or alienacon have paid a certaine sume to the lord of this manor, impossed upon them by the title of a sesse, which hath been always certaine upon every ten' although some less than the annuall rent reserved, and others the full rent reserved, and upon others more than the rent, but all these certaine, as appeareth by the severall copyes of one and the same thing for a many discents. "That the woorks, customes, and service of the copyholders are little worth, and we know of no cottagers within this man'. "That we know not what the profitts of the courts, wayfes, strayes, felons goods, wrecks of the sea, fynes, amerciaments or other the like casualtyes are worth per ann. unto the lord. "That warrens or forests the Bpp hath none within this mano'. But his privileges, royaltyes, franchises are great as he had, jura regalia, within the county palatine of Durham. "That the lord hath the right of presentacon of the viccaridge of Norton, and of the Chappelry of Stockton. "That there is belonging to the s viccaridge, glebe lands worth 601. per ann. and the same is a manor and keepeth its courts 2 times in the yeare, and oftener if he please; and one Brough is the vicar there; his tythes are valued to be worth 401. per ann. Housing he hath very convenient, and the same in reasonable good repair. "That the liveing at Stockton is a poor pencon, and not worth above per ann. 301. or 351. or thereabouts." After the restoration of King Charles II. these demesnes were restored to the see of Durham. In 1660 the township of Stockton sent its proportion of men to a muster of the militia on Chester moor.* About this time, immediately after the great Rebellion, Stockton seems to have been left in a very debilitated state. In the year 1666 there were in the town and borough of Stockton only 136 families, poor and rich : and the Rev. Thomas Rudd, a Minister of Stockton, records in the parish register, that, when he came there, May 1, 1661, there were but 120 dwelling-houses, and none of them of brick. Of the ancient buildings few remain at present. 1 * 1660. The order for laying on the soldiers to serve in the militia for the townepp of Stockton. The rectory of the parish to find two men and armes Norton mill, Nich. Fleatham mill, John Metcalf Mill, and 12d. from court-field, to find one man and arms John Jenkins, James Cook, John Welfoot, and 4s. 6d. from court field to find one man and armes Robert Wright, William Atkinson, Elizabeth Calvert, Anthony 1 Rowland Burdon, James Burdon, and ferry boat lease 1 John Bunting, William Fewler, Thomas Watson, Robert 1 Mark Wapps, Thomas Harperly, and 2s. 6d. from the court field, to find one man and armes 1 John Jessan, esq. Mark Wapps, p one oxgang of Fewler's land, and John Osburn to find one man Part the Third. THE MODERN HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH. CHAPTER IX. Reflections on the State of the Country, and of the Borough and Town soon after the Restoration. HE era of the restoration seemed to form a new epoch, not only in the general history of the country, but of each corporate body and trading town in the kingdom. The change, at first, indeed, did not accomplish all that was expected from it. The personal character of the monarch, and the corrupt principles of government, presented great and invincible impediments to public prosperity. But Providence was preparing the way for great meliorations in the condition of the people, by instilling principles of true liberality and constitutional safety into the minds of the superior classes of society, and enlightening the inferior orders with instruction, indispensably necessary to enable them to possess and enjoy them. However valuable the restoration was to this distracted country, the revolution certainly gave the first impulse of amendment; and though many years may be expected to intervene before the most useful principles can be brought into full operation, yet, from this period, we may observe a gradual progress of improvement, in a greater or less degree, through the whole of the succeeding century. The commerce of this country (a kind of vital fluid flowing through the extremities of the land) has generated life in those limbs where languor and debility prevailed. I wish that I could add, that the stability of pure health had always accompanied its exertions! Bu the misuse of a blessing is no sound argument against its utility. In commercial concerns there is a feeling of reciprocal advantage; and if, at some periods, trade experiences a considerable degree of depression, the springtide soon sets in and it rises, if the wind be fair, far above high-water mark. The agricultural interest is that which gives the first impulse to markets; of course, the cultivation of a country is a prime object of attention. It will appear that the town and district, for which I am now concerned, have found this their growing treasure of prosperity. That it was long before this place and district discovered the capability of improvement which they might possibly attain, will not be surprizing, if we consider the nature of the surrounding country during many ages. To trace the rise and progress, whether of kingdoms and empires, or of towns and villages, is at all times an agreeable employment, as congenial to that principle of the human mind which tends towards perfection. Doubtless, the magnitude of the object will increase the plea |