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In the Records of 14th April, 1655, there is a definition of a Rogue and Vagabond as follows:
These persons hereunder mentioned being above the age of seaven years, are by the Law adjudged Rogues &c. &c.
All persons calling themselves Schollers going about begging; All seafaring men pretending losses of their shipps or Goods on ye Sea going about the Country begging, having not testimoniall under the hand of a Justice of peace, or if the time limitted by the same for his journey be expired, All idle persons going about the Country begging, or useing any subtill craft or unlawfull games or player or feigning themselves to have knowledge in Physiognomy Palmaistry or other like Crafty Science Or pretending that that they can tell destinys fortunes or such other Phantasticall Imaginations; All persons that be or uttar themselves to be Proctors procurers, patent gatherers or collectors for Goales, prisons or hospitalls; All fencers bearwards comon players of Interludes and Minstralls wandring abroad. All Jugglers Tinkers Pedlers and petty chapmen wandring abroad, All wandring persons and comon Labourers being persons able in body useing loytering and refuseing to worke for such reasonable wages as are taxed, or comonly given in such parts where such persons doe or shall happen to dwell or abide not haveing liveing otherwise to maintain themselves All persons delivered out of Goales that shall begg for their fees or otherwise doe travill begging pretending losses by fyre or otherwise All such persons (not being felons) pretending themselves to be Egiptiants or wandring in ye habit form or attyre of counterfit Egiptians All such persons as shall wander upp and down the Country to sell Glasses (not being duly Licenced) are adjudged Rogues &c.
On 13th April, 1618, Gabriel Chilway of Stathorne in the County of Leycester, taylor, was indicted for "enticing and inviting servants and children from their masters and parents to follow histrione anglice a stage player."
On 8th October, 1656, Thomas Marshall, a miller of Maplebeck, was fined "for pretending where goods loste or stolen are and practising Physicke in deceipt of ye people."
There were many indictments "for Vagrancy"; and the law in regard to Vagrants and Vagabonds was rigorously enforced.
The Parish Constables had statutory powers and duties to place in the Stocks and to whip any Vagrants they may find, and pass them on from Constable to Constable till they reached the parish in which they were legally settled—usually the parish of their birth.
On 20th April, 1655, it was reported that foure vagrant persons "taken at Griffin Kirks house in Carleton (an alehouse) upon suspicion of felony and stealing Lynon cloth of John Stanleys of ye Town of Nott" had been brought to Mr. Spelman and discharged, the charge not being proved. Nevertheless, they were ordered to be "stockt stript and whipt at Lenton by the Constable and sent to their several places of habitation."
On the 25th of April, 1655, "Edward Beecham, Ellen his wife with a suckling child, Anne Hodgson with a chyld, and Margaret Knowles with a chyld " were ordered to be stockt, stript, and whipt at Bleasby by the Constable there, and sent away by passes to their several places.
The whipping often took place at the Gaol or House of Correction.
On 9th January, 1608-1609, a vagabond was ordered "to be whipped by the keeper of the gaol of Nottingham, and with a letter of testimonial sent from Constable to Constable to Southwark where he was born."
On 12th July, 1622, a man named John Story alias Jack from Chester was sent from the House of Correction to Catherick in the County of York the place of his birth.
On 7th April, 1630, John Bradley "an idle wanderer" was sent to gaol.
The using of forged documents for begging purposes was not unusual.
Thomas Selby "taken vagrant at Sutton in Ashfield for begging with a Counterfeit peticon for his brother Arth Selby a prisoner in ye Upper bench" was on 18th April, 1656, ordered to be whipt and sent to Wellingborough.
In January, 1629-1630, two vagabonds were sent to the House of Correction "for their vagabond manner of life pretending themselves to have been soldiers, and begging by color of false furlough they wandered in divers places in the County."
On the 16th April, 1613, the Records contain a Copy of a passport or "letter of testimonial" as it was called, which a female vagrant carried with her to the place to which she was sent. It was issued at that Sessions, and is as follows:
"Whereas Eliz Hawkins late of Blythefield in the County of Stafford widow hath repaired to Dunham upon Trent in the County of Nottingham with a Certificate signifying that she lately dwelt in ye town of Blythfield and there behaved herselfe well as by the certificat under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens appeareth We therefore his Majesty's Justices whose names are subscribed assembled in the open Sessions held at Est Rettford the xvith day of April in the yeare &c. finding upon consideracon of the said certificat that by law no poore can be put out of their townes where they are settled and so be made vagrants have therefore thought good hereby to returne her unto ye said towne of Blythefield there to be provided for according to law Given under our hands &c."
