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under Mr. Hoad's valuation from £75 to £134. At the same meeting, it was resolved "that the Corporation entirely approve of the conduct of the Mayor and jurats, and hereby ratify and confirm all that has been done by them." The suit against the Corporation at the instance of Thos. Jas. Breeds and Thomas Clark, having now commenced caused much ill-feeling amongst the inhabitance, some of them siding with the so-called narrators and some of the believing that the Corporation had faithfully and honourably carried out their trusts. Thomas Breeds, it was said entirely disapproved of his brother's James' interference, and roundly abused him, for which he was summonsed for an assault, but the case was withdrawn. It was also said that he was vexed at his brother for using his baptismal Thomas James instead of James only, as many persons might suppose that it was he (Thomas) who had been one of the instigators of the Chancery suit. Another withdrawn indictment at the Quarter Sessions was that against George Carswell for an assault on his brother Rowe Carwell. At the Corporation meeting of December 4th, copies of affidavits made by Thos. Jas. Breeds and William Amoore - re the Chancery suit were read and explained.

At another assembly of the Corporation (Feb 28th, 1811), the answer to the amended information in the Chancery suit at the instance of Thos. Clark and Thos. Ellsworth, of a fourth part of the Priory lands, was entirely approved and put in before Messrs. Bishop and Thorpe, the Commissioners appointed for that purpose. It was also ordered that notice be given to the respective tenants of Parker's lands to quit at Michaelmas, as directed by the Lord Chancellor. On the following 11th of June, it having been stated by the Town Clerk that upwards of £300 had already been spent in defending the Chancery suit on a charge of mismanagement of the Charity estates, and that a further sum for conducting the defence would be required, it was ordered that £500 be borrowed at 5 per cent interest and that the Mayor or his Deputy be authorised to apply for the same. It would appear that the Corporation had been asked for the original deeds of the Magdalen lands, and being unable to produce any, a memorial was presented at the adjourned Michelmas Sessions in 1812, as follows:-

That whereas the real estate of the Magdalen lands, consisting of 9 pieces or parcels of arable, and meadow pastures and woodland, containing 55 acres and 31 perches with a barn and close situate in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen near Hastings & the gross income amounting to £49. per an & the objects of which foundation are the poor of Hastings, was founded by some person unknown, and that there are no deeds, wills or other instruments in our possession or any other person to the best of our knowledge.

— The Mayor and jurats of the Corporation of Hastings

The Charities (cont.)

It has been here shown that the several tenants of Parker's Charity were to quit possession, as ordered by the Lord Chancellor at the ensuing Michaelmas quarter-day. Presumably, this order was complied with, and -