BALL, William (d.c.1574), of Nottingham and Lincoln’s Inn, London.

Apart from his town offices, little has been found about this Member, who was under age at his father’s death. In November 1561 the mayor wrote to him at Lincoln’s Inn ‘in haste’, asking him to act as one of the attorneys for the corporation in a suit about St. John’s hospital, Nottingham. He appeared at York on 3 Dec. to represent the borough, but the case was still not settled a year later when the Queen’s attorney wrote to him about it at Nottingham. As town clerk he received a fee of £4, together with payments of about 2s.for drawing up or auditing accounts. For the year 1572-3 he was paid only 50s., his successor for the last ‘one and half quarters’, Nicholas Plomtrie or Plumptre, receiving 2os. Ball presumably resigned, through ill health or for other reasons; the corporation ordered an examination of ‘what writings were at Mr. Ball’s that did belong unto the town’. His will, made 18 Apr. 1574, was proved at York 27 July 1575.1C3/71/40, 142/55; PCC 32 Dyngeley; Nottingham Recs. iv. 40, 126-8, 150, 418; W. B. Wright, Ball Fam. Recs. passim; York prob. reg. 19/816.