The Court Leet in action at Tetbury

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Read Val Tolhurst's article on the establishment of self government in Tetbury.
She sets the scene for my references.

References D 566 M 14 for 25-Jan 1711, D 566 M 24 for 10-Oct 1715, and D 566 B 2/12/1 for 23-Nov 1717 provide early glimpses of the Court Leet in action.

Officials for the year involving 25-Jan 1711
Ale Taster John Bayley, son of Daniel Bayley and John Kery Carnal John Pagler and Francis Thornbury Constable William Damsell and William Thomas Lether Sealer Stephen Arundell and Humpry Butler als Warper, Wardsman Isaac Browning and William Poole
43 listed as attended Court Leet dinner at the 3 Cups on 10-Oct 1715
The Bill for the Dinner itemises 21 Town Jury, 19 Foreign Jury = 40 Officers and Other =44, total 84 dinners at 18 pence each, ale cost 1-07-0, tobacco 6/-, candles 2/- and Paper 6pence. Philip Bayley, John Blake, Joseph Blake, Francis Cleaver, Henry Crowther, William Drew, Thomas Egerly, Anthony Felton, John Frape, Gilbert Gastrell, John Hall, Mr Haies, Thomas Hayward, Gawin Henderson, John Hiccock, John Hindley, John Ing, Nathaniel Jones, Francis Ludlow, William Marks, John Pagler, Arthur Parker, Giles Pike, Thomas Punter, Dr Randolph, Giles Reeve, Charles Savage, Francis Savage Junior, Francis Savage Senior, William Savage, See the Savage family page, Thomas Seale, Henry Stephens, John Stephens, Benjamin Talboys Junior, Richard Talboys of Dufton, Nathaniel Thomas, Dr Wells, Dr Weston, Walter White, Thomas Wicks, Mathew Wilkins, John Witts, William Skammell Vicar
44 listed as attended Court Leet dinner at the 3 Cups on 23-Nov 1717
Jonathan Aish, John Alexander, John Bartholomew (als Smith), John Blake, William Blake, Mr Bridges, Farmer Bruton, James Chamberlin, Francis Clever, Mr Cox, Daniel Craddock, Mr Cripps, Henry Crowther, Mr Damsell, Charles Emly, John Frape, James Gastrell, John Hall, John Henly, Mr Hodges, Doctor Kemm, Mr Ludlow, William Marks, John Martin, Mr Punter, Samuel Punter, Doctor Randolph, Mr Robinson, Mr Saunders, Nathaniel Saunders, Charles Savage, William Savage, Mr Sloper, Benjamin Talboys, Richard Talboys, Francis Thornbury, John Thornbury, Thomas Warren, Mr Wells, Bernard Wickes, George Wickes, Joseph Wilkins, Mathew Wilkins, Parson Woollery Only 14 appear to attend both meetings, (John Blake, Francis Clever, Henry Crowther, John Frape, John Hall, John Henly/Hindley, William Marks, Doctor Randolph, Charles Savage, William Savage, Benjamin Talboys, Richard Talboys, Mr Wells, Mathew Wilkins) The Bill from John Pagler for the Court expenses 10 Oct 1726 survived, D566 M24 Dined with the Lords, 27 at 2/6 each Town Jury, 2 Constables and William Marks 21 at 2/- Foreign Jury, 2 Wardsmen - ? Young and John Blake, 2 Ale Tasters ? and John Thornbury 21 at 1/6 Thomas Ludlow's dinner 2/6, Wine, Ale and Beer (no price), Candles 1/6, Tobacco 4/-, Fire 2/6, Writing Paper 1/2, extras, Total 14-16-10 26 Dec 1734, catered for Court Leet dinner, 17-19-01 It is not surprising that the Townspeople rebelled against the cost of the Court Leet Dinners.

Aftre 1735 the Court Leet was an annual event resulting in a list of all the members for the year. The results are saved in Tetbury Records D566 M3 and M4, which have a folded packet for each year. They were very good, and the series is (almost) consecutive for at least 27 years - I looked till 1762.
Some of these members got special jobs.
Two lists were the 'Town Jury' and 'Foreign Jury'
Each Jury made a 'Presentment' and gave those named 5 weeks, to 5th Nov which is All Saints Day, to fix the problem.
In 1746, on 29 Sept, the Town Jury listed malfactors who 'forestalled the market', erected posts or rails in the street',etc.
The Foreign Jury appears to deal with the area not covered by the Town Jury, names North Hayes, the Worewell, Magdalen Meadow, the ancient way to Minchinhampton was blocked, water was diverted etc

