STAC 5/A3/31

STAC 5/A3/31 - B - Trin 39 Eliz - Wiltshire - AG v John Latham, [blank] Thorpe, [blank] Furneys, [blank] Marshall see STAC Latham

Transcribed by Helen Good

To the Queen's most excellent Majesty

Shewethe and enformeth your moste Excellet Majestie Edwarde Cooke Esquire your highnes Attorney generall

That whereas aboute Alhollowtyde laste paste by order and direction from the Righte Honorable the Lordes and others of your Hignes moste Honorable Privye Councell [unto the ] Justice of the Peace of the Countie of Wiltes for the musteringe pressinge and settinge forth of Souldiers to be Imploied in your Majesties service for the defence of your Isle of Wighte divers and sundrye persons (That is to saye) John Wallis Thomas Coxe Christofer Weekes Randall [Skyllynge] Thomas Hardinge John Hyckes Robert Tappynge Richard Godderd John Umpton Edwarde Platt Jeames Lacker Thomas Crake William [Muge] William Reade John Iles John Curre John Ballarde Andrewe Browne Walter Andrews John Shurner William Kent John Tarrant William Walter Lawrence Bullpitt Thomas Checker John Shadwell and Edmond Hall, with divers others weare pressed made ready furnished with furniture of warre and sett forth for your Majesties service within the Isle of Wight And weare there delivered unto and under the Conduct and Charge of Latham a Captaine intertained in your Majesties service, where the saide Latham accordinge to his alleagance and Duty shoulde have ledd and trained the saide personnes Soe that he might always have had them in a readines for your Majesties saide service whensoever occasion should have required untill they sholde have bynne dulie discharged.

But soe yt is yt maye please your Majestie That the saide Captaine Latham and [blank ] Thorpe his Liefetennante not havinge the feare of god before theire eyes, But in Contempte of your Majesties Lawes and neglect of their allegeaunce and [duties] towardes your highnes service uppon a greedye desire of makinge unlawefull gaine and profitt to them selves, did shortlie uppon the receipte of the saide soldyers Cause publyke proclamacion to be made that yf any of the soldyers Comitted to theire Charge weare willinge to [departe ] That then all suche [wi]llinge to departe shoulde drawe them selves together and there uppon repaire unto the saide Captaine Latham or to his officers and receive order for theire discharges, And soe the saide Latham in the Moneth of November last past aboute the end of the saide moneth [did] Confederate Compact and agree with divers of the followers of him the saide Captaine Latham And especially with one [ blank ] Furneys one [ blank ] Marshall and the saide Thorpe for discharginge the saide persones before named oute of your Majesties service.

By meanes whereof [the said] Furneys by the appoyntment and direction of the said Captaine Latham and for the behoofe of the same Latham in the moneth of November last past nere towardes the end of the saide moneth in the Isle of Wight Did Corruptlie unjustlye and extortively take and receave of the [saide] John Wallys five poundes of lawfull english money for his discharge from your Majesties saide service there And thereuppon the saide Captaine Latham did then and there discharge him the saide Wallys from your Majesties saide service And tooke from him the saide Wallys one Corslett with all the furnyt[ure] And delivered the same to the saide Furneys, which afterwardes the saide Latham and Furneys Converted and Imployed to their owne private uses

And the saide Marshall by the appoyntment and with the privitie of the saide Captaine Latham did then and there Corruptlie unjus[tly] and extortively take and receive of the saide Thomas Coxe five poundes of like money for his discharge from your Majesties saide service there And thereuppon the saide Latham did discharge the saide Coxe from your saide service And tooke from him the same Coxe one other Corslett with [all] furniture, with the saide Latham and Marshall Converted and Imployed to theire owne private uses,

And the saide Captaine Latham did then and there alsoe Compounde with the saide Christofer Weekes for fortye shillinges for his Discharge frome your Majesties saide service there which some of fortye shillinges was then and there by the appoyntment and with the privitye of the said Latham paide by the saide Weekes unto the saide Thorpe the Leifetennante. And they the saide Latham and Thorpe then and there alsoe tooke from him the saide Weekes his Muskett and [furniture ] and Converted and Imployed the same to their owne uses, And thereuppon the saide Weekes was Discharged by the saide Latham or is direction in that behalf

And the said Thorpe by the appoyntment and direction of the saide Latham did then and there likewise Corrup[tley] unjustlye and extortively take and receive of the saide Randall Skyllynge thirtye shillinges for his discharge from the saide service And take from the saide Skyllynge his Callyver and furniture And afterwardes Imployed and Converted the same to theire owne uses. And the [said ] Latham did then and theire discharge the saide Skyllynge from the same service.

