1542 - Muster Roll for Charmouth

The Dissolution of Monasteries was unpopular in Dorset. King HenryVIII also freared War with France. Every County Town had to muster their available manpower. The following Charmouth Men with their weapons reported at Dorchester on September 28th and 29th 1542.

“ Musters taken of Certayn Hundreds, Burroughs & Manors in the County of Dorset by John Poulet and John Wadham esquires Commisioners amongst others within the said counties assigned by the same".

Tethying of Charmouth

William Guphey (Guppy) the elder a Harenys (Harness)
William Guphey (Guppy) the younger, able bylman
William Dare a harnys for a man a bylle
John Webber able archer a Bowe/ Sheff arrowes
John Bagwell able bylman a bylle
John Best a harnys
William Dolying able archer a bowe di sheff arrowes
Thomas Rocke
a salett a bylle
John Lymbery a harnys
William Jamys a bowe di sheff arrows
Peter Atwylle a bylle
John Hunte a bylle
William Cornyshe a bylle
Thomas Fulbrooke able archer a bowl di sheff arrowes
William Tutchyn
able archer a bowe di sheff arrows
Jamys Hodder able archer a bowe di sheff arrowes
John Moleyns able archer a bowe di sheff arrowes
Henry Dune a bowe di sheff arrowes
William Mymphley a bylle
William Lymbery a harnys
John Webber Senior, a salett, payre of splints a a bowe, di sheffe arrowes
John Webber the younger able archer a bowe di sheff arrows
Henry Borcombe able archer
Stephen Webber a bowe, di sheffe arrows
Edward Tybbe able bylman
John Lymbery able archer a bowe, di sheffe arrows
John Tower a bowe, di sheffe arrows
William Guphey (Guppy) able archer a bowe, di sheffe arrows
Thomas Hunte able bylman
John Payne a harnys a bowe, di sheffe arrows
John Antony a bylle
Stephen Lymbery able archer a harnys a bowe, di sheffe arrows
Thomas Ireland able bylman
William Lawrence able archer a bowe, di sheffe arrows
John Danyell able archer a bowe, di sheffe arrows
Raffe Tybbe able in a harnys

A Harnys ( harness) was a suit of armour
A Bylle was a weapon with a head loke a modern bill- hook, set upon a 7 foot shaft, with which one choppedat ones foes.
An able Bylman was one who was medically fit.
A salett was a steel helmet
A payre of Splents consisted of breast and back plates
di – demi – half ,probably a demi sheaf of arrows . That is ten as a full sheaf was 20.