Middlesex Sessions Rolls: 1649

INDICTMENTS, RECOGNIZANCES, CORONERS' INQUISITIONS-POST-MORTEM, ORDERS AND MEMORANDA temp. COMMONWEALTH.

1649

24 February, 1648/9.—The Jurors for the Keepers of the Liberty of England by the authority of Parliament present (Juratores pro Custodibus libertatis Anglie auctoritate Parliamenti presentant) that John Harrington alias Browne and Richard Blake, both late of St. Paul's Covent Garden co. Midd. laborers, in the night of the said day broke burglariously into the dwelling-house of William Barksted, situated and being in the aforesaid parish, and stole therefrom and carried away a silver tankard worth five pounds, four silver bowls worth ten pounds, six silver spoones worth forty shillings, and thirty pounds in numbered moneys, of the goods chattels and moneys of Sir Arthur Jenny knt. The clerical minute "escap'" over the name of each culprit shows that, when this indictment was found a true bill, John Harrington and Richard Blake had escaped either from gaol or their pursuers, and were both at large. The initial words of this bill are noteworthy as an example of the way in which indictments were drawn from the date of Charles the First's death, till Oliver Cromwell was made Lord Protector. G. D. R., . . . . April, 1649.

10 May, 1649.—Order (following in G. D. Reg. a record of a fine of twenty pounds imposed upon Peter Rogers, one of the Coroners' for Middlesex, for neglecting to attend the Court, when he was required to do so for the purpose of giving in information respecting the view of the body of a female infant, born alive of the body of Margaret Halsey), made in accordance with the desire of the Court, that "the Sherriffe of the County of Middlesex be heerby required to attend the Lords Commissioners of the Greate Seale of England" for the purpose of moving their said Lordships that they "would be pleased to grant a writt to remove the sayd Peter Rogers out of his sayd office, and an other Writt for the electinge of a more fitt and sufficient person in his place whereby the service of that consequence, which much concerns the publique peace may be better performed." From the preamble to this order for the Sheriff of Middlesex to wait on the Lords Commis sioners of the Great Seal, it appears that Peter Rogers had neglected to attend and informe the Court "touchinge the deaths of diverse persons who have beene slayne and murdered, of whose bodyes he together with Inquests hath taken the view and returned noe Inquisitions." G. D. Reg.

25 May, 1649.—True Bill that, in the parish of Endfeild co. Midd. between seven and eight o'clock a.m., Ralph Cason late of the said parish laborer entered unlawfully the chase of the Keepers of the liberty of England, and in a certain place called the West Bayliwicke within the said chase with a gun, charged with gun-powder and leaden bullets, then and there killed and slew a bucke worth forty shillings, against the public peace and the form of the statute in that case published and provided. Putting himself on a jury, Ralph Cason was found 'Not Guilty.' G. D. R., 21 June, 1649.

2 June, 1649.—True Bill that, at St. Dunstan's-in-the-West co. Midd. in the night of the said day between two and three o'clock a.m., Leonidas Smith alias Blisse late of the said parish laborer broke burglariously into the dwelling-house of William Lenthall esq. Speaker of the Parliament and Master of the Rolls (P'locutor' Parliament' ac M'ri Rot'lor' Cur' Cancellar'), and stole therefrom one thousand and nine hundred pounds in numbered moneys of the goods and moneys of the said William Lenthall. Found 'Guilty,' Leonidas Smith was sentenced to be hung. G. D. R., . . . ., 1649.

16 June, 1649.—Orders for the better government of Alehouses, and for the proper observance of Lord's Days and Fast Days, made at the General Session of the Peace held at Westminster for the City and Liberties of Westminster:—

1. Ordered that warrants doe yssue forth to all Constables &c. for the due observance of the Lord's dayes and Fast dayes throughout the whole daye, and that they make diligent search upon those dayes in all Taverns Inns Ale-houses and other drincking houses and whomsoever they shall finde remayneing drincking or tipling in such houses, that they apprehend them togeather with the Master and Mistress of such house, and bring them before the next Justice of the Peace, to be punished according to the Law.

2. That they make the like search in the feilds, and apprehend all such as they finde playing at 9 pinnes, pigeon holes, and holes, or other games, that they take them away, and bring the persons before the next Justice of the Peace, to be proceeded withall according to the Law.

