Archivis Civitatis Exonice." When the Archaeological Association visited Exeter in 1862 a few of the records were examined by Mr. Thomas Wright, who described the collection (p. 317) as forming "a very valuable part of the materials of our national history." In the following year Mr. Stuart A. Moore was commissioned by the City Council to report upon the collection as a whole, and in the course of his investigation he discovered " an enormous bulk of records," hitherto unexamined. After some years his labours resulted in the completion of a detailed Calendar in three volumes, one of which contains an excellent index. These three volumes are now available for students in the Muniment Room of the Guildhall, and will always remain of inestimable value to researchers on the spot. t LL. 528, 529, where the Town Clerk is supposed to be Henry Lee in S. Moore's Calendar. But Lee was not appointed Town Clerk till June 1, 1775, L. 588. No name actually occurs in the original document, but the handwriting is certainly that of Heath, as may be seen by comparing it with a holograph letter of his (L. 534), Nov. 3, 1757, and with the facsimile of his handwriting in Baron R. A. Heath's Heathiana, 1882. For Benjamin Heath's appointment as Town Clerk, March 23, 1752, see D. 1840a. X For a bibliography of his works, see T. N. J Brushfield in Devonshire Association (1885), Vol. xvii, pp. 266-276. " Notes and Gleanings" and continued month by month till that periodical ceased to appear in 1893. In this Report I have endeavoured to deal briefly with the more important documents referred to in Vol. I of the Calendar and the Section headed " Books " in Vol. II, co-ordinating and regrouping them according to their subject-matter in order the better to present a bird's eye view of their contents, while retaining the numbers and headings of the Calendar for purposes of reference and employing the following abbreviations : viz., Bk. — Books ; Ch. — Charters ; Com. — Commissions &c. ; D. — Deeds ; Inv. — Inventories, and L. — Letters. I have made frequent use of the following printed books : (a) R. Izacke, Remarkable Antiquities of the City of Exeter, London, 1757. (b) Report of the Commissioners concerning Charities, published at Exeter in 1825 and reproduced verbatim in Endowed Charities — County Borough of Exeter, Feb. 23, 1909. (c) G. Oliver, Monasticon Diozcesis Exoniensis, Exeter, 1864. (d) G. Oliver, History of the City of Exeter, with Appendix by E. Smirke. Exeter, 1861. (e) T. Wright, The Municipal Archives of Exeter. In Journal of the Archaeological Association, vol. xviii, 1862. (/) W. Cotton, An Elizabethan Guild of the City of Exeter. Exeter, 1873. (g) W. Cotton, Gleanings from the Municipal and Cathedral Records relative to the History of the City of Exeter. Exeter, 1877. (h) J. Shillinford's Letters. Camden Society, 1871. (i) E. A. Freeman, Exeter — In Historic Towns. London, 1887. (j) C. W. Boase, Register of Exeter College. Oxford, 1894. (k) C. Worthy, History of the Suburbs of Exeter. Exeter, 1896. (I) H. Lloyd Parry, The Exeter Civic Seals. Exeter, 1909. (m) H. Lloyd Parry, The Founding of Exeter School. Exeter, 1913. The room in which the muniments are now kept consists of the upper storey of " the house in the back court behynd the Guyldhall," the building of which was ordered on July 12, 1556, for "the imprysoning of such as shall be commended to the warde " (Act Book I, /. 9), four cells of which were completed in the following year. See Act Book I, /. 