Sir John Hurdis. [1b. i. 120.]

[1559, 2 Oct.] Went to Halton Castle and the auditor allowed the arrearages due from the departing (decisse) of St John Hurdys. [7b. i. 112.]

He had a certificate of his services during the past four years signed by Robt Corbet, Mayor, Sr Ric. Molyneux, Sr W. Norris, John More, Geo. Ireland, Tho. More, Ra. Sekerston, Tho. Fayrclough, Geo. Ashton, Wm. Secom. [7b. i. 113.]

[1560, Sept. 30.] He received his pension there. [Ib. i. 120.] [1572] Tho. Bavand to bring in the old Bible book or pay for it. [Ib. ii. 21.]

Robt Ball had 3 score and 18 organ pipes in a chest. [76. ii. 20.] John Mylner had one other chest in his custody. [7b. ii. 20.] John Rile had 1 chest and 14 sm. boards. [Ib. ii. 20.]

Other vestments to be called for, viz. banners, candlesticks, serges, tapers, &c. [7b. ii. 20-21.]

John Rile has also 2 copes, which he made in apparel for the Mayor's [John Crosse] sop Will Crosse and Thos Burscough with others to play their paidances in. [7b. ii. 20.]

66

66

Tho. Roose ex' of Sr Evan Nicolasson [late minister] hath in poss one great large book called a .. or decretorie [as it is now supposed] and called a big book of service." [b. ii. 20.] [1573.] Austin Turner shall abate of the 375. 7d. for the "Graile" Book 26s. 8d. to the town's use. [Ib. ii. 70, Ex. 52.]

BOOKS.

[1550, 3 & 4 Edw. VI, cap. 10.] For abolishing and putting away of divers books:

To be delivered to the Mayor then to the Bishop to be burnt or otherwise defaced. Mayor or Bishop to be liable to penalty of £40 for neglect.

Also

Ladies' Psalters.
Rosaries.

Catechisms.
Breviaries.

[1605, Jas. I, cap. 3, sec. 25.] No person shall import, print, sell or buy [any Catholic books] in any language or printed or

written in English. Penalty 40s. each bk. 3 King, 3 in former, 3 poor. The books to be burned. Two Justices may search houses, &c. Valuable crucifixes to be defaced and returned to the owner.

S. NICHOLAS'.

[1562.] That Mr. Tho. More deliver to the use of the town the Chapel, according to the order taken before Sr William Norris, knight, before S. Andrews next. [L.R. i. 142.]

[1568, 25 Oct.] To be provided for

Mayor and Ald"... 4 convenient and handsome bills [or halberts.]

To wait on Mr. Mayor every Midsumer Eve's walk and at 2 fairs, S. Martin's and S. James'. [L.R. i. 174.]

[1572] John Myiner, minister, was paid 17s. 4d. for a year's work. [L.R. ii. 19.]

[1572, 2 Dec.] New silver Cup. [L.R. ii. 19.]

[1626-1636.] Ring of Bells. [L.R. iii. 59, 169.]

Guilds: Only fragments of the Tailor's Ordinances are found in vol. 1 L. R.

NOTE. In the Records of the Portmote Courts entered in these volumes there will be found abundant materials for tracing the domestic life, habits, and manners of the former inhabitants of the borough, as well as many political changes abroad and riots quelled at home.

3. PRIVATE CHARTERS (smaller), concerning the following townships, viz., L. Crosby (several), Garston, G. Crosby, Rainhill, Ravensmeols, Toxteth, Hurlton and Scarisbreck, Liverpool Chapels.

4. BURGESSES AND FREEMEN (Names of) :Early ones in the minutes, later in books (see vols. 35 and 36 Trans. Hist. Soc.). Printed burgess lists for 1565, 1572, 1589, appear in Trans. Hist. Soc. vol. 35, those for 1620, 1629 in Ibid, vol. 36; not printed, 1644, 1649, 1653, 1671,

1675. Freedoms (entered in special books), 1746 to 1790 chronological, 1692 to 1780 alphabetical.

5. LEASE-HOLDERS (Names of) :-About 5,000, with plans of their holdings. Vol. 1, 1669-1740; 2, 1708-1766; 3, 1767-1783; 4, 1783-1795. Many early leases are entered in the minutes.

