"young fellowes pretending themselves to be schollers" - Galway 1628

There has been publicity about non NUIG students arriving in the City over recent months but the transcript from the Galway Corporation Statute Book Liber A, in 1628 shows that these are not new problems. 

Liber A 1485-1712 was digitised by the Library Digitisation service and is a fascinating peek into all aspects of life in late medieval Galway when the Corporation was dominated by the famous tribes. The statutes cover a range of issues including trade,  local taxes, public morals and property rights

A later statute from 1628 states in the idiom of the time:

”young fellowes pretending themselves to be schollers doe dailly in great numbers flocke and resorte to this town from all partes of the kingdome, which is not onely dangerous to the Corporacion by harbouring such multitudes and unknown strange personnes but also disabelth the inhabitants.....or such younge schollers of the birth of the towne, who have a desire to studie and learne:”

Or in modern English:

"young men pretending to be scholars do daily, in great numbers flock to the town from all parts of the country which is not only dangerous to the Corporation by harbouring such multitudes and unknown people but also hampers the inhabitants.... or such young scholars from the town who have a desire to study"

It is however unlikely that the City will be able to utilise the remedies carried out on the offending scholars back in 1628.

“It is therefore ordred in open.....that all pretended schollers beinge borne out of this towne and countie thereof ....”

This continues....

“And if they return without licence that they shalbe whipped out of this town and countie...”

The full transcript from 1628 is available to read online. 

For further reading about Liber A, there is another fascinating article produced by the Library's Digitisation Service detailing the Corporation's banning of hurling in 1527.