Mr. Herrick's for twelve weeks 13s. 4d.," "For the charges of Robert Newcombe by the space of three years and a half" at £6 a year, £21," "For the charges of Margaret Newcombe for one year and a quarter at £6 the year, £7 10s." Sundry charges for collecting debts and travelling came to £13 13s. 4d., and the grand total of payments was £209 9s. 612d., leaving a balance in the Executor's hands of £52 7s. 112d. "And yet this Accountant standeth answerable to Robert, Elizabeth, Marjorie, and Marget, four of the children of the said testator, to every of them £20, and to Anne Duckett £6 13s. 4d., and six silver spoons by estimation thirty shillings, £88 3s. 4d.; so that the same Accountant is now in surplusage £35 16s. 212d., towards the levying whereof there are remaining towards this Accountant debts desperate due to his said testator (total £39 12s. 8d.)."
Three of Robert Newcombe's sons, Thomas, Robert and Edward, were members of the business and noted bell-founders. An account of the various bells cast by them will be found in North's "Church Bells of Leicestershire." Thomas died in 1580. Edward was living in 1611. Three of his sons, another Robert, another Thomas and another William, continued the business. Thomas was described as "tanner and bell-founder." The last dated bells of the Newcombes are of the year 1612; after that time the foundry seems to have been taken over by Hugh Watts, a relative by marriage, and a bell-founder whose reputation had been for many years established.
The name of Stanford, or Stamford, occurs frequently in the earlier annals of Leicester. It was Alexander of Stamford who put himself at the head of the fullers, when they challenged the authority of the Merchants' Guild in 1275, and he was aided and abetted by Ivo de Stamford. In the 16th century a most prolific family of this name were flourishing in the parish of St. Nicholas, some of whose members held public positions. Thomas Stanford, Butcher, who was a Churchwarden of St. Nicholas, and Alderman of the Fifth, or St. Nicholas Ward, was chosen Mayor of the Borough in the year 1559, and again in 1573. During his first Mayoralty he was sent to London, "to try the liberties of the town." In March, 1574, he received
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