assembled and mette togeather, the Commissioners will acquainte them what subsidies are graunted to his Majestie, and when and in what manner they are to bee assessed and colleckted; then doe they alsoe enquire after all such places as have formerly beene unequally rated and assessed, and accordinge to theire discretion some places are raysed and others againe abated, and likewise of some subsidymen they will make onely bearers, and on the other side subsidymen of some whoe formerly have beene but bearers, accordingly as they finde them of ability, and altered in theire estates. Then, after this is done, the commissioners appointe a newe daye of meetinge, perhapps a weeke after, whearin all pettie constables have charge given to bringe in theire bills, thereby to shewe howe everie towne hath formerly payd. The manner of a constable's bill, as for example the constable of Elmswell his bill. Henry Best his rate for the subsidy of 71. in bonis, which for two subsidyes commeth, att 28. 8d. per pound, to 378. 4d.; wheareof hee himselfe is to pay 318. 4d., and Edward Lynsley, his bearer, 68. William Whitehead 31. in bonis commeth to 168., wheareof William Pinder, a bearer with him, payeth 38. 4d., and Richard Parrott, another bearer with him, 28. 8d.; soe that his owne part commeth but to 108. just. The reason why these bills are given in is to shewe and informe the commissioners whoe are the ablest men in each towne, and wheather they bee rated in lands or in goods; and, lastly, the constables are to sette within theire bills, the names of all Recusants within theire severall constableryes, of what sexe, age, or condition soever they bee; nowe to knowe what everie towne and place hath formerly payd they neede not trouble the constables for this, for they have olde Court-rowles kept in the common hall whear the Sessions are held, that will satisfie them in this, for theire is one of the justices eleckted to keepe the ancient recordes and court-rowles, whoe is tearmed Custos Rotulorum, keeper of the rowles, or Master of the Recordes, soe that there is allwayes an olde court rowle brought and delivered to the commissioners, to bee compared and tryed with the constables bills; and then when the constables bills are correckted and made streight, the commissioners give direcktions to place all theire bills in order upon a stringe, and then to coppy them out and gette them orderly written in a longe rowle of parchment. Then aboute some two or three dayes after that the constables have given in theire bills, one of the commissioners will write a letter to him whome they intend to make collector, informinge him howe the rest of the commissioners have nominated and made choice of him for high collector, whearefore hee woulde wish him to meete the commissioners att such a place on such a day, and theire receive the rowle of his collection, and likewise to seale such bonde to his Majesties use as the lawe requireth, which is if the collector bee to gather 3007. hee is to bee bownde in a double bond or a bond of 600l.; but if theire bee not full 300l., and the collector bee accounted a sufficient and an honest man, then perhapps hee shall bee bownd onely in a 500l. bond for the well performinge and discharginge of his place; then have they another rowle coppyed out of the former, verbatim; the one of these rowles and the collectors bond are sent up into the Exchequer immediately, the rowle is to remayne there to bee compared with the collector's rowle, and the collectors bond is to bee delivered unto him soe soone as the money is payd; and then the collector receivinge the rowle of his collection hee is allsoe att the same time to receive a note from the commissioners to sende to the cheife constables, to charge them to sende abroade theire warrants to all pettie constables, willinge and requiringe them to colleckt and gather all such sumines and accounts as are assessed on everie particular person within theire severall constableries, and to bringe them such a daye and such an hower, either to the collector's howse, or else to some other place wheare the collector shall thinke goode to assigne them. When the collector receiveth his rowles, his accounts are to bee casten up, and for every pownd there to bee collected, the collector is to disburse a pennie, which is to bee given to the clearke for his paynes for coppyinge out of the two rowles; and likewise each pettie constable, whoe is here tearmed the deputy or sub-collector, is to receive (of the high collector) a pennie for everie pownde which hee collecteth and bringeth to the place assigned; and then is hee to have an acquittance from the cheife collector for his discharge, for which acquittance hee is to give the collector 2d.; some collectors demaund 4d. a peece for theire acquittances; and lastly the collector himselfe (att the givinge in of his accounts) is to have 3d. payd him backe for every pownd by him collected, viz; a pennie which hee disbursed to the clearke, a pennie to the sub-collectors, and a pennie for his owne paines: the manner was in times past for the collectors to ride from towne to towne and place to place, and to have 6d. allowed for the collectinge of everie pownd. The receivers will allowe the collectors three pence in the pownd whensoever they pay in any money, but they cannot have theire bonds given or delivered till such time as all theire accounts bee given in. Wheare men are not able to pay theire rates the collectors have full power to distreine on the assessors. In small villages, wheare there are not many inhabitants, two assessors will serve, but in greate townes they have usually fower, five, or sixe. Some townes pay subsidy monies two wayes, as Walkington doth the Provest fee and the Bishops fee. Beverley is a free place and a priviledged place, and therefore hath a collector within it selfe for its own libertie. The richest and ablest men in everie towne are, or shoulde allwayes bee, subsidymen, and the poorer and more insufficient sorte onely bearers with them; and againe the wealthiest and most able subsidy men are allwayes sette downe soe much in terris, and the meaner sorte of them in bonis; as for Recusants they are allwayes rated per pole, viz.; eight pence a man. Nowe as for those that are sette downe in terris, look howe many powndes they are assessed, and they are to pay for everie pownde 48.; as for example, a Justice of Peace is usually sette downe 101. in terris, out of which hee is to pay 40s., and those that are rated in bonis are to pay for everie pownd 28. 