1536 (? date 1557). In the Report of the Local Records Committee {App. Ill, p. 35), published in 1902, the answer returned by the Exeter Corporation described this accommodation as " not sufficient for so large a collection of records," adding that " the Council are contemplating the erection of better premises. The roof of the present building is not fire-proof, but the building is dry and the room well -lighted and the walls are fire-proof." The question, however, of the safety of the muniments had XI been under consideration since 1893, when a Report was presented to the Council to the effect that " the real danger to be apprehended was from fire arising in the two adjoining premises, and that damage to the documents by water in the extinguishing of a fire was even more to be guarded against than damage by the fire itself," accompanied by a recom- mendation that the more valuable of the documents should be kept in iron safes. A recommendation to this effect was at first adopted by the Council, but was finally rescinded in June, 1896, and for 10 years the question appears to have remained in abeyance. In June, 1906, however, a Sub- Committee reported that " the building is lacking in all the main requirements of a Muniment Room," that " the danger from fire is a serious one," that the documents are "all stored in wooden cupboards," with ill-fitting doors, and that "in the event of a fire which might easily be communicated from one of the adjoining buildings it is difficult to conceive that any portion of the building or any substantial portion of the documents could be saved." Six more years have elapsed since that report was presented, and the descriptions and apprehensions recorded in it are literally applicable to-day. The City is justly proud of its records, the intentions of the Council are good and are periodically recorded, but periods of alarm are succeeded by periods of security. Just prior to my visit in 1910 the City had been stirred by the occurrence of a most destructive fire in broad daylight, and the charred remains of the disaster formed a striking object lesson to the crowds who daily passed the spot. Two months later the Council passed a resolution which would have provided a proper home for its records on a safer site, but nothing appears to have yet been done, and I feel bound here to record my conviction that this great collection, as at present housed, is in serious danger of destruction. Moreover, apart from the danger of possible fire, the present room is dark, crowded and generally unsuitable for students, though owing to the enthusiasm of the Town Clerk as the custodian of the records, a far wider interest is being aroused in the contents of the documents, and far greater opportunities than ever before are now afforded to students who desire to consult them. For myself I have the very greatest pleasure in recording here my warmest thanks to the City Council for the facilities afforded me during my personal visit, and subsequently through the Town Clerk, Mr. H. Lloyd Parry, and other members of his department, amongst whom I should like specially to acknowledge the great assistance that I received from Mr. W. A. Gay, whose intimate acquaintance with the records was most readily placed at my disposal during my very pleasant and profitable visit. J. H. WYLIE. April, 1912. Xll HOOKER'S LIST OF THE RECORDS. [See Introduction, p. vi.] The veiwe and survey of all the Recordes, Evidences, Charters and writinges whatsoever appertaininge to the Chambre and Citie of Excester collected by John Hooker, Chamberlaine of the sayed Citie as followethe. Januarij 1600. The Recordes. In the Raigne of Kinge Edwarde the first containeth xxxvth Rolles wherof their lacketh iiij Rolles viz. the xv the xvij the xx and the xxij yeres of his Raigne. In the Raigne of Edward the Seconde contayneth xix Rolles wherof lacketh iij Rolles viz. the xv the xvij and the xviij yeres. In the Raigne of Edward the thirde contayneth lj Rolles wherof their lacketh iij Rolles viz. xlix and 1 and lj Rolle. In the Raigne of Richard the Second contayneth xxiijth Rolles whereof wanteth none. In the Raigne of Henry the iiij contayneth xiiij Rolles wherof lacketh viz. the v and vj Rolles. In