There were many Indictments of persons " for refusing to carry passports."
When the Court found a person to be an "incorrigible Vagabond" they ordered him to be burnt with the letter "R" on the left shoulder before being sent to the place of settlement. The burning took place in Court.
On 10th July, 1615, an Order was made that an incorrigible vagabond "then and there in Court with a hot burning hent a large Roman letter R be impressed the size of a shilling on his left arm."
On 10th October, 1617, an Order was made that an incorrigible vagabond "in open Session be burnt in the left shoulder with the Roman letter R of the width of a shilling."
There were many similar orders.
In 1623, complaints were made of the abundance of wandering vagabonds being allowed to pass by unpunished by the negligence in the Constables, and the Chief Constables of the Wapentake of Bassetlaw were ordered to send their warrants to the under Constables, keepers of the night and day watches for the apprehension and punishment of the vagabonds and wandering beggars.
Again, on 7th January, 1659-1660, in the time of the Commonwealth: "Complaint was made of manie burglaries, robberies and other notorious offences dailie committed in divers parts of this County by vagrants and common beggars occasioned meerly by ye negligence of Constables and other officers in not apprehending and punishing them according to law." An Order was made:
"That Constables make " diligent search and sett watch and ward &c. and to send to their several places of birth or last habitacon. Noe person to entertain lodge or give reliefe at their houses to any such person &c. Ye Statute of huy and cry to bee diligently pursued by ye Constable of every Town and parish by day and by night. That the same bee sent by horse and foot from town to town to apprehend all felons robbers and breakers of houses as occacon shall bee, the neglect whereof hath been a great means for such vagrants and idle persons to assemble and meet together for doing such robberies felonies and burglaries as aforesaid."
Constables were fined for laxity and neglect in the treatment of rogues and vagabonds. Among the charges recorded against Constables are the following:
Because being instructed to take a certain Vagabond before a Justice of the peace he permitted him to go at large in contempt of the lord the King.
Permitting a Vagabond to wander about unpunished.
Permitting a Vagabond to beg in the towns of Retford, Wellough and Gamston.
Refusing the execute punishment on a Vagabond brought to him, &c, &c, &c.
It was an offence for anyone to refuse to assist a Constable in the punishing of a vagrant, and there were presentments in respect of this offence, and also "for refusing to help Constable with Vagrant to the Stocks."
On the 6th October, 1656, the Court made the following Order:
The Court takeing notice of an Order made in ye adjacent Countys for ye allowance of iis to any one which shall apprehend a Vagrant Rogue and deliver him to ye Court of ye Towne where he was taken which iis ye said Constable is to pay to ye party for bringing him forthwith And conceiving yt course wilbe ye readiest and most effectuall way for suppressing of Vagrants (as they have found it by experience in ye said adjacent Countys) Therefore this Court well approveing of ye said way for apprehending of Vagrants doe in like manner Order for this County yt any person or persons which shall apprehend any Vagrant Rogue and carry him to ye Constable of ye Towne where he was taken the said Constable shall forthwith pay unto ye said person or persons so bringing such Rogue in and for his paines, And yt ye said Constable shall cause ye said Rogue to be stockt and whipt and to be sent with a passe from Constable to Constable to ye place of his or her birth or last settlement And yt ye next Constable to whom he shall convey the said Rogue shall allow and pay ye said first Constable his said iis which shall alsoe be allowed him by ye next Constable, And soe in like manner for one Constable to pay another untill ye said Rogue come to ye place of his or her birth or last settlemt which said iis is to be borne by ye Inhabitants of ye said parish at ye genall charge thereof.
On the 23rd April, 1680, the Treasurer of North Clay was ordered to pay to John Hodgson the sume of £5 2 0 for his charges of apprehending two rogues.
On 20th April, 1642, a South Clifton man was presented "for exciting a Vagabond against the Constable."
There were Indictments and presentments against persons "for harbouring Vagrants," "for lodging Vagrants," and "for entertaining Vagrants in a house."
On 20th April, 1612, a "collyer" of Selston was presented for harbouring vagrants.
