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the old law of apprenticeship was modified in favour of the clothiers, and other favours granted to them; yet King Edward (3 & 4 Edw. VI. c. 2, 5 & 6 Edw. VI. c. 6,) emphatically declares their slight and subtle making" to be the cause of "great infamies and scandals;" and in the latter statute gives some details on the subject which appear sufficiently curious to be extracted :

"Clothiers, some for lack of knowledge and experience, and some of extreme covetousness, do daily more and more study rather to make many than to make good cloths, having more respect to their private commodity and gain than the advancement of truth and continuance of the commodity in estimation according to the worthiness thereof, have and do daily instead of truth practise falsehood, and instead of substantial making of cloth, do practise slight and slender making, some by mingling of yarns of divers spinnings in one cloth, some by mingling fell wool and lamb's wool, or either of them, with fleece wool, some by putting too little stuff, some by taking them out of the mill before they be full thicked, some by overstretching them on the tenter, and then stopping with flocks such breaks as shall be made by means thereof, finally, by using so many subtle slights and untruths, as when the cloths so made be put in the water to try them, they rise out of the same neither in length nor breadth as they ought to do, and in some place narrower than some, beside such cockling, banding, and divers other great and notable faults as almost cannot be thought to be true; and yet, nevertheless, neither fearing the law in that case provided, nor regarding the estimation of their country, do not only procure the alnager to set the king's seal to such false, untrue, and faulty cloth, but do themselves weave into the same the likeness and similitude of the king his highness' most noble and imperial crown, and also the first letter of his names, which should be testimony of truth, and not a defence of untruth, to great slander of the king our sovereign lord and the shame of this land, and to the utter destruction of so great and notable commodity as the like is not in any foreign nation."

It would be useless to recite the penalties and forfeitures provided for these misdeeds, as we see from the last statute relating to the cloth manufacture (21 Jac. I. c. 18) that all was useless. We will therefore conclude with the preamble of this statute, the censure of which is still but too applicable :

"Whereas of late years divers subtle and naughty means and devices have been invented and practised for the pressing of woollen cloth of all sorts, by heating of thick boards or planks, and laying the same under and above the cloth in the cold press, and also by putting of thin or seeling boards and pasteboards being made very hot into the cuttles or plates of cloth, and then presently putting the same into a cold press, and by divers other cunning sleights and inventions, by what deceitful practices and devices, the chapmen or buyers of woollen cloth of this kingdom are deceived and greatly wronged, and the woollen cloth of this kingdom itself is disgraced, and held and reputed very deceitful, to the great prejudice and scandal of the cloth of this kingdom."

This they were directed to do by the first-mentioned statute, but "the letter E, crowned with his highness' imperial crown," meant to be a guarantee of quality, seems to have been as worthless as similar marks, "extra superfine," &c., at the present day.

CORRESPONDENCE OF SYLVANUS URBAN.

WORCESTERSHIRE MSS. AT HAGLEY.

No. VII.-HABINGTON MS.

THIS is the most interesting of the series. Mr. Habington, of Hindlip, it may be remembered, was concerned in the Gunpowder Plot, and condemned to lose his head; but having great interest at court, his life was spared, on condition that he should be confined to the area of the county of Worcester for the rest of his life. Accordingly, he spent the remainder of his days in collecting historical and antiquarian information from almost every parish of the county. His papers subsequently came into the hands of Dr. Thomas, of Worcester, (obit. 1738,) who made additions to them; and then into the possession of Dr. Charles Lyttelton, Bishop of Carlisle, and President of the Society of Antiquaries, who also made additions to them from the old Chapterhouse, Westminster, the Tower Records, and those of other public offices. He died in 1768, and left his collections to the Society of Antiquaries, where they remained till 1774, when they were entrusted to Dr. Nash, who, from these and other materials, produced his two splendid folios of "Worcestershire." I was puzzled to know, therefore, how these manuscripts found their way back to Hagley library after having been presented to the Society of Antiquarles. În inquiry, however, I am informed that

"The Habington MS., now in the possession of the Society, is a transcript made by Dr. Hopkins, Canon of Worcester, (temp. Queen Anne,) with additions by Dr. Thomas, Rector of St. Nicholas, Worcester, (temp. George II.,) and that it is comprised in four vols. folio."

