1669

10 January, 20 Charles II.—Recognizances taken before Sir Richard Brown, knt. and bart. Alderman of the City of London and J.P., of "John Hall a lodger at William Goares in the Strand neare the Sun and Angell," of St. Clement's Danes', in the sum of forty pounds, and of William Goare aforesaid chirurgion, and Walter Williams a lodger at the said William Goares, and Roger Davis of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, joyner "living neare the Bull at Pickedilley," in the sum of twenty pounds each; For the appearance of the said John Hall, at &c. "to answer being charged by George Withrington for being accessary to a burglarie." G. D. R., 17 Feb. 21 Charles II.

16 March, 21 Charles II.—True Bill that, at Ealing co. Midd. on the said day, Richard Dudley, gentleman, William Dudley gentleman, William Jeffreyes gentleman, and George Cox labourer, all four late of the aforesaid parish, assaulted Katherine Weeden wife of Nathanael Weeden on the high way, and robbed her of five yards of cloth worth fifty shillings, and a white gelding worth ten pounds and ten shillings, of the goods and chattels of a certain William Baker. Found 'Guilty,' all four culprits were sentenced to be hanged. G. D. R., 21 April, 21 Charles II.

25 March, 21 Charles II.—True Bill that, at St. Martins-in-the Fields co. Midd. on the said day, Robert Motley late of the said parish laborer stole and carried off a silver cup worth three pounds and ten shillings, of the goods and chattels of Sir Edward Byshe, knt. Confessing the indictment, Robert Motley asked for the book, read it and was branded. G. D. R., 21 April, 21 Charles II.

24 April, 21 Charles II.—True Bill that, at Hackney, co. Midd. on the said day, George Irons late of the said parish laborer assaulted John Emerson, and slew and murdered the same John Emerson, by then and there with both the fists of the said George Irons giving him mortal blow and contusion on the right part of his head, of which blow and contusion the said John Emerson languished at the said parish from the said 24th April to the 2nd day of May next following, on which last-named day he died of the said blow and contusion. Acquitted of murder, George Irons was found "Guilty" of manslaughter. He pleaded his clergy and was branded. G S. R., . . . ., July, 21 Charles II.

7 May, 21 Charles II.—True Bill that, at St. Margaret's Westminster, co. Midd. on the said day, Edward Oram and Robert Hacke, late of the said parish laborers, feloniously and traitorously clipped, filed and diminished twenty silver pieces of the good and lawful money of this kingdom of England, called "King Charles the first his halfe crownes," and forty silver pieces of the good and lawful money of this Kingdom of England, called "King Charles the first his shillings." Found 'Guilty,' Edward Oram and Robert Hacke were both sentenced to be drawn on a hurdle to the gallows, and there to be hanged. G. D. R., . . . ., July, 21 Charles II.

30 May, 21 Charles II.—True Bill for not going to church, chapel, or any usual place of Common Prayer for a month and more than a month next before the said day, and for going on the said 30th of May to unlawful assemblies held at the house of Zaccheus Woodward in the parish of Hillingdon co. Midd. under colour of the exercise of religion, in ways contrary to the laws and statutes of this kingdom of England, against Zacheus Woodward clerk, Ralph Nicholas yeoman, William Bowler yeoman, John Scory yeoman, William Awstin yeoman and Edward Board yeoman, all late of Hillingdon aforesaid, and John Nichols late of Cowley tanner. Putting themselves on a jury, Ralph Nicholas, William Bowler, William Austin, and John Nichols were found 'Not Guilty.' No clerical notes over the names of Zacheus Woodward, John Scory and Edward Board. S. P. R., 5 July, 21 Charles II.

30 May, 21 Charles II.—True Bills for not going to church, chapel or any usual place of Common Prayer during an entire month, beginning on the said day, against Richard Ashfeild yeoman, his wife Patience Ashfeild, Abraham Bonnyfeild yeoman, William West yeoman, Ann Combs widow, Ann Durdin spinster, all six late of Staines co. Midd., and Hannah Wells late of Ashford co. Midd. spinster.—Also, a True Bill for not going to church &c. for an entire month, beginning on 6th June, 21 Charles II., against William King yeoman, Jane Stapeley widow, Mary Reeve widow and Hannah Honner, wife of Abraham Honner gentleman, all late of Laleham co. Midd. S. P. R., 5 July, 21 Charles II.

6 June, 21 Charles II.—True Bill for not going to church, chapel or any usual place of Common Prayer, for an entire month ending on the said day, and also for going on the said day to an assembly or conventicle in a certain house commonly called "a meeting-house" in St. Botolph'swithout-Aldgate co. Midd., against Simon Loveday late of the said parish yeoman.—Also, similar True Bill against Joseph Kiffen, late of St. Giles's-without-Cripplegate co. Midd. gentleman, for not going to church &c. for a month ending on the said 6th June, and also for going on the said day to an assembly or conventicle, held in a house commonly called "the Meeting-House" in the said parish.—Also, on the same file, a similar True Bill against John Turner, late of St. Andrew's Holborn co. Midd. gentleman, for not going to church &c. for a month ending on the said 6th June, and for going on the said day to an assembly or conventicle held in a dwelling-house in the said parish.—Also, on the same file, a True Bill against John Astley yeoman, John Laughton smith, Jonathan Terrall laborer, Joseph Terrall laborer, Samuel Chandler, bricklayer, Ursula Adman widow, Timothy Fly draper, William Prince chandler, Zacharias Gedding smith, William Garrett yeoman, Richard Hayle collermaker, Richard Roberts cordweinor and John Niccoll, all late of Hillingdon co. Midd., for not going to church &c. for an entire month and more next before the 6th day of June, 21 Charles II., and for going on the said day to an unlawful assembly or conventicle in the dwelling-house of the said Ursula Adman. Putting themselves on trial on different days all the culprits, with the exception of Jonathan Terrall and Richard Hayle, were found 'Not Guilty.' . . . . Jonathan Terrall died before arraignment. Richard Hayle was arraigned on 12th Jan. 1669, when he said nothing, i.e. neither confessed the indictment, nor pleaded 'Not Guilty', and was thereupon committed to Newgate for three months. S. P. R., 5 July, 21 Charles II.