On 16th April, 1613, a labourer of Clippstone was presented "for harbouring a vagrant woman just delivered of a child."
Fines were also imposed "for permitting wandering Vagabonds" and "for not sending away Vagabonds"; and keepers of alehouses lost their licences if they "entertained Vagrants, Vagabonds and suspicious persons" in their houses.
On 13th April, 1607, the Inhabitants of Mansfield were presented "for permitting a Vagabond to inhabit there."
By the Statute 22 Henry VIII. c. 10, gipsies (or as they were then called Egyptians) were banished from the kingdom, and subsequent legislation imposed punishment on any person who imported gipsies into the Kingdom.
There were presentments against Constables "for permitting Vagrants called Egiptians to escape," "for permitting Vagabonds (Egiptians) to go unpunished," and "for having permitted Gipsies to remain in the townships longer than was necessary," &c.
There were also presentments against alehouse keepers "for harbouring Egiptians."
On 8th January, 1615-1616, a warrant was issued against Gabriel Elston of Chilwell "because he procured two Egyptians to deliver from custody" a man who had been arrested on a warrant.
Persons who could walk had to walk with their removal orders or passports from town to town to their place of settlement, but lame persons had to be carried.
There are Indictments "for refusing to carry lame persons," "for refusing to help Constable to carry lame persons to the next town," "for refusing to cary a cripple," "for refusing the Constable to go with Cripples," &c, &c.
On 10th January, 1637-1638, a Cathorpe man was charged with refusing to carry lame persons to Bulcote.
On 11th January, 1653-1654, Geoffrey Hebden, Alderman of Newark late Maior and Clement Johnson of Kelham, Constable, were presented "for conveying cripples on ye Lords daie."
It has been seen that Vagrants were sent to the place of their settlement, usually the place of their birth.
The birth settlement was not the only one. A settlement could also be acquired by marriage, by completed apprenticeship, by being hired and serving for a year, by renting for a year a £10 tenement, and in other ways.
In the Sessions Records of 2nd October, 1682, a Memorandum appears that "It is agreed and declared by this Court that a month's settlement (without disturbance) shall be counted a perfect settlement as heretofore it was taken before the Statute in that case was made."
The Act referred to enabled a settlement to be obtained by forty days' unchallenged residence in a parish.
The parish authorities naturally were always on the look out for non parishioners searching for work who were likely to become settled in the parish, and who might bring about an addition to the number of their existing poor. If a new-comer was not satisfactory, he was sent back to his own parish. Even industrious poor were sent away from a parish in which they were not settled.
The effect of this was to keep laborers in their own villages, and prevent them from going elsewhere to obtain a livelihood.
Even a landlord letting a house to a tenant from outside the parish ran considerable risk.
On the 11th January, 1657-1658, John Smyth of Radford, was assessed to pay "£610 0 towards the relief of the poore in regard he brought in a tenant of his owne into ye said Parish, who is lately run away and left behind him his wief (who is sithence dead) and alsoe two small children which are wholly relieved att ye charge of ye parish."
The most frequent place of settlement named in Removal Orders was the place of birth.
On the 13th July, 1691, there is an Order to remove to Farnsfield "the place of its birth," a female child "recently found in a manger at Oxon Graing."
Settlement cases were often very difficult to deal with, and points of law arose which had to be referred to the Judges at Assizes. One such case was referred in 1659. A difference had arisen between the Inhabitants of Worthington in Leicestershire and the Inhabitants of Hucknall in reference to a child of six months old. The father of the child was a soldier in the army. The facts are thus stated:
"About Candlemas last he with his wief marched along with the General towards London. His wief fell in labor at Hucknall and was there delivered of the said child. About three weeks after, the father and mother went of their own accord towards London. Shortly after, the mother was taken as a Vagrant at Stamford, and was sent by passe in a cart to Worthington, upon pretence that she had some friends there. Within eight dayes of coming to Worthington the mother dyed leaving the infant behind her at Worthington. Immediately after the death of the mother the child was sent by passe from Worthington to Hucknall where it was born."
The Court of Quarter Sessions was of opinion that Hucknall was not liable to be charged with the child, "in regard it was noe Vagrant at law."
It may be assumed that the Judges at Assize confirmed the opinion of the Court of Quarter Sessions, as the same point occurs in a later case.
