QUARTER SESSIONS FINE ROLLS

These rolls contain the estreats of fines assessed at Quarter Sessions and cover the period 1561-1634. No later rolls have been found, although the Quarter Sessions files after 1660 begin to contain lists of persons bound to appear at Quarter Sessions, which sometimes contain notes of orders made, and among the records for Quarter Sessions held on 22 Dec. 1670, QSF/79/3/176, there is a list of standard fines to be charged for the various offences commonly listed in these fine rolls.

The classes of offences contained in the fine rolls are those contained in the presentments of the Jurors and constables, i.e. brawls, breaking the assizes of bread and ale, nuisances, unlawful games, non-attendance at church, and keeping of inmates etc. Some of the rolls contain totals of the fines assessed and notes of fines collected. In one or two cases there are also additional accounts relating to the collection of fines, and these show that the fines imposed often have little relation to the actual sums collected.

The Sheriffs were the officers responsible for collecting the fines, and most of the rolls are indented at the head showing that two copies were made. From the evidence of the signing and sealing of QSPE/43-45, where two copies of each roll have survived, it would appear that one copy of each roll was usually signed and sealed by the Sheriffs and the other copy signed and sealed by the Mayor.

These rolls also contain two relating to fines assessed in the Crownmote Court on 26 May 1600 and 28 April 1634. The first of these is included with the Quarter Sessions fines for 1 Feb 1599/1600, QSPE/35, and the second is a separate roll QSPE/60, The fines on these rolls are mainly for non-attendance.

A large part of every roll is concerned with the breaking of the assize of ale. Only those fines of especial interest are noted - the first two rolls contain, several interesting points and are therefore transcribed to a greater extent than the remainder.