Justice's Note-Book of Captain John Pickering, 1656-60. CAPTAIN JOHN PICKERING, the writer of the note-book of which the first portion is printed below, resided at Tingley House, near Woodkirk, and was an officer of some note during the Commonwealth, serving as a captain of dragoons. He married Deborah, daughter of Horace Eure, and sister to George and Ralph, successively Lord Eure. The births of Captain Pickering's children are entered in the Woodkirk Register, with one exception, and are as follows: — Bethia, born 4 November, 1652; Bathshua, born 12 May, 1654; Hannah, born 6 March, 1655-6, and buried 13 February, 1656–7, in the Topcliffe burying ground; Mercy, baptized at Topcliffe Chapel, 12 August, 1657; and Elizabeth, born 1 April, and buried 17 April, 1659, at Topcliffe. Bethia was married at Woodkirk Church on the 30th July, 1673, to Joseph Sykes, of Leeds, merchant, whose niece, Anna, third daughter of his eldest brother, Richard Sykes, of Leeds, married Ralph Thoresby. Bathshua was married to John Lister, dissenting minister, on the 15 November, 1682 (Heywood's Register), and was buried at Tingley, 24 February, 1732-3. Mercy was married to Thomas Elston, minister at Topcliffe, on the 3rd February, 1685-6, at Woodkirk Church, and two of their children were baptized there, viz. Hananiah, 15 January, 1695-6, and Joseph, 10 February, 1696–7.1 Captain Pickering died on the 18th of April, 1699, aged 74, and his wife Deborah died 5 November, 1693, aged 69, and they are both interred at the burying ground at Tingley. The site was near his 1 Thoresby's Ducatus Leodiensis, p. 18, Hunter's Familiae Minorum Gentium (Harleian Society), p. 153, and the Topcliffe and Morley Registers, ed. by Wm. Smith, give further particulars of the family. The Rev. John Freeman, vicar of Woodkirk, has kindly allowed extracts to be taken from the Registers in his custody. His residence, and was presented by him to his co-religionists. tombstone may still be seen there, with four others,' in a plantation on the crest of a small ridge and near to a pond. In 1642, although then apparently only 18 or 19 years old, Pickering was employed by Parliament on an expedition into Scotland, and a warrant was issued on the 28 February, 1642-3, by the Committee of Safety of the Kingdom, to the Treasurer of the Army, to pay to him £180 for expenses. That amount was still unpaid on the 3 November, 1643, as on that date another Warrant was issued to the Treasurer of Wars to pay £100 out of the money received by him from Anthony Wither, being the proceeds of a silver cistern seized from Sir Richard Hubbard, to Mr. John Pickering, in part payment of £180 due to him for service in Scotland. The £100 was duly paid, and on the 11 November, 1643, Edward Pickering gave a receipt for it, by payment of William Jessop, to the use of his brother, John Pickering. On the 6 May, 1645, it was ordered by the Committee of both Kingdoms that Pickering should receive two months' pay as a captain of dragoons, out of the £400 raised upon granado shells. On the 4 September, 1645, the Committee wrote to Robert, Earl of Warwick, that they had heard and determined the difference between Captains Pickering and Langrish concerning the troop raised out of the overplus horse of the several counties, and found that Captain Pickering was nominated by the Committee of the Eastern Association, having power to do so by ordinance, and he had accordingly received a commission from this Committee to command that troop. They desired the Earl to give order accordingly to that troop to march under the command of Captain Pickering. On the 6 May, 1646, Pickering was despatched with his troop to King's Lynn. Pickering is not mentioned again in the Calendars of State Papers, from which the preceding extracts are taken, until after Cromwell's death, when, on the 9 July, 1659, he was required to report the number and condition of his troop and place of rendezvous. He and others signed a petition to Cromwell, dated at York, 8 January, 1655-6, for instructions respecting various persons in office not well affected to the "publique peace and p'sent government, and to the good people who contributed their assistance in time of 1 The inscriptions on the tombstones are given in the Topcliffe and Morley Registers, p. 6, and in the Northern Genealogist, 1896, p. 206. The latter contains an abstract of Captain Pickering's will. trouble and danger against the common enemy," and stating that a number of the gentry had been secured in the garrison of Hull.' Shortly afterwards, 20 August, 1656, he was sworn to execute the office of a Justice of the Peace in the West Riding, probably as a consequence of the petition, and the note-book which follows is an interesting record of the matters brought before him, and of the customs and habits of the seventeenth century. The marriages are especially valuable, as it is believed that the registers of some of the parishes mentioned are defective for the years 1656 to 1660. For example, the only marriages recorded in the Woodkirk Register during those years are the following: 1656. Gulielmus Aviard cum Maria Browne, Septem. die 28vo. 1658. Josuah Astwick cum Alice Brogden, July 28vo. Johannes Dransfield cum Anne Pearson, Sept. 29. Dom: Christo: Marshall cum Sarah Neaustead, Nov. die 16o. It will be noticed that the marriage in the church often preceded by a few days the civil marriage recorded in the MS. The Rev. Oliver Heywood would be intimately acquainted with Pickering. On the 9 July, 1677, Heywood breakfasted with Pickering, and on the 11 January, 1686, visited him. In 1678 Heywood records in his Diary that Pickering and the pastor at Topcliffe took the part of Joseph Jackson in a civil dissension between two brethren about a horse which had died when on loan, respecting which several church meetings had been held. Pickering was appointed with Heywood by the will of Mr. Gamaliel Marsden (who was teacher at the church at Topcliffe, and had married, first, a young woman worth £40 a year, and secondly, Mr. Marshall's widow, "lived plentifully, comfortably, dyed with honour, was buryed May 27, 1681, left a competent estate to his friends, wife having no child") to assist his widow to distribute £20 to poor ministers, widows, scholars, godly poor.2 EDWARD PICKERING, the brother of the Captain, was also a person of some consequence. On the 11th November, 1645,3 Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice, with the gentlemen attending them, having disengaged themselves from the King's service, were desirous to 1 Yorkshire Archeological Journal, vi, 93. 2 Heywood's Diary, ed. Turner. 3 The battle of Marston Moor was fought on the 4th July, 1644. obtain passes from Parliament to go beyond the seas, and it was ordered by the Committee of both Kingdoms that Edward Pickering do signify to Prince Rupert that both Houses of Parliament have granted a pass for his Highness and for Prince Maurice, besides such officers and gentlemen of quality, with their servants, horses, and necessary baggage, as Prince Rupert shall name and deliver a list thereof to Mr. Pickering, to pass freely and quietly to the several ports of Yarmouth, Dover, Rye, and Southampton, or to any of them, within 14 days next after the Prince shall receive his pass, so that they come not through the city of London, nor within the lines of communication, and shall transport themselves at the first opportunity out of the King's dominions, having engaged themselves upon their honours and subscribed that they will never more bear arms or act anything against both Houses or against the Estates of Scotland. convoy was to be appointed when the list of persons was received by the Committee and the port signified to which they intended to go. Prince Rupert having asked for some modification, Mr. Edward Pickering was, on the 22nd November, desired to deliver to the Prince a letter signifying that the Houses would not recede from what was formerly agreed upon, and that if their offer was not accepted within 14 days they should hold themselves free from their former engagements, and Pickering was then to return to the Committee. On the 9 December, 1645, the Committee wrote to Prince Rupert, mentioning that Pickering had been despatched with the letters of 22nd November, and that they were informed he went from Evesham to Worcester on the 27th. The time appointed for his stay had elapsed, and they had not heard anything of him. They doubted not but being employed to his Highness, the latter would be careful that Pickering should be safely returned unto them. On the 10th December the Committee wrote to the Committee of Evesham that they desired that a trumpeter should be sent to the Governor of Worcester, to demand an account of Mr. Pickering. More is not known, as the Calendars do not refer to him again. Captain Pickering's Note-Book measures 11gin. x 72in., and is written on 54 leaves. At the top of the first page Thoresby has written :--"Cos" Elstons gift to Ralph Thoresby, da: of this Capt Jo: Pickering." In the copy which follows the entries of certain offences against morality have been much curtailed. G. D. L. 1 Prince Rupert left the country at Dover for Calais on the 5th July, 1646, and Prince Maurice on the 8th for Holland. They had a pass from General Fairfax, dated 19 June, 1646. See Warburton's Memoirs of Prince Rupert, vol. 3, pp. 233-6. MEMORAND: thatt Wedensday, 20th off August, 1656, I was sworne to execute the office of a Justice off Peace in ye West Ridd: according to my best skill, knowledge & power. Jo: PICKERINGE. JAMES AUSTWICK, p SWEARING. Saturday, 23th August (56). James Austwick, sen', of West Ardsley, was conuicted upon the oath of Will. Cotten of the same ffor swearing two pphane oathes & one pphane curse, wch is the first, second & third offence, & warrant giuen to the Constable to punish him accordingly. JOHN SMITH. Р DRUNK: & Swearing. Memorand: That John Smith of West Ardsley, collier, was conuicted before Mr Ward, of Pomfrett, upon the oaths of Willm Cotten & Thos Kidson, of West Ardsley, the 30th of August last, ffor being drunke the 13th of ye same month, & did then also pphanely sweare six oathes one after another; ffor wch offences he forfeited one & forty shillings eightpence; & warrant giuen by me to the Constable to leuy the same, & for want of distresse to set him in the stockes for the space of thirty-nine howers. Ye warrant beares date 9th of September, 1656. See Justice Ward warrant. JONAS TETLEY. MARRIED. Md: That Jonas Tetley & Elizabeth Thornton, both of Bradford, were duly married before me the eleauenth day off Sept: 1656, in p'sence of Jeremy Dixon of Heaton roides, John Taylour of little Horton, John Rhodes of Bradford, & Tho: Smallwood,' minister of Batley, & others, & certificate giuen accordingly the same day. JOSEPH TAYLOur. DRUNKENESSE. Md: That Joseph Tayler of West Ardsley, labourer, was conuict off being drunke 13th August last, before me 12th of Sept: 56, & warrant giuen that day to punish him accordingly. THO: GLOUER & JOHN BURNILL. TIPLING ON LDS. DAY. Ma: That Tho: Glouer & John Burnill were conuicted before me upon their owne confession for tipling at Paul Sharpes upon 27th July last, being Lds day, & warrant giuen to Constable of West Ardsley, 12th Sept: (56), to levy ye forfeit. Md: That 15 Sept: (56) a warrant of ye peace was granted against Henry Wilkinson of Chidsall, upon the complaint & oath of Sibill Greene of Chidsall, his mother, to bind over to the next sessions, &c. RECOGNIZANCE. 17th Sept: 1656. Md: Anthony Smickersgill of Carlesmoore, in the parish of Kirby Malzard, husbandman, acknowledged himself by way off recognizance to owe unto the Ld ProtectTM 1 "Mr. Thomas Smalwood (my neighbour Atkinson's father in law), being a Chaplain in the Parliament's army in the late wars, would sometimes outbrave the soldiers, being able to take up at the arm's length three pikes tied together, which requires a greater strength than can be supposed without trial" (Thoresby's Ducatus, Appendix, p. 147). See the Yorkshire County Magazine, i, p. 262. |