And also the saide Latham did then and there Corruptlye and unjustlye Compounde with the saide Thomas Hardinge for thirtye shillinges for his discharge from the same service which some of [thirtye] shillinges was paide by the saide Harrdinge to the saide Thorpe by the direction and appoyntment of the said Latham And the saide Thorpe tooke from him the saide Hardinge by the appoyntment of the saide Latham a Corslett and the furniture And Imployed and [used] the same to theire owne uses And thereuppon the said Latham did discharge the saide Hardynge from the same service

And the saide Thorpe by the appoyntment and att the dyrection of the saide Latham did then and there likewise so Corruptlye unjustly [and extortivelye] take and receave of the saide John Hickes thirtye shillinges for his discharge from your Majesties saide service there And tooke from him the saide Hickes a Callyver and the furniture and Converted and Imployed the same to theire owne uses And the saide Latham did then and [there ] discharge him the saide Hickes from your Majesties saide service there

And further the saide Thorpe by the appoyntment and direction of the saide Latham did then and there likewise Corruptlye unjustlye and extortivelye take and receave of Robert Tappynge thirtye shill[inges ] of Richarde Goddarde thirtie shillinges of James Locker Thirtye and twoe shillinges of William Muge Fortye shillinges of William Reade thirtye and five shillinges of John Curre thirtye shillinges of John Ballarde Fortye shillinges of Andrewe Browne Fortye sh[illinges] of William Andrewes Fortye shillinges of John Tarrante thirtye shillinges of William Walter thirtye shillinges of Lawrence Bullpitt xxvjs and eight pence of Thomas Checker Twentye seaven shillinges and tenne pence And tooke from them theire Corslettes [m . . . . . . . .] Callyvers and Furnitures And Converted and Imployed the to theire owne uses And then and there the saide Latham did discharge them from your Majesties saide service there.

And further the saide Latham did then and there Corruptlye unjustlye and extortivelye [take ] and receave of the saide John Upton /\ twentie shillinges /\ in money and his Armour and furniture was delivered unto one Ferrys by the saide Lathams appointment And then and there the saide Latham did discharge the saide Upton from the aide service

And further one Thomas Watere [by ] the appoyntment of the saide Latham did take of Edward Platte Fortye shillinges for his discharge; Whereof the /\ saide /\ vaters did deliver unto the saide Latham Tenne shillinges and the rest to one that shold serve in the steede of the saide Platte: And thereuppon the saide Platte was disc[harged ]

And further the saide Latham did then and there discharge the saide Thomas Crooke from the service in respect whereof the saide Crook did then and there give unto one that shoulde serve in his place by the appoyntment of the saide Latham thirtie three shillinges and fowre pence And the saide Latham did take from the saide Crooke his Frise Jerkyn And there uppon discharged him,

And the saide Latham did then and take and receive extortivelye of the saide John Iles Eleven shillinges in money & a Corslett and the furniture And therevpon d[id] discharge him from the same service.

And further the saide Latham then and there did Corruptlye and extortivelye take of one John Shurner father unto the aforesaid John Shurner Twentie shillinges for the discharging of the saide John Shurner the sonne from he same service And did take of him alsoe three shillinges sixe pence for the sonnes Dyett and twoe shillinges sixe pence for the Tryminge of his Corslett which Corslett the saide Latham did likewise take /\ from /\ the same Shurner the sonne And thereuppon the saide Latham did then and there discharge the saide Johne Shurner the sonne from the same service

And alsoe the saide Latham did then and there Corruptlye unjustlye and extortivelye take and receive of the saide William Kent Fortye shillinges for his discharge from the same serviceand seaven shillinges for his Dyett And tooke from him the saide Kent his Corslett and the furniture And thereuppon the saide Latham did then and there discharge the saide Kent fron your Majesties saide service

And further the saide Latham havinge received from your Majestie paye for all suche soldiers as weare under his Conducte he the saide Latham refused to paye the saide John Shadwell and Edwarde Hall their wages or any parte thereof whereby the saide Shadwell and Hall weare Compelled to lye uppon there owne Charge And yet they served there duringe all the tyme of service;

And your saide Attorney generall enformeth your Majestie also That with the Corslettes before mencioned there weare kept back by the saide Latham and Thorpe to the number of xxiiij Corslettes of the Compannye of the saide Countye of Wyltes that were under his the saide Lathams Charge And they the saide Latham and Thorpe did take from all the rest of the Pikemen of the same Companye all their polerandes vambraces and traces And did also deteyne in theire handes soondrye of the Soldiers muskettes with their furnitures whereby the saide Countie of Wyltes have loