JANUARY 23, 1895. NOTES. one of his surviving sons, Mr G. W. Watton. For twenty years Mr Watton was a member of the Shrewsbury Town Council, and he was several times offered the office of Mayor,but on each occasion he refused to accept the honour. In 1867 he was THE PLAGUE AT OSWESTRY (Nov. 28, made a Borough Magistrate, and at the time of his 1894). -The following note from Philip Henry's death he was second on the list of justices in Diary gives information as to the Minister who seniority. For twelve years he was a warden of died from the Plague :-"1681. W. Felton to St. Chad's Church, and for many years was a mem-ye Interm't of my dear and precious Freind, Mr. ber of the Severn Board of Conservators. He also Jonathan Roberts, a true Nathaniel, an Israelite filled several other public offices in the town. He indeed, his Brother Timothy in ye Plague year had been twice married, and leaves a widow, also dy'd and was bury'd in ye high way at Ness four sons and three daughters. The funeral took Cl, ff three miles off, none taking him into House, place on Thursday at Weston-Super-Mare. because hee came from London, a learned faithful Minr. of J.C." J.P.-J. The late Col. Corbett of Longnor Hall. We regret to announce the death of Col. Edward Corbett of Longnor Hall, Shrewsbury, which took place at his residence on Sunday morning, Jan. 6. The deceased gentleman, who was 77 years of age, was in Shrewsbury on the previous Monday, and he was taken seriously ill on Friday. The deceased was a very popular county gentleman, and during his lifetime distinguished himself in many ways. He was the son of Mr Panton Corbett, by his marriage with Lucy Favoretta, daughter of Dr. Jones of Lichfield he was born on December 30th, 1817, and received his education at Eton. On leaving Eton he joined the 51st Regiment, which he left in 1842 with the rank of lieutenant. He was transferred to the 72nd Highlanders, and remained with that regiment until about 1844. He joined the Shropshire Militia on its formation about the time of the Crimean War, with the rank of major. He succeeded to the command of the regiment, and was chief officer for many years. When he retired he was presented with a full-length portrait of himself. Col. Corbett sat in Parliament as a representative of South Shropshire for some years, being first elected at the General Election in 1868, at which the burning question was the great Bill for the Disestablishment of the Irish Church. In this contest Sir Percy Herbert headed the poll, and Col. Corbett came next, Mr Jasper More being the defeated candidate. Col. Corbett held his seat during the whole of the Parliament, and retired during the next, and was succeeded by Sir Baldwyn Leighton. Deceased was a Justice of the Peace for the county, and Chairman of the Dorrington Bench. He also acted as Chairman of the Conservative Association for Shropshire, and for some years was master of the Shropshire Hounds. The deceased gentleman was a worthy representative of an old Shropshire family, and in former days earned some repute and some experience as the proprietor and driver of a coach which at one time ran from Machynlleth to Barmouth, where the Colonel then resided. Three years ago he published a volume of these experiences, under the title of "An Old Coachman's Chatter." The deceased gentleman, who leaves a widow and ten children (four sons and six daughters), had lived in retirement for some time. The funeral took place on Thursday, the remains being interred at Leebotwood. The Parliamentary Intelligence of May 21-28, 1650, records this petition : A SEVENTEENTH CENTURY PETITION. To the Right Honourable the Lords in Parlia ment assembled; The humble Petition of John Jones of Nanteos, in the County of Cardigan, Esq., in the behalf of himself and other Freeholders of the seven Mannors under written, lying in the County aforesaid in South Wales. The Mannors of 1, Mencinth. 2, Mabonion. 3, Talesarn. 4, Ymbinog. 5, Vehkerdin. 6, Perneth. 7, Generglyn, alias Gufoeth Brenin. SHEWING, That the aforesaid Mannors being an antient part of the principality of Wales, and having continued ever since the twelfth year of Edward the first united to the Crown of England as part and parcel of the revenues thereof, the Earls of Pembroke having been stewards of the same (under whom your Petitioners Ancestors and themselves lived in much Freedom and Tranquility) were about 1649 alienated from the Crown, thereby becoming the possessions of private men, particularly of Thomas Evans, Henry Vaughan, John Vaughan, and others, who using their Jurisdictions with more rigour than your Petitioners or Predecessors were formerly acquainted with, by excessive amercements, fines, and threats, extorting your Petitioners Voices at publick Elections, and a conformity to their will and pleasure, many times contrary to your Petitioners judgements and inclinations, Your Petitioners as well out of the duty they owe to his Sacred Majesty, as the honor to continue as they and their Ancestors formerly did, immedi ate Tenants to the Crown, and for the avoiding the present prejudice they are subject to: Humbly pray, That the said Mannors be re-united to the Crown, your Petitioners paying to the Purchasers the principal money paid by them for the same, with interest at £6 per cent. to this time, with what charges they have been at, in improving the same; the Purchasers allowing to your Petitioners upon accompt the yearly rents and profits, raised from the same ever since they were alienated from the Crown towards the re-purchasing thereof by your Petitioners, to be re-united as aforesaid. And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c., JOHN JONES. B. I forgive my cosin Dr Lloyd the debt he oweth me. I give £10 partely to ammend the commons the daye of my buriall amongst the company, partely to be bestowed uppon some plate for the use of the Company. I give to MrDr Awbrey Master of the Requestes a ringe of goulde of £3, & to Mrs Awbrey his wife a ringe of 40s price, to my cosin Dr Griffithe, Albericus Fulgatius & Cumanus. 1 give unto my nephewe Holland of Cambridge my Divinitie bookes. I give unto my two nephewes John Owen & Evan Hewes my servaunte all my household stuffe & in money to John Owen £10 & to Evan Hughes £20 & to Richard Evan myne olde servaunte £4. To Peter Hughes my kynnesman £50. for the space of 4 yeres & after the same 4 yeres the £50 to be distributed amongst the poore people dwellinge in the countrey where I was borne I ordaine Edward Griffithe my nephewe my executor & I give hym £20 & in case Edward Griffithe doe dye I appoynt Peter Hewes my nephew to be my executor the same to distribute the £50 declared. & will as above I give to my sister Katherine of llissayne [sic] mother to Evan my man £20 & I forgive her husband the debt he oweth me. I forgive Peter Hughes. . . £10. To my I give unto my goddaughter Mary Herbert £3 63 8d & to my godson Sowthworthe £4. godson Thomas Wheeler £4. To Dr Foster my phisicon £4. To Owen Hollande my nephew £5.(4) I remit to Peter Mutton £6 of debt. (5) To Herbert Mr Awbreys sonne in lawe his debt. I give to Mary Lloyd daughter of my cosen Dr Lloyd £5. To John & Thomas Panton 493. a yeere. To my lovinge frend Mr Dr. Dunne, Johannes of Imola the residue to CURRENT NOTES. The motto of Mr Justice Mathew, who comes of an old Welsh family once resident in Glamorganshire, is "Duw a digon." The marriage of Mr Eric Platt, son of Colonel Henry Platt of Gorddinog, Bangor, and Miss Perry, daughter of Mr S. Perry, Woodroof, Clonmel, County Tipperary, was solemnised yesterday week at Clonmel. Mr Arthur Mee, of Cardiff, has succeeded in forming an astronomical society for Wales. The members already number about eighty, and include many from North Wales, though the majority come from the South. The secretary is Mr N. Lattey, Dinas Powis, Cardiff. DEATH OF AN OLD SHREWSBURY On Sunday a connecting link with by gone times was broken by the death of William Chas. Rhodes, of Greenfields, Shrewsbury, and formerly of Kinton, near Nesscliff. Mr Rhodes was eighty-two years of age, and in a short autobiography which he penned a little while ago, he says, " After forty years service as a mail guard I am still alive, but cannot say whether I am the last of the old mail coach guards. I believe I may say that my family saw coaching in and out, as my grandfather drove one of the old York coaches. I was in the great snowstorm of Christmas, 1836, and thereby hangs a tale. I was too short in stature to get appointed mail guard, but as my father was a guard I was allowed to work in cases of emergency, and I was thus employed during the great snowstorm of 1836. The Postmaster-General made the followmy executoring minute on my conduct: This man deserves great credit, and if he wishes it I will give him an appointment as mail guard.' My