Glamorgan Calendar Rolls and Gaol Files: 1703-37

Bundle 22. No. 18. August 1703.

"Wee Doe present upon the Oath of Lawrence John & John Thomas, Evan William of the p'ish of Pentirch for playing on the Harp on the Lord's Day Com[m]only Called Sunday being the 25^th of July past in y^e church yard of y^e chappel of Llaniltern Contrarie to her Ma'ties Lawes in that case made & provided.

"It'm Wee Doe present upon the oath of the said Lawrence John & John Thomas, Rees John & John David of the p'ish of Pentirch & Richard John of the p'ish of St. ffagans for playing tennis on severall sundaies within these 3 monthes last past in the church yard of the chappell of Lanilterne Contrarie to her Ma'ties proclamac'on & the Lawes of this Realme.

"It'm Wee Doe present the Causeway Leading from Whitehouse bridge to M^r. ffox's house in the parish of S^t. Marye in Cardiffe to be out of Repaire & that itt ought to be Repaired by the Inhabitants of of the p'ish of S^t. Maries in Cardiffe Towne.

"It'm Wee Doe present the Causeway Leading from Leckwith bridge to Canton in the p'ishe of Landaffe to be out of repaire & that itt ought to be Repaired by the Inhabitants of the p'ishes of Leckwith & Landaffe."

(Thirteen signatures of the Grand Jury for the County.)

[The first two of the above Presentments are specially interesting as illustrating the rise of Sabbatarianism in Wales.]

Jenkin David, of Llandaff, and others, were committed for exposing to sale divers quantities of double sixpenny stamped paper, against the form of the statute.

Morgan Samuel, of Llandaff, was committed for feloniously breaking prison, vizt., the Brecon County Gaol, he having been convicted of stealing a mare; and for having fled before sentence of death could be executed upon him.

Bundle 22. No. 19. April 1703.

Edward James, of Leckwith, was presented for neglecting to repair the enclosures of his lands called Berry, lying between the Lord's Wood and West Common, in the parish of Leckwith.

Robert Thomas, of Cardiff, riding in Llanedern parish, met in a narrow lane a waggon drawn by six oxen. His horse reared, Thomas fell, and received from his horse a kick which killed him.

Bundle 22. No. 22. April 1705.

Stephen Jones, labourer, was sitting on the mill-pond wall, at Cardiff, when he fell into the water and was drowned.

Bundle 22. No. 23. August 1705.

John Mathews of Llandaff, gentleman, and Howell Richard, of Whitchurch, labourer, were presented for unlawfully fishing in the river Taff, in the parishes of Whitchurch and Radyr, with nets and certain engines called "piches" and "butts," and taking 100 trout, 100 salmon and 1000 seed of salmon, against the form of the statute.

Bundle 22. No. 24 April 1706.

Ann Mathews, of Llandaff, in crossing a certain bridge of wood, on the way from Cardiff to Llandaff, fell into the water and was drowned.

Bundle 22. No. 27. August 1707.

The Grand Jury for the County, on the evidence of the Vicar of Llantrissent, present two men of that town for being common drunkards and disturbers of the peace; and two others for tippling on the Lord's Day.

Bundle 22. No. 31. April 1710.

Charges for perjury in connection with the Will of John Bawdre deceased, at Cardiff.

Bundle 22. No. 33. August 1711.

Howell Williams, of Penarth, clerk, walked over a close at Lavernock called the Croft, and was therefor assaulted by Richard Hawkins, yeoman, the owner. They afterwards exchanged summons for trespass and assault.

Bundle 22. No. 35. April 1712.

[Paper document, in English:—]

Glam' ss. To the Right Hon'ble her Ma't's Justices of the Great Sessions.

The humble Representation of the Grand Jury of the said County att the Great Sessions held at Cardiffe in and for the said County of Glamorgan the 21 day of Aprill 1712.

Wee the Grand Jury aforesaid Doe humbly Represent to y^r Lordshipps That ever since y^r Lo'pps were pleased att the Request of the Right hon'ble the Lord Mansel Comptroller of her Ma't's household to excuse the appearance of a Second Enquest to the great Ease of this County It has been the Constant Vsage to the Sheriffs of this County to Return Gentlemen of the best ability and Creditt to Serve the Queen & their Countrey on the Grand Jury and such fitt p'sons as the County affords for trying of Causes But the same generally has been Rendred soe ineffectuall by a practice vsed by some Officers of y^r Lo'pps Court of receiving five shillings for the excuse of each Gentleman Returned on the Grand Jury and two shillings for the others that the duty and service due to our gracious Queen and our Countrey is not discharged with as much ease and Justice as we could wish.

Therefore we heartily Recomend and Submitt it to y'r Lo'pps Consideration to give such Orders to y'r Officers for the future to prevent the Irregularityes & abuses afores'd as y'r Lo'pps shall think fitt.

(Signed by 14 Grand Jurors.)

Bundle 22. No. 35^B. September 1712.

The Grand Jury present that the method and practice used for passing of fines and Recoverys of Lands in this Court are grievous, there being no certain Rule for the same but the Compounder or his Deputy exacting such exorbitant Rates, as he or they think fit.

(Signed by 17 Jurymen.)

Package 23. No. 10. May 1714.

John Thomas, of S^t Georges, yeoman, was presented for drinking the Pretender's health, at Cardiff on the 10^th of March, and saying at the same time these Welsh words: Yechid y Prince o Wales, (fn. 1) "Health to the Prince of Wales." The Grand Jury found No True Bill.

Edward Morgan of Cardiff, gentleman, and David Morgan, of Whitchurch, yeoman, were presented for forcibly entering Penylan farm in the parish of Whitchurch and ejecting William Mathews therefrom.

Thomas Evan, of Pentyrch, collier, was killed by a fall of coal in a mine in the parish of Pentyrch. Coroner's Inquest returned a verdict of Accidental Death.

Package 23. No. 6. August 1716.

True Bill against Mary the wife of James Jones, of St. Athans, for attempting to poison her said husband with a pancake mixed with ratsbane, and for therewith poisoning her father-in-law. No True Bill against John Williams, of Flimston, for instigating the crime.

[Paper document, in Latin:—]

Glamorgan to wit. The Jurors for our Lord the King upon their oath present that George Lewis, formerly of the town of Cowbridge [sic, sed lege Cardiff] in the county aforesaid, barber; William Robotham, of the town and county aforesaid, barber; Arthur Yeomans, formerly of the same town, glover; John Lewis, formerly of the town and county aforesaid, yeoman; and Thomas Meredith, formerly of the parish of Rath in the county aforesaid, Cordwayner, on the tenth day of June in the second year of the reign of our Lord George, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith and soforth, with force and arms, riotously and unlawfully assembled themselves together at the town of Cardiff in the county aforesaid (the tenth day of June being the reputed birth day of the person who in the lifetime of James the Second, formerly King of England, pretended to be Prince of Wales and who, after the decease of the said late King, took upon himself the stile and title of King of England by the name of James the Third). And the aforesaid George Lewis, William Robatham, Arthur Yeomans, John Lewis and Thomas Meredith, then and there so unlawfully assembled and congregated, riotously and seditiously, to shew their hatred and ill will towards our said Lord George that now is King of Great Britain, &c., as also their favour and good will towards the said person who in the lifetime of James, &c. &c., and to incite sedition and insurrection among the subjects of our said Lord the now King, then and there bore, and each of them bore, branches of oak as a sign of their hatred, ill will and disobedience towards our said Lord the now King and his most clement Government, and their favour and good will towards the said person who in the lifetime of James, &c. &c.; in contempt of our said Lord the now King and of his laws, to the evil ensample of others in like case offending, and against the peace of our said Lord the now King, his Crown and dignity.

Lewis Thomas, of Pentirgh, an infant aged six years, was killed by the upsetting of a dungcart in which he was riding and which was drawn by four oxen, in the parish of Llanharran.

"Imp's Wee present Anthony ffabian Petty Con'ble of the parish of S^t Andrews in the said County Yeoman for permitting and Suffering Severall Idle and Disorderly Persons upon the Lords Day called Sunday contrary to his Oath and particularly on Sunday the nineteenth of August Last to play w'thin the said parish of S^t Andrews and County aforesaid att a Certaine Game or Interlude called Tennis contrary to his Ma'ties Proclamac'on against Prophaneesse and Immorality and the knowne Laws of this Kingdome.