the Raigne of Henry the v. contayneth x Rolles wherof lacketh the iij and the vj Rolles. In the Raigne of Henry the vj contayneth xxxix Rolles wherof wanteth ij Rolles viz. the xxij and xxxj yere. In the Raigne of Henry the vij contayneth xxiij Rolles wherof lacketh iij Rolles viz. the xxj the xxij and the xxiij yeres. In the Raigne of Edward the iiij contayneth xxiij Rolles wherof wanteth one Rolle viz. the v. yere. In the Raigne of Richard the iij containeth iij Rolles wherof lacketh the last yere. In the Raigne of Edward the vj contayneth vij Rolles wherof lacketh the iij and iiij yere. In the Raigne of Queene Mary contayneth vj Rolles wherof lacketh one Rolle. In the Raigne of Henry the viij contayneth xxxviij Rolles wherof wanteth iij viz. the xviij the xxix and xxx. In the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth containeth xlij Rolles wherof lacketh iij viz. the ij the xxviij and the xxxvij. Recordes and Writinges of the Evidences. 1. In the first box the evidences of Pratished. Item a Role of St. Sydwell's 2. In the ij box the Charters of St. Peters churche and of St. Sydwells. The Rentall booke of the Bishop. The Robbinge of the Exchequer. Bishop Brentinghams Inventory. The Survey of St. Sydwells. The orders of the parliament. The Controversies betweene the Citie and the Taylors. The Corporations of the Citie. The quo warranto of the Citie of Exceter. XU1 3. In the iij box the evidences of the Magdalen. 4. In the iiij box the evidences of St. Johns. 5. In the v box the evidences of St. Nicholas. 6. In the vj box the evidences of St. Johns Langbrooke Streete and Parristreete. 7. In the vij box of the matters between the Bishopp, Deane and Chaptor and the Citie. 8. In the viij box St. Mary the Mores parishe. The Trinity parishe for Chidleighs Land Mathewe Hulls Land lease of Southenhaye m'res Tuckefeildes Land purchased of Mr. Fulford and geven unto Exebridge. 9. In the ix box St. Mary Arches St. Johns Bo we for Landes late in the tenure of Robert Chafe. The Landes St. Mary Arches Churche. 10. In the x box St. Mary Stepps for the Landes aboute Westgate St. Laurence for the Landes of the Pippes without East gate. Sir Robert Denys his lease for the Gaole for Wilford Land without Westgate. The tenements within Westgate also Thomas Greenenowes Landes. 11. In the xj box St. Petrocks parishe for the house neere to the greate coundicte St. Martyns Land St. Poles Alhallowes in Goldsmith Street for Hubert Collwells Land. 12. In the xij box for Freerenhaye and the composition for St. Nicholas. 13. In the xiij box Tenne Sells the evidences for Grindons Almeshouse for Palmers Almeshouses for Newton Bushell Bettyes Annuitie for the Shroudes m'res Bucken- hams will Alic Heathe for Grindons Almeshouses Sir William Heme for Horsseys Land for Mr. Hursts feofement for the Almeshouses John Davys Almeshouses Mr. Haydons conveaunce. 14. In the xiiij box St. Georges for the Shambles for Gayles house for the tenement one the one syde of St. Kirians Churche. 15. In the xv box Exebridge Accompts Ric. the iij, H. the vij, H.' the viij, Edwarde the vj, Phillip and Marye, and Elizabeth. 16. In the xvj box all the chartors of Excester. 17. In the xvij box all the writinges for Exbridge. i. In the box of Accompts of St. Nicholas Exiland Magdalen the Poore and Awlscombe. ij. In the box for the Haven the weare mills and the con- veaunce of the water course iij. In the box of Attwills evidences and conveaunce of the same to the Citie. iiij- In the box the Duke of Somersetts Pattent for Exe Mr. Carewes and Mr. Ameredeth obligacon for St. Johns. v. In the box Exebridge Accompts Ed. iij, Ric. the ij, H. iiij, Henry v, H. vj, Ed. the iiij, and Richard iij. vj. In the box the controversies between the Bishop, Deane and Chapter and the Citie. vij. In the box of the purchase of St, Nicholas and Johns, XIV viij. In the box of