Now! Then! The borough of Leeds orders the return of records “public and pious” lost during the civil war

22 December 1666: The borough of Leeds orders the return of records “public and pious” lost during the civil war

James Wardell. 1846. The Municipal History of the Borough of Leeds, in the County of York. Leeds: Longman, Brown, and Company. Get it:

Excerpt

Whereas by the wickedness of an intestine war, sundry deeds, evidences, and other scripts, both of public and pious use and interest, are dispersed and kept secret in private hands and possessions; by reason whereof, the intents and good purposes of the respective donors are wholly disappointed, and the pious uses thereby arisen, altogether misemployed, contrary to the wholesome and charitable laws and statutes in that behalf made. For remedy whereof, it is ordered by this court, that all and every person or persons of what state, quality, or condition soever, he or they be within the said borough, that have any deeds or writings in his hands, custody, possession, or knowledge, that do any way touch or concern any public or pious use or gift, that he or they, do within ten days after publication hereof, bring and deliver up the same unto the present mayor of this borough, to the end a formal alphabet or table may be thereof made and the said deeds or writings safely kept and secured in such public chest or trunk and under such locks and keys as the mayor, aldermen, and reverend vicar for the time being shall think meet and convenient.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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Original

At a Court held on the 22nd of December, 1666, the following Order was made, relative to the Corporate and other documents, which, having become dispersed during the period of the civil war, had fallen into various hands:-—

“Whereas by the wickednes of an Intestin warr, sundry Deeds, Evidences, and other Escripts, (bothe of publique and pious vse and Interreste) are dispersed and kept secret in private hands and possessions; by reason whereof, the intents and good purposes of the respective donors are wholy disapointed, and the pious vses thereby arriseigne, altogeather misimployed, contrary to the wholsome & charitable Lawes and Statuts in that behalfe made. For Remedy whereof, It is ordered by this Court, that all and every pe’son or persons of what State, Quality, or Condic’on soever, he or they be within the sd Burrough, that have any deeds or writeings in his hands, custody, possession, or knowledge, that doe any way touch or concerne any publique or piovs vse or gift, that he or they, doe within tenn dayes after publicac’on hereof, bring and deliver vpp the same vnto the p’sent Maior of this Burrough, to th’end a formall Alphebet or Table may be thereof made & the sd deeds or writeings safely keept & secured in such publique cheste or truncke & vnder such Locks & Keyes as the Maior, Aldermen, and Reverend Viccar for the time being, shall thinke meete & conveniant. And it is moreover declared by this Court, that if any p’son or p’sons after the time aforesd shall keepe & detaine any of the sd deeds or writeings with intent to conceale the same, that then such speedy course be taken against him or them, as his Maties Courts of Equity have appoynted & p’vided for Releife in cases of this nature.”

304 words.