of hem had taken
clothyng of other diu'res [p=]sones, by cause of which p'sentement
diu'res [p=]sones, some of the houshold of the seyd Lord Fferrers, and
some of the clothing of the said Lord, with other wele wilners to the
said Lord, as yet not to us knawen, by supportacon and favour, and for
pleasance to the said Lord, as we ben enfo'med ... betyn and sore
woundetyn the said William Neuby, and manesten to bete other of our
te[=n][=n]tz of Leycestre." ... She doth therefore "ordeyn, deme, and
awarde" that the said Lord Ferrers pay c. marks to William Neuby, that
he "be goode lorde to the said William Neuby; and to all other
te[=n][=n]tz in our lordship of Leycestre; and that the said lord shall
not geve any clothyng or liue'y to any [p=]sone dwellyng within our
said lordship," &c.... "Yeven the xx day of May, the yere of the reign
of my most douted Lord Kyng Henr' the Sext, xxvii."

The above extracts show one of the evils to which the practice led;
another, mentioned in the deed, was that of deerstealing. William Newby was
mayor of the town in 1425, 1433, and 1444-5.

The second document is a curious letter from the mayor and some members of
the corporation to George Earl of Huntington, lord-lieutenant of the
county, and a frequent resident in the town, where a part of his mansion,
called "Lord's Place," and in which James I. was entertained, still exists.
The draft of this letter forms part of an interesting series of
correspondence between the corporation and the earl, respecting the
nomination of the parliamentary representatives of the town in 1601.

The earl recommended that Mr. (afterwards Sir) William Herrick and Mr.
Bromley should be chosen, and in strong language warned them against
electing Mr. George Belgrave of Belgrave (who had greatly offended him), as
he hears "that Belgrave still contineweth his great practising in labouring
to be chosen;" and he adds, "Goode Mr. Mayor, be carefull of this, as you
and the rest will looke to make accompt of me."

It appears that many members of the corporation were secretly favourable to
Mr. Belgrave, and he was elected, as explained in the following letter:

"Right Ho^e, oure humble dewties remeberd, &c., may yt please yo^r good
Lpp. to be c'tified, that upon Tuesday morninge laste, being assembled
for the choice of o^r Burgesses, Mr. George Belgrave p'sented himselfe
amongest us, in a blewe coat