Duryherd Court Rolles. ix. In the box the Accompts of Duryherd for H. viij, Ed. vj, Phillip and Mary, and Queene Elizabeth. x. In the box the Evidences of the Mannor of Duryherd. xj. In the box the Accompts of Exon E. j, Ed. ij, H. 4, H. 5, xij. In the box the Accompts of Duryherd E. iij, Ric. ij. H. 4, H. 5, H. 6, Ed. 4, Ric. iij, H. 7. xiij. In the box of Awlscombe. xiiij. In the box of Pratished Toppesham Exmouth Exilond and the Fishinge of the Haven, xv. In the box the Accomptes of Exon H. 6 Ed. 4, Ric. iij, H. 7. xv j. In the box the Magdalen Landes. xvij. In the box of Exon Accompte in H. viij, Ed. 6, Marye, and Queene Elizabeth. In this lacketh x Rolles of Queene Elizabeths tyme. In the newe Presse. B. In the box bills and obligacions. C. In the box Obligacions and Moone's Convenaunce. E. In the box Widow Seldons conveaunce a commission for Gaole Delyvery A Commission for lyvetenauncy Margery Harris Lease for the Tookinge Mills The Plotte of Duryherd Indentures for weights. F. In the box Wonards will the deane and chapters lease for newe Inne and at the Broadegate. G. In the box Indentures for Exebridge the Magdalen and Awlscombe. I. In the box voyed and olde writinge. K. In the box Indentures for the Citie and all the Almes- houses. L. In the box Indentures for Duryherd and St. Nicholas. The Presse byhinde the dore without lock and keye therin all the Recordes of the Towne Custome and certaine olde Indentures. All the Invent oryes and bookes of the Orphanes. A note of all suche munyments bookes escriptes and writings as were brought in and delyvered into the Councell Chambre of Excester by Jo. Hooker chamberlaine the xxvj daye of Januarij 1600. 1. The Charters of London and the Skavage their. 2. The Charters of Tottnes. 3. The Charter of Tawnedowne. 4. The Charter of Syon. [See p. 33.] 5. The Charter of the Abbey of Battell and Fee of St. Nicholas. 6. Seven Sondry Charters of the Citie of Excester. 7. The Charter of Exilond and the Fishinge of the Ryver of Exe. [See p. 5.] 8. The Charter of Kedwelly. XV 9. The Charter of Mellcome, and of Padestowe. 10. The Chartor of the Duchie of Gornewall. 11. The Chartor of the Orphanes. 12. The orders of the parliament. 13. The Charter of Domesedaye. 14. A clayme of the Citie for their liberties in Excester. 15. An Acte for pavinge of Streetes. 16. The names of all the Free holders in Exon. 17. The order of the Orphanes of Bristowe and of Worcester. 18. Recordes of the Citie. 19. The bookes of the Churche plat and utensyles. 20. A bundell of proclamations. 21. A bundell of Charters of the Corporations. 22. The ordynance of the Citie. 23. The Chartor of St. Peters. 24. The Robbinge of the Exchequer. 25. The limetting. of St. Sydwells Fee. 26. The Awdyte Role of the Bshops Revenewes. 27. Bishop Brentinghams Inventoryes. 28. The Survey of St. Sydwells Fee. 29. The Accompts of the Rye solde at St. Johns. 30. The Accomptes of the Salmons solde. [See Book 231.] 31. The Roles and bookes of the Erles of Devon concerninge his first restitucion. The assurance of the Lady Kathren his wifes Joynter. The ofice of his Landes and Rentes the attenture of the Marckquis of Exceter. The restitucion of his sonne Edwarde to the Erledome &c. 32. The Cronicles of St. Peters both in latine and Englishe. 33. The Accomptes of the Citie for Sondry yeres. 34. The bookes of Exilond. [See Book 186.] 35. The Towne Custome bookes. 36. The bookes of the orders of London. 37. The acquitance of the Subsidie the x and xv. 38. A presentment taken at Topesham and the Accomptes of the same. 39. The examinacions between the Merchauntes and the Citie. [See Book 185.] 40. The severall Accomptes of the Rye solde at St. Johns. 41. The Rentall of the Almeshouses. 42. The Inquisitions and Examinacions of the Coroner for thedeathesof certainemen and other thinges appertaininge to his office. [See p. 57.] 