stature, however, was an objection, but his lordship made mine an exceptional appointment. I was sent to Manchester, to work upon the railway, and was guard on the old Grand Junction Railway from its opening day, but had also to work occasionally on all the mail coaches out of Manchester. I was afterwards placed on the Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth coach, in which I travelled for several years, and was frequently driven by Colonel Corbett." Singularly enough, Colonel Corbett died on Sunday week, and Mr Rhodes's son was on Sunday last reading the report of the death and funeral to his father, when the latter had a fit of some kind, and died suddenly. He enjoyed a pension of £1 15s a week up to the time of his death. & John Owen & Ioan Hughes per me Richu'm Chawner. by Ed. Griffith executor.(6)" He is said to have been buried February, 1591, in the parish of St. Bennet's, Paul's Wharf. His will seems to point to St. Gregorye's as his burial place. FANNY BULKELEY-OWEN. (4) Owen Holland of Berw Issaph, Co. Anglesey, Esq., was M.P. for that county 1585, sheriff 1591 and 1599, He was son of Edward Holland by Elin d. of Rowland Griffith of Plas Newydd. He mar. Elizth. d. of Sir Rich. Bulkeley, sheriff Carnarvon 1549 and 1557, and Anglesey 1560. He died 1573. (Herald. Visit. Wales, Vol. II., p. 210.) SC (5) Peter Mutton mar. Margaret d. of Sir Wm. Griffith of Penrhyn, Chamberlain of North Wales. His M Sir Peter Mutton was "Chief Justice of North Wales, ter in Chancery, prothonotary and clerk of the Crown. He bought the estate of Llanerch, Co. Denbigh, from Edward Gryffydd, Esq.,his mother's elder brother." He was M.P. for Carnarvon 1624, died Nov. 4, 1637, and was bur. at Henllan. (See Pennant's Tours, Vol. II., p. 176. Edit. 1810.) (6) Will, Harrington No. 9, Somerset House. The Late John Matton, Esq. We regret to record the death of Mr John Watton, the proprietor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle, day, Jan. 6, at the age of seventy-three. The deceased which took place at Weston-Super-Mare, on Sungentleman entered the Chronicle office, under his late father, in 1840, and subsequently became a partner in the business, and eventually sole proprietor. Some years ago he took into partnership one of his surviving sons, Mr G. W. Watton. For twenty years Mr Watton was a member of the Shrewsbury Town Council, and he was several times offered the office of Mayor,but on each occasion he refused to accept the honour. In 1867 he was made a Borough Magistrate, and at the time of his death he was second on the list of justices in seniority. For twelve years he was a warden of St. Chad's Church, and for many years was a member of the Severn Board of Conservators. He also filled several other public offices in the town. He had been twice married, and leaves a widow, also four sons and three daughters. The funeral took place on Thursday at Weston-Super-Mare. The late Col. Corbett of Longnor Hall. We regret to announce the death of Col. Edward Corbett of Longnor Hall, Shrewsbury, which took place at his residence on Sunday morning, Jan. 6. The deceased gentleman, who was 77 years of age, was in Shrewsbury on the previous Monday, and he was taken seriously ill on Friday. The deceased was a very popular county gentleman, and during his lifetime distinguished himself in many ways. He was the son of Mr Panton Corbett, by his marriage with Lucy Favoretta, daughter of Dr. Jones of Lichfield; he was born on December 30th, 1817, and received his education at Eton. On leaving Eton he joined the 51st Regiment, which he left in 1842 with the rank of lieutenant. He was transferred to the 72nd Highlanders, and remained with that regiment until about 1844. He joined the Shropshire Militia on its formation about the time of the Crimean War, with the rank of major. He succeeded to the command of the regiment, and was chief officer for many years. When he retired he was presented with a full-length portrait of himself. Col. Corbett sat in Parliament as a representative of South Shropshire for some years, being first elected at the General Election in 1868, at which the burning question was the great Bill for the Disestablishment of the Irish Church. In this contest Sir Percy Herbert headed the poll, and Col. Corbett came next, Mr Jasper More being the defeated candidate. Col. Corbett held his seat during the whole of the Parliament, and retired during the next, and was succeeded by Sir Baldwyn Leighton. Deceased was a Justice of the Peace for the county, and Chairman of the Dorrington Bench. He also acted as Chairman of the Conservative Association for Shropshire, and for some years was master of the Shropshire Hounds. The deceased gentleman was a worthy repre sentative of an old Shropshire family, and in former days earned some repute and some experience as the proprietor and driver of a coach which at one time ran from Machynlleth to Barmouth, where the Colonel then resided. Three years ago he published a volume of these experiences, under the title of "An Old Coachman's Chatter." The deceased gentleman, who leaves a widow and ten children (four sons and six daughters), had lived in retirement for some time. The funeral took place on Thursday, the remains being interred at Leebotwood. JANUARY 23, 1895. NOTES. THE PLAGUE AT OSWESTRY (Nov. 28, 1894).-The following note from Philip Henry's Diary gives information as to the Minister who died from the Plague :-"1681. W. Felton to ye Interm't of my dear and precious Freind, Mr Jonathan Roberts, a true Nathaniel, an Israelite indeed, his Brother Timothy in ye Plague year dy'd and was bury'd in ye high way at Ness Cl, ff three miles off, none taking him into House, because hee came from London, a learned faithful Minr. of J.C." J.P.-J. The Parliamentary Intelligence of May 21—28, 1650, records this petition : A SEVENTEENTH CENTURY PETITION. To the Right Honourable the Lords in Parliament assembled; The humble Petition of John Jones of Nanteos, in the County of Cardigan, Esq., in the behalf of himself and other Freeholders of the seven Mannors under written, lying in the County aforesaid in South Wales. The Mannors of 1, Meneinth. 2, Mabonion. 3. Talesarn. 4, Ymbinog. 5, Vehkerdin. 6, Perneth. 7, Generglyn, alias Gufoeth Brenin. SHEWING, That the aforesaid Mannors being an antient part of the principality of Wales, and having continued ever since the twelfth year of Edward the first united to the Crown of England as part and parcel of the revenues thereof, the Earls of Pembroke having been stewards of the same (under whom your Petitioners Ancestors and themselves lived in much Freedom and Tranquility) were about 1649 alienated from the Crown, thereby becoming the possessions of private men, particularly of Thomas Evans, Henry Vaughan, John Vaughan, and others, who using their Jurisdictions with more rigour than your Pe titioners or Predecessors were formerly acquainted with, by excessive amercements, fines, and threats, extorting your Petitioners Voices at publick Elections, and a conformity to their will and pleasure, many times contrary to your Petitioners judgements and inclinations, Your Petitioners as well out of the duty they owe to his Sacred Majesty, as the honor to continue as they and their Ancestors formerly did, immediate Tenants to the Crown, and for the avoiding the present prejudice they are subject to: Humbly pray, That the said Mannors be re-united to the Crown, your Petitioners paying to the Purchasers the principal money paid by them for the same, with interest at £6 per cent. to this time, with what charges they have been at, in improving the same; the Purchasers allowing to your Petitioners upon accompt the yearly rents and profits, raised from the same ever since they were alienated from the Crown towards the re-purchasing thereof by your Petitioners, to be re-united as aforesaid. And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c., JOHN JONES. B. SIEGE OF OSWESTRY.-The following un-room where they sat. Major Freyser (5) said published incident (taken from Dom, State Papers, his Lordship should pluck the Committee at 1649-1650, No. 53. p. 444, 1649), is an interesting Wem out by the ears. Col. Prosser said that detail of the differences between the lay com- when the wars were ended with the enemy there mittees and the military officers in the Parlia- must be another between the commanders and mentarian Camp:committees, and Capt. Tovey said that the committee had nothing to do but to provide money J.P-J. and carriages. Abstract of the evidence of Col. Purefoy and several others on a petition presented against the Earl of Denbigh(1), and his officers for malpractices in Shropshire, viz., upon a letter being written by the Committee of Coventry to the House of Commons, touching some miscarriage in his Lordship and his officers, he came to the Committee, and said they were neither gentlemen nor honest men that had subscribed to it, he told Mr Mackworth,one of the Committee(2), that he was a liar and a rascal, and that he would cudgel him, simply because Mackworth said he had heard that 200 of his horse faced about when charged by only thirty of the enemy's. He said all the Committee were knaves, and had cheated the country, and that he would cudgel them also if he met them out of their command, and this he threatened with many oaths. He also threatened to run Mackworth through with his sword, and said if he could not have justice from the Parliament according to his mind he would have him cudgelled to death by others as it was below him to do it himself. He also told William Croome his secretary upon hearing that Mackworth had come up that he hoped he would keep out of his sight, and upon Croome replying he surely would not right himself in such a way upon him, he announced he scorned to do it himself, but others should, as he was not a fit man to stand in competition with. As to his officers at Oswestry, Col. Stepkins, an officer of Staffordshire, called Mr Clive, (3) a member of the Shropshire Committee, a Jack-anapes, and kicked him in the presence of his Lordship; and at Dudley the soldiers with his permission mutinied against the Committee, and prevented them putting the ordinance of sequestrations of the 5th and 20th part in execution. Capt. Kenn (4) and his soldiers would have taken one of the sequestrators with violence, threatened to fight him and force him to give the tenth, and divers of his Lordship's officers and troops injured the Committee in the (1) The Earl of Denbigh was the Parliamentary General at the capture of Oswestry, June, 1644. (2) Humphry Mackworth was one of Cromwell's Councillors of State, and brother-in-law of Col. Fenwicke, whose name is often mentioned in the Civil War in Shropshire. Mrs Baker of Sweeney was a niece of Mrs Mackworth. (3) Mr Clive was Robert Clive of Styche, ancestor of the present Earl of Powis, and one of the Parliamentary Committee for Shropshire. (4) Capt. Kenn or Keine is no doubt the Capt. Keine who is mentioned in Lord Denbigh's official account of the capture of Oswestry. "Capt. Keine undertook to make good the Chester passage." QUERIES. BRYN RIMMON, OSWESTRY.-In Price's History of Oswestry (1815) it is stated "Near the town, also, is Bryn Rimmon; but it is so unlikely that the Bryn or hill should have been any way devoted to the Pagan deity Rimmon, that it is preferable to suppose the proper name to have been Bryn yr humman, that is, the Hill on which Tennis was played." I have never heard of any hill so named. Where is it situated, and is there any ground for the derivation? J.E. STREET-ARTHUR, OSWESTRY.- I note the following as the heading of a Hymn Sheet in my possession:-"On Sunday the 22nd of March, 1807, a sermon will be preached at the Chapel in Street-Arthur for the Encouragement of the School, by the Rev. W. Moseley of Hanley, after which the Annual Collection will be made. Service will begin at half-past two o'clock." Old Oswestrians always speak of this Street not as Arthur-Street, but as "StreetArthur." What can be the reason? F. REPLIES. 9, 1895).-The Interviewer has evidently got into A CURIOUS CUSTOM AT LUDLOW (Jan. confusion as to the old Ludlow rope-pulling, which took place on Shrove Tuesday, and not on the day of the election of the Bailiffs. The origin of the custom is not known, but tradition dates back its commencement to the reign of Henry VI. The rope-pulling took place on the afternoon of every Shrove Tuesday, the rope (36 yards long and 3 inches thick, with a large knot at each end) being let down from the window of the Market Hall by the Chamberlain or one of the other Borough Officers. Then the tug of war commenced, amid great excitement, two of the Town Wards pulling against the other two, until one side or the other had pulled their opponents across the prescribed boundary. The victors obtained the rope as their prize, and classes are said to have joined in the carnival, quickly converted it into drinkables. All which lasted until the year 1851. H.T.W. JACOBITES IN WALES (Jan. 16, 1895).Ienclose copies of the two English Jacobite Songs (5) Major Frazer is also mentioned in the same count. 'My Lord's horse commanded by Major Frazer." ac said to have been sung at the Cycle Club, and given in the Cambrian Quarterly Magazine Vol. ii., pages 458, 459-60. Carno, Mont. GEO. WELLINGS. [We select the second to print.