6 June, 21 Charles II.—True Bill that, on the said day and from the said day to the date of the present inquisition, Thomas Cowton, late of St. Margaret's Westminster, a clerk pretending to Holy Orders, never having declared his unfeigned assent and consent to the things contained in 'The Book of Common Prayer,' nor ever having subscribed the acknowledgment contained in a certain Act of Parliament of 14 Charles II., entitled 'An Act for the Uniformity of Publick Prayers &c.' nor ever having taken and subscribed the oath contained in a certain Act of Parliament of 17 Charles II., entitled "An Act for restraineing Non-Conformists from inhabiting in Corporacions," inhabited and remained at St. Margaret's Westminster, within the borough of Westminster, which sends burgesses to parliament.—Also, on the same file, a similar True Bill against Nathaniel Partridge, late of St. Giles-withoutCripplegate co. Midd., a clerk pretending to Holy Orders, and never having declared &c., for inhabiting and remaining at St. Giles's aforesaid, within five miles of the city of London.—Also, on the same file, a similar True Bill against Gabriel Sangar, late of St. Martin's-in-theFields co. Midd., a clerk pretending to Holy Orders and never having &c., for inhabiting and remaining at the said parish within the borough of Westminster.—Also, similar True Bill against Thomas Manton, Doctor of Sacred Theology, late of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, never having declared &c., for inhabiting and remaining at the said parish, being within the borough of Westminster, which sends burgesses to parliament. S. P. R., 5 July, 21 Charles II.

20 June, 21 Charles II.—True Bills, on two several parchments, against William Wilson late of St. Andrew's-in-Holborne co. Midd. gentleman alias William Wilson late of Morpeth co. Northumberland gentleman; Thomas Peirson late of St. Andrew's Holborne gentleman, alias Thomas Peirson late of St. John's parish in the town and county of Newcastle-upon-Tine gentleman; and Thomas Hardcastle late of St. Andrew's Holborne gentleman, alias Thomas Hardcastle, late of St. John's parish, in the town and county of Newcastle-on-Tine gentleman, for not going to church, chapel or any other usual place of Common Prayer for twelve months, beginning on the aforesaid 20th of June. G. D. R., 29 June, 22 Charles II.

24 July, 21 Charles II.—True Bill that, at St. Katherine's co. Midd. on the said day, John Neaves and Arthur Downes, both late of St. Katherine's aforesaid laborers, stole and carried off three hundred pounds weight of Virginia Tobaccoe, worth seven pounds and ten shillings. Found 'Guilty,' both culprits pleaded their clergy effectively and were branded. G. D. R., 15 Oct., 21 Charles II.

27 August, 21 Charles II.—Recognizances, taken before Sir John Robinson knt. and bart. and Lieutenant of the Tower of London, and Charles Pitfeild esq., and Henry Rowe esq., all three Justices of the Peace for Middlesex, of Francis Bonell of Wapping in the parish of Stepney co. Midd. cordwainer, in the sum of forty pounds, and of William Redinge . . . . monger and Thomas Cheeney yeoman, both of Wapping aforesaid, in the sum of twenty pounds each: For the appearance of the said Francis Bonell, now constable of the Hamblett of Radclife, Shadwell and Lower Wappinge, at the next General Session of the Peace, to answer &c. "for refuseinge to make a returne unto us, or any other of His Majesties Justices of the Peace inhabiting within the Tower Division, touchinge what number of meetinges and conventicles are held in his constabulary, and ministers and other nonconformists are there preached (sic), accordinge to an Order of Sessions yssued for that purpose &c."— Also, on the same file, on two several parchments, similar recognizances, taken on the same day before the same Justices of the Peace: For the appearance at the the same General Sessions of the Peace, of Joseph Aske and Titus West, both Constables of East Smithfeild, then and there to answer for their omission to make similar returns, touching Meetings and Conventicles. S. P. R., 30 August, 21 Charles II.

25 October, 21 Charles II.—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at the Liberty of le Rolls in St. Dunstan's-in-the-West in the ward of Farringdon-Without co. Midd., on view of the body of Joan Meakins then and there lying dead: With verdict of jurors that, on 24 September last past in the Liberty of le Rolls, William Massey late of the aforesaid parish gentleman assaulted the same Joan Meakins and struck her on the right side of her head with a pewter pot, thereby giving her a mortal bruise, of which she languished at the Liberty of the Rolls aforesaid from the said 24th of September until the 24th October next following, on which last-named day she died of the same mortal contusion; And that in so dealing with the same Joan Meakins, the aforesaid William Massey slew and killed her.—Also, on the same file, the true bill against the said William Massey gentleman for slaying and murdering the said Joan Meakins in the manner, set forth in the Coroner's inquisition. Acquitted of the murder, William Massey was found guilty of the manslaughter, whereupon he pleaded his clergy successfully. The branding was respited by the King's warrant; and on 13th April, 22 Charles II., the said William Massey brought into court the King's pardon under the great seal of the said homicide, dated on the second day of the said April. G. D. R., 15 Dec, 21 Charles II.