43. The question of the liberties of Excester with a paper unto the same. 44. A Collection of all the Recordes of the Citie of Excester. 45. Certaine p'rented bookes for the Statuete of gavell kinde. In the Second boxe in the greatt presse. 1. Inprimis the copies of auncyent charters granted to the Bisshoppe of Exeter containing xxxM. leaffes of paper. 2. The copie of an acte of parlyament for boundyng of St, Sydwells Fee, XVI 3. Itm. An Ancyent Accompte of the revenues of the Bisshoppricke of Exon in Anno Dni. 1300. 4. Itm. A paper booke and thereyn divers examynacyons and the manner of the robbyng of St. Peters Churche in Anno ixno Dne. Elizabeth Rne. 5. Itm. viij leaffes of paper whereyn are wrytten the sayenge of divers auncyent men touchyng the boundes of St. Peters Churche yarde. 6. Itm. Sixe leafes of paper whereyn is wrytten the survey of St. Sidwells Fee. 7. Itm. Accompte of the temporaries of the Bisshoppricke of Exon made in ann xvij H. viij [1526]. 8. Itm. the copie of an acte of parliament for pavyng of the Cittie of Exeter. 9. Itm. A paper cont. the Articles of the Charter of xxix0 H. viijvl tochynge the Countie &c. [See Charter XXXIII, p. 5.] 10. Itm. A paper booke cont. the names of all the free- holders in Exeter. 11. Itm. A copie of a quo warranto in Anno quarto E. tercij. [1330-31.] 12. Itm. A rolle of paper whereyn are written divers Acts and Ordynnances made by the Maior and Comon Councell of this Cittie for the better government thereof. 13. The copie of the Corporacyon of Merchaunts in Englyshe. [See Book 185.] 14. The objections agaynst the Merchants Corporacyon. 15. The Supplicacyon of the Merchaunts. 16. A Byll of Articles against the Tayllors. 17. The Articles of the Merchaunts Charter. 18. Examynacyons taken before the Maior and Justice consernynge the Tayllors. 19. The first inconporacyon of the Merchaunts. 20. Mr. Hookers accompte in a journey to London. 21. A note of offers made unto the Tayllors by the Merchantes. 22. The Surmyses of the Tayllors agaynst the Merchaunts. 23. The oracyon of Mr. Hooker made to the Comons in Anno 1569=1560. [See p. 40.] 24. Itm. A Supplicacyon an aunswer and a replicacyon betwene the Merchaunts and Tayllors. 25. Itm. divers bookes papers and letters wrytten by Mr. Hooker tocchynge the order of the parlyament. The copies of the corporacyons of Smythes Skynners Coopers and Hellyers Butchers Bruers Tayllors Cappers and Haberdasshers and of Weavers and Tuckers. [See p. 54.] Itm. A copie of the Charter of Sion.* * See p. 33. For the manor of Budley Sion, part of the royal manor of East Budleigh, see Lysons, p. 86 ; Brushfield, East Budleigh, p. 19, in Transactions of Devonshire Association, July 1890. REPORT KECORDS OF THE CITY OF EXETER. PART I. 1. Royal Chapters and Letters Patent. Forty-eight documents (Nos. I-XLVTII). Copies of several of them are also to be found in other sections of this collection. e.g. Book 56. The earlier among them are addressed to " The Burgesses (or the Citizens) of Exeter." The " Mayor " first appears in No. XII, Nov. 7, 1259, subsequent documents being usually though not uniformly addressed to " The Mayor, Bailiffs and Commonalty of Exeter." These documents (all original) are kept in cardboard boxes in the Muniment Room. They are unbound and in an excellent state of preservation. Abstracts of all of them (except six) will be found in Oliver's History of Exeter (edition 1861), Appendix, pp. 278-304. These abstracts appear not to have been taken from the originals, but from a MS. volume of Charters in the Office of the Town Clerk " (Oliver, p. 278). The volume referred to is not noticed in Mr. Stuart Moore's Calendar and seems to have been missing at the time of his visit. It has recently, however, been discovered and is now available for reference. It contains copies of most of the Charters written in a late 16th century hand, together with copies of some other documents, the originals of which are not now to be found in the Muniment Room, e.g. No. 19 (/. 