Chapter XXVIII: Appendix: VI

ACCOUNTS of the Churchwardens and Overseers of the parish of Staplegrove, Co. Somerset, for the year 1599 (Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 30,278).

The accounts of the overseers of Staplegrove have been preserved for several years between 1599 and 1623 (1599, 1605, 1621, 1622, and 1623). The churchwardens' accounts also remain and begin as early as 1585 and in some of these also payments to the poor are noted[751].

[751] Thus in the account rendered July 21st, 1588, by one churchwarden several items of the kind occur, e.g.

Item to a poore blynde man the v^{th} of February iij^d.
It. to a poore woman the xiiij^{th} of February iij^d.
It. to the poore howse at Lamporte the x^{th} day of November iij^d.
It. to a poore souldyour iij^d. &c.

Later the churchwardens apparently always made a payment of 5_s._ every half-year to the constables for lame soldiers and hospitals.

This account is of course made under the provisions of the Act of 1597 (39 Eliz. c. 3)[752].

[752] See p. 76.

The accounts of the churchwardens and overseeors of the poore in the parishe of Stapelgrove for the eyare last past. This account stood before her maeistis Justis on the xj daye of apreill in Anno Domini 1599.

A noot what every man hath paid to this colletion this whole eyar that was set weekly to the poore.

George Poyre xj^s.
John Wuse. xviii^s.
Anthone Gonson ix^s. ij^d.
John Chattocke xiiij^s. viii^d.
Thomas Harris vii^s. iiii^d.
Robert Parsons xi^s.
Will. Cole iij^s. viii^d.
Richard Nelcomb v^s. vi^d.
John Sindercomb iij^s. iij^d.
William Davy ii^s. ix^d.
Harry Chattocke iii^s. viii^d.
Bartholmew Sindercomb xxii^d.
William Hit before hee had his apprentis viii^s. iiii^d.
Thomas Perrett before hee had his apprentis v^s.
Wat Gale before he had his apprentis. vi^s. viii^d.
John Chattocke before he had his apprentis vi^s. viii^d.

Som. of v^{li}. xviij^s. x^d.

A noet of every mans name that keepe anei poore body and them that hath taken apprentisses

Roger Smyth kepeth William Harvy, Impot.
Water Knight kepeth Christine Fort, Impot.
Nicholas Cornishe kepeth Harry Gale as apprentis.
John Chattocke tholder kepeth Jone Rison as apprentis.
William Hit kepeth Mamwell Brice as apprentis.
Thomas Perrot kepeth Margery Huis as apprentis.
Walter Gale kepeth Jone Huis as apprentis.

The namis of them that paieth quarterly to the poore and what every one of them hath paid the whole eyar.

first M^r. John Switteinge xii^s.
John Decon xii^s.
Hugh Farthinge xii^s.
Andrew Crosse vii^s.
William Whitt i^s. vi^d.
Mr. George Hill i^s. vi^d.
Water Duddroge iii^s.
Water Shut vi^s.
Mr. Goorge Fenwell i^s.
Robert Westcomb xxi^d.
Robert Farthinge iij^s. vi^d.
John Parsons ii^s. ix^d.
William Wilse i^s. vi^d.
Thomas Slape i^s.
Thomas Rooch iii^s.
William Corvenell ii^s. vi^d.
Mr. John Gibbones i^s. vi^d.
John Ollyver vi^d.
Robert Soger i^s. vi^d.
M^r. Jamis Clarke ii^s.
Thomas Brice i^s. iii^d.
Bartholmew Farthinge xviii^d.

Som. of iiii^{li}.

The whole
resowte for Som. of ix^{li}. xviii^s. x^d.
this yeare

The namis of all them that haue receved collection and euery one of them haue Receved as followith.

first Jone Cole haue reseved xxix^s.
Richard Rison & his wyfe Reseved lvii^s.
John Gould Reseved xiiii^s. ii^d.
Christian Fort Reseved xii^s.
Jone Gale the wyfe of Richard Gale xii^s.
Margret Brice the wyfe of John Brice vi^s. viii^d.
Jane Hues the wyfe of Thom. Hues xviii^d.
Wilmoth Hunt xii^d.
Johane Rison xii^d.
To Roger Smyth for that his land is } viii^s. vi^d.
charged in St. Jamis }
To Christian Fort in her sicknis and for } iii^s. ix^d.
wood }
To John Gould's buriall xii^d.
To the tithingman for releivinge the }
poore strangers that were broght to } xii^d.
hem }
Wee haue laid out before Christmas for }
Clothers for the poore & for wood and } xxxviii^s.
parrell for the apprenteses }

disburssed som of ix^{li}. vi^s. vii^d.
so there is remayninge in ou^r hande xii^s. iii^d.

Churchwardens

Hugh Portman.
John Colles.
John Frances.
Thomas Beaton.
Thomas Perett & Bartholmew Sindercomb.

Overseears

Richer Smyth, Water Knight.
Nicholas Cornish & John Chattocke.