theris xx't mks yerely forfeyted besides myne annuitie the w'ch you dowt not but by Law is as due vnto me as myne annuytie I payed not to Sir Herbert Croft1 six score and xli. for his fee due for the stuardship of montgomery kerry and Kedewin vnto him during his life but for xxli. a yer during my owne life w'ch yo'r father being willing to hazard agaynst his life (we being of equall age) did make assurance vnto me out of his land of so much yerly during my life so that howsoever or w'ch way soever the stuardship goeth my annuytie must be certayne from you whilst I liue I will acquaynt Sir Herbert Croft w'th yo'r letter and do veryly think, as I am sure you make no dowt but that those officies as stuardships being passed vnder the great seale of England will not be revoked his stuardship of Leompster (?) in & Kingsland is all under one patten w'th yo'rs the w'ch I am sure he wool be loth to part w'th all I p'otest vnto you that not paym't of this money at my expected tyme hath been more out of my way that I will speak of I have a charge, yo'r kinswoman and some little ones by you, that were my meanes much greater that yt is, my care were not smal to p'vide for them wherefore as I am content somewhat to hinder myself this once I beseech you hereafter have care for me that I be not driven to the like And so you shall ever command me And I will rest yo'r most assured kinsman in my power EZECH: WESTON. This my letter is a sufficient acquitance of the receyt of this xli. the w'ch I acquit you for having receyved it this 17th of June 1603. [Endorsed] To the worshipfull Edward Price Esquier at his howse at Newtowne. 1 Sir Herbert Croft, Knt., of Croft Castle, M.P. for the County of Hereford. On Oct. 27th, 34 Eliz. (1592), he obtained a grant of the office of steward of the lordships and manors of Montgomery, Kerry, and Kedewen for life. Rent £20. (Mont. Coll. iv., p. 258.) Espousing the doctrines of the Church of Rome in 1607, be became a lay brother of the Benedictine monastery of Douay, where he died April 10th, 1622. He was the direct ancestor of the present baronet, Sir Herbert G: D. Croft, of Croft Castle. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage. VIII. 1608, April 8th. Deed of Bargain and Sale for £60, by Ambrose Jenkins of Gwested in the parish of Llanllochaiarn gent. to John Pryce of Vaynor Gent. of All that parcel of meadow called and known by the name of Wernddu3 containing by estimation five acres, all that other parcel of land called Llwyn-y-rhos-goch containing by estimation three acres, and all that other parcel of land containing by estimation four acres lying and being in Maesgwastad between the land of Edward Pryce Esq and a certain road usually called y Sarn Velen "and all other my lands and hereditaments whatsoever in Maesgwastad" and all the right, title, etc., which premises are situate lying and being in the township of Dyffryn Llanvair in the parish of Newtown in the County of Montgomery and are now or late in the occupation of Robert Brownswood. ranty of Title etc. War Sealed and delivered to the hands of Thomas Pryce to the use and behoof of the within named John Pryce in the presence and sight of William ap Rees ар John Gwalchmay Ellis, Robert Moris, William Corne (?) IX. The following Inventory of James Stedman, Esq.'s, effects show the nature and character of a country gentleman's possessions in the time of King James I, as well as the prices of things. Thus, horses were 1 There are three farms of this name-Upper, Lower, and Cefngwestydd, all now the property of Sir James Joicey. 2 A farm in the parish of Newtown, still forming part of the Newtown Hall estate. 3 Wernddu is now the property of W. H. B. Swift, Esq. 4 Maesgwastad was the name given to the "flat or level land lying between the Newtown cemetery and the railway, through which the Pool Road runs. 5 Y Sarn Velen appears to have been the old highway running partly along the old Roman Road, traces of which may still be seen, alongside of the railway from the Rectory towards the Gro valued at thirty shillings each, sheep and lambs at about fourteen pence each. James Stedman was the eldest son and heir of John Stedman, referred to in p. 68. Mr., afterwards Sir John, Pryce, the first baronet of Newtown Hall, married his widow, which accounts for this document being among the Pryce family papers. A true and perfect Inventorie indented of all and singuler the goodes Chattels and Debts of James Stedman late of Strata florida in the Countie of Cardigan esquier deceased made taken valued and praised the one and twentieth day of August in the fifteenth yeare of the Raigne of o'r Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of god of England Scotland ffraunce