Returns Made by Justices of Peace: January-June 1638

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1637-8. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1869.

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'Returns Made by Justices of Peace: January-June 1638', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1637-8, (London, 1869) pp. 542-549. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/domestic/chas1/1637-8/pp542-549 [accessed 19 April 2024]

RETURNS MADE BY JUSTICES OF PEACE, From 1st January 1637–8 to 30th June 1638;

Most of them relating to Measures for Relief of the Poor, taken in pursuance of the King's Book of Orders and the Instructions of the Council.

Date. For what Place. Nature of Document. Reference to Document.
1637–8.
Jan. 25. Wapentakes of Skyrack and Barkston [Ash] in the west riding of co. York. Return by Justices of Peace of all children put forth during the year 1637. Vol. ccclxxix., No. 89. 4 pp.
Feb. 13. Oldham, co. Lancaster. Certificate of presentments taken monthly before the Justices of Peace, from 26th September 1637 to this day, principally relating to the maintenance of the poor and other matters provided for in the Book of Orders. Vol. ccclxxxii., No. 9. 2 strips of parchment = 4 pp.
Feb. 13. Liberties of Cartmell and Furness, co. Lancaster. Certificate of all the presentments made to the Justices of Peace since the last assizes, 1637. Vol. ccclxxxii., No. 10. Paper roll = 9 pp.
Feb. 15. Three hundreds of Cottesloe, Bucks. Similar certificate of presentments made this day. Ibid., No. 18. 1 p.
Feb. 16. Hundreds of Copthorne and Effingham, Surrey. Similar certificate of presentments received since 15th July last. Ibid., No. 28. 1 p.
Feb. 18. Upper division of the lathe of Scray, Kent. Certificate of Justices of Peace of children apprenticed, fines levied, and rogues punished, since the last assizes. Ibid., No. 46. 2 pp.
Feb. 19. Hundreds of Black-heath, Bromley and Beckenham, Little and Lesness and Ruxley, Kent. Similar certificate, referring to all the above particulars. Ibid., No. 52. 1 p.
Feb. 21. Lathe of Shepway, Kent. Similar certificate, but only of apprentices placed since the last assizes. Ibid., No. 69. 1 p.
Feb. 21. Lathe of Aylesford, Kent. Similar certificate of apprentices placed and rogues punished. Ibid., No. 70. 2½ pp.
Feb. 21. Rape of Chichester, Sussex. Certificate of Justices of Peace of attention to the points directed by the Book of Orders, with the number of children apprenticed. Ibid., No. 71. 1 p.
Feb. 23. Division of Bolton, co. Lancaster. The like certificate of present-ments made at the meetings of the Justices of Peace from the 28th August 1637. Ibid., No. 81. 31/6 pp.
Feb. 24. The downish part of the rape of Bramber, Sussex. The like certificate of performance of the requirements of the Book of Orders. Vol. ccclxxxiii., No. 12. 1 p.
Feb. 24. Hundred of Manshead, co. Bedford. The like certificate of vagrants punished since last assizes. States the number in every parish; total, 156. Ibid., No. 13. 1 p.
Feb. 24. Rape of Arundel. The like certificate of attention to the Book of Orders, with lists of apprentices bound and rogues punished. Ibid., No. 14. 1½ p.
Feb. 27. Part of the wildish division of the rape of Bramber. The like certificate, with names of apprentices and masters, and numbers of rogues punished. Ibid., No. 25. ¾ p.
