History of corn milling .. - Centrostudirpinia.it

94 HISTORY OF CORN MILLING: vol. iv.
DEE^MiLLS ^^^^ ^^^^ decision the Dee soke was practically
CHESTER. '
broken. The mere contemplation of buying out the
15. Soke
builder of an illegal mill, or compensating him for his
damaged by expenses in resisting ancient custom, proved, indeed,
Ald^Hankey,
^|^^^ jj^^-j^ ^.-^^ j^^ ^^^ j^^^ which foreboded destruction.
There seems to be no record as to what arrangement
was made with Hankey ; but so far as the citizens
were concerned, he had gained a great victory for
them at considerable risk to himself As to Gamull,
it is stated that he, in nowise discouraged, "after-
wards erected a new mill adjoining to the said mills,"
and prepared for an increased custom from the city.
In 1586 he became mayor of Chester.
16. Gamull's 16. Convinced of the value of the establishment if
Purchase, ^.j^^ ^^^^ were duly enforced, Gamull, in 1600, became
1600. . ^ .
proprietor of the mills. Two or three different versions
of the transfer are extant. In pleadings of
which the date (by an allusion to a certain event
Had. MSS., taking place " about fifteen years ago") is to be fixed
at 1635, it is stated that ''in 42 Elizabeth [1600] Sir
R^ Cotton's heire conveies the Dee Milnes under the
yearly
fee-farme rent of c" to Thomas Gamull and his
George Cotton
Ibid., 2081. 154. heires." Pleadings ofabout 1623 state, ''
was seised of Dee Mills : the said George Cotton and
R"^ Cotton, his son, about the last day of June, 42 Eliza-
beth [1600], sold them to Thomas Gamull, gent.,
for ;^6oo, with the fisheries, which yielded ^100 per
annum " ; Thomas, the son of Edmund Gamull, being
at this date twenty-nine years of age. But in
Edmund Gamull's own pleadings in 1609 it is said
Ibid., 2082. 20. "the corn mills are held of his Majesty by knight's
service in capite by Edmund Gamull, alderman, who
purchased them for 3000" in fee-farme of Mr. Cotton
at 100'' rent per annum "
; and at an inquisition held
Ibid., 2081. 216. in the same year the jury find that the mills " are in
the possession of Edmund Gamull, alderman, which,