8d., or as wee say 48. in the pownd for landes, and eight groats in the pownd for goods. Some townes have it customarily to bee assessed soe much in terris, or soe much in bonis, as for example Emswell rate hath allwayes beene 10l. in bonis; and likewise two assessors and two subsidymen. and the rest of the farmers bearers accordinge to theire ability. Such as are rated above theire ability are (for theire redresse) to complaine to the commissioners, and that before the constables bills are given in. A note of the olde rate for Emswell, shewinge what every subsidy man then payed for one whole subsidy, as the bill was given in to the Justices that day, beinge the 18th of Aprill, 1621. Henry Best in bonis 4l. William Whitehead in bonis 31. William Pinder in bonis 31. A note of the receipt. Received the 12th of May 1621, of Henry Best in full for one whole entire subsidy due to his Majestie att this present the summe of 108. 8d. Per me Bartholomeum Steere, collectorem. N The forme or manner of a bonde." Noverint universi per præsentes, me Gulielmum Perrit de Croome super le Would agricolam Com: Ebor: teneri et firmiter obligari Henrico Best de Emswell super le Would generoso. Com. Eod. &c. Nono die Junii 1640. The condition of this obligation is, &c. sealed and delivered in the presence of us, John Best. Elizabeth Browne, her mark. William Perrit, his seal. There is in every shiere soe many ridinges, in everie ridinge soe many weapontackes, and soe many free, priviledged places; there is in everie weapontacke soe many severall divisions or beacons; as for example there is in Yorkeshire three ridinges, viz.; the West, North, and East; there is in the Eastridinge of Yorkeshire three weapontackes, viz.; Harthill, Buckerose, and Dickeringe; there is in the weapontacke of Harthill fower beacons, viz.; Bainton beacon, Hunsley beacon, Holme beacon, and Wilton beacon; there is belonginge to everie beacon a chiefe constable, and to everie weapontacke a baily, whoe is called baily of that weapontacke, as the baily of Harthill, the baily of Dickeringe, or the baily of Buckerose; there is likewise for everie shire and county, an High Sheriffe, chosen by the Kinge, and entereth into his place aboute Martlemasse; his office is to assist the judges att the Assizes; yea, hee is the cheife agent in all matters for the Kinge in the county wheare hee is Sheriffe ; as wheare there are any arrears soe that extents come against any mans lands, his office is to distreine; and likewise for traitors goods that are confiscate, hee is to seize them for the Kinge; wherefore all writtes and other common lawe proceedinges goe forth and proceed in his name; hereupon for the better executinge of theire offices they allwayes make choice of an honest and understandinge man to bee theire under Sheriffe, whoe is allwayes to reside att the countytowne, that hee may bee allwayes ready to execute the High Sheriffes place, or else upon any occasion to give him notice what is to bee done or foreintended. The High Sheriffe is to make answeare for the misdemeanours of all his under-offices, because that by him they are putte in place, as if the under Sheriffes or baliffes bee insufficient, that a man loose anythinge by them, they may sue the High Sheriffe for it, or his heyres after his discease; whearefore the High Sheriffes att the election of theire bailys have • 1603. 1. Jac. July 20. Stephen Perrot of Heslyngton yeoman quit claims to James Best of Helmeswell gentleman everything. Witnesses John Browne, Thomas Dry, Adam Waistell. A Stephen Porrytt was buried at Little Driffield Jan. 1, 1601-2. allwayes sufficient and able men bownd with them for the well executinge of theire offices, and performance of theire charge that they take in hand. Some Sheriffes give the bailyes theire places freely, others againe will sell a bailiffes place for tenne powndes, or fifteene powndes. When an High Sheriffe goeth out of place hee is to give all such matters as are not fully finished into the succeedinge Sheriffes accountes. As the head bailyes or bailyes of weapontackes stande bownde to the High Sheriffe, soe they likewise appoynte under bailiffes whoe lye in suretyes to them for the well discharginge of theire offices; and out of everie process which an under-baily serveth the heade baily is to have 8d., or some say 16d., and the under baily that serveth them but 8d. The baily of every weapontacke is to keepe a courte, which is called the weapontacke-courte, three weeke-courte, or Sheriffes turne; wheare any pettie cause or small trespasse may bee heard and ended once within three weekes; the baily himselfe is in steade of atturney to both plaintive and defendant for bringinge of theire cause to a tryall; the steward of the courte is the judge, and instruckter of the jury; the jury is either of townes-men or neare neighbours, whoe are (for theire paines) to bee allowed 68., viz.; 7d. a man, which is to bee payd by the partie that is casten, or losseth the suite. THE MANNER OF RATINGE, ASSESSINGE, AND LEVYINGE OF POLLE-MONEY. The commissioners beinge nominated by the Parliament, and theire commission sent downe, some of the commissioners, whoe are justices of the peace and men of most note, direckt theire warrants to all the cheife constables in that weapontacke, givinge them authority and charge to sende abroade theire warrants to all and singular pettie-constables within theire severall beacons and divisions, enjoyninge them likewise to nominate and sette downe within theire warrants whoe shall be the assessors in each towne, viz.; for everie greate towne fower, and for everie lesser towne, two, and those of the ablest and most understandinge men; this beinge done, the cheife constable is to give directions to all pettie constables that they give present warninge to all such persons within theire severall constableries as are nominated for assessors, to bee and personally appeare before the commissioners att such a place, such a day, and such an houre, then and there to receive further instructions from the commissioners concerninge what is to bee done in that kinde; then when they come togeather, the manner is for the pettie constables and assessors of one whole beacon or |