Order and letter book, with partial index following p. 230 The 'new Book of Musters'...

Order and letter book, with partial index following p. 230

The 'new Book of Musters' referred to in GBR/H/2/1 f. 89v, and in GBR/I/1/41 as 'Another Book of Musters containing vizt.

1. Four letters concerning the precedency of the Corporation

2. Several letters from the Privy Council relating to Musters

3. Two letters for a Taxation for the relief of persons infected with the plague in Gloucester 1638'

It contains letters and instructions from the Privy Council directed to the Lord Lieutenant and forwarded by him to the Mayor and Deputy-Lieutenants of Gloucester, together with notes of their proceedings, muster rolls for the City and its County, and assessments

See H.M.C. Report pp. 473-491

Includes:

pp.1-4 1623 Dispute over precedence in Common Council of those having served the office of Sheriff, and those who in the same year paid fines for exemption

p. 5 1623 Precedence of those who have served in an office twice or more over those who have not served so often

pp. 7-9 1618/19 Muster of horse and foot in County and City; repair of beacons

pp. 10-11 1618/19 Certificate of the muster from the City and County of the City

pp. 12-13 1620/21 General muster

p. 14 1622 Voluntary contributions requested by Crown for war in Germany

p. 15 1622 Appointment of Muster Master Grivell Gibbs for County and City

pp.16-17 1624 General muster

pp.19-22 1624 Return of numbers and equipment

pp.23-27 1624 Impressment of men for service in the Palatinate

p. 28 1624 40 men impressed from the City and County of the City; to be handed over to the Lieutenant to Sergeant-Major Gibson

pp.29-30 1624 Further instructions for sending impressed men to Dover

pp.33-35 1624 Names of the 40 men and letter to Lord Lieutenant from Mayor re same

p. 37 1625 Proclamation of Charles I as king

p. 38 1625 Appointment of six Deputy-Lieutenants for the City

p. 39 1625 Two 'post' letters

pp. 41-47 1625 Further impressment for the Palatinate; 30 men from City and its County

pp. 49-52 1625 Letter from Charles I to Lord Lieutenant requiring strict observance of printed rules drawn up by James I for establishing a well-organised Militia

pp. 53-57 1625 Further levy of men for the Palatinate; 15 men from City and its County

pp. 59-60 1625 Return of trained bands, horse and foot, from City and its County

pp. 61-62 1625 Owners and occupiers of houses and lands formerly liable to provide men and armour evading duty; trained bands to be kept up to strength

pp. 63-64 1625 Lord Lieutenant to return names of persons able to loan money to the Crown

pp. 67-68 1625/6 Reply of the Mayor and Deputy-Lieutenants to Lord Lieutenant pleading impoverishment because of the falling-off of trade, because of the 'late great and yet continuing plague'; decline of the clothing industry resulting in excessive numbers of poor; gentry owning lands in the county [of the City] mostly reside elsewhere and so cannot be included in returns; also subsidies still being levied, several taxations for levying soldiers, and forthcoming Parliament (wherein we nothing doubt but that His Majesties demands shall receive all possible satisfaction), as reasons for non-compliance

pp. 69-71 1626 King to Lord Lieutenant: trainging given by Low Country officers to the trained bands very beneficial and to be kept up by continual exercises according to the printed orders; troops of horse especially have been neglected and are to be brought up to strength in men and equipment

pp. 72-76 1626 General muster of horse and foot to be held; return of names of defaulters for punishment; beacons to be kept in readiness

pp. 77-81 1626 Privy Council to Lord Lieutenant: review of arms of both horse and foot; forces of the county to be trained as one body; officers and men to take oath of supremacy; no trained soldier to move his dwelling without licence of Deputy-Lieutenant; untrained men from 18 to 60 to be enrolled; numbers of trained bands, especially horse, to be increased; magazines of powder, match and lead to be made ready; transport to be organized; beacons to be maintained; 100 pioneers with spades, pickaxes and shovels to be allotted to every 1000 soldiers; Provost-Marshal to be appointed to each county for arrest and punishment of vagrants and spreaders of false rumours

pp. 83-85 1626 Number of ships to be supplied by Bristol and county reduced from three to two, citing decay of trade and great losses at sea suffered in recent years by Bristol, and former precedents

p. 87 1626 Musters to be held at Whitsun

pp. 89-90 1627 Defaulters to be bound over to answer for their contempt in the next term

pp. 91-93 1627 Privy Council to Commissioners for Loans for the City of Gloucester: complaining of negligence in collection of the loan and in punishing defaulters

pp. 94-99 1627 Further levy of 200 foot required from county; to be sent to Plymouth; instructions for dealing with evasions

p. 100 1627 [Commissioners of Loans, Gloucester] to Privy Council: some defaulters have paid amount £456 13s 4d; herewith certified the names of those still defaulting and sums unpaid

pp. 101-102 1627 Names of 20 men supplied by the City and county of the City; William King, gent., appointed 'conductor' by Deputy Lieutenants to take them to Plymouth

p. 103 1627 Reduction of charge on Henry Machen of Badgeworth, and charge on Mr. Hinson of Hunt Court

pp. 105-108 1627 200 men to be levied in Gloucestershire

p. 109 1627 20 men supplied by the City and County of City; Wm. King conductor

pp. 110-111 1627/8 240 men of Col Spry's regiment from Dorset, and c.100 from Portsmouth to be billeted in the county, at cost of 3s 6d per week per man

p. 112 1627/8 The soldiers caused great trouble by their disorder at Tetbury. 16 more men being sent to Gloucester which is requested to pay its proportion to Tetbury

p. 113 1627/8 Names of 20 soldiers billeted in the City and County of City

pp. 115-118 1627/8 Trained bands from the counties in Lieutenancy to be mustered and sent to Shaftesbury by 21 April for review by person to be appointed by king because previous exhortations have been ignored; recusants to supply horses and arms charged; punishment of any appearing with borrowed horses or armour; defaulters to be sent in safe custody to appear before Privy Council

p. 119 1627/8 Sir W. Sandys to Mayor of Gloucester and the other Deputy Lieutenants of City and its County: 300 soldiers at Cirencester, apparently by mistake on part of Sussex Commissioners; Sir W. Sandys hopes to divert them from Gloucester to another county; in the interim he has committed Gloucester to pay a tenth of cost of keeping the soldiers in Cirencester

p. 120 1627/8 Names of soldiers received from Tetbury and Gloucester inns in which they were billeted

p. 121 1627/8 Cirencester soldiers to be billeted in Berkeley, Kiftsgate and Forest Divisions at cost of 3s 6d per man per week to the county

p. 122 1627/8 Sir W. Sandys and Sir Wm. Guise, Commissioners for the Billeting of soldiers quartered in Gloucestershire, to Sergeant-Major Buck their commander, to move from Cirencester to Wotton-under-Edge, Dursley, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Mitcheldean and Gloucester

p. 123 1627/8 Names of soldiers and where billeted in Gloucester

p. 124 1627/8 Billeting of 31 men and provision for other companies passing through Gloucester

p. 125 1627/8 Men from Col. Spry's regiment to be moved from Gloucester to Herefordshire

p. 126 [1627/8] Discontent of Sergeant-Major Buck with the above arrangement, and wish to quarter more troops in Gloucester - efforts of Mayor and Recorder to prevent this, Alderman Bullock being' employed in this business'

p. 127 1627/8 Mayor etc. to Privy Council: willing to billet a tenth as formerly

pp. 128-129 1627/8 Same to Bishop of Bath and Wells, and Recorder to Sir Thos. Coventry, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, to same effect

pp. 130-140 1627/8 Correspondence with Privy Council (forwarded to the Lord Keeper) on subject of billeting: Deputy-Lieutenants of the County point out that the county already has to maintain trained bands of 3000 foot and 200 horse, has had to make good defects in weapons and equipment, entertain the king's sergeants sent to train them, supply powder, match and bullets, and has provided 1,250 soldiers wholly at the cost of the county, no repayment having yet been made; clothing trade on which prosperity of county mainly depends 'is much decayed', and has also been a year of bad harvests and loss of sheep; disputes over billeting further volunteers, and discontents of both soldiers and billeters; the removal of the troops from Cirencester which has 1200 inhabitants in need of poor relief, and sending of 300 soldiers of Col. Spry's regiment to Herefordshire

p. 141 1627/8 Gloucester to be charged with billeting only a tenth of the soldiers coming into the county

p. 142 1627/8 No more volunteers to be maintained by the county

pp. 143-144 1627/8 Musters at Shaftesbury postponed to allow time for remedy of deficiencies. Horse companies to meet on 11 June

pp. 145-146 1628 King's thanks to Lord Lieutenant; Lord Lieutenant to Mayor and Deputy-Lieutenant expressing satisfaction that soldiers have not committed any great disorder

pp. 147-148 1628 Mayor and Deputy-Lieutenants: list of those still have made default in failing to provide horsemen

pp. 149-150 1628 Privy Council to Lord Lieutenant: in spite of king's assurances, some out of misapprehension or because of the example of ill-affected persons, or 'sinister and false apprehensions of some misunderstandings between his Majesty and his Parliament' have refused to billet soldiers any longer; soldiers to continue to be provided for at rate prescribed until the first subsidies have come in when the king may be able to dispose of them

p. 151 1628 Lord Lieutenant to Commissioners of the City of Gloucester undertaking to secure repayment of money spent in billeting

pp. 152-154 1628 Privy Council to Lord Lieutenant ordering careful accounting for billeting in the counties of the Lieutenancy so that payment can be made

pp. 155-158 1628 Mayor and Deputy Lieutenants to Privy Council: £233 14s 3d spent in levying soldiers; accounts of billeting total £106 15s 10d of which £35 has been levied from inhabitants of city and its county; includes schedule of names of soldiers and billeters

pp. 159-162 1628 General muster required

pp. 163-165 1630/1 Privy Council to Mayor and Justices of City sending printed books of instructions for relief of impotent poor, setting others on work and punishing idle vagrants, neglect having led to growing disorder

pp. 166-167 1631 Proceedings by Corporation in putting the instructions into effect: at meetings held twice a week defects in system enquired into and measures framed (listed), including administration of charities

pp. 167-170 1631 6,000 volunteers to be raised by Marquis of Hamilton for service with the king of Sweden; company of 150 volunteers to be raised in Glos.; Captain Wroughton of Sir Jacob Astley's regiment to raise volunteers in Glos. List of soldiers 'entertained' by Capt. Wroughton including some from Gloucester

pp. 171-173 1631 Licence to Capt. Tirwitt of Marquis of Hamilton's regiment to raise volunteers in Glos. Similar licence to Capt. Archibald Douglas of Sir James Ramsey's regiment

p. 174 1631 List of soldiers raised by Captain Wroughton

pp. 176-178 1632 Instructions for general muster

pp. 179-181 1631-2 Lord Lieutenant [to Deputy-Lieutenants of Gloucester] requiring them to enforce payment of contributions for Muster Master's fee. Persons refusing payment to be bound over to appear before the Privy Council

pp. 182-183 1632 Sir Alexander Lesley has licence to levy 2,000 soldiers for service with the [Emperor] of all Russia and the Great Duke of Muscovy, and Capt. Hen. Crew has a warrant to raise 200 volunteers for this purpose

pp. 184-186 1631/2 Letters of Emperor of Russia to Sir Alexander Lesley re raising troops

pp. 187-188 1633 General muster to be held

pp. 189-192 1629 Instructions for muster

pp. 193-194 1634 General muster to be held

pp. 195-196 1634 Privy Council to Mayor and Commissioners of Gloucester for the contribution towards the repair of St. Paul's Cathedral: requiring an account

pp. 197-198 1634 Muster roll of horse and foot for county of Gloucester required; complaint by Privy Council of neglect to return this yearly

