Chapter XXXII: Appendix: X

Extracts from the Privy Council Register (continued).

Letter concerning the disturbances in Rutlandshire (_Privy Council Register_, Vol. VI. f. 345. 15th Feb. 1630/1).

This entry illustrates the connection between efforts to improve poor relief and the maintenance of order.

A Lre to S^r Edward Harrington, Sir Hen. Mackworth Bar^t S^r Guy Palmer K^t and Basill Fielding Esq^r or any twoe of them.

[Sidenote:

Lo. Keeper.
Lo. Trear.
Lo. Privie Seale.
Ea. Marshall.
Lo. V. Wentworth.
Lo. Bp. of Winton.
Mr Trear.
Mr Comptroler.
Mr Secre. Coke.
]

Whereas we have beene made acquainted w^{th} a lre written by John Wildbore a Minister in and aboute Tinwell w^{th}in that County to a friend of his here wherein after some mencon by him made of the present want and miserie sustayned by the poorer sorte in those parts through the dearth of Corne and the want of worke, he doth advertize in particular some speeches uttered by a shoomaker of Uppingham (whose name wee finde not) tending to the stirring upp of the poore theraboute to a mutiny and insurreccon. W^{ch} informacon was as followeth in hæc verba "Hearest thou" saith a Shoomaker of Uppingham to a poore man of Liddington "if thou wilte be secrett I will make a mocon to thee." "What is yo^r Mocon?" saith the other. Then said the Shoomaker "The poore men of Okeham have sent to us poore men of Uppingham and if you poore men of Liddington will ioyne w^{th} us wee will rise and the poore of Okeham say they can have all the Armour of the Countrie in theire power w^{th}in halfe an hower, and (in faith saith he) we will ryfle the churles." Upon consideracon had therof however this Board is not easily credilous of light reports nor apte to take impression from the vaine speeches or eiaculacons of some meane and contemptible persons. Yet because it sorts well w^{th} the care and providence of a State to prevent all occasions w^{ch} ill affected persons may otherwise lay hold of under pretence and collour of the necessitie of the tyme, we have thought good hereby to will and require you the Deputy Lieuts. and Justices of peace next adioyneing forthw^{th} to apprehend and take a more particular examinacon aswell of the said Shoomaker as of such others as you shall thinke fitt concerning the advertizement aforesaid. And that you take especial care that the Armes of that County in and aboute those parts be safely disposed of. And lykewise (w^{ch} is indeede most considerable and the best meanes to prevent all disorders in this kinde) that you deale effectually in causeing the markett to be well supplyed w^{th} corne and the poore to be served at reasonable prices and sett on worke by those of the richer sorte and by rayseing of stocke to releeve and sett them on worke according to the lawes. All w^{ch} we recomende to yo^r especiall care and require an account from you of yo^r doeings and proceedings herein w^{th} all convenient expedicon. And soe &c.