Foreign Jury charges each to be removed by 5 Nov, or pay penalty
Samuel Smith and Joseph Webb encroached on highway with a quarry near Warren Gate, penalties of 17-0-0 James Cleaver laying dung in lane leading to the Cross Lanes Do so no more, or pay penalty of 5/- James Cleaver turned the water leading from Field Well to the New Pool, penalty of 1-10-0 Thomas Wight obstructing watercourse from Magdalene Meadow Well to Field Well, penalty of 1-05-0 Mr Body remove stoppage on Blind Lane, and set up the Gates as heretofor accustomed, penalty of 22-0-0 Trusties of late Mr Berresford with erecting a gate in North Hayes, penalty of 11-0-0 Thomas Butler with erecting a gate in lane to Worewell, penalty of 2-10-0 Thomas Butler, Timothy Purnell and William Savage each with erecting a gate in North Hayes, penalties of 24-5-0
Town Jury has many more charges, each with small penalties, To be removed by 5 Nov
As forestaller of the Market, or pay penalty of 2-0-0
William Bennett, Robert Chapman, Widow Ann Drew, Hester Graham, Jannat Graham, William Mann, Thomas Miles, Thomas Perrin, Samuel Smith, Charles Townsend, John Webb, John Wright.
For erecting posts or rails before their respective doors, pay penalty of 1-0-0
Daniel Alexander, Thomas Bishop, Widow Body for late Samuel Webbs' house, Thomas Butler, Thomas Carpenter, Rowland Corbett, late Widow Graham of Gumstool Street, Elizabeth Gugley for late Thomas Chamberlin's house, Widow Hayward, John Hobbs for late Collis', The Rev Lewis for Joseph Shillam's house, Widow Lloyd, William Lloyd, Michael Manning, John Martin, Widow Nottely, Mrs Oldham for Giles Hay's house, Daniel Pill, Mrs Pitts, Joseph Ralph, Charles Randolph for Mr Francis Savage's house, John Rudge, Samuel Saunders of late Edgerly's house, William Savage, Widow, Mrs Sloper, Thomas Watts, Jacob Wilkins, Thomas Witchell, Harry Witts for late Thomas Purnell's house, Stephen Fielder, Gabriel Hadnot, Widow Holt, William Mill, Late Samuel Morton
For laying dung in the street, pay 5/-
Edward Baily, Edward Baily, Widow Baily, John Bamford, Richard Bartholomew, Dorothy Battin, Richard Bishop, Thomas Butler, Robert Coats, Jonathan Cork, James Gastrell, John Hayward, Edward Herbert, Widow Hillier, William Hodges, John Hone, John Hopkins, William Long, Charles Ludman, Michael Mills, Robert Parker Butcher, Silvester Parker, John Peters, Timothy Purnell, William Henry Stokes, William Vizard Blacksmith, Harry Watts, Widow Webb, Henry Wells, John White butcher, Rev Wightwick
for laying stone, tiles and rubbish in the street, pay 5/-
John Baldwin, James Gastrell, Samuel Saunders, John Savage, Charles Townsend, Joseph Webb, Daniel Wheeler
for laying timber in the street, pay 4-0-0
William Clark, Rowland Corbett, William Hinton, Daniel Pill, John Reeve, Thomas Witchell
Other Problems, To be repaired or removed by 5 Nov,
Thomas Fielder Cellar window at Crop Keys is open and dangerous to people passing by repair by Nov 5 or pay 10/- Widow Beal for encroaching in Harper Street by building a wall to keep up her doorway remove by Nov 5 or pay 5/- Widow Mrs Sloper not keeping the pitching repaired before the door of house of late Edward Sloper repair by Nov 5 or pay 10/- William Jones stones and rubbish against the Pound Rails remove by Nov 5 or pay 10/- Joseph Sharp the Younger, for erecting a pig cot in waste ground, remove by Nov 5 or pay 10/-

There is also a list of special duties - two each of Constable, Wardsmen, Leather Sealer, Carnals, Ale Taster and Affoores and one Accountant and Bailif
I do not know what a Leather Sealer did. I fancy it was his job to see that the leather was correctly cured before being used to make shoes or coats. They appeared to select people who worked in the appropriate trade
It took me a while to decide the Carnals were meat testers, not morals police (women who got pregnant were threatened with being whipped, the males appear to be usually ignored)

