5. Financial burdens

The council spent a good deal of its money on corporation matters. These ranged from maintaining the collar used in bull-baiting to enhancing Corporation status with money expended on the mace and ornamentation of the Council chamber with painted panels of coats of arms relating to High Stewards and Court Recorders.

Further trouble later arose regarding financial matters in 1675, when it was
'Ordered that every mayor shall deliver in writing to the succeeding mayor within a month an account of all such money as he hath received and expended etc., under penalty of £20.'

Mayor of Romsey flanked by Senior and Junior Mace Bearers

The accounts for the year 1688-9 featured money spent on celebrating the accession of William III and Mary II. Money was also spent on powder, bullets and other expenses totalling 17s 7d when there was uproar concerning the Irish. (see item 2 below) 7s for expenses in sending Irish soldiers (who were apprehended) to Southampton. We do not know the background to this episode.

The final defeat of the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 was greeted with relief. £2 0s 6d was spent on a treat and £2 5s 0d at a Thanksgiving Day. At the same time £20 was allocated for the mayor's table, which expense was to be allowed in the future.

In 1746-7 they spent money on equipping the Audit House that had been built at the expense of the first Lord Palmerston. The expenditure included candlesticks at 14s, tobacco dishes at 8s 6d, glasses at £1 13s 11d, candles 13s, and lockers in the little room £1 3s 7d. In that year no mayoral expense that might be said to relate to the town as a whole was incurred. To be fair though, charitable bequests for the poor were accounted for separately

Other regulations made in 1625 aimed at restricting incomers who might become a charge on the rates. Rule No 16 reads:
No stranger to be received by any inhabitant likely to become chargeable in his house for more than a day and a night without notice to the mayor forfeit 3s 4d for the use of the poor and for every day after the first to the use of the poor and for every day after notice given by the mayor ten shillings for every week.(see item 1 below)

Problems clearly continued. On 3rd November 1668 it was
ordered that the alderman of the wards bring into the hall at a court day a return every fortnight of those who harbour strangers on pain of a fine of 2s 6d.

This problem persisted. In 1742 a fine of one shilling per day was imposed
'for harbouring of strangers beyond the first day and night till notice be given by the mayor and after that two shillings per day'.

Incomers could buy their way into the community by paying a sum for the right to be admitted, so the rules did not deter the well-off, only the poor.

Bastardy was another potential financial burden. In 1653, £5 was paid into the hands of the church wardens and one overseer by Ch. Collins late of Hursley, he
'being the reputed father of a bastard child borne on the body of Elizabeth Spragg of Romsey, which shall from time to time be disposed of as the major part of the Corporation shall limit and appoint'.

Item 1
1691 September 12: J. Jenvey cordwainer engages that Jerh. Corden, a stranger, who works with him, shall not become chargeable to the parish, and William Smith the same in respect to William Potter.
1690 March 5: Four persons indicted for using the trade of a weaver for eleven months past, not being qualified.
1691 September 21: Two persons indicted for following the weaving trade not having been brought up in the same trade for seven years.
1687 September 21: Five persons indicted for selling beer without a licence, 20s apiece for the use of the poor and three others ditto afterwards for do. 1685 September 21: J. Holloway indicted for carrying the trade of a grocer not having been apprenticed thereto.

Item 2
Alderman of the Wards is our present tithingman but the direct servants of the mayor are the two town serjeants.

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