It would, therefore, appear that the volume at Hagley was the original rough draft, from which the Society's transcript was taken; and this appears the more probable from the fact that in the Hagley book there are scattered here and there written directions what to copy and what to omit. The distance at which the lines should be written apart is even prescribed, and the following is one of the instructions put down for the transcriber, who was apparently some young person, and perhaps a novice in the work:

"Studdy to write true English, and

where you distrust leave a blank or ask master. When you begin a word write it with v. vowell, not with this u. Observe carefully the a and d, weh, is thus written, à d, and mistake not; and if y word cannot bee comprehended in a lyne, as char-ters, give it such a poynt (hyphen). Write but a litle in a day, and bee sure to write true and what's agreable to sense."

There are duplicates of some of the parochial accounts, and the parishes from M to R are omitted. The book requires an index, and its pages to be numbered. I have compared its contents with Nash's "Worcestershire," and find much that is copied into that work verbatim, and other portions condensed or elaborated. It is therefore evident that this MS. supplied the largest portion of Nash's materials. I have made notes of those parts which were rejected by Nash, and here append a few of them, under the heads of the respective towns to which they belong :

EMLODE (EVENLODE).

"And heere meethinckethe I see our shyre as mounted on a Pegasus flyinge over the neyghboringe countyes and as hee lately crossed Staffordshyre, Warwickshyre, and Gloucestershyre, so nowe coastinge to the confynes of Oxfordshyre hee touchethe that memorable stone devydinge fowre countyes, wheare Edmund Ironsyde, that Englishe Hercules, overthrewe Canutus, the puissant and worthy Kinge of Denmarke; and thence he caryethe the authority of our county about and over Coteswould, neaver strykinge the earthe but wheare hee produceth a springe, wch beyond that of Helicon flowed wth abundance of charity to heavens eternity, as at Emlode, wch the Bishop of Worcester dyd before the Conquest of England bestowe on the Prior and his mounckes of Worcester, but Emlode church wanteth nobility of armes, her glory was in heaven.”

ECKINGTON.

"And heere raysed on Breedon hyll standethe Wollashull, wch attended once the Abbot of Westminster as his cheyfe lord, a place exposed to the vewe of the cou'try and for pleasure affourdinge a

to

rare prospect, and we not geather yeeldinge wthall a profytable soyle, for the watry drylles fallinge downe from above towardes Avon make fertyle the syde of the hyll. Wolvershulla, aunciently so wrytten (weare it eyther of abondance of wolfes wch before and synce the Conquest have ravened in this iland, and I think especially heere aboutes because dyvers places trenche on the name of wolfe, or weare it for other reasons) was as far as I can yet fynd the seate fyrst of Richard Muchgros, who in the raygne of Kinge Henry the third and I gather 33 Hen. fitz Johis Reg., beinge styled de Wolvershull, was before other men of estimation a wytnes to a deede made by William de Beauchamp de Elmnley to the Priory of Worcester. Muchgros, as I take itt, beeinge in Longdon eyther gave the name to the family of Muchgros, or thence receaved the same. (In a note :) Henry the first granted by his charter to Walter de Beauchamp that hee might chase wolfes in Worcestershyre. (See Rymer's Federa.")

HARVINGTON.

"Vppon the deathe of that reverend, lovinge, zelous, and powerfull preacher of the wourd of God, Mr. Thomas Feryman, the calder prebendary of the cathedrall church of Worcester and parson of this church,

"Whose asse, whose oxe, whose state have I desyrde,

What fyne scrude up or ought was hys requyred, Naye, when in what did I my scalfe professe, A not frind to the wydowe, fatherles?

