The survival of constables’ accounts in borough and parochial archives is exceptionally small. Less than 4% of parishes and boroughs in Somerset have deposited any such records for the 17th century with the Somerset Record Office, or Somerset Heritage Service, as of June 2018. Examples survive for Axbridge, Bruton, Cameley, Cheddar, Charlton Musgrove, Clutton, Crowcombe, Kingsbury Episcopi, Lovington, Marston Magna, Martock, Nether Stowey, Pitminster, Rode, Westbury and West Monkton.1 Compared to the survival of churchwardens’ accounts for the same period, constables’ accounts are rare survivals and rarely cover long periods of time. Why this survival rate is so low is far from clear but a case brought in the High Court of Chancery of 5 June 1630 may give an answer. The case in question was between two men from Wellington who held the office for one year in 1627. Included in the case papers is a copy of their accounts which also helps to throw some light on the activities undertaken by this official.2
The case between Christopher Haddon (or Hadden), yeoman and Christopher Woolcott (or Wallcot), mercer reveals how they were chosen as a parish and borough constable (respectively) and sworn by the steward of the court to serve for one year. The main objective for them was to collect any money raised from the rates levied on parishioners and put the money to local or national uses. The two men agreed that as Woolcott was a ‘greate monyed man’ he was able to pay out of his own pocket all of the money required by the constables to be disbursed. Then they would go around the parish and collect the money that was due from all of the parishioners. They also agreed that at the end of their term of office, according to a ‘very ancient usuage or custome’ they would then submit their accounts to the ‘most sufficient and substanciall persons’ of the parish to show they had ‘fairelie and honorblie’ behaved. Despite this agreement, when it came to actually putting this into practice the reality was very different. Haddon alleged that Woolcott refused to account for £120 which he claimed was owed by Haddon. Haddon thought Woolcott was trying to ruin him ‘out of a covetuous dessision to inriche him selfe’ by bringing an action in the Court of King’s Bench, which led to Haddon being arrested. All of which was despite Haddon’s efforts to settle the matter quietly. He even asked Woolcott to tell the truth in the matter and confess what moneys he received and disbursed whilst constable.
Woolcott in reply stated how the two men agreed to ‘joyne togeather in due execucon of their said office’, partly due to the large cost of conduct money needed for soldiers. Woolcott claimed he laid out £63 17s, collected £31 16s 4d but could not collect the difference. In order to recoup his losses he approached Sir John Stawell, a deputy lieutenant, who promised him a warrant for the ‘levieinge thereof’ which Woolcott never received. Subsequently Woolcott consulted his lawyer, who advised him to document the expenditure and income and present them ‘before some of the most sufficient and substanciall persons of the said Borough or parishe’. Those sufficient persons, according to Woolcott, refused to make up the difference and Woolcott had Haddon arrested, which is not in question. Subsequently Woolcott’s second answer in the case includes an account of the money he disbursed.3
Little definite information can be found about Haddon and his family, because the Wellington parish registers do not survive before 1683. A Christopher son of Christopher Haddon was baptised at Sampford Arundel on 12 Oct. 1623 and a man of this name was buried at Runnington on 7 Dec. 1658, but whether there is any connection between these Christophers is not clear, even though both parishes are adjacent to Wellington. Haddon was a man of average substance, a yeoman4 of the tithing of Ford in the parish of Wellington. He was of some standing as he was overseer of a will in 1602 and mentioned in another will of that year as a resident of Wellington.5 In a rate of 1612 for the tithing of Ford appears an entry for Christopher Hadden’s children for 8s 4d. In 1621 he paid for a seat for himself and his wife in Wellington church and in 1624 served as overseer of the parish.6 He petitioned the court of Quarter Sessions for Somerset in 1623 concerning one of his servants, who had run away; the court found in his favour and he was discharged from his obligation to her in this.7 In 1633 he was assessed in Ford tithing for £16 10s and the year after purchased a seat in the church.8
