Worcestershire Quarter Sessions: 1613

The inhabitants of Bayton. Ref.110 BA1/1/20/58 (1613)

To the right worshippfull the Kinges majesties justices
of peace in the countye of Worcester.

May yt please your worshipps, that whereas at [Michaellmas?]
and Trinitye sessions last past there was a bill of [complaynt?]
and two severall certificattes preferred by us the parishoners
of Bayton in this countye of Worcester whose names are
thereunto subscribed against Thomas Moorely Elizabeth [illegible]
wief, John Kempster, and Thomas Byrd alesellers, [sh...?]
unto your worshipps, of diverse and sundrye assaltes, affray [illegible]
bloodshedes, misdemenors, and abuses comitted, within our [illegible]
towne and parishe of Bayton, by reason of the said alesellers
there being, as by our said complaynte and certificattes
more at lardge the truth thereof appereth, and althoughe
at Trinitye sessions last past we had a warrantt grauntted
to suppresse them, yet the said Thomas Mooreley and his
wief, Thomas Byrd, and Kempster, have ever since continued
their tippleing and aleselling, and keeping disorder in their
howses, yet the said Thomas Byrd for his parte ys bounde
to the contrary and as for Moo the said Mooreley, and
his wief, they doe not regard the lawes of this realme
for they have bene absent from churche above this quarter
of ayere continually, and forasmuch as the constable of
Bayton aforesaid having a warrantt from your worshipps did
arrest the said Elizabeth Mooreley and chardgeing some of his
neighbours there present to aide and assiste him yet he
the said constable neverthelesse, and those that did assiste
him were grevously beaten, by one Fraunces Mooreley,
[illegible] Mooreley, Anne, Elinor, Elizabeth, and Mary [Mooreley?]
[illegible] [...nd?] daughters to [the said? Elizabeth Mooreley,
[illegible]
sett upon by a rude companye, which came out of
the alehowse with a minstrell, before them, and there
did grevously beate him the said Roffe and brake
his head and also did there beate his said cattell
and also there have bene diverse and sundry other
misdemenores, and abuses lately comitted, by reason
of the said alesellers, which were tedious to trowble
your worshipps withall, and therefore we humbly desier
your worshipps due consideracon therein according to
justice for reformacion thereof or elles if yt
resteth not in your worshipps that we maye have
your wisdomes furtherance, unto the lord chieffe judge,
to redresse our wronges, and thus we rest etc.

Your worshipps ever
to comaunde:

• John Geers
• Edward Sutton churchwardens

Loury Myhill, widow of Eastham. Ref.110 BA1/1/20/60 (1613)

The humble petision of Loury Myhill
widdow of the parish of Eastham

In most humble manner your poore petissioner Loury Migehill
of the parish of Eastham widdow shewing unto your worships that shee beeing a poore blinde wooman of the age
of threescore and seaven yeares and having inhabited within the parish of
Eastham the space of six and twenty yeares and upardes is now fallen
into greate poverty and want by the reason of the lose of her [sight?] [illegible]
feeblenes of her body in soe much that shee is like to perrish for [w...?] [illegible]
thinges nessesary, and shee hath many tymes made her move unto [illegible]
overseers of the poore appoynted for the parish and unto other of [th...?] [illegible]
but so it is that your poore petishioner can get noe relief amongst [illegible]
and your poore petissioner sent to the worshippfull Sir William [illegible]
and procured his warrant unto them hoping that then they would [illegible]
yealded mee somm relief but soe it is that they in a most [contepsious?]
manner did refuse to reseave the warrant or to help mee to anny
reliefe at all whearefore your poore petissioner humbly prayeth your
worships to consider her poore desstressed estate and to take somm order
wheareby shee may have somm relief with speede or otherwise
your poore petissioner is like to perrish for want of relief this
hoping your worships will take somm order whereby I may bee releived
and so your poore petissioner shall bee bound continually to pray for
your worships prosperytie

George Allen of Stowlton, clerk, and Elizabeth Allen his wife. Ref.110 BA1/1/20/63 (1613)

To the right worshipfull his majesties justices of peace
for the countie of Worcester

The humble peticion of George Allen of
Stowlton in the countie of Worcester clarke
and Elizabeth his wieffe

The peticioners humbly shew unto your good worships that of late
a heynous slaunder of fealonie and murder was raysed [illegible]
rumord by one Ellianor Wheeler and Joyce Goold spinsters [illegible]
against the peticioner Elizabeth that shee should make [illegible]
and poyson her former husband whereuppon the peticioners
required the matter to bee examined which was accordingly
don before Robert Barkeley esquier one of his majesties justices
of peace and the peticioner Elizabeth thereof in all
respectes clyered

