Borough Government in Newton's Grantham ─ The Hall Book of Grantham, 1649-1662

Regulation of crafts and trades, setting the poor to work, upkeep of streets, the provision of godly minsters and schoolmasters and even the maintenance of the church fabric (notably its famous spire) were all matters of concern for the borough government in mid-seventeenth-century Grantham. The Hall Book (1633-1704), the earliest surviving record of the proceedings of the Alderman's Court, has much to tell us about the way the Corporation administered the affairs of the town. This volume follows on from the earlier Lincoln Record Society publication, which covered the period between 1641 and 1649, taking the story up to the Restoration settlement of 1660-2. At this time, the young Isaac Newton attended the town's Grammar School, lodging with William Clarke, a wealthy apothecary and prominent member of the Comburgesses, as the senior twelve of the Borough Court were known. During these years, Clarke served twice as Alderman (in 1651 and 1657), working with his colleagues to promote the puritan values in which he so staunchly believed. This book thus helps to illuminate the lively atmosphere of political debate in which Newton passed his formative years. The edition of the text is accompanied by an introduction and notes.