awn for the Army or Navy, and a large number paid into it.

{94}

In 1812 a Ware notice reads: "A bounty of 16 guineas for men and L12
1s. 6d. for boys, offered for completing His Majesty's Royal marines."

Two entries in the Royston parish books show that in 1795 the sum of
L43 18s. 1d. was paid to defray expenses in providing two men for the
Navy; and in 1806, a further sum of L18 "for not providing a man for
the Army."

Sometimes cavalry were drawn for, but the system of drawing for men by
lot chiefly applied to the Militia, for which purpose the parish
constable was to present to the justices "a true list in writing of all
men between the ages of 18 and 45 years, distinguishing their ranks and
occupations, and such as laboured under any infirmities, in order that
the truth of such infirmity might be inquired into [for they frequently
did feign infirmities!] and the list amended." The drawing took place
at Arrington (at the "Tiger"), and at Buntingford, and the old
constable's accounts show frequent entries of "caring the list of the
milshe" (militia) to Buntingford or Arrington.

Accommodating soldiers on the march was more burdensome to the civil
population than now, because they were not only billeted in the town
but their baggage had to be conveyed from place to place by farmers'
wagons, &c., requisitioned by the chief constable, through the petty
constables, who frequently went as far as Wallington and outlying
parishes to "press a waggon" for this purpose, a system which was
responsible for such curious entries as these:

Paid the cunspel for hiern of the bagges wagon for 82 Rigt. to
Hunting [Huntingdon] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 0

Other entries were such as

Going to Wallington to Press a Waggon to Carry the Baggage
from Royston to Stotfold, a part of the 14th Redgment . . 0 5 0

Going to Bygrave to Press a Cart to Carry three Deserters
from Royston to Weare, Belonginge to the Gards . . . . . . 0 5 0

It was customary not merely for soldiers to be billeted in our old town
_en route_, but they were quartered here for much longer periods. Thus
in 1779 we learn that Regiments from Warley Camp were ordered into
winter quarters--the West Suffolk at Hitchin, Stevenage and Baldock,
and the West Kent at Royston, Stotfold and Walden, and in 1780 the
Cambridgeshire Militia were ordered into winter quarters at Royston and
Baldock.

Coming to matters more