pre

ornament: a slight circular cavity appears on that side, formed by means of a lathe, probably for taking away, and four small holes drilled in for adding such quantity of metal as might suffice to adjust the weight with cision. The shield-shaped fashion of the weight was probably adopted to suit the armorial escutcheon conspicuously displayed upon it. Through the perforation shewn in the accompanying figure, a leather strap may have passed, for the more convenient handling or suspension of the weight. It has been conjectured, probably from a certain resemblance to a stirrup-iron, that weights of this description may have been intended for convenient transport on horseback to fairs, &c., by the tronator, or official whose duty it was to weigh wool and receive the custom or toll termed tronnage. Such standard weights may also have been used by inspectors of weights and measures in their perambulations. The above weight appears to be much older than the two discovered at Cambridge in 1856, which correspond in shape and measurement, but each only weighs 6 lbs. 15 oz. On them are engraved the same Royal Arms, but with the addition of the initial H ensigned with a crown stamped three times upon the margins, once on the top and on either side. These may have been some of those provided in accordance with Statute 8, Henry VI., by which every city, borough, or town was enjoined to have a common balance and common weights sealed; but only cities and market towns were required to have common balances, weights, and measures by Statute 2, Henry VII. By this latter Statute weights were to be marked by the chief officers of places and sealed. The stone of wool, according to that Statute, was 14 lbs. ; in some places, by custom, it was less, as 12 lbs. In Gloucestershire it was 15 lbs. There are four brass weights of this description in the British Museum, two of them being apparently of the reign of Queen Anne; the others of the reign of George I. On the former appear the Royal Arms with supporters, and over them the initials AR; the

surrounding border is stamped in several places with a crowned A and dagger crest, probably the mark of the city of London, the initial A not crowned, and flagons, doubtless the brass founder's mark. Each of these two weights is of the same dimensions as those obtained at Cambridge and that found at Newport, but slightly different in form and weight (viz., 6 lbs.) On the other pair are seen the arms of George I., the bearing of Hanover being introduced in the 4th quarter; the escutcheon is accompanied by the initials G R-the stamps are G crowned; the initial A, the dagger, and the flagon.

In 1435, the Burgesses of Newport granted to John Bush a void piece of ground at the end of the Booth Hall, near the Church yard, at the yearly rent of one shilling, 13 Henry VI. By an indenture dated Wednesday in the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the year 1446 made between the Burgesses or Commonalty of Newport of the one part, and William Glover of Newport of the other part, the said burgesses granted to the said William Glover a piece of land lying in the said town between the Churchyard and the King's highway, in breadth towards the north between two stiles in the said Churchyard, to have and to hold the said piece of land to the said William, his heirs and assigns, of them the said Burgesses, and their successors for ever, under this condition, that the said William should build on the said piece of land one hospital house for the poor for ever, whose entry should be without any gift of gold, silver, or paying any salary or profit to any one. And when the said house should be built to the honour of St. Nicholas, Christ, the Blessed Mary, and of all saints, it should be called the Town's Almhouse. And the said house, when built, the said William covenanted for him & his heirs sufficiently in all things to sustain, uphold, and to repair of his own proper charge as often as needful for

ever.

Thus were erected the "Town Almshouses," but, from

their situation, commonly called "The Churchyard Almshouses." Here were maintained four of the poorest and most impotent persons of the town of Newport, until the year 1836, when the site of the building was required for the enlargement of the Churchyard, the inmates being then transferred to new and more commodious premises in Vineyard Road.

On August 9, 1485, the Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII., landed at Milford Haven. He directed his march through the northern districts of Wales, meeting with little to oppose or to assist him. When, at length, he arrived at Shrewsbury, his army did not exceed 4,000 men. After crossing the Severn he marched to Newport, where he was joined by Sir Gilbert Talbot and all the vassals and retainers of the family of Shrewsbury, to the number of 2,000. After this ensued the battle of Bosworth Field, where, as Hollinshed says, Sir Gilbert Talbot commanded the right wing of the victorious army.

In 1489 occurs the following deed :- Know all men present and future that I, Sayers Broke, son and heir of Thomas Broke and Alice his wife, have remised, released, and entirely for me and my heirs for ever, quitted claim to Richard Porter, clerk, his heirs and assigns for ever, all right, claim, demand, interest, which I have ever had, or in any manner in future ought to have, of and in one place of land or pasture called Uttermaste Calvercrofte with all its appurtenances, lying next the open field of Newport, called Northebroome, which said place of land or pasture lies between the aforesaid open field of Northebroome on the one part, and the fish pond on the other part, and extends in length from one piece of land or pasture of the Blessed Mary called Mydyll Calvercrofte to the fish pond aforesaid, so that neither I nor my heirs nor any person in our name may from henceforth demand claim or sell any right, title, demand, or interest in the aforesaid place of land or pasture with the appurtenances, and that we are for ever excluded

from all title, claim, and interest. And also I, the aforesaid Sayers, and my heirs, will warrant, acquit, and for ever defend the aforesaid place of land or pasture with its appurtenances to the aforesaid Richard Porter, his heirs, and assigns against all men. In witness whereof I have affixed my seal to these presents. These being witnesses-George Mason Hewster, Wm. Boston, Roger Burton, Wm. Bothe, and Wm. Waterson, and many others. Dated at Newporte aforesaid the 12th day of the month of March, in the 4th year of the reign of King Henry the Seventh, after the Conquest of England.

In 1491, Richard Porter grants this land to the Commonalty of Newport in support of the Water Conduit in the following deed-Richard Porter, keeper of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary, Newport, grants to all the Commonalty of Newport, in support of an aqueduct, a croft called Uttermast Calvcroft, which croft lies between the field of Newport called Northbroom and the vivary of Newport, and in length from a plot of land belonging to the College of St. Mary in Newport called Middle Calvercroft up to the said vivary. Which croft I late had of the gift of Saier Broke, son and heir of Thomas Broke and Alice his wife. To hold in pure and perpetual alms. Witnesses, Wm. Yonge, of Caynton, Knight, John Salter, George Hanster, Thomas Bayle, William Bothe, and others. Dated at Newport 6th August, 6 Henry VII.

THE GUILDS OF SHREWSBURY.

BY REV. W. A. LEIGHTON, B.A. (CAMB.), F.L.S., &c.

MERCERS, IRONMONGERS, AND GOLD

SMITHS' COMPANY.

THROUGH the liberality of Mr. William Muckleston, of Brace Meole, co. Salop, one of the very few surviving Combrethren of the above Company, the whole of the Records of this important Corporation have been presented to the Shropshire Archæological Society.

There is no original Charter existing, but there is a 'Composition" of the Company, a very voluminous document, granted in 20 Edward IV. (1480-1) by his son Edward, Prince of Wales, to whom he had given Jura Regalia.1 But as the earliest book of the Company begins in 3 Henry VI. (1424-5), it is evident that the Corporation existed previously, and may possibly have been in operation even up to the time of legal memory. Whether they had any previous Charter does not appear, as the Composition of 20 Edward IV. is now the only existing one.

As this Composition states clearly the purposes for which the Company was incorporated, we give it here in extenso:

EDWARDE of mye moste drede lorde and Fader Edwarde the iiijth Kinge of Englond and France, First begotten Sone, Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwayle and Erle of Chester. TO ALL men to whom these our lettres schall come gretyng

1 Ex Rotulo Parliamenti, A° 12 Edw. IV. :-Edward the Fourth by his letters patent bearing date the 26th of June in the xith year of his reign, created Edward, his first begotten son, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, and gave unto him Jura Regalia in both places. VOL. VIII.

AG