and Ireland Kinge defender of the faith Annoq. domini 1617 by Morgan Gwynne Esquire, Walter Lloyd, David Lloyd Oliver, Evan ap Rees ap David, Griffith Morris and Thomas William Goz gentlemen as followeth : Imprimis in readie money and plate Item in debts due to ye deceased Item xvj bedes in severall bedchambers Item Twenty feather beds Item One and Twenty Coverlids and Coverings Item one sute of damaske Item in Table Clothes Cubard clothes Towells and Item in Tables longe and square w'th frames and without Item livery Cupbords joyned Stooles Chayres and ffurmes Item in Trunckes and Chestes Item in brasse and pewiter Item Stuffe in the kitchen, As Cubards, Spitts, linkes, hookes and other things Item in wooden vesselles Item in implements for husbandry Item in Corne graine and hay . xli. Item in Carpets for longe tables and square tables Item Two hundred *** kine and young Item Twentie horses and Mares Item Seaven hundred sheepe and lambes XXS. XXS. XXS. xli. XXXS. celi. xxxli. Receaved the daie and yeare aboue written from m'r John Price by the handes of Lawrence Jones the some of vjli. xiijs. iiijd. and ys for one halfe yeares rent due att o'r Ladie daie now last past for divers tenements holden from my Lord the Earle of Essex by m'r Matthew Price, I saie received to his Lo'ps use six poundes thirteen shillings and foure pencewitness my hand. W. WINGFIELDE Mr. John Pryce was created a baronet August 15th, 1628. He represented Montgomeryshire in the "Long" Parliament. Parliament. He subsequently attended the king's "mongrel" Parliament at Oxford in 1644-5, and afterwards represented the county in Parliament from 1654 to the date of his death, June 18th, 1657; having become an adherent of the Parliamentary cause. (Mont. Worthies.) XI. Good neighbour. I understand by Richard Willson that you sente for him thinking that. . . . he had bin the man that you borrowed the xxli. of But his brother was the man and not he I have the Bond ready for you and you shal have it by the first convenient messenger that I can send it by. Seeing you are soe distrustfull of yo'r ffrends I must desyre you to sende me my Bonde w'ch I sealed unto you at Aberhavesp for resigneinge the Lease from my Lord of Essex when you brought me a dischardge from those that I was bound unto I doe acknowledg that I receaved my Bonds upp and I am willinge to resigne the Lease accordinge to yo'r direccons as I am willinge to p'forme w'th you I hope you will deliu'r uppe my Bonde soe with my best love vnto yo'r selfe my cosen y'r wief I rest yo'r assured lovinge unkle Llanidloes 28 Januarii 1625 THO'S PRYCE [Endorsed] To the Wor. my very lovinge nephew John Pryce Esquier at Strata florida1 del'r. XII. The xvijth February A° 1627 I have agreede [with] Mr. Jo. Prise Esquire thatt soe soone as I am assured of Beander Lands2 and Key Henry w'th Beander Mills with their appurtenances (w'ch are in one Lease graunted from her late Ma'tie Queene Elizabeth to one Thomas lake and John Trahearne for divers yeares yett unexpired) to assure the fee ffarme to him or his assignes he paying the said rent reserved with the increase of doble the same & also paying fourscore & ten pounds for a fine w'th p'formance of all such covenants as I shalbe (or my assignes) bound to p'forme to his Ma'tie w'th their half of the charges in the proseqution and p'curinge and passinge the graunt from the Kinge that I have or shalbe att, he payinge duringe the tearme of the abovesaid Lease the same rents that nowe the tertenants doe whoe live upon itt and making good their Leases And such assurances to be made for performance as shalbe adiudged resonable by my learned Councell. Wittnes my hand [Endorsed] ROB GRYMES That more then worthy frend John Prise Esquier this XIII. Be it known vnto all men by these p'sents that I Elizabeth Vavasor of Newtowne in the Com. of Mountgomry doe 1 John Pryce was then on a visit to Strata Florida, having, as already stated, married Catherine, widow of James Stedman, of that place. He had also property of his own in Cardiganshire. 2 The Beander lands are easily identified as those on part of which the Severn Tweed Mills, Newtown, are built. By Indenture of 20th June, 1629, Robert Grymes, described as "of London Gent," conveyed these lands and premises for £140 to Henry Whittingham, of London, Gent., and William Whittingham, of the Inner Temple, London, Gent. The name "Beander" is probably derived from the Welsh buanddwr rapid water or stream. = There is a mill standing on a portion of the lands still forming part of the Newtown Hall Estate, and known as "Byander Mill." Elizabeth Vavasor was apparently the widow of William Vavasor, of Newtown, one of the witnesses to John Price's will (ante, p. 68), |