Rolls, from Edward I to 1656
(c.) Rolls from the Time of Edward the First to 1656 A.D.
(1.)—Edward I.—Two Subsidy Rolls. (1.) The Roll of moneys
gathered in a single constabulary of the town of Bishop's Lynn towards
the payment of a Fifteenth, granted to the King by parliament in the
3rd or 29th year of Edward the First. To learn the reasons for assigning this roll to the one or the other of these years, the reader is referred
to "Remarks on a Subsidy Roll in the Possession of the Corporation of
Lynn Regis. Communicated by the Rev. G. H. Dashwood F.S.A."
in the first volume of "Norfolk Archæology." (2) The Roll of moneys,
gathered in a single constabulary of the town of Bishop's Lynn towards
the payment of a tenth. Neither of these rolls is dated. Extracts from
Roll (1) are given in Mr. Dashwood's paper. Roll (2) came to light
after the publication of the antiquary's essay.
(2.)—Edward I. (?).—Imperfect Terrier of the town of Bishop's Lynn.
Not dated; but assigned to Edward the First's time, by a note on the
leather wrapper.
(3.) 24–6 Edward I.—Assize-of-Bread Rolls of the 24th, 25th and
26th years of Edward the First.
(4.) Edward II.—Copy, in hand-writing of Henry the Sixth's time,
of a Terrier (temp. Edward II. ?) of the part of Bishop's Lenn, called
Neweland; ending with the words, "Hic explicit tota illa pars Lenn'
que vocatur Newelond, scilicet ex parte Aquilonari dicte Ville."
(5.) 3 Edward II. to 1654 A.D.—Leet Rolls of the years of 3 Edward
II.; 2, 7, 20, 26, 33, 46 and 49 Edward III., with undated membranes
of divers rolls of the same reign; 3, 15, 18 Richard II.; 5, 6 Henry IV.,
with undated membranes of divers rolls of the same reign; 8 Henry V.;
4, 5, 6, 9, 13 Henry VI.; 20 Elizabeth; 13, 14, 21 James I.; and
1654 A.D. Also, to be mentioned in connection with these rolls,
Headborough's Books of 1594, 1624, 1630, 1633, 1636, 1641, 1663,
1666, 1746 A.D., and similar books of later years.
(6.) Edward II. (?).—Undated Bede-Roll of the Gild Merchant of
the Holy Trinity of Lenn; exhibiting 867 names of the brethren of the
gild on two closely written membranes, the earlier membrane being
headed, "Hii sunt fratres Gilde Mercatorie de Lenn."
(7.) October, 3 Edward II.—Illustrated copy of a Composition made
between John by God's grace the Bishop of Norwich and Lord of the
town of Bishop's Lenne of the one part, and the Mayor and Community
of the said town of the other part.
(8.) 1 Edward III. to 4 & 5 Philip andMary.—Chamberlains' Yearly
Accounts of receipts and payments, in the years 1–2, 5–6, 7–8, 8–9,
9–10, 10–11, 11–12, 12–13, 13–14, 14–15, 17–18, 20–1, 22–3, 23–4,
25–6, 27–8, 28–9, 29–30, 30–1, 31–2, 34–5, 35–6, 36–7, 38–9, 39–40,
41–2, 43–4, 44–5, 45–6, 46–7, 47–8, 48–9, 49–50 of Edward the Third,
and 50 Edward III.—1 Richard II.; 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 8–9, 12–13 of
Richard the Second, and 22 Rich. II.—1 Hen. IV.; 3–4 of Henry the
Fourth; 1–2, 4–5, 6–7 of Henry the Fifth; 23–4, 25–6, 31–2, 35–6 of
Henry the Sixth; 1–2, 5–6, 13–14 of Edward the Fourth; 1–2 and 2–3
of Richard the Third; 1–2, 7–8, 9–10, 20–1 of Henry the Seventh;
2–3, 6–7, 11–12, 15–16 of Henry the Eighth, with fragmentary Rolls
of 18–19, 19–20, 20–1, 22–3, 27–8, 31–2, 35–6 of the same reign;
2–3, 3–4, 4–5, 5–6 of Edward the Sixth, and 6 Edw. VI.—Mary; and
1 & 2–2 & 3, 2 & 3–3 & 4, 3 & 4–4 & 5 and 4 & 5 Philip and Mary.