Their humble peticion unto your good worships that
the premisses duly considered the
said Ellianor and Joyce may receave
punishement as in your grand wisdomes
shall seeme meete for their demerittes

Anne Mynshawe, widow. Ref.110 BA1/1/21/66 (1613)

To the right worshipfull the justices
of peace within the county of Worcester

The humble peticion of Anne Mynshawe of widdowe
beinge of the age of fowerscore years and upwardes
and being soe feeble and weake that she is not able
to worke for her liveing humbly sheweth that she
hath lived within the parish of ss Suckley
for the space of forty years and upwardes and
nowe is growne and [illegible] soe poore weake and
feeble that she is like to be famished and perish
for wante of relief and sustenance

her humble desire is that it would please
your worshipps to take somme order that she
may be in charity releeved and susteigned by
the inhabitantes of the said parish of Suckly
and yor poore peticioner shall be bounde dayly
to pray for yor worshipps health and happines

Richard Fowke of Bromsgrove, barber chirurgion. Ref.110 BA1/1/21/70 (1613)

To the right worshipfull his majesties justices of
peace for the countie of Wigorn

The humble peticion of Richard Fowke of
[Bromsgrove?] in the said countie barber chirurgion

Sheweinge
that the eleaventh day of this instant month of Januarie 1613 one William
Perke and Richard Chaunce beinge very desperate persons did assault and
make an aff affraye uppon your peticioner being then in his owne
howse in Godes peace and the Kinges and him sore wounded and doe threaten to
doe him further mischieffe yf they or eyther of them maye att anye
tyme hereafter meete with him in place fitt and convenient for their
purpose

humbly craveth that yt would please your
good worshipps to graunt the peticioner a
warrant of the good behaviour against
the said Perke and Chaunce
this for Godes love

Many hundreds of fishermen of Worcestershire and Shropshire. Ref.110 BA1/1/21/74 (1613)

To the right worshipfull his majesties justices
of peace for the county of Worcester

Most humbly shewe
to your worshipps

That your petitioners being many hundreds in number of the
counties of Worcester and Salop having wives and families to
maintaine have served their apprentishipps to the trade of fishing
and have noe other calling to maintaine them and their families;
and are quite disabled and impoverished by certaine countrymen
of Upton upon Seaverne, Ripple, Holdfast and other villages borde=
ring upon the said river of Seaverne who worke with forestalling
netts which reach from the one side of Seaverne to the other and from
the topp to the bottome thereof, so that they take multitudes of
fish (videlicet above 60 salmons at a draught, and the rest that they
take not, they drive backe, that they cannot come up the said river;
and by reason thereof your petitioners are like to perish, the said river
being thus destroyed for fishing; your petitioners severall time peti=
tioned against the offenders and they were indicted at severall sessions
of the peace holden for this countye; and lastlye there was an order
granted by John Wilde lord cheife baron and Roger Hill judges
at the last assizes holden at the said cittye for restrayning of such
persons useing such forestalling netts as by the said order appeareth:
yett neverthelesse the said offenders doe proceede on the said unseasonable nettes
whose names are here (videlicet William Perkins of Chaseley, James Jelfe of
Queenhill, William Glover of Holdfast, William Moore of Ripple,
and Thomas Smith of Upton and Henry Glover of Welland

Your poore petitioners therefore most humbly beseech your
worships, that you will be piouslye pleased, to graunt your
generall order that all such persons may be restrayned
that so offend and persist against the good of the kingdome
whereby your petitioners may have some livelihood to subsist
withall, and in obedience and duty bound they will ever pray etc

And this for Gods love

[illegible]

Samuell Gower of Kings Norton. Ref.110 BA1/1/21/80 (1613)

[illegible] his majesties justices of peace
[illegible] for the countie of Wigorn

The humble peticion of Samuell
Gower of Kinges Norton in the county
of Worcester

Shewinge
That one Constance Greeves a poore wydowe beinge chardged
with three small children and destitute of howseroome aboutes
[illegible] yere and a halfe since uppon the mediacion of the then overseers
of the poore and their promise of v shillings yearly rent and to doe some
reparacions was admitted by the peticioner to dwell in some
part of an old decayed howse of the peticioners where ever since
shee hath and yet doth continue that the peticioner never
receaved anie part of the rent neyther hath the same howse
ben by the said overseers repayred yet the same was by the
peticioner to his great chardge in wynter last repayred which by
reason of wynter is soe ruynated that the peticioner
greatly feareth that yf the said wydow shall continue in the
said house the same nere adjoyneinge to his barne maye
maye adventure his whole howse with fyer that the
tyme beinge expired the peticioner made promise the said
wydowe should hould his said howse hee hath acquaynted
the peticioner overseers for this present yere videlicet John
Greeves of the mill, William Field John Field and the churchwardens
of Kingsnorton aforesaid whoe refuse eyther to place the said
wydowe or her sonne beinge of age to bee an apprentice or
to give the peticioner said wydowe any meanes or
mayntenance sufficient to funde her all necessaries but
that shee is was forced thoroughe want to burne the old
tymber about the said howse

Humbly prayeth that your worship would take some course
that the said overseers may provide some other howse for
the said wydowe that they place her sonne ane apprentice
accordinge as is required by the statute 43 Elizabeth for that
purpose provided and not suffered to bee a common begger
as nowe hee is

The Churchwarden of St. Peter's Parish Droitwich. Ref.110 BA1/1/21/87 (1613)

To the right worshipfull the Kinges majesties justices
of the countie of Worcester

Humbly complayninge shewen unto your worshipps the
churche wardens of the parishe of Saint Peter
in Droytwiche in the name of the rest of the
inhabitantes and parishioners of the same parishe
that one Gower Yarnold havinge a wiff and
two small children borne and remayninge within
the same parishe, and also havinge only some small
porcion of money in stock for the mayntenance of him
self his wiff and children dothe in very ryotous
and willfull manner daylie waste and consume
his said meanes of lyvinge nothinge regardinge
the poore estate of his saide wiff and children which
in very shorte tyme will tende to the utter ruine
and decay of him selfe his said wiff and children
unles your worshipps ayde and assistance be in tyme [herein?]
extended, and wo to the greate chardge and
expences of us your suppliantes by reason of the
[staute?] in suche cases provided whereuppon our [humble?]
peticion at this tyme is that your worshipps wilbe [pleased?]
to take suche good order in the premysses that [some?]
parte of the porcion of money of the said [Gower?]
Yarnold yet remayninge in the handes of certen
of his frendes may be imployed to the reliff of
his said wiff and children, and that his [diso...?]
lief may likewise be reformed and this [illegible]
Godes love

Your humble [petitioners?]

• Thomas D
• John Baker
• George Weever
• George Harrys


• Thomas Davis
• John Davis
• George Oliver


• Thomas [illegible]
• Maurice [illegible]
• Henry [illegible]
• Richard [illegible]

The inhabitants of Cradley. Ref.110 BA1/1/21/89 (1613)

To the right worshipfull the Kinges majestis
justices of the peace of the county
of Wigorn:

Right worshipfull our dueties in all humble manner remembered
maye yt be pleasinge to your worships to be advertised that we
of the towneshipe of Cradley in the parishe of Halesowen
and county of Worcester have hearetofore bine alotted
as the fyfteenth part of our sayd parrishe of Halesown
in the collection for the poore, and have att all aseasmentes
willingly by due payment performed the same, nowe may
yt please your good woorships to understand that the poore
amongst us doe soe greatly encrease and some part of
our sayd townshipe are growen soe distresed in the habilitie
as not able to performe as earst they have done, all which
considered we humbly pray that yt might be pleasing to
your good woorships that we might have twoe [littll?] townships
videlicet Ludly and Warly Wigorne lyenge within the sayd
parishe and county to joyne with us in the sayd collection
as earst they have bine enjoyned but not performed, otherwise
we are not able to performe the aforesaid payment, and that
withall such their enjoyning with in the sayd payment may be
by your good worships established uppon record henceforth
to remayne before this woorshipfull bench.

Your woorships in all duety to be
commaunded.

• William Darby constable
• William Forrest hirdbarowe
• Gabriell Brock
• Samuell Westwood
• Richard Holmer
• Thomas Wheler
• John Wall
• Richard More
• John Hill collecters
• Richard Mansell
• John Paston
• John Addenbrooke
• Edward Forrest
• Edward Halmer
• Anthony [Co...?]
• Humfrey [illegible]
• Richard [Low...?]
• Edward [F...?]
• Henerie [illegible]

The number of our poore wherwith
we are now charged are xx
being, fatherles, motherles, and
otherwise impotent wherof on
especially is a [bisen?] man and
hath of us for mayntenance by
the yeare lvi shillings iiii pence