town, unless better accommodation were provided, took it down, and built the one now standing.

The pinnacles of St. Mary's Church Tower, seen in our illustration, were taken down about the year 1800, as being dangerous in high winds to the houses immediately adjoining, upon which one of them had recently fallen.

The following entries in the Chamberlains' books, refer to the Market House seen in our plate.

1653. Recd. of Francis Rawlyns for the burnt timber of the Market House 10s. Paid to 5 dutchmen for watching the fier 2s. 6d. For baskets and shoules to ridd the Market House. To Mr. Swindon for carrying the chest out of the Market House. Labourers for ridding the Market House.

1654. Md. There is owing by the Chamber of the money collected for losse by fier, 318li. 19s. 4d. wch was borrowed of Mr. Blissett, tresurer of that money, and is over and besides the 3001i. allowed1 towards the building of the Market House, and is to be repaid by the Chamber when it is called for by the.......... ...as to that money.-Also borrowed more of Mr. Blissett, towards the building of the Market House and Shambles, 549li. 11s. 5d.

1655. Received for the Town pewter and brass which was melted at the fier,

2li. 15s. Carriage of the Measures from Winchester. Casting the weights and carriage from London. A great deal of work done to the Market House. A case for the Sundial.

Md. That 400li. was borrowed of Mr. Roger Blagden, of Market Lavington, mercer, in Decr. 1655, for wch is secured 401i. pr. ann. during the lives of the said Mr. Lavington, (sic), & Elizth his now wife, by a Deed of Mortgage of the Market House & Toll, as by the abstract or survey of the Indenture to that purpose hereunder mentioned appeareth: and that 318li. 19s. 4d. parcel of the said 4001i. was disbursed towards the rebuilding of the said Market House after ye fier, which cost in all 618li. 19s. 4d., as appeareth by the account of Mr. Hunt, bound up in a roll & put in the Town chest: The other 300li. was allowed by the Committee appointed to manage the Collection for the loss by the said Fire: & the residue of the said 400li. so borrowed was disposed of towards the rebuilding of the Shambles.

Moreover there was given towards the rebuilding of the said Market House by the Lord Marques of Hertford, 100 tunn of timber, and by Sr John Danvers 20 tunn of Timber, every tunn worth 30s., in all 180li., besides the carriage paid for in Mr. Hunt's said account: and all the expenses of the two last years concerning the said Market House, upon the account of Mr. Barnes & Mr. Nathaniel Bayly, are over and above the said 618li. 19s. 4d. & timber.

The Mayor & Burgesses by Indenture, dated the 20th of Decemr 1655,

1 Allowed by the Fire Committee.

in cons of 400li. demised to Roger Blagden & Elizabeth his wife above named, the Market House standing in the High Street of the said Town, with the Toll of cheese, wooll, and other comodities, usually sold & to be sold on the Fairs and Markets to be there holden, and all benefits and advantages of the said house, to hold for 60 years, &c. Nevertheless, the said Market House shall, or may be used and ymployed for the keeping of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, and other Courts and Sessions as usually have been there kept and holden in former times.

1657. Paid Anthony Burges for work about the pillars of the Market House, 4s. 6d.

1664. Paid for the Armes in the Town Hall, 12li. 68. 6d.

Paid Bartlett his bill for Pewter, 271i. 6d.

1665. Paid for a cheste for ye Pewter, 18s.

1671. Paid for brass measures, 15li. 11s. 4d.

1673. Recd. for the Market House, (first time since the fire), 40. Paid for

two loads of sarazen stones, 8s.

1678. Paid for work done at the Market House, 41li. 168. 6d. 1683. Received one whole year's rent for the Hall, 1101i. coobs, 48li. 10s. Shambles, 55li.

Toll and Sheep

The Chamberlains' Books comprehend the period between the years 1571 and 1771.

The Corporation chest contains some earlier documents, viz., A Precept, dated 20th June, 11 Henry VII., which, after setting forth various privileges and exemptions granted to the Queen Consort (Elizabeth), within her Castles, Lordships, Manors, Towns, Townships, &c., within the Borough of Marlborough, commands that all and singular the liberties and privileges therein enumerated, should be allowed to the Queen in her Town and Lordship of Marlborough.

