MALT RATE LEVIED in the PARISH of WOODBURY, Co. Devon

[From the Archealogical Journal (Royal Archealogical Institute of Great Britain and Ireland) Vol 40 1883 pages 225-233]

Transcribed by Jean E Harris

1536

March 12, the 27th Year of Kg Henry 8th 1536 [Copied from Woodbury Church Ledger, formerly called the Malt Book]

    The hole P'ishners of the P'ishe of Woodbury by their hole assent & consent hath agreed to gyff ev'y yere yerely to the Alle Wardyns of the P'ishe Church of Woodbury for the tyme beyng so muche malt or monye to the valew of the malt for the mayntenance of the Church as apperyth upon ev'y of ther names hereafter followyng. And also the seyde P'ishners hath ferder agreed, that is to saye, to dyne togethers the Tuysday yn the Whitsonweke & the later seynt Swythyn Day at the Church House of Wodbury, & thei & ev'y of them to bryng there meyto & brede wt them & to paye at ev'y of the seide deyes afore rehersyd for there Dryncke at ther Dyners yerely for a man & his wyff the sum or sumes set on ther names hereafter folowyng. And also the seide P'shners hath ferder agreed that wn thei do not in' to dyne at ev'y of the seide dayes beffore lymyted that thei so paye at ev'y of the seide dayes for theire Dyn's the seide monye hereafter folowyng not wt standyng to the Churh Wardyns for the tyme beyng. And also that no wedow man or widow woman to paye for a place but iid [& for di'] a place id.

Woodbury 1591

The whole Parishioners of the Parish of Woodbury by their whole assente and condiscente have elected & chosen those sixteen men, whose names are hereafter written, in the Visitation Corte holden at Woodbury Church by Mr John Leache Bachelor of Devynytie, Official of the Dyocese, & Thomas Chaffe Register the 28th June in the 33 year of the raigne of our Sovereigne Lady Elizabeth the Queen's Majestye, that now is. Upon weh election the sd 16 men were sworn there in the sd Corte by the sd official, to make a true & perfitte Rate or Taxatione of all the Land & Lands whatsoever lying within the P'she of Woodbury towards the reperations & Mentaynannce of the Churche of the sd P'she. And now yt is fully concluded & agreed uppon by & between the sd Raters that every Person & Persons hereafter written shall paye everye yeare towards the mentaynaunce of the sd Churche yearlye toe the Wardens for the tyme beyne so much Malte as appeareth & is set doune p'ticularly upon every of the name & names hereafter followinge. And it is further agreed upon by the said Raters too paye in money for every Bushell of Malte Sixteen pence, and soe bee yt more or less after the same Rate.
1591

Woodbury 1631

Whereas the ancient Rate for the repairing of the Church of the said Parish is now too little & not sufficient to satisfy such yearly charges & payments as heretofore hath been accustomed & now hereafter ought to be laid out & paid towards the said Church. Therefore it was ordered at the Visitation Court holden in the P'ishe Church aforesaid the 23rd of May in the year of our Lord 1631 by the Official & Register for the time being, that there should be a new Rate or tax made for the purpose aforesaid by the then Churchwardens & Sidesmen, with others of the said P'ish. Whereupon the sd Parishioners as well by the condisent of the Right Worsh Sir Thomas Predyaux Knight as also by the assent of Divers others of the said P'ish whose names are hereafter to this rate subscribed, have now made and agreed upon this new Rate and Tax upon all the lands within the said P'ish, towards the reparation of the said Church & Charges above said yearly from henceforth to be paid from the feast of Easter last past these several sums of money & of these several persons whose names are hereafter in this present Rate expressed: viz. --

This Rate beeng finished & published in the P'ishe Church aforesaid, was in the month of July in the aforesaid year of our Lord God 1631 put in & fixed in this Book [the Malt or Ledger] & so confirmed by the hands of those persons whose names are hereafter following set down, viz: