County of Buckingham

CALENDER

to the

SESSIONS RECORDS

VOLUME II.

1694 to 1705

Edited by

WILLIAM LE HARDY, M.C., F.S.A.

GEOFFREY LI.  RECKITT, M.C., M.A.

 

AYLESBURY:

Published by Guy R. Crouch, LL.B., Clerk of the Peace, County Hall.

1936

COMPILED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE STANDING JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS AND COUNTY COUNCIL.

[All Rights Reserved]

Printed by HUNT, BARNARD & CO., LTD., AYLESBURY.

 

CONTENTS

 

PAGE

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

Schedule of Offences and Punishments . . xxxiv

Calendar to the Sessions Records, 1694 to 1705 1-453

Appendix I. Justices of the Peace, 1694 to  1705 . . . . . . . . . . . . 454-456

Appendix II. SHERIFFS, 1694 to 1705 . . 456

Index . . . . . . . . . . . .  457

PREFACE

This present volume, which embraces a period from Midsummer, 1694, to Epiphany, 1704-05, and forms Volume II of the Calendar to the Sessions Records of the County of Buckingham, is a continuation of the first volume of the series, published in 1933.

Although only forty-three Sessions have been covered, as against sixty-four Sessions in the previous volume, the three Quarter Sessions Books which have been calendared—Books 4, 5, and 6—contain more pages in the original than the first three Books, and, starting from Easter, 1700, fifteen bundles of the Quarter Sessions Rolls have been incorporated.  It is obvious that only a small proportion of the original Sessions Rolls has been preserved, and it will be seen that they have not always been collected into bundles in the correct chrono- logical order.  In most cases, the Rolls only confirm or supplement the entries from the Sessions Books, but in certain instances they do introduce new matter.  Examples of the former are the occupations and residences of the jurymen, and those summoned but not sworn, the full particulars of Sacrament Certificates, and the names of witnesses to indictments; examples of the latter are writs addressed to the Sheriff, Calendars of the Bridewells, and certain Informations.  The references to the Rolls are made in heavy type at the end of the entry concerned.

We remarked in the preface to Volume I that the original Sessions Books were most fully and carefully kept, and the same comment applies to the books from which this Calendar has been compiled.  However, by referring back some of the longer recurrent entries to Volume I, by a great deal of cross-referencing, and by even more drastic standardization, it has been possible to reduce the size of this Calendar, in spite of the extra material with which we have had to deal.  This reduction has, of course, been effected 

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without departing from the most necessary principle that some reference, however brief, must be made to every subject, person, or place which appears in the original records.

It will be noticed that the page numbers of the original books have been italicized in order to simplify cross-reference and to avoid confusion with the page numbers of the printed volume.  For this idea we are indebted to the writer of a review of Volume I in one of the County newspapers, whose scholarly and constructive criticisms were most welcome. With more space at our disposal in these Calendars we should have adopted several more of his valuable suggestions.

The very completeness of this record of the proceedings of Quarter Sessions makes it appear most formidable and tedious to read, with its long lists of names and its succession of cases of minor importance.  However, the index will direct the student to any particular item in which he is interested, and we will attempt in a short survey of the volume, to show the ordinary reader how the Calendar, which at first appears to be of merely local interest, connects with contemporary English history.

In the first Session we are brought up against the out- side world by a reference to the “warr against France” (page 11), and realize that the country was still apprehensive of adherents to the Stuart cause when Henry Munday, an innholder of Aylesbury, was bound over to appear at the Assizes and answer a charge “concerning his drinking King James his health” (page 13).  Although the result of this case would not appear in the records of Quarter Sessions, it is probable that it was not proved against Munday, for he was made keeper of Aylesbury Bridewell two years later (page 83).  It may have been this case which upset Charles Noy, a bodice-maker of Aylesbury, who had been a petty constable of the parish at the time of Munday’s recognizance.  Noy’s complaint, repeated at two Petty Sessions in 1696, was that “there was Treason against King William sworne before two Justices of the Peace and there was no notice taken of it”; but, upon being asked to name the two Justices, he would only say, “I will not do it, for King William can have no Justice here and I will go upp and acquaint the King and Councill with it.”  He eventually did “go upp” to the King’s Bench, for he was indicted for libelling William 

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PREFACE ix

Busby and Francis Ligo, two of the Justices, and his case was removed by writ of certiorari (pages 85, 91, 101).

This same year, 1696, was marked by the discovery of the “Assassination Plot,” directed against William III, and by the formation of the Association to protect the King’s life and the Protestant Succession.  The Association was modelled upon one formed in 1585 to protect the life of Queen Elizabeth, and another similar to it was started after the Rebellion of 1745.  It began as a resolution of the House of Commons, and was later embodied into an Act of Parlia- ment (7 and 8 William III, c. 27), which made the signing of it obligatory upon all office-holders.  Unfortunately, the first list of those persons in the County who signed the Association is not preserved, for the names were entered on the Sessions Rolls, which are no longer to be found for that date.  The names of those who signed it later are given at each Session up to the King’s death, and include Samuel Lee of Upper Winchendon, “breadmaker to the King.”  The text of the Association is given in full in the Calendar (pages 90, 93, 174).  The Clerk of the Peace was paid £5 for sending out copies of the Association to the bailiffs of the various hundreds, and the bailiffs were paid £2 each for distributing them amongst “the Gentlemen and Inhabitants of this County.”  Thomas Read, bailiff of the Aylesbury Hundreds, was also paid £1 “for his good service to the Countrey in searching for Armes suspected to have bene Lodged or gotten into the Custody of disaffected persons for the dis- turbance of the Government” (page 87).

In 1696, Henry Lloyd, or Floyd, of Dorney, gentleman, was fined £2 for refusing to take the statutory oaths (page 82), and two years later a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge “of haveing uttered Treasonable words against the person of his most sacred Majestie King William the Third, and [being] a person disaffected to the Government as now established, and of wicked and dangerous principles.”  It was stated at the time that he “privily lurks and hides himself in divers obscure places,” and nothing more was heard of the matter except the estreating of his recognizance to appear on another charge (pages 167, 171).

At the end of the war of the Grand Alliance, in 1697, the Justices and the Grand Jury sent a most fulsome address to the King, which “was most cheerfully signed by them all.” 

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The address began by referring to the “infinite dangers to which your sacred person so often hath been exposed” and by expressing the “joy for your safety and the blessing of an honorable peace, which we hope your Majestie may long enjoy with us and never more hazard your Royall person abroad.”  It continued with an artless reference to William’s personal unpopularity with many in the country, by suggesting that his military triumphs, coupled with his “wise conduct” in rescuing England from “Popery and Arbitrary power,” should “melt the most ungratefull of your people to a willing obedience and render your Majestie no less a Conqueror at home then you have appeared abroad.” A crescendo of flattery was attained when the address stated “that in all future Ages Cronicles will worthily Characterize you to be The true defender of the faith, The deliverer of oppressed Nations, and the Redeemer and Asserter of the Common Liberties of Europe” (page 157).

The King himself, in a proclamation at Easter, 1698, referred to the end of the “long bloudy and expensive war” and to “the Conclusion of an Honorable peace” (page 169). This peace, that of Ryswyck in September, 1697, lasted only five years, for the War of the Spanish Succession began in May, 1702, two months after the King’s death.  In fact, England was at war with France during more than half of the years dealt with by this Calendar.

Upon the accession of Queen Anne, office-holders were again required to take an oath, this time abjuring any allegiance to “the person . . . pretending to be and taking upon himself the stile and title of King of England, by the name of James the Third.”  Lists of persons taking the oath of abjuration contained in 1 Anne, c. 22, are given each Session, including those of about 340 persons who signed at Midsummer, 1702.  This Session was adjourned from Aylesbury to High Wycombe, Chesham, Newport Pagnell and Buckingham on successive days, for the sake of persons who “by reason of theire greate age and other infirmityes” could not attend the Session at Aylesbury (pages 330-334, 339).

In this connection it is interesting to note the pre- dominance of Aylesbury as a town for holding the Sessions. Of the 107 Sessions so far dealt with in these two Volumes of the Calendar, forty-four were held at Aylesbury.  High 

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Wycombe was increasing in importance, and twenty Sessions were held there.  At Buckingham, the County town, only fifteen were held, mostly at the beginning of the period, and between Midsummer, 1688, and Midsummer, 1699, none at all took place there.  The only other towns which had the Sessions were Wendover (11), Chesham (9), and Amersham (8); two Sessions were adjourned to Newport Pagnell.  It will be seen that the centre and the south of the County were, somewhat naturally, favoured at the expense of the northern parts.

The wars, both civil and foreign, in which England had been involved for so many years, inevitably produced many discharged soldiers and sailors, who applied to the Court for relief.  Some of them were very old men, as, for instance, Geoffrey Savage of Winslow, who in 1697, was admitted to a County pension of £2 at the age of 86, for his service under Spencer and James, second and third Earls of Northumber- land (page 125).  In the same year, Arthur Totnall had his pension increased to £4 on account of his faithful service to Charles I (page 113).  In 1699, two Civil War soldiers were given grants (page 225).  At Epiphany, 1702-03, Robert Anderton, who had served “that sacred martyr King Charles the First . . . and had beene a great sufferer and much wounded,” was refused an increase in his pension in view of “the lowness of the County Stock, which of late has beene greately exhausted”; but, on his further application at the next Session, his appeal was allowed (pages 361, 378).  As late as 1704, an increase of pension was granted to a man who had served Charles I in the Civil War (page 429).  The widow of Richard Brugis, who “had greatly impaired his Estate” in the service of Charles I (see Bucks  Sessions Records, Volume I, page x), was given £2 10s. out of the County stock (page 105).

William Burrall, a soldier under General Monck during the Commonwealth and under Prince Rupert after the Restoration, was at first refused a pension, as he had not produced a certificate from any of “the Field Officers of the Regiment wherein hee served . . . as by the Statute is required”; a year later he produced the certificate, and the pension was granted (pages 55, 113).  Andrew Miller, an apothecary of High Wycombe, went through the same procedure.  He later applied for an increase in his pension, 

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which the Court refused “in regard it was considered the County Stock could not bear soe great an Inlargment” (pages 66, 86, 215).  Edward Billington was granted a pension in 1696, but must in some way have forfeited it, for one was again given him in 1700.  He was an impressed man who had been badly wounded at “the taking of the Castle of Namur in Flanders” from the French in 1695 (pages 75, 248).  Members of the garrisons of Dunkirk (page 214) and Tangier (page 145) also applied for relief.  The former town was sold by Charles II to Louis XIV for £500,000 in 1662, and the latter was evacuated, and all its defences destroyed, in 1684.

Amongst the sailors who petitioned for pensions were William Penn, who served in The Souldadoes in the Dutch War (page 187), Christopher Martin, who served for four years during the reign of Charles II in The Yarmouth (page 225), Benjamin Young, who served for four years during the war of the Grand Alliance in The Albemarle (page 214), and Charles Sutton, who claimed in 1703 “that he had served her Majestie on shipboard in the present Warr against France and was thereby wounded and disabled” (page 398). Another ship of war is mentioned when a deserter from “his Majestyes Ship the Sandwich” was sent to the bridewell at High Wycombe, pending his removal by the Sheriff (page 93).

Various methods of finding recruits for the Army and Navy are illustrated in the Calendar.  Impressment was one of the main sources.  In 1698, the keeper of the bridewell at High Wycombe asked to be repaid the money spent by him upon “twelve men imprest for his Majesties service at sea” who had been sent to him to detain until they were “put on board his Majesties Navy Royall” (page 154). In 1701, the names of six “pressed men” from the County and twenty-three from Northamptonshire were given by the bridewell-keeper at Newport Pagnell in his Calendar of prisoners (page 291).  A “Vagrant and Wandring Seaman” was impressed at Buckingham in 1702, leaving his child to be maintained by the County (page 338).  In 1703, the Privy Council issued an order to the Justices, “commanding them to forbeare Impresting of any more Seamen for this winter service,” presumably because the need for soldiers was then more urgent (page 364).  In 1701, a “vitious and theivish” apprentice, whose master did not know “what to do with him 

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or how to govern him,” was sent to sea by the Justices (page 295).

Under the provisions of the acts of 1 Anne, c. 25, and 2 and 3 Anne, c. 16, five “insolvent debtors” were released from prison upon their “voluntary enlistment” in the Army (pages 364, 432, 433).  The names of thirteen vagrants are given as having been brought in by the constables to be enlisted in accordance with the act of 2 and 3 Anne, c. 19, “for Raising Recruits for the Land forces and Marines” (pages 426, 436, 437), and, at Epiphany 1704-05, the constables were ordered to put this act into “vigorous execution” by making “diligent search . . . for all such able bodied men . . . as have not any lawfull calleing or Imployment or visible meanes for theire maintenance and Livelyhood and that have noe vote in Electing of any member . . . to serve in Parliament” (pages 448, 449). Various offenders were given their chance of escaping punishment by “voluntary enlistment,” and we read of men awaiting trial in the bridewells being discharged direct into the Army (pages 448, 453).

The names of the commanders of the regiments into which these men were enlisted, and the names of many of those under whom the pensioners had served, will be found in the index.

The billeting rates for soldiers, in accordance with the annual Mutiny Act, are given for the years 1702, 1703, and 1704.  They only differ in one item from the rates given in Volume I (at pages 380-381), namely, in the allowance of 6d. a night for stabling the horse of a “Commission Officer of horse” (pages 324-325, 383, 422).  The rates provided evidently did not satisfy those upon whom soldiers were quartered, for, in 1696, Thomas Woodward, one of the con- stables of Aylesbury, was indicted for quartering “14 foot- soldiers at the King’s and Queen’s Head and 1 officer and 8 foot-soldiers at the Saracen’s Head, but none at his own inn or that of Thomas Hill.”  Woodward was dismissed from his office because of “severall notorious Complaints” (pages 91, 94).

After the war of the Grand Alliance the regulations contained in the act of 5 Elizabeth, c. 4, which insisted upon apprenticeship to trades, were relaxed in order to assist the demobilization of the Army.  This produced a protest from 

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the inhabitants of Chesham, who complained “that divers Scotch Soldiers lately disbanded under Umbrage of the late Act of Parliament . . . that provides liberty for disbanded Soldiers exercising of Trades in Markett townes have come into their said parish with their families to settle accordingly and are likely to become chargeable thereunto” (page 247).  This same act, 10 and 11 William III, c. 11, provided a remedy, in another section, to complaints similar to that of Thomas Jenkins and Thomas Hebburne, who stated, in 1696, “that they were both souldiers in his Majesties service for six years and disabled in the said service and upon their Return home have bene arrested for their Debts and thrown into Goal” (page 105).  According to the act of 1699, disbanded soldiers were freed from arrest for three years in respect of debts contracted before their enlistment.

The Militia is mentioned when the accounts of the “Weekes Tax,” imposed by the act of 13 and 14 Charles II, c. 3, were certified by the Deputy-Lieutenants and confirmed by the Court (pages 43, 88, 206, 405).

Two references to Parliamentary elections appear in the Calendar.  In Epiphany 1700-01, a Committee of the Justices reported that they had been unable to obtain a quorum at one of their meetings owing to “the Election of Knights for this County” (page 274).  This was the election which gave rise to the famous Aylesbury Election dispute (see Victoria County History, Bucks, Vol. IV, pages 546-47). Two of the candidates in this election, Sir Thomas Lee and Simon Mayne, were members of this Committee of Justices. Two years later, a man complained that Thomas Read, the landlord of the King’s Head at Aylesbury, had assaulted him at the inn “on the second day of the election of the Knights of the Shire” (page 356).  The latter election was probably that of December, 1701, when Sir Thomas Lee was eventually returned for Aylesbury, having been replaced by Robert Dormer in the election of 1700, after a petition to the House of Commons.

Various duties were imposed by Act of Parliament during the period and are of general interest.  The duty upon “vellum parchment and paper” was levied for four years by the act of 5 and 6 William and Mary, c. 21, for “carrieing on a warr against France”; and it was provided, amongst other things, that all copies of orders of Court must be 

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PREFACE xv

written on stamped paper, “the persons who take the benefitt of such Copies paying the Clerke of the Peace 6d. extraordinary for every Copie . . . under a very great penalty on the persons who shall neglect the same” (page 11).

In 1694, there was a complaint that those “who doe make Sydar and Sell it by the great” were being made to pay duty by the Excise officers, “whereas by Law the Retayler is only Chargeable,” and that “the said officers doe take upon them under Colour of Secureing the said Dutyes to dis- courage and interrupt the Sale of such Sydar to the great Damage of the makers thereof” (page 22).

The salt tax, imposed by the act of 7 and 8 William III, c. 31, “for carrying on the Warr against France,” was of more importance, and the Justices, by virtue of the powers given them in the act, were constantly altering the price at which salt might be sold in the County.  In 1696, the price was fixed at 4s. 4d. a bushel for “Newcastle Salt, Wayne Salt, and other Salt unrefined made within this Realm,” and 7s. 6d. for “Bay Salt and other Foreign Salt,” which rates were increased to 6s. and 8s. respectively in the next Session, but were reduced later.  In 1699, a flat rate of 7s. was imposed, and this was reduced, first to 6s. 2d. and later to 5s. 6d., at which rate it remained until the end of the period (pages 93, 106, 204, 247, 278, etc.).  Salt was largely used by the agricultural population at this time. The difficulty of keeping cattle alive during the winter was so great that a very large proportion of beasts were slaughtered and salted.  In a petition to Parliament, in 1703, from another part of England it was stated that the high price of salt was “a grievance to the poorer sort of people, who mostly feed on salted provisions.”

In 1696, the window tax “for makeing good the deficiency of the Clipped money,” was started by the act of 7 and 8 William III, c. 18; it was continued for over a hundred and fifty years.  Appeals against the tax were heard in 1697 (pages 147, 148, 154), and two indictments were heard in connection with it, one for perjury and one for molesting the “collector of the King’s duty” in the execution of his office (page 150).

The act of 7 and 8 William III, c. 6, for “the more easy Recovery of small tyths,” produced the hearing of five appeals (pages 173, 204, 391).

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Several persons applied for relief to compensate them for losses sustained by fire, against which probably only one or two persons in London were insured at this date.  A grant of £2 amongst six persons at Winslow was made in 1697 (page 133), £5 was given to William Church of Wooburn a year later in respect of “a dreadful fire” which completely destroyed his house and mills (page 171), and at the same Session £30 was distributed amongst seven men whose houses had been burnt down at Princes Risborough (page 172). In the case of a more serious fire, where the losses were so considerable that the money at the disposal of the Court would not be sufficient to repair the damage done, the Justices were asked to approve of a certificate, addressed to the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and asking him to grant Letters Patent “to collect the Charitable benevolence of well disposed people” throughout the country.  Such a certificate was granted when 197 “Bayes of Building” were burnt out in three hours at Haddenham in 1701, and the damage was assessed at £3,715 (page 288).  The burning down of the Horseshoe Inn at Stony Stratford in 1703 was responsible for damage to the extent of £670, of which a considerable amount was in respect of goods bought in London and then on their way by carrier to Lancashire. The Sessions Rolls supply some interesting details of the losses (pages 405-407).

That it was necessary to investigate these claims is shown when Lawrence Oxley of Aylesbury was indicted and fined two guineas “for altering his name and Cheating the Country by Collecting money by pretended losses by a fire in Walton, when in truth he susteined no damage thereby” (pages 229, 238).

A different type of certificate issued by the Justices is seen in 1699, when they certified that Ferdinand Shrimpton and two other lace-buyers had, in open court, taken an oath, “that the Bonelace which he, this Deponent, Exposeth to sale is of the making of him and his Servants, and that he doth not Expose to sale any Bonelace or other goods or wares save what are made as aforesaid.”  The making of bone-lace, or pillow lace, was one of the most important industries in the County at this period and is reputed to have been initiated by Catherine of Aragon during her residence in Buckinghamshire when separated from Henry VIII. 

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Ferdinand Shrimpton, who was eight times mayor of High Wycombe, was a well-known lace-maker (page 193).

The Justices still fixed the rates for the carriage of goods and for Servants’ wages at each Easter Session.  (See Volume I, pages 227-229 and 426.) The former remained unchanged and the latter were only altered in one respect, when, at Easter 1697, the wages for “Free Masons by the day without meat and drink” were reduced from 1s. 8d. to 1s. (page 125).  In 1700, the Justices “of the Vale and Chiltern parts of this County” were ordered to “consider whether the wages appointed this present Sessions ought to be from henceforth continued or if they see cause to make any alteration therein” (page 249).  The order was continued at the next Easter Session, but no report was ever made.  In several cases, the Justices ordered masters to pay wages due to servants in their employment (pages 131, 222, 223), and Mary Science, who refused to enter the service which the overseers of Turville had found for her, was committed to the bridewell; she was present in Court, but “offered nothing materiall in her Excuse, onely expressed an unwillingness to labour, which may be of ill Example to lazy and thriftless people” (page 184).

Apprentices also came under the jurisdiction of the Court.  Edward Learhead was fined 3s. 4d. for refusing to take back an apprentice (page 18); the indenture of Richard Stevens was cancelled after he had “without any just provocation run three times away from his Master and had deceived his Master in money intrusted with him” (page 101); two idle apprentices were in custody at the bridewell at High Wycombe in 1702 (page 355); an apprentice, who had absented himself for a long time, was ordered to return to his master (page 449); and, as already noted above, a “vitious and theivish boy” was sent to sea (page 294). The overseers of Ivinghoe gave evidence, in 1699, that four persons had refused to accept apprentices, in defiance of the acts of 43 Elizabeth, c. 2., and 8 and 9 William III, c. 30, but three of them eventually accepted apprentices (pages 214, 256).  In 1696, six poor children of Brill “whose parents are not thought able to maintain them,” were apprenticed “to persons fitt to receive and instruct them in Husbandry and Houswifry,” and twenty-six more children were similarly apprenticed in 1698 (pages 74, 170).  Five years later the 

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Court was informed that there were still some poor children at Brill who refused “to goe out and hire att service” but preferred to “cohabitt with theire parents whoe are not of ability to maintayne themselves or theire said children.” It was ordered that the children should “forthwith place and putt themselves out att Service, otherwise the parents of such children to have noe releif or Collection” (page 399).

Conversely, it was objected that certain persons had taken apprentices who were not able to maintain them.  The inhabitants of Hanslop complained that the overseers of Kislingbury, co. Northampton, had apprenticed three poor children with a poor man in their parish “who for the Lucre of Gain had Entertained them and undertaken their education.” They were advised to apply for a removal order, so as to avoid the risk of the children becoming chargeable to the parish, and in this they were successful (pages 256, 269). The inhabitants of Wendover complained that John Passe “a Scotch Pedlar,” had taken in a number of apprentices and had then deserted his family.  The result of this case is not given (page 265).

Two of the “County children” were apprenticed during this period, namely Damaris Bright and Alice Maxfield, both of whom were born in the gaol to mothers who had been sentenced for felony.  Damaris Bright was first bound to John Hawkes, a tailor of Aylesbury, but the persons to whose care she had been entrusted since birth claimed that she had “sometime before voluntarily placed herself with them . . . as their servant.”  As the child “expressed some reluctance to depart from them and insinuated that shee might be continued in their service,” the informal apprenticeship was confirmed (pages 132, 141).  Alice Maxfield was bound over to Elizabeth Herbert, a bone-lace buyer of Winslow, when she was aged eleven years, and her mistress was allowed £1 to make up deficiencies in her clothing, when she complained that she only received “a Gowne and Petticoate” instead of “double apparell of all sorts” (pages 408, 418).

Another “County child” was the infant daughter of Alice Heritage, “a prisoner under sentence of death”; the child died very shortly after (pages 143, 155).  William, the son of Jane Whitbread, a felon in the gaol, was also supported by the County, and was given the same allowance that Alice Maxfield had received (page 352).  The County also took 

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over the maintenance of “a certaine Child borne att Breda beyond the Seas,” whose father, “a Vagrant and Wandring Seaman, was taken upp and Imprest for Her Majesties Service” (page 338).

The administration of the Poor Law occupied much of the time of the Court.  The main acts concerned were that of 43 Elizabeth, c. 2, (1601) as regards relief, and that of 13 and 14 Charles II, c. 12, (1662) as regards settlement. The index will show the large number of allowances ordered by the Court to be paid by the overseers to poor persons, and the appeals against such orders.  In 1697, Elizabeth Miles complained that the overseers of Aylesbury refused to pay her any allowance unless her daughter, who “payes her house rent and administers to her,” agreed to wear “a badg according to the late Act of Parliament,” and a similar appeal from another woman appears on the same page.  In both cases, the appeal was allowed (page 144).  In 1704, the wife of a soldier was given an allowance on the understanding that she and her four children should wear “the Badge” (page 408).  The act referred to was that of 8 and 9 William III, c. 30, which provided, in section 2, that all persons in receipt of relief from the parish, “and the wife and children of any such person cohabiting in the same house (such child only excepted, as shall be by the church-wardens and overseers of the poor permitted to live at home, in order to have the care of and attend an impotent and helpless parent) shall upon the shoulder of the right sleeve of the uppermost garment of every such person, in an open and visible manner, wear such badge or mark as is herein after mentioned and expressed, that is to say, a large Roman P. together with the first letter of the name of the parish or place whereof such poor person is an inhabitant, cut either in red or blue cloth.”  The penalty for refusing to wear the badge was the withdrawal of the relief, whipping, and twenty-one days hard labour in the bridewell, and the churchwardens were liable to a fine of £1 for relieving any poor person who did not wear the badge.

As regards settlement, well over two hundred cases were dealt with by the Court during the eleven years under review.  Of these, about 40 warrants were confirmed without any appeal being lodged, 95 appeals from warrants were allowed, and 85 were dismissed.

The passing of vagrants and “cripples” through the 

B*

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County gave rise to many disputes.  To ascertain the “direct road” for passing vagrants between Loughton and Fenny Stratford the evidence of “a skilfull surveyor” and two men over sixty years old was required (page 43).  Other cases involving the question of the “direct road” were that concerning the passing of “cripples” from Newport Pagnell (page 253) and those which dealt with passing along the London Road (pages 102 etc., 222).  Internal disagreements over passing between the Borough and the Forrens of High Wycombe (page 86), and between the Parson’s Fee and the Lord’s Fee at Aylesbury (page 103), were also settled.

After there had been many complaints of illegal passing, the Court ordered, at Epiphany 1699-1700, that in future the provisions of the act of 39 Elizabeth, c. 4, should be strictly followed, and that no passes signed by the Justices or other officers of “foreign Counties” should have any effect; the parish officers were to act on a pass only when it was signed by two or more Justices for the County (page 231). It will be seen from another entry that there were further statutes in force which affected the arrest and passing of vagrants, namely 39 Elizabeth, c. 17, and 1 James 1, c. 4 and c. 7 (page 168), and later the rates for passing were fixed by the act of 1 Anne, stat. 2, c. 13.  By this act, the constables were allowed to charge 3d. a day for maintaining a vagrant, 3d. a mile for conveying a vagrant by foot, and 6d. a mile “by horse, cart, or carriage”; if the journey was longer than ten miles, and it was impossible to return the same night, 9d. a mile might be charged (page 417).  The laws against vagrants were several times published and circulated amongst the officers of the County (pages 168, 204, 312), and, in 1703, a Committee of Justices was appointed to meet in London to consider “all matters relateing to the passeing and carryeing of Vagrants.”  They were to present a report at the next Session, but no such report appears in the Calendar (page 399).

The laws were in some cases most brutally administered. The constables of Wing arrested two children, aged four and two years, as vagrants and “openly whipped” them “as wandring beggars.”  They then sent the children by pass to Stewkley, whose inhabitants declared that such “arrogant doeings of the said Constables of Wing deserve very publique discountenance.”  The Court ordered that in future no constable should “correct or whip as vagrants any Children 

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under the age of seaven years” (page 177).  The constables of Chesham arrested Ann Hone, a vagrant suffering from small-pox, and sent her with an illegal pass to the County of Middlesex.  In the pass, the Vicar (who should have known better) and the constables of the parish admitted that when she was arrested she was “sick and weak and in a low condition and that they had relieved and whipped her.” When she reached Middlesex she was turned back and eventually came to Beaconsfield, where the officers, noting her “low and weak condition” and the fact that the small- pox was “visibly upon her,” had no option but to take her in and provide for her, “at great expense and at great risk to the health of their parish.”  This conduct was described by the Court as “not onely Inhumane (their own certificate shewing that in the sad and languishing condition of the woman they whipped her and exposed her to the Cold) but contrary to law and the rules and Orders of this Court.” The Vicar and the constables were ordered to be bound over to appear and answer for their behaviour, but nothing more was heard of the matter (pages 231-2).

The case of Thomas Widdows is a most interesting one in connection with the laws governing passing and settlement. He was a lame boy, aged sixteen, who was arrested at Kingswood and sent by pass to Oxford, his birthplace, “without being punished as by Law is directed.”  No parish in Oxford being indicated in the pass, he was returned to Kingswood and from there was sent to the bridewell at Aylesbury under a Justices’ warrant.  Here he came “under the hands of one Mr. Pitcher, a surgeon, and hath lately had one of his feete cutt of and the other soe disabled that hee will be a Cripple and unable to doe any Service.”  Several questions arose here; where was he to be sent, who was to pay Mr. Pitcher, and who was to pay the bridewell-keeper for his maintenance? The Court decided that the expense of the last two items should be met from the County stock, and that, as “there is noe Hospital in this County,” he should be settled at Kingswood, “the last place from which he had been passed as a vagrant without having received the punishment on which the law insisted” (page 379).

The cases of Elizabeth Mushett and Elizabeth Thompson, which may be followed by means of the index, are also instructive, especially for one entry in the latter case when 

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the Court paid £1. 10s. to Alexander Olliffe “as a Gratuity for what he hath done or shall doe” in discovering Elizabeth Thompson’s place of settlement or in apprehending her husband (page 450).

The raising of the money for the poor rates occasioned several queries upon the interpretation of the acts (pages 176, 213, 222).  The cost of passing vagrants became so heavy that it was necessary to draw upon the money in the hands of the treasurers for the maimed soldiers (pages 276, 289).  The act of 11 and 12 William III, c. 18, later authorized the money collected for the King’s Bench and Marshalsea being used for this purpose, but in 1701 the chief constables complained that these methods had made their accounts “intricated and perplexed,” and that they had difficulty in getting back from the treasurers “any debts of surplusage” over what they themselves had received from the petty constables.  The Court admitted that the King’s Bench and Marshalsea money was insufficient, and again ordered that the maimed soldiers’ money should be drawn upon (page 296). In the next year, the Justices used the further powers given them by the act, and imposed a County rate to raise the money; the proportion of the assessments in this and the following year are given.  It is interesting to note that “the borough and parish of Buckingham and the borough and corporation of Chepping Wiccombe” successfully claimed exemption from the assessments (pages 314, 324, 349), the former having previously claimed exemption from the jurisdiction of the Court in another matter (page 295).

Two charities for the poor are mentioned, namely, the Poor Folks’ Pasture for the benefit of the poor of Brill and that for the benefit of the poor of Oakley.  Both these charities were founded in 1623, and the trust estates were situated in Boarstall.  They are now administered by the Charity Commission (pages 94, 221, 273, 381, 419, 432).

Only three of the County bridges appear to have cost anything for their upkeep.  £20 was spent upon Long Bridge in Thornborough in 1702, and the repairs to Ickford Bridge in the same year cost £58, which was raised by means of a special rate (pages 312, 314, 323).  Previous to this, in 1696, there had been an enquiry as to whose duty it was to pay a small bill of 17s. 10d., for the Court “could not be fully satisfied that the said Ickford Bridge was at any time repaired 

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at the County Charge,” and the Clerk of the Peace was ordered to “search the Books of Orders about the year 1685.”  Presumably he did so, and found the entry which appears on page 183 of Volume I of the Bucks.  Sessions Records, for the bill was paid at the next Session (pages 104, 112).

In the case of High Bridge, part of which was in Denham and part in Uxbridge, co. Middlesex, the Clerk of the Peace was again ordered, in 1700, to look up the records, and he reported that he had found orders in 1670 and 1671 which indicated that the part of the bridge within the County was a County bridge.  The Justices agreed and £5. 5s. 5d. was paid for repairs (page 235, 249, 254).  The Clerk need not have looked so far back, for at Midsummer, 1685, the bridge was twice described as a County bridge (see Volume I, pages 181, 188).  After a further £4 had been spent upon repairs in 1702, it was reported that the bridge was “soe ruinous and in such decay that it will fall downe . . . if not tymely prevented,” and, after a discussion as to whether it should be rebuilt or further repaired, it was eventually rebuilt in 1704 for £50 (pages 350, 381, 419, 429).

The Clerk of the Peace referred to above was Thomas Smith, who was appointed in place of Francis Neale when Thomas Wharton became custos rotulorum in 1689.  Wharton was the author of the famous song “Lillibullero,” which is reputed to have been instrumental in causing the downfall of James II, and after the Revolution he rose to great importance, and was one of the Whig Junta, which dominated English politics until the Parliament of 1701 produced a Tory majority.  His influence waned still more after the accession of Queen Anne, in 1702, when he was dismissed from all his posts.  In that year William, Lord Cheyne and Viscount Newhaven, was appointed custos rotulorum, and he at once dismissed Thomas Smith, Wharton’s nominee and restored Francis Neale to the office of Clerk of the Peace (page 330).  Cheyne and Wharton had for long been personal and political antagonists, and had even fought a duel in July, 1699.

At Epiphany, 1702-03, Smith produced a writ of mandamus, commanding the Justices to restore him to his office, his argument being that, in accordance with the pro- visions of 1 William and Mary, stat. 1, c. 21, his appointment 

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was “for his life.”  This point was only partially a sound one, for the act of 1 William and Mary provided that a Clerk of the Peace was to remain in office “for so long time only as . . . [he] shall well demean himself,” and the procedure of removal demanded that “a complaint and charge in writing” should be “exhibited against him to the justices of the peace . . . openly in their general quarter sessions.” This act repealed the provisions of 37 Henry VIII, c. 1, which laid down that a Clerk of the Peace should “hold and enjoy the office during the time that the said custos rotulorum shall occupy and exercise the aforesaid office of custos rotulorum.”  So, although Smith was claiming that his appointment was for life, he actually could have been removed upon complaint to the Justices.  No complaint having been lodged, the Court would have been in a difficulty in refusing to answer the writ if they had not, it appears, have known that there was some irregularity in his appointment.  For it is recorded that “Mr. Smith being desired by the Court to shew and produce his Grant of the said Office, he refused soe to doe, declareing that he had beene advised to the Contrary,” and he refused again when he once more produced his writ at the next Session (pages 359-361, 378).  There the matter ended, and it is of interest in showing how completely Wharton’s influence must have declined if he was not able to do anything in support of his protégé.

In connection with the Clerk of the Peace, two items may be noted, namely, the payment of 9s. 6d. “for a large Paper Booke prepared for to enter the Process and Orders of this Court” (page 22), and the payment of £4, in 1695, “for the statutes made in Parliament since his present Majesties reign which hee hath provided for the use of this Court” (page 56).  In the same year he was ordered to take over, on behalf of the County, the prosecution of an overseer, who had refused to pay an allowance ordered by the Court, and had taken the case to the King’s Bench by writ of certiorari in order to “weary and discourage” the un- fortunate woman concerned (page 65).  In 1702, Francis Neale was made “Receiver General,” or County Treasurer, in addition to his duties as Clerk of the Peace; the office had been temporarily abolished in 1688 (page 353).

The position of gaoler was also one of importance in these days.  The post was occupied at the start of the 

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period by William Benson, who had been appointed in 1684.  He continued to act until 1700, when Francis Wood- cock appears, although neither the dismissal of the former nor the appointment of the latter is given.  It is probable that Benson resigned, for he seems to have remained on good terms with the Court, and his house was still used as the County Gaol.  The question of the payment of rent for this house occurs frequently throughout the Calendar.  In Epiphany 1694-95, he made his first application for “some allowance or yearly Pension,” and later asked to be given the annual grant of £20, which had been allowed to his predecessor, Nathaniel Birch, but “had been discontinued sixteen years ago.”  A petition was addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Montagu, (later the first Earl of Halifax) and, through the intervention of Thomas Wharton, the grant was allowed (pages 32, 57, 75).  It was, however, only continued for two years, and another petition had to be sent to the Chancellor, who was then John Smith (page 216).  After this Francis Woodcock became gaoler, and Benson’s rent was paid regularly, although generally in arrears, by the Justices (pages 259, 268, 305, 315, etc.).

It is evident that the post was no sinecure.  In 1695, Benson complained of the damage done by “severall rude and disorderly persons now and lately in his Custody,” and he was allowed £6. 5s. for repairs (page 32 ); in 1699, he was paid £10 for “his extraordinary charge to watchmen” in consequence of “very great Disorders of the Prisoners in his Custody” (pages 194, 205).  Woodcock was allowed £9. 6s. a year later for his “extraordinary charges” in having to keep a “constant watch” for the previous three months (page 248).  This worry possibly explains why Woodcock was convicted of swearing one oath in 1703 and four oaths in 1704 (pages 387, 403).  The prisoners can have enjoyed themselves little more, and one man appears to have taken his punishment so much to heart that the gaoler was ordered to “see him att Least six Miles from Aylesbury . . . before he receive his Liberty,” with the idea of “preventing any revenge he may exercise in the Town of Aylesbury for his Confinement” (page 297).

The conditions in the County Gaol were probably neither better nor worse than those prevailing in the gaols of other counties at this date.  But they were bad enough to 

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make the present day reader surprised that little or nothing was done to improve the gaol, if only in the interests of the inhabitants of the County.  In 1698 and 1699, the “con- tagious distemper,” or gaol fever, was responsible for the death of thirteen prisoners (pages 171, 179, 194, 215), and the apothecary to the gaol twice refers to this epidemic (pages 195, 339).  In 1704, over thirty of the prisoners suffered from the small-pox; the gaoler was paid £11, and the apothecary £25, for attending them (pages 421, 429, 440, 448).  This outbreak became so severe that the fines of absent jurors were remitted “in regard the Towne of Aylesbury is much visitted with the small pox” (page 440).

Up to 1700, about £40 was spent upon repairs for strengthening the gaol (pages 32, 66, 94, 113, 235).  In that year the Grand Jury, at the Midsummer Assizes, made a presentment that “the Common Goal in Aylesbury was the freehold inheritance of Mr. Benson, and that the same is too weak and not large enough.”  A scheme for rebuilding had been proposed in 1682 (see Volume I, pages 112, 141), but nothing had come of it.  The Grand Jury were probably urged to make another effort by hearing reports of the epidemic of gaol fever, referred to above, and also by the fact that the Grand Jury in the neighbouring county of Hertford had put in a similar presentment at the Hertford Assizes. The Court considered the matter, and decided to appoint a Committee of Justices to deal with the question (pages 266-267).  At Epiphany, 1700-01, the Committee presented their report, which stated that they had come to the following conclusions: “(1) that the cost of altering the present gaol would be £200, (2) the cost of rebuilding the gaol on the present site would be £500, (3) the cost of altering the King’s Head at Aylesbury, or any other such house, would be £400, and (4) the cost of building a new gaol on an acre of ground more or less where there is no building now erected would be £2,000.”  The Committee had treated with the owners of several vacant sites and were going into the question of the cost of building a new gaol “according to the Moddell of Warwick Goale . . . or Northampton Goale.” As they had not been able to complete their report, they asked for further time, which was granted (page 274-275).  And here, except for further requests for more time, the matter again ended.  At Easter, 1703, Mr. Francis Ligoe, one of 

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the Committee, was asked to return “severall Modells, Surveys, Estimates, and other writings which have beene . . . made in order to Erect and Build a New County Goale,” so that they could be filed with the records of the Court and “be made use of as this Court shall from tyme to tyme direct” (pages 288, 296, 304, 315, 382).

The following examples of the fees payable to the gaoler by the prisoners are worth noting.  At Midsummer 1697, Benson received £1. 9s. 4d. “for the Clerk of the Assizes and his own fees due on the widdow Quaint, a prisoner in his Goal upon her discharge” (page 133), and at the next Session 15s. was paid out of the County funds to obtain the discharge of Henry Smith, who had been “acquitted upon his tryall at the last Assizes and was remaining in Custody for his Fees onely” (page 143); in 1699, £1. 7s. 8d. each was paid for the discharge of four persons (page 194).  In the same year, £6 was paid to obtain the release of a debtor, Edward Marshall, an excise officer, in order that he might be able to support his wife and family, which he was “by his Education enabled to do” (page 225).

The allowance to prisoners, which had been raised from 1½d. to 3d. a day at Epiphany 1693-94 (see Volume I, page 492), was reduced at Easter 1695 to 2d. (page 45), but again increased to 3d. at the next Epiphany Session “by reason of the dearness of Corne” (page 74).  Many prisoners applied for the allowance, “setting out that their whole subsistence depended intirely upon the said allowance of bread and that the price of wheat still continued very high” (pages 86, 105). The allowance was reduced to 2½d. at Midsummer, 1700, in view of the fact that “the Price of Corne is of late much abated” (page 259), and was further reduced to 2d. at the next Session (page 268).  Poor debtors were admitted to the same allowance if they applied for it, as many did (pages 113, 126, 133, 143, etc., see index).  An allowance of 9d. a day was made for the family of Jaques Falon “a Foreighner travelling . . . through this County in Order to Embarque for Ireland;” he had been committed to gaol for dangerously wounding a man, and his wife and family were forced to accompany him there as, “being Strangers, they cannot be legally settled in this Kingdom” (page 156).