Tis true heavens st thy want in tears we mone, And wish of tenne we suche might nowe fynd one;

Our tymes cut short and devydes the threescore tenne,

In one and twentie endes the lyfe of men.
Thou peacefull was, most fatherlyke and kind,
Our borders children scalfes yet beare in mynd;
Sleepe then in Christ, enioye thy goale thats
won,

Weele praie the rest maie doc as thou hast don;
And learne of thee so to receave at last,
Such bliss, such glory, as in heaven thou hast."

LINDRIDGE.

"You see Lyndrige wth her ample lyberties extending to the judgment of lyfe and deathe, and mencioninge amonge others the tryall by water and fyre, wch is to determyne by the sinckinge or swiminge of the accused, beeinge bound crosse handes to feete in the water, wheather hee weare guyltie or not, as allsoe to prove hys innocency in the cryme layde to hys charge by induringe a burninge iron for a space in hys bare palme, but thease are longe synce abolyshed by religion and reason her handmayd, lyke that decydinge of matters by GENT. MAG. VOL. XLVII.

combate, we except in some very rare causes is wth a most sharpe censure excluded out of the Churche."

BEWDLEY.

"Bewdley hath a fayre brydge of stone emulating Worcester's brydge, with a gatehouse as Worcester's brydge, but thys of tymber, that towringe with stone. This brydge interleygnethe Severne fyrst into our Shyre, the beutifull ornament and prodigall benefactor of our county, who supplyethe to Bewdley with abundance of coale, the want of fewell web it had otherwise sustayned by the utter overthrowe of a bosome frynde and nerest neyghbour, the late renowned forest of once flourishinge Wyre, for theare Bewdley bounded the north-west lymit of Worcestershyre, and now is onely leafte Tickenhill Pearcke, wch with her tall spreadinge oakes hath some resemblance of her ancient mother Wyre, inclosing that delightfull house mounted over Bewdley, wch Kinge Henry the seaventh built for his sonne, that hopefull Prynce Arthur, and nowe a mansion for his maties consell of the marches of Wales, althoughe of late seeldome frequented."

COTESTOWN (CUTSDEAN).

"Worcestershire having seysed Catestown for hys owne, flyethe downe thease hylles, not touchinge the ground tyll hee comethe to Tedington, Aulston, and Washborne, whom hee imbracethe as hys chyldren; and though devyded by Gloucestershire, yet perswadeth them to paye theyre tythe to theyr own Ouerbury, and causeth Washborne to attend the court of the lord of Breedon, being bothe in Worcestershyre, and thence turninge home with thease riche augmentations hee offered at the feete of his lord and kynge the towne of Dudley, wth the mannors of Dalesford and Tidmanton, to bee healde of his matis in capite. To the Bishop hys spirituall lord hee tendered the ample parishes of Tredington and Blockley. To hys consellors, the Prior and Monckes of Worcester, Shipston-uppon-Stowre, Emlode, and Icombe, with Tedington, Aulstone, and Wasborn, the dependant of Ouerbury. To the abbot of Peareshore, the mannor of Aldermaster. To the

of Breedon, Coleston, and Washborn's Constabelwyke. And gyvinge awaie all, hee reservethe to hymscalfe the glory of all."

TENBURY.

"In the northe wall of the chancell, under an anciente arche, is a remarkable monument, raysed from the ground, whereuppon lyethe a portraiture, not exceedinge

K

the stature of a chyld in the tender age of his springe youthe, armed all in mayle, and over that hys coate fashioned lyke one of the holy voyage, betweene hys lyttell handes lyfted upon hys breast the hert of a man above the proportion of hys body, hys legs crossed, and at hys feete a Talbot. Coniecturinge who thys should bee, I cannot but thinck hee was some noble spirite, eyther of the rase of the Lords of thys towne, or the other worthy Peeres whose ensignes of honor are in thys churche, wch out of hys abundant devotyon to Allmighty God and hys couragious hert surmountinge his yeeres, had desygned to spend hys lyfe in fightinge against the enemyes of the Christian faythe, but prevented by deathe, lyethe here buryed; or otherwise some renowned child who dvd an acte above hys age against the infidells. For had hee byn a knyght contracted in thys module, hee shoulde have byn gyrded wth a suorde weh gyveth hym hys

order."