A similar document, dated 18th March, 3 Henry VIII. Some feoffments of Lands in the Borough, to and from different individuals, dated AA.D. 1379. 1389. 1417. 1429. 1506.

The books of the Corporation, containing proceedings at the different courts held in the Borough, viz., the Courts of Pie Poudre, of View of Frankpledge, the Mayor's Court, and the Court of Morning Speech, the latter commencing in A.D. 1502, and having an hiatus from 1555 to 1614.

The Charter of 19th May, 18 Elizabeth, setting forth the Charters of 6 John, 13 and 20 Henry III., 9 Henry IV., and the successive

confirmations of them, and then proceeding, &c. Tested at Westminster. See Waylen, p. 114.

A roll of bye Laws for the government of the town, commencing 18 Elizabeth.

A book called the Armoury Book, 1573, containing names of the inhabitants taxed for the supply of armour and weapons, for the service of the Queen's Majesty, &c.

A few other extracts from the Chamberlains' Books.

1572. £21 4s. 4d. spent upon building the "highe Crosse,"1 (which appears to have been of timber tyled and rough cast with windows).-Also for repairing the "Corn Cross."2 - A pillory made.-Towne bull cost 33s. 8d.-Money laid out about the Charter 55s. 6d.

1573. Two sugar loaves given to Lord Hartford, weighing 26lb. 4oz., at xiiijd. the pound. 31s. (a very frequent item.)

1576. The Queen's beame of weights in the high crosse.

1577. Wyne & trowte carryed to Clatford Hill to Lord Pembroke. To the Goldsmith for trimming the mace.

1583. For tenne trees & setting them about the hoyles.

1584. St. Ellen's cross.

1592. Carriage of Crepels (cripples), and other things.—Plague. 1593. Plague.

1601. To buy a Towne Bull, 40s.-For the Clk of the Market coming about the Progress intended 22 August, 20s.-A pair of newe maces with the charges of carriage and other expenses about the same, £16 14s. Grene Cloth to clothe 3 of the Magistrates' seats, & 3 of their wyves' seats, nails, lace, &c., at St. Marie's £4 7s. 2d. The like for 4 seats at St. Peter's.

1603. The Plague again.

1604. Money collected for the Plague..

Geven by Lady Wroughton for Do....
From the County

1607. Geven to Bedwyn men, upon a Collection which they made to redeem two of their neighbours out of prison.

1608. Sickness & plague. Sugar, vinegar, & nutmeg bought for the sick. 1609. After Jan. 1, the charges for the sick of the plague are kept separately. It seems to have ended about April.-"Paid the charge of John Awstin, Nicholas Tree, John Spencer, and Sir Anthony,3 being kept in uppon suspicion of the Plague, £10 5s. 7d.

1615. Bought one peece of Plate, weighing xlijoz. & di., at iivs. ijd. (sic) the oz., presented to Queene Anne, xyli. xviijs. iyd.

Paid for ccccxxvijli. of pewter, at xd. ob. the pound, contayning in the whole xv dozen and a half of pewter, xxli. xvs. vijd.

1 This probably stood on, or near the site of the present Market House.

2 This was, perhaps, at or near the present Market rails, where the Corn Market is still held. 3 Query, Sir Anthony Hungerford.

Then follow the Items,-saucers, dishes, pottingers, &c.

1616. Paid for setting up St. Ellen's Crosse.

1617. Received of Mr. Walter Baylie, the money which was collected in the towne towards the building of the newe crosse, xvijs. iijd.

Paid for the vane of St. Denny's crosse, 5s. 10d.

1623. Geven to the Herrold of Armes, xls. (Camden.)

1625. Tottenham first mentioned.

1644. To Mr. Mayor to present to his Majesty, £20.

1649. Paid to Mr. Mayor for a silver seale, £2 6s.

1652. Paid for new making the mases, xlvli. viijs., which were brought from London. (These are the present maces with the arms, badges, and mottos of the Commonwealth upon them;-somewhat altered in 1660.) 1656. It appears that if a man be admitted a Burgess, whose father was a Burgess before he was born, the fee for admission was only 2s. 6d., in other cases 10s.

