Welsh Journals

MINOR OFFICIALS IN RADNORSHIRE UNDER THE GREAT SESSIONS IN WALES By E. J. L. COLE An examination of about twenty bundles of Gaol Files between the fifth year of Edward VI and the seventh year of his half-sister Elizabeth brought to light lists for each of these years, not only of the Justices of the Peace, of whom there were many, some of distinction in their day, but also lists of lesser-known men who served in a minor capacity as coroners, bailiffs, constables and the like. A number of them served for a decade or more-for instance the two who filled the office of Coroner from 5 Edward VI to 1558: John David Lewis, gent, and Walter David Bedo Dee, gent. Their names are shown on the rolls for these and the inter- vening years. As well as the names of two Coroners there are listed those of the Escheator (one), Bailiffs of the Liberties (of the towns or townships) of Radnor, Presteigne, Norton, Rhayader, Painscastle, Knighton, Knucklas, Cefnllys (eight), Chief Constables of the Hundreds of Radnor, Painscastle, Knighton, Rhayader, Colwyn and Cefnllys (two for each Hundred), Bailiffs of the Hundreds of Radnor, Painscastle, Knighton, Cefnllys, Rhayader and Colwyn (six), and Foresters (one), thirty men in all, though not all the men are named in each year. For several years the lists have perished or only survived fragmentarily. The autumn Session of 5 Edward VI (PRO. Ref. 461-2) though deficient in three names gives a better picture of the spread of rural government. In addition to the Coroners mentioned above the officials were :­ Escheator Edward Price Esq. (Knighton) Bailiffs of Liberties Radnor Hoel Madocke, Presteigne Lewis Lloyd, gent. Norton Lewis Davies. Rhayader Thomas Bedo ap Stephen. Painscastle Gwilym Thomas. Knighton Richard ap Jevan. No names are given for the remaining townships of Knucklas and Cefnllys. Chief Constables of Hundreds Radnor Griffith ap Hoel Goch, gent & Rice ap Lewis, gent. Painscastle Robert Gwillim, gent & Thomas Griffith ap Lewis, gent. Knighton Roger ap Rice, gent & Morgan Meredith. Rhayader: James David ap Howell, gent. & Jevan Bedo Madock, gent. Cefnllys Stephen Lewis & Rice ap James. Colwyn John David Goch & David ap Stephen. Bailiffs of Hundreds Radnor Jevan ap Rice. Knighton John ap David. Cefnllys John David ap Howell. Painscastle: Thomas Mericke. Rhayader Jevan ap Howell ap Ricard. Colwyn John ap John. Foresters no name given this year that of William Abbatt Esq. occurs from 1 Mary (1554) onwards to the limit of the period considered. Using Writs and Jury Lists, plus information from wills, one can allocate parishes to some of these names. Of the town bailiffs Hoel Madocke was of New Radnor, Lewis Lloyd of Boultibroke, Lewis Davies of Norton, Thomas Bedo ap Stephen of Llansantffraed in Cwmdauddwr. Of the constables, James David ap Howell and Jevan Bedo Madock were both of Llan-hir, Griffith ap Hoel Goch of Discoed, John David Goch of Glascwm, David ap Stephen of Aberedw. Of the bailiffs of the Hundreds