servants, or apprentices, were allowed to resort to any plays to be holden within the town, under peril of twelve pence forfeiture for every offence, which if not paid willingly, a distress issued and compelled the recreant play-goer to purchase the liberty of sightseeing by payment of admission to other persons than the manager of such places.

This, however, does not appear sufficient for the repression of the evil, for an order issued to the effect--that the Bailiffs of the town should allow no plays or interludes under forfeiture of twenty shillings "each of them."

These entries mark one period of the existence of the drama in Ipswich. Evidence exists, however, that "stage playes" had long found admirers and followers in the town. In the "Chamberlain's accounts" for the year 1555,* is an entry for money paid to a company of players.

"Item, to Sir Rauffe Chamberlans players the vij day of Ffebruarye iijs. iiijd.”

From what has already been stated, a general idea may be obtained of the nature of those laws and customs which prevailed among the olden authorities of Ipswich, and continued down to the era of James and Charles, with comparatively little change. Like all other ancient customs, they had their rise, meridian, declension, and fall, serving the good end in the various mutations to which they were subject of originating and perfecting that better system of local government, which founded on general principles, assimilates more completely the liberties of one neighbourhood with that of another.

* Communicated by Mr. W. S. Fitch, at the meeting of the Archæological Association at Winchester, in 1845, and afterwards printed by that body in their Transactions of the Winchester Congress.

MEMORIALS OF IPSWICH.

As respects the means of punishment employed by the authorities of Ipswich, only three appear to have been used-the Tew, or Ducking Stool, for the irrepressible tongues of the fair sex; with imprisonment, the tumbril, and the pillory for male delinquents.

The original notice relating to the use of the Ducking Stool is first found in the Domesday of the town,* when the following entry appears :

"Item. Women that bene common chiders amonge their neighbours and will not chastise their ill tongue to myssaye folke leatt them be chastised bi the Justice called ye Tew,† or else leatt them make grievous rannsome if they have whareof."

It is said that entries exist in the town books of sums of money paid by the Corporation to persons administering the punishment, but it is understood they are not numerous. Indeed like the stocks, which operated as a terror to the loose and disorderly, most probably the Ducking Stool answered the same purpose to a considerable extent, without frequent application. Judging indeed from entries made as respects other punishments, the use of the tumbril for the correction of offenders, was far more generally in vogue than the Ducking Stool, when persons both male and female were drawn through the streets, seated in a cart with a mortar hung about their necks for the offence of "Flyten or chiden," as well as in expiation of more heinous peccadilloes.

It was not always either that the unfortunate persons who had "chiden among their neighbours" really

*Liber Secundus lxxiii.

The Ducking Stool was called Thewe.

Promptorium Parvulorum, &c.

Probably Chamberlains' accounts.

See Blount, and

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underwent the pain and degradation of being immersed in water. No doubt the indomitable scold, whom no kindness could silence or argument convince, was after being well secured within the arms of the fearful chair, suspended from a crane and lowered into the waters of the Orwell, for the purpose of cooling her hot propensities to malign and traduce her fellow queans." Frequently, however, after being tied down in her wooden throne, she was kept in pity, or in the hope that mercy would act as forcibly as severity on terra firma, being only exalted above the crowd surrounding her by the same apparatus that had deposited her fellow scolds within the muddy stream that flowed so near. On these occasions she was most probably prevented indulging in her improper propensity-while the object of punishment, by a harmless gag being placed in her mouth, so that rage and excitement could find no vent by the tongue, was achieved. When really "ducked," it is clear that danger might arise to life, if resort were had to a gag. This view is borne out by the Ducking Stool in some places being called the Goging Stool," or the "Gagging Stool," and by its being fixed immoveably at the entrance of a town to which spot offenders were conveyed, and there placed in ignominious duresse.*

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A Ducking Stool, perfect in all its parts, is yet in possession of the Corporation of Ipswich, and of which a representation is given in these pages.