A few of the later clauses only of this draft relate directly to the relief of the poor, and the general character of the instructions given in these contrast strongly with the detailed directions dealing with the supply of grain. This bears out the contention that at this time the direct relief of the poor was only subsidiary to the indirect relief afforded to the poorer classes by these measures for the supply of corn: it also indicates that the interference of the Privy Council in the direct relief of the poor was suggested by the distress and disorder of these years of high-priced grain, and was begun at least as early as 1587, as one of the methods which were adopted to relieve that distress.
Lansdowne MSS. 48, f. 128, No. 54, 27 Decembris 1586.
Orders devised by ye speciall comma(n)ddment of ye Qu. Maty for ye releiff and ease of ye present derth of gray(ne) whin ye realme[740].
That the Sheriffe and Justices of the peace by spedy warni(n)g of ye shyrriff shall ymediatlie vppon the receipte of these orders[741] assemble themselues togeather, wth as much speede as they possible maye, and havinge conferred amongest them selves vppon the contents hereof, shall first for the better execucon of the same devide them selves into sondry companies and take amongest them into ther chardg by seu(er)all divisions all the hundreds, rapes or wapentaks of the said countie.
Itm eu(er)y Companie so allotted out shall forthwth direct their preceptes vnto the said Sheriff to warne the high cunstables vnder cunstables and others the most honest and substa(n)ciall inhabitants wthin the same hundred, rape or wapentake to the number of xxxvi persons, moe or fewer as the quantetie of the hundred rape or wapentake shall require, to appere before them, at a certayn place and wthin as shorte a tyme after the receipte hereof as they convenientlie may, and vppon the apparance of the said persons, they shall divide them into so many Juries as they shall thinke meete, gevinge instruccon to the said Sheriffe to retorne as fewe of such as be known great firmers for corn or haue store of grayne to sell as he can; and such of the same perso(n)s so warned as shall not appeare, but make default beinge somoned, and not havinge any just or reasonable excuse allowable by ye justices, to be punished therefore at the good discrecons of the justices both by i(m)priso(n)m(e)nt and fyne before whom they are to appere.
Itm. they shall first declare ye cause why they ar sent for and therwh ernestly chardg them in the feare of God to apply themselves to the s(er)vice wherevnto they shall be now called wh all dutyfullnes and dilige(n)ce and whout any parciallyte to any person and the(n) they shall gyve them the oth followy(n)g:—
The Juries Oth.
You shall sweare &c. that you shall enquire and make trewe and dewe search and triall what nomber of persons eu(er)ye housholder that hath corne in thir barns, stacks or otherwher aswell Justices of the peace as others what so ever wthin the parish of have in their houses, (fedyng and lye(in)g and vprisyng?); what nomber of acres they haue certenly to be sowen this yere wth any mann(er) of grayne; what bargaynes they haue made wth any person for any kynde of grayne to be sold by or to them; to whome and by whome and vppon what prices they haue made the same and what quantetie of any mann(er) of grayne they or any other haue in their barnes, garners, lofts, cellers or flowers or otherwise to be deliu(er)ed vnto them uppon any bargayne.