225), July 24, 1337, i.e., a writ to the Mayor &c, notifying them to pay the fee farm rent of Exeter (20/. p. a.) to Edward Duke of Cornwall,* instead of to the King [see Oliver, p. 283, No. 21, and Transcripts, ad finem]. The document (No. I) in Oliver, p. 279, from Book of Transcripts, cannot now be found. It is dated at London [s.a.], and in it Henry II grants to the citizens of Exeter " omnes rectas consuetudines quas habuerunt in tempore * i.e. The Black Prince, to whom the grant had been made on March 17, 1337. See Transcripts, No. 2024, 2025; Charter Roll, 11 Edward III, Xo. 60, in Report on the Dignity of a Peer, v. 36. For a writ to the Mayor Sec, dated Oct. 10, 1337, showing that the payments began on Sept. 28, 1337, see Gal. Close Rolls, Edward III (1337-1339), p. 198. Wt. 20757. Ex. 1 Regis Henrici, avi mei, remotis omnibus pravis consuetu- dinibus post avum meum ibi elevatis. Et sciatis eos habere consuetudines London' ita libere, honorifice et juste sicut unquam melius habuerunt tempore avi mei. Teste Arn. Ep. Lexov., Reg. Com. Cornub., et Toma Cancell," who are also witnesses to the three writs that follow, i.e. Nos. I, II, III in Stuart Moore's Calendar. Several of these charters were sent to London under the charge of Richard Izacke in 1666 and duly returned, see Act Book, XI, /. 44, where the documents so forwarded and returned are specified. Duplicates of several of them will be found among the Transcripts. The following is an epitome of the contents of the collection in the order in which they appear in Stuart Moore's Calendar. I, II, III. — Three writs, temp. Henry II, declaring the citizens of Exeter and their merchandize to be free from toll, lastage, passage and all other custom. [Printed in Oliver, p. 279, from Book of Transcripts, Nos. 38, 39, 40, ff. 273, 274, 275. See also Transcripts, 2004. Summarized in Freeman, p. 56.] IV, V, VI. Rouen, March 24, 1190.— Richard I grants to the Burgesses of Exeter that they shall be quit of toll, passage and pontage on land and on water in fairs and markets and of all secular service, citra et ultra mare. See also Transcript 2005 [with abstract in Oliver, p. 280], where it is wrongly dated March 29. VII. Sept. 18, s.a. — Richard I declares that the citizens of Exeter and their merchandize are free of toll, passage, lastage and all other customs. See also Transcripts, 2005. [Abstract in Oliver, p. 280.] VIII. Craneburne, s.a. — John Earl of Mortain (after- wards King John) grants to the citizens of Exeter all right customs which they had in the time of King Henry I, and states that they have the customs of the men of London. IX. Saumur, June 15, 1200. — King John repeats previous grant (No. VIII) and confirms grant of Richard I (No. VII). [Abstract in Oliver, 280.] X. Westminster, March 24, 1237. — Henry III confirms No. IX and the grants of Henry II, Richard I and John mentioned therein. See Miscell. Rolls, 81 ; Transcripts, No. 2005. [Abstract in Oliver, p. 280.] XL Mere, May 25, 1259. — Richard King of the Romans,* grants to the citizens that they and their heirs shall hold * To whom the city and castle had been granted in 1231. the city of Exeter in fee-farm for ever, rendering the accustomed fee-farm. [Abstract in Oliver, p. 280.] XII. London, Nov. 7, 1259. — Richard King of the Romans grants to the Mayor, bailiffs and citizens as in No. XI, specifying the fee-farm at 131. 9s. yearly. See Misc. Rolls, 81. [Abstract in Oliver, p. 280.] XIII. Westminster, Nov. 6, 1259. — Henry III confirms No. XII. [Abstract in Oliver, p. 281.] XIV. Berkhampstead, June 18, 1286.— Edmund son of Richard King of Aleman', Earl of Cornwall, confirms No. XII. [Oliver, p. 281.] XV. Berkhamstead, June 17, 1286.