Middlesex Sessions Rolls: 1685

1685

1 January, 36 Charles II.—Certificate, under the hand and seal of Sir Thomas Jenner knt. Recorder of London and J.P. for Middlesex, of the conviction of Richard Bland . . . . of having permitted four several conventicles, each of which comprised more than twenty persons over and above the members of his family, to be held under colour of exercising religion &c. in his house in Hodsdon in St. Leonard's Shoreditch on four several days, to wit, the 12th and 26th Oct. last past, and the 14th and 29th November last past: Certifying also that the said J.P. imposed a fine of 80£. on the said Richard Bland for the said four offences, to wit, a fine of 20£. for each offence. C. C. C., 35 and 36 Charles II.

2 January, 36 Charles II.—Four several certificates, under the hand and seal of John Pery esq. and J.P. for Middlesex, of the conviction of Lewis Whitwell of St. Leonard's Shoreditch gentleman, of having wittingly and willingly permitted an unlawful conventicle of some twenty persons besides the members of his family, to be held under colour of exercising religion &c. in his house in the said parish, on four several days, to wit, 12th and 26th Oct. last past and 29th Nov. last past and 14th Dec. last past: Certifying also that the said J.P. imposed four several fines of 20£. on the said Lewis Whitwell for his said four offences, to wit, a fine of 20£. for each offence. C. C. C., 35 and 36 Charles II.

8 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill that, at St. Martin's-in-theFields co. Midd. within the Liberties &c. of Westminster, Hanna Nevill late of the said parish . . . . did unlawfully open a certain chamber (cameram) near the public highway called Long Acre with an opening extending to two feet, and allowed the same chamber to remain uncovered by the same space, to the great peril of the lives and mutilation of the limbs of the subjects of the Lord the King passing along the said highway near the said chamber about their lawful affairs, whereby the high royal way has been greatly straightened (et racione inde alta regia via ibidem magnopere coarctata fuit anglice straightened) &c.—This true bill is a fair example of fifty-two similar indictments taken and found against as many different individuals at G. Q. S. P. for Westminster held 7 Jan., 36 Charles II. and on following days, who were charged with opening their cellars into the public ways with openings varying in extent from eight inches to four feet. Of all these fifty-two indictments it may be remarked that they are deficient in preciseness. For example, no one of the bills gives the length and breadth of the opening, and several of the bills leave it uncertain whether the unlawful openings were in or only near, i. e. in alleys leading from the main highways named in the indictments. It appears, however, to be most likely that the openings were in all cases made into the streets near which they are stated to have been made. The fifty-two openings from cellars, thus left open and uncovered by night as well as by day, to the peril of wayfarers and the diminution of the breadth of way for passers to and fro, were made in one or another of the following three parishes, to wit, St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, St. Clement's Danes', St. Margaret's Westminster, and in or near one or another of the following eighteen thoroughfares, to wit, Drury Lane, Stanhopp Street, Blackmore Street, Peter Street, Whitehorse Yard (in St. Clement's Danes'), Long Acre, Buck Street, George Alley in York Buildings, Buckingham Street, Duke Street in York Buildings, Villers Street, the Strand, Durham Yard, King's Street, Church Street, Compton Street (in St. Martin's-inthe-Fields), Brewer's Street and Shugg Lane (in St. Margaret's Westminster). S. P. West. R., 7 Jan., 36 Charles II.