As for Woolcott9 he was a mercer who was born at Tolland c.1583 and moved to Wellington in 1609.10 In 1620 he served as overseer of the parish of Wellington.11 In 1621 he was involved with his mother-in-law, Alice Greenslade, in a Chancery dispute over property in Wellington.12 He was assigned a 60 year lease for lands in the tithing of ‘Pury’ (Perry) in Wellington on 22 March 1624/5 in which he was described as a mercer.13 A ‘C Wallcott’ was paid 7d for a board to ‘make the easter church gate’ in 1624. In the following year he served as churchwarden and paid money for a seat and paid the church 5s for the old gate. In 1629 he purchased another seat and sold 12¼ yards of Holland at 3s 6d per yard to the church. He was living in the town as he was assessed in 1631 for a property there and again in 1633. He sold ‘fustian and silk’ to the church in 1631 worth 2d.14 Woolcott married Mary Partridge the natural daughter of John Greenslade;15 he is also mentioned in 1620 as son-in-law of John Greenslade;16 Mary, who died after him, some time before November 1645, mentions her brother Edward Greenslade in her will17 when she was living in Wellington.18 He was witness to a will in 1614, as well as an overseer to wills in 1627 and 1635.19 He owned substantial property in Wellington and Tolland at the time of his death. Although he died in 163920 the administration of his will was not granted until 10 May 1649.21
Therefore as different men appear to have been chosen each year as constables, and there is no evidence of that, a book of accounts for either the borough or the parish was kept, the constables’ accounting system was rather haphazard. Combine this with the fact that they thought it best practice, as others before them had done, possibly time out of mind, to pay the disbursements and collect the funds afterwards rather than the other way around, then the possibilities for confusion and dispute were greatly increased. Clearly they were doing things back to front to make life easier, and if Haddon’s evidence is correct, then with the ‘greate monyed man’ underwriting their year in office what could go wrong? History tells us a different story.22 It is worth noting that in the 1628 subsidy returns for Wellington how Woolcott paid twice as much tax than Haddon. Both men were assessed for their land holdings to the value of 40s and 20s respectively, but Woolcott also owned a considerable amount of goods for which he paid no subsidy in 1628.23
If this method of accounting is compared to that of the churchwarden then there are some differences. Churchwardens’ account books survive in much greater numbers than those kept by constables. They also tend to run for longer periods of time and have a degree of continuity that is definitely missing from the constables’ accounting system. Whereas the church had regular income, bequests, donations and levies from rates that should have gone straight into the parish chest, the Wellington evidence for the practice undertaken by the two constables (cited above) was almost the complete opposite. Instead of collecting the money, disbursing it, accounting for it and keeping any left over in the parish or borough coffers, the constables ended up creating a problem that had to be resolved 150 miles away in a court in London.
The account, in C 2/CHAS I/H42/20, is printed below:
8 October 1631. The second and further answere of Christopher Wolcott defendant to the bill of Complainte of Christopher Haddon Complainant.
The said defendant saith that duringe the tyme he was Constable of the Burrowe of Wellington menconed in his former aunswere he as Constable laid out and disbursed theis somes of money followinge (that is to saie) to Captaine Combell and Captaine Nevell for the conduct of fower hundred and tenn soldiers at viijd a man – xiijli xiijs iiijd, to Collonell Greenefield for the conduct of three hundred soldiers at - viijd a man - xli, to Captaine Bridges for the conducte of three scoare and six men at - viijd a man - xliiijs to Captain Dawson for the conduct of ffiftie fower men at viijd a man – xxxvis. To Captaine Gray for the conduct of three scoare and five men at viijd a man, xliijs & iijd. To Captaine Parker for the Conduct of three scoare & fower men at viijd a man xlijs viijd for the diett of three lame soldiers vjd, to Roberte Darch for whipping of Rogues vjd, for apparrellinge of William Vowsen beinge preste for a soldier for his Majesties service (vizt) for three yeards of kersey to make him cloathes vijs vjd, for lyninges & makinge of them ijs vjd, Cloath for a Shirte & makinge of it iiijs iiijd, for a paire of Stockinges ijs ijd, for a paire of shooes iiijs, for a hatt iijs, for apparellinge of William Bowringe beinge preste for a soldier for his Majesties service (vizt) for ii yeards and haulfe of kersey to make him breeches vs xd, for pocketts and makinge of them xvjd, for cloath for a shirte and makinge of it iiijs iiijd, for a paire of stockins ijs, for a paire of shoes iijs viijd, for a hatt ijs viijd, for the diett of the saide two preste soldiers xviijd, for ympresse Coate and Conducte money xxvs, to fower lame soldiers iijd, for a proclamacon vjd, for carriage of salt peeter xviijs, for the dyett of two lame soldiers vjd, for the dyett of three lame soldiers vjd, for the dyett of three lame soldiers iiijd, to three maymed soldiers vjd, to fower maymed soldiers iiijd, to eighte poore soldiers viijd, to fower maymed soldiers viijd, for the diett of three sicke soldiers vjd, for the buryinge of a soldier that dyed xiiijd, for a shroude iijs vjd, for the carryinge of one Symon Jacob to the Goale vjs vjd, to two poore soldiers ijd, for coppyinge of two pattents for conductinge of soldiers xijd, for strawe to lodge sicke soldiers iijd, for writinge out a pattent vjd, for thexpences of this defendant and of the Complainante to ride to Sir John Stowell Knighte about the billitinge of soldiers xvd, for a horse and a man xijd, for coppyinge two Pattentes xijd, for lodginge of two soldiers vd, to fower soldiers for theire Conducte ijs viijd, for the dyett of six lame soldiers xijd, to two soldiers for theire Conduct xvjd, to one soldier for his Conduct viijd, for whippinge of Mary Kelway iiijd, to Robert Bodley and Roger Carswell for two horses to carry Armor to Taunton xijd, to two men to carry a poore weoman in a Barrowe throughe the Towne of Wellington iiijd, to a poore soldier ijd, to fower soldiers for theire Conduct ijs viijd, for lodginge & dyett of twelve sicke soldiers xijd, to five soldieres of Collonell Radclifts Regiment for their Conduct iijs iiijd, for the dyett of two sicke soldiers vjd, for the dyett of two soldieres iiijd, for the dyett of three sicke soldiers vjd, to a Messenger to carry the Clarke of the Marketts warrant to Mr Mallett vjd, for two proclamacons ijs vjd, to three sicke soldiers returninge from the Ile of Ree vjd, for Coate & Conduct money vs viijd, for ympresse money iijs, for apparrell for Roberte Unton, & Henry Owen beinge prest soldiers for his Majesties service (vizt) for five yeards & a quarter of Kersey xs vjd, for buttons Inckell and threede vjd, for two yeards & a quarter of Kersey vjs iijd, for Canvas ijd, for five yeards of Canvas to make them shirtes viijs iijd, for makinge of them viijd, for cloath for a shirte for Thomas Courte whoe was likewise preste for a soldier vd, for makinge of the same iiijd, for three paire of shooes ixs, for