— Edmund Earl of Cornwall remits rancorem animi et indignationem which he had conceived against the Mayor and citizens for certain trespasses committed before the Sunday next after the Octave of Trinity last past and at the instance of the noble ladies the daughters of King Edward I, respites 50 marks out of a sum of 250 marks which the citizens owe to him by their bond. [Abstract in Oliver, p. 282.] XVI. Crake (i.e. Craike— Yorks), Aug. 22, 1292.— Edward I commits to the Mayor the custody of Sigillum ad recognitiones debitorum mercatorum in the city of Exeter. See also Transcripts, No. 2005. [See Oliver, p. 282 ; Cal. Pat. Bolls (1281-1292), p. 520; Lloyd Parry, Seals, 11.] XVII. Easton, near Stamford, May 4, 1300. — Edward I confirms No. X and further grants that the citizens shall be free of murage and pavage. See also Transcripts, 2015, 2016. [See Oliver, p. 282 ; Cal. Pat. Bolls, 28 Edward I, p. 512.] XVIII. Westminster, Nov. 12, 1320.— Edward II confirms No. XVII and further grants that all pleas concerning lands, tenements, trespasses, contracts &c, arising in the city or its suburbs shall be pleaded before the Mayor and Bailiffs ; that the citizens shall not be put on juries, assizes &c. with foreigners, nor foreigners with them, and that they shall be free from murage, pavage, pickage, anchorage, strandage and segeage (or groundage). [See Misc. Bolls, 9; Transcripts, No. 2019; Oliver, p. 282.] XIX. Eltham, March 1, 1329.— Edward III confirms Nos. XIII and XVIII. [See also Transcripts, No. 2022; Oliver, p. 282. For text see Reichel, pp. 41-55.] XX. Eltham, Feb. 6, 1332.— Edward III recites No. XII and regrants the city to the citizens and their heirs and successors for ever, rendering 201. yearly and bearing all burdens hitherto incumbent on the said fee farm. [Oliver, p. 282.] XXI. Feb. 3, 1365. — Exemplification of a certificate from the Court of Exchequer of the entry in Domesday Book* relating to Exeter. Also a certified extract from the Placita Coronce taken before Justices in Eyre at Exeter in 1281, finding the fee farm to be 391. 18s., whereof 12Z. 12s. 5d. was paid to the Trinity Priory in London and the rest to the Earl of Cornwall. Also in Transcripts, No. 2629. [See text in Izacke, 56 ; full abstract in Oliver, p. 284.] XXII. Westminster, Dec. 5, 1378. — Richard II confirms No. XIX. [See Oliver, p. 284.] This confirmation was granted because according to an order of Parliament the citizens made a balinger for the King's navy, as witnessed by Thomas [Brantingham] Bishop of Exeter before the King's Council. See Cal. Pat. Richard II, i., 292 ; see also the Register of St. John's Hospital, /. 636. XXIII.— Duplicate of No. XXII. XXIV. Dec. 1, 1412.— Letters Patent of Henry IV, exem- plifying the record of a proceeding in the Exchequer of 21 Edward III (1347-8) touching the fairs of Exeter &c. [Oliver, p. 284.] XXV. Nov. 5, 1423. — Exemplification of Letters Patent of 14 Dec, 1414, [see Cal. Pat. Henry V., i., 283], confirming No. XXII. XXVI. — Exemplification of a certificate of the Court of Exchequer stating that they find nothing in Domesday Book relating to the manor and fee of St. Sidwell. 11 Dec, 1429, —i.e. 8 Henry VI [not 8 Henry IV {i.e. 1406) as Oliver, p. 284, the entry from which it is copied being No. 13 in the MS. Book, /. 200]. XXVII. July 14, 1438. — Inspeximus and confirmation by Henry VI reciting Letters Patent of 14 Dec, 1414. [See No. XXV.] [Oliver, p. 284.] XXVIII. — Edward IV grants to the Mayor &c bona et catalla vocat' manuopera, catalla felonum, fugitivorum utlegatorum necnon qualitercunque damnatorum seu con- victorum, &c, also to hold feriam sive nundinas for two * In Book 51, /. 