Some 16th Century extracts from
The Corporation Records of St Albans
Court Held October 21st, 1594.
The new wardens were appointed as under:-
Victualers, Edward Potton and William Pharos
Innholders, Hugh Elliott and John Taylor
Mercers, Barnaby Lawrence and William Antrobus
Shoemakers, George Harding and John Davies
John Long, William Rolfe, and Michael Cullett were chosen members of the Twenty-four
Robert Walton and Thomas Stoneham were made Searchers and Sealers of Leather, and Thomas Camfield, Register for Buying and Selling of Leather
Richard Whelpley and Richard Cooper were made Searchers for Cloth
Court Held November 6th, 1594
Ordered that the beer brewers may sell their best beer at 4s. 4d. per kinderkin, and ale brewers their ale at 20 pence the tub, and the other beer at 2s. 2d.
Court Held November 18th, 1594
It was ordered that Mr. Richard Woolley, Mr. Saunders, Thomas Cole and William Spencer (Middle Ward), Mr Robert Shrimpton, Mr Moseley, William Cowe, and George Harding (Holywell Ward), Mr Gostwick, John Oxton, Gilbert Wells, and Robert Briggs (Fishpool Ward), Mr. Babb, EDward Potton, John Goodes and John Hodgekin (St Peters Ward) should go about their several wards for a benevolence for the relief of the visited people of Hemel Hempstead.
Several Freemen were admitted.
William Wilson and John Taylor were sworn of the Twenty-four Assistants.
Gilbert Wells, one of the Wardens of the Innholders, and John Clarke, Warden of the Mercers, not appearing were fined 2s. each.
Court Held November 25th, 1594
A lease was sealed unto Mr Richard Woolley, of the Clockhouse, shop, and all the rooms and buildings thereof, for 21 years, at the yearly rent of 20s., the said Robert Woolley and his executors and assignees to bear the charge of ringing the town bell and keeping of the clock, and to repair the shop and skudds to the same belonging during the term.
Court Held December 9th, 1594
The Constables of the Middle and Fishpool Wards were fined 5s. each for not appearing to return the names of the alehouse-keepers.
It was reported that Christopher Robinson had an inmate named Nicholas Carter, and Carter was bound in £20 for his departue forthwith, and Robinson in £10 to avoid him from his house.
Alice Boyden, widow, was ordered to be conveyed to Beckoniffield, in Buckinghamshire, there to be relieved, and Susan Biyden was to be conveyed to Wormelye, in Hertfordshire, where she was born.