1656. Paid for 3 men to go with Naylor. (This was the Quaker of whom there is a portrait at Tottenham Park.)

1660. Paid for wine, sack, ringers, and trumpets, at proclaiming the King, £12 1s. 4d.

Paid Mr. Barnes laid out by him for the mases, £7 14s. (There has probably been no alteration of the maces since this time, when a Crown and Orb, and the Coat of Charles II. were added to them, surmounting the Commonwealth insignia. The crown is of the full size of the head of the mace, set above it and screwed to it. When the crown is removed, the head forms a large drinking cup, and has been occasionally used for that purpose within memory. Round this head the Coat granted to the Borough in 1565 is twice repeated, alternating with the States' Arms. There are three inscriptions, viz., "Made by Tobias Coleman, of London, goldsmith." "This mace was made for the Corporation of Marlebrough, Mr. Robert Clements then mayor, 1652;" and "The freedom of England by God's blessing restored, 1660." The maces are of silver gilt and very handsome.

1661. Paid for horses to carry Starr, a Quaker, to Geayle.

1663. Presented to the King and Queen's Maties £88. Given to the King's servants £2 19s. Paid for washing the King's carriages 8s.

1665. Paid the King's Officers by Mr. Mayor's order £36.

1667. Paid Mr. Mayor concerning the Charter £42.

1669. Paid for several parcels of farthings.

1670. Received in farthings £19 18s. 10d. More in farthings £20 3s. 9d. ob. 1670. Received in farthings £39 5s.

Somerset.

1671. Sugar presented to the D. of

1673. Paid to my Lord Duke's servants £17 10s. 1679. For horse hire to meet my Lord Aylesbury. 1679. Hughes and cryes.

1681. Paid for trophyes and arms £4 10s.

1682. Geven by my Lord Bruce to the poor £20.

1688. Presented to her Matie 20 broad pieces £23 10s. Paid for a gould purse 12s.-Cleaning the street.-Rushes and boughs when the Queen

came £1 17s.-The Queen's servants £2 15s.-Cleaning the street at the Queen's return £1 6s.

1692. Paid for whipping Coleman's boy 1s.-for prenticing Coleman's boy £3.

1717. Paid for a gown and petticoat for "Have a care."

1717. Mar. 16, Mr. Baylye carried the Charter to London about the popular trial.

Ancient Seals of the Borough of Marlborough.

Two impressions of this seal still remain in the Record office of the Tower of London.1

The one is attached to a feoffment, dated on Monday next after the feast of the Circumcision, 27 Edward III., by which Roger Ryndesle grants to Nicholas Kenyngton, his heirs and assigns, a tenement which formerly was of John Cotepit in the Town of Marlebergh, situate between the tenement of William Reed on the east side, and Robert le Tanere on the west side. To hold to the said Nicholas, his heirs and assigns, they rendering annually thirteen pence of silver, for an obit in the church of St. Mary, in Marlebergh, for the souls of William Molyn, Joan his wife, and William their son, for ever; and for greater security, the seal of the Borough is affixed to this grant.

The other is attached to a feoffment dated on Monday next before the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 51 Edward III., by which John Colyngbourn, son of Thomas Colyngbourn, grants to John Wynde, junior, of Marleberg, and Cristina his wife, and their heirs, the flesh stall and edifice in the High Street, on the north side of the Market of Marleberg, situate between the King's Highway on the east part, and the flesh stall of Adam Lynham on the west part, and also the fish stall standing in the Town aforesaid, on the north of the market, between the stall of Hubert Woksey on the one part, and the stall of John Polton on the other part: to hold to the said John Wynde and

1 Box No. 735. A flattened impression of this seal is attached to a deed dated 7th October, 24 Henry VIII., in British Museum, (add. Chart. No. 5696.) The legend, which is there perfect, is SIGILL COMMVNE DE MARLEBERGE.