Appendix 1 - Letter regarding financing church repairs at Colyton, 1 June 1606

Summary

DHC, 1585F/14/4/d

Note: In 1606 the financing of necessary repairs to the parish church did not involve local taxation but a plea from the feoffees and churchwardens for loans from wealthier parishioners. The document has the signs or signatures of John Yonge, William Boucknoll, Robert Tucker, I. Buckland, John Ham, Francis Bagwyll, Stephen Byrde, Robert Boucknoll, William Michell, Michael Bara[illegible], Edward Holwill, Hugh Newton, Walter Teape, Joseph Carswell, John Butter, John Carswell, Peter Blackaller, John Walkelyn, George Macye, Edward Clarke, Gregory Sampson, Robert Carsswell and John Markell.

The fifth daie of June in the year of our Lord 1606 in the year of the reign of James the first of England and thirty-ninth year of Scotland

Colyton in Devon

Whereas the parrishe Churche of this parrishe of Colyton being nowe in verie great reparation and decaye not onelie in the tymber worke of the Roofe of the bodie of the said Churche, but also all the Leaddes over the north side thereof are so much decayed, that if the same be not presentlie repaired, it will in verie shorte tyme growe to a farre greater charge unto the parrishe. Wherefore uppon good Consideration had thereof, it is thought fit aswell by the feoffees of the parrishe lande of the said parrishe, as also by the Twentie men and others the chiefest of the Inhabitants, That the said [obscured] shalbee presentlie sett fourth and so goe on with [obscured] expedition. And forasmuch as there is [obscured] sufficient at this presente, in the parrishe Stock to defraye the Charge thereof, neither canne the said worke presentlie be sett forwarde except some monyes be disbursed before hande by some well disposed persons by waye of Lone towards the same, but in such tympe as the same maye been repaied againe out of the Revenues and profits wch shallbee received upon the parrishe lands.