Title:
Examination
Level: Series
QUARTER SESSIONS ROLLS
Level: File
MIDSUMMER 1590
Scope and Content:
Arthur More, before Sir Henry Graye, Knight, who says that he came into Essex on Thursday last past out of Norfolk, where he remained by the space of one month; and further says that he arrived at Dover in Kent on the first day of March last past being accompained by John Grene whose name is mentioned in his licence; and being demanded who made thier licence he said that it was made by William Robertes, Clerk of their Captain's Band, and that their Captain's name was Mr Herington by whose appontment the siad licence was made, and subscribed with his hand and sealed with his seal, and to him delivered by the said Roberts at 'the Ramkynes' in the Low Countries. But afterwards the said examinate did confess that the said passport was made at Saffron Walden by one John Croftes, a soldier, but the name of Anthony Herrington and the seal were subscribed and set hereunto by one called Kytte Myller a pedlar, whoe is a maker of passportes and goeth apparelled in a Spanyshe lether Jerkynne with longe cutts and a payre of venesyans of canvas cutt', which Myller did also make him one other passport for himself and two other persons at the Fair at Chelmsford being upon May Day last. He further confessed that he was in Leicestershire and has wandered in divers shires with his said conterfeit passport.

Thomas Hastinges in the passport called John Grene, who at first affirmed his name to be John Grene, affirmed in every repect as is contained in the former part of the former examination, but afterwards confessed his name to be Thomas Hastinges, and that he had long been a companion to the said Arthur More in Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Kent, and other shires, using that trade of living and he confessed that their said licence was forged and counterfeit and was made by the said Myller. But for his part he had no acquaintance with the said Myller himself but was brought to the sight of him at the Fair at Chelmsford by his companion More in an Alehouse in Moulsham. where the said Myller made them a new passport for the which More paid 12d. He also confessed to the constable being sent with him to apprehend the said Myller that Myller did use to lend money to divers persons of their quality, and when they had 'gotten any cheate' they did repay him again with interest. [In margin: More of himself so paid about 8d.]

[On dorse]. Richard Doowell, Edward Farnham and Robert Kyllingworthe, taken on the same day. [Superscribed above thier names respectively; 'to London', 'to Maydston', and 'to London'.

One of the said examinates, naming himself in the passport Thomas Forest, confessed his name to be Richard Doowell, and that his father's name is Patrick Magge Doowell 'Who dwelleth in Wiltshyre in the parishe of Blandford and maye dispende iij li by ye yere in landes which he purchassed after that he had sold his lyvinge in Irelande'; he has an uncle, he says named Thomas Doowell dwelling in 'Tuttyll Streete'; he also says that the passport by colour whereof he begged was given him in Norfolk by another soldier whose name he knows not but at the time of the delivery thereof there were divers soldiers in the company of such-like persons as he is.

Edward Farnham, called in the passport Thomas Robynson, confessed his name to be Edward Farnham and he was born near unto Leeds in Kent where his father dwells and is a shoemaker, he also has an uncle dwelling at Waltham Abbey, but he says he has '"this trade of lyef' a long time, for first he was 'a lackeye to Sr Thomas Scott [in margin; to Sir John Scott the son, not the father] and after warde served in the Lowe Contryes as a voluntarye souldyoure, and sythence his comynge into England beinge one yere past and nowe hath wandrd on this manner and is maryed, his wyeff usinge to sell some pedlers wares her packe being woorthe not above xs'; his wife's name he says is Elizabeth Farnham and being demanded how long he had used the company of the siad Doowell and his other associate, he says he has accompanied them by the space of two days, meeting them upon the highway betwen Chelmsford and Brentwood.

Robert Kyllingworth, in the passport naming himself Christopher Johnson, says that he was 'a chamberlayne at the Whyte Harte in the Strande in the suburbes of London, from whence he was prest unto Portingall under the conduct of Captayne Warde whoe lodgeth in St. Gyles in the Fyeldes, and after his retorne owt of Portingall he went into the Lowe Contryes and served there at the Ramakyns', where he continued not long but returned into England again; and meeting by chance with the said More and Hastinges, with whom he was acquainted by reason of their services together in the Low Countries he accompanied them by the space of three weeks or more, but he was taken in the Company of the said Doowel and Farnham.

[113/39a.] Certain remmbraces touching the behaviour of the siad persons both before and since the time of their apprehension.

Upon Sunday being 3 May, 1590, three of the said rogues to wit Doowell, Farnham and kyllingwoorth, came in the time of Divine Sevice to the parish church of Navestock, "where in the churche the court havings redde the seconds lesson they dylyvred to hym theire sayd cownterfect lycence to be read in open churche requringe the ayde of the churchwardens to greater for them". Before their coming to the siad church "they wandred a sonder in the parishe where one of them wold have stolne chyckens had he not byn espyed by one of the parishyoners and therby put form his praye at that tyme". the other tow, it more and Hastinges, went in like sort to the parish church of south Weald, and after service there ended they came to the said Parish of Navestock, where they had appointed to meet thier other companions, and form thence they appointed to go to Epping, and form Epping to Waltham Fair had they not been stayed, they travelled also saunder, and one of them in service time persuaded a young maid, having the key of her master's house, to open the door and to bestow something upon him.

After such time as they were committed to the charge of the constable to be sent to the House of correction they did "in vehement manner manesse and threeten those partyes that were the cause of thier apprehensyon, sayinge that theye would be revenged of them and that they wold kyll hym that whypped them". The first night that they were committed, being watched all night, they would not rise in the morning untill their breakfast was ready, which they had and were conveyed to the next parish being but a mile distance, form hence they would not depart untill they had their dinners, "unless the constable wold have caryed them in carts", and the like course and usage they contined "with most horryble othes affyrminge that yf they were wiith the kinge of Spayne they should not be so used, with whome a great number of Good fellowes of theire qualities was, sayinge that theye ware gentylmen and wold seeke revenge of this harde dealing", and in lkie outrageous manner hebaved themselves during thier whole journey to the House of Correction.
Dates of Creation:
3 May,1590
Not Available:
Not to be produced