| Description | Draft copy minutes. George Robins, shoemaker, was chosen one of Vernon's almsmen, in place of John Moseley, clothier, deceased. Upon reading a former order and hearing the report of the City Treasurers concerning a piece of ground in Handbridge near 'haughe greene', 36 feet long by 15 feet, assigned to Robert Barnes and Ellen his wife, to build a house, it was ordered that they might hold the land for that purpose during the City's pleasure or have a lease for 21 years paying a yearly rent of 4s., payable quarterly. Upon the petition of Peter Bostock, mason, desiring a piece of waste ground, 40 feet long by 16 feet, at the Mudwalls near Boughton turnpike, adjoining the ground of Thomas Hall to build a house there, and the ground having been viewed by the Treasurers, it was ordered that he have a grant as above. Upon the several petitions of Richard Annion, innholder, and William Bromley, sadler, for a lease of a piece of ground in Cowlane before the house of the latter, it was ordered that a view and report be made and that the petition then be further considered. Randle Minshull, macebearer, desiring certain suits against him concerning City tolls to be made a City cause, it was ordered that the Recorder and Mr. Ratcliffe be consulted and their resolutions further considered. The petition of Elizabeth Boswell, widow of Charles Boswell, paver, desiring that her son and servant might have all the paving work in the City, was considered unfit at present to be granted and was deferred. Thomas Bulkeley's petition to be admitted to the freedom was not granted. Similar petitions of Isaac ------, and Richard Fletcher of Morley, gentleman, were denied. Two bonds were read, one dated 10th ---ember 1634 by which Thomas Booth of Eaton, co. Chester, Thomas Steele of the same, gentleman, and Leonard Watson of Aldf[ord], yeoman, are bound to William Willcock of the City of Chester, yeoman, in £60------, and the other dated 9th April 1640 whereby William Nicholls of Saughton and Leonard Wattson of Aldford, yeoman, are bound to William Willcock in £100 for repayment of money. The remaining sums due on these bonds with all the goods and chattels of William Willcock by his death ut felo de se being forfeit to the City, it was ordered at the request of Thomas Wilcock, Alderman, that the bonds be put in suit by the City Treasurers at his costs and the money recovered disposed of to the use of Elizabeth Haslow of Aldford, his sister, being poor and indigent. On consideration that in the late usurpation a new illegal oath was framed and administered to all freemen entering into the franchises of the City from 1642 to 1660 and the usual oath was omitted and as those sworn then, consider themselves not bound to be obedient to the government of the City but break the franchises, it is ordered that all such should take the usual oath in its ancient form and proceedings should be taken against those refusing. |