On 8th January, 1682-1683, it was ordered that "George the son of Will Smith remaine in the parish of Granby until further Order forasmuch as an infant of his age cannot be accounted a Vagrant."
A frequent cause of complaint was the improper removal of poor persons.
At the Sessions on 11th July, 1613, it appeared to the Court that "the Aldermen and Assistants of the town of Newark had sent Roland More and John More being poor and fatherless children from their town, the said Roland to Hawton, and the said John to Balderton." But "having had their last setled dwelling at Newark, and their father having died at Newark" the Court ordered the children to be immediately sent back to Newark there to be provided for according to law.
On the 7th April, 1630, the Inhabitants of Bleasby complained that a woman named Jane Willson had been sent to Bleasby by a warrant issued by the Mayor of Rippon "on the pretext that she was taken wandering at Rippon."
The eagerness of the parochial authorities to get rid quickly of strangers, was the cause often of considerable hardship and suffering to the poor.
On 10th Aprill, 1657, a man was bound over to the good behaviour "for turneing out Margery wief of William Cockaine out house, being sent to Cuckney with her husband by passe as the place of his birth, by meanes whereof she was starved to death."
On 10th April, 1678, the Inhabitants of Stoke were fined 6/8 "for removeing a wooman in her labour."
Wherever possible, the maintenance of paupers was put on the paupers relations.
On 9th July, 1688, Susan Hinckley now of Radford, was ordered to be removed "to Anne Bickley wife of Mr. John Bickley of Nuneaton who is grandmother to the said Susan Hinckley, there to be provided for and maintayned, her parents not being to be found."
The Justices in Quarter Sessions had to perform many duties connected with the relief and maintenance of poor people.
There were many Orders on Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor to give relief.
On 11th January, 1640-1641, the Churchwardens and Overseers of Adboulton were ordered to relieve "a very old man and past ability to work and earne his living and hath an old woman to his wief, and a silly creature his son, yet sane."
On 20th April, 1653, twelve pence weekly was ordered for the relief of "a verie poore man very aged and past his work." On 10th January, 1654-1655, sixpence a week was ordered for maintenance of "a lame and impotent cripple."
On 7th October, 1675, "ye towne of Rolston" was ordered to pay to Nicholas Cupit 3/- a week "for keeping of a lame maide" till they have payd "all ye arrears wch is due to him."
On 10th July, 1676, "ye towne of Grandby" was ordered to "pay 12d. per weeke to Tingle being 100 yeare old."
There were many other similar Orders.
The Overseers of the Poor also had to provide "habitation" or house room for poor people.
On 2nd October, 1616, the Overseers of Beesthorpe were ordered "to provide habitation for a poor woman who is expelled from her house by Francis Bristowe owner of the same."
On 12th January, 1617-1618, the Churchwardens and Overseers of Hickling were ordered "to provide for a poor man his wife and children who had been turned out of a house and had since lived in a stabul anglice a beast house."
On 13th July, 1642, the Churchwardens and Overseers of North Muskham "in which Parish Holme is" were ordered to "place in some convenient house either already made or to be by them built" a poor woman of Holme who "hath lately had her house and goods burnt whereby she is now destitute of habitation."
On the 10th January, 1686-1687, the Overseers of Graysley were ordered to pay unto John Bennits landlord of Watnall Cantileys all ye arrers of his rent yt is now due And likewise to pay his growing rent And also to forthwith repaire ye said house And if ye said Overseers shall refuse to doe ye same then they are to provide some other habitacon betwixt this day and next Lady Day.
On the 20th July, 1657, an Order was made "that ye farmers of Nott Castle and Parke pay twelve pence weekly for maintenance of Anne Mathew a poore old lame woman living under the Castle the said Castle and demeasnes being not charged with any other collection."
Notts. Castle and Park were then within the County.
Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor were also required to provide work for poor people.
On 10th January, 1652-1653, a Warrant was issued to the Constable and Overseers of Keyworth "for setting to work Gabriell Barker and his wief of Keyworth being verie poore and having a charge of children and cannot get work whereby to mainteyne themselves and their family."
On the 13th January, 1618-1619, the Inhabitants of Thorpe informed the Court at Newark that there were five children of Sir John Molyneux (presumably the Justice of the Peace) left at Thorpe "without food, clothing, bedding, or any maintenance. They live in a wretched house without a bed or any person to dwell with them or to put on their clothes they being unable by reason of their tender age (the elder being below twelve years) to help one another or to endure any labour towards their maintenance."
