Chapter XXXIII: Appendix: XI

Letter from Sir Thomas Barrington concerning the eight hundreds of Yorkshire (_Dom. State Papers_, Chas. I. Vol. 177, No. 31. 21st Dec. 1630).

The following letter is substantially like many other justices' reports relating to the corn measures of 1629-1631. This document, like a few others of the same kind, preceded the issue of the Book of Orders of Jan. 1630/1; and was sent in answer to previous orders of the Privy Council[758]. It is addressed on the back "To the right Hon^{le} my most hon^d Lo. the Lo. viceCount Dorchester[759] at his lodgings in Whitehall"; and has attached to it a seal with a crest and also the date 1630.

[758] See above, p. 172.

[759] Lord Dorchester had been appointed one of the special commissioners for the poor in June 1630. See above, pp. 156, 164.

My Lo., the assurance y^t I haue of yo^r Lo^{ps} desyre to understand y^e carefull and successfull execution of y^e late commaunds w^{ch} we haue receiued, and feareing least y^e high Sheriff may delay y^e retourning of owr certifficates; I shall take the bouldnes to aduertize yo^r Lo^p that haueing attended the seruice inioyned by his Ma^{ts} instructions and yo^r Lo^{ps} letters in eight hundreds of this Countie, (as yo^r Lo^p will find when y^e Cirtificates are retourned) we haue followed those directions giuen us conserneing Badgers[760], Millers etc. a sort of people y^t did much rayse y^e prizes of Corne; but I hope we haue preuented it for y^e future, som of them being bound to y^e Sessions, others ouerlooked w^{th} a strict eye that theay offend not as theay haue done; we find the Marketts to be well serued; and tharefor no compulsion yet needes to be used as yet; we haue furthermore taken care (w^{ch} I conceiue to be yo^r Lo^{ps} chiefe ayme) that the poorer sort be prouided for by y^e laying in of Corne in euery Toune sufficient to satisfy them for this yeear, and y^t at such rates, as y^e scarcytye and dirth of theise times will be y^e less bitter unto them, when theay shall haue it 18^d. and 2^s. in y^e Bushell cheaper then y^e Markett can afford, as vpon calling y^e countrye together we haue easyly perswaded them heearunto, & y^e most parishes haue allready begun this worke, w^{ch} if it answar not yo^r Lo^{ps} desyres I shall be sorye y^t I was one of y^e first moouers heearin; in y^e same forme y^t I exprest unto yo^r Lo^p when I wayted upon you; w^{ch} haueing tendred to y^r Lo^p and other Justices in theise parts I found them so well to approoue it (as y^t yo^r Lo^p will find) we haue followed y^t way w^{th} a ioynct consent; by w^{ch} meanes it appeears playnely y^t y^e prizes of y^e marketts are fallne and doe weekely fall, wheate being in diuerse Marketts where I haue attended this seruice at 7^s. y^e bushell and vi^s. vi^d. whare lately it was sold at 8^s. vi^d.; for y^e laborers and all y^e poorer sort being supplyed at home who are the greater nomber, the rates of graine must of necessytye fall to be less. My Lo. I feare I haue ben toe troublesom in this tedious discourse, but yo^r Lo^p knowes circumstances make y^e busines of no small consequence, w^{ch} it hath pleased his Ma^{ty} so gratiously to consider & yo^r Lo^{ps} so carefully to order, wharein if thare be any thing y^t yo^r Lo^p will be pleased to commaund me, I shall willing obaye, and so shall yo^r Lo^p euer find me deuoted to yo^r desyres in any thing, whareby I may becom seruiceable to y^e Countye, or to y^r Lo^p in particular, whose fauors have ingaged me to study how I may any way express myselfe most,

[760] See note App. V.

Hatf. Bro. Yo^r Lo^{ps} faithfull seruant

10^r. 21, 1630. Tho. Barrington.

My wife w^{th} me offers yo^r Lo^p and yo^r noble La. obliged seruice thare being nothing we more desyre then to heear of yo^r good healthes.