-ED.] Ye true Bacchanals come to Ned of the Dales, And eke who our houses and windows made dark, Hand in hand let us joyn against such as combine, CURRENT NOTES. The deaths of Jane Morris, Gwystre, and William Rees, Llanwrthwl, Radnorshire, are reported. Both were a hundred years old. The death is announced of Lady Charlotte Schreiber, widow of Sir Josiah Guest, and wellknown for her edition of the "Mabinogion." Amongst the new magistrates for Wales are one Nonconformist minister, the Rev Gwynoro Davies, and one elementary schoolmaster-the first-Mr Lloyd of New Quay. The death is announced at the age of fiftyseven of the Rev John Jenkins, rector of Pentraeth and Llanbedrgoch. Mr Jenkins was ordained in 1867 by the late Bishop Short of St. Asaph. Mr W. de Gray Birch, F.S.A., of the British Museum, read a paper before the British Archæological Association on Wednesday evening, entitled, "Notes on the importance of preserving * These songs are veritable Jacobite relics,and now, for the first time, printed. They were written, it is believed, purposely for the Cycle Club. The writer of the article was permitted to take copies of them by Owen Ellis, Esq., a descendant of one of the members of the Club, in whose family the MSS. have remained upwards of a century, One word in the first song has been purposely substituted for another rather too gross to meet the eye. records and literary antiquities of Wales, as illustrated by some recent publications." At Blaenau Festiniog, on Thursday, Lord Newborough was presented by his tenants and well-wishers on the occasion of his coming-of-age with a piece of plate inscribed :-"Anrheg a gyflwynwyd i William Charles, Arglwydd Newborough, ar ei ddyfodiad i'w oed, gan ei denantiaid a'i ewyllyswyr da ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog." On Wednesday the little village of Tywardreath was en fete for the marriage of Lieut. Henry Chas. Edwards, 4th Bengal Cavalry, youngest son of the late Colonel Edwards of Ness Strange, Shrewsbury, late 2nd Madras Cavalry, H.E.I.C.S., and Esther Sarah, youngest daughter of Dr T. St. Patrick Tuckey of Tywardreath Mr William Morris and Mr Ernest Rbys are among the English men of letters who have responded to a mild request to pass judgment on certain aspects of the Welsh National Eisteddfod. Mr Morris, who laments that he does not know the ancient language of the Welsh bards, writes with terse directness that he "cannot imagine that in any language alliteration can be entirely dispensed with in verse." Mr Ernest Rhys would like to see the " supreme test of the Chair poem" one of "spirit and imagination," instead of " mere technical skill." Mr Rhys adds that "if Welsh poetry is to hold its own it must cease to be archaic-though of course it must hold to the traditions of the art," and he protests against the choice of "remote and impalpable themes" when there is "so much that is fine and stirring in the actual life of Wales. ' The remote and impalpable theme for the 1896 Eisteddfod is "Beyond the veil." The new Free Library for Oswestry was formally opened by the Rt. Rev Dr Walsham How, Bishop of Wakefield, and formerly rector of Whittington, on Friday evening. The new Library and reading rooms are situated in the new Guildhall, and are approached from the back of the building. The reading room is reached first, and a flight above number of books is 9,300. In 1870, at a meeting are the lending and reference libraries. The presided over by the late Mr Wright of Halston, who took a great interest in the subject, the Town Library was established and vested in trustees. At the time about eighteen hundred books were handed over to the Library from the Oswestry Institute, and £560 was raised by the public and devoted to the purchase of books. The Library continued in connection with the Institute until 1890, when the Public Libraries Act was adopted by the ratepayers, and the books were handed over to the town by the trustees. A little after seven o'clock a large assembly congregated in the Court-room at the Guildhall. The Mayor (Mr George Perks) presided, and he was immediately supported by the Bishop of Wakefield, Lord Harlech, and the Ex-Mayor (Mr E. B. Smith). The Mayor wore his robes and chain of office, and robes were also worn by the past Mayors. After a short ceremony at the Guildhall, a meet |