[246] A. Gibbs, _Corporation Records of S. Albans_, p. 28, June 10th, 1588. The spinning of fine worsted and certain light yarns was introduced into England about this time, and was taught mainly by the foreign refugees from France or Holland. [247] _Corporation Records of S. Albans_, Sept. 2nd, 1588. The next year it was agreed that the children should be paid for their labour when they had been taught six weeks. _Ib._ Jan. 20th, 1588/9. [248] _Ib._ Feb. 17th, 1588/9. [249] _Ib._ Sept. 29th, 1588. Something of the same kind was probably done at York. In 1578, £400 was raised for "settyng the poor of this citie on worke," half of which was contributed by the city and half from the money of Sir William Bowes. In the will of Thomas Brafferton money was also left for this purpose and more detailed directions were given as to its use. A stock of wool, flax or hemp was to be bought and "delivered within the parishe of Thornabie to be by them wrought and made into cloth and the poore people for the working thereof to be paid after such rate as nowe or hereafter shallbe used for such lyke work within the said parishe[250]." In 1591 proposals were made for the same kind of undertaking at Lincoln, and a technical school was established at the expense of the corporation[251]. At Leicester also the town contributed money on several occasions to set the poor people to work[252]. In 1597 the Court of Quarter Sessions in Devonshire make an order that means for setting the poor to work should be provided by the local justices as if this were quite a usual practice[253]. There is no reason to suppose that the instances above quoted are exceptional. There is however more evidence on the subject during the next period. [250] "City of York in the Sixteenth Century," Miss Maud Sellars. _The English Historical Review_, April 1894, pp. 288, 289. [251] _Lincoln Hist. Man. Com. Report_, XIV. App. viii. p. 74. On July 31, 1591, "A committee appointed to confer with Mr Grene of Boston who has offered to set 400 poor people of Lincoln on work for five years at wool, if the city will find him a convenient house and lend him 300_l._ freely for the five years." p. 17. Among the manuscripts described is a "fragment consisting of eight small quarto leaves of a book of orders made in 1591 and 1592 respecting a knitting school established by the city." This contains the following information: 8th Oct. 1591. Cheeseman undertakes under certain conditions to teach a competent number of women and men how to knit and "to hide nothing from them that belongeth to the knowledge of the said science." Four aldermen were appointed overseers. 28 July, 1592. Forty stone of wool to be provided. 4 Aug. 1592. Articles of agreement made at the Knitters House in St Saviourgate between John Cheeseman and Francis Newby.