Feb. 28. Hundreds of Elmbridge and Kingston, Surrey. The like certificate, with numbers of apprentices put out, vagrants punished, and alehouses put down since the last assizes Ibid., No. 31. 1 p.
Feb. Bury division, within the hundred of Salford, co. Lancaster. Justices of Peace to Sir George Vernon and Sir Robert Berkeley, Judges of Assize. Certificate of proceedings upon the statutes for the poor, rogues, wanderers, &c. since the last assizes. Vol. ccclxxxiii., No. 55. 2 pp.
Feb. Hundred of Amounderness, co. Lancaster. Return of presentments made to the Justices of Peace in sessions at Poulton at their meetings from 17th January 1636–7 to the 19th day of February 1637–8. Ibid., No. 56. 21 pp.
Feb. (fn. 1) Hundred of Broadwater, co. Hertford. Similar return of presentments at monthly meetings. Ibid., No. 57. 2½ pp.
March 1. Hundreds of South Erpingham and Eynesford, Norfolk. Certificate of Justices of Peace of general conformity to the several points of the Book of Orders. Vol. ccclxxxv., No. 6. ½ p.
March 1. Borough of St. Albans. Certificate of Ralph Pollard, mayor, and two Justices of Peace, of apprentices bound and rogues punished, and other acts done in conformity with the Book of Orders. Ibid., No. 7. 1 p.
March 1. Part of the hundred of Cashio, within the liberty of St. Albans. The like of Justices of Peace. Ibid., No. 8. 1 p.
March 2. Hundred of Blackburn, co. Lancaster. Justices of Peace to Sir George Vernon and Sir Robert Berkeley, Justices of Assize. Similar certificate. Ibid., No. 13. 1 p.
March 2. The same. Certificate of the same, of presentments made at their meetings since the Summer assizes, 1637. [Unsigned, perhaps superseded by the preceding.] Ibid., No. 14. 11/6 p.
March 2. Another division of the same county, the meetings being held at Rochdale. Justices of Peace to Sir George Vernon and Sir Richard Berkeley. Particular certificate of presentments of various kinds made to them from the 5th September 1637 to this day. Ibid., No. 15. 3¾ pp.
March 5. Hundreds of South Greenhoe, Wayland, and Grimshoe, Norfolk. Justices of Peace to Judges of Assize. Certificate of general conformity to the several points in the Book of Orders. Ibid., No. 27. 1 p.
March 8. Hundreds of Loes, Wilford, Thredling, and Plomesgate, in the liberty of St. Etheldred, Suffolk. Justices of Peace to the sheriff. Similar certificate. Ibid., No. 42. ¾ p.
March 8. Hundred of Hitchin, co. Hertford. Justices of Peace to the Judges of Assize. More particular certificate of the same kind as the preceding, with a special clause as to the necessities of the labouring men by reason of the dearth of corn and want of work. In Hitchin there were 180 poor families, many of whom having pawned and sold their goods, not only broke hedges and spoiled woods, but stole sheep in the night, and garbaged them in the fields and lived upon the flesh. . . . . And when they have work the wages are so small that they hardly suffice to buy them and their families bread, for they pay 6s. per bushel for "myscelyn" grain, and receive but 8d. for their day's work. Pray direction and assistance. Vol. ccclxxxv., No. 43. = 2 pp.
March 9. Hundreds of Edwinstree and Odsey, co. Hertford. The like to the Council. Certificate of apprentices bound, with their names and those of their masters; punishment of vagrants, and penalties inflicted since the last assizes. Ibid., No. 55. 1 p.
March 9. Hundreds of Hertford and Braughing, co. Hertford. Certificate of Justices of Peace, delivered at the general gaol delivery at Hertford to Sir Thomas Coningsby, sheriff. Certify names of apprentices bound and general conformity to the Book of Orders. Ibid., No. 56. 1 p.