8 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill against John Coast of Pall Mall yeoman, for leaving his cellar open by night as well as by day; running thus, "Juratores pro Domino Rege super sacramentum suum presentant Quod Willelmus Coast nuper de parochia Sancti Martini in Campis infra Libertates . . . . Civitatis Burgi et Ville Westmonasterii in comitatu Middlesexie yeoman octavo die Januarii anno regni Domini Regis nostri Caroli Secundi Dei gracia Anglie Scocie Francie et Hibernie Regis fidei defensoris &c. tricesimo sexto vi et armis &c. apud parochiam predictam infra Libertates predictas in comitatu predicto quandam cameram anglice A Celler ibidem existentem prope stratam publicam et altam regiam viam ibidem vocatam Pall Mall in alta regia via ibidem duos pedes et sex pollices extenden' illicite aperuit anglice did open, Et cameram predictam in strata et alta regia via predicta tam per noctem quam per diem apertam et discoopertam anglice uncovered fore causavit et remanere permisit, Et racione inde alta regia via ibidem magnopere coarctata fuit anglice was streightned In magnum periculum vitarum et mutilacionem membrorum subditorum Domini Regis per stratam predictam per communem viam predictam prope cameram predictam circa legitima negotia sua de tempore in tempus transeuntium, in commune et nocumentum omnium subditorum Domini Regis per communem viam predictam transeuntium &c. . . . . Also, on the same file no less than one hundred and eleven similar indictments of as many occupants of cellars in one or another of the four following parishes, to wit, St. Paul's Covent Garden, St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, St. Mary's Savoy and St. Margaret's Westminster, for opening their cellars and leaving them open, in or near one another of the following public thoroughfares, to wit, Hart Street, Bow Street, Russell Street, York Street, Bridges Street, Exeter Street, King's Street, Rose Street and Sandish Street (in the parish of St. Paul Covent Garden),—Duke Street, Charles Street, St. Alban's Street, and Pall Mall (in St. Martin's-in-the Fields),—Swan Yard, White Hart Yard, Drury Lane, and the Strand (in St. Mary's Savoy),—Charles Street, and King's Street (in St. Margaret's Westminster, within the Liberties &c. of Westminster).—Of the 112 individuals indicted for leaving their cellars open and uncovered by night as well as by day no less than nineteen were holders of cellars in or near Pall Mall. No clerical minutes on any one of these bills, touching subsequent proceedings in the case. S. P. West. R., 22 April, 1 James II.

9 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill that, at Paul's Covent Garden co. Midd. between 9 and 11 in the night of the said day, Hugh Baxter late of the said parish yeoman assaulted the Right Honourable the Viscount Lattimer, then being in God's and the late King's peace, and beat, wounded and maltreated the same Viscount Lattimer, so that his life was despaired of. S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

10 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill that, at St. Giles's-withoutCripplegate co. Midd. on the said day, Susan Walden, wife of Frank Walden late of the said parish yeoman, knowing Alicia Charles wife of James Charles to be a chairewoman employed at the dwellinghouse of Sir George Jeffries (sic) knt. and bart. and at that time Chief Justice of the said late King for pleas &c., still Chief Justice of the Lord now King &c. with the intention of bringing the authority of the said Sir George Jefferies (sic) knt. &c. and Sir George himself into odium and contempt, in a loud voice and in the presence and hearing of the said Alice Charles and divers of the lieges and subjects of the said late King spoke these opprobrious and contemptuous words, to wit, "The Lord Cheife Justice Jefferies like a cheating knave as he is hath bal'd many an honest man out of his life and five or sixe the last Cercuit he went" (pointing to the fact that the said Sir George Jefferies knt. and bart. was appointed to take Assizes in the county of York and deliver the gaol of the county of York of the prisoners being in the same). On 13 Oct., 1685, Susan Walden was found 'Not Guilty' by a jury. S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

13 January, 36 Charles II.—Recognizances on four several parchments, taken on the 18th or 21st Dec, 36 Charles II. for the appearance of John Boyt of St. Giles's-without-Cripplegate pinn-maker, John Colson of Wapping mathematician, Francis Cook of St. Saviour's Southwarke gardiner and Joseph Fells of St. Giles's-in-the-Fields goldsmith at the next G. Q. S. P. for Middlesex, to answer &c. "for being taken at an unlawful Meeting or Conventicle." S. P. R., 13 Jan., 36 Charles II.

17 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill against James Remnant, Patrick Steward, Christopher Rumble, Leonard Wigginton, Richard Glover, John Wood and Valentine Linsey, all seven late of St. Sepulchre's co. Midd. yeomen, for obstinately refusing to take the oath of Alle giance, contained in a certain Act of Parliament of 3 James I. when the Justices of the Peace for Middlesex being assembled in open G. Q. Session of Peace at Hicks Hall tendered the same oath to them and required them to take it on the said 17 Jan., 36 Charles II. All seven misdemeanants confessed the indictment, and each of them was fined in the sum of ten pounds. S. P. R., 13 Jan., 36 Charles II.

18 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill for assembling rioutously and tumultuously at St. Sepulchre's co. Midd. on the said day, under colour of performing acts of religious adoration otherwise than according to the laws of this kingdom of England, against Phineas Fletcher gentleman, Anne Puckle the wife of Thomas Puckle gentleman, 1 yeoman, 11 wives of yeomen, 18 spinsters, and 5 widows. One of the wives is Katherine Watts wife of . . . . Watts yeoman. Clerical minutes certify that on 27th April, 1685, Isabel Mandeville wife of Jeggon Mandeville yeoman, Elizabeth Phelps spinster and Mary Phelps spinster, all three confessed the indictment, and were each fined 6s. 8d., which sum each of the three paid to the Sheriff in court. S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

18 January, 36 Charles II.—Recognizances, for the appearance of Samuel Fowler of St. Allhallow's Parva London sugar-baker, John Greeve of St. Bartholomew's-le-Exchange London book-keeper and Edward Lawrence of Moorfeilds in St. Leonard's Shoreditch gentleman, at the next S. P. for Middlesex, to answer "for being taken at a conventicle." S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

18 January, 36 Charles II.—Recognizances of Zachary Hicockes of Woodstreete London wyerdrawer and Thomas Smith of Charterhouse Yard in St. Botolph's Aldersgate, in the sum of one hundred pounds each: For the appearance of Phineas Fletcher at the next S. P. for Middlesex, "to answer for being att an unlawful Conventicle in Catt Alley neare Long Acre." S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

20 January, 36 Charles II.—Recognizances of John Cope of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields butler, in the sum of one hundred pounds, and of two sureties in the sum of forty pounds each: For the appearance of the said John Cope at the next S. P. for Middlesex, to be holden in Hicks Hall "to answer for saying that the King's soldiers were all rogues." S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

23 January, 36 Charles II.—Ignored Bill that, at St. Martin's-inthe-Flelds co. Midd. on the said day, Elizabeth Bryan late of the said parish, the wife of John Bryan late of the same parish yeoman, in the course of conversation with her said husband, and in the presence and hearing of divers of the King's lieges and subjects, spoke these malicious and seditious words, to wit, "I wish the King were dead to see who would fight for the English crowne." G. D. R., 29 April, 1 James II.

23 January, 36 Charles II.—Recognizances of Richard Adams of London hosier and Charles Hill of St. Andrew's Holborne . . . ., in the sum of one hundred pounds each: For the appearance of John Tunstall at the next S. P. for Middlesex, to be holden at Hicks Hall, to Answer &c. "for speakeing seditious words against the King and Government," S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

24 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill that, in the course of a conversation held on the said day at St. Andrew's Holborne between George Dixon gentleman, a faithful subject of the said Lord late the King &c, and a certain John Tunstall, a perverse and seditious man, about and concerning a certain treasonable declaration, which had been lately affixed privately and secretly to and upon several market-crosses and parochial churches in the kingdom of Scotland, the said John Tunstall asked the said George Dixon what was contained and specially set forth in the said declaration, and the said George Dixon answered that amongst other things it was stated in the said declaration that it was lawful to destroy the King, to wit, Charles the Second then king, and to overthrowe the same king's government, And That in reply John Tunstall, in the presence and hearing of the said George Dixon and divers of the lieges and subjects of the said late king, seditiously and advisedly said these words, to wit, "I question whether it is treason or not," and yet further in reply to words spoken by George Dixon repeated the same seditious utterance, to wit, "I question whether it is treason or not." Found 'Guilty' by a jury, John Tunstall was fined in the sum of £3 6s. 8d. S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

25 January, 36 Charles II.—Recognizances, taken on the said day, for the appearance of 1 brasier, 1 grosser, 1 silk-stocken-maker and 3 laborers at the next S. P. for Middlesex to be holden at Hicks Hall, "to answer for being taken at a conventicle or unlawfull meeting in the house of Robert Rose of Whitecross Street in the parish of St. Giles'swithout-Cripplegate." S. P. R., 23 Feb., 1 James II.

26 January, 36 Charles II.—Certificate, under the hand and seal of Sir Thomas Jenner knt. Recorder of London and J.P. for Middlesex, of the conviction of William Penn of having been present at an unlawful conventicle of more than five persons, held under colour of exercising religion otherwise than according to the Liturgy and Use of the Church of England, at a certain house in St. Margaret's Westminster on 23 Nov., 36 Charles II., and of having taken upon himself to preach to and teach the persons assembled at the said unlawful conventicle; Certifying also that a fine of twenty pounds was imposed by the said J.P. on the said William Penn for his said offence.—This certificate runs in the following words, to wit,—Memorandum quod vicesimo tertio die Novembris anno regni Domini nostri Caroli Secundi &c. tricesimo sexto plures quam quinque persone existentes subditi hujus Regni et ultra etatem sexdecem annorum in conventiculo sive congregatione sub colore sive pretextu exercendi religionem in alio modo quam secundum Liturgiam et practicam Ecclesie Anglicane congregati fuere in domo scituata in parochia Sancte Margarete Westmonasteriensis preterquam ii de familia Et quidam Willelmus Penn super se assumpsit predicare et docere in predicto conventiculo ad congregationem sic illicite congregatam contra formam Statuti in hoc casu editi et provisi prout satis mihi constat per sacramenta duorum credibilium testium, videlicet, Elinor Shaftoe et Hester Collingwood unde predictus Willelmus Penn per hoc recordum meum convictus existit et forisfecit summam viginti librarum Et superinde super prefatum Willelmum Penn imposui finem viginti librarum legalis monete Anglie pro offenso suo de bonis et catallis suis levend' esse et distribuend' secundum direccionem statuti predicti In cujus Rei testimonium Ego Thomas Jenner miles unus servientium dicti Domini Regis ad legem Recordator Civitatis London Ac unus Justiciariorum dicti Domini Regis ad pacem pro comitatu predicto conservandam assignatorum huic Recordo manum et sigillum mea apposui vicesimo sexto die Januarii anno supradicto.

Thomas Jenner record^r [symbol] C. C. C., 1 James II., No. 7.

26 January, 36 Charles II.—Certificate, under the hand and seal of Sir Thomas Jenner knt. Recorder of London and J.P. for Middlesex, of the conviction of William Penn of having been present at an unlawful conventicle, held under colour of exercising religion &c. in a house lying in St. Margaret's Westminster, on 7 Dec, 36 Charles II., at which conventicle a certain unknown person took upon himself to preach to and teach the individuals gathered together at the said unlawful assembly: Certifying also that a fine of 5s. was imposed by the said Justice of the Peace on the said William Penn for his said offence, and that a further fine of £9 15s. was imposed by the said J.P. on the same William Penn in respect of the offence of the said unknown preacher.—The certificate runs in the following words, to wit,—Memorandum quod septimo die Decembris anno regni Domini nostri Caroli Secundi nunc Regis Anglie &c. xxxvi. Willelmus Penn et alii ad numerum quinque personarum et amplius existentium subditorum hujus Regni et ultra etatem sexdecem annorum in conventiculo sive congregacione sub coloie sive pretextu exercendi religionem in alio modo quam secundum Liturgiam et practicam Ecclesie Anglicane congregati fuere in domo scituata in parochia Sancte Margerete Westmonasteriensis præterquam ii de familia et quedam persona ignota super se assumpsit predicare et docere in conventiculo predicto ad congregacionem sic illicite congregatam contra formam statuti in hoc casu editi et provisi prout satis mihi constat per sacramenta duorum credibilium testium, videlicet, Hester Collingwood et Elinor Shaftoe unde predictus Willelmus Penn per hoc recordum meum convictus existit et foris fecit summam quinque solidorum Et superinde super prefatum Willelmum Penn imposui finem quinque solidorum legalis monete Anglie pro offenso suo et quia predicator ignotus est et non est inventus ulterius imposui super predictum Willelmum Penn summam novem librarum et quindecim solidorum legalis monete Anglie pro parte offensi ignoti predicatoris predicti de bonis et catallis suis levand' esse (sic) et distribuend' secundum direccionem Statuti predicti In cujus rei testimonium Ego Thomas Jenner miles unus servientium dicti Domini Regis ad legem Recordator civitatis London ac unus Justiciariorum dicti Domini Regis ad pacem pro comitatu predicto conservandam assignatorum huic recordo manum et sigillum mea apposui vicesimo sexto die Januarii anno supradicto.

Tho. Jenner Record^r. [symbol] C. C. C., 1 James II.: No. 7.

28 January, 36 Charles II.—True Bill that, at Nortonfolgate co. Midd. on the said day, Thomas Amis late of the said parish yeoman cheated William Head of the same parish feltmaker out of a beaver hat worth fifty shillings, by coming to the said William Amis and affirming, that a certain Thomas Hartley of Hilton co. Stafford esquire needed a beaver hatt, because he was about to marry a certain woman with a portion to the value of fifteen hundred pounds, and that the said Thomas Hartley esq. would return money for the hat, and the said Thomas Amis would pay the fifty shillings for the same hat to the said William Head, upon which representation the said William delivered a hat worth fifty shillings to the said Thomas Amis, whereas there was no truth in the statement about the marriage soon to be had, nor was it true that any such person as Thomas Hartley was then residing at Hilton co. Stafford, as the said Thomas Amis had falsely and fraudulently asserted.—Also, on the same file, two other True Bills against the same Thomas Amis for obtaining goods of two other tradesmen on false pretences. Found 'Guilty' on all three indictments, Thomas Amis was sentenced to pay a fine of three shillings and four pence, and to stand on the pillory for an hour of some day between 10 and 12 a.m. near Shoreditch Church, with a paper on his hat, inscribed with these words, to wit, "For cheatinge severall persons of their goods." G. D. R., 25 Feb., 1 James I.

36 (35 and 36) Charles II.—Besides the particulars touching the convictions of conventiclers, set forth in the foregoing abstracts of certificates, the C. C. C. 35 and 36 Charles II. afford evidence that 684 individuals, classified in the ensuing table, were convicted of and fined for having been present at unlawful conventicles, held in Middlesex under colour of exercising religion &c. in those years, to wit,

Convicted of having been present at unlawful religious conventicles, most of these persons were fined five shillings,—the ordinary fine (equivalent, be it remembered, to a fine of twenty-five shillings at the present time) for a conventicler, who had neither allowed a conventicle to be held in his house, nor taken upon himself to preach and teach, nor out of regard to his exceptional affluence or stubbornness was required to pay an additional fine of £9 15s. for the offence of an unknown preacher or a preacher who could not be discovered.

4 February, 37 Charles II.—True Bill that, whereas at St. Martin'sin-the-Fields co. Midd. on the said day a certain Samuel Palmer and a certain Richard Skinner were in company together in a certain house within the said parish, the aforesaid Richard Skinner then having with himself a certain drum, and the said Richard Skinner and Samuel Palmer then having talk about drum-beating, the said Richard Skinner said the drum which he had with himself was delivered to him on the day on which the Earl of Essex cut his throat (he meaning Arthur the Earl of Essex who was late committed to the Tower of London for high treason, and there as a felo de se slew himself) And that one William Wall late of St. Mary's-le-Savoy gentleman, maliciously designing to stir and raise ill feeling against the Lord late King and his government, then and there, on the aforesaid day and in the aforesaid parish, in the presence and hearing of divers of the lieges and subjects of the said late Lord King said and declared the aforesaid Earl Essex did not kill himself in the Tower of London, for that he, the aforesaid William Wall was in the closett (he meaning the room within the Tower, which the said Earl used for his prison) at the same time (meaning the same time at which the said Earl, as it is averred, slew himself). Putting himself on a jury, William Wall was found 'Not Guilty.' G. D. R., 29 April, 1 James II.