6. OKILL'S COLLECTION OF MSS.-Charles Okill, born 1779, died 13th June, 1847. He was for years Clerk of the Committees of the Town Council. In a report on the Birkenhead Dock he says:-"For "the last 15 or 16 years I have devoted every spare hour.. to searches and documentary "information." He also paid the custodians of various institutions for copies of deeds of West Derby Hundred. In his time the London Record Office did not exist; hence he applied to the Duchy Office at Lancaster, the Tower of London, the Court of Chancery, and the British Museum; also to Lord Sefton, who kindly lent him documents. about Liverpool, and to Lord Derby. Almost as soon as he collected enough for a volume, he had them half-bound as they now are, without chronological order. Mr. Clement Milward, Q.C., London, was employed to report upon them in 1848, when the Corporation purchased them for £800. In his report he styles them as "an enormous mass of papers, great part of which are nearly illegible." Written chiefly in contracted Latin, Norman French, and Old English: partly indexed: several leaves depleted in various vols. Mr. Milward divided them nearly equally into two classes, viz.:-Important to the Corporation, and Un-important.

7. NORRIS LETTERS AND PAPERS, from 1694 to 1713-2 large folio vols. mounted on thin blue paper; about 800 letters, and sundry papers and parchments. (The Chetham Society printed about

G

three-fourths of the letters in one of their series.) Bought at an auction sale at Manchester, 23rd April, 1835. These need re-mounting and calendaring with names, dates, and subjects. Many of the letters refer to the shipping and commerce of Liverpool; some to the political intrigues of the times. They expose the ruse by which the charter of Charles I was re-granted over three subsequent

ones.

8. MORE CHARTERS (lent by Capt. Stewart, of Altyrodyn, S. Wales):-In number about 700 or 800 parchments. Transcripts in extenso have been made by me with indexes of the persons and places. Sir J. A. Picton commenced printing abstracts of 36 undated ones, but the printing has not been carried on since his death.

9. HOLT AND Gregson's COLLECTIONS:-Bought with Okill's (says Sir J. A. Picton) now in the Free Library. They include Liverpool biography to the letter I.

10. COURT OF PASSAGE RECords, 2 vols :—1, 1707 to 1713; 2, 1732 to 1764. Sessions Book:-Quarter Sessions and Portmote Courts, with seizures by the Custom House authorities, informations re ships and boats, etc., 1724 to 1746.

II. NEGOTIABLE NOTES OF LIVERPOOL, I vol. :— Proceedings of the Committee, 1793 to 1796. Several of their notes have been shown to this Society, and quite lately one for £100 was sent to the Town Clerk on sale.

African Company of Merchants trading from Liverpool: Committee Book, 1750 to 1820.

Borough Gaol Committee, 2nd April, 1806, to 4th Nov., 1811 (at the other end of vol.).

Alterations in the Exchange, 1785 to 1789.

Committee Book on Town Dues, &c., 1820 to 1824 (other end).

School Committee proceedings, 1826 to 1835.

12. PLANS AND MAPS OF LIVERPOOL (some never published).

ACCOUNTS OF CORPORATION EXPENDITURE from 1800 (in the Treasurer's cellars); and many other official documents.

13. MISSING DOCUMENTS (Some left in London; some lost in the siege, 1644; some burnt in the fire at the Town Hall, 1795), among them these relating

to:

1. The consecration of St. Nicholas and burial ground.

2. Foundation charters of the four chantries.
3. Six paving charters, temp. Edw. III.
4. Grants of the market and fairs.

5. Patent, 7th July, 7 Eliz., concerning the ministre and schoolmaster. [L. R., j. 338.]

6. Council Book, Fine Book, Call Book, Check Book-Freemen.

7. Plan of the dock, 1717.

8. Rules, etc., Tailors' and other Guilds.

9. Town Custom Book, 1558.

10. Quo Warranto, 1292 and 1498.

II. About 20 leases of the royalties.

12. Almshouses: agreement as to the charities removed thither.

13. Letters patent from King Edward VI, for the purchase of lands to the use of certain chaplains.

14. W. More to S. Nicholas' Church, 1524.

15. Tho. Rose, 1531.