Quarter Sessions Rolls (ERO Q/SR130/42a)

3.7.1595 (Thursday 3 July 1595)

document 20400388

note from Roger Harlakinden reciting that the parish of Earls Colne and divers other parishes thereabouts being much charged with great numbers of poor people the said people have of a long time been set on work by spinning wool of dutchmen which they have delivered to the said poor people weekly at the town of Earls Colne aforesaid and there received the same from them again being spun whereby many of the said poor people have been and yet are relieved and maintained in good sort but now of late certain evil disposed persons some of whose names and misdemeanours are expressed in a schedule hereunto annexed having received some of the said dutchmen's wool to spin have sold and conveyed away the same to certain persons whose names are likewise set down so that the said dutchmen have made complaint that unless the said offenders may be by some good and lawful course punished and they themselves have some reasonable relief and restitution for their losses which they say is very great to them being poor men they shall be forced to leave off their former course and then it is to be feared the said poor people being already very ill disposed will grow to be out of all government and order