March 14. Hundreds of Crediton, West Budleigh, and West Wonford, co. Devon. Similar certificate of apprentices bound forth and to whom, and what offences had been punished since the last gaol delivery. Ibid., No. 77. = 1½ p.
March 28. Various parishes in the wapentakes of Agbrigg and Morley, in the west riding, co. York. Similar certificate of the names of 118 children apprenticed, with the names of their masters. Vol. ccclxxxvi., No. 61. 3½ pp.
[March ?] Various other parishes in the wapentakes of Agbrigg and Morley. Similar certificate, with the names of 56 children apprenticed and those of their masters. Ibid., No. 107. 3 pp.
[March ?] Hundred of Normancross, co. Huntingdon. Justices of Peace to the Judges of Assize. Certificate of general conformity to the Book of Orders, since the Lent assizes 1637; 50 vagrants punished and 30 poor children apprenticed. They had also given order that no person from London or other infected places should remain in their towns without a certificate that such person had not been visited, and that no common feasts, wakes, whitsonales, stage plays, bear baitings, nor other meeting should be suffered. Ibid., No. 108. 1 p.
March. Sussex. Abstract of certificates of Justices of Peace for this county, delivered at the Lent assizes. Vol. ccclxxxvi., No. 109. ¾ p.
March. Surrey. The like. Ibid., No. 110. ⅓ p.
March. Kent. The like. Ibid., No. 111. 1 p.
March. Hundreds of Reigate and Tandridge, Surrey. Justices of Peace to Sir Francis Crawley and Sir Richard Weston, Judges of Assize. Return, in tabular form, of number of apprentices bound out and of rogues punished since the last assizes. Ibid., No. 112. 1 p.
March. Division of hundred of West Derby, co. Lancaster. Certificate of Justices of Peace of such alehouses as have been suppressed since the last assizes. Ibid., No. 113. 2 pp.
April 3. Hundreds of Forehoe, Humbleyard, and Mitford, Norfolk. Justices of Peace to the Council. Certify general conformity to the Book of Orders. Vol. ccclxxxvii., No. 18. ¾ p.
April 18. Ward of Kendal, Westmoreland. The like to the same. Report their compliance with the directions of the Book of Orders, as appears by particular notes from the churchwardens and overseers. Annexed, Vol. ccclxxxviii., No. 7. 1¼ p.
Return for Barbon. i. ¼ p.
" Beetham. ii. 1. 2. 3. = 2 pp.
" Burton in Kendal. iii., 1. 2. = 2 pp.
" Casterton. iv. 1. 2. = ¾ p.
" Crook. v. 1. 2. = 1¼ p.
" Crosthwaite. vi. 1. 2. = 1¼ p.
" Firbank. vii. = ½ p.
" Grayrigg. viii. 1 p.
" Grestmere [Grasmere], including part of ix. 1. 2. 4 pp.
Ambleside, ix. 3. 4. = 1 p.
Langdale, ix. 5. = 2/3 p.
Rydall. ix. 6. = 1 p.
Return for Helsington. x. 1. 2. 3. =1 p.
" Heversham. xi. = 1 p.
" Holme. xii. 1. 2. = 1 p.
" Hutton, New. xiii. 1. 2. =1 p.
" Hutton, Old. xiv. 1. 2. = 1¼ p.
" Hutton, Roof. xv. 1. 2. = 1½ p.
" Kentmere. xvi. 1. 2. = 1 p.
" Killington. xvii. 11/6 p.
" Killington Firbank. xviii. 1. 2. 1¾ p.
" Kirby Kendal. xix. 1. 2. 3. 4. =4½ p.
" Lambrigg. xx. 2 lines.
" Langdon. xxi. ¼ p.
" Levens. xxii. =1/6 p.
" Long Sleddale. xxiii. 1. 2. =1¼ p.
" Lupton. xxiv. 1. 2. =1½ p.
" Mansergh. xxv. = ¼ p.
" Middleton. xxvi. = ¼ p.
" Natland. xxvii. 1. 2. 3. = 1 p.
" Nether Graveships. xxviii. ¼ p.
" Preston Patrick. xxix. 1. 2. ½ p.
" Preston Richard. xxx. =1/6 p.
" Sigswick [Sedgwick?] xxxi. = ¼ p.
