The Elizabethan Parish in its Ecclesiastical and Financial Aspects

by Sedley Lynch Ware

[226] Swyre, Dorset, Parish Acc't Book in Notes and Quer. for Somer. and Dorset, iii (1893), 293 (Lands allotted by parish for support of a blind man).

[227] E.g., St. Christopher-le-Stocks' Acc'ts, 38 (Yearly perpetuity of £3 4s. in bread and money to poor. 1602). St. Michael's in Bedwardine Acc'ts, 99 (House left to parish, 12s. of whose rental to go to poor, and 1s. to the churchwardens. 1590).

[228] Butcher, Parish of Ashburton, 46 (Land given to buy shirts and smocks for the poor. 1575).

[229] T.P. Wadley, Notes on Bristol Wills (1886), 230 (£20 for a stock of money to remain for ever "in the howse of correction" for the maintenance and "settinge on work of such people as shalbe therevnto co[m]mitted for their mysdemeanors." Thos. Kelke's will. 1583).

[230] Wills and Inventories, Pt. ii, Surtees Soc., xxxviii, 83 (Keyper school of Houghton and its endowment of £240. 1582).

[231] Examples among many are the Edenbridge, Kent, lands. These bridgewardens held lands in three parishes. Arch. Cant., xxi (1895), 110 ff. Also Burton's Charity lands at Loughborough. The "bridgmasteres" here in 1570 collected £33 18s. 6d., and disbursed £16 12s. 11d. Fletcher, Hist. of Loughborough, 41-2. Also Hayward bridge lands, Notes and Quer. for Somer. and Dorset, iv (1895), 205-7.

[232] Legge, North Elmham Acc'ts, 87-90. So too at Eltham, Kent, where the "Fifetene peny Lands" have special wardens who account for their revenue. Archaeologia, xxxiv, 51 ff.

[233] Statutes of the Realm, iv, Pt. ii, 968-9.

[234] Cardwell, Doc. Ann., i, 189 ff.

[235] Dr. Pilkington's will, Surtees Soc., xxii, Append., p. cxxxviii. For a few other examples of bequests for parish utilities see ibid., p. ciii (George Reyd's will, 1559). Ibid., p. cx ff. (William Birche's will of 1575 in which are many bequests to poor artificers, to prisoners—a very frequent bequest—to "needfull briggs or highe waies," etc.). See also Benefactions to Dorset Parishes, Churches, etc., in Notes and Quer. for Somer. and Dorset, x, 164 ff. Also T.P. Wadley, Notes on Bristol Wills, passim (e.g., Thos. Kelke's will of 1583, on p. 230. He leaves £13 to Newgate prisoners, a frieze gown to 12 women and 12 men—a frequent bequest—6s. 8d. each to 52 poor maidens for their marriage, etc.). Also Wills and Inventories, Surtees Soc., xxxviii, Pt. ii, passim. Surrey Wills in Surrey Arch. Coll., x (1891), passim.