3. And if any person whome they finde shall alleadge himselfe to be a souldier, that they secure him till he declare where his quarter is, and who is his officer, and thereupon that he be carried to his officer (who is to be acquainted with his offence) to receive punishment.

4. And if they finde it dangerous to apprehend any souldier in any such house, that they charge the Master of such house to secure them, and that they be forth comeing at their perills.

5. And that an Order be drawne up and sent to all parish Churches and Chappells within this libertie, to be publiquely read before Sermon, requireing all Inn-keepers, Alehouse-keepers and victuallers, not to permitt or suffer any persons strangers whatsoever to be or remaine drinckinge tipling or eateinge in any of their houses gardens or yards at any tyme of the day, upon a Lord's day or Fast day, and if soe, that such persons shall not only encur the penaltie already provided by Law, but shall [have] their lycences for wyne and beare taken from them, and they supprest, and disabled for 3 yeares.

6. That noe Alehouse-keeper be lycenst in Session or without but by five Justices of the Peace, whereof one of the Quorum, and their names be subscribed to the Recognizance, whiche shalbe a sufficient warrant for the Clarke of the Peace to give out a printed lycence under his hand, as is usuall.

7. That the Justices doe meete in their severall divisions, and consider and report at the next Generall Sessions, what number of Alehouses are necessary and fitt for each parish, and that care be taken, as the presente Alehouse-keepers dye, remove their habitacions or be supprest, that noe new lycences be granted untill such tyme as the now supernumerary Ale-houses be reduced to the number to be reported needfull for each parish, except, as aforesaid, that Justices doe under their hands lycence and consent thereunto. S. P. Book.

20 June, 1649.—True Bill that, in the parish of St. Pancras in the night of the said day, Allan Ratcliffe and Thomas Simons, both late of the said parish laborers, unlawfully broke into and entered the park called Marybone Parke, lying within the said parish and enclosed with palings and used for the keeping of deer, and then and there with bowes and arrowes unlawfully killed a bucke worth twenty shillings, against the public peace and the form of the statute in a case of this kind published and provided.—A clerical minute over Alan Ratcliffe's name shows that he produced in court a writ De Certiorari, which was allowed. G. D. R., 21 June, 1649.

15 July, 1649.—True Bill that, at Endfeild co. Midd. between seven and eight a.m. of the said day, Zachariah Coleman, John Bull and Nicholas Wheeler unlawfully and without license entered the chase of the Keepers of the Liberty of England by the authority of Parliament, lying and being in the same parish, and used for the maintenance of deer, and there, in the West Bayliwick of the same chase, with guns charged with gun-powder and bullets shot at the deer and in doing so killed a buck worth forty shillings. Found 'Guilty,' each of the three culprits was sentenced to pay a fine of thirteen shillings and four pence, and to put in good sureties for his good behaviour. G. D. R., . . . ., 1649.

18 July, 1649.—True Bill that, at Endfeild co. Midd. between ten and eleven a.m. on the said day, John Lowe late of the said parish labourer unlawfully and without licence entered the chase of the Keepers of the Liberty of England by the authority of Parliament, lying and being in the same parish and used for keeping of deer, and then and there in the West Bayliwick of the said chase, with a gun charged with gun-powder and leaden bullets shot at the deer there, and in doing so killed a bucke worth twenty shillings. Putting himself on a jury of the country, John Lowe was found 'Guilty,' and sentenced to pay a fine of thirteen shillings and four pence, and to put in good sureties for his good behaviour. G. D. R., . . . ., 1649.

10 November, 1649.—True Bill that, at Kensington co. Midd. on the said day, Sir Richard Ashfeild late of the said parish baronett assaulted John Muschamp gentleman and with a sword gave the same John Muschamp on his forehead a mortal wound, of which he died on the 18th day of the same month. Found 'Guilty' of manslaughter, Sir Richard Ashfeild baronet pleaded his clergy and read the book, "sed cre' resp'ctuatur usq'. p'x'" = "but the branding is deferred to next Session." G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/50.

20 November, 1649.—True Bill that, at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields co. Midd. on the said day and divers subsequent days, Elizabeth Smyth late of St. Sepulchre's London widow practised witchcraft upon and against Jane Gwynne of St. Martin's aforesaid spinster, so that the said Jane languished from the said 20th of November to the 4th of December, then next following, and was wasted in her body. Elizabeth Smyth was found 'Not Guilty.' G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/50.

20 November, 1649.—True Bill that, at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields co. Midd. on the said day and divers subsequent days Dorothy Brumley late of the said parish widow practised witchcraft upon and against Jane Gwynne of the same parish spinster so that the said Jane languished and wasted in her body from the said 20th of November to the 4th of December then next following. Dorothy Brumley was found 'Not Guilty.' G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/50.

7 December, 1649.—True Bill that, at St. Clement's Danes on the said day, Thomas Thwaites, John Gardner and Joseph Read, all three late of the said parish laborers, stole and carried off a neckelace of pearle worth two hundred pounds, another neckelace of pearle worth one hundred and fifty pounds, a velvett sadle-cloth embroidered with gold and silver worth two hundred pounds (valor' ducent' librar'), a silver tankerd worth six pounds, a silver pepper-boxe worth twenty shillings, a silver porringer and cover worth forty shillings, twelve silver spoones worth seven pounds, two pettycoates worth three pounds, an embroidered bagge worth twenty shillings, a payre of stockings worth four shillings, four gold rings worth sixty pounds, and fifty pounds in numbered moneys, of the goods chattels and moneys of Sir Henry Mildemay knt.—Also, another indictment against the same three culprits for stealing and carrying off on the same day a grey gelding worth twelve pounds, of the goods and chattels of Sir Henry Mildemay knt. Found 'Guilty,' all three culprits were sentenced to be hung. G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/50.

20 December, 1649.—True Bill that, at Hamersmith co. Midd. on the said day, designing to deprave Thomas Lord Fairfax then Chief General (ducem generalem) of the army raised by the Parliament of England, and the Honorable Oliver Cromwell then Lieutenant-General and now Chief General of the same army, and Thomas Pride, then and still one of the Collonells of the same army (unum Chiliarchorum ejusdem exercitus), and intending to bring the same Lord Fairfax, Lieutenant-Generall Oliver Cromwell and Colonel Pride into contempt, Paul Williams yeoman and his wife Mary Williams, both late of Hamersmith aforesaid, publicly in the presence and hearing of very many persons spoke and uttered these words, to wit "That his Excellencie the Lord Generall Fairfax and the Lord Lieutenant Cromwell and Collonell Pride are all sonnes of whores and are supported by such Cavalliers as we are, and he did shortly hope to see their downefall, which is the satisfaccion we look for." Found 'Guilty,' Paul Williams and Mary Williams were fined five hundred marks (quingent' m'cas) each, and required to put in good sureties for their future good behaviour.—Also, another True Bill against the same Paul Williams and Mary Williams for saying publicly at Hamersmith aforesaid, in depravation of the Parliament, the Council of State and the High Court of Justice these seditious words, to wit, "That there is nowe a High Court of Justice sett upp to destroy the Royall Party, but we did hope to see those that did belonge to that Court would soone be cutt off or hanged, And that all those that belonged to the Parliament, Councell of State and the High Court of Justice are rogues and murtherers of the late King." Putting themselves on trial, Paul Williams and Mary Williams were in respect to this indictment found 'Not Guilty.' G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/5.

23 December, 1649.—True Bill that, at St. Andrew's-in-Holborne co. Midd. in the night of the said day, John Temple and Richard Howell, both late of the said parish laborers, broke burglariously into the dwelling-house of David Morgan gentleman, and stole and carried off therefrom two cloaks worth four pounds, a doublett worth twenty shillings, a pair of breeches worth thirty shillings "et unum semindusium anglice a halfe-shirt" worth ten shillings, of the goods and chattels of the said David Morgan. Confessing the indictment, both culprits were sentenced to be hung. G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/50.

26 December, 1649.—True Bill that, at Stepney co. Midd. on the said day, Mary Sudall late of the said parish spinster with a certain rod which she held in her right hand assaulted Margaret Davies, and with same rod struck and whipt her on her shoulders hippes and legges, so that the said Margaret died of the same flogging on the following day, and that thus the said Mary killed and murdered the said Margaret. Putting herself 'Not Guilty' on a jury, Mary Sudall was found 'Not Guilty.' G. D. R., . . . ., 1649/50.