19 Nov. at Northampton, my charges there iis. xi d.
Sayterdaye night att Marckgate, my charges there ii s. iii d.
Sondaye the xxi Nov., London.
Item my supper viii d.
It was this James Clarke who sold to the Town Council, in 1572, at the price of £10 0s. 6d., a salt-cellar of silver gilt, to be lent to the Mayor for his year, and to be yearly accounted for by the Chamberlains. This ornament continued in use until the year 1709, when it was ordered by the Council of the day that "the old Salt be exchanged for two wax silver candlesticks, a pair of silver snuffers and stand."
The Will of this Elizabethan worthy is of some interest. It is dated 15th October, 1599, the day before his death, and begins thus:— "I, James Clarke, one of the Aldermen of the Borough of Leicester, mercer, being weak in body but strong in mind and of perfect memory (the Lord therefore be praised), and having before mine eyes that in this vale of misery is nothing permanent, desiring therefore to be dissolved and to be with the Lord my saviour Jesus Christ in his celestial kingdom, perfectly believing through the merits of his passion to have remission
of my sins and life everlasting which by me considered (meaning to set and dispose that worldly substance that God hath lent me in good order) do make this my last Will and Testament." The Testator desired to be buried in St. Martin's Church, "or else where it shall please God to appoint," and he gave 2s. to the repairing of that church, 2s. to the "poor folks of the new hospital called Mr. Wigston's Hospital," 6d. to the poor widows of St. John's, 2s. to the poor prisoners in the County Gaol, 1s. to the poor prisoners in the Borough Gaol, and 40s. to be given at his funeral to the poor people of the Borough in bread. After various family devises and bequests, he gave 20s. to Richard Heyton, his prentice, and 20s. to Elizabeth Greene, "the poor girl which I do keep," 5s. to each of his servants and 4d. to each of his godchildren. He gave to his
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