[195]The grant is given in the Appendix to Warner’s _South-West Parts of Hampshire_, vol. ii., p. i., No. 1. [196]Like those of Christchurch, the Corporation books of Lymington are full of interest, though they do not commence till after 1545, the previous records being generally supposed to have been burnt by D’Annebault in one of his raids on the south coast. Du Bellay, however, who, in his _Mémoires_, has so circumstantially narrated the French movements, says nothing of Lymington having suffered, nor can I find the fact mentioned in any of the State papers of the time. Take, for instance, the following entries from the Chamberlain’s books:— “1643. Quartering 20 soldiers one daie and xvi._s._ ij._d._ night, going westward for the Parliam^t service 1646. For bringinge the toune cheste from ij._s._ Hurst Castell 1646. Watche when the allarme was out of iiij._s._ Wareham 1646. For the sending a messenger to the xiiij._s._ Lord Hopton, when he lay att Winton with his army, with the toune’s consent 1648. For keeping a horse for the Lord iij._s._ x._d._ General’s man 1650. Paid to Sir Thomas Fairfax his xij._s._” souldiers going for the isle of Wight with their general’s passe Such entries to an historian of the period would be invaluable, as showing not only the state of the country but of the town, when the town-chest had to be sent four miles for safety; and proving, too, that here (notice the fourth entry), as elsewhere, there were two nearly equally balanced factions—one for the King, the other for the Commonwealth. I may add that a little book has been privately printed, of extracts from the Lymington Corporation books, from which the foregoing have been taken. It would be a very good plan if those who have the leisure would render some such similar service in other boroughs. [197]Warner’s _Hampshire_, vol. i., sect. ii., p. 6; London, 1795. See, too, previously, ch. xi., p. 122, foot-note. [198]See Dugdale’s _Monasticon Anglicanum_, vol. vi., part ii., p. 800. Tanner’s _Notitia Monastica_. Ed. Nasmyth, 1787. Hampshire. No. iv.