Addenda to Volume 1: Exchequer bills, 1688-1754

Exchequer Bills. [1688]

Hil. 3 & 4 Jac. II. (1688.) Glam. No. 4.

[Four sheets of parchment.]

Complaint of James Lewis, of the parish of Landaffe, gentleman. [Blank] late of Landaffe aforesaid, Complainant's late grandfather, deceased, died seised in his demesne as of fee tail of and in one messuage, garden, barn, stables and outhouses, with their appurtenances, in Landaffe, and now in possession of John James and Anne his wife or their undertenant, and of and in divers lands, meadows and pastures in the said parish, of the yearly value of 12l or thereabouts; of all which premises Complainant's said grandfather became so seised as aforesaid by virtue of a fine, recovery, feoffment or other good conveyance or assurance in the law, whereby the same were settled to the use of the heirs male of that family as long as it should please God that any such should continue. Complainant's said late grandfather had issue male of his body, lawfully begotten, viz., Richard Lewis, Complainant's uncle; who, about the month of September last, died without issue; after whose decease the said premises would have descended unto Miles Lewis, Complainant's father, as next heir male. But he being dead before the said Richard Lewis, leaving issue Complainant's eldest brother as next heir male, the latter died without issue male before Complainant's said uncle; whereby Complainant is become next heir male of the body of his said late grandfather. Accordingly Complainant entered into and took possession of the said premises (except the aforesaid messuage with the appurtenances.) The deeds and evidences are in the possession of the said John James and Anne his wife (late wife of Complainant's said eldest brother), Rachel Lewis, Mary Lewis and Fortune Lewis, daughters of Complainant's said eldest brother; who have wrongfully entered upon the said messuage with the appurtenances, confederating with Thomas Roberts, William Jones and Philip Jones, gentlemen, all of the said parish, to defeat Complainant of the said premises. He craves redress.

Writ directed to William Thomas, William Morgan, George Howell, William Richards, Edmund Perkins, and James Williams, gentlemen, Commissioners.

Answers of Fortune Lewis, Rachel Lewis and Mary Lewis, Defendants, infants, by John James and Anne his wife, their tutors and guardians. Refer to the answers of the other Defendants.

Answers of Thomas Roberts, William Jones, Philip Jones, John Jones and Anne his wife, Defendants. Set up the claim of the Defendants Fortune, Rachel and Mary Lewis, as heirs female.

Exchequer Bills. [1688]

Mich. 4. Jac. II. (1688.) Glam. No. 9.

[One sheet of parchment.]

Complaint of William Rees alias Price, and Samuel Rees alias Price, both of the parish of Landaffe in the county of Glamorgan, administrators of the personal estate of David Price, of Landaffe, clerk, deceased, Vicar of the cathedral church and vicarage of Landaffe. The said David Price being about 14 years since lawfully presented unto and inducted into the said church and vicarage, did continue vicar thereof until his death, which happened in the month of March last past. By virtue whereof the said David Price ought in his lifetime to have received all tithes, duties and profits belonging to the said vicarage, as his predecessors theretofore enjoyed the same. And from time immemorial, by some ancient composition or endowment, the vicar of the said parish and vicarage for the time being hath been entitled unto and received all manner of . . . . and privy tithes and all other tithes whatsoever yearly happening within the said parish of Landaffe and the tithable places thereof (saving and excepting the tithe of corn and hay) and all the tithes of lambs, wool, calves, colts, pigs, geese, apples, honey, wax, oblations, offerings and all other tithes, which ought to be paid in kind, or else some composition in lieu of the same. Nicholas Owen, of the said parish, yeoman, the now Defendant, hath withheld his due payment of such tithes. The Complainants crave redress.

Exchequer Bills. [1715]

East. 1 Geo. I. (1715.) Glam. No. 3.

[One sheet of parchment.]

Complaint of Henry Williams of Lanishen, and William Springett of Lisvane, in the county of Glamorgan, gentlemen. Richard Lewis, late of Corsham in the county of Wilts, esquire, and Sir Charles Kemeys, late of Kevenmably in the said county of Glamorgan, baronet, both deceased, were seised in fee of the rectory and parsonage impropriate of Lanishen and Lisvane, and so entitled to all tithes, both great and small, and all oblations and profits whatsoever in lieu of tithes, arising within the said parishes. And being so seised, the said Richard Lewis, by Indenture dated 2 February 1704, demised all his share in the said rectory unto Complainant Henry Williams, to hold during the lives of George Thomas and John Williams and the longest liver of them. And the said Sir Charles Kemeys demised unto Complainant William Springett all his share in the said rectory, to hold during the lives of Ralph Thomas, gentleman, now deceased, and him the said William Springett or the longest liver of them. By virtue of which demises Complainants ought to receive the tithes of the said rectory. William Harry, John James, Thomas David, Lewis Edward, James Morgan, Griffith William David, Mary George, spinster, Edward Thomas, Thomas Edward, Thomas Rees, John Thomas, Moses Morgan, John Lewis John, Gabriel Lewis, esquire, Lewis Rosser, Arthur Edward, Morgan Lewis, William Lewis, Lewis Henry, David Thomas, John Edward, Rees John, Thomas Edward, Thomas James [blank], inhabitants of the said parishes, withhold their tithes of calves, milk, wool, lambs, pigs, geese, turkeys, ducks, hens and other poultry, eggs, underwood, honey, apples, pears, hops, plums and other fruit, and hay, and their Easter offerings for themselves, their wives and families, and other tithes. The Defendants pretend that some modus is payable in lieu of small tithes, yet deny to discover what that modus is. Complainants crave redress.

Exchequer Bills. [1714/5]

Hil. 1 Geo. I. (1714/5.) Glam. No. 5.

[Four sheets of parchment.]

Complaint of Morgan William, of the parish of Eglwssilan in the county of Glamorgan, yeoman. Morgan Evan, late of Gellygare in the said county, deceased, Complainant's great-grandfather, being seised of or entitled to a good estate of inheritance of and in one messuage and lands in the parish of Lanvabon in the said county, of the yearly value of about 10l., by deed in writing conveyed the same to Trustees, to the use of himself and his wife and the survivor of them, with remainder to their heirs male; and in default of such issue, then to his heirs male for ever. The said Morgan died leaving Rees Morgan his eldest son, who died and left issue William Rees, who died and had issue Edmund William Rees, who died without issue male; upon whose decease the said estate descended to Complainant as heir male of the body of the said Morgan Evan, he being eldest son of William Edwards, who was eldest son of Edward Morgan that was the second son of the said Morgan Evan. William Lewis, Jenett John, Walter George and William George, all of Gellygare, have ousted Complainant, pretending that the said Edmund William Rees made a Will and devised the premises to them; whereas he was but tenant in tail, and could not by any Will dispose of the same. And at other times the Defendants claim to be heirs at law. Complainant craves redress.

Answer of Defendant Jennett John. A. traverse.

Answers of the other Defendants. A traverse.

Exchequer Bills. [1718/9]

Hil. 5. Geo. 1. (1718/9). Glam. No. 19.

[Two sheets of parchment.]

Complaint of Gabriel Lewis of Lanishen in the county of Glamorgan, esquire, Edward John Robert, Rees John Rees and David John Rees, all of Lanvabon in the said county, yeomen. The said Complainant Gabriel Lewis, being by a Lease from the Bishop, Archdeacon and Chapter of Landaffe possessed of the tithes of corn and grain, lambs and wool arising within the said parish of Lanvabon, did let the said tithes for several years unto the other Complainants. Charles Thomas William, of Lanvabon, husbandman, has withheld payment of his full tithes, fraudulently rendering only a portion far short of what was really due. Complainant craves redress.

Defendant's answer.

Exchequer Bills. [1725]

Trin. 12. Geo. I. (1725.) Glam. No. 83.

[Four sheets of parchment.]

Complaint of John Morgan, of Cardiff in the county of Glamorgan, maltster. Thomas Morgan, complainant's late uncle, died seised of divers messuages, lands and tenements; which, upon his death intestate, descended to Complainant as heir at law. Soon after he had possession, several people in the neighbourhood applied to him on behalf of Anne, his sister, then a spinster but now wife of William Evan, of Cardiff, yeoman, and represented that, since he was become possessed of a considerable fortune and his said sister being wholly unprovided for, it would be an act of charity to make provision for her; which Complainant readily agreed to, and at the instance of the said persons assigned to her three Leases of certain lands and houses situate in Lanederne, Roath and Cardiff in the said county, as a security for raising the sum of 100l, with the additional security of a bond in 200l—for which provision his said sister expressed herself very thankful. Shortly afterwards, his said sister intermarried with the said William Evan; who, being then in low circumstances and a very necessitous man, applied to Complainant to supply his immediate occasions with what he thought fit. Whereupon Complainant, out of compassion to his circumstances, did pay him the sum of 33l 6s. 8d.; which the said William Evan with abundance of seeming gratitude received, and assured Complainant that he might take his own time about the payment of the £100. The said William Evan then requested Complainant to give him the Lease of the premises in Cardiff instead of the money. Whereupon Complainant, being of an easy temper, did comply with such request. Shortly afterwards the said William Evan demanded payment of the sum due under the Bond, and brought an action therefor in the Court of Grand Sessions for the County of Glamorgan, knowing that Complainant was not prepared to pay the money immediately, and intending thereby to oppress and injure Complainant. The said William Evan obtained judgment for the penal sum of 200l under the said Bond, and threatens to distrain for the same and to obtain possession of the said lands and tenements. Complainant craves redress.

Writ directed to Michael Richards senior, Michael Richards junior, William Lewis, Thomas Cradock and Henry Llewellin, gentlemen, Commissioners.

Answer of the Defendants. A traverse.

Replication of the Complainant.

Exchequer Bills. [1721/2]

Hil. 7 Geo. I. (1721/2.) Glam. No. 68.

[Three sheets of parchment.]

Complaint of Thomas Yeoman, of the parish of Lanederne in the county of Glamorgan, yeoman, and Anne his wife, one of the children of Morgan Evan, late of Lanwonnoe in the said county, yeoman, deceased. Relates to the personal estate of the said Morgan Evan.