(9.) 8 & 23 Edward III.—Husting Court Rolls (fragmentary) of the
8th and 23rd years of Edward the Third.
(10.) 47 Edward III. to 24 Henry VII.—Trinity Gild Rolls; viz.,
rolls of the yearly accounts of the scabins of the Gild Merchant of
the Holy Trinity of Lenn, of the years 47–8 of Edward the Third;
8–9, 10–11, 13–14, of Richard the Second; 7–8 of Henry the Fourth;
4–5, 9–10 of Henry the Fifth, and 10 Henry V.—1 Henry VI; 3–4,
16–17, 17–18, 19–20, and 22–3 of Henry the Sixth; 3–4, 7–8, 8–9, 14–15,
17–18, 18–19 of Edward the Fourth; 1 Edward the Fifth; and 8–9,
18–19 and 23, of Henry the Seventh. Made up from the Feast of the Holy
Trinity of one year to the same Feast in the next following year, these
accounts show that the Gild derived a considerable yearly revenue from
the sale of mill-stones, grave-stones, paving-stones and marble, in which
commodity it seems to have had a monopoly, and a still more important
source of income from fees for admissions,—women being admitted to the
spiritual benefits of the gild for the same heavy payment, by which men
became participators in all the benefits of the association. What is here
said of the terms and conditions, under which women were admitted
to the Gild should not escape the reader's attention, nor be allowed to
pass from his mind, as it differs materially from what was written on
the same subject by the late Mr. Harrod, F.S.A., some of whose translated extracts from these records represent that women entered the Gild,
in order to share in the special benefits of the society. For instance,
according to Mr. Harrod (vide his published "Report on the Deeds
and Records of the Borough of King's Lynn," 1874), Margaret Kyrketon
in the 10th year of Henry the Fifth paid a hundred shillings "for
admission to special benefits of the Guild after her death," the Latin
word there rendered "special" being a contracted form of "spiritualibus."
— Also, to be mentioned with these Rolls of Accounts, (a.) The
Series of Congregation Rolls, viz., rolls of records of acts and proceedings at the assemblies of the Alderman and brethren of the Trinity
Gild (8 Ric. II. to 12 Henry VI.), and (b) a Terrier, made in 4 Edw. IV.
of the Lands and Tenements of the Gild of the Holy Trinity of Bishop's
Lenn, lying in South Lenn.
(11.) 8–22 Richard II.—Enrolments of Wills (Testaments and Last
Wills).
(12.) 9 Richard II. to 10 Henry V.—Assembly or Congregation Rolls
(otherwise styled Guild Hall Rolls) of the following years, (a) 9–10
Richard II.; (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Henry IV.; (c) 13 Henry IV.–1 Henry
V.; and (d) 6–7, 8–9 and 9–10 Henry V. It should be observed that
three of these four rolls pertain to the period, beginning in 19 Richard II.,
when the Congregation records of the Red Register cease, and closing
with 2 Henry VI., the opening year of the Assembly (or Congregation)
Book No. I.; during the larger part of which period, if not during the
whole of it, the Acts and Proceedings of Assemblies wore entered for
permanent record on the membranes of Hall Rolls, instead of the leaves
of Hall Registers.
(13.) 11 Richard II. to 39 Henry VI.—Corpus Christi Gild Rolls;
viz., Rolls of the yearly accounts of the successive treasurers of the
Corpus Christi Gild, of the following years 11–12, 15–16, of Richard
the Second; 1–2, 2–3, 3–4, 4–5, 5–6, 6–7, 8–9, 10–11, 11–12 of Henry
the Fourth, and 13 Hen. IV., 1 Hen. V.; and 3–4, 5–6, 6–7, 7–8, 8–9,
9–10, 10–11, 12–13, 16–17, 17–18, 18–19, 19–20, 20–1, 22–3, 24–5,
25–6, 29–30, 31–2, 37–8, 38–9 Henry VI.
(14.) 15 Richard II.—Rental of the rents pertaining to the community of the town of Bishop's Lenn.
(15.) 17 September, 4 Henry VI.—Rental of all the rents, tenements
and lands of the community of Lenn, renewed on the seventeenth day
of September of 4 Henry VI. and 1425 A.D., John Parmonter being
then the Mayor of Lenn.
(16.) 4–5 Henry VI.—Rental of all the rents, tenements and lands
of the community of Lenne.
(17.) Philip and Mary.—Tolbooth Roll (paper) headed, Thys Booke
Gatheryd in the year of Raaff Downs Mayor anno 1557 by me Henry
Hylle.
(18.) Elizabeth.—Four Petty Tolls' Rolls (paper), of moneys taken
by way of the same tolls.
(19.) 13 Elizabeth to 1751 A.D.—Nine Rolls of enrolments of deeds,
of the following terms of years, 13 Eliz. to 1 James 1, 1640–48, 1654–62,
1671–91, 1689–1702, 1702–8, 1710–11, 1717–29, 1730–33, 1733–35,
and 1735–40. Together with a Book of enrolments of deeds of 1740
–51, A.D.
(20.) 22–3 Elizabeth.—Roll of the Common Staith Quay Tolls and
Rents; headed, "Thaccompt of Michaell Revitt for the Profettes rising
of the Comen Stath Yarde . . . the warehouses thereto belonginge
within the same, from the yeldinge up of his accompte made the xixth
of February in the xxii yere of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lady
Quene Elizabeth until the first daie of the moneth of March in the xxiii
yere of her said Majesties reigne, made and yelded up att the Hall
holden the Tenth daie of the said month of March in the second yere
of Mr. Franncis Shaxton his mayoralty, as followeth."
(21.) 1597 A.D.—Roll of the names of the Mayors of Lynn, from
John Cotshall mayor of the said town in 1352. With historical notes
and memoranda.
(22.) 20 April, 1604. — Petty Tolls Roll, indented and headed,
"This Roll indented made the xxth daie of Aprill 1604, and in the yeres
of the raigue of our Sovereign Lord James &c. . . . . of all such
tolls commonly called pettie . . . ., belonging to the Maior and
burgesses of the said towne of Lenne as they have appointed Clement
Pilgram one of their watter-bailiffes of the said Town to collect gather
take and receive for upon or in respect of any such goodes wares or
merchandizes as shalbe conveied or carried either by water or by land
from or out of the said towne or the liberties thereof, apperteyninge or
belonginge to any foriner or stranger, or any person or persons not
being fre of any citie burgh or towne priviledged from payinge of
tolls within the said towne of Lenne, as hereafter followeth."
(23)—February 1656.—Petty Tolls' Roll, headed. "A Roll of all
. . . . Tolls belonging to the Mayor and burgesses of the said
burrough, commonly called pettie tolls to be collected and gathered
for and in respect of all such goods wares and merchandizes as be
hereafter mencioned after the rates hereunder written and set downe,
and soe for any greater or lesser quantityes proportions or summes
which shalbe conveied or carried by water or by land to any place or
places out of the said burrough or the libertyes thereof (except into
parts beyond the sea), belonging to any forreigner or other person or
persons not being priviledged from paying of tolls within the said
borrough or the libertyes thereof, transcribed and copied out this
day of February in the yeare of our Lord 1656, as hereafter
followeth."