The Inhabitants of Thorpe pleaded that "they were few, in number about six tenants, and they of little estate, and not able to raise the necessary sums of money as shall maintain the children and the other poor in their town, and that neither they nor anyone were occupying any farms or keeping beasts within that lordship by reason of the great risks which are now upon the land in the same by Statute and that no distraints can be levied upon any goods there for maintenance of their poor; But all the farms lie unpastured."
It is not stated what the great risks were that caused the farms in Thorpe to remain unoccupied and unpastured, but the Court on account of the plea set up, ordered that 18d. per week for the children be raised by a levy on the Hundred of Newark.
The following is an instance of the relief of the family of a poor prisoner:
The Court was informed on 10th January, 1613-1614, that Thomas Sharpies late of Langor husbandman "having suffered long imprisonment in the gaol of the lord the King at Nottingham and now lying in the King's bench is very much impoverished in his estate by reason of which he is not able to educate and maintain his poor children." The Overseers of the Poor of Langar were ordered to provide sufficient clothes for the children so that they may have sufficient clothes and garments to protect them from the cold and "for their shifting."
There were two instances during the Commonwealth of Orders being made for the relief of clergymen and their families:
On the 14th July, 1656, there was a Petition of James Stephenson of Calverton, clerk, showing that "he haveing been ye minister of Calverton by the space of a year last past and more hath been of late ejected thence by the Commissioners and is thereby become destitute both of habitacon and meanes to maintain himself his wife and family And yt both himself and his wief being both of them very aged and impotent are thereby disabled to gett their owne liveing." The Court ordered the Churchwardens and Overseers of Calverton to provide "convenient habitacon and alsoe competent weekly maintenance that for want thereof they be not starved nor forced to make any further complaint."
On the 4th October, 1658, the Churchwardens and Overseers of Strelley were ordered to allow a "competent weekly maintenance for Mrs. Alice fforbes widdow the relict of Abraham fforbes late parson of the said parish who was left destitute."
Obtaining relief by false pretences was practised in the seventeenth century:
On the 9th October, 1629, the Overseers of Gringley were ordered to pay 8d. a week for the relief and maintenance "of an old and lame poor man" named John Andrews. But at the next Sessions, in January, 1629-1630, a petition was presented " by many faithful and worthy "Inhabitants of Gringley" that the said John had then falsely pretended in the Court that he was a cripple "whereas in fact the said John now boasts among his neighbours that he can walk thirty miles in a winters day; and that he daily behaves himself insolently towards the inhabitants."
There were many presentments against Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor "for neglect of duty," "for not allocating sufficient maintenance to paupers," and "for not providing for paupers," &c, &c.
On the 25th April, 1623, it is recorded in the Sessions books that "divers complaints by many poor people are daily brought to us [the Justices] at East Retford sometimes at our dwelling houses some-times at any Sessions of the peace of the lord the King, of want of maintenance and habitation by the negligence of the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor in all or most of the Constabularies in this Division leaving everything to the care and activity of the Justices of the Peace and doing nothing themselves having more direct power than they." The Chief Constables of the Wapentake of Bassetlaw were ordered to move the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of each parish that they duly hold monthly meetings and see their poor parishioners so that henceforth there may not be just complaints made in this case.
The Acts passed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth required Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor to meet every month.
On the 21st April, 1615, the Constable of Tuxford was fined 10/- for not receiving and providing for a poor boy whose father had run away and whose mother was dead, and an order was made that he be lodged and educated at Tuxford.
The Inhabitants of Beckingham "put out of her dwelling" Katherine Ward and her children "and they became vagrant," Katherine Ward being "setled and placed with her husband now fled away for felony." On the 10th April, 1616, three of the Inhabitants of Beckingham were bound over to appear at the Assizes and "to abide such Order for themselves and their said town of Beckingham as the said Judges shall award and set down for the same."
The Parochial Authorities never lost an opportunity of getting the burden of poor relief transferred to the shoulders of others.
On 13th July, 1642, complaint was made that an Epperstone woman "having her last dwelling house upon the land of John Walker, gentleman, one of the lords of that towne is of late destitute of harbour." It appeared to the Court that "there is an ancient custome and course in Epperstone that the several Lords have and doe usuallie maintaine the poore wch happen upon those several lands." The Court made an Order for the relief of the woman, " and it is thought fit by the Court that the greatest part of that Charge shall be raysed and levyed upon the said John Walker for the reasons aforesaid."
