[733] Town Close Evidences, 27.
[734] Ibid. 16, 18.
[735] Town Close Evidences, 10, 11, 17.
[736] Norwich Town Close Evidences, 14, 24, 27, 31, 32. The same form was used even after the charter of 1403, in 1420 and 1435. (Ibid. 46.) We find “the citizens” joined with “the commonalty” in the thirteenth century. An enrolled deed of 1290, in which license to build a stall in the market is granted by the “Communitas Norwici et cives ejusdam civitatis,” is quoted by Mr. Hudson. (See Mun. Org., Arch. Journ. xlvi. no. 184.) The double style used is, I think, explained by a contention which occurred a century later, in 1379. “There was a discussion whether the stalls in the meat-market ought to belong to the commonalty or to the bailiffs. They are agreed that the said stalls shall in future remain to the commonalty for ever, without challenge or contradiction to the present bailiffs or the bailiffs in future.” (Town Close Evidences, 31.) At that time a great reorganization of the market was in progress (see Kirkpatrick’s “Streets and Lanes of Norwich,” App. i. pp. 95, 96) with a view to getting as many stalls as possible into the hands of the authorities. As the bailiffs had certain sources of income allotted to them (they being personally responsible for the fee ferm rent) they need not be blamed for trying to help themselves. On the other hand the attempt shows how significant was the use of the word “communitas” in the older deed (see p. 364 no. 1). I think it very possible that property set apart for a definite public purpose was held in the joint names of citizens and commonalty; but I am convinced this last word was never used in a formal way, but always expressed a tenure and control with which the “cives” or the twenty-four could not interfere.
[737] Hudson, Leet Jur. in Norwich, xxxvi. lxxiii. 63. Selden Soc.
[738] Arch. Journ. xlvi. 316-17.
[739] Town Close Evidences, 16-17.
[740] Ibid. 29. Evidently this was a time of very active municipal life. About 1372 the corporation seems to have begun copying out carefully older legal documents, and this copying and re-writing went on through the next century. The account-books which still exist began to be kept in 1393. In 1378 the income of the city was £374 17 s. 4d. Blomefield, iii. 103.
[741] Town Close Evidences, 30.
[742] Mr. Hudson informs me that there are rolls (more or less perfect) for about half the years between 1365 and 1385. Then they fail till 1413, when the constitution of the assembly had been entirely altered.