It would seem that the poor were cared for as well as the imperfect
arrangements of those days permitted. Minute details are given of the
"rigging out" of parish apprentices. In 1623, Gervase and William
Johnes, two pauper lads, were put out, the former to Thomas Fletcher,
who received £1. 6s. with him; and the latter to William Spender, who
had £1. 10s.; in one case the indentures cost 4s., in the other 1s.
The two suits of apparel given to the lads were made of 8 yards of
Kidderminster stuff at 14d., 2 ells canvas to line their doublets, 2
ditto for their hosen, an ell straight lining, buttons and thread, 6
yards cotton at 7d. for their hosen, 1-1/2 dozen points 3d. (Query,
what were these?) 6-3/4 ells "huswife's cloth to make fower shirts" 6s.
9d., making 12d., washing old shirts 2d., making 2 doublets and 2 pair
of hozen 5s., 2 pair of stockings 2s., 2 bands 1s., 2 hats 4s., 2 pair
shoes 2s. 6d. One Stanton, a waggoner, was paid 7s. in August, 1635,
to carry a boy to London, and 2s. more "to let the sister of the boy
ride sometimes who went along with him." On the carrier's return he was
allowed 4d., "disbursed by him for victuals." Cider was given to Mary
Lench, a poor parishioner, in 1722, "to take two doses of physic in
for the jaundice, and 6d. to let her blood;" and subsequently, 6d. "to
buy alicampane powder and two leeches for her distemper." Mr. Sergeant
Groves was likewise treated to a shilling's worth of cider in 1707,
"when he was pleased to give his advice for the parish." In 1726,
"given to a pore widow near ye Palace, to buy a pair of specktacles
to see to work," 6d.; and "a pair of pumps for the foundling" was on
two or three occasions charged for, at 10d. each. Did this term denote
thin, light shoes? The sum of £5 was received by St. Michael's officers
every Christmas during the life of the good Bishop Hough, being their
share of £100 annually devoted by his lordship to the poor of this
city. There was beside a liberal amount of charitable bequests from
property left by benevolent persons, and many small sums to be lent
for the benefit of young beginners in trade. The parish possessed
houses in St. Peter's and St. Helen's; lands at Hanbury; Beanhall Farm,
Kempsey; a small estate at Clifton, in the parish of Severn Stoke, and
some other property. The churchwardens also regularly received a small
payment "for the Talbot passage," which was probably for a right of way
to the Talbot inn, there being a house belonging to the parish close
by the top of the Talbot entry. Considerable litigation occurred at
various periods with reference to the parochial possessions, especially
those at Severn Stoke. The churchwardens had occasionally to ride
to Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Bewdley, and Shrewsbury, where the Council
of the Marches sat, to obtain judgment in their suits, one of which
had reference to the sale of some trees by the churchwardens. More
on the subject of the jurisdiction of that Council will be found in
the chapter on St.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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