a paire of stokins xviijd, for three hatts ixs, for sendinge a maymed soldier on horse backe vjd, for sending two soldiers to the Justice vjd, for three proclamacons ijs, for the dyett of two sicke soldiers iiijd, for sending William Symons to Mr Every vjd, for the keepinge of Edwarde Dyer & Alexander Ley beinge committed xviijd, for sendinge of Elizabeth Woton to the Justice viijd, & from thence to the Goale vjs, to Richarde Glasse being a Tythingman for monies he laid out to sicke soldiers xvjd, for the makinge of Henry Owen his cloathes xxd, for the dyett & lodginge of three maymed soldier viijd, for sendinge of Grace Roe to the Justice and for keepinge of her ixd, for whippinge of her iiijd, for two proclamacons xijd, for sendinge of Henry Coleman to the Justice viijd, to Irishe people iiijd, for the dyett of two sicke soldiers iijd, for powder xixs vjd, for match xiijd, for sendinge a warrant to the constable of the Hundred vjd, to George Campe & John Denninge to carry the Armes to Taunton iiijs, for two horses for that service iiijs, for fower monethes billetinge of soldiers at iiili iijs iiijd the monethe according to a warrante directed unto this Defendant and the Complainante from Roberte Kingston Constable of the Hundred from Sir John Stawell knighte and others the Deputie Leiutenants of this County of Somerset xiili xiijs iiijd, Towards the repayringe of Toane bridge xijs ixd accordinge to a warrant to this Defendant & the Complainante directed from Roberte Kingston Constable of the Hundred, to John Coggan beinge a trayned soldier ijs viijd, to Crispine Fry beinge a Trayned soldier ijs viijd, for the use of twenty pounds which the defendant borrowed of Richard LittleJohns and his weife and laid out in the services aforesaid for three yeares and haulfe the principall money beinge yet unpaid vli iiijs, more monies this defendant hath laid out but cannot certenly remember, wherefore, And this defendant further saith that he as Constable duringe the tyme of his office and sithence hath receaved their somes of money followinge & noe more to the uttermoste of his remembrance (that is to saie) of William Coggan xs, of Justine Thrustone widdow vjs, of Nicholas Roe xvjd, of Jesper Gullett ijs, of George Berry iiijs, of Lawrence Monday ijs viijd, of George Spiren ijs, of Jane Guinte ijs viijd, of Jesper Trowbridge ijs viijd, of Nicholas Coleborne xxd, of Richard Bennett iiijs, of Alexander Bud xijd, of the widdowe Pyne xviijd, of John Foweracre ixd, of John Fursland xvjd, of Christopher Cordinge iijs, of Roberte Nation vijs iiijd, of James Hawker xijd, of John Coleborne ijs viijd, of the widdowe Spiringe viijd, of Cornelius Housen ijs, of William Fry ijs viijd, of Roberte Coram xvijd, of Roger Hamwood ijs, of Frauncs Beadford vs iiijd, of Maude Bull xvjd, of James Chapple xs, of William Budd xs viijd, of William Pile ixs iiijd, of John Budd iijs iiijd, of John Bennett ijs, of John Sealey ijs viijd, of Peter Ley viijd, of Raufe Perry xijd, of Peter Coleman viijd, of Richard Woode xijs, of James Burton xvjd, of John Pringe vjd, of William Parson iiijs, of Edmond Hayward viijd, of John Perry xvs, of Thomas Woode iijs iiijd, of James Norman iijs, of Mr. Prowse xls, of James Fry iiijs viijd, of Roberte Calway viijs viijd, of Edwarde Raynesbury vs iiijd, of John Mathers vs iiijd, of Dorothie Perry ijs viijd, of William Raynesbury ijs iiijd, of Edwarde Parson vs viijd, of James Perry xxijd, of William Carswell ixs iiijd, of Roberte Parson iiijs, of Thomas Grinslade xxd, of Henry Bourne xijd, of Grace Warren vjs xiijd, of Mr. Holwey vjs vjd, of John Vursey xijs, of John Thomas xs xjd, of Nicholas Woode xxs iiijd, of William Cape ixs iiijd, of William Cape ixs viijd, of the widdowe Norman vjs, of John Cade xs, of Thomas Cade iiijs vijd, of Jane Newton xvjd, of the widdowe Hitchocke xxjd, of George Cranmer vs xd, of John Jefford xiijs, of Roberte Rutter iiijs, of Thomas Hancocke iijs iiijd, of Roberte Coleman iiijs, of the widdowe Dollen ijs, of