In 1699, as it appeared that there had been irregularities in the accounts of the baker who supplied the gaol with 

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bread, it was ordered that a proper record of prisoners and their allowances, and accurate accounts, should be kept and be submitted to one of the Justices to be audited (page 206). Mary Pratt, senior, of Aylesbury, was the first baker to submit an account (page 224), and in 1700 she, Mary Pratt, junior, and William Chandler, were officially appointed as bakers to the gaol (page 259).  The amount of the quarterly account for bread no doubt varied according to the number of prisoners in the gaol.  It was as high as £23. 11s. 8d., at Epiphany, 1701-02, and as low as £9. 14s. 10d. at Michaelmas, 1703 (pages 315, 397), but averaged at about £16, being higher for the first half of the period.  There were various changes made in the bakers, and in 1702 William Chandler was dismissed upon the complaint of the prisoners that he had “abused them both in the Weight and Bakeing of the County Bread” (pages 326, 350, 448).

Several debtors were released under the various acts— 22 and 23 Charles II, c. 20, 30 Charles II, stat.  1, c. 7, 7 and 8 William III, c. 12, etc.  In 1696, four debtors were released after they had been six months in gaol (page 95).  One was released in 1703, and one failed to secure his liberty, as his debt was still over £20 (page 382).  We have already noted that four debtors were released upon their “voluntary enlistment”; two others failed for want of notice (page 365), and two applied, but did not appear (page 433). Richard Harrison, who was arrested for deserting his family, pleaded that “he was much in debt and absconded from his Creditors, being in fear of an Arrest, and therefore was not within the Intent of the Statutes” (page 211), and the Court ordered the discharge of Thomas Weedon, who was arrested for debt when he came to give evidence in another case (page 224).

Not so much is told of the three bridewells, at Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Newport Pagnell.  The salaries of the keepers was £30, paid quarterly, and, in 1696, they were ordered to produce at each Session “a true Calendar in writeing of all such persons as are then actually Prisoners in their respective custodies, with the Causes of the respective Committments of such Prisoners” (page 102).  None of these appears in the Sessions Books, but some are preserved amongst the Sessions Rolls, the first appearing at Easter, 1701 (page 290).  In 1700, it was discovered, by means of 

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these Calendars, that “felons and persons suspected of felony” were being, “through some Inadvertencies,” com- mitted to the bridewells instead of to the gaol, and it was ordered that this practice should cease (page 265).

Michael Read, who had been appointed on the removal of Henry Munday in 1692 (see Volume I, page 423), was the keeper at Aylesbury until his death in 1696, when Henry Munday was re-appointed.  Munday, as we have noted above, had been in trouble shortly before for “drinking King James his health” (page 13), and it may have been on account of his past that a curious condition was made in his appoint- ment, by which he was made to pay £10 of his salary to John Christmas, another claimant for the office.  Christmas had “in his station been very usefull and serviceable to this present Government . . . and with some misfortunes in his family and dealings in the world is become very much in debt,” and the grant was made by the Court, at Munday’s expense, “an an Incouragement to others to be industrious for the support thereof” (page 83); the condition was continued until 1702 (page 338).  Michael Read’s widow was paid £2. 10s. for acting in place of her husband until a successor was appointed, and for allowing “her house in Aylesbury and her goods to be made use of for the confine- ment and Chastisement of Prisoners” (page 96).

John Rose remained as the keeper at High Wycombe throughout the period; he had been appointed in 1692 (see Volume I, page 447).  Matthew Annesley, who became keeper at Newport Pagnell in 1683 (see Volume I, page 128), was indicted in 1701 for allowing a prisoner to escape, but no result of the case is given (page 296); in 1694 four soldiers had escaped from his bridewell, doing damage to the extent of £2. 10s. (page 12).  He died in 1704, and John Johnson succeeded him (pages 428, 432).

There is no great change during this period in the nature of the offences recorded.  Again we find mostly assault, petty larceny, neglect of duty by the constables, and disorderly and unlicensed alehouses, making up the bulk of the indictments.  It is somewhat disappointing that there are considerably fewer punishments recorded, but such as appear have been put into the Schedule at the end of this preface.

There is a marked decline in the number of indictments

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for recusancy and for absence from church, and religious toleration would appear to have applied to Roman Catholics and Dissenters alike.  The number of recusants narrows down to a faithful dozen or so, who appear so frequently that we have only continued the repetition of their occupations and residences for one year (See Note on page 71).  The two best known of the recusants were Sir Robert Throckmorton and Sir Edward Longville.  The only other offences which have any religious significance are the indictment of certain persons for assembling and disturbing the Rector of Water Stratford when he was preaching (page 387), and the indictment of several men for trading on Sunday (pages 139, 230, 239, 264, 395).

The Government, however, appeared to think that the country was peopled by extremely bad characters.  The royal proclamations “for preventing and punishing immorality and profaneness” were “openly and publicly read” at most sessions (pages 166, 236, 249, etc.), and one is given in full at Easter, 1698.  In it the King deplored the fact that, in spite of the ending of the war and “the Conclusion of an Honorable peace,” nevertheless “Impiety, Prophaness, and Immorality do still abound in this Kingdom to the high displeasure of Almighty God, the great Scandal of Christianity, and the ill and fatall Example of persons who have been soberly educated.”  All the constables and other officers were “strictly charged” to enforce the laws for the suppression of vice and immorality (page 169).  In 1702, the Court ordered all officers of the County and all “whoe have any sense either of the honour of God or of the Good of their Country” to do their utmost to prevent “the great prophanation of the Lord’s day, the too Common practice of Cursing and Swearing, Excess of Drinking, and the Impudent committing of Lewdness and Debauchery, which they are convinced have of Late increased.”  A list of offences, and the punishments provided by the statutes, was appended to this order (pages 350-352).

A non-sectarian body, known as the Society for the Reformation of Manners, which was formed in 1692, is said to have been largely responsible for this puritanical movement, and certainly it was through their efforts that the act of 6 and 7 William III, c. 11, was passed, which attempted to suppress “prophane curseing and swearing.”  The first 

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conviction under this act appears at Midsummer, 1695 (page 58), and the fine was usually 2s. for each oath.  Very many persons were convicted, and it has been said that the effect in the country was such that “no one but a person of quality could safely swear in a public place.”  But persons of quality were not always immune in Buckinghamshire, for several “gentlemen” were fined, and even one of the Justices, Charles Palmer, was convicted in 1704 (page 426).

Amongst specific offences, the following may be noted Thomas Read, who kept a Coffee House at Aylesbury, was brought before the Court in 1702 for having “in his Custody severall dangerous Pamphletts exposed to reading”; he was reprimanded, with a caution not “to take in any scandalous Pamphletts for the future,” and the pamphlets were “publickly burnt in the open Market” (page 324). Anthony Davys was indicted “for scandalous words of the Lord Leiutenant,” and the case was removed to the King’s Bench (page 358).  William Robinson was acquitted on a charge of influencing a jury by gaining admittance to the room in which they were empanelled, and the bailiff of the Court was fined £2 for allowing him to do so (pages 134, 138, 150).  Another bailiff was fined 6s. 8d. for failing to warn a juryman (page 337).  An innkeeper was fined 3s. 4d. “for refuseing to Lodge a Traveller whoe fell sick on the Roade and dyed” (pages 396, 404), and William Church was acquitted on a charge of keeping a disorderly alehouse “to which persons resorted, even upon fast days, to drink and play ninepins” (page 99).  The Court made efforts to prevent the use of illegal measures in shops and markets (pages 239, 240, 252, 257, 267, 428, 438), and to see that the “hue and cry” (pages 396, 403) and the watch (pages 4, 50, 62, 70, 100, etc.) were not neglected.  Persons were indicted for stealing horse-hair (page 129), not repairing a pound (pages 130, 139), “inticeing away” a wife (page 445), having a dangerous chimney (page 129), selling unwholesome meat (page 78), being a “common scold” (page 151), forestalling and engrossing (pages 3, 138, 252, etc.), incontinency (pages 118, 245, 390), and for “night walking” (pages 138, 239).

There are references to highway robbery when John Edgson was paid £2 for being “instrumentall in the apprehending of Highwaymen,” in which service he had “hazarded his life . . . and ought to have had the reward which is 

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xxxii PREFACE

by law bestowed in that case, but by some indirect meanes the Highwaymen were acquitted” (page 44), and when Ralph French was given £1 for similar services (page 248).

The Lords of the Manor of Swanbourne were presented for not appointing a constable, but it was decided that the case was “not presentable” (pages 28, 31).  The omission to hold “Court Leets” was brought to the notice of the Justices by the mayor and recorder of High Wycombe, who stated that the result was that “the Extents of the respective libertyes is grown doubtfull and the Constables less vigilant.” The Court ordered that constables should at once be appointed and that they should endeavour “to revive the Exact Jurisdictions of the severale Leets” (pages 230-231).  Certain persons complained, in 1704, that they had been nominated at a petty session to serve as petty constables, which pro- cedure they considered “to be Impracticable and injurious to the Lords of Manors whoe kept Leetes and contrary to the express words of the Statute.”  The opinion of the Court was that nobody could be appointed as constable “otherwise then in a Court Leetes or by the Order of this Court for defect of holding Court Leete” (page 418).  A merciful constable was fined 13s. 4d. for refusing to whip a woman who had been convicted of “pulling of hedges” (page 13).

In 1696, there were serious complaints against the chief constables.  It was said that they “executed their said Offices by Deputies, who for their own unjust lucre have imposed on the petty Constables . . . have presumed to represent their respective principles when called to their presentments and . . . have also presumed to deliver in such presentments upon their own Oaths.”  They had also made the petty constables travel to “some public place”  to give in their presentments and quarterly money, “which required an unnecessary Expence.”  It was ordered that the chief constables should not be absent from the Sessions without leave, and that the petty constables should be allowed to bring their presentments to the private houses of the chief constables (pages 103-104).

Other items of interest are diversions of the highway at Chalfont St. Peter and Burnham (pages 245, 313), a number of recognizances to keep alehouses in 1702 (pages 340-341), and references to the stocks at Aylesbury (page 

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PREFACE xxxiii

205), and to the Grammar School at High Wycombe (page 299).  It is instructive to read the orders made under the act “to prevent Exactions of the Occupyers of Locks and Weares upon the River of Thames Westward and for ascerteyning the Rates of Water Carriages upon the said River” (6 and 7 William III, c. 16), by which, amongst other things, the charge for Hambleden Lock was fixed at 3s. 6d. and that for Marlow Lock at 3s. (pages 51-54).  The fixing of the “flash marks” on the locks led to an unedifying quarrel amongst the Justices to whom this task was delegated (pages 57-58).

The names of many well-known men of the day, other than those already mentioned, appear in the Calendar, but we will not further prolong this preface by giving a list of them, as they may be found by referring to the index.

As in Volume I, the spelling of place names and of surnames is given in the Calendar exactly as they appear in the original records; Christian names have been given their modern spelling.  In the index, place names have been spelt according to the forms given in the index to the Victoria County History for Buckinghamshire, and surnames have been grouped under their modern, or their most frequent, spelling.

In conclusion, we would like to record our appreciation of the interest taken in this work by the members of the Standing Joint Committee, and of the advice and assistance rendered by the Clerk of the Peace.

William Le Hardy

Geoffrey Ll. Reckitt

2, Stone Buildings,

Lincoln’s Inn, W.C.2.

February, 1936.

SCHEDULE OF OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS TAKEN FROM THE SESSIONS RECORDS, 1694-1705

 

 

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SCHEDULE OF OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS XXXV

 

 

 

 

Buckinghamshire Sessions Records

QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4.

 

MIDSUMMER SESSION AT WENDOVER

12th July, 1694 [6 William and Mary]

p.  I.  Jurors for the body of the county.

John Stace and William Lyndsey, gentlemen, Joseph Smith, Richard Brigginshaw, James Kipping, Thomas Reynolds, William West, Thomas Yates, Gustave Horne and Matthew Huntley, gentlemen, William West, Henry Chilton, Robert Bawdrey, William Cock, John Tompkins, Henry Grace, Richard Parratt junior, John Smith, and Henry Goodman.

(signed) Johnshall Crosse, esquire, sheriff.

Jurors for the case against James Gould of Braddenham.

John Kipping, Samuel Veary, William Collett, Edward Munday, James Smith, Philip Redding, John Strong, Robert Redding, Joseph Welles senior, Michael Welles, William Fenner, and Thomas Dover.

(signed) Johnshall Crosse, esquire, sheriff.

Memorandum that the houses of John Fuller and Francis George, both of Thornborough, have been registered as meeting houses for Dissenters under the act of 1 William and Mary [c. 18.].

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

pp. 2-4. Indictments.

Richard Stevens of Chesham, cordwainer, for negligently discharging the office of constable.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

Richard Deller of Bray, co. Berks, gentleman, and John Lee of Cookeham, co.  Berks, yeoman, for assaulting Mary, wife of William Burton.  [Deller fined £5; Lee not guilty.]

Silvester Lane of Dinton and Thomas Bigg of Fullmer, victuallers, for keeping unlicensed alehouses.

Daniel Browne and Thomas Beckett, constables of Iver, for allowing Thomas Rawson to escape.  [Adjourned.]

Thomas Alexander of Aylesbury, labourer, John House, gentleman, [Ann], his wife, and Finch, his son, all of Beerton, John Temple of Stoke Mandivile, gentleman, and [Ann], his wife, Agnes Jolly senior of Wendover, Sir Edward Longfeeld, Bt., of Woolverton, John Mabee, labourer, and [Ann], his wife, Alice Jones, Frances Carter, and Mary Goodman, widows, and Dorothy, wife of Thomas Waters, all of Muresley, [blank] Mosdell of Fullmer, widow, and Catherine, wife of Thomas Smith of Upton, for recusancy and absence from church.

John Norris of Edgecott, victualler, for keeping a disorderly alehouse.  [Fined 3s. 4d. and alehouse suppressed, see pp. 87 and 101-2.]

The inhabitants of Sherrington for not walling or railing Sherrington Bridge.

Peter Collingridge, farmer, and Mary English, widow, both of Guyhurst, for absence from church.

Raphael Roase, cordwainer, Francis Hensman, tailor, and Edmund Martin, tallow-chandler, all of Olney, for stealing three hens, value 11d., from Joseph Foskett.  [All fined 3s. 4d.]

Thomas Curle of Swanborne, farmer, for refusing to be sworn as constable of Swanborne in place of William Deverill. [Fined 3s. 4d., and sworn as constable.]

John Wheatly of Newport Pagnell, cooper, for stealing a cock from John Johnson.

Roger Ewer junior of Chalfont St. Giles, labourer, for assaulting Richard Wilbee.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

John Rogers, carpenter, constable of Chalfont St. Giles, 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

for not executing a justice’s warrant for the arrest of Roger Ewer.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

John Wheeler of Aylesbury, labourer, for stealing 11d. in money from William Brookes.  [To be whipped; and see pp. 14 and 17.]

Thomas Borne of Bledlow, victualler, for keeping an unlicensed alehouse.

Sir Thomas Cobb, Bt., of Atterbury, co. Oxford, and the inhabitants of Westcott in Waddesdon, for not scouring the ditches at a place called Westcott Gapp on the road to Winslow. [Cobb discharged on certificate, Epiph. 1694-95.]

Richard Saunders of Princes Risborough, yeoman, for not repairing part of the highway from Haddenham to Chepping Wycombe at a place called North Piece, near Horsingdon.  [Found not guilty.]

William Blackwell of Great Kimble, gentleman, and Francis and John Goodchild, both of Princes Risborough, yeomen, for not repairing part of the road from Haddenham to Chepping Wycombe at a place called Horsingdon Pasture. [Blackwell found not guilty; the others fined £5; and see p. 148.]

 

p. 5. Presentments of the grand jury.

Samuel Very, flax-dresser, surveyor of the highways at Wendover, for laying the stones and gravel intended for the highways against his own house.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

William Edge, Jeremiah Sprigins, and Joseph Gate, all of Chesham, for “forestalling and engrossing.”  [Gate pardoned, see p. 171.]

Joseph Glover of Emerton, victualler, for being a common swearer and a drunkard.

 

Presentments of the constables.

Thomas Borne of Bledlow and James Wild of Iver, victuallers, for keeping unlicensed alehouses.

Thomas Alexander of Aylesbury for recusancy and absence from church.

John Howse, [Ann], his wife, and Finch, his son, all 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

of Broughton in Beerton, John Temple of Stoke Mandivill, and [Ann], his wife, Sir Edward Longfeeale of Woolverton, and “Madam” Mosdell of Fulmer, for being popish recusants.

Thomas Winter, constable of Brandsfee, for not bring- ing in his presentments to John Hill, chief constable.

Peter Collingridge, farmer, and Mary English, widow, both of Guyhurst, for absence from church.

The constables of Westbury for not paying in their King’s Bench and Marshalsea money.

John Noare of Ivinghoe for refusing to pay his quarteridge money to the constables.

John Pointer of Denham for refusing to watch.

 

p. 6. Petty constables sworn.

 

East Burnham . . John Styles vice John Pond.

Burnham . . . . Robert Aldridge vice Richard Rider.

Calverton . . . . William Booton and Thomas Watkins vice Richard Garlick and Thomas Esson.

Wavendon . . . . James Allen vice William Gregory.

Adstock . . . . Thomas Hogg vice Gabriel Medley.

Dinton . . . . Richard Smalbrooke vice William Adkins.

Chepping Wycombe Christopher Parsons vice William

Forrens Saunders

Brill . . . . Edward Adkyns vice William Pilkington.

Ludgarshall . . Leonard Wallington vice William North.

Amersham Wood- Christopher Shrimpton vice James

side Worrill.

Nether Winchendon John Betham vice Samuel Bonner.

Aylesbury . . . . Alexander North and John Welch vice John Wigson and Thomas Brookes.

Loughton . . . . Withers Nicholls vice John Furnace.

Sinckleborough . . William Hartwell vice John Jeffes

Aston Abbotts . . Thomas Millmer and William Woodward vice John Milemer and George Hobbs.

Cuddington . . John Norris vice William Beale.

 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

Orders.

p. 7.  Orders extending the recognizances of Thomas Alexander of Chalfont St. Peters, victualler, and William Walter of Ilmer, yeoman, and estreating the recognizances of Tobias Churchill of Steeple Claydon, gentleman, Peregrine Ford of Cuddington, yeoman, and John Atkinson of Chepping Wycombe, butcher, on account of their non- appearance.

 

Order allowing the appeal of Kensworth against a warrant removing Daniel Flexmore and his wife from Chesham.

 

Order, with consent of the parties, for the removal of Thomas Humfrys and his family from Upper Winchingdon to Chersley.

 

p. 8.  Order allowing the appeal of Chesham against an order of court for the payment of 1s. a week to Francis Martin. His daughter is at present maintained by the parish, and it is ordered that she shall return to him and that the overseers shall pay Martin 4s. for her maintenance, until the court makes a further order.

 

p. 9.  Order dismissing the appeal of Little Missenden against a warrant removing Richard Myles junior from Amersham.

 

pp. 10-13.  The following are discharged from the indict- ments against them, upon producing justices’ certificates that the necessary repairs have now been effected:

Walton, in respect of part of the highway from Newport Pagnell to Leyghton Bussard, co. Bedford.

Bow Brickhill, in respect of part of the highway from Fenny Stratford to Wooborne, co. Bedford.

Adstock, in respect of a water course called Hamm Gutter, which lies in Home Mead near the highway from Winslow to Buckingham.

Radcliffe, in respect of part of the highway to Torcester, co. Northampton.

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Tingewick, in respect of Broadrideing Lane, which is part of the highway to Bisceter, co. Oxford, and in respect of Wood Lane, which leads to the common.

Thomas Edgerly, esquire, and Mary Pledwell, widow, in respect of parts of the highway leading to Bisceter, co. Oxford, in Water Stratford and Tingewick, at a place called Pingesford.

Stow, in respect of part of the highway from Dadford to Buckingham.

Chackmore, in respect of a ditch near the highway from Shalston to Buckingham.

Alexander Denton of Cowley in Preston, esquire, in respect of Cowley Lane, which leads to Buckingham.

 

p. 14.  Order referring to the justices for the hundred of Burnham the appeal of Richard Wilbee, farmer, of the Rectory at Chalfont St. Giles, against his rates.

 

William Powell, committed for refusing to find sureties, to be discharged from gaol.

 

John Wheeler to be whipped in the gaol by [William] Benson, the gaoler, for stealing money from William Brookes.