"Item Wee present George Lewis, W'm Robotham, Arthur Yeomans and John Lewis all of Cardiff in the said County and Tho^s Meredith of Roath for wearing Oken Boughs att Cardiff w'thin the said County on the Tenth Day of June last being the pretender's reputed Birth Day Thereby distinguishing themselves from his Ma'ties Loyall Subjects.

"Item Wee present Tho^s W^m of Cardiff in the s^d County as a disaffected p'son to his Ma'ty King George for that the s'd Tho^s W^m at Cardiff aforesaid in the County aforesaid On the Eighteenth of Aug^t Instant publickly declared [to one Thomas Evan] y^t King James would Come to Rule and order him and the rest of the Shitt Sacks as he thought fitt We further present the said Tho^s W^m for assaulting y^e s^d Tho^s Evan att the time and place aforesaid Contrary to the Peace of o^r Souvraigne Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity.

"Item Wee present y^t George ffox of the Towne of Cardiff afores^d in the County aforesaid for [sic] assaulting the body of Daniell Lloyd on the Eighteenth Day of August afores^d att Cardiff Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity.

"Item Wee present John Sweet the younger and George Lewis Barber both of the Towne of Cardiff aforesaid in the said County and Each of them at severall times viz^t ab^t three Months since att the house of John Smith and Likewise att the house of Lewis Jones both of Cardiff aforesaid Ale Drapers publickly Drank [with one] of the Company in a Glasse of Ale in these words God Send our King well home from Lorraine and Lett the man have his mare again.

"Item Wee present Edward Purcell of the said Towne of Cardiff in the said County Shoemaker, for Drinking Severall Disaffected healths ag^t his Ma'ty his Crowne and Government.

Ri. Jenkins [of Hensol esq: Tho^s Thomas [of Llanbradach esq:
Tho^s Popkins [of Forest esq:
R^d Herbert [of Cilybebyll esq:
Edw^d Evans [of Eglesbush esq:
P. Williams [of Duffryn:
George Howells [of Bovill esq:
. . . . . [of . . . . .
Edw^d Deere [of Roos esq:
John Perkins [of S^t Nill gent:
Edw^d Lewis [of Cilfach Fargoed gent:
Jas. Williams [of Cardiff gent;
Edmund Traherne [of Custylle gentIlltid Nicholls [of Llandaff gent:
(being all the Jurymen sworn).
The residences and descriptions are from the Jury Panel.]

Bundle 23. File 5. April 1717. Latin.

[Jury present that Richard Whitmore, otherwise Kavanagh, of Swanzey,] being a seditious and malicious man and ill affected to the Most Serene Lord George now King of Great Britain &c., and a supporter of the person, who, in the lifetime of James the Second formerly King of England, pretended to be and took upon himself the stile and title of King of England by the name of James the Third, and wickedly designing and intending to withdraw the subjects of our said Lord the now King from their love and fidelity towards our said Lord the now King and to excite their affection and love towards the said person who, in the lifetime of James, &c., &c., and to cause it to be believed that the said person who, in the lifetime of James, &c., &c., was speedily to be raised to the Crown, regal estate and dignity of King and to the Governance and Rule of this realm, and, with wicked invention to scandalize the administration of the Government of this realm under our said Lord the now King, to cause it to be believed that James late Earl of Darwentwater, for high treason then lately attainted and put to death, was not rightly attainted and put to death; on the twenty fourth day of February in the third year of the reign of our said Lord the now King, at Swanzey aforesaid in the county aforesaid wickedly and seditiously said and uttered concerning the said person who, in the lifetime of James, &c., &c., and the aforesaid James late Earl of Darwentwater, these false, scandalous and malicious words following, namely: James the third will be placed on the Throne of England before may day next and Darwentwater's blood shall be severely reveng'd; In contempt of our said Lord the now King and of his laws, to the evil ensample of others in like case offending, and against the peace of our said Lord the now King, his Crown and dignity. And the Jury aforesaid by the oath aforesaid lastly present that the aforesaid Richard Whitmore otherwise Kavanagh afterwards, to wit, on the said twenty fourth day of February in the year abovesaid, at Swanzey aforesaid in the county aforesaid, to show the love and affection of him the said Richard towards the said person who, in the lifetime of James, &c., &c., to the health of the said person wickedly, seditiously and audaciously drank and toasted; in contempt of our said Lord the now King and of his laws, to the evil ensample, &c., &c.

Witnesses: Ralph Whitby, gent: Thomas Popkyns, esq: William Gwynne, esq: Thomas Bowen, gent: Jenkin Taylor.

Sworn in Court. Trollope.

Bundle 23. No. 28. August 1720.

No True Bill against John Griffith, of Cardiff, labourer, presented for exercising the craft of "cordweyner" (without being qualified so to do, on the 12^th January, 7 Elizabeth.) I.e., before that date he need not have been so qualified.

Bishop.

A similar Presentment of John Purcell, of Cardiff, labourer, was allowed.

William Thomas, of Whitchurch, was presented for keeping "quandam communem popinam anglice a common tipling house," and for allowing unlawful games there.

"Wee present James Rees and Mathew William of the p'ish of Eglwys-Ilan lab'rs and William Edwards, Thomas Morgan and Alexander William of the p'sh of Whitchurch, lab'rs, for playing at Bowls on the Lord's Day commonly called Sunday at Whitchurch."

Bundle 23. No. 27. April 1721.

"Wee present Evan Voss of the parish of Lantwit Major yeom' for that he on the nineteenth day of September last at the dwelling house of William Bath of Lantwit Major aforesaid Innholder in the company of Morgan Lewis and others upon the said Morgan Lewis drinking unto him King George his health The said Evan Voss drank King James his health Whereupon the said Morgan Lewis asked him what he meant by it, to which the said Evan Voss answered and said God damn you what is that to you cannot I drink what health I please. (Indicted accordingly.)

John Griffith of Cadoxton juxta Neath, gentleman, was presented for that he at Cardiff tendered an Oath on the Holy Gospel of God unto one Mary Thomas, of Llangevelach, he then and there having no lawful authority so to do. (Indicted accordingly. True Bill found.)

Bundle 23. No. 19. August 1722.

Thomas Maddocks, Registrar of the Consistory Court of Llandaff, was presented for taking exorbitant fees for the examination of witnesses.

Package 23. No. 14. April 1725.

Elizabeth Moses, of Coyty, aged two years, fell into a pan full of ale and was drowned.

John Owen, of Leckwith, yeoman, riding across Eley Moor, "where the sea was then flowing," was carried away by the tide and drowned.

Package 23. No. 13. August 1725.

"Wee present the Highway Leading from Leckwith to Kayra in this County from a Com[m]on called Govoa in the said parish of Leckwith to the house of Herbert Rosser within the said parish of Leckwith to be out of repair and ought to be repaired by the Inhabitants of Leckwith aforesaid.

"Item Wee present the Causeway leading from Cardiff to Leckwith Bridge, from the s^d Leckwith Bridge to the stone Bridge which divides the parishes of Landaff and Leckwith to be out of repaire & ought to be repaired by the said Inh'itants of Leckwith."

Package 23. No. 12. April 1726.

"Wee present the highway leading from the village of Lower Penarth to the Church of Sully to be out of repair and [also the highway] called Hewl y Coston lying in the parish of Lavernock & ought to be repaired by the inhabitants of Lavernock."

Bundle 23. No. 24. August 1726.

[Paper document:—]

Glam: ss.
Inter Thoma' Herbert Ar'
Quer' Et Morgan' David
Def'tem.

John Thomas of the parish of Penarth in the County of Glamorgan yeoman maketh Oath that By vertue of a Warr^t to this Dep^t & others directed on his Ma'tyes Writt of Capias ad Respondendu' out of this Hon'ble Court returneable the ffirst day of this present Great Sessions ag^t the Def't abovenamed att the Suite of the pl't He this Depon't did on Saturday the ffourth day of June Last past Apprehend & take the said Def't who att ffirst Submitted But the Def't insisting to goe to his own House and this Depon't refuseing him least he should escape the Def't together with Mary his Wife and Henry David and Thomas David of Cardiffe in the s^d County the Def'ts Sons ffell upon this Depon't and beate him after a very Barbarous manner to the Great effusion of his Blood and Turned him in the Kennell and Bruised him to that Degree that he has not yett recovered By which means the Def't Escaped out of this Dep'ts Custody against this Dep'ts Consent and went out of the Jurisdicc'on of this Hono'ble Court (as this Dep't is informed) Soe that this Dep't could not retake him.

sign' Joh'is X Thomas.

Jur' apud Cardiffe in
Com' p'd' Septimo die Sept-
embris Anno D'ni 1726
Ri. Carter.
fiat Attach:

Bundle 23. No. 35. April 1727.

Evan John, of Cilybebyll, mason, having been at Neath market, went for the night to an inn called Ty'nyrheol, at Cadoxton juxta Neath. At dead of night he was taken out of bed into another room, where were a number of men and women. There they pretended to try him for his life, as a thief, and so condemned him to be executed. They actually hanged him for a short space of time, but then let him down and made him sign a paper purporting "to release them for such their outrageous doings." Sworn at Cardiff, 15 April 1727, before Richard Carter.

Bundle 23. No. 16. August 1731.

Extensive Depositions, on paper, relative to the death of Morgan Mathews, of Cardiff, fiddler, who died from a beating received at an inn at Swansea, 18 October 1730, from Roger Landeg. His assailant was committed on the charge of murder, and died a prisoner in Cardiff gaol.

Also concerning an anonymous letter which threatened to burn the village of S^t Nicholas unless a sum of Fifty Pounds was left on the churchyard cross there by midnight on Christmas Eve.

William Evan, of Whitchurch, was drowned in wading through the river Taff at Rhyd y twad, Whitchurch.

Bundle 23. No. 26. April 1732.

The Cursitor and Prothonotary of the Court of Great Sessions was presented for receiving undue amounts for certain fees.

William Harry, of Cardiff, mariner, was indicted for stealing a canvas purse and £17 2s. in money, from the ketch or boat of Robert Priest, on the river Taff, in the parish of Saint Mary at Cardiff.

Bundle 23. No. 32. August 1732.

John George, of the Wedall in the parish of Saint John Baptist, Cardiff, labourer, was killed on the Little Heath by a load of hay falling from a wain upon him.

Bundle 23. No. 31. August 1733.

John Philips, Vice Chamberlain of Glamorganshire, was presented for failing to attend the Court of Great Sessions to make the original Writs, and for having exacted undue amounts for fees.

1734.

Thomas Harry, of Lisvane, was found guilty of feloniously and "burglarly" breaking and entering the house of Edward Gronow at Lanedarn in the night time and stealing therefrom one gown of painted linen, one mince gown, one suit of head clothes, six knots of "Riband," and other articles.

1735.

Thomas Harry, convicted of burglary at the last Great Sessions, and sentenced to death, but recommended to mercy, has his sentence commuted to one of transportation for seven years to some of His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations in America, pursuant to the Act of Parliament in that behalf.

Cardiff Town. Be it remembered that at the generall Quarter Sessions of the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King in and for the said Town held at the Guildhall there on Tuesday the sixteenth day of October in the seventh year of the Reign of our sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God King of Great Brittain ffrance and Ireland Defender of the ffaith & so forth and in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Thirty three Before Thomas Stradling Esq^r Constable of the Castle of Cardiff, Lewellin Williams Esq^r Steward, David Owen and Thomas Meredith Esquires Bayliffs & Alexander Purcell Esq^r eldest Alderman of the said Town his Majesty's Justices of the Peace constituted & appointed to hear and determine divers ffelonies Trespasses & other Offences done & comitted in the said Town. It was then and there presented by the Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King in the manner and fform hereafter mentioned (that is to say:) The Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King upon their Oaths do Present that Michaell Richards of Cardiff afores^d Esquire on the first day of October in the seventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Brittain ffrance & Ireland King Defender of the ffaith & so forth by force and Arms & so forth at the parish of S^t John Baptist in the s^d Town in and upon George Lewis Esq^r in the peace of God & of our s^d Sovereign Lord the King then & there being made an Assault and him the said George Lewis then and there did beat wound and evill entreat so that of his Life He did despair & other Harms to him the said George Lewis then and there did to the great damage of the said George Lewis against the Peace of our said Sovereign Lord the King his Crown and dignity.

[The Defendant is bound over to appear at the General Quarter Sessions.]

Memorandum that at the General Quarter Sessions at Cardiff on 22 September 8 G. 2, before the Hon^ble Herbert Windsor, Constable of the Castle of Cardiff, Lewellin Williams Esq^e, Steward, and David Owen and Thomas Meredith Esq^rs, Bailiffs of Cardiff, the Jurors present that Thomas Matthews of Cardiff, Gunmaker, on 15 January 1733, at the Parish of Saint John Baptist in the said Town, came before Henry Lewellin Gen^t, a Commissioner Extraordinary of the King's Bench, and then and there did make an Affidavit whereby he the said Thomas Matthews did falsely swear that the said David Owen and Thomas Meredith were, on the 1st day of October then last past, admitted and sworn Bailiffs of the said Town by Thomas Stradling Esq^r, then Constable or Deputy Constable (fn. 2) of the Castle of Cardiff, and that they had accordingly acted as Bailiffs of the said Town ever since; whereas in truth and in fact the said David Owen and Thomas Meredith were not admitted and sworn Bailiffs of the said Town on the said first day of October, and so did commit perjury.

Prosecutor, James Owen Taylor.

Witness, Edward Herbert.

[The above Indictment was removed to the Great Sessions by Certiorari.]

April Sessions, 1736.

Recognisances taken at Cardiff, 18 October 1735, before Michael Richards, Esq., a County Justice. George Lewis, of Cardiff, periwigmaker, is bound over to answer to a charge of subornation of perjury, in procuring William Phillips, of Cardiff, cordwainer, to give false evidence against William Richards of Cardiff, gentleman.

1737.

John Price was indicted for feloniously assaulting a young girl named Anne Plumly, in his garden at Cardiff. He had threatened her that, if she cried out, "the spirits would come out of the Friars and take her away." He also threatened her with a mysterious being called "the Bully Dean."

The following names are on the Grand Jury:—

William Morgan of Coedygoras, Esq.

John Williams of the Park, Esq.

Thomas Lewis of Lanishen, Esq.

James Williams of Cardiff, Esq.

William Lambert of Cardiff, Gent.

George Watkins of Cardiff, Gent.

Thomas Williams of Lanishen, Gent.

"Cardiffe Town. The Examination and Confession of Morgan Thomas David of the Parish of Roath in the County of Glamorgan Labourer taken before Arthur Williams and William Lambert Esquires Bayliffs and Justices of the Peace of the said Town the third day of May 1737.

The said Examinant Confesseth and saith that he togeather with Richard Green of Cardiff aforesaid Smith about three or four years ago and severall times since entred into the House of Thomas Herbert Esquire Deceased called the White ffriers in Cardiff aforesaid in the Night time and took away out of the Windows of the said House Several Iron Barrs to the amount of about thirty in number which weighed according to the best of this Examinants Judgment one with another about four pound a peice And this Examinant further saith that about a year ago he with the said Green took away five or six more Iron Barrs out of the Windows of the Said House and about a Week ago this Examinant by the direction at the pressing instances of the said Green took away three or four more Iron Barrs out of the Windows of the said House And this Examinant was present when the said Green worked up severall of the said Barrs and assisted him so to Do particularly for nails for the Cart Wheels of Edward William of the King's Castle.

the mark of

Morgan × Thomas David

Taken at Cardiff aforesaid upon
the Oath of the abovenamed
Morgan Thomas David the day
and year above written before us
Arth. Williams
William Lambert

[Endorsed.]

Confession of Morgan Thos. David felon' on y^e Stat. 4 G. 2."

Richard Green, of Cardiff, blacksmith, was indicted for feloniously stealing three iron bars, the goods of Elizabeth Herbert, widow, affixed to her dwelling-house in the parish of Saint John Baptist in the said town of Cardiff, He was found Guilty.