Budd at Mill xvjd, of John Musgrove iiijs iiijd, of John Gibbens vijs iiijd, of Roger Maior iijs viijd, of John Budd xijd, of Colles for the Mill xvjd, of John Toose xxd, of Christopher Baker ijs, of Nicholas Scaddinge xs iiijd, of George Cape xiiijd, of John Parson ijs, of William Rutter iijs iiijd, of John Shereford viijd, of John Gill vijd, of Christopher Haywarde xvijd, of Richarde Giles ijs, of Ann Wade vijs iiijd, of John Woode viijs, of Robert Bye ixs, of the widdow Parson iiijs, of Mr Carr iiijs, of Lawrence Glasse iijs iiijd, of Roberte Bodley vjs viijd, of Mrs Jefford xxvis viijd, of the widdowe Cape iijs iiijd, of Thomas Cape iiijs, of Grace Parson iiijs viijd, of William Every esquire viijs iiijd, of Mr Waldron iiijs viijd, of Roberte Parson vijs vjd, of George Bicknell iijs, of Richard Barber ijs iiijd, of Anthony Weekes xijd, of Roberte Southey xs viijd, of Dorothie Southey ixs iiijd, of Perries children xiid, of Hughe Bellett viijd, of Nicholas Bicknell vijs vijd, of Roberte Nation iiijs, of Hughe Foster viijd, of the widdow Perry iiijs, of Roberte Warman viijd, of Anthony Nurdon vs vjd, of William Southey ijs, of Richards Gill xijd, of Richard Parson xijd, of Henry Hardinge xijd, of John Palmer ixd, of John Woode xiiijd, of Thomas Jefforde vjs ijd, of William Carswell viijs viijd, of Henry Troude xijd, of Richard Perry xvjd, of James Cade xxjd, of Edward Beere vjd, of Mary Fry iijs iiijd, of Edmond Hussey iiijd, of Roberte Shereford ijs, of John Jennings viijd, of James Bye ijs, of George Pile xijd, of James Chamber viijd, of Blackmore ijs, of Richard Washer xvjd, of James Shattocke vs iiijd, of William Smith viijd, of Nicholas Doodeney vijd, of Thomas Bennett ijs viijd, of Richard Peter ijs, of John Hughes ijs xjd, of Coram ijs viijd, of the widdowe Carswell xijd, of the widdowe Parson vjs, of Henry Alford xijd, of the widdow Ley xijd, of Phillipp Kympland xviijd, of Pike vijd, of Edwarde Thrustone xvjd, of William Redwoode ijs viijd, of James Redwood xviiid. All which this defendant is ready to Aver & approve as this honorable Courte shall award & prayeth to be dismissed out of the same with his reasonable costs & charges in this behaulfe wrongfully & without cause susteyned.
1. Based upon a search of the online catalogue using various terms.
2. T.N.A., C 2/CHAS I/H113/41. The bill and answer in C 2/CHASI/H113/41 and a second answer by Woolcott in C2/CHASI/H42/20 have been transcribed by David T. Hawkings. The Chancery decree can be found in C33/159 folios 226 and 284.
3. T.N.A., C 2/CHAS I/H113/41.
4. T.N.A., C 2/CHAS I/H113/41.
5. A.L. Humphreys, Materials for the history of the town and parish of Wellington in the county of Somerset, part one wills (Wellington & West Buckland) 1372-1811 (London, 1908), 34, 60.
6. S.H.C., D/P/wel/4/1/3 Wellington churchwardens’ accounts, 1611-1637.
7. S.H.C., Q/SR/43/45-6 and 55/34 order and petition relating to Christopher Haddon of Wellington, 1623, 1625.
8. S.H.C., D/P/wel/4/1/3 Wellington churchwardens’ accounts, 1611-1637.
9. For further information about the family see the research posted online at http://www.wolcottfamily.com/somerset.html.
10. S.H.C., D/D/cd/69 deposition book, 1630.
11. S.H.C., D/P/wel/4/1/3 Wellington churchwardens’ accounts, 1611-1637.
12. T.N.A., C 8/25/62 Greenslade v Greenslade and Woolcott, 1621.
13. S.H.C., DD/SAS/C795/PR/378 Cuff to Wolcott, 20 March 1624/5.
14. S.H.C., D/P/wel/4/1/3 Wellington churchwardens’ accounts, 1611-1637.
15. T.N.A., C 142/641/56 inquisition post mortem (i.p.m.) of Christopher Woolcott, 1640-1641.
16. Humphreys, Wills, 48-9.
17. Humphreys, Wills, 122.
18. S.H.C., DD/DP/63/3 administration of Mary, widow of Christopher Wolcott of Wellington.
19. Humphreys, Wills, 7, 29, 90.
20. T.N.A., C 142/641/56 i.p.m. of Christopher Woolcott, 1640-1641.
21. Humphreys, Wills, 122.
22. T.N.A., C 2/CHAS I/H113/41.
23. S.H.C., DD/SF/1/5/11 subsidy return for the Hundred of Kingsbury West, 1628.
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