romwell was a feoffee or governor, and took an
active part in the management of the affairs of the charity. There
is an original bond, dated the 30th of May, 1638, from one Robert
Newborne to "Daniell Wigmore, Archdeacon of Ely, Oliver Cromwell,
Esq., and the rest of the Corporation of Ely." The feoffees had then
been incorporated by royal charter, under the title of "The Governors
of the Lands and Possessions of the Poor of the City or Town of Ely."

There are some detached collectors' accounts extending over a portion
of the interval between 1622 and 1641, and indorsed, "The Accoumpts
of Mr. John Hand and Mr. William Cranford, Collectors of the Revenewes
belonging to the Towne of Ely."

The following entries are extracted from these accounts:--

"The Disbursements of Mr. John Hand from the
of August 1636 unto the of
1641."

"Anno 1636."

After several other items,--

L s. d.
"Given to diverse Poore People at ye }
Worke-house, in the presence of Mr. }
Archdeacon of Ely, Mr. Oliver Cromwell, } 16 14 0
Mr. John Goodericke, and others, Feb. }
10th 1636, as appeareth, } ___________

Summa Expens. Ann. 1636 36 3 6"
___________

"The Disbursements of Mr. Cranford."
"Item, to Jones, by Mr. Cromwell's consent} 1 0 0"

Mr. Cranford's disbursements show no dates. His receipts immediately
followed Mr. Hand's in point of dates.

About the year 1639 a petition was filed in the Court of Chancery by
one Thomas Fowler, on behalf of himself and others, inhabitants of
Ely, against the feoffees of Parson's Charity, and a commission for
charitable uses was issued. The commissioners sat at Ely, on the 25th
of January, 1641, and at Cambridge on the 3rd of March in the same
year, when several of the feoffees with other persons were examined.

At the conclusion of the joint deposition of John Hand and William
Cranford, two of the feoffees, is the following statement:--

"And as to the Profitts of the said Lands in theire tyme
receaved, they never disposed of any parte thereof but by the
direction and appointment of Mr. Daniell Wigmore, Archdeacon
of Ely, Mr. William March, and Mr. Oliver Cromwell."

"These last two names were inserted att Camb. 8 Mar. 1641, by
Mr. Hy. C."

The last name in the above