 

p. 15.  Aston Rowant, co. Oxford, appealed against a warrant removing Richard Tripp, with his wife and four children, from Bledlow, where, they alleged, he was a copy- holder in respect of a cottage which his brother, John, had surrendered to him two years ago.  The overseers of Bledlow stated that Tripp had since mortgaged, or conditionally surrendered, the cottage to Ann Clarke, widow, the lady of the manor of Bledlow, whose main estate is in Aston Rowant. It was agreed between the parties to state a case and to submit it to the decision of Sir John Holt, Knt., Lord Chief Justice.  [See pp. 88, 118, and 164.]

 

p. 16.  Order again referring the dispute between Woofton and Loughton, concerning the conveyance of cripples, to the justices for the hundred of Newport.  [See p. 120.]

 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

Order for the discharge of John Eason of Wing, grazier, from his recognizance of £50 for the appearance of his son, John, to answer a bastardy order in respect of the child of Elizabeth Bowd.  Christopher Healy, churchwarden, and William Prentice and Richard King, overseers, certified that Eason had now indemnified the parish of Wing.

 

p. 17.  The money found in the pocket of John Wheeler on his arrest for larceny was given back in court to William Brookes of Aylesbury, yeoman, from whom it was stolen. [And see p. 14.]

 

William, son of Thomas Walter of Ilmer, gentleman, committed to gaol for refusing to find sufficient security to indemnify the parish in respect of the bastard child of Mary Levinz.

 

p. 18.  A dispute having arisen between the inhabitants of Wingrave and the inhabitants of Rowsham, a village in that parish, as to the liability of Rowsham to assist in the repair of the highways of the parish, and as “great heates and animosityes have increased in the said parish,” the parties “now resorted to this Court to quiet and settle the same.” The order of the Court was that in future three surveyors should be elected annually, two from Wingrave and one from Rowsham, who should perform all work in connection with all the highways of the parish jointly in every respect.

 

p. 19.  Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners of land in Horsendon in respect of an indictment against the parish for non-repair of highways.

 

Charles Howard (Heyward) of Aylesbury, baker, given further time in which to pay to his late apprentice, Richard Dover, the £4 which the Court ordered him to hand over when the apprenticeship was discharged at the last session.

 

The inhabitants of Little Kimble are ordered to pay

 

7

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Daniel Butler such an amount for the expenses incurred by him in connection with the birth of the bastard child of Jane Littlepage and Richard Statham as certain justices shall direct.  [See p. 89.]

 

p. 20.  John Williamson and John Phipps, surveyors of Newport Pagnell, authorized to raise a 4d. rate for the repair of the highways there, in accordance with the act of 3 and 4 William and Mary [c. 12].

 

Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners of land in Weston Turvile in respect of an indictment against the parish for non-repair of highways.

 

p. 21.  The surveyors of Weston Turvile authorized to raise a 6d. rate for the repair of the highways there, in accordance with the act.

 

Further proceedings to be taken against John Pelzer, gentleman, and Thomas English, alias English Tom, labourer, both of Wooborne.  [See pp. 74-75.]

 

p. 22.  Order allowing the appeal of Chesham against a warrant removing [blank], widow of Thomas Moreton junior, and her family from Drayton Beauchampe.

 

Order adjourning the case against Mary Bethell of Wescott in Waddesdon, widow, for not repairing part of the road to Winslow called Westcott Gapp, on the under- standing that she will produce a justices’ certificate that the work has been done, and will also proceed with the indict- ment against Sir Thomas Cobb, Bt., and the inhabitants of Westcott for not scouring the ditches at the roadside.

 

p. 23.  Order referring to the justices for the hundred of Aylesbury the appeal of the tenant of Welwick Farm against his assessment to rates in the parishes of Wendover, Stoke Mandivile, and Ellesborough.

 

Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners 

8

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

of land in Sherrington, Biddlesden, and Hillesdon, in respect of indictments against the parishes for non-repair of highways.

 

pp. 24-25.  William Oviatts and Richard Seaton, both of Barton Hartshorne, yeomen, discharged from the indict- ments against them for not repairing part of the highway from Buckingham to Bisciter, co. Oxford, at Round Hill, upon producing a justices’ certificate that the work has now been done.

 

Mary Pledwell, widow, and Thomas Edgerley, esquire, similarly discharged in respect of parts of the highway leading to Bisceter, co. Oxford, in Water Stratford and Tingewick, at a place called Pingesford.

 

p. 26.  The inhabitants of Cheddington were ordered by certain justices to obtain the title deeds of the house in which Mary Pitkin, widow, now lives, in order that it might be decided whether she was legally settled in Cheddington or in Ivinghoe.  As the inhabitants of Cheddington “have slept upon the said Order.” it is now directed, at the request of Ivinghoe, that all former orders in this case shall be discharged.

 

Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners of land in Lillingston Dayrell, Akely, and Ilmer, in respect of indictments against the parishes for non-repair of highways.

 

Confirmation of a warrant removing Sarah Littleton and her child from Penn to Amersham.

 

p. 27.  Confirmation of a warrant removing Henry Hawes and his wife from Little Missenden to Penn.

 

Order allowing the appeal of Chalgrave, co. Bedford, against a warrant removing Matthew Waters, with his wife and child, from Swanborne.

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Confirmation of a warrant removing John Heyley from Amersham to Coleshill, co. Hertford.

 

p. 28.  Upon the report of certain justices for the three hundreds of Chilterne, the inhabitants of Stoke Poges are ordered to repay Lazarus Merry, late surveyor of the liberty of Ditton in Stoke Poges, £8. 11s. spent by him upon repairs to a bridge in Ashley Lane, on the road from Colebrooke to Windsor, co. Berks.  The repairs were undertaken on the orders of [Nicholas] Salter, esquire, J.P.

 

p. 29.  Adjournment of the appeal of Edgecott against a warrant removing Joan Cherry from Quainton.  [See p. 59].

 

p. 30.  Preston Bissett discharged from an indictment for not repairing part of the highway to Buckingham, upon producing a justices’ certificate that the work has now been done.

 

Confirmation of a warrant removing Jane Page from [blank] to Little Kimble.

 

The surveyors of Little Kimble authorized to raise a 2d. rate for the repair of the highways there, in accordance with the act.

 

p. 31.  [Michael] Read, bridewell-keeper at Aylesbury, ordered to release Francis Welling, who was transferred from the bridewell at Chepping Wycombe, as no prosecutor has come forward.

 

Orders staying the proceedings against the following: Benjamin Stubble of Brill, indicted for keeping a dis- orderly alehouse; Margaret Bampton of Towersey, indicted for “continuing” a cottage; and George Hawes of Oakley, labourer, indicted for trading as a baker without due apprenticeship.

 

p. 32.  The overseers of Brill ordered to pay an allowance of 3s. a week to Elizabeth Ussill.

 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

The recognizances of the following are extended :

William Awd of Beauchampton, in respect of an indict- ment for not scouring two watercourses and a ditch.

Owners of land at Caversfield, Twiford, and Steeple Cleydon, in respect of indictments for non-repair of highways.

Catherine, Dowager Lady Wenman, of Twiford, in respect of an indictment for not repairing a footbridge.

William Chaloner, esquire, lord of the manor of Steeple Claydon, in respect of two indictments for not scouring certain watercourses.

Elizabeth Miller of Hillsden, widow, in respect of two indictments for non-repair of highways.

 

p. 33.  The overseers of Bierton ordered to pay an allowance of 2s. 6d. a week to Thomas Andrew.

 

p. 34.  Order discharging the presentment against the inhabitants of Rowsham.

 

Matthew Annesley, bridewell-keeper at Newport Pagnell, to be paid his quarter's salary of £7. 10s. by John How, the treasurer for the “lower division” of the county.

 

Adjournment of the appeal against the rates at Stoke Hamond.

 

Alexander Olliffe to be paid £2. 10s. by Daniel Giles, one of the treasurers, for maintaining Alice, daughter of Catherine Maxfield, who was born in the gaol.

 

p. 35.  “Whereas by an Act of this present Parliament, entituled ‘An Act for granting to their Majesties severall duties upon vellum parchment and paper for four yeares towards carrieing on a warr against France’” [5 and 6 Will : and Mary, c. 21], “it is required that severall processes and Copies shall be written upon paper to be stamp'd under a very great penalty on the persons who shall neglect the same, And there being some doubtfull Clauses in the said Act, of which there has not been any Resolution yett pub- lickly given, it is therefore Ordered by this Court that the 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

Copies of the severall Orders made at this present Quarter Sessions may be written upon stamp’d paper, the persons who take the benefitt of such Copies paying the Clerke of the Peace 6d. extraordinary for every Copie for the stamp’d paper whereupon the same Copie shall be soe written or bringing at their owne Charge stamp’d paper whereupon to write the same.  This Order to Continue untill there shall be some Resolutions farther to explaine the said Act of Parliament.”

Matthew Annesley, bridewell-keeper at Newport Pagnell, to be paid £2. 10s. by John How, one of the treasurers, for damage caused by “four Souldiers, who were Committed to his Custody by their Majesties Deputy Leiutenants of this County pursuant to directions in that behalf given to the said Deputy Leiutenants by the Lords of their Majesties most honorable Privy Counsell, [and] had broken his Prison for to make their Escape.”

Michael Read, bridewell-keeper at Aylesbury, to be paid 6s. 8d. by John Gibbons, one of the treasurers, for money spent upon clothes for Francis Wellin, a poor prisoner.

p. 36.  The overseers of Pittlesthorne ordered to pay an allowance of 3s. a week to Mary, wife of Thomas Barrett, whose husband has deserted her and her three children.

Order staying further proceedings against Edmund Barnes of Ivinghoe, victualler.

John Rose, bridewell-keeper at Chepping Wycombe, to be paid his quarter’s salary of £7. 10s. by John Gibbons, the treasurer for the “upper division” of the county.

p. 37. Indictments confessed and traversed.

The convictions of Richard Stevens, Ralph Roase, Francis Hensman, Edmund Martin, and John Wheeler. [See pp. 2-4.]

Edward Spicer of Chepping Wycombe, papermaker, found not guilty of rioting and breaking “a pipe or trunk

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

or sluce” belonging to George Clewer.  (From the Easter session.)

James Gould of Braddenham found not guilty of steal- ing a bag of cooper’s tools and 18s. in money from Hester Cassall, widow.  (From the Easter session.)

Hugh Lydall, baker, late constable of Great Marlow, fined 3s. 4d. for allowing the escape of William Honnor, and 13s. 4d. for refusing to whip Frances, wife of Andrew Marlow, who had been convicted of “pulling of hedges.” (From the Epiphany session.)

Daniel Kingham of Chepping Wycombe, miller, fined 3s. 4d. for “receiveing from Thomas Stevens, gentleman, a Bushell of Wheat, price 8s. 6d., to grind for him and fraudulently exchangeing the same for Meal mixt with Barley.”  (From the Epiphany session.)

 

p. 38. Recognizances extended.

William Walter of Ilmer, yeoman, in £20, with Thomas Walter and Francis Neale, both of Ilmer, yeomen, as sureties in £10 each, to keep the peace towards William Bowden.

 

p. 39. Recognizances entered into.

William Brookes of Aylesbury, yeoman, in £20, with Thomas Brookes of the same, yeoman, as surety in £10, to appear and answer.

Henry Munday of Aylesbury, innholder, in £50, with Thomas Jourdan of Aylesbury, yeoman, and John Webb of Bedgrove, yeoman, as sureties in £25 each, to appear at the Assizes and answer the charge of George Baldwin “concern- ing his drinking King James his health.”

William Horwood of Aston Clinton, farmer, in £20, to appear in respect of the bastard child of Ann Brandon.

William Taylor of Soulbury, alias Sulbury, farmer, in £40, for the appearance of Mary, his wife, and Thomas and Mary, his children.

John Major, yeoman, in £40, to appear and answer on behalf of the inhabitants of Lillingstone Dayrell.

Thomas Curle, farmer, and Edward Beckley, yeoman,

 

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both of Swanborne, Richard Deller of Bray, co. Berks, gentle- man, and John Lee of Cookeham, co. Berks, yeoman, in £40 each, to appear and answer.

 

pp. 40-41. Fines and issues.

John Perry of Guyhurst and Thomas Bowry of Newport Pagnell fined £1. 6s. 8d. each for being absent from juries.

The fines of the persons convicted on p. 37.

Tobias Churchill of Steeple Cleydon, gentleman, and John Atkinson of Chepping Wycombe, butcher, forfeit their recognizances of £10 each for non-appearance.  [Both entries deleted.]

Peregrine Ford of Cuddington, yeoman, forfeits his recognizance of £40 for non-appearance, and Alexander Duncombe of Aylesbury, his surety, forfeits £20.

 

p. 42. Recognizances discharged.

William Deane of Chepping Wycombe, farmer, Thomas Walter, gentleman, and Francis Neale, farmer, both of Ilmer, Richard Stevens, cordwainer, and Job Blake, clothier, both of Chesham, John Eason of Wing, grazier, Ralph Roase, cordwainer, Thomas Martin, draper, Francis Hensman, tailor, and Edmund Martin, tallow-chandler, all of Olney, Thomas Course senior, farmer, Thomas Course junior, mercer, and John Course, farmer, all of Sherrington, Richard Wilbee of Chalfont St. Giles, farmer, Philip Gower of Beconsfield, gentleman, Edward Spicer, paper-maker, and Richard Lansdale, farmer, both of Chepping Wycombe, Richard Deller of Bray, co. Berks, gentleman, John Lee of Shasbrooke, co. Berks, gentleman, John Winfield of Soulbury, labourer, Thomas Curle of Swanborne, yeoman, William Brookes and Robert Todd, yeomen, Henry Edmunds, baker, Henry Munday, innholder, John White, butcher, and Henry Dunmoll, sadler, all of Aylesbury, Richard Ingram of Little Kimble, labourer, John Bigg of Great Kimble, gentleman, Thomas Gibson of Little Kimble, yeoman, John Wiatt and Francis Ingleton, both of Halton, yeomen, William Horwood, farmer, Benjamin Barton, cordwainer, and Mary Cooke, widow, all of Aston Clynton, Joseph Foskett of Easton 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1694

 

Mauditt, co. Northampton, yeoman, Elizabeth Scott of Olney, spinster, and William Russell of Chepping Wycombe, paper-maker.

 

End of this session, (signed) Thomas Smith, clerk of the peace.

 

pp. 43-44.  [Blank.]

 

MICHAELMAS SESSION

AT CHEPPING WYCOMBE

4th October, 1694 [6 William and Mary]

 

p. 45. Jurors for the body of the county.

John Aldridge, gentleman, Thomas Rose senior, Joseph Goodchild, William Harding, Thomas Stevens, John Bowden, Thomas Walter junior, Samuel Bampton, Thomas Norbury and John Mason, gentlemen, William Graves, William Baldwyn, gentleman, Edward Ingram, Richard Chandler, James Buckmaster, Timothy Harding, Thomas Garroway, John Payne, William Jackman, William Edwyn, and Richard Cooke.

(signed) Johnshall Crosse, esquire, sheriff.

 

p. 46. Jurors for the following cases.

 

(1) Against the inhabitants of Lillingstone Dayrell.

(2) Against Mary, wife of William Taylor of Soulbury,Tho mas Taylor junior, yeoman, and Mary Taylor, spinster.

(3) Against Richard Deller of Bray, co. Berks, yeoman.

(4) Against John Lee of Cookeham, co. Berks, yeoman.

(5) Against Edward Beckley of Swanborne, yeoman.

For (1), (2), (3), and (5) . .  William Grace, Francis

Ingby, Jeremiah Sexton, George Stone, and William Turner.

For (1), (3), and (5) . . Samuel Blick.

For (1), (2), and (3) . . Thomas Snow.

For (2), (3), and (5) . . Thomas Butterfield, gentleman, Henry Franklyn, Henry Hoar, John Tripp, and Edward Wetherley.

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

For (2), (4), and (5) . . John Goodchild.

For (1) and (4) . . . . Thomas Barrowby, Hugh Dorrell, Jonathan Hamond, and John Plomer.

For (1)  . . . . . . Robert Chessall.

For (4)  . . . . . . Daniel Anderson, Thomas Bristow, William Brookes, William Fryer, John Major, William Nash, and Richard Willison.

 

p. 47.  John Blacknall and Thomas Alford, both of Chepping Wycombe, gentlemen, took the oaths in I William and Mary, c. I, and subscribed the declaration against transubstantiation and that in 30 Charles II, stat. 2, c. I.

 

pp. 48-50.  Indictments.

William Bennett of Waddesdon for refusing to do his statutory work on the highways.  [Fined £3, see p. 131.]

Thomas Stevens and Rebecca, his wife, William Johnson, Henry Gravestocke, Frances Kemp, spinster, and Joan Peart, spinster, all of Soulbury, for rioting and assaulting Mary, wife of William Taylor.  [Fined 3s. 4d. each.]

Hester Furmerie, widow, Sarah Davyes, widow, Mary Furmerie, spinster, Mary Grover, widow, Elizabeth, wife of John Bates, Alice, wife of Joseph Grover, and [blank] Bates, spinster, all of Barkhamsted St. Peter, co. Hertford, for breaking into the close of John Batchellor at Chesham, taking away four bushels of wheat and four bushels of barley, value £1, and assaulting Mary, his wife.

John Batchellor of Ashley Green in Chesham, yeoman, Mary, his wife, and Thomas Batchellor for assaulting Elizabeth Bates.  [John and Thomas fined 3s. 4d. each; the case against Mary adjourned.]

John Crewes of New Thame, co. Oxford, butcher, for assaulting William Towersey on the highway from Quainton to Aylesbury.  [Fined 13s. 4d.]

Thomas Alexander of Aylesbury, John Howse of Broughton in Bierton, gentleman, [Ann], his wife, and Finch, his son, John Temple of Stoke Mandivile, gentleman, and [Ann], his wife, Sir Edward Longfeeald, Bt., of Woolverton, John Tipper, gentleman, John Mabee and [Ann], his wife, Alice Joanes, Frances Carter, and Mary Goodman, widows,

 

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MICHAELMAS SESSION, 1694

 

and Dorothy, wife of Thomas Waters, all of Muresley, and [blank] Mosedell of Fulmer, widow, for absence from church.

Josias Beesouth of Datchett, James Wild of Iver, and Thomas Bourne of Bledlow, for keeping unlicensed ale- houses.

Mary Bethell of Westcott in Wadesdon, widow, for refusing to provide horses and carts for the statutory work upon the highways.  [Not guilty]

Thomas Stevens, William Johnson, Frances Kemp, spinster, and Joan Peart, spinster, for breaking into the garden of William Taylor and assaulting his daughter, Sarah. [Fined 3s. 4d. each.]

Mary Whitton, alias Pratt, of Stony Stratford, widow, for forcible entry into and detainer of the messuage of Robert Browne.  [Sent for trial: fined 6s. 8d.;  see p. 90.]

Thomas Winter of Hugenden, alias Hutchenden, con- stable of Brandsfee, for negligence in his office.

William Taylor of Soulbury and Mary, his wife, for a breach of the peace.  [Fined 3s. 4d. each.]

John Sutton of Wendover for assaulting John Aldridge. [Fined 3s. 4d.]

Thomas Clarke of Grendon Underwood and John Rogers of Quainton, yeomen, for refusing to assist in the repair of the highways at Edgecott, where they have property. [Not guilty]

 

p. 51.  Presentments of the highway surveyors.

Henry Stokes, David Norman, and Richard Bishop, all of Lillingston Dorrell, for not repairing Ten Acres Lane, which leads from Silson to Hempstead, co. Hertford.

Catherine, Dowager Viscountess Wenman, of Twyford and Alexander Denton of Hillesdon, esquire, for not repairing a footpath in Twyford, which leads from Buckingham to Oxford, and a footbridge at Cowley upon the same footpath.

 

Presentments of the constables.

The persons indicted above for absence from church, 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

and Peter and William Collingridge, both of Guyhurst, farmers, for being popish recusants.

Josiah Beesouth of Datchett for selling beer without a licence.

Richard Stanninutt and William Martyn, constables of Wooborne, and Charles Redd, constable of Cheyneys, for not bringing in their returns of quarteridge money.

 

p. 52. Petty constables and tithingmen sworn.

 

Penn . . . . Penn Street . . Tylerend Green . . Nottock Green . . Fingest . . . . Chesham Boyes . . Hulcott . . . . Wooborne . .       Sanderton . . Ludgershall . . Horsendon . .

Christopher Bovendon vice Henry Higgins. Ralph Pessy as tithingman vice Daniel Honour. William Hancock as tithingman vice William Fryer. Jepthah Horneblow as tithingman vice John Fryer. William Tyler vice William Rackley. William Searl vice John Wingfield. William Smyth vice William Bishope. William Banbury and Richard Burcott vice Andrew Lane and William Martin, and Francis Andrews and William Natt as tithingmen vice Ralph Stevens, deceased, and Richard Heddington. Henry Allen vice Thomas Jackman. Francis Sherley vice Leonard Wallington. Edward Neighbour vice Frederick Bowler.

