At the assizes held August, 1617, a dispute arose between Sir Henry Montague, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, and John Mingay, Esq., then Mayor, concerning precedence. This was occasioned by the indiscretion of Sir Augustine Palgrave, Sheriff of Norfolk, who had imprudently informed the Chief Justice that it was his right to sit in the chair at the preaching place in the Green yard, with the Mayor on his left hand. This the Mayor opposed, resolutely asserting his right to the chair; and the Chief Justice as resolutely insisted, being misled by the information of the sheriff. But this matter was afterwards set right, and the sheriff was obliged to acknowledge his error, after having been severely reprimanded by the Judge for misleading him. On the next day, a contest of the same kind happened between the High Sheriff and the Sheriffs of Norwich; when, to prevent any disputes of the like nature in future, it was determined that only the High Sheriff should attend the Judges when they are upon the county business, and only the Sheriffs of Norwich when they are on the city business. Charles I. was proclaimed king, on March 1st, 1625. The mayor of Norwich, stewards, justices, sheriffs, and aldermen, were present at the ceremony. On March 31st, 1625, Charles I. was proclaimed in Norwich, and on May 13th following, Thomas, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, Earl-Marshal of England, was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Norfolk, and of the city of Norwich, and county of the same. On October 19th, 1625, the citizens petitioned the king to be released of taxes, on account of their poverty and the ravages of the plague; and in 1641, the citizens petitioned Parliament, to be discharged from paying £2500 assessed upon them, on account of their great poverty and the impossibility of raising the money. In 1626, writs of quo warranto were brought against the mayor, &c., for refusing to furnish two ships of war demanded of them; and the corporation, on the trial, which took place in 1629, obtained a verdict in their favor, having proved that they neither used nor usurped any privileges but what their charters warranted. During this contest the city raised a sum of money, and presented to the king by way of loan, as settled by the lord keeper, lord treasurer, comptroller, and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, who came hither for that purpose. In 1627, an order arrived for levying 250 foot soldiers in the city of Norwich and county of Norfolk, of which number the citizens were ordered to furnish 25; but they would raise no more than 17, that being their full proportion.