447 Morrice v Fowlkes

447 MORRICE V FOWLKES

Edward Morrice of Llangedwyn, co. Denbigh, gent v John Fowlkes of Llanfechain, co. Montgomery, clerk

October 1639

Abstract

Morrice complained that Fowlkes called him a base fellow, 'a bastard and the sonne of Cap. Lloyd', between August and October 1638 in the parish of Poole, Montgomeryshire. He also claimed that Fowlkes challenged him to a duel, saying 'I will meete with thee upon any place or mountaine as thou shall appoint, and I dare thee to meete me upon Bwlch Rhewulin [place name meaning 'a gap in the mountains'] and there the quarrel will be soon decided'. Fowlkes entered bond to answer the charge on 25 October 1639, but no further proceedings survive.

Initial proceedings

17/5f, Libel

1. Morrice's family had been reputed gentry for up to 100 years.

2. Between August and October 1638, John Fowlkes in the parish of Poole, co. Montgomery, said that 'I was a base fellow and come of a base kindred, and that he neither cared for me nor my base kindred.'

3. He also said that 'I was a bastard and the sonne of Cap. Lloyd'.

4. These words were provocative of a duel, and Fowlkes also said: 'I will meete with thee upon any place or mountaine as thou shall appoint, and I dare thee to meete me upon Bwlch Rhewulin and there the quarrel will be soon decided'. He added 'that if that was all the matter he would pull off his cassock and putt off his man's...suite and then fight with mee'.

No date but filed under 12 October 1639.

Signed by Richard Hart.

6/19, Defendant's bond

25 October 1639

Bound to appear 'in the Court in the painted Chamber within the Pallace of Westminster'.

Signed by Thomas Owen of St Dunstan's in Fleet Street, London, yeoman, on behalf of John Fowlkes.

Sealed, subscribed and delivered in the presence of Humphrey Terrick.

Notes

Neither party appeared in M. P. Siddons (ed.), Visitations by the Heralds in Wales (Publications of the Harleian Society, new series, 14, 1996).

Documents

• Initial proceedings
  • Libel: 17/5f (12 Oct 1639)
  • Defendant's bond: 6/19 (25 Oct 1639)

People mentioned in the case

• Fowlkes, John, clerk
• Hart, Richard, lawyer
• Morrice, Edward, gent
• Owen, Thomas, yeoman
• Terrick, Humphrey

Places mentioned in the case

• Denbighshire
  • Llangedwyn
• London
  • Fleet Street
  • St Dunstan-in-the-West
• Middlesex
  • Westminster
• Montgomeryshire
  • Llanfechain
  • Pool Quay
• Wales

Topics of the case

• allegation of illegitimacy
• challenge to a duel
• denial of gentility
• military officer