years' purchase, to be used by the Council in completing their bargain with Francis Hastings for his term in half the Newarke Grange estate; and that Tatam and Clarke should sell all or part of the lands assigned to them, and then pay or release to the Town, either in money or land, whatever surplus might be left, after they had recouped themselves for their loan. Two years later, on a further transaction relating to the Grange, Robert Herrick joined with Thomas Clarke in advancing £160.[1]
All these dealings with the property of the town may have been carried out in a perfectly honest manner, and there can be no doubt that the aims of the Corporation were disinterested, and that their policy was of the greatest benefit to succeeding generations. On the other hand, as everything was done secretly, there was ample room for abuse. At any rate, the townspeople grew suspicious, and began to complain that "such as had the chief dealing for us" sold the land and disposed of the money "at their own pleasures and private contentions among themselves." In 1593 an Order of the Privy Council was made for a Commission to enquire into the matter. This Order was read in the Town Council Chamber, and the Council retaliated by resolving that anyone disclosing the secrets of the Common Hall should forfeit £5. It should, however, be added, that this resolution was only the re-enactment of one passed in 1564. Thenceforth they were more careful to avoid the
appearance of evil. Undoubtedly there had been some abuse, the members of the governing body taking the first chances of leasing and buying the town property, and some of the public land actually having been given to Town officials as perquisites; but there is no definite imputation of dishonesty, and none was proved. Tatam and Clarke paid over the surplus due to the town, and conveyed back the unsold land. Their reputation remained unimpaired, and the assistance which they gave to enable the town to carry through their large scheme was of the utmost value. This purchase of the Newarke Grange estate was, indeed, an extremely complicated transaction, and Clarke
- ↑ On a previous occasion Thomas Clarke had been associated with Robert Herrick in giving a joint bond for £200, in connection with the Corporation's scheme for establishing a cloth-factory.
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