Welsh Journals

of our old books dated 12th October, 1682. My forebear, Richard Griffiths of Trederwen House, Arddleen, started a memorandum book in 1650 in connection with the estate of his father, also Richard Griffiths, who died in 1645 when Bailiff of Pool for the third time. Bailiff Griffiths supported the Royalists in the Civil War and one of his staff was killed in action near Powis Castle in 1644. Young Richard Griffiths was also a Royalist and on the Restoration of King Charles II gave, in conjunction with his kinsman, Robert Evans of New Hall, Llandrinio, a bell to Llandrinio Church. The bell is inscribed "God save ye King, R.E. R.G. C.W. (Churchwarden) 1661." Thus the bell is exactly 300 hundred years old, but Oak Apple Day, 1961, passed unnoticed at Llandrinio, and I do not suppose that the parishioners even knew of this anniversary, nor that the family of "R.G." still lived in the neighbourhood. Young Richard Griffiths studied law under his uncle, Edward Griffiths of Pool, who was Sheriffs Clerk in 1650 to the Sheriff, Lloyd Piers of Maesmawr, Guilsfield, and was the "Mr. Gee" mentioned in the Bill of Expenses for the Montgomeryshire Assizes held at Montgomery in September, 1650. It was part of the duties of Edward Griffiths, as Sheriff's Clerk, to certify any expenses chargeable to the Sheriff, the rest falling on Lord Herbert of Chirbury. The Bill of Expenses is printed in Mont. Coll., Vol. 19, pages 28 to 35, under the heading of "Herbert Manuscripts." It is very well worth studying, as these accounts give a far more factual picture of the Roundheads than some more fanciful ones do. It will be seen that a quart of sack and unlimited beer was the normal amount drunk at a meal and I cannot imagine any Welshman looking glum and miserable after having partaken of a banquet and also a large supper with a quart of sack and unlimited beer at each meal It was Cromwell who appointed Mr. James Mytton of Pontiscawryd, Meifod, Sheriff in 1651, and Mr. Edward Corbett of Leighton in 1652, and the others who followed them; and, judging from their descendants, one can scarcely imagine them wearing black Roundhead hats and having the faces of hard, bigoted religious zealots, devoid of humour. The Dinner List for the Friday of Assize Week has some interesting points. "Captain Lloyd" was Evan Lloyd of Llanwnog, Sheriff in 1649, who had the unplea- sant job of seeing that Montgomery Castle was demolished. As Lord Herbert of Chirbury had offered no resistance to the Roundheads, he was allowed £ 4,000 as compensation for the destruction of the Castle, his private property. Captain Morris Lloyd was his brother and his Under Sheriff, and both were Captains in Cromwell's Army. Morris Lloyd was an attorney, and most of the County Legal Officials were present that evening. These appointments seem limited to certain families, especially the Coronerships of Lower Montgomeryshire. Indeed, from