Ale Tasters
1735 Edward Baily and Edward Morse 1736 William Lamb and Philip Purnell 1737 John Baily and William Stokes 1738 Toby Mill and Philip Purnell 1739 Edward Baily, Taylor and William Jones, Mason 1740 Henry Lance and Matthew Lander 1741 Henry Lance and Matthew Lander 1742 Henry Lance and Matthew Lander 1743 Joseph Hobbs and Samuel Smith 1745 Henry Lance and Thomas Wichell 1746 Abraham Terrill and Joseph Webb 1747 Joseph Hobbs and Henry Lance 1748 William Henry Stokes and Abraham Terrill 1749 William Long and Abraham Terrill 1750 George Cleaver and Joseph Hobbs 1751 John Scammell and Abraham Terrill 1752 John Scammell and Abraham Terrill 1753 William Henry Stokes and Samuel Smith 1754 John Ralph and John Scammell
Carnals
1735 Daniel Baily and Philip Purnell 1736 Humphry Butler and John Shephard 1737 James Arundell and Toby Mill 1738 John Chamberlin theYounger and George Swinerton 1739 Edward Herbert and Thomas Hill 1740 John Maw and George Swinerton 1741 Philip Purnell and George Swinerton 1742 Philip Purnell and George Swinerton 1743 John Drew and John Mill 1745 Jonathan Chappell and William Smith 1746 Thomas Hill and Stephen Jones 1747 Thomas Hill and Abraham Terrill 1748 Richard Swinerton and Joseph Webb 1749 Stephen Jones and WilliamHenry Stokes 1750 John Mill and Abraham Terrill 1751 WilliamHenryStokes and Samuel Smith 1752 Samuel Scammell and Thomas Stephens 1753 John Mill and Richard Smith 1754 John Mill and
Constable
1735 Richard Bishop and Thomas Davis 1736 Robert Hall and Robert Jones 1737 John Morton and Richard Stockwell 1738 Nicholas Lewis and Hungerford Whitford 1739 Thomas Carpenter and Joseph Ralph 1740 Roger Martin and Henry Wells 1741 William Harding and Richard Houldy theYounger 1742 Edward Bailey,Taylor and Hungerford Whitford 1743 Edward Brown and James Weeks 1745 William Jones and John Maw 1746 Daniel Pill and John Rudge 1747 Thomas Goldin and William Hodges 1748 Thomas Goldin and James Warn 1749 Edward Bailey and Thomas Wichell 1750 John ChamberlintheYounger and John Tuck 1751 Nathaniel Bainton and Edward Herbert 1752 Thomas Hill and Robert Watts 1753 Nathaniel Brown and William Clark
LeatherSealers
1735 John Lamb and Michael Shipton 1736 James Arundell and Michael Shipton 1737 Edward Jud and William Lamb 1738 James Arundell and William Townsend 1739 Robert Cove and John Leonard 1740 James Arundell and Edward Herbert 1741 James Arundell and Edward Herbert 1742 James Arundell and Edward Ind 1743 Edward Herbert and John Sheppard 1745 Thomas Bartholomew and John Keen 1746 Thomas BartholomewalsSmith and John Keen 1747 Edward Ind and John Keen 1748 Thomas Bartholomew and Daniel Butler 1749 Jonathan Brown and Edward Ind 1750 Daniel Butler and John Keen 1751 Jonathan Brown and John Keen 1752 Jonathan Brown and Richard Constable 1753 Jonathan Brown and John Cove
Wardsman
1735 Luke Davis and John Holt 1736 John Maw and George Swinerton 1737 Edward Bailey and Robert Bubb 1738 Edward Brown and John Hobbs 1739 James Arundel and Thomas Williams 1740 William Hodges and Richard Lance 1741 WilliamHenry Staoks and Abraham Terrill 1742 Thomas Goldin and Joseph Hobbs 1743 Nathaniel Brown and James Cleaver 1745 George Phillips and Jonathan Webb 1746 William Long and William Smith 1747 William Clark and James Warn 1748 Jonathan Brown and William Mills 1749 Richard Swinerton and Joseph Webb Mason 1750 William Bennett and Edward Herbert 1751 William Bennett and William Mayell 1752 William Bennett and George Cleaver 1753 William Bennett and Richard Constable 1754 William Bennett and John Cleaver
Other Appointments
Accountant and Bailiff in Court 1746 Henry Crowther Affeores in Court 1746 John Hone and Isaac Punter Almoners 1746 Abraham Terrill and Joseph Webb

Regards Elizabeth

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