CHAPTER XXVIII
OF THE CITY IN JAMES THE FIRST'S TIME.
James the First, being proclaimed King of England at London, on the 24th of March, 1602, at which time the plague raged exceedingly there, so that 30,578 died of it, as well as here, where there died 3076, ordered that there should be as little concourse of people as possible on such occasions, least they should spread the infection, which same wise course was taken by the magistrates here, though alderman Gibson resisted it, and behaved so as he was disfranchised for it, but afterwards on submission was restored.
Soon after he was seated on his throne, he granted a general pardon to the mayor, sheriffs, and commons, of this city, for all offences whatever past, to the 20th of March in the 40th year of Queen Elizabeth.
The infection caused such a scarcity in the city, that wheat was sold for 10s. a bushel; rye for 6, and barley for 5.
In 1605, there was a quo warranto brought against the city, by the dean and prebends of Christ Church, concerning the charging the inhabitants in their precinct to the poor, with the rest of the city; which contention lasted some time; for in 1614, the dean and prebends, wrote to the court, that they understood their tenant Stefenson, who dwelt in the Popinjay was taxed to the maintenance of the city poor, and they taking the house to be within the iimits of their liberties granted them by his Majesty, could not submit to it, but were very willing to live at peace with the city, and so for clearing this doubt, and avoiding this expense of suit, they would, if the city would, consent to leave it to Mr. Richardson, the deputy steward of their church, and Mr. Gwynne, recorder of Norwich, or else to the judges of assize at the next circuit; and soon after it was made up, the precinct being excepted from paying to the city poor, and obliged wholly to maintain their own.
This year there was a petition to the parliament from the city ministers, and a bill drawn upon it; the consequence of which we learn from a letter directed to Tho. Sotherton, then mayor, from Sir John Pettus at London dated March 6, 1606, in which he says, "as to the minister's bill, which petitions for two shillings on the pound upon every house, shop, &c. as they be now letten; there have not been so many committees together upon any private bill since the beginning of the parliament, and the more part were for passing the bill, had not Sir Henry Hobart [steward] given them to understand the inconveniences that might grow thereupon. And the committees then agreed to draw a new bill, but Sir John Pettus, by reason of the inconvenience to the meaner sort of people, and to such as pay great rents, and Mr. Fidell [the city's solicitor] perswaded Mr. Batho [one of the ministers] to desist, upon promising him that some good course should be taken by the magistrates to assess every parish for the increase of the ministers wages."
Upon which the following order of council was directed,
"To our loving friends the mayor of the cittie of Norwich for the time being, or to any three or more of the justices of peace of that cittie, whereof the mayor always to be one.