53b, the entry is given thus : In libro de Domesdaye inter terras Regis in Com' Devon contint' (sic). In Civitate Exon habet Rex ccc. domos xv minus reddentes &c. In hac civitate sunt vastate xlviij demus pestquam Rex venit in Anglia. Hec civitas T.R.E. (i.e. tempore regis Edwardi) non geldabit nisi quando Londonia et Eboracum et Wynton geldabunt &c, as in Domesday Book, i, 100 ; do. Facsimile, Devonshire, p. 1 ; Freeman, Norman Conquest, iv., 162. days on the Eve of St. Mary Magdalen. Westminster, July 1, 1463 ; not July 21st, as Izacke, 86. See Transcripts, No. 2042 ; Oliver, p. 285 ; Col. Pat. 3 Ed. IV, p. 275. XXIX. Westminster, Oct. 12, I486.— Henry VII confirms Nos. XXVII and XXVIII. [See Oliver, p. 285.] XXX. Greenwich, July 10, 1509.— Writ of Privy Seal directing the mode of electing the Mayor, Bailiffs, Sergeants and other officers of the city every year. [Attached to the writ is a slip of parchment bearing the names of the Mayor and 23 of the Common Council. Similarly in Book 51, /. Ill, with the names of 22 of the Council, besides the Mayor, and in Book 53, /. 82 (24 names in all), in both of which it is dated July 10, 1509. The full text in English is printed in Izacke, 99, where it is wrongly dated 1498 ; see also Oliver, p. 285.] XXXI. Feb. 26, 1510.— Henry VIII confirms No. XXIX. [See Oliver, p. 285.] XXXII. Westminster, Feb. 16, 1535.— Henry VIII grants that the Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen shall be Justices of the Peace within the city and the liberties thereof. [See Oliver, p. 285.] XXXIII. Westminster, Aug. 23, 1537.— Henry VIII confirms all previous charters and makes the City of Exeter a county per se, re et nomine. Also in Transcripts, No. 2045, 2046. [See Oliver, p. 286 ; for a draft proposal for this dated 28 Henry VIII, see D. 1430b.] XXXIV. Westminster, Feb. 24, 1549.— Edward VI confirms Nos. XXXI and XXXIII. [Full text printed in Reynolds, p. 3a ; also in Book 51, /. 114 ; Book 52, /. 143 ; see also Oliver, p. 286.] XXXV. March 18, 1540. — Exemplification of a writ of certiorari to John Mason, clerk of the Parliament, for a copy of an Act of Parliament determining the bounds of the county of the city of Exeter passed in the Parliament begun Nov. 4, 1547, and continued by prorogation till March 14, 1548,* with rent roll (uncalendered), March 18, 1549. The text appears also in Book 51, ff. 123-5, where the date of the closing of the Parliament is wrongly given as March 24, instead of 14th as in the original document. See also Book 52, /. 62b ; Jenkins, pp. 441-444 ; Reynolds, p. 3 ; Transcripts, No. 2053. XXXVI. Westminster, Dec. 22, 1550.— Edward VI grants the manor of Exe Island in reward to the citizens for their loyalty * The Bill passed the Commons Feb. 15, 1548 (Commons Journal, i, 18), and was read in the House of Lords Feb. 16, 1548 (Lords Journal, i, 342). 6 in defending the city against the rebels. Also in Transcripts, Nos. 2054, 2055, 2056. [See Oliver, p. 286.] XXXVII. Westminster, Feb. 21, 1561.— Queen Elizabeth grants that the city shall have the custody of the lands and goods of orphans.* [See Oliver, p. 287.] XXXVIII. Westminster, Nov. 8, 1562.— Queen Elizabeth grants to the Mayor &c. the appointment of the 12 poor men in Bonevile's Almshouses in the Combe Rewe,f and of the four poor men of the foundation of the late Prior and Convent of the late Hospital of Saint John the Baptist within the Eastgate. [Printed in Izacke, 130. See also Transcripts, No. 2057 ; Oliver, p. 287.] In D 1527a (Nov., 1562) is a copy of a petition from the Mayor &c. praying for the issue of the Letters Patent concerning Bonville's Almshouses, with a copy of this Charter. There is another copy in Book 51, /. 140b, where it is " for the apoyntinge and nomynatynge of the poore yn the hospital in the Comeroye, called " in Rocke Lane " in the Table of Contents. Also in Book 52, /. 276b, where " and of the pensioners of the Hospital of St. John " has been added in a later hand. Both of these entries have also a memorandum as to Bonville's Almshouses. There is also a copy of the Charter in Book 56. 