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Senate House Library, University of London

Licences to beg, Norfolk


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0096 MS 684

Held at: Senate House Library, University of London

Title: Licences to beg, Norfolk

Date(s): 1583-1593

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 15 items

Name of creator(s): Unknown

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Vagrancy Act of 1531 made a distinction between those found begging although able to labour, and those incapable of work. Magistrates were allowed to give licences to beggars allowing certain kinds of begging.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Nine licences and six draft licences to beg within the county of Norfolk, 1583-1593, especially within the hundreds of Blofelde [Blofield], Tunstede [Tunstead], Happinge [Happing], East and West Flegge [East and West Flegg], Walsham, Loddon, Clavering, Taverham, and in the towns of Wilton, Potter Heigham, Horsford and Horsham St. Faithes [Horsham St. Faiths], Ludham, Cromer alias Shipdom [Shipden], Hofton St. John [Hoveton St. John], Cattfield [Catfield], Hickling and Hemlingtonne [Hemblington]. Most of the originals include the signature of Edmund Scambler, Bishop of Norwich, though other signatories include Sir William Paston, Sir Thomas Berney, Miles Corlett, John Pagrave, William Blenerhayset [Blennerhassett], William Hogdon and Henry Gaudy [Gawdy]; most of the seals are wanting.
On the dorse of item 7 is a cancelled licence of 21 Nov 1591, by Edmund Scambler, Bishop of Norwich, and Sir William Paston, to Edward Chaundeler of Barton, Norfolk, to keep an alehouse.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Physical characteristics:

Fastened together on a parchment thong.

Finding aids:

Collection level description.

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Bought at Sotheby's sale of 21 Mar 1966 (lot 237).

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

Publication note:

B. Clarke, 'Norfolk licences to beg: an unpublished collection', Norfolk Archaeology, XXXV (1972).

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Oct 2001


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Local government | Public administration | Government
Poor Law administration | Public administration | Government
Vagrants | Disadvantaged groups

Personal names
Berney | Sir | Thomas | ? 1555-1616 | Knight
Blennerhassett | William | d 1598 | of Norfolk
Chaundeler | Edward | fl 1591 | alehouse keeper
Corlett | Miles | fl 1583-1593 | of Norfolk
Gawdy | Sir | Henry | fl 1583-1603 | Knight
Hogdon | William | fl 1583-1593 | of Norfolk
Pagrave | John | fl 1583-1593 | of Norfolk
Paston | Sir | William | 1528-1610 | Knight
Scambler | Edmund | d 1594 | Bishop of Norwich

Corporate names

Places
Blofield | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Catfield | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Clavering | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Cromer alias Shipden | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
East Flegg | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Happing | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Hemblington | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Hickling | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Horsford | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Horsham St. Faiths | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Hoveton St. John | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Loddon | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Ludham | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Potter Heigham | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Taverham | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Tunstead | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Walsham | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
West Flegg | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Wilton | Norfolk | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe