The corporation of Shrewsbury: Trained bands and musters

The Manuscripts of Shrewsbury and Coventry Corporations [Etc] Fourth Report, Appendix: Part X. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1899.

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'The corporation of Shrewsbury: Trained bands and musters', in The Manuscripts of Shrewsbury and Coventry Corporations [Etc] Fourth Report, Appendix: Part X, (London, 1899) pp. 41-42. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/hist-mss-comm/vol47/pt10/pp41-42 [accessed 17 March 2024]

VI.—Trained Bands and Musters.

One box is filled with parcels of papers mostly from the time of Q. Eliz. to that of Q. Anne, containing lists of men able to bear arms, returns of weapons and armour, accounts for the billeting of soldiers and for the relief of the maimed, and the like. (fn. 1) The following notices may suffice to show the special features of the contents:—

circa 1370–80.—Two paper leaves contain lists of the "homines armati" and the "sagittarii" (in numbers 13 and 124), in two divisions of the town, "a Fratribus Predicatoribus usque ad Fratres Minores," and "a Fratribus Minoribus usque ad portam Wallie," each under four constables.

1545.—List of 24 able men, sufficiently horsed and harnessed, prepared in obedience to an order from the Earl of Shrewsbury to go to serve the King in the north parts. 21 Apr. 1545.

1562, July-Aug.—Copies of orders from the Queen and Council for the levying of 500 soldiers in the county and 300 in the town for an expedition to Normandy to prevent seizure by the French of the town of Newhaven.

1580.—Returns by the wardens of the various trade-companies of all their members, and of the journeymen and servants employed by them above the age of 16, with the weapons possessed by them.—Printed in Trans. of Shropsh. Archœol. Soc., 2nd S., I., 257–281.

1583, 2 Sept. Beawdley.—Commission and instructions from the Council of the Marches for a muster of lances and light horsemen.

1583, 13 Oct.—Letter from Sir H. Sydney, requiring further particulars in the return to the above commission.

1583, 21 Oct. Salop.—Letter of summons, signed by eight commissioners, to Thomas Ponsbury, esq., to appear on 24 Oct. to receive directions for the furniture of a light horseman. And other papers connected with this muster.

1588, June.—Copies of letters from the Privy Council and the Lord Lieutenant of Salop relative to the preparations to be made in consequence of the setting sail of the Spanish fleet.

1589, March.—Lists of men prepared for service; returns from the several trade-companies of their able-bodied men, accounts of armour, &c.

1616.—Two letters from Sir Francis Newport and Richard (?) Corbett to the bailiffs, the one dated at Eyton, 7 Sept., ordering six able men to appear on the 13th, from whom two are to be chosen for service in Ireland, and the other dated 21 Oct. ordering a general muster on 19 Nov.

1624, 8 Sept. Ludlow Castle—Letter to the bailiffs from W. [Earl of] Northampton, commending their desire to have an artillery yard erected in Shrewsbury, license for which he will endeavour to obtain from the King.

c. 1643.—Lists of all the persons in the trained bands, divided into "squadrants."

1644.—A parcel of receipts for provisions supplied to the garrison, consisting chiefly of cheese.

Footnotes

  • 1. Several papers in this collection have been printed by Mr. W. Phillips in Vols. I. and III. of the second series of the Transactions of the Shropshire Archæological Society.