Welsh Journals

evidence from witnesses. One of these was the aged William Messenger of the parish of Uzmaston, born about 1438, a former minstrel in the Wiltshire household, who had some interesting particulars to divulge. The depositions are written in the style of early Tudor years, and I have extended the contractions and modernised the spelling save when quoting verbatim. The document reads as follows: "Because it is meritorious to all Christian men to testify and to bear witness in matters of truth, be it therefore known by these presents that the 21st day of July in the tenth year of the reign of our sovereign lord King Henry VIIIth (1518), there came before us Thomas ap Owen, Lieutenant of the town of Hereford(west), Master William Stradlyng, clerk, of the church of St. Davids (and) Chancellor, David Thomas, sheriff of the town of Hereford (west), Thomas Wogler (Vougler) merchant, Richard Longman, Mayor of Hereford (west), Geffrey Hygday, shoemaker of the same (place), John Goore, shoemaker, Harry More of the shire of Pembroke, yeoman, Ambrose Coderyngton of Sodbyry in the county of Gloucester, gentleman, and before dyvers other at Hareford west": One William Messengere of Wosemoston (Uzmaston) in the lordship of Hereford west, of the age of 80 years and above, and in our presence swore and deposed and said that the said William Messengere being of the age of 20 years or thereabouts was minstrel and dwelling with one James Ormond then Earl of Wiltshire and Avyse his wife, and of them took wages and livery by the space of three years. And that the said Earl and Avyse his wife upon a time asked him where he was born, which (he) said that he was born in "west Wales nygh Herefford west". And the said Earl said that that was not Wales "but that it was Ynglond be yond Walys". And then the same Avyse said that she had lands in that country, that was Walwynscastle, Syke, and Laugharne, and asked him whether he knew them. And he said he knew them all well, and that he was born within four miles of Walwynscastle, and sixteen miles from Laugharne or thereabouts. And then the said Avyse said to her husband that if she died without issue, one Perot of that country was her heir of Walwyns- castle, Syke, and Laugharne. And the said Earl answered and soberly said these words, "Ye dame! Ye dame!" And she said "Aye that by my faith is he" (heir to them). The said William Messenger said also before us that some time that same Avyse at that time, that he was with her at a fair (indistinct) to go to divers pilgrimages because she would have children, but he saith that yet she had no children as far as he knoweth. At which things the said William Messenger deposed and swore upon the Boke to be true, before us witnesses beforenamed. In witness whereof, first the said Thomas ap Owen, Lieutenant