f 36 (6 August) (Summary of sixteenth-century accounts)
William Crompton and Iames Sherwood accompted the last of Iuly Anno .1575. This yeare Queene Elizabeth came in progresse ffrom Chartley (where her maiestie had layen .x. dayes) to this towne, and before she came to this towne eich mans house was new painted, the streetes grauelled and the Crosse which then stood where the shire hall now standeth was repaired and set in ffresh collors The daie of her Comminge in being the (blank) of (blank) The bailliffes accompanyed with their brethren went on foote to meete her maiestie vppon the Eastgate damme ouer against Crossapennyes Crofte where the bailiffes presented hir maiestie with a Cupp beinge two Cuppes in one Closed in the mouth, in height two foote or more, in valew 30 li. which shee most lovinglie receiued, vsing most gracious fauorable wordes, sayinge to the bailliffes and their brethren (Alas poore soules other townes giue vs of their wealth, and yow giue vs of your want but if yow can deuise anie manner waie, how we may doe yow good speake now and we will further yow after this William Lambe schoolemaster made an oration vnto her maiestie which beinge ended the bailliffes stoode vpp and delliuered vnto her maiestie their maces which she receiued and delliuered the same back againe, Comaunding the said bailliffes to weare them, which they receaving, havinge their horsses reddie with their foote clothes mounted vppon them and rode next before her maiesties swordbearer, soe passed she in at the Eastgate and soe all alonge the streete vntill shee came into the markett place where shee stood still, and bidd them speake to her maiestie that were in anie neede, she Comended the scituacion of the towne, and asked what was the cause of the decaye of the same, And answere was made, that the decay of Capping was one Cause thereof Another for that the assizes was taken away from the towne, to the which her maiestie most lovinglie answered that she would renew and establish better the said statute for Cappinge, And for th'assizes she gaue her promise that the same should euer after be Kept at Stafford, And soe after many most sweete and graciouse wordes to the greate Comfort of the poore inhabitantes of Stafford shee passed along thoroughe the markett place and soe in at the Croberie land to the broadey and ouer at the new bridge where the bailliffes left her maiestie, her highnes goinge directlie to Stafford Castle where she shee stayed to dynner and soe parted thence
The queen’s promise, that 'she would renew and establish better the said statute for Cappinge,' refers to the Statute for making of Caps of 1571 (13 Eliz. C 19), whose futility was acknowledged in proclamations of 1572 and 1573 which attempted to ensure its enforcement. For the latter, see Paul L. Hughes and James F. Larkin (eds), Tudor Royal Proclamations: Vol 2, The Later Tudors (1553-1587) (New Haven and London, 1969), 362 and 369-70, nos 588 and 599. See the Introduction for discussion of the itinerary of the queen’s progress. Stafford Castle was the residence of Edward Stafford, 12th Baron Stafford.
Record title: Bailiffs', Churchwardens',
and Mayors' Accounts
Repository:
STRO
Shelfmark: D1323/E/1
Repository location: Stafford
This volume contains (a) copies of earlier accounts, beginning in 1519, which are in the same hand as entries for the years 1611 onwards, so they presumably were copied by the town clerk or his scribe; (b) accounts of bailiffs, chamberlains, churchwardens, and schoolwardens, because the accounts of the minor officials were presented and approved by the corporation officials before being entered into the town book. In the transcriptions, the entries from the churchwardens are differentiated from the bailiffs' (later the mayors') accounts because they originated from different authorities. The churchwardens' accounting year was 21 December–20 December, with the accounts presented to the bailiffs between 13 February and 19 March, the Friday following Quadragesima Sunday. The bailiffs' accounting year was 18 October–17 October, with the accounts similarly being presented between 13 February and 19 March. The mayoral accounting year was later adjusted slightly to begin the next Monday after St Luke's Day (ie, 27 October).
1611–62; English; paper; v + 353; 350mm x 225mm (text area variable); modern pencil foliation to f 310 (ff 5–19, 21, 152, 161, 179, 250, 305–53 blank; 60–2, 142–7, 149–50, 153–7, 168, 244–7, and 253 missing; 158, 166, 167, 193, and 201 foliated twice [a/b]; 221 foliated thrice [a/b/c]); early tooled calf binding, much worn, with loose leather cover; remains of brass closures; also preserved is an older (perhaps original?) parchment binding which has title on inside front and back covers: 'Burgiis Stafford Liber Compotus This book was bought and In<.>veded by Richard Drakeford and Iohn Wilson Bailiffes of the said Borough vicesimo die Novembris Anno regn Domini Iacobi vnum Regis Anglie & Nono Scocie <......> gracias. 1611 IS R Drakeford I Willson Bailliffs.' On f [ii] is written: 'The Old Book of Accounts.'
