Worcestershire Quarter Sessions: 1660s

John Seamour. Ref.110 BA1/1/185/1 (1661)

Noble Sir,
Though I am unknowne unto you, yett the report of your courtious
behaviour towards all gentlemen in distresse embouldeneth mee to
beseech you, to take into your faviourable consideration, the sadd condition
which I am now in; who for my loyalty to the King, was by the great
tyrant (Cromwell) banished, and sent into the West Indies;
where I thought I had shott the very gulfe of affliction, butt
coming lately from thence (in a shipp bound for London) was by a
tempest at sea droven into Wales, amongst a salvadge people
who had noe regard to my misery, (although I am become the very
object of pittie) soe that in my jorney hyther, I have tasted of the
bitternesse of adversitie, for I am in such a nasty, ragged posture,
that I am ashamed to present my selfe before any person of
quallytie, yett being destitude of moneys to beare my chardges to
London, (or acquaintance in theise parts to borrow of,) fame, of
your most noble, and generous disposition; gives mee encouradgment
to presume upon your goodnesse, hopeing you will bee pleased, to accomodate
mee with a small sum; and if it please God, that I ever come into
this countrey againe, I will repay it, moreover, you will perpetuall
obleidge him, whose ambition is to stile himselfe

Sir, I am well knowne to your sonne Master Job
Chalton, and I doubt nott, but you have heard
of mee, I am that Seamour who delivered the
last letter from his majesty that now is to the
late King, upon the scaffould, a little before hee
hee was murthered, therefore I beseech you,
lett mee receive your answer by one of your owne
servants for I am unwilling that any base
peasant should knowe my condition;

I am at William Masons

Your servant

John Seamour

Received May 8th 1661

It is reported he hath on wyfe
at Harfordwest and another at
Bristoll [Master Charles?] Taylor the
attureny at Worcester [illegible]
[illegible] [...ay?] somewhat [illegible]

Uppon examination of the above named
John Seamour I finde nothing of truth in the
above letter neyther that he was banished by Cromwell
nor that he hath ever leeved in the West Indies or that he
landed in Wales, but this I finde that he hath beene a
wanderer allmost all over England and knoweth most men
of anie quallitie in the kingdome, and hath changed his name
soe oft that he hath all most forgot it, as he hath said himselfe
and as far as I am [illegible] to judge of him he is [somew...?]
[illegible]

Richard Powell, a poor and indigent soldier. Ref.110 BA1/1/185/13 (1661)

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

The humble peticion of Richard Powell
a poore and indigent soldier

Humbly sheweth

That your poore peticioner haveing beene formerly a
soldier under our late sovereigne of ever blessed memory
and for his majesty that now is from the begining
of the late unhappy warrs unto the surrender of
Worcester in which said service hee spent his estate
and all hee had and receaved many hurtes
by which receaved hee is disabled to get a
livlywhood haveing fower smalle children to manteyne

His humble peticion is you
will please to examine his
condicion and allow him some
thing [illegible] of way of pencion
admitt him a pencioner in the place
of William Kilshawe lately deceased

I knowe the peticioner to have bene a
loyall souldier for his majesty

Thomas Twittey

[examined?] Tyrer

The constable, churchwardens and overseers of Leigh. Ref.110 BA1/1/185/3 (1661)

Leigh.

To the right worshippfull justices for the
peace sitting upon the honourable bench
at the quarter sessions holden for the
countie of Worcester.

July the 10o 1661o

The names of those that live at their owne handes
in our foresaid parish and refuse to be placed with
masters are these videlicet.

Edmund Paine
William Felloes
John Stephens
Thomas Harris
Ann Gardner
Elizabeth Gardner
Katharine Starke.

Humbly shewing unto your worshipps that lately
there are severall complaints in our parish of
the losse of sucking piggs duckes and henns but
noe proofe whoe stole them but the parties above
named are suspected persons and loose livers, where
=fore it is thought fitt by the parishioners that their
names should be presented to your worshipps at this generall
sessions.
by your servantes

• William Wogan constable
• Richard Thomas
• Christopher Browne churchwardens
• Foulke Jordan
• Richard Crispe
• Pearcicall Browning overseers for the poore

to putt themselves to worke otherwise to bee sent to the house of correccion

John Moreton and others. Ref.110 BA1/1/98/49 (1661)

Whereas sundry rogues and vagrantes doe wander
and begge in severall places within this county
to the great prejudice of his majesties loyall
subjectes the inhabitantes of the said county
thorough the neglect and default of the
petty constables in their respective constable=
weekes in not executing their offices as we
humbly conceive wee therefore humbly desire
that a P you would please to present a
petetion to the [rigt?] most excellent
[worthy?] the Lordes and Comons assembled in
parliament that the said persons being above
the age of sixteen and under the age
of forty may bee aprehended and taken
before some justice of peace of the said
county by them to be committed to the house
of correction and from thence to be sent by order
to some forraigne plantacion

• John Moreton
• John Garle
• Stephen Blissard
• Edward Hardman
• George [L..e?]


• John West
• John Oldnoll
• Edward Smith


• Henry Cocks
• William [Edwards?]
• John Davis
• John Sanderes


• Thomas Porteman
• Phillip [Scarle?]
• Henry Penn

Aaron Ward and others. Ref.110 BA1/1/105/32 (1666)

Master Street and Master Simson etc

Presumeing upon your worshipps favours we have writt these
few lines to acquaint your worshipps that we have put in a
peticion to the bench shewing our case. And feareing
Master Twitty should forgett, and so we charged for slighting
the court. Wee humbly request your worshipps that we may
have so much favour as to have our condicion considered
and your worshipps assistance as to have a discharge from
the court. And we remaine
Your worshipps humble servants

• Aaron Ward
• James Sampson
• William Story

xx shillings [quil...t?]

Inhabitants of St. John's, Worcester. Ref.110 BA1/1/108/127 (1666)

Wee the inhabitantes of the towne and parrishe of Saint
Johns in Bedwardine doe humbly intreate your worships
that the indictmentes that are against them concerninge
their highwaies may bee withdrawne, the highwaies
beelongeinge to every of their tythinges beeinge nowe very
well repaired

William White and Richard Davies make oath that the Kinges high wayes in
the parishe of Saint Johns are in good and sufficient
repayre

[jurat in curia?]

The inhabitants of Bayton. Ref.110 BA1/1/108/91 (1666)

To the right worshipfull the Kinges majesties justices of the peace assembled
together at the quarter sessions for this county of Worcester Aprill 24th
1666

Wee (whose names are here subscribed) inhabitants of the parish of Bayton
in the county of Worcester understanding that Daniell Roberts of our parish
aforesaid haveing forged a certicate did upon the eleventh day of this instant
Aprill obtaine a licence to sell ale and beer under the hands and seales of the
Kinges majesties justices of the peace for this county of they beeing misinformed of
his fitnesse quality and sufficiency, doe presume to informe this worshipfull
court that the said Daniell Roberts is a person that in the late warres tooke
up armes against his majesty and since the time of his restoration to his
crowne and dignity hee hath not demeaned himselfe as a leige subject
but been disobedient to his lawes in not repairing to hear divine
service and sermon at time appointed although severall times desired and
at severall monthly meetings presented for his non conformity whereupon
wee suppose him altogether unfit and unqualifyed for such an imployment
and every way incapacitated and insufficient for such a profession and therefore
humbly importune your worshipps consideration of our just and true infor=
mation and your order to suspend his licence and suppresse his power. For which
wee shall ever bee obliged to remain your humble servants

Michaelmas [quarter sessions?]

