anye manne's handes, that refuse or differeth to paye the same
[etc.]."[130] The wardens of Melton Mowbray record under the year 1602
an item for charges at the court at Leicester against a parishioner
"for not payinge his levi for the churche."[131] Those of Ashburton,
Devon, itemize in 1568-1569 two shillings "for a zytation to those
that wold nott pay to the power."[132] As the wardens of East Tilbury
were going about among the parishioners demanding money of each one
according to the rating inscribed on an assessment roll which they
carried with them, one Garrett, a constable, discontented that he
himself should be rated as high as four shillings, seized the roll and
refused to produce it. This, of course, put an end to further
collections. For this he was presented by the vicar before the
consistory court at Stratford Bow Chapel. Here he alleged that the
rating "was very unequally made." But the judge warned Garrett to
appear in court the following Tuesday to answer for his contempt.
Further he was to pay his four shillings to the wardens and bring to
the judge the wardens' certificate that he had done so. On the day
appointed Garrett was present in court with the vicar and wardens. The
decree of the court is headed: "_Negotiu[m] reparac[i]o[n]is
eccl[esi]e de_ East Tilburie," and is so characteristic of the
thoroughgoing and searching manner in which ordinaries supervised the
administration of parish affairs that we cannot forbear to quote a
large part of it in full. "Touchinge the same Wm Garrett," the
registrar inscribes in the act-book, "the churchwardens do here
testifie that he hathe payd his iiij s. w[hi]ch he was rated at...&
they saye they have receyved it. Towching the churchwardens & the
repayre [of] the church," the scribe continues, "the Judge doth order
that the minister, Mr Howdsworth, [and seven others named, including
wardens, sidemen and constables]...p[ro]cure workmen of all trad[es],
& then sett downe under their hand in writing what chardg it will be