Addenda, Queen Elizabeth - Volume 30: June 1588

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Elizabeth, Addenda 1580-1625. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1872.

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'Addenda, Queen Elizabeth - Volume 30: June 1588', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Elizabeth, Addenda 1580-1625, (London, 1872) pp. 251-252. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/domestic/edw-eliz/addenda/1580-1625/pp251-252 [accessed 24 March 2024]

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June 1588

June 20. 103. Note of corn, rye, barley, wheat, malt, cattle, and money delivered by the writer's son Francis, with particulars of the prices, and the fields from whence the grain was taken. Endorsed with a portion of a letter requesting some one to procure the writer the money, if he should stand in need of it. [1¼ pages, imperfect.]
June ? 104. [—of Hythe to Sec. Walsingham.] We of Hythe cut out a haven at great charge, thinking it would add to the maintenance of our fishing, which has become scarcer and more miserable, through the acts of Roger Stares, bailiff, jurat, and comptroller; John Bridgeman, jurat and innholder; William Dranton, butcher and jurat, and William Tysder, shoemaker and jurat. One night, when Stares was bailiff, certain horses and mares were shipped in a Frenchman's boat, contrary to law, whereupon she was seized by four men in the Queen's name. Dranton being the merchant, went to the bailiff, and called these men rogues and beggars. The bailiff got up and took some men with him, and when those in possession of the boat desired him, in the Queen's behalf, to aid them, he promised to do so; but took them by violence, and carried them to prison, and made out a cocket for the Frenchmen to pass freely. He then kept the men in prison as long as he thought fit, and banished two of them the town, without a passport; the other two were men servants.
Dranton is also a transporter of tallow, the shipping of which is done at night. Last St. Thomas's day, he shipped some, which being espied by a young man, he went to the searcher; but they hearing of it, conveyed it out of that boat into another belonging to Nicholas Tooke, jurat, living on the other side of the haven, and a carter there brought it home by the back side of the town. Dranton also suffered two shiploads of oats to go out of the haven, before which we had oats at 6d. a bushel, but within two market days, they were at 1s. 3d. a bushel; and oatmeal risen from 1d. two quarts to 1d. a quart. He has also railed in a bowling green, to maintain unlawful games. He also freighted a boat belonging to Michael Bucland to transport ready killed beef and pork in barrels, and sent his son over with it; if this is suffered, it will cause great dearth, which the poor will rue. This was done on the Sunday before last Christmas, at the same time that the bailiff's tallow was going over; and the young man that betrayed him to the searcher, has been banished the town. Dranton maintains a Fleming, who was three times presented for a vagabond, to the hindrance of a poor English surgeon of the town.
John Bridgeman keeps a common inn, and sells wine contrary to the statute, and carries on baking, and will not suffer any common baker to dwell in the town. He also keeps a house for card and dice playing, &c.; and although the justices of the county will not suffer such things, they are maintained there.
Since 14 April 1568, there have been at least nine score of horses, mares, colts, and geldings shipped over; the merchants that suffered such things are Robert Gilbard, Peter Blewercourt, John Gorram, John Dranton, John Bridgeman, and Wm. Dranton. Whoever speaks against these things has the prison for his reward, and is banished the town; and when the dozen writs were served out of the Exchequer, for honest men of the town to come up to declare the truth, the bailiff, with two of the transporters, came up to London, and arranged with the informer for 30l., so that the matter fell through; and now they transport faster than ever they did. [2 pages.]