On the 8th October, 1617, Robert Brown of North Collingham was bound over to appear at Assizes to "answer for not mantayning one Margaret Green a poore widow whom one John Middleton late husband of ye now wief of the said Robert Brown had promised and undertaken to mantayn and keepe, in consideration whereof he had received goods of the said Margaret Greens to the value of £20."
Children had to contribute to the support of their parents:
One son was ordered to provide for his mother; another to contribute 16d. weekly for the maintenance of his father; another to relieve his parents "with all necessary provision as food, drink, clothing, and such like," &x., &c.
On 2nd May, 1617, a husbandman of Gringley on the Hill was ordered "annually during the life of his father and mother for their maintenance and relief to deliver and pay three strike of rye, three strike of barley, two strike of malt, and two strike of peas." This he consented to do.
On 9th July, 1627, a warrant was issued against a man named Wm. Ireland that "he being rich and having his father and mother very poor old and impotent refused to contribute to their relief and maintenance."
There were also Orders upon husbands to maintain wives.
On 2nd October, 1622, two men were indicted together "for not maintaining wife."
The following entries show the activity of the Parish Authorities in acquiring "goods and property" in aid of the cost of maintenance of paupers:
On the 14th July, 1654, a Petition was presented by the Overseers of Worksop, "that several poore people of the said parish are lately dead and have left many small children behind them to be provided for at the charge of the parish and that there are certaine dead goods of ye deceaseds remaining in their houses whereof noe administracon taken which are in danger to be imbezzled." An Order was made.
On the 15th July, 1674, it was ordered "that the Corne upon the ground belonging to Will Sykes bee secured by the Overseers of ye Poore of Weston towards the maintenance of his children being left to ye Parish."
If the burden of relieving the poor became very heavy on a particular parish or place, the Justices had power under a Statute of Elizabeth to order any other parishes in the same Hundred to contribute to poor relief:
On the 14th July, 1641, upon information that "Westhorpe being a hamlet of Southwell and within that parish had few poore in it, and Southwell hath very many poor in it," the Court ordered that the Inhabitants and occupants of grounds in Westhorpe shall hereafter contribute for reliefe of the poore in Southwell.
On the 20th April, 1658, a Petition of "Inhabitants of West Stockwith in ye parish of Misterton," was presented showing that "they have many ould widdows in their said parish and not able to maintain themselves and their children whose husbands are in the States service. It is desired that Misterton being little charged with poore and Stockwith being but a small member of the parish that the Inhabitants of Misterton may take care of part of the children." An Order was made that Mr. Nevill "call the partys before him and settle the same."
On 14th January, 1690-1691, the Inhabitants of Coddington, Cottam, Hawton and Barnby were ordered to pay sixpence a piece weekly towards the maintenance of the poore of Balderton.
There are several Orders or Warrants to Constables to "distrain those who refuse fully such rates and assessments as are imposed on them by the towns for a provision for the poor."
Lunatics were usually confined in the Gaol or House of Correction.
In 1604, a lunatic taken by a Constable was committed to gaol "until the next Assizes." In 1684, a Constable was ordered to convey a "distracted person" to the House of Correction."
On the 18th July, 1684, the Justices of East Retford ordered the Overseers [of Gringley] to "sell the goods of Dorothy Gandy a mad woman for her present maintenance in ye gaole." On 10th October, 1684, the Inhabitants of Gringley were ordered "to pay £112 0 to ye "gaoler for ye maintenance of Dorothy Gandy." On 17th April, 1686, the Overseers of Gringley were ordered to pay 2 /- a week to Mr. John Martin, Gaoler, "for keeping of Dorothy Gandy a distracted woman in ye said Gaole."
On 10th July, 1605, Christopher Levers was fined 1/- "for that he is not of sane memory."
On 17th July, 1657, a petition was presented by Edward ffox of Worksop, showing "that his wiefe being very much distracted in her witts hath of late pulled downe part of his dwelling house, wherein she was kept, which by reason of his poverty he is not able to build upp." The Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor were ordered to rebuild the house.
In 1690, Gervase Jackson was ordered to keep his brother a lunatic, the Overseers of Rampton making a quarterly payment to him.