 

Orders.

 

p. 53.  Order extending the recognizance of Lawrence Buckney of Soulbury, farmer.

 

Edward Learhead of Agmundisham, yeoman, who was indicted at the Easter Session for dismissing Mary Gates, his apprentice, and refusing to take her back into his service, is

 

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MICHAELMAS SESSION, 1694

 

now ordered to pay £3. 10s. to the parish of Agmundisham, out of the £4 paid by them when the apprentice was bound, and the apprenticeship is now discharged.

 

The recognizance of Thomas Bourne of Bledlow, victualler, to appear and answer for keeping an unlicensed alehouse, is filed with the records of the court.

 

p. 54.  Order staying further proceedings against John Noare of Ivinghoe, for refusing to pay his quarteridge money, until the matter has been investigated by certain justices.

 

Sir Thomas Cobb, Bt., of Atterbury, co. Oxford, and the inhabitants of Westcott in Waddesdon given further time to produce a certificate that their ditches have been scoured.

 

Mary Bethell of Westcott in Waddesdon, widow, discharged from the indictment against her for not repairing the highway at Westcott Gapp, upon producing a justices’ certificate that the work has now been done.

 

p. 55.  Order extending the recognizance of John Batcheller of Chesham, yeoman, for the appearance of Mary, his wife, to answer an indictment for assaulting Elizabeth Bates.

 

Richard Stanninutt and William Martin, constables of Wooborne, discharged from the presentment against them for not paying in their quarteridge money, as they have now paid in the money.

 

The inhabitants of Ilmer are discharged from the indictment against them for not repairing part of the highway from Bisciter, co. Oxford, to Chepping Wycombe, through the land of William Young, as they have produced a justices’ certificate that the work has now been done.

 

p. 56.  The overseers of Cheddington ordered to pay an allowance of 1s. 6d. a week to Mary Pitkin.  If they are

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

able to prove that the house where she lives is in fact in Ivinghoe, then the overseers of Ivinghoe shall reimburse them.

 

The inhabitants of Weston Turvile are discharged from the indictment against them for not repairing Marrow Way, part of the highway to Aylesbury, upon producing a justices' certificate that the work has now been done.

 

Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners of land in Leckhamsted in respect of an indictment against the parish for non-repair of highways.

 

p. 57.  The surveyors of Soulbury authorized to raise a 3d. rate for the repair of their highways, in accordance with the act.  The surveyors of Stoke Mandivile are similarly authorized to raise a 6d. rate.

 

p. 58.  Matthew Annesley, bridewell-keeper at Newport Pagnell, to be paid his quarter's salary by John How, one of the treasurers.

 

The order concerning Welwick Farm is extended for another session.  [See p. 23.]

 

Order “that the letter from their Majesties Commissioners of Excise be openly and publickly read and then fyled by the Clerke of the Peace with the Records of this Sessions.”

 

p. 59.  Order allowing the adjourned appeal of Edgecott against a warrant removing Joan Cherry from Quainton.

 

Writ of distringas to be issued by the sheriff against the inhabitants of Horsenden, in respect of an indictment for not repairing part of the highway from Bisceter, co. Oxford, to Chepping Wycombe.  The issue of the writ had been postponed from time to time on various pretexts, but the Court had come to the conclusion that the inhabitants of Horsenden had “trifled” with them.

 

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MICHAELMAS SESSION, 1694

 

Order adjourning further proceedings in the indictments against the inhabitants of Akely and Padbury for non- repair of their highways.

 

p. 60.  Order extending the recognizances of Richard Seaton of Barton Hartshorne, yeoman, in respect of an indictment for non-repair of a highway.

 

Catherine, Dowager Lady Wenman, who stands indicted with Alexander Denton of Hillersdon, esquire, for not repairing a bridge on the highway from Twyford to Buckingham, expressed through her counsel her willingness to perform the work, but stated that she could not do so without Mr. Denton’s help.  She asked that further action on the indictment might be postponed until Mr. Denton could be “prevailed upon to concurr with her,” to which course the Court agreed.

 

The surveyors of Chepping Wycombe Forrens authorized to raise a 6d.  rate for the repair of the highways there.

 

p. 61.  The overseers of Penn ordered to pay an allowance of 2s. a week to John Fryer, an old man of 80 years.

 

Order cancelling the forfeiture of the recognizance of John Atkinson of Chepping Wycombe, butcher, for non- appearance, and extending it until next session.

 

p. 62.  Order cancelling a previous order of court that Thomas Styles senior should pay an annuity of £10 to his son Thomas of West Wycombe, and directing that in future the father should allow his son 2s. 6d. a week, “by reason of his lameness.”

 

[William] Benson, the gaoler, to be repaid £3. 2s. 6d., spent by him on “provideing a Waggon and Horses and a Guard of severall Persons armed to Convey severall Prisoners from the said Goal to the last Assizes held at Buckingham.”

 

p. 63.  Alexander Olliffe to be paid £1. 10s. by Daniel,Gyles, 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

one of the treasurers, for maintaining Alice, daughter of Catherine Maxfield, who was born in the gaol.

 

The overseers of Swanborne ordered to pay an allowance of 2s. a week to Matthew Waters.

 

The inhabitants of Biddlesden discharged from an indictment for not repairing Bakers Bridge, on the Bucking- ham road, on their producing a justices’ certificate that the work has now been done.  The inhabitants of Hillsden similarly discharged from an indictment for not repairing King’s Bridge, on the Buckingham road.

 

p. 64.  Order referring to the justices for the three hundreds of Chilterne the complaint of Mr. Charles Harris “that their Majesties Officers of the Excise for this County doe require of him and other persons in this County who doe make Sydar and Sell it by the great to pay the duty of Excise for the same whereas by Law the Retayler is only Chargeable with the said Duty, and that the said Officers doe take upon them under Colour of Secureing the said Dutyes to dis- courage and interrupt the Sale of such Sydar to the great Damage of the makers thereof.”

 

p. 65.  Order extending the recognizance of Tobias Churchill of Steeple Cleydon, gentleman.

 

Thomas Barnewell, the deputy sheriff, to be paid £6. 13s. 4d. by Daniel Gyles, the treasurer for the “lower division,” for money spent on County business.

 

The clerk of the peace to be paid 9s. 6d. by John Gibbons, one of the treasurers, “for a large Paper Booke prepared for to enter the Process and Orders of this Court.”

 

pp. 66-72.  The inhabitants of Lillingstone Dayrell dis- charged from an indictment against them for not repairing part of the highway from Akely to Torcester, co. Northampton, upon their producing a justices’ certificate.

 

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MICHAELMAS SESSION, 1694

 

William Awd of Beachampton, yeoman, similarly discharged for not scouring certain watercourses on his land and a ditch near the house of John Turner, on the road from Nash to Stony Stratford.

Caversfield similarly discharged in respect of part of the highway from Frankford, co. Oxford, to Bisceter, co. Oxford.

Twyford and Cowley similarly discharged in respect of certain watercourses between the two parishes.

William Chaloner, lord of the manor of Steeple Claydon, similarly discharged in respect of a watercourse by Wood Lane, which leads from Gritmore to Brackley, co. Northampton, in the parishes of Steeple Claydon and Charndon.

Elizabeth Miller of Hillsden, widow, similarly discharged in respect of part of the highway to Buckingham and in respect of part of Thomas Parratt’s Lane, which leads from Banbury, co. Oxford, to Aylesbury.

Thornborough similarly discharged in respect of Long Bridge, on the Winslow road.

Preston Bissett similarly discharged in respect of part of the lane there to the common.

The executors of George Grinville, esquire, similarly discharged in respect of certain trees which obstructed the highway from Foskett to Stony Stratford.

 

p. 73.  John Rose, bridwell-keeper at Chepping Wycomb, to be paid his quarter’s salary of £7. 10s. by John Gibbons, one of the treasurers of the “upper division.”

 

pp. 74-75.  Indictments confessed and traversed.

The convictions of the following: John and Thomas Batchellor and John Crewes [See pp. 48-50] Richard Deller, John Lee, Thomas Curle, Roger Ewer, and John Rogers. [See pp. 2-4.]

Edward Leered of Agmundisham, yeoman, fined 3s. 4d. for refusing to take back Mary Gates, his apprentice, whom he had discharged.  (From the Easter session.)

The inhabitants of Lillingstone Dorrell, for whom John Major, yeoman, appeared, were found not guilty of not 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

repairing part of the highway to Chapple Green.  (From the Easter session.)

Mary, wife of William Tayler, Thomas Tayler junior, and Mary Tayler, spinster, all of Soulbury, found not guilty of assaulting William Newland junior, “a speciall Bayliffe,” and “rescueing” a cow from his custody.  (From the Epiphany session.)

Edward Beckley of Swanborne, yeoman, fined 6s. 8d. for taking away “a weather Tegg sheep seized by the Lords of the Mannor . . . as an Estrey.” (From the Epiphany session.)

John Pelzer of Wooborne, gentleman, and Thomas English, alias English Tom, fined 3s. 4d. each, for breaking a sluice belonging to George Clewer of Chepping Wycombe. (From the Easter session.)

John Bigg and Richard Rutt, both of Chepping Wycombe, gentlemen, fined 3s. 4d. each for diverting a watercourse.  (From the Easter session.)

 

p. 76.  Recognizances extended.

Lawrence Buckney of Soulbury, farmer, in £10 to answer for an assault.

John Inwood of Stewkly, yeoman, in £20, with Thomas Bull of Stewkley and William Newland of Wing, yeoman, in £10 each, for Jane, wife of John Inwood, to keep the peace towards Jane, wife of John Bull.

Thomas Bourne of Bledlow, victualler, in £20, with Joseph Newell of Princes Risborow, yeoman, as surety in £10, “not to keep an alehouse.”

John Batchellor of Chesham and William Grove of Beconsfield, cordwainer, in £10 each for the appearance of Mary, wife of the above John.

John Atkinson of Chepping Wycomb, butcher, in £10 for his good behaviour.

Tobias Churchill of Steeple Claydon, gentleman, in £10 to appear and answer for refusing to pay his servant, Peter Cleaver.

Ann Warner of Aylesbury, spinster, in £10, with Thomas Kempster and Thomas Toms, both of Aylesbury, victuallers, 

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MICHAELMAS SESSION, 1694

 

as sureties in £10 each, for her to appear and prosecute Alice White and Elizabeth Jessop.

 

p. 77.  Recognizances entered into.

The following in £10 each to appear and answer— Joseph Gate of Chesham, turner, on two counts, Thomas Stevens of Soulbury, maltster, on two counts, Thomas Bigg of Fulmer and Silvester Lane of Dinton, victuallers, John Sutton of Wendover and John Butler of Eaton, labourers, and Mary Whitton, alias Pratt, of Stony Stratford, widow.

William Taylor senior of Soulbury, labourer, in £10 for the appearance of Mary, his wife.

Thomas Stevens of Soulbury, yeoman, in £10 to keep the peace towards Mary Taylor.

 

pp. 78-79. Fines and issues.

The fines of the persons convicted on pp. 74-75.

 

p. 80. Recognizances discharged.

William Walter, Thomas Walter, and Francis Neal, all of Ilmer, yeomen, William Brookes and Thomas Brookes, both of Aylesbury, yeomen, William Horwood of Aston Clynton, Thomas Curle of Swanborne, and William Taylor of Soulbury, alias Sulbury, farmers, John Major of Lilling- stone Dorrell and Edward Beckley of Swanburne, yeomen, Richard Deller of Bray, co. Berks, gentleman, John Lee of Cookeham, co. Berks, yeoman, Ann Waters, spinster, and Francis Williams, innholder, both of Lowdwater in Chepping Wycomb, Joan Samms of Chepping Wycomb, Ann, wife of Ephraim Munck, and Edward Wetherley, labourer, both of Chalfont St. Peters, Thomas Batchellor of Chesham, labourer, William Grove of Beconsfield, cordwainer, John Batchellor of Chesham, labourer, Francis Lane, bargemaster, Thomas Butterfield, gentleman, and Francis Andrews, bargeman, all of Wooborne, Eleanor, wife of [blank] Squire, Philip Butter- field, weaver, and Peter Horton, chapman, all of Iver, Edward Leerwood of Amersham, labourer, John Putnam, Thomas Hall, draper, and Richard Davy, yeoman, all of Chesham, Thomas Simmonds, maltster, William Simmonds, 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

periwig - maker, Matthew Dagnal, bookseller, Nathaniel Netmaker, gentleman, Henry Bass senior, yeoman, Henry Goodson, collar-maker, Alice, wife of [blank] White, Elizabeth Jessop, Thomas Toms, victualler, and Alexander North, barber, all of Aylesbury, Bernard Buckney, John Wingfield, Henry Stevens, and Thomas Stevens, all of Soulbury, farmers, Elizabeth, wife of George Webb, James Duglas, cordwainer, and Samuel Phillipps, bargeman, all of Great Marlow, Ann Grinnett, William Carter, farmer, and Henry Ridley, victualler, all of Little Marlow, John Wade of Great Marlow, yeoman, and Geoffrey, his son, William Tayler junior and Thomas Goss, both of Soulbury, yeomen, William Hawtin, alias Harting, of Wendover Forrens, yeoman, James Price, miller, Henry Johnson, yeoman, Thomas Price, joiner, John Sutton, collar-maker, Ralph Grace, victualler, and William Pawley, blacksmith, all of Wendover, Samuel Bampton of Pollicott, yeoman, Richard Silbey, labourer, and Hannah Silbey, spinster, both of Wooborne, John Bates, labourer, and Hester Farmerie, spinster, both of Berkhamsted St. Peter, co. Hertford, Robert Browne of Yardley, co. Northampton, Frances Westley of Little Marlow, Jeremiah Goodchild of Great Marlow, meal man, and John Aldridge of Wendover, maltster.

 

End of this session, (signed) Thomas Smith, clerk of the peace.

 

 

pp. 81-82.  [Blank.]

 

EPIPHANY SESSION AT AYLESBURY

17th January, 1694-95 [6 William III]

 

p. 83.  Jurors for the body of the county.

Nathaniel Birch, gentleman, Thomas Brookes, Michael Welles, Richard Madge, James Reynolds, John Bennett, John Perkins, Henry Markham, Thomas Tarbox, Bernard Collins, John Webb, Jonas Harding, John Jemmitt, Thomas 

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EPIPHANY SESSION, 1694-95

 

Holland, Henry Lee, Matthew Chater, Isaac Henley, John Phillips, Thomas Hale, Daniel Rubert, and William Haines.

(signed) Johnshall Crosse, esquire, sheriff.

 

Jurors for the cases against John Butler and Mary Whitton, alias Pratt.

Joseph Bampton, John Jorden, Thomas Ray, William Burt, Richard Towersey, John Rider, John Tomson, William Tomson, William Deverell, Thomas Sills, Joseph Turpin, and Samuel Gurney for the first case, and Richard Horwood for the second.

(signed) Johnshall Crosse, esquire, sheriff.

 

p. 84.  William Gilmore of Great Missenden, gentleman, took the oaths contained in I William and Mary, c. I, and subscribed the declaration against transubstantiation and that contained in 30 Charles II, stat 2, c. I.

 

p. 85.  Indictments.

John Stapp, victualler, and William Gibbs, butcher, both of Fenny Stratford, for assaulting Nicholas Lucas. [Fined 5s. each.]

Edward Smith, constable of Weston Underwood, for allowing the escape of George King, Thomas Cooper, and Joseph Hopcroft, whom he had arrested on a warrant for stealing deer from the Chase of George, Earl of Northampton. [Fined 3s. 4d.]

Henry Newcombe, constable of Ravenstone, for similarly allowing the escape of William Clarke, Thomas Crosse, and Richard Payne, arrested for the same offence.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

Josias Beesouth of Datchett, labourer, for keeping an unlicensed alehouse.  [Discharged.]

 

Presentment of the grand jury.

The inhabitants of Weston Turvile for not repairing a footpath at a place called Vaches, between Vache Brook and Bedgrove Field, on the road between Aston Clynton and Aylesbury.

 

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p. 86. Presentments of the constables.

Silvester Lane of Dinton, labourer, for keeping an unlicensed alehouse.

Thomas Winter, constable of Brandsfee, for not bring- ing in his presentments, to John Hill, chief constable.

Sir Edward Longvile of Wolverton, Peter Collingridge and William Collingridge, both of Guyhurst, labourers, John Tipper, gentleman, John Maybee, labourer, and [Ann], his wife, Mary Goodman, Alice Joanes, and Frances Carter, widows, and Dorothy, wife of Thomas Waters, all of Muresly, and Mrs. [Blank] Mosdale of Fulmer, for recusancy.

Robert Adams, gentleman, and Josiah Askew, lords of the manor of Swanborne, for not having a constable. [Quashed, see p. 96.]

Thomas Haynes of Brill, labourer, for selling beer without a licence.

John Tomson of Eaton, labourer, for poaching.

 

Petty constables and tithingmen sworn.

Boveney in . . John Batting vice John Arden, and

Burnham William Butler as tithingman vice Henry Tucker.

Broughton . . . . John Kent vice William How.

Buckland . . . . Thomas Wright vice Henry Brandon.

Foard in Dinton . . John Dover vice Richard Parker.

Wingrave . . . . John Wheeler vice Richard Harley.

Wing . . . . Robert Fincher and John Munday vice Thomas Leech and Daniel Perrott.

Crafton in Wing . . Richard Keen vice William Grant.

Stoke Mandivile . . Samuel Brown and Henry Harding vice Richard Brown and Thomas Harris.

 

Orders.

p. 87.  Order extending the recognizance of Richard Gosnold, gentleman.

 

Sir Thomas Cobb, Bt., discharged from an indictment for not scouring certain ditches, upon producing a justices’ certificate.  [See p.  4.]

 

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EPIPHANY SESSION, 1694-95

 

Ann Warner, Thomas Kempster, and Thomas Toms discharged from their recognizances to appear and prosecute Alice White and Elizabeth Jessopp.

 

Order suppressing the alehouse of John Norris of Edgecott, upon his conviction for keeping a disorderly house and entertaining vagabonds.

 

p. 88.  Order allowing the appeal of Aston Rowant, co. Oxford, against a warrant removing Richard Tripp and his family from Bledlow.  The decision of this case had been referred to the Lord Chief Justice.  [See pp. 15, 118, and 164.]

 

Order allowing the appeal of Great Horwood against a justices’ order directing them to pay an allowance of 3s. a week to Mary, wife of William Francklyn.

 

p. 89.  The case of the expenses of Daniel Butler is referred to certain other justices, as those appointed have been unable to act.  [See p. 19.]

 

The inhabitants of the Forrens of Chepping Wycombe appealed to the Court for a ruling as to whether it was legally possible to apply for a removal order in the following case.  Richard Robins, “a Preacher or Teacher of a Congregation that deny infant Baptism within the said Forrens, had under pretence of his hireing a dwelling house and meeting house at great rents, amounting together to above tenn pounds per annum, endeavoured to settle himself and his family there as Inhabitants, and the said Mr. Robins insisting that these rents qualified him so to bee, notwith- standing severall of his Auditors were supposed to have engaged for the payment of the said rents.”  The Court held that such a tenure did not qualify Mr. Robins as an inhabitant.

 

p. 90.  John Tokefield, surety for the appearance of Samuel Bunce of Chesham, yeoman, who has defaulted, appealed for an extension of the recognizance until next session, promising that “in the mean tyme hee would endeavour to apprehend” Bunce.  The request was granted.

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Further adjournment of the dispute between Woofton and Loughton.  [See pp. 16 and 120.]

 

Postponement of further action on the indictment against the inhabitants of Westcott in Waddesden.  [See p. 4.]

 

Mary Whitton, alias Pratt, of Stony Stratford com- mitted to gaol until she pays her fine of 6s. 8d. [See p. 49.]

 

p. 91.  Adjournment of the appeal of Medmenham against a warrant settling Elizabeth Ginger there.

Padbury discharged from three indictments for non- repair of highways, upon producing justices’ certificates that the work had been done.  The first was in respect of part of the road to Winslow, the second in respect of part of the road to Buckingham, between White Bridge and Great Bridge, and the third in respect of a watercourse called Sticked Ford.

 

p. 92.  Order confirming a warrant removing John Truelove junior from Soulbury to Layghton Buzard, co. Bedford.

 

Order that the jury which tried the case against John Butler shall attend again in the afternoon.

 

Order referring to the justices for the three hundreds of Aylesbury the appeal of Joseph Pedder against the rates at Great Missenden.

 

p. 93.  Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners of land at Akely in respect of an indictment against the parish for non-repair of highways.

 

Order allowing the appeal of Agmundisham, alias Amersham, against a warrant removing Adam Howard and his three children from Penn.

 

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EPIPHANY SESSION, 1694-95

 

Adjournment of the appeal of West Wycombe against a warrant removing Thomas Cawdle from Sanderton.

 

Order dismissing the appeal of Tyngewick against a warrant removing John Mynn from Westbury.

 

p. 94.  Orders extending the recognizances of Joseph Gates of Chesham, and Thomas Bigg of Fulmer and Silvester Lane of Dinton, victuallers.

 

Thomas Stevens of Soulbury, yeoman, given leave to withdraw his pleas of not guilty to two indictments against him.  Similar orders in the cases of William Taylor senior of Soulbury, labourer, and Mary, his wife, and John Sutton of Wendover, labourer.

 

p. 95.  Order referring to the justices for the three hundreds of Aylesbury the appeal of Gresham Hakewill, gentleman, against his assessment to the rate for the repair of the highways at Weston Turvile.

 

Orders adjourning further process against Thomas Borne of Bledlow, victualler, on two indictments, and against Thomas Clarke of Grendon Underwood, yeoman, and William Bennett of Waddesden on one indictment each.

 

Orders extending the recognizances of Lawrence Buckney of Soulbury, farmer, John Batchellor of Chesham, yeoman, and Mary, his wife, John Atkinson of Chepping Wycombe, butcher, and Tobias Churchill of Steeple Cleydon, gentleman.

 

p. 96.  Order quashing the presentment of Edward Beckley and Thomas Curle, constables of Swanburne, against Robert Adams and Josiah Askew, gentlemen, lords of the manor of Swanburne, for not having a constable, “the said Default of the Lords being not presentable by the Petty Constables.”

 

Order postponing the imposition of fines upon owners of land in Leckhamsted in respect of an indictment against the parish for non-repair of highways.

 

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Adjournment of the appeal of Drayton Beauchampe against a warrant settling Elizabeth Barker there.

 

Matthew Annesley, bridewell-keeper at Newport Pagnell, to be paid his quarter’s salary of £7. 10s. by John How, treasurer for the “lower division.”

 

Order adjourning further process against Richard Seaton of Barton Hartshome, yeoman, in respect of an indictment for non-repair of a highway.

 

p. 97.  Order allowing the appeal of Lurgarshall against a warrant removing Peter Tyler, labourer, from Wooton Underwood.

 

Order confirming a warrant removing Joyce Mountagu, spinster, from Aston Clynton to Wigginton, co. Hertford.

 

p. 98.  Adjournment of the case against Weston Turvile. [See p. 85.]

 

Adjournment of the case against John Webb of Leckhamsted for not repairing a lane between Akely and Stony Stratford.

 

Daniel Gyles, the treasurer for the “lower division,” ordered to pay an allowance of £1. 5s. a quarter to Rose Roberts of Oldwick, widow, “in regard of her great age and infirmityes . . . confirmed . . . by the Certificate of Mr. John Pilkington, Viccar of Swanburne.”

 

p. 99.  William Benson, the gaoler, petitioned the Court that he was “not able to hold and bear the said place of Goaler without some allowance or yearly Pension” in view of the fact that he had been obliged to strengthen the gaol in several places “by reason of severall rude and disorderly persons now and lately in his Custody,” and of the fact that “hee hath now in his Custody Eleaven Poor Prisoners altogether unable to pay or satisfy him for their Dyett and Lodging.”  He was allowed £6. 5s. towards the cost of the 

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EPIPHANY SESSION, 1694-95

 

repairs and was permitted to make a further application for a yearly salary.

 

The overseers of Walton ordered to pay an allowance of 1s. 6d. a week to Thomas Reed.

 

Alexander Olliff to be paid £1. 17s. 6d. for one quarter’s maintenance of Alice, daughter of Catherine Maxfield, who was born in the gaol.

 

p. 100.  The overseers of Wendover ordered to pay an allow- ance of 3s. a week to Amy, wife of Gabriel Prentice, for the support of herself and her four children while her husband is in gaol.  [See p. 123.]

 

Order reducing the fine to be imposed for non-attendance on the grand jury to four nobles [i.e. £1. 6s. 8d.].

 

Thomas Barnewell, the deputy sheriff, to be paid £5 for County business.

 

John Rose, bridewell-keeper at Chepping Wycombe, to be paid his quarter’s salary of £7. 10s. by John Gibbons, the treasurer for the “upper division.”

 

pp. 101-102. Indictments confessed and traversed.

The convictions of the following: John Stapp, William Gibbs, Henry Newcombe, and Edward Smith [see p. 85], Mary Whitton, alias Pratt, Thomas Stevens (on two charges) and Rebecca, his wife, William Johnson (on two charges), Henry Gravestock, Joan Peart (on two charges), William Taylor and Mary, his wife, and John Sutton [see pp. 48-50]. John Norris [see pp. 2-4], Samuel Veary [see p. 5], and John Butler of Eaton, labourer, who was found not guilty of diverting a watercourse near the highway from New Windsor to Colebrooke [indicted at the last Easter Session].

 

p. 103. Recognizances extended.

Richard Gosnold of Woborne in £10, with Charles Blewett of Great Marlow, barber-surgeon, and William

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Paltock of Chepping Wycombe, miller, as sureties in £10 each, to keep the peace towards Mary, wife of Francis Spire.

Samuel Bunce of Chesham, yeoman, in £20, with John Tokefield of Chesham, yeoman, as surety in £10, to keep the peace.

The recognizances of Joseph Gate, Thomas Bigg, and Silvester Lane, given above on p. 77.

The recognizances of Lawrence Buckney, John Batchellor, John Atkinson, Tobias Churchill, and Thomas Bourne, given above on p. 76.

 

p. 104. Recognizances entered into.

Richard Saunders, Francis Goodchild, and John Goodchild, all of Princes Risborow, and William Blackwell of Great Kimble, yeomen, in £40 each, to appear and answer.

Frederick Bowler of Princes Risborow, yeoman, in £80 to appear and answer two indictments on behalf of the inhabitants of Horsenden.

William Nash of Beconsfield, farmer, in £40 to appear and answer.

William Adams of Quarindon, labourer, in £40, with Richard Briars of Waddesdon and Henry Warner of Quarindon, yeomen, as sureties in £20 each, for his appear- ance in respect of the bastard child of Mary Pilgrim.

Charles Heyward of Aylesbury, baker, in £20, with Henry Clarke, cordwainer, and Thomas Woodward, victualler, both of Aylesbury, as sureties in £10 each, for his appearance to answer a charge of contempt of court.

 

pp. 105-106. Fines and issues.

William Carter of Great Kimbell fined £1. 6s. 8d. for non-attendance on a jury.

The fines of the persons convicted on pp. 101-102.

 

p. 107. Recognizances discharged.

John Innwood and Thomas Bull, both of Stewkly, yeomen, William Newland of Wing, yeoman, Ann Warner, spinster, and Thomas Kempster and Thomas Toms, vic- tuallers, all of Aylesbury, Thomas Stevens, brewer, and 

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EPIPHANY SESSION, 1694-95

 

William Taylor, labourer, both of Soulbury, John Sutton of Wendover, labourer, Edward Smith of Weston Underwood, carpenter, Matthew Chater of Olney, butcher, Henry Newcombe of Ravenstone, labourer, Henry Andrew of Olney, maltster, John Robinson of Sherington, labourer, Thomas Robinson of Brayfield - on - the - Green, co. Northampton, labourer, Nathaniel Aston and George Foster, both of Bletchley, William Joanes of Simpson, baker, Thomas Burges of Bletchley, farmer, Henry Willmott, butcher, and Thomas Hawkes and John Bentley, labourers, all of Brill, Luke Randell of Oakly, labourer, John Badger and Thomas Pawling, both of Shabington, yeoman, William Yerwood, labourer, and William Miller, stone-mason, both of Preston, William Adams of Quarindon, labourer, Richard Briars of Waddesdon, yeoman, Henry Warner of Quarindon, yeoman, Thomas Layton, labourer, William Brookes, yeoman, Richard Hoare, cordwainer, James Philipps, labourer, John Mayden, butcher, Thomas Francklyn, yeoman, William Cocks, labourer, Thomas Kingham, cordwainer, Richard Saunders, bricklayer, Geoffrey Miles, labourer, William Healey, brick- layer, and John Hawkes, tailor, all of Aylesbury, Mary Forster, spinster, and John Forster and William Browne, yeomen, all of Weston Turvile, Nicholas Lucas of Simpson, yeoman, and Thomas Harris, bricklayer, and Richard Kempster, yeoman, both of Aylesbury.

 

End of this session, (signed) Thomas Smith, clerk of the peace.

 

p. 108. [Blank.]

 

EASTER SESSION

AT AYLESBURY

4th April, 1695 [7 William III]

 

p. 109. Jurors for the body of the county.

Thomas Lake, gentleman, Thomas Piddington, Francis Horton, Ephraim Holt, gentleman, William Rice junior, John Phillips, gentleman, Henry Cooper, Thomas King, Christopher Payne, William Gaffield, John Keene, John 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Bradbury, Francis Putnam, John Turner, Robert Skevington, gentleman, Hawthorn Charge, and William Tapp.

(signed) Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff.

 

Jurors for the cases against William Nash, William Blackwell, Francis and John Goodchild, Richard Saunders, and the in- habitants of Horsenden.

Joseph Bampton, John Jordan, gentleman, Thomas Barnaby, Thomas Brookes, Peter Goldsworth, John Goldsworth, Thomas Ray, Thomas Bampton, Richard Harvey, Samuel Gurney, gentleman, Thomas Noare, and Henry Webb.

(signed) Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff.

 

p. 110.  Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff, Thomas Barnewell of Aylesbury, gentleman, deputy sheriff, and George Clewer of Chepping Wycombe, took the oaths contained in I William and Mary, c. I, and subscribed the declaration against transubstantiation and that contained in 30 Charles II, stat. 2, c. I.

 

P. 111. Indictments.

Thomas Clements of Beconsfield, victualler, for stealing a cock and seven hens, value 5s. from William Adams. [Fined 3s. 4d.]

Sir Edward Longvile, Bt., of Wolverton, Peter and William Collingridge, both of Guyhurst, labourers, John Tipper, gentleman, John Maybee, labourer, and [Ann], his wife, Mary Goodman, Alice Joanes, and Frances Carter, widow, and Dorothy, wife of Thomas Waters, all of Muresly, and [blank] Mosedale of Fulmer, for recusancy.

Silvester Lane of Dinton and Thomas Haynes of Brill, labourers, for keeping unlicensed alehouses.

The inhabitants of Westcott in Waddesdon for not repairing part of the highway to Winslow at Westcott Gapp.

Edward Beckley and Thomas Curle, yeomen, constables of Swanburne, for negligence in keeping watch.

George Thorpe of Walton in Aylesbury, yeoman, for assaulting William Brookes.

 

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EASTER SESSION, 1695

 

p. 112. Presentments of the grand jury.

Thomas Alexander of Aylesbury, pewterer, John Hows of Bierton, gentleman, [Ann], his wife, and Finch, his son, [John] Temple of Stoke Mandevile, gentleman, and [Ann], his wife, and Sir Robert Throgmorton, Bt., John West, James Sturdy, [blank] Sturdy, widow, John Fisher, and [blank] Rooke, gentleman, all of Weston Underwood, for absence from church.

 

Presentments of the constables.

The first six persons presented above for absence from church, and the persons indicted above for recusancy, all for recusancy.

Silvester Lane of Dinton, Francis London of Cublington, and James Wild of Iver, for selling beer without a licence.

Edward Fastnidge of Princes Risborow for building a cottage at Speen without assigning four acres of land, and William Lane of the same for building a cottage on the Green “to the straightning of the Highway.”

 

p. 113.  Chief constables sworn.

Aylesbury . . . . Thomas Bampton of Aston Clynton and John Darvall of Princes Risborough, gentlemen, vice John Hill and Henry Mead, gentlemen.

Newport . . . . John Matthew of Newport Pagnell and George Dudley of Great Wollston, gentlemen, vice Philip Freeman and Thomas Lane, gentlemen.

Buckingham . . John Warr junior of Hillsdon and John Taylor of Leckhamsted, gentlemen, vice Richard Waddupp and Robert Tayler, gentlemen.

Cotteslow . . . . Thomas Harris of Soulbury and Joseph Gurney of Linslade, gentlemen, vice John Grace and Thomas Wooster, gentlemen.

Ashenden . . . . Thomas Millward of Bottle Claydon and William Tipping of Wornall,

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

gentleman, vice William Bennett and Henry Cox, gentlemen.

Stoke . . . . John Nicholas of Denham and Thomas Raynor of Horton, gentlemen, vice Henry Stanley and William Style, gentlemen.

Desborough . . Henry Francklin of Little Marlow and Daniel Kingham of Chepping Wycomb, gentlemen, vice David Jones and William Sparkes, gentle- men.

Burnham . . . . John Lee of Beconsfield and James Norwood of Amersham, gentlemen, vice Robert Aldridge and Richard Grimsdale, gentlemen.

 

p. 114.  Treasurers sworn.

For the King’s Bench and   Marshalsea   William Johnson of Ivinghoe-Aston and  John Ferrers of Fingest, gentlemen,  vice John Howe and John Gibbons,   gentlemen.

For the maimed soldiers   Thomas Kidgell of Northall, gentleman,  vice Daniel Gyles; and John Bigg, gentlemen, continued in office.

 

pp. 115—117.  Petty constables and tithingmen sworn.

Aylesbury hundred—

Aylesbury . . . . Robert Todd and Thomas Ball vice Richard Defrane and William Edmunds.

Great Kimbell . . Edward Smith and John West vice Joseph Goodchild and William Carter.

Little Kimbell . . William Warden vice Richard Ingram.

Great Missenden . . John Bennett vice Nathaniel Child.

Little Missenden . . Thomas Axdell junior vice William Anthony, and Thomas Woster as tithingman vice Tobias Bowler.

Princes Risborow . . Thomas Bowler junior, tailor, vice Ralph Dennis.

 

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EASTER SESSION, 1695

 

Monks Risborow . . William Brookes and Richard Beddall vice Thomas Stevenson and William Monke.

Ellesborough . . John Prince and William Allen vice Joseph Smith and William Eldridge.

Walton . . . . Thomas Stocken and John Cutler vice Thomas Dearing and Robert Gascoigne.

Halton . . . . John Tomson vice Joseph Brill.

Broughton . . . . Robert Dover vice William Johnson.

Bearton . . . . Thomas Munck vice John Stratford.

Bledlow . . . . Edward Sale vice Robert Deane.

Bledlow Ridge . . Ambrose Newell vice William Butler.

Brands Fee . . Thomas Morton junior vice Thomas Winter, and Nathaniel Dean as tithingman vice Henry Moreton.

Cuddington . . John Cox senior vice John Norris.

Loosly Row . . Stephen Hawes as tithingman vice John Mead.

Newport hundred—

Clifton Reynes . . Thomas Stubbs vice James Laughton.

Astwood . . . . Richard Rowton vice Richard Brincklow.

North Crawly . . John Darlin and William Welles vice Thomas Nash and William Bitchenall.

Little Crawly . . John Glidewell vice John Bunker.

Sherrington . . John Rogers and Anthony Lighting vice Thomas Lucas and Samuel Cunningham.

Stony Stratford, West Side William Browne, cordwainer, vice John Clarke.

Stony Stratford, East Side  Anthony Forfitt vice Arthur Dennis.

Great Wolston . . William Brick vice Richard Dudley.

Bow Brickhill . . Richard White vice Thomas Welles.

Eaton . . . . William King vice Thomas Smart.

Little Wolston . . William Edmunds vice William Burgess.

Simpson . . . . John Goodman vice Nicholas Lucas.

Calverton . . . . William Booten vice Richard Garlick.

Woughton . . John Smith vice John Craper.

 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Stoke Hamond . . John Cock and William Bishopp vice Peter Woodward and John Horne.

Weston Underwood William Brice vice Edward Smith.

Hanslopp . . . . William Garrett vice William Slatyer.

Loughton . . . . John Furnis vice Withers Nicholls.

Blechley . . . . John Phillips vice William Daniell.

Cold Brafield . . John Keep vice William Bird.

Buckingham hundred—

Hillesden . . . . Thomas Hunt vice George Staley.

Steeple Claydon . . Edward Ingram vice Thomas King.

Cotteslow hundred—

Hogson . . . . Edward Turnham senior vice William Turnham.

Mentmore . . . . Richard Collett and Solomon Heddy vice John Saunders and Thomas Roberts.

Linslad . . . . John Gurney vice John Hickman.

Stewkly . . . . Thomas Bull vice Henry Sheppard.

Wingrave . . . . Henry Adkins vice Matthew King.

Edlesborough . . Daniel Cooke and William Tilcock vice Richard Bruges and Edward Stanebridge.

Soulbury . . . . John Tayler vice Richard Grombe.

Slapton . . . . Thomas Batte vice James Turney.

Draighton Parslow Robert Inward and Richard Chandler senior vice William Peare and Richard Chandler junior.

Dunton . . . . Samuel Fryer vice Thomas Steward.

Muresly . . . . George Bayly and John Hall vice Henry Pitkin and Thomas Stevens.

Whitchurch . . George Whitmill and John Howes vice John Harris and Richard Grace.

Swanburne  . . John Carter and Edward Bond vice Thomas Curle and Edward Beckly.

Weedon . .  . . Thomas Parratt vice Henry Moores.

Hardwick . . . . Michael Seamans vice Hugh Miller.

Cublington . . James Lucas and Francis London vice Richard Keanes and John Billington.

Ashendon hundred—

North Marston . . James Foster and Thomas Reeve vice Ralph Stevens and John Lucas.

 

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EASTER SESSION, 1695

 

Quainton . . . . Joseph Crooke vice John Hughes.

Studley . . . . Richard Coates vice Lawrence King.

Wornall . . . . Richard Stevens vice Thomas Smith.

Westcott . . . . John Beck vice John Fellow.

Waddesdon . . Michael Batterson senior and Thomas Allen vice Nathaniel Piddington and William Mayne.

Chilton . . . . Robert Green vice Richard Morton.

Wooton Underwood William Richardson and Edward Pitham vice Richard Howes and Henry Barbor.

Kingsey . . . . Thomas Birch vice Thomas Cripps.

Hogshaw . . . . Christopher Dimock vice Joseph Stevens.

Stoke hundred—

Eaton . . . . John Cooper and Henry Chilton vice John Gouldhock and William Gold- hawke.

The Gildables . . Thomas Barnsby vice Henry Saxton, and William Field and John Piper as tithingmen vice Francis Oakley and John Marcham.

Denham .   . . Thomas Jennings and John Turner vice John Gardner and [Robert] Tyler.

Horton . . . . Samuel Bowry vice Matthew Hemperby.

Colebrooke in Thomas Biddill vice Isaac Redford.

Horton

Desborough hundred—

Little Marlow . . John Wild vice William Carter, and William Draper senior as tithingman vice Robert Moody.

Radnedge . . . Daniel Chapman vice John Smith junior.

Bradenham . . Thomas Sharpe vice Thomas English.

West Wycombe Robert Hobbs vice Thomas Russell.

Town

West Wycombe Thomas Wheeler vice Francis Deane.

Parish

Hambledon . . Ralph Randall and John Rockall vice Ralph Ayre and Thomas Elbery, and 

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QUARTER SESSIONS BOOK, VOLUME 4

 

Francis Heddington as tithingman vice John White.

Turfield . . . . John Barnes vice John Toovey, and Ralph Rolles as tithingman vice John Cawdrey.

Burnham hundred—

Sippenham  . . Thomas North vice John Westcott.

Dorney . . . . Eusebius Windsor vice Richard Suding.

Taplow . . . . Richard Walker vice William Sharpe, and William Whittington as tithing- man vice [Thomas Beck].

Beconsfield . .  Elias Birt and John Grove junior vice Robert Hill and William Smith, and Richard Rowlanson and John Presson as tithingmen vice George Tomson and Christopher Beamon.

Hugely . . . . William Grove vice William Grove senior.

Cheynes . . . . James Wingfield vice Thomas Redd.

 

Orders.

 

p. 118.  Orders extending the recognizances of Samuel Bunce of Chesham, yeoman, and Mary Batchellor.

 

Order dismissing the appeal of Hardwick cum Weedon against a warrant removing James Gooding from Buckland.

 

Adjournment of the appeal of Aston Rowant, co. Oxford, against a warrant removing the children of Richard Tripp from Bledlow.  [See pp. 15, 88, and 164.]

 

p. 119.  Order allowing the appeal of Little Horwood against a warrant removing Henry Stevens from Nash in Whaddon.

 

Matthew Annesly and John Rose, bridewell-keepers at Newport Pagnell and Chepping Wycomb respectively, to be paid their quarter’s salary of £7. 10s. each.

 

Order extending the recognizance of Silvester Lane.

 

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p. 120.  The justices for the hundred of Newport presented their report upon the dispute between Woofton and Loughton concerning the conveyance of cripples.  The report stated that, according to the evidence of Guy Harris, carpenter, and Nicholas Lucas, yeoman, both of Simpson, and “both aged sixty yeares and upwards,” no part of the direct road between Loughton and Fenny Stratford lay in the parish of Woofton.  Further it was shewn, on the evidence of William Leverett, “a skifull surveyor,” that the road from Loughton to Fenny Stratford through Woofton was 5 miles, 2 furlongs, and 20 poles long, whereas the direct road was only 3 miles, 4 furlongs, and 16 poles long.  The justices, therefore, considered that the cripples passing from London to Stony Stratford and back should be conveyed on the direct road to Loughton and should not be diverted through Woofton. The report was confirmed by the Court.  [See p. 16.]

 

p. 121.  Order extending the recognizances of Edward Tudor of London and William Hartshorne of New Windsor, tobacco-pipe makers.

 

Adjournment of the appeal of Dorchester, co. Oxford, against a settlement order.

 

Order discharging the recognizance of Roger Curle of Little Brickhill, yeoman, on account of his death.

 

p. 122.  Order estreating the recognizance of William Harris of Edsborough, labourer, for non-appearance in respect of the bastard child of Elizabeth Carne.

 

p. 123.  Orders extending the recognizances of Joseph Gate of Chesham, turner, Tobias Churchill, gentleman, Thomas Bigg of Fulmer, victualler, and William Adams of Quarindon, labourer, and estreating the recognizance of John Atkinson of Chepping Wycombe, butcher.

 

Order passing the accounts of John Maccascree, gentle- man, “Treasurer for the weekes tax for the Militia.”

 

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Cancellation of the order directing that the overseers of Wendover should pay an allowance to Amy, wife of Gabriel Prentice, who was then in gaol.  [See p. 100.]

 

p. 124.  Orders postponing the imposition of fines upon the owners of land in Westcot, Weston Turvile, Horsendon, Leckhamsted, and Barton Hartshorne, in respect of indict- ments against the parishes for non-repair of highways.

 

Order dismissing the appeal of Foskett against a warrant removing Mary Ayres, alias Dennett, from Edgecott.

 

pp. 125-126.  Table, giving rates of wages for “Artificers, labourers, and Servants,” as allowed by the justices.  The rates are exactly similar to those passed at the Easter session, 1687 [see Bucks Sessions Records, Volume I, pages 227- 229], as amended at the Easter session, 1691 [see idem, page 386].

 

p. 127.  Order setting out the rates for carriage of goods, exactly similar to those passed at the Easter session, 1692. [See Bucks Sessions Records, Volume I, page 426.]

 

p. 128.  Order dismissing the appeal of Penn against a warrant removing Adam Heyward, a vagrant, from Wooborne, and adjourning a similar appeal concerning his children.  [See p. 160.]

 

John Edgson of East Burnham to be paid £2 out of the County stock for being “instrumentall in the apprehending of Highwaymen.”  He claimed that he had “hazarded his life in that service and ought to have had the reward which is by law bestowed in that case, but by some indirect meanes the Highwaymen were acquitted.”

 

p. 129.  Order referring to the justices for the hundred of Burnham the following case of Alice, widow of Nathaniel Patee.  Her husband had taken a house at Farnham Royall and had lived in it for eighteen months when a settlement order was obtained, under which he was ordered to be 

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removed to Cowley, co. Middlesex.  The order was not acted upon, and he was subsequently sued for his rent by his landlord, named Mowdy, and, on judgment being obtained against him, was “taken in execution and dyed in Custody,” leaving his wife and child destitute.  The wife then appealed for relief, which was refused her by the overseers of Farnham Royall.

 

Mary, wife of John Suddell, to be paid £2 for clothing provided for Damaris Bright, “a County Child,” and 10s. for a year’s “schooleing,” and Alexander Olliff to be paid £1. 7s. 6d. for maintaining for eleven weeks Alice, daughter of Catherine Maxfield, who was born in the gaol.

 

p. 130.  Order quashing the indictments against Thomas Olliffe and William Goldfinch for “selling salt at excessive rates.”

The overseers of Winslow ordered to pay an allowance of 2s. 6d. a week to John Hewett for the maintenance of himself and his six children.

 

Order that “the County allowance to poor prisoners in Goale bee from henceforth reduced to 2d. per diem.”

 

Thomas Barnwell, the deputy sheriff, to be paid £5 for county business.

 

Memorandum that the following persons “in open Court took the Oathes appointed by the Statute 27 Elizabeth, cap 12”—Thomas Barnwell, gentleman, deputy sheriff, and William Newland, Thomas Hurles, John Johnson, Thomas Read, George Clewer, and William Parker, bailiffs of the three hundreds of Cotteslow, Ashendon, Newport, Aylesbury, Chilterne, and Buckingham respectively.

 

pp. 131—132. Indictments confessed and traversed.

The conviction of Thomas Clements.  [See p. 111.]

The conviction of William Bennett, who withdrew his plea of not guilty, and paid his fine to Mr. Bridges, surveyor of Waddesdon.  [See p. 48.]

 

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The results of the cases against William Blackwell, Francis Goodchild, John Goodchild, and Richard Saunders, indicted at the Midsummer session and tried at this session. [See pp. 2-4.]

William Nash of Beconsfield, farmer, who was indicted at the Epiphany session, 1693-94, for not doing his statutory work on the highways, was tried and found not guilty.

The inhabitants of Horsenden were fined £20 on an indictment, brought at the Midsummer session, 1693, for not repairing Fulling Mill Lane and Bottom Lane, on the highway between Chepping Wycombe and Bisceter, co. Oxford, and were found not guilty on an indictment, brought at the Michaelmas session, 1692, for not repairing part of the road to Haddenham.

 

p. 133. Recognizances extended.

Edward Tudor of London, tobacco-pipe maker, in £20, with William Hartshorne of New Windsor, tobacco-pipe maker, as surety in £10, to appear and answer William Wenlock and John Chamberlain.

The above William Hartshorne in £10, with William Goldhawke of Eaton, meal man, and Andrew Hore of Windsor, blacksmith, as sureties in £5 each, for the like.

The following, already given above: William Adams (p. 104), Samuel Bunce (p. 103), Silvester Lane, Joseph Gate, and Thomas Bigg (p. 77), and Tobias Churchill (p. 76).

 

p. 134. Recognizances entered into.

Mary Bethell of Westcott in Waddesdon, widow, in £10, and John Rogers of Quainton and Thomas Clarke of Grendon Underwood, yeomen, in £40 each, to appear and answer.

 

p. 135. Fines and issues.

John Cranwell junior of Farnham Royall fined £1. 10s. for non-attendance on a jury.

William Harris of Edsborough, labourer, forfeits his recognizance of £20 for non-appearance, and his sureties, John Kent and William Read, both of Broughton, forfeit £10 each.

 

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John Atkinson of Chepping Wycombe, butcher, forfeits his recognizance of £10 for non-appearance.

Edward Porter of Hitcham, labourer, forfeits his recognizance of £40 for non-appearance, and his sureties, Edward Porter of High Wycombe and William Porter of Taplow, labourers, forfeit £20 each.

The fines of the persons convicted on p. 131.

 

p. 136. Recognizances discharged.

Richard Gosnold of Woborne, gentleman, Charles Blewitt of Great Marlow, barber-surgeon, William Paltock of Chepping Wycomb, miller, Lawrence Buckney of Soulbury farmer, Richard Saunders, Francis Goodchild, John Goodchild, and Frederick Bowller, all of Princes Risborow, yeomen, William Blackwell of Great Kimbell, yeoman, William Nash of Beconsfield, farmer, Charles Heyward, baker, Henry Clark, cordwainer, and Thomas Woodward, victualler, all of Aylesbury, Thomas Clements, victualler, Thomas Cock senior, bricklayer, and William Larchin, cordwainer, all of Beconsfield, John Potter of Berkhamsted St. Peter, co. Hertford, butcher, Abraham Peacock of Tring, innholder, William Beck senior, cordwainer, Joseph Beck, his son, William Francis Beck, tailor, and Nathaniel Haycroft, cordwainer, all of Woborne, Ralph Goodman, butcher, and William Mead, yeoman, both of Stow, John Willett of Little Horwood, carrier, Hugh Willett of Whaddon, yeoman, John Collett, carrier, and Thomas Janes, yeoman, both of Laighton Bussard, co. Bedford, Marmaduke King and John Cooke, both of Whaddon, yeomen, Roger Curle of Little Brickhill, yeoman, Richard Barton and Henry Curtis, both of Little Horwood, yeomen, George Thorpe and Thomas Dearing, both of Walton in Aylesbury, yeomen, William Moores of Aylesbury, labourer, William Bennett of Waddesdon, yeoman, William Adams of Beconsfield, yeoman, and Christopher Allen of Woborne, farmer.

 

End of this session, (signed) Thomas Smith, clerk of the peace.

 

pp. 137-138.  [Blank.]

 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION

AT CHESHAM

18th July, 1695 [7 William III]

 

p. 139. Jurors for the body of the county.

William Edmonds, gentleman, Richard Greenwood, John Rose, gentleman, James Foster, William Warr, Richard Culverhouse, John Crawley, Joseph Etheridge, Richard Redding, John Young, Richard Sedwin, William Golding, and Nathaniel Weedon, Jonathan Butterfield junior, and William Sheppard, gentlemen.

(signed) Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff.

 

Jurors for the cases against John Rogers and Mary Bethell.

William Chase, Thomas Garroway, Nathaniel Birch, James Harding, Thomas Grover, Joseph Smith, Roger Hoare, Thomas Goodson, John Baker, John Kipping, Thomas Hughes, and William Bampton.

(signed) Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff.

 

Jurors for the case against Thomas Clarke.

John Collins, John Griffin, Henry Putnam, Joshua Geary, Timothy Butterfield, John Ware, gentleman, John Mead junior, Thomas Butterfield, John Tripp, Benjamin Carter, Nathaniel Child, and Daniel Carter.

(signed) Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff.

 

p. 140.  William Cheyne of Draighton Beauchampe, esquire, Richard Heywood of Aylesbury, gentleman, and George Grove, gentleman, and Thomas Welles, carpenter, both of Chepping Wycombe, took the oaths provided in 1 William and Mary, c. 1, and subscribed the declaration against transubstantiation and that contained in 30 Charles II, stat. 2, c 1.

 

p. 141. Indictments.

Abraham Glover of East Burnham, tailor, for assaulting William Goldwin.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

 

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William Jones, overseer of Farnham Royall, for not obeying a justices’ order to pay £4 to Alice Patee, widow. [Removed by certiorari; see pp. 129 and 195.]

Edward [John] Fastnidge junior of Princes Risborow, yeoman, for building a cottage at Speen without assigning four acres of land.  [Not guilty.]

Francis London of Cublington, victualler, for keeping an unlicensed alehouse.

Thomas Alexander of Aylesbury, pewterer, John Temple of Stoke Mandivile, gentleman, and [Ann], his wife, John Hows of Broughton in Bierton, gentleman, [Ann], his wife, and Finch, his son, Sir Edward Longuevile, Bt., of Wool- verton, Peter and William Collingridge, both of Guyhurst, farmers, John Tipper, gentleman, John Mebbee, labourer, and [Ann], his wife, Alice Jones and Mary Goodman, widows, and Dorothy, wife of Thomas Watters, gentleman, all of Muresly, for absence from church.

Jonathan Gurney, Robert Warr, and Christopher Adcock, labourers, John Robinson, victualler, Richard Turpin, tailor, William Pearl and Henry Page, cordwainers, William Hill, gardener, and Mary Tayler, Elizabeth Warr, Mary Robinson, Susan Upton, Mary Upton, and Joan Nelson, spinsters, all of Buckingham, for assaulting John Johnson and John Bunce, bailiffs, and rescuing Anthony Stuchbury, who had been arrested at the suit of Thomas Sheen.

 

p. 142. Presentment of the grand jury.

 

James Wild of Iver for keeping an unlicensed and disorderly alehouse.

The inhabitants of Horsenden for not repairing part of the highway from Bisceter, co. Oxford, to Chepping Wycombe, at a place called Horsenden Pasture.  [Discharged on certificate.]

p. 143. Informations.

William Wade of Turnip End in Princes Risborow, Nicholas Rowe of Stewkly, William Panter of Hanslop, and Thomas Wallington of East Claydon, all labourers, Obadiah Warwick of Whaddon, John Brockson of Cublington, 

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victualler, and Thomas Lever and William Smith, both of Newport Pagnell, butchers, for trading as badgers without licences.

 

p. 144. Presentments of the constables.

The persons indicted above for absence from church, with the addition of Frances Carter, now presented for recusancy.

Edward Edwards of Aylesbury for “refusing to carry Thomas Moreton and Mary, his wife (being cripples), to the next town.”

Richard Saunders of Princes Risborow, farmer, for not repairing, and for enclosing with a hedge and a ditch, part of the highway from Haddenham to Chepping Wycomb, at a place called North Piece.

Joseph White, tailor, Daniel Woton, cordwainer, and Henry Clarke, Robert Cook, and Henry Watson, labourers, all of Bow Brickill, presented by Richard White, constable, for riot and assault.

Ralph Pangburn of Padbury, cordwainer, for “con- tinuing” a cottage.

Simon Harris, gentleman, Richard Davis, labourer, and Godsgift, his wife, John Tomlins, labourer, and Thomas Peele, all of Padbury, for taking hay from the common field, called the Town Hadelands, which belonged to the churchwardens, Matthew Inns and Thomas Godchild, “to- wards the repair of the Church of Padbury.”

Edward Lovejoy of Hedsor in Little Marlow for refusing to watch.

 

p. 145. Petty constables and tithingmen sworn.

Burnham .. .. Henry Goldwin vice Robert Aldridge, and Thomas Woods as tithingman vice John Lacey.

Horton .. .. William Hearn vice Thomas Bowry.

Ludgarshall .. .. William Parker vice Francis Sherley.

Lower Winchenden Francis Dubery vice John Betham.

Wycomb Forrens .. Samuel Gibbs senior vice Christopher Parsons.

 

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MIDSUMMER SESSION, 1695

 

Fenny Stratford . . Nathaniel Ashton vice Thomas Mead.

Orders.

Orders extending the recognizance of Edward Tudor and estreating that of Tobias Churchill of Steeple Claydon.

 

William Hartshorn of New Windsor, tobacco-pipe maker, discharged upon his praying “the benefitt of the Act of this present Parliament Entituled An Act for the King’s most gratious and free pardon.”  [6 and 7 William 111, c. 20.]

 

Adjournment of the appeal of Edlesborow against a warrant removing William Harris, Elizabeth, his wife, and William, their son, from Bow Brickhill.  [See p. 190.]

 

p. 146.  Order referring to the justices for the hundreds of Ashenden the appeal against the poor rate at Brill.

 

Order dismissing the appeal of Great Horwood against a warrant removing Henry Grey from Stoney Stratford West Side.

 

p. 147.  Order confirming a warrant removing Charles Bartlett and his family from Chepping Wycombe to Little Marlow.

 

p. 148.  Order that counsel shall attend the Court of King’s Bench to shew cause against the writ of certiorari directed to this Court, requiring that the record of the conviction of Francis and John Goodchild should be transferred to the King’s Bench.  [See p. 4.]

 

The inhabitants of Horsenden discharged of the in- dictments against them for non-repair of the highway at Horsenden Pastures upon producing a justices’ certificate.

 

pp. 149-152.  “Orders and Constitutions made by his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Buck- ingham, in Pursuance of an Act of Parliament made in 

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the last Sessions of this present Parliament, Entituled An Act to prevent Exactions of the Occupyers of Locks and Weares upon the River of Thames Westward and for ascerteyning the Rates of Water Carriages upon the said River.”  [6 and 7 William III, c. 16.]

Ordered:—

1.  “That a Marke bee set above every Lock within this County on this side the village of Bercott towards London at the charge of the tennant or occupyer of every such Lock for the height to which the water ought to be penn’d above every Lock for a Flash if the water can bee raised so high, and that no tennant or occupyer of any Lock or Wear nor any Bargemaster or Bargeman do presume to remove the same.”

2.  Certain justices appointed to “view Hambledon Lock and Marlow Lock . . . and sett the Flash Markes as abovesaid,” and report to the adjourned session.  [See pp. 165- 170.]

3.  The occupiers of all “Locks or Bucks upon the River Isis or Thames . . . on this side of the village of Bercott towards London” shall keep their “Bucks and Buckgates . . . close shutt at all tymes,” except as provided below, and except when “the water in its constant Course bee higher than the Marks sett for a Flash as aforesaid onely liable to bee drawn for the passage of Boates downwards and upwards, which shall bee done in manner and forme following, viz,”

4.  The lock-keepers “after notice given by the Master or Chiefe Boatman of any Boat that any Boat or Boates are goeing down the River from Cleeve with a Flash” shall “draw” their locks, etc., until the boats come to their locks “or Loose their Flash . . ., of which the Master or Chiefe Boatman of the first Boat so Looseing the Flash shall forthwith give notice to the said Lock.”

5.  That no lock-keeper shall “draw” his lock “upon any pretence whatsoever” after the boats coming down with a flash have reached the lock next above his and notice of this has been given by the master of the first boat, except as provided below.

 

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6.  When any boat has come down to a lock with a flash, as provided above, and the water is up to the flash mark, or so near “as the lowness of the water permitt,” and the bargemaster has ordered the lock to be drawn, then, “unless it bee upon a Sunday,” the lock-keeper shall draw his lock and allow it to “lye open” for three hours, between Lady Day and Michaelmas, and for two hours, between Michaelmas and Lady Day, after the boats have shot the lock and for no longer, unless “every of the said downward Boates shall happen to loose their Flash before they come to the next Lock,” in which case the lock- keeper concerned, and the keepers of every other lock “between that and the village of Burcott,” shall immediately shut their locks for another flash.

7.  When the water is so low that it cannot be “penned” up to the mark and a boat has come down to a lock, then the occupier of “every Lock or Mills shall shutt down his Mills for the space of three houres before the Flash bee drawn,” unless the water rises to the mark in less than three hours.

8.  A boat and “sufficient tackle” shall be kept at every lock, and a winch in good repair, “which shall bee made use of by Every Boat in his passage as hath been accustomed.”

9.  In the case of boats coming up stream, the lock-keeper shall “draw” his lock “as soon as required ‘excepting Sundays’,” unless he has had notice of a flash coming down.  When locks “are drawn in Dark nights between the first of November and the first of March for any upward bound Boat,” the lock-keeper’s servant shall be paid 6d. for one boat, and 1s. if there are more boats, to be paid equally by the boats coming up.

10.  The lock-keepers shall keep their locks, etc., in good repair, and shall do all necessary repairs “with such convenient speed and in such manner as may bee least prejudiciall to the Navigation.”

11.  That the bargemasters or their servants shall give due notice “of their Boates coming down with a Flash to all Lock keepers, and notice to the next Lock of the Boates Loosing their Flash.”

 

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12. “That Every Bargemaster shall keep his turn in shoot- ing all Locks and shall not Attempt to gett one before another att the head of any Lock nor runn on ground at any shallow place when the first Boat is on ground to gett turne.”

13. “That noe Downward Boat shall draw any Locks or Bucks before all the Boates that gave notice of the Flash shall come to the Lock, unless notice bee given of their Looseing their Flash as aforesaid.”

14. “That whatsoever Boates shall Lose their Flash shall light out of the way within three dayes after the Flash is lost.”

15. “That no upward bound Boat shall Attempt to Wind any Lock before any Downward Boat shall short it, if they happen to meet at a Lock.”

16. The lock charges for all “locks, Bucks and Winches on this side of the village of Burcott towards London” shall be as follows:—

17. For Hambledon Lock, 3s. 6d. all the year round, “whether there bee occasion for a Flash or not.”

18. Similarly, for Marlow Lock, 3s. all the year round.

 

(signed) William Busby, D. Hampson, Jo. Thurbarne, Edm. Waller, James Chase, Fleetwood Dormer.

 

p. 153.  The surveyors of Little Kymble, Stoke Mandivile, Weston Turvile, and Winslow authorized to raise 6d. rates for the repair of their highways.

 

p. 154.  The inhabitants of Weston Turvile discharged from the indictment against them for the non-repair of a footpath near the Vaches, between Vach Brook and Bedgrove Field, upon their producing a justices’ certificate that the work has now been done.

Sir Thomas Cobb and the inhabitants of Westcott in Waddesdon are similarly discharged from an indictment in respect of certain ditches at Westcott Gap.  [See pp. 2-4.]

 

p. 155.  Order dismissing the appeal of Soulbury against a 

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warrant removing Henry Stevens from Nash in Whaddon. He had been a servant to [blank] Groome at Soulbury.

 

Order dismissing the appeal of Ivinghoe against a warrant removing Mary, wife of John Owen, from Cuddington.

 

p. 156.  Adjournment of the appeal of William Adams of Quarendon, labourer, against a maintenance order in respect of the bastard child of Mary Pilgrim of Fleet Marston, singlewoman.  [See p. 216.]

 

p. 157.  Order that William Goodale, “a wandring idle fellow,” shall be detained in the bridewell at Chepping Wycomb until further notice.

 

Order dismissing the appeal of Harefield, co. Middlesex, against a warrant removing Richard Lane, with his wife and three children, from the Forrens of Chepping Wycomb.

 

p. 158.  Thomas Mott to be allowed 4s. a week by the overseers of Chesham.

 

William Burrall to be paid £1 out of the County stock He was an old man who claimed “that he was engaged in the late unhappy Civill Warrs and was a souldier under Generall Monk and came under his Command at the Restoration of the late King Charles the Second from Scotland into England, and received severall wounds in the said service.” He asked the Court for a pension, which they were unable to grant, as he had not produced a certificate from any of “the Field Officers of the Regiment wherein hee served . . . as by the Statute is required.”

 

p. 159.  Mr. William Johnson, one of the treasurers, ordered to pay Alexander Oliffe £3. 7s. 6d. for maintaining and cloth- ing Alice, daughter of Catherine Maxfield, for fifteen weeks, and Mr. Barnwell, the deputy sheriff, £10 “for publique services.”

 

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Order allowing the appeal of Dorchester, co. Oxford, against a warrant removing John Clinton, with his wife and children, from Horton.

 

Order extending the recognizances of Samuel Bunce of Chesham, yeoman, Silvester Lane of Dinton, and Thomas Bigg of Fulmer, victualler.

 

p. 160.  Order staying further process against the inhabit- ants of Leckhamsted.

 

The clerk of the peace to be paid 6 marks [£4] “for the statutes made in Parliament since his present Majesties reign which hee hath provided for the use of this Court.”

 

Order discharging the recognizance of Edward Porter of Taplow.

 

Order dismissing the adjourned appeal of Penn against a warrant removing the children of Adam Heyward from Woburn.

 

p. 161.  The wife of William Barton of Little Horwood, carpenter, is ordered to be allowed 4s. a week for the maintenance of herself and her four small children.  She had complained that her husband was cruel to her and exposed her “to great want.”  The Court also ordered that “condign punishment” should be given to the husband.  [And see Vol. 5, p. 14.]

 

Edward Porter of Hitcham, labourer, who was bound over to appear at the present session, but only appeared after the grand jury had been discharged, is ordered to be committed to gaol for want of sureties.  His offence was that “hee had insolently assaulted . . . Sir Dennis Hampson by drawing a sword upon him and giving him very provoking and opprobious language.”

 

p. 162.  John Rose and Matthew Annesly, the keepers of Chepping Wycomb and Newport Pagnell bridewells, to be paid their quarter’s salaries of £7. 10s.

 

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The treasurers ordered to have their accounts audited by certain justices.

 

p. 163.  Mr. William Benson, the gaoler, presented a petition to the effect that he might be given some allowance to cover the constant repairs to the gaol and the cost of maintaining “such poor Prisoners as are unable to make him any satisfaction.”  For some twenty years Mr. Birch, the former gaoler, was given an allowance of £20 a year by the sheriff, but this grant had been discontinued sixteen years ago.  The Court appointed a committee of justices to put Benson’s petition before the Rt. Hon. Charles Mountagu, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to recommend that the annual allowance should be restored.  [See p. 225, and Vol. 5, p. 245.]

 

p. 164.  Order dismissing the adjourned appeal of Aston Rowant, co. Oxford, against a warrant removing Elizabeth, Richard, Martha and John, the children of Richard Tripp, from Bledlow, in accordance with the decision of the Lord Chief Justice.  [See p. 15, etc.]

 

pp. 165-170.  The justices appointed above [see pp. 149- 152, para 2] to put the flash marks on Hambledon and Marlow Locks had intended to meet on the 5th August to perform this duty.  But, owing to a misunderstanding, Stephen and James Chase, Edmund Waller, and Henry Gould went to Marlow Lock, whereas Sir Dennis Hampson and Johnshall Crosse went to Hambledon Lock.  The four justices at Marlow set “two spikes of iron, the one fixed by our Direction in the first post of the Campshed on the North East side of Marlow Bridge, and the other fixed in a Pile of the said Bridge in Levell ‘as wee conceive’ to the last mentioned spike ‘or at least to the lowest of the said spikes’.”  They then went on to Hambledon, which they reached at about 6 p.m.

Sir Dennis Hampson had been at Hambledon since 11 a.m. with Johnshall Crosse, and his messages to the other justices had gone astray.  While he was waiting, Sir Dennis “took a Levell with a white willow stick and took the true heighth of the water to the Campshed . . . sufficient to make 

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a flash to carry off any Barge and with little Detriment to the Weares and Locks.  And if the mark had been sett one inch higher ‘notwithstanding twas insisted upon to have it 12 inches’ it would have been great Damage to the Adjacent meadows and to the said Mills and Weares.”  When they arrived, Mr. Waller and Mr. James Chase both disagreed with this point of view, and “Mr. Chase urged that it might bee placed by his Direction alone or hee would not agree to anything.  And [he] tooke an Hammer and knock’d up the spike which the said Sir Denis Hampson and Mr. Cross had fixed, and then attempted to drive a spike himself, which Mr. Cross knock’d off.”  Eventually, “night pressing upon them, [they] parted without any further proceeding as to Hambledon Lock.”

On receiving this report, the Court confirmed the flash marks at Marlow Lock and ordered the same justices, with the exception of Sir Dennis Hampson, to settle the marks at Hambledon.  This they did on the 8th August, when they “sett a flash mark . . . by Driveing a spike of Iron into one of the Piles of the Kempshide of the Winch . . . above a spike formerly driven by the said Sir Denis Hampson.” This mark was confirmed at an adjourned session held at Great Marlow on the 27th August “at the house of the widow Pomfrett, called or known by the name or sign of the three Tunns.”

 

p. 171.  Record that John Hawkes of Aylesbury was convicted, on the evidence of Thomas Fakewood, farrier, under “an Act of this present Parliament Entituled an Act for the more Effectuale suppressing prophane curseing and swearing.”  [6 and 7 William III, c. 11.]

 

Indictments confessed and traversed.

The conviction of Abraham Glover [see p. 141], and the acquittals of John Rogers, Thomas Clarke, and Mary Bethell [see pp. 49-50].

Joseph Gate of Chesham, labourer, appeared in Court, and, “craveing the benefitt of the late generall Act of pardon, was admitted thereunto and discharged.”  [See p. 4.] 

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p. 172. Recognizances extended.

Edward Porter of Hitcham in £10, with Richard Holderness and Thomas Compton, both of Hitcham, husband- men, as sureties in £5 each, to appear and answer for assault- ing Sir Dennis Hampson.

Richard Baldwin of Monks Risborow, carpenter, in £20, and Christopher Faber of Little Kimble, cordwainer, in £10, for the appearance of Sarah, wife of Richard Baldwin.

The following, already given above: Samuel Bunce (p. 103), Silvester Lane and Thomas Bigg (p. 77), William Adams (p. 104), and Edward Tudor (p. 133).

 

p. 173. Recognizance entered into.

William Jones of Farnham Royal in £40 to appear and answer.  [Removed by certiorari.]

 

Fines and issues.

William Adean of Dinton, William Maxwell of Newport Pagnell, gentleman, and William Foddy of Stony Stratford, fined £1. 10s. each for non-attendance on juries.

Tobias Churchill of Steeple Claydon, gentleman, forfeits his recognizance of £10 for non-appearance, and William Kefford of Chesham, labourer, similarly forfeits £10 for the non-appearance of his wife.

The fine of Abraham Glover.  [See p. 141.]

 

pp. 174-175. Recognizances discharged.

William Hartshorne of New Windsor, co. Berks, tobacco- pipe maker, William Goldhawk of Eaton, mealman, Andrew Hore of New Windsor, co. Berks, blacksmith, Mary Bethell of Westcott in Waddesdon, widow, John Rogers of Quainton, yeoman, Thomas Clarke of Grendon Underwood, yeoman, Joseph Gate of Chesham, turner, William Clayton, Moses West, Daniel Keen, labourer, and Francis Cox, labourer, all of Eaton near Windsor, William Jones of Farnham Royal, Francis East, Thomas Harding, husbandman, and Matthew Thompson, blacksmith, all of Little Marlow, John Plater, labourer, and Francis London, both of Pightleston, Daniel Keen, John Keen, and Henry Atkins, all of Wingrove, yeomen, 

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John Leaver, pin-maker, William Leaver, pin-maker, and John Colsell, labourer, all of Aylesbury, Richard Baldwin of Monks Risborow, carpenter, Christopher Faber of Little Kimble, cordwainer, Charles Darvill, cordwainer, and William Brookes, yeoman, Sarah Westfield, spinster, John Stevens, Francis Aldridge, Sarah Westfield, infant, and Thomas Oakly, all of Monks Risborow, Thomas Jordan, bargeman, John Church, husbandman, Edward Lovejoy, husbandman, Robert Tyler junior, bargeman, Robert Tyler senior, husbandman, Chistopher Robinson, husbandman, John Ridley, bargeman, Henry Ridley, and John Ridley, all of Little Marlow, Elizabeth Harding, spinster, Ann Meadly, spinster, John Southers, pipe-maker, and John Horwood, butcher, all of Aylesbury, Abraham Glover, tailor, Richard Pond, and David Plumridge, all of East Burnham, Daniel Flatt, husbandman, Theodore Wells, clerk, and William Beck, bargeman, all of Taplow, John Webster, labourer, Isaac Payne, yeoman, and Cadwallader Coker, husbandman, all of Oakley, Joan, wife of William Edmonds, innholder, Joseph Glenister, grocer, and Christopher Studbury, cord- wainer, all of Winslow, Henry Guilman, farmer, William Mayne, yeoman, and Michael Batterson, all of Waddsdon, Charles Coates of Winslow, joiner, Thomas Nash of Quainton, victualler, John Harrison of Winslow, glover, Anthony Bamfield, George Buckingham junior, and Willian Carter junior, all of Little Marlow.

 

End of this session, (signed) Thomas Smith, clerk of the peace.

 

p. 176-178.  [Blank.]

 

 

 

MICHAELMAS SESSION AT CHEPPING WYCOMBE 10th October, 1695 [7 William III]

 

p. 179. Jurors for the body of the county.

Ambrose Fletcher, Richard Brigginshaw, James Kipping, William Lea, Thomas Walter junior, Thomas Harris, 

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Francis Rogers, Thomas Snow, Edward Nelson, Geoffrey Bampton, William Plater, Thomas Johnson, William King, William Bovingdon, James Herne, John Wilkinson, and Peter Woodward.

(signed) Hugh Horton, esquire, sheriff.

p. 180. Fleetwood Dormer of Aylesbury, esquire, and Edward Marshall, gentleman, mayor of Chepping Wycombe, took the oaths contained in 1 William and Mary, c. 1, and subscribed the declaration against transubstantiation and that contained in 30 Charles 11, stat. 2, c. 1.

Andrew Low of Chepping Wycombe, a teacher of a dissenting congregation, subscribed the latter declaration and that contained in 1 William and Mary, c. 18.

pp. 181-184. Indictments.

Ann, wife of Edward Russell of Long Crendon, labourer, for assaulting Richard Emerton.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

Dorothy, wife of Edward Judge of Langley Marish, labourer, for a forcible entry and for assaulting Elizabeth, wife of Leonard Drew.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

The inhabitants of Chalfont St. Giles for not repairing part of the highway leading to Amersham.  [Discharged on certificate.]

John Preston of Long Crendon, labourer, and Elizabeth, his wife, for trading as grocers without due apprenticeship. [Not guilty.]

The inhabitants of Ellesborough for not repairing parts of the road to Banbury, co. Oxford, known as Wood Lane and Bradley Hill.  [Discharged on certificate.]

Roger Cutler, butcher, and Richard Butterfield, husbandman, constables of Iver, for not presenting James Wild and Peter Horton for keeping unlicensed alehouses. [Fined 3s. 4d. each.]

Thomas Nicholls of Chalfont St. Giles, labourer, for not doing his statutory work on the highways.

Edward Edwards of Aylesbury, labourer, for not obeying a constable's order to convey Thomas Moreton, a poor cripple, to [Blank].  [Discharged; see p. 225.]

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Richard Saunders of Princes Risborow, yeoman, for enclosing part of the highway at North Piece in Horsenden. [Fined 13s. 4d.; and see p. 192.]

Thomas Alexander of Aylesbury, pewterer, John Hows of Broughton in Bierton, gentleman, [Ann], his wife, and Finch, his son, John Temple of Stoke Mandivile, gentleman, and [Ann], his wife, Sir Edward Longuevile, Bt., of Woolver- ton, Peter and William Collingridge, both of Goathurst, alias Guyhurst, farmers, John Mabee, labourer, and Ann, his wife, Mary Goodman, Alice Jones, and Frances Carter, widows, and Dorothy, wife of Thomas Walters, all of Salden in Muresly, for absence from church.

Joseph White, tailor, Daniel Wooton, cordwainer, and Henry Clark, Robert Cook, and Henry Watson, labourers, all of Bow Brickill, for a riotous assembly and for assaulting the constable.  [Discharged.]

Edward Lovejoy of Little Marlow, labourer, for refusing to watch.  [Fined 3s. 4d.].

Simon Harris, gentleman, Richard Davis, labourer, and Godsgift, his wife, John Tomlins, labourer, and Thomas Peele [Neal], all of Padbury, for breaking into certain lands belonging to Matthew Inns and Thomas Goodchild, church- wardens, and held for the repair of the church, and taking away grass to the value of £1.  [Fined 3s. 4d. each.]

Ralph Pangburn of Padbury, cordwainer, for “continuing” a cottage.  [Not guilty.]

John Turner of Denham, yeoman, for refusing to be sworn as petty constable.  [Fined 3s. 4d.]

p. 185. Informations.

Jeremiah Rolfe of Chepping Wycomb, carrier, Thomas Ransome of Princes Risborow, farmer, and Francis Horne of Newton Longuevile, farmer, for trading as badgers without licences.

Presentments of the highway surveyors.

(Presented by Thomas Kemp and Richard Blount, surveyors.)

Thomas Harding of Cowley in Preston Bissett and 

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John Webb of Twyford for not repairing a footbridge on the road between Buckingham and Oxford.

George Grizell of Maidsmorton and John Clark of Akeley for not repairing Kingstrop Lane on the road from Buckingham to Torcester, co. Northampton.

William Gibbs of Akeley for working on the highways with one, instead of with two, teams in respect of his holding of two ploughlands.

John Clark of Akeley for not sending his team for work on the highways.

p. 186. Presentments of the constables.

The persons indicted above for absence from church, with the exception of Peter and William Collingridge, and the addition of John Tipper of Salden in Muresly and [Mary], his wife, are presented for recusancy.

William Garrett, constable of Hanslopp, for not bringing in his quarteridge money to John Matthew, chief constable for Newport.

Peter Horton and James Wild, both of Iver, and William Martin and Arthur Taylor, both of Great Marlow, for keeping unlicensed alehouses.

Robert Beckford and Jeremiah Harman, both of Great Marlow, for refusing to watch.

p. 187. Petty constables and tithingmen sworn.

Woburne . . . . Jasper Heaward and Richard Spratley vice Richard Burcott and William Banburey, and James Fretwell and Amos Sparrow as tithingmen vice William Natt and Francis Andrews.

Town of ChalfontSt. Giles . . . . Charles Piercy vice William Cocke.

Parish of ChalfontSt. Giles . . . . Thomas Hill vice James Body.

Penn . . . . Thomas Wilkinson vice Christopher Bovington, and John Blick as tithing- man vice William Hancock.

Parish of Penn . . Thomas Abby as tithingman vice Ralph Pusie.

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Notty Green and Forty Green  John Salter senior as tithingman vice Jepthah Hornblow.

Weston Turvile . . William Fleet and Thomas Pauly vice William Brown and John Turner.

Saunderton . . Philip Hillyer vice Henry Allen.

East Burnham . . Edward Pond vice John Styles.

Aylesbury . . . . Elisha Perine and John Pratt, baker, vice Charles Noy and [blank] Higgins.

Fingest . . . . John Bowyer vice William Tyler.

Orders.

p. 188.  Order extending the recognizances of the following, with their sureties: Thomas Underwood of Little Horwood, labourer, Thomas True of Amersham, Matthew Stephens of Wendover, butcher, Richard Baldwin of Monks Risborow, carpenter, Christopher Faber of Little Kymble, cordwainer, Silvester Lane of Dynton, victualler, Thomas Bigg of Fulmer, victualler, and Edward Tudor of London, tobacco-pipe maker.

Edward Reddall, who was committed to the bridewell at Chepping Wycomb for taking a pair of shoes “and other small things” from the mansion house of Edward Nicholas, esquire, at Hitcham, is ordered to be discharged as there was no prosecutor.

p. 189.  Order extending the recognizance of Samuel Bunce and his surety, John Tokefield.

The inhabitants of Leckhamsted discharged from two indictments in respect of part of the road from Whittlebury, co. Northampton, to Winslow, and part of the road from Akely to Stony Stratford, upon producing certificates that the work has now been done.

p. 190.  Order dismissing the adjourned appeal of Edles- borough against a warrant removing William Harris, Elizabeth, his wife, and William, their son, from Bow Brickhill.

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Adjournment of the appeal of Buckingham against a warrant removing the son of Mary Rogers from Stowe. [See pp. 218-219.]

p. 191.  Order dismissing the appeal of Redborne against a warrant removing John Owen from Ivingho.

Further adjournment of the appeal of William Adams against a maintenance order.  [See pp. 156, 216, 241.]

p. 192.  Order reducing the allowance to be paid to Elizabeth Ussill by the overseers of Brill from 3s. to 2s. 6d. a week. [See p. 32.]

At the present session, Richard Saunders of Prince Risborough, yeoman, was fined 13s. 4d. for enclosing part of the highway of Horsenden, at a place called North Piece, by making a hedge and a ditch.  The sheriff is, therefore, ordered to “pull up the said Enclosure and totally remove the said Nusance by laying out the said Way as antiently of right the same ought to be.”

p. 193.  The surveyors of Abbots Aston authorized to raise a 6d. rate for the repair of their highways.

p. 194.  Order staying further process against the inhabitants of Horsenden for non-repair of highways.

p. 195.  At the Easter Session, Alice Patee of Farnham Royall, widow, appealed to the Court for relief, and her case was submitted to the justices for the hundred of Burnham [See p. 129].  The decision of these justices was that the overseers of the parish should pay her £4, but their order was not obeyed, and William Jones, one of the over- seers, was indicted at the last session for refusing to pay this relief.  He pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial at the present session, but obtained a writ of certiorari removing the case to the King’s Bench at Westminster [See p. 141].  As it appears to the Court that Alice Patee is too poor to prosecute the indictment at Westminster and that 

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William Jones and the other overseers of the parish, “Con- federates with him”, may take advantage of this “and thereby weary and discourage the said Alice Patee . . . contrary to Justice and likely to be in ill Example to Offenders in like Cases,” it is ordered that the clerk of the peace shall take over the conduct of the case at the charge of the County.  [And see p. 258.]

p. 196.  Judith Chest, widow, daughter of the late Richard Hinton, to be paid 10s. out of the County funds.

Andrew Miller of Chepping Wycomb, apothecary, who claimed “that he served his late Majestie King Charles the second in the severall Regiments of the Lord Mordaunt and Earl of Cleveland and under the severall Commands of Captain Baron and Captain Bridges,” asked to be admitted to a life pension in place of the late Richard Hynton, on account of his poverty.  Although the Court had “received a very favorable Character “of him, they were not able to grant his request, as he had not produced “any Certificate from his Officers . . . as by Law required.”  But they granted him £2 for his immediate needs, and gave him leave to petition again with the required certificate.

p. 197.  Mr. Thomas Kidgell, one of the treasurers, ordered to pay William Benson, the gaoler, £7. 15s. for money spent on repairing” the decayes and breaches in his Goal”

Alexander Olliff to be paid £1. 12s. for “nurseing and schooling” Alice, daughter of Catherine Maxfield, for twelve weeks.

Nathan Fryer and Thomas Stannaway to be allowed 1s. a week each by the overseers of West Wycomb.

Mr. Thomas Barnwell, the deputy sheriff, to be paid 20 marks [£13. 6s. 8d.] “for publique service.”

p. 198.  Convictions of swearers.

(In accordance with the act of 6 and 7 William III, c. 11.) John Clerke of Wendover, innkeeper, on the evidence

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of Robert Beeson of Wendover, bricklayer, for four oaths. [Fined 8s.]

Anthony Davis of Brill, farmer, for three oaths