For all or most of these there are good Lawes prouided, if the Justices wth one gen(er)all Consent be carefull to putt their lief vnto them. But there is one other mayne inconvenience wch to remedie will require power from the hoble Board, and that is, That the great owners of Corne aswell farmors as others do not thresh out their owne Corne, but buy all they spend or Sowe either at the Marketts or of poore small farmors that are constrayned to sell nowe and yett must buy againe before Harvest next for their owne expence wch doth both encrease the prices of all grayne, and by that meanes all the Corne is brought into a fewe handes who then make the prices at their owne pleasure. If theis things be provided for and duly putt in execucon, there wilbee Corne enough found and spared for the people of our Countrey wthout inquiringe or examininge perticuler mens store, wch doth but discouer the want and there bie inhaunce the prices, but augments not the store.
APPENDIX VIII.
Report of the justices from Lackford and the half hundred of Exning February 7th, 1622/3. Dom. State Papers James I. Vol. 142. 14. 1.
The following is one of nine reports forwarded by the Sheriff of Suffolk to the Lords of the Privy Council on April 2nd, 1623.
All nine returns together with many others were sent in reply to orders of the Privy Council issued in consequence of the distress in 1622-3[755]. If we compare this reply with the draft of the orders corrected by Burleigh in 1586 (App. V.), we shall see that the orders issued in 1623 must have been substantially the same as those of 1586/7. This report also shows, like the orders themselves, that the direct relief of the poor was improved in consequence of the measures of the years of scarcity.
Suff.
A Certificate to ye right honoble ye Lords and others of his Maties most honoble Priuie Councell.
The quantitie of corne and grayne wthin ye hundred of Lackeford and ye halfe hundred of Exninge, taken ye 7th. day of Februarie a(nn)o regni regis Jacobi Angliæ 20o a(nn)oq(ue) d(omi)ni 1622 by presentmt, and inquiry of a Jury in ye said hundred and halfe accordinge to his Maties booke, is as followeth.