Quarter Sessions Examination Book

ff 346v–7 (25 January)

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The Informacion of Edmund hannye of the Towne and Countie of Southampton Musitian taken before George Gollop Mayor of the said Towne and Countie Peter Pryaulx and Edward Exton and others Aldermen and Iustices &c. at the Audithouse the five and Twentieth day of Ianuarie. Anno Regni Regis Caroli Octavo. Annoque domini .1632./.

Who saith that hee is the Master or Cheife of the Companie of the Musitians of this Towne, and keepeth the boxe for himself and for William Parchmore and Thomas Spaight two others of the same Companie In which box are putt and kepte the accustomed benevolence and payments of the Inhabitants of this Towne vusually given and paid to himself and his said Companie, for their labour and paines vsed and exercised by them within this Towne in theire arte or profession of musicke. And that the said Thomas Spaight keepeth the key of that Boxe. And hee further saith that on or about the Saturday after Christmas daie last hee and his said Companie opened the Boxe with an intent to make a division of such moneys as were therin. And vpon opening the boxe and telling the money, they found lesse money to bee in the boxe then they had collected; vpon a Computacion made amongst themselves what moneys they had received since the locking vp of the Boxe. And therevpon this Informant suspected henry Combes and Robert Willis this Informants Apprentices of the taking of the moneys wantinge out of the said Boxe because they had beene oftentimes absent from his house before that time. And vpon enquirie made after them by him this Informant hee had heard where they had been spending moneys abroad in | Companie, And Could not vpon examinacion give this Informant any sufficient answere by what meanes they came by those moneys they had soe spente./. (signed) G George Gollop
Mayor

The Examination of the said henry Combes taken the day and yeare aforesaid before the said Iustices./.

Whoe being demaunded what moneys hee tooke out of the boxe of his said master and his Parteners about Christmas laste, hee vtterly denieth that hee tooke out thence any money at all. Being demaunded where hee gott those moneys hee spent abroad in Companie at seuerall times being absent from his Masters service saith that hee wonne the same of Iohn Oglander and of ffrancis Skeete, and of one Williams that dwelleth at Salisburie And hee saith that he wonne of them in all about Eight shillings and sixe pence And hee saith further that hee had money diuerse times given him by one mr Smith a young Gent lodging at mrs Lemotts and allsoe by Iohn Knapp and Iohn Oglander whome hee taught to play on the violl and some other Instrumentes./.

(signed) George Gollop Mayor./

The Examination of the said Robert Willis taken the said day and yeare before the said Iustices./.

Whoe saith that in the Christmas hollydaies last past this Examinate having beene abroad in the streete and being come home againe hee mett the said henry Combe with the said Boxe in his hand and demaunded of him whether hee had not beene taking moneys out of the said boxe, to which hee gave noe answere but deliuered this Examinate xviij d. And then this Examinate demaunded of the said Combe how hee did take out the money out of the said boxe, to which he answered hee tooke it out with a Garde./.

(signed) George Gollop Mayor.