BESFORD.

The hyperbolical language of epitaphs, it seems, had aroused the anger of Mr. Habington, for he says under this head:

"I wyll heer omitt the epitaphes wch some ordinary poet, more pleasinge hymsealfe then delyghtinge the reader, hath to satisfye some indulgent parents weepinge over the funeralls of theyre chyldren, sett out in so many lynes as wyll fryght the behoulder to peruse them."

THE LOST PARISH OF NAFFORD. The present parish church of Birling ham was formerly only a chapel to Nafford, the site of which church is entirely unknown and lost to living memory. Tradition points out a rising ground near an extensive mill at Nafford, on which it is said the church stood, but the keenest eye cannot discover any traces, and there is now but one house in the vicinity. Mr. Habington comments as follows:

"On the aspyring heygth of Bredon hyll stood Nafford's church, where St Katherin was in former ages honored, resemblinge the montayne Sina, wheather her body was after her martyrdoom by angells miraculously translated. But Nafford lyethe nowe interred without monument, leavinge us to hope that theyre soules who have heretofore in thys ruinated churche searved God, have followed St Katherin in the montayne of heaven."

as thys, alienated from the Bishopricke. But let mee now suppose our Hambury in the purity of the originall, that I may better discover the antiquityes theareof. It is seated in the hundred of Oswaldestowe, East on Feckenham and Bradeley, West on Hadzor, Northe on Stoke Prior and Wichband, Southe on Hymbleton. And althoughe our county is graced wth so many pleasant prospectes, as scarce any shyre the lyke, in so muche as allmost eavery litteli hyll largely affourdethe the same, yet aspyringe Hambury obtaygninge the principality, overlookethe them all. A stately seate meete for a kinges pallace, and had it but the comodity of our Severne myght compare with that of Wyndesore. Neyther wanted theare for recreation of our kynges a fayre parke, wch thoughe in thys paryshe, is styled Feckenham parcke, sortinge in name with the kynges vast forrest reachinge in former ages far and wyde. A large walke for savage beastes, but nowe more comodyously changed to the civili habitations of many gentellmen, the freehouldes of wealthy yeomen, and dwellinges of industryous husbandmen. Gratus opus agricolis. But Hambueryes churche, weh, invironed wth highe and mighty trees, is able to terrifye afar off an ignorant enimy wth a deceytfull shape of an invincible castell, maye ryghtly bee called the lanthorne of our county. The Bishop of Worcester was heere lord and patron, but had not, as far I can yet see, charter warren, because beeinge in the myddest of the kynges forrest it might have byn prejudiciall to hys game."

DROITWICH.

"Wych, yf you onely consyder but the scituation theareof beeing in a lowe valley by an obscure brooke overtopped with hylles shrowdinge itt from pleasant prospects you would instantly neglect it, but when you see heere the most excellent fountaynes of salt in thys iland, and reade that salt, sygnifyinge wysdome, was used in the oulde sacrifyces to declare that zeale of devotion ought to bee tempered wth discretion, and that our Savyour called hys disciples the salt of the earthe, because they should wth theyre preachinge so season the soules of men as they might not fall to corruption; and to leave with reverence Dyvine mysteryes, that salt is not onely so necessary for the use of men as wee cannot lyve without itt, but allso as St. Gregory wrytethe, it hathe byn applyed for the cure of beastes, wee must needes have thys towne in highe estimation. Thease sprynges of salt havinge byn I think heere from the tyme of Noes flud,

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I am perswaded that when thys iland was fyrst inhabited wth men, they shortly after made heere a plantation; for althoughe in Cheshyre are salt wells at theyre wyches, and salt is allso made of the salt water of the sea, yet ours heere is the purest and fynest salt of all, neyther doe I wonder that a brooke of freshe water rysinge above Bromsegrove and descendinge thence wt wyndinge meanders should passe so neere the skyrtes of thease salt wells without offendinge them, for they have severall springes that naturally ryse out of a hyll, but thease miraculously granted by God in an inland country far distant from the seas; and as the bathe for a medecyne to our infyrmityes, so thease for seasoninge our sustenance, ascribinge to the hand of God that the freashe water very often overflowinge the sayd pitts, nevertheles the salt water retayneth the former strength, not suffring any mixture or detriment thereby. And wch. is more to be observed, that wheras ther is an infinite quantity of salt water for halfe the yere drawen out of the sayd pitts, yet when ther is an intermission of taking any more water thence for the other halfe yeer, the brine never overfloweth the pitt, but keepes a certaine residence therin."

Mr. Habington also alludes to the many great men who had inheritance in the Droitwich salt-pits, and had their names enrolled as burgesses. He therefore excepts to Leland's description of the bur gesses as poor men, and declares that "at thys instant they are of that generous disposition as they are ryghtly called the Gentellmen of Wych."

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The names of the owners of phates (vats) in Wich, 4 Edw. I., collected out of a roll called Rentate firmavioris compositionis in the tyme of Henry Rudinge and Thomas Walker, Baylifes of Wich:"

"The Barons de Beauchamps then by inheritance Shyreefes of thys shyre had phates in Wich.

"John Cassy had phates.

"John Rudinge had phates of hys owne, and phates allso of Elizabeth Gey and Willm. Gardyner.

"John Hethe had phates of hys owne and of John Rugge and Agnes Egge. "John Wick.

John Gey.

"John Wheller had of hys owne and of the Shyreefe, Richard Foliat, and Edward Crossewell.

"John Cotes had of hys owne and of John Wich, John Rugge, and Richard Rudinge.

"John Turning.

"John Walker had of hys owne and

Eleanor Defford, Willm. Bachetote, and Willm. Persirard.

"John Braze had of hys owne, the Shyreefes, John Le Walker, John Chyld, and Wyllm. Walshe.

"John Walle had of hys owne and of Thomas Wibbe, Willm. Walker, sen., and John Walker.

"John Leche had of hys owne and of Thomas Walker.

"Henry Rudinge had of hys owne and of the Earle of Warr. and Willm. Gardynor.

"Henry Crossewell had of hys owne and of Roger Sharpe, Richard Wythe, Wm. Banard, Alice Gay, Thomas Gay, the Shyreefe, and Matild. Lench.

"Thomas Walker had of hys owne and of the Earle of Warr., Thomas Froxmer, the heyres of Willm. Wyche, John Vnet, John Wythe, John Ragge, Vicarmone, St Richard, Jone Oweyn, Richard Asseler, John Lech, Margaret Wykerd, Willm. Banard.

"William Walker, senior.

"Thomas Home had of hys owne and of John Throckmorton, Willm. Banard, John Furninge.

"Thomas Edwards had of hys owne and of Roger Sharpe.

"Thomas Gay had of hys owne and of Richard Wych, senior, John Wych, Roger Sharp, John Burton, George Clynt, Margaret Marschell, Henry Crosswell.

"Richard Wych, senior, had of hys owne and of the Lord of Hampton, of Bowlnynch, John Furning, Thomas Gay, and Henry Crosswell.

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Richard Wych, junior, had of his owne and of John Elmbrugge, John Wyche, the Earle of Warwicke, Thomas Marshall.

"Richard Wynston had of hys owne and of Matild. Lench, Willm. Wynter, John Furninge, Willm. Botyller, and George Clynt.

"Willm. Banard had of hys owne and of the Shyreefe, Willm. Bachtote, Thomas Froxmer, Charles Nowell, Thomas Walker, Thomas Home, Agnes Gay, Henry Crosse

well.

"Willm. Walker, senior, had of hys owne and of Thomas Walker, and John Wall.

"Willm. Gardyner had of hys owne and of Thomas Froxmer, Henry Rudinge, John Rudinge, Henry Couper, and Jone Norwode.

"Willm. Walshe had of hys owne and of Margaret Walsh, Willm. Gardyner, Willm. Bondokes, Henry Rudinge, and John Walker.

"Willm. Gay had of hys owne and of Willm, Banard.

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