Exchequer Bills. [1754]

Trin. 27–28 Geo. II. (1754.) Glam. No. 65.

[One sheet of parchment.]

Complaint of the Bishop, Archdeacon and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Landaff, in their corporate capacity and also personally; Edward, Lord Bishop of Landaff aforesaid, as Treasurer of the said Cathedral Church; John, Lord Bishop of Peterborough, as Prebendary of the Prebend of ffairwell in or belonging to the said Church; William Adams, clerk, Master of Arts, Presentor [sic] of the said Church; Charles Carne, clerk, Master of Arts, Prebendary of the Prebend of Fairwater of or belonging to the same Church; and William Harris, clerk, Master of Arts, Senior Vicar Choral of the said Cathedral Church. There are two parishes, called Landaff and Whitchurch, within the county of Glamorgan and diocese of Landaff aforesaid, the great tithes whereof (except the tithe of wood) belong to four Members of the said Church exclusively; viz., to the Bishop as Treasurer, to the Presentor and to the Prebendaries of Fairwell and Fairwater aforesaid for the time being; and the small or minute tithes of those parishes, together with the tithe of wood, belong to the Bishop, Archdeacon and Chapter of the Cathedral. And there has always belonged to the said Cathedral Church a clergyman or minister called a Senior Vicar Choral, who performs several duties within the said Cathedral Church assigned to him to officiate in; and he also serves the cures of the said parishes of Landaff and Whitchurch. And such Vicar Choral is chose into that office by the Chapter of the said Church; but it is not necessary that such minister or officer should be instituted or inducted in to the office or ministry of Vicar Choral or into the said cures, such Vicar Choral being only nominated or appointed into that office by an Act or Election of the said Chapter. The minute tithes and tithes of wood of the said parishes of Landaff and Whitchurch have been always assigned to the Senior Vicar Choral, or he has always been permitted to receive the same, for performing the office of Senior Vicar Choralship and for serving the said cures. Complainant William Harris further showeth that the Senior Vicar Choralship being vacant by the death of William Price, clerk, Master of Arts, he the said William Harris on the 22nd day of October 1742 was by an Act of the said Chapter duly elected and appointed the Senior Choral Vicar, and so is entitled to the said small tithes and tithe of wood. John Williams of Park in the parish of Lanilltern in the said county, esquire, being seised of a considerable estate in the said parish of Whitchurch, during the years 1742 to 1745, caused to be cut and felled on the said estate 2000 cords of wood, which he coaled and carried away and sold without setting forth any tithe thereof. And the said John Williams sometimes gives out that wood is not tithable in its own nature; and at other times he pretends that the part of the parish of Whitchurch where the said wood was so cut lies within a particular Hundred of the said county of Glamorgan called Sanghenith, otherwise Carphilly, and that no tithe wood has ever been demanded within that Hundred, the same being exempt from such tithe. But the said Complainant chargeth that tithe wood hath been paid from time to time by great numbers of occupiers of lands within the said Hundred. One Mr. Morgan and other parishioners of Eglwysilan within the said Hundred refusing to pay tithe of wood which they had cut from their lands, and claiming some exemption, one Mr. Smith, vicar of Eglwysilan, exhibited a Bill in this honourable Court against them, and in Michaelmas Term 1732 obtained a Decree against them for payment of tithe wood to him. One Edward Morgan and Lewis Charles having rented the minute tithes of Landaff and Whitchurch of the said William Price, the said Complainant's predecessor, they were paid tithe of cordwood within the said parishes, which are in the said Hundred, and particularly by one M^rs Edwards or her tenants, and from the estate of the said John Williams. John Jenkin, of the hamlet of Canton within the said parish of Landaff, yeoman, in the year 1753 had fed and depastured 120 ewes within the said parish of Landaff, which yeaned or brought forth as many lambs, each of which lambs was worth to be sold 5s.; and he had 200 sheep of all sorts, which he shore or caused to be shorn; and each fleece of the wool so shorn was worth 1s. 6d. at the least. And he had depastured in the parish of Landaff in 1753 twelve cows, which cast or brought forth so many calves, each worth 20s. By the custom of the said parish there is a tithe calf due when there are seven, and 16d. for every cow and 6d. for every calf under the number of seven. And he the said John Jenkin hath not paid tithe for the said tithe lambs, wool or calves. William Morgan of the parish of Whitchurch also withholds his tithes of calves, and of several farrows of pigs which he has had from sows kept by him there—a tithe pig being worth 2s. Evan John, of Landaff, who occupied a farm in the parish of Whitchurch, also withholds his tithes of lambs and wool. Roger Rosser, of Landaff, yeoman, in 1752 had gathered from his apple trees in the said parish of Landaff 100 bushels of apples, each bushel being worth 2s., but hath not paid tithe of the same. Morgan Rees, of Landaff, gardener, in 1752 occupied 2 acres of land in that parish, which he sowed or planted with potatoes. He dug up and sold therefrom 100 bushels of potatoes, each worth 8s., but has not paid the tithe. Complainants crave redress.