p. 199 1634 Proceedings of Mayor and Commissioners in collecting money for repair of St. Paul's: total £129 2s 0d collected by Commissioners and 21s 11d by churchwardens; names and amounts specified in a book sent with the money to the Chamber of the City of London

p. 201-202 1635 Muster roll for county

pp. 203-206 1635 General muster to be held and muster rolls returned; H.M. much displeased with past neglect

pp. 206-208 1635 Proceedings of Mayor and Deputy Lieutenants in City and its county: 300 in trained bands with details of equipment; owners of light horses; 980 able men aged 16-60 in the City, 1379 in County of City

p. 209 1635 Discontinuance of watch at beacons manned. since April, but not at beacons usually maintained

pp. 211-212 1635 250 able bodied seamen between ages of 20 and 50 years to be impressed

pp. 213-214 1635 Warning to Justices and Clerks of the Peace not to retain regognizances, fines or other perquisites of the Crown

pp. 215-216 1635/6 Keepers of inns, alehouses etc. to be bound yearly in sum of £20 not to retail stolen venison or other game

pp.217-219 1636 Instructions for a general muster; Lord Lieutenant to Mayor and Deputy-Lieutenants of Gloucester : would have forwarded letters earlier if he had not feared spread of plague made it inadvisable to hold public meetings

pp. 220-221 1636/7 Directions of Privy Council [to Mayor and Aldermen] of Gloucester for reducing number of maltsters and incorporating those approved to carry on the trade, and restrictions on malt making to prevent waste and scarcity of corn, forestalling markets and other abuses

pp. 222-223 1636/7 100 seamen to be impressed in Gloucestershire

pp. 224-225 1636/7 Commission to Dennis Fleminge to impress seamen in counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire; William Bates and Gerald Dalbie appointed for same

pp. 226-227 1637 List of seamen impressed by Gerald Dalbie at Gloucester: names, ages, description and abode

p. 227 1637 Order to replenish magazines; trained bands to exercise when plague permits

pp. 228-229 1636/7 General muster to be held; return of ablebodied men between ages of 16 and 60 to be made; general instructions as before

p. 230 1636 Projecting the building of a model academy for the education of children of nobility and gentry in England instead of abroad; donations requested

Unpaginated 12 pages of index to pp.1-180

pp. 231-232 1638 Privy Council, to Gloucestershire J.P.s - Gloucester has been badly affected by the plague, and rate for relief on county not charged to extent authorized by the statute; further order to be made for weekly rate on county for five miles round the city (or a greater area if burden too great) while plague lasts

p. 233 1638 Musters to be held when plague abates so as to permit public gatherings

pp. 234-237 1638 Order for general muster. Troop of horse of City very defective and must be made up to strength

pp. 237-239 1638 Increase in number of horse in every county necessary, which requires strict enforcement of instructions of 24 May 1626

pp.240-243 1638/9 Select men from trained bands to be sent to York for suppression of Scots rebellion: 1000 men from Gloucestershire trained bands and 100 horse

pp. 244-247 1638/9 Instructions for levying 260 footmen for service against Scots

f. [248] 1638/9 List of gentry charged with light horse in City of Gloucester and its county

1638/9 List of ten horses selected for present service; 300 trained soldiers sent from City and its county - details of equipment

f. [249] 1638/9 Names of gentry, owners of light horses viewed by Deputy-Lieutenants

f. 252 1639 Names and occupations of 26 men impressed from City and its county, sent with Robert Beard, gent., chosen by the Deputy-Lieutenants to conduct them to Selby

f. [253] 1639 Receipt by Sir William Brouncker, Commissary-General of the Musters, for the 26 men delivered to Capt. Robt. Kirby of Earl of Essex' regiment

Accounts for same: £56 4s 0d

List of ten horses charged

f. [254] 1642 Names of 31 Gloucestershire men who volunteered for service in Ireland with Captain Arthur Roberts of Sir John Pawlett's regiment, and who have run away, to be sent to Minehead, Somerset

<p>[Stevenson 1420/1540]</p>