" Skelsmergh. xxxii. = 1 p.
" Skelsmergh and Patton. xxxiii. = ½ p.
" Stainton. xxxiv. =¼ p.
" Staveley (the three hamlets). xxxv. 1. 2. 3. 4. =3½ pp.
" Strickland Kettle and Strickland Roger. xxxvi. 1. 2. =1¾ p.
" Underbarrow. xxxvii. 5 lines.
" Whitwell and Selside. xxxviii. 1. 2. 3. =2 pp.
" Witherslack. xxxix. 1. 2. = ¾ p.
Returns for Windermere, including part of Ambleside, xl. 1. 4 pp.
and also Applethwaite, xl. 2. 3. 4. = 2½ pp.
Undermilbeck, xl. 5. 6. 7. =2½ pp.
and Troutbeck. xl. 8. 9. =¾ p.
Various returns, in which it is not stated to what places they apply. xli. 1–9. =4 pp.
May 21. Hundred of Cottesloe, Bucks. Justices of Peace to Lord Chief Justice Bramston. Return of apprentices bound in the several parishes within that hundred. Vol. cccxc., No. 131. Parchment roll.
June 18. Norwich. Robert Sumpter, mayor, and Thomas Cory, alderman, to Lord Chief Justice Bramston, and Sir George Croke, Judges of Assize. Return of pecuniary fines levied during the last year in cases in which the penalties are to be employed for the use of the poor. Total, 16l. 11s. 4d. Vol. cccxciii., No. 18. = 2 pp.
June 23.
Chichester.		 Chichester rape, Sussex. General certificate of Justices of Peace of proceedings for the last six months, as required by the Book of Orders. Ibid., No. 47. 1 p.
June 25. Hundreds of Chafford, Barstable, and the half-hundred of Becontree, Essex. Justices of Peace to the Judges of Assize. Return of numbers of children apprenticed, vagrants punished, and other things directed by the Book of Orders, since the last assizes. Ibid., No. 55. ¾ p.
June 26. Hundred of Ongar and half-hundreds of Harlow and Waltham, Essex. The like to the same. Return of number of children apprenticed and of rogues punished and passed. Ibid., No. 60. 2/3 p.
June 27. Hundreds of Milton, Teynham, Boughton, Faversham, and Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Certificate of Justices of Peace of poor children bound apprentices and rogues punished since last assizes. Ibid., No. 64. 2 pp.
June 27.
Foots Cray.		 Hundreds of Blackheath, Ruxley, Little and Lesness, Bromley and Beckenham, Kent. The like certificate of presentments made at their meetings. Ibid., No. 65.
June 29. Hundred of Axton and Ville of Dartford, part of the lathe of Sutton at Hone. The like certificate. Ibid., No. 76. 2½ pp.
June 30. Hundred of Oxney, in the lathe of Shepway, Kent. Certificate of Justices of Peace of apprentices put forth and unlicensed alehouse keepers punished. Ibid., No. 84. 1 p.
June 30. Rape of Hastings, Sussex. Certificate of Justices of Peace of apprentices put forth and rogues punished. Vol. cccxciii., No. 85. 2½ pp.
June. Hundred of Tendring, Essex. Certificate by Sir Harbottle Grimstone of the numbers of apprentices bound, vagrants punished, and alehouses suppressed since Michaelmas 1637. Ibid., No. 97. 1 p.
June. The hundreds mentioned in the last three certificates. Abstract of the last three certificates. Ibid., No. 98. 2/3 p.
[June ?] A division in the lathe of St. Augustine's, Kent. Certificate of Justices of Peace of apprentices put forth, rogues punished, alehouses put down, and unlicensed keepers punished, from 1st Jan. 1637–8. Ibid., No. 99. 2 pp.

Footnotes

  • 1. Really dated "29th February," but the "29" was originally written "19;" it was probably intended to be altered to "20," the "1" was altered to "2," but the "9" was forgotten to be corrected.
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