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  3. 712 Williams v Williams

712 Williams v Williams

The Court of Chivalry 1634-1640.

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Citation:

In this section

712 WILLIAMS V WILLIAMS

Sir William Williams of Vaynol [Faenol?], co. Caernarfon, bart v Richard Williams of Y Wern, co. Caernarfon

May 1639

Figure 712a:

Vaynol Old Hall, co. Caenarfon, the Elizabethan home of Sir William Williams, with his family chapel (Photograph : Richard Cust)

Figure 712b:

Sir William Williams's coat of arms registering his baronetcy (Photograph : Richard Cust)

Abstract

Sir William Williams, the high sheriff of Caernarvonshire, complained that while he was riding along a common pasture, Richard Williams threw stones at him and threatened to unhorse him, calling him 'villaine'. Process was granted on 24 May 1639 and Sir William entered bond; but nothing further survives.

Initial proceedings

6/145, Petition to Maltravers

'The petitioner, being nowe high sheriffe of the county of Carnarvan, hath beene lately abused by one Richard Williams of Werne [Y Wern] in the same count, vizt., your petitioner beinge on horsbacke and rideinge alonge a common of pasture ground, the said Richard Williams affronted your petitioner in a most insolent manner, and takeing hold of him offered to pull him of his horse, and called him villaine, and tooke upp stones and threwe att him, very much provokinge the petitioner to duell.'

Petitioned that Richard Williams be brought to answer.

Maltravers granted process on 24 May 1639.

6/144, Plaintiff's bond

27 May 1639

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

Signed by Robert Blenkorne of Vaynoll [Faenol?], co. Caernarfon, gent, on behalf of Sir William.

Sealed, subscribed and delivered in the presence of John Watson.

Notes

Sir William Williams, 3rd baronet (d. c. 1659), was the son of Sir Thomas Williams, bart, and Katherine, daughter of Robert Wynne. He first married Margaret, daughter of John Wynne of Melai. His second wife was Margaret, daughter of Richard Jones of Castellmarch. He was a royalist commissioner of array in co. Caernarfon and colonel of a trained band there in 1642.

G. E. Cokayne (ed.), The Complete Baronetage, 1611-25 (Exeter, 1900), vol. 1, p. 198; P.R. Newman, Royalist officers in England and Wales, 1642-1660: A biographical dictionary (London, 1981), p. 414.

Documents

  • Initial proceedings
    • Petition to Maltravers: 6/145 (24 May 1639)
    • Plaintiff's bond: 6/144 (27 May 1639)

People mentioned in the case

  • Blenkorne, Robert, gent
  • Howard, Henry, baron Maltravers
  • Jones, Margaret
  • Jones, Richard
  • Watson, John
  • Williams, Katherine
  • Williams, Richard
  • Williams, Thomas, baronet
  • Williams, William, baronet
  • Wynne, Katherine
  • Wynne, John
  • Wynne, Margaret
  • Wynne, Robert

Places mentioned in the case

  • Caernarfonshire
    • Castellmarch
    • Melai
    • Vaynol [Faenol?]
    • Y Wern
  • Middlesex
    • Westminster
  • Wales

Topics of the case

  • assault
  • denial of gentility
  • high sheriff
  • military officer
  • provocative of a duel
  • royalist
  • threatened violence
  • trained band