• William Jordan vicar
• William Pennell
• Humphrey Bryan
• Thomas Hoopper
• Walter Crow
• John Tiler
• Edward Wynwood
• Thomas Hooper
• George Taylor
• William Bury churchwardens
• John Richards
• John Kinersly
• George Kinersly


• Thomas Cooke
• John Crow
• George Bird
• Edward Crow
• Richard Timberlake
• John Cooke
• Robert Turner
• Edward Ovens
• Richard Smith

Suppressed by order of cort

The parishioners of Abberley. Ref.110 BA1/1/109/104 (1667)

To the right worshipfull the justices of the peace for
the county of Worcester.

Whereas Margaret Taylor and Margrett Middleton of the parish of Abberley in the county
of Worcester afforesayd widow, was borne in the sayd parish, and having
never lived out of it, being now aged 55 yeares or thereabotes, is utterly
destitute of a dwelling house for her selfe and three children to
inhabite in, (whereof two are very infirme and not able to helpe
themselves) and by reason of her poverty rendred unable to rent
any house within the sayd parish or elsewhere, our humble request
is that an order at this present sessions may bee granted unto us for
the erecting of a cottage for the use of the sayd Margaret Taylor and
Margarett Midleton
upon some part of the waste or common in the parish afforesayd, where
it shall bee thought most fitt and convenient by the lord of the mannour
and the parishioners whose names are heereunto subscribed, or the
major part of them

• Joseph Walsh
• Richard Evans minister
• Martine Maye
• Thomas Bury Stephen Marshe
• Richard Masson John Norris
• John Brasier
• John Stedman
• Thomas [.hitt?]
• William Castle

Edward Hitchins of Wyre Piddle, butcher. Ref.110 BA1/1/110/62 (1668)

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

The humble peticion of Edward Hitchins of Wyer Piddle butcher

Sheweth
That aboutt the latter end of November last past your peticioner about two houres within night
was arrested by Thomas Wilson and Francis Cosnett in an accion of trespas att suite of
John George then bayliffe of the hundred of Oswalds Lowe and brought to his the said
Georgs house in Piddle where he was kept till almost midnight about which tyme (the
said bayliffes beinge all three asleepe) your peticioner went to Master Morris the attorney to
Parshore and gott an apparance from him and returned back againe to the said Georges
house longe before day butt before your peticioners returne the said bayliffes missing your
peticioner presently tooke away all your peticioners cowes out of his house upon pretence of the
county charge and drove them to Worcester after whom your peticioner followed, butt without
Lydbury gate the said Wilson and Cosnett mett your peticioner and arrested him againe and
refused to accept Master Morris his apparance, butt presently putt your peticioner in goale and
wished the goaler nott to permitt your peticioner to send to any attorney in towne and on
the morrow after night the said three bayliffes came to your peticioner in prison and told
him he should lye and rott there, unles he would give a bond in the name of the said
Wilson for Georges use for forty shillings, and would give the said George a release
of all accions which your peticioner for his enlargement (his wife then lyeinge very sicke of the sicknes
whereof shee dyed) and he fearinge his creditours would have come upon him there) was
forced to doe, although your peticioner did nott owe the said George a farthinge, nor did him any
damage or trespas (unles it were by sellinge ale hard by him which occasioned the said Georg
to malice your peticioner) [illegible] hee the said George having [illegible] before that tyme done your peticioner
att least five powndes worth of damage with his swyne, and att the same tyme before your
peticioner was enlarged or could have his cattle the said three bayliffes made your peticioner
pay them twenty shillings towardes the county charge and seaven shillings for the cattles
meate as they pretended was spent att Roger Gylles, and now the said George sueth the said
bond upon your peticioner in the name of the said Wilson which your peticioner thought he would
never have done which occasioned him your peticioner to forbeare complayninge untill now

Your peticioner therefore humbly prayeth that your worshipps will be pleased to order
the said George and the said other bayliffes to restore his him his seaven and
twenty shillings againe and to deliver him upp his bond soe and release soe
unduly obteyned as aforesaid your peticioner beinge now growne very aged and
poore partly occacioned by the oppression of the said George who still
threatneth to undoe your peticioner

And your peticioner shall ever pray etc.