Page:History of Norfolk 1.djvu/141

 and with harbouring malignants in all their houses; and the said Arthur was particularly charged with speaking these words:

"Here is a health unto his Majesty, Pray God confound his foes, And the devil take all Round Heads, For we are none of those!"

And also that he abused the government thus:

"Hey-ho! for a two-penny halter, When you are hang'd you shall have good quarter, Oh! 'twould be a brave sight, to see All the Round Heads hang on a tree. Oh! yee rogues! ye must all come to it."

And further, that he offered to raise 500l. for the King of Scots, and often drinks the King's health, and prosperity to the Royal Family.

There was a copy of verses also laid to Mr. Piddock's charge, which were not among the other papers, though the following lines are there, and were made by some Royalist, in praise of them:

"Hail, loyal poet, thy inspired breast Doth keep the rhyme, though thou forget'st the rest, Good small drink verses truly, and no doubt, They'd better been, but that the strong was out; The zeal I like, thou poet may'st commence, For though there's want of feet, there's none of sense, The things he writes are true, the verses false, The author's loyal, that's enough applause."

Upon these informations they were carried before Thomas Sheriffe of Diss, Esq. then justice of peace, who committed them to Ipswich gaol, where they continued some time; but by the assistance of the said Mr. Sheriffe, who by private letters informed them of all that was intended against them, they were all discharged, after they had gotten certificates, according to his advice, of their good behaviours, from the towns of Diss and Fersfield; upon which he had orders to examine the witnesses apart, and then they confessed, that they had maliciously informed against them, and forsworn themselves, in hopes of getting advantage by so doing; all which confessions they signed before witnesses; and thus, after much trouble and expense, they were at last freed.

This Arthur was ordained by Samuel Bishop of Norwich, 21st Sept. 1628, instituted 1642, and subscribed 15th Aug. 1662.

This town contains about 40 families, and 200 inhabitants; it paid 1l. 14s. when the taxes were raised by tenths, and was valued at 750l. to the association rates, and now to the King's tax, at 557l. [1736.]

In the time of King Edward III. the great plague reached even this obscure village; for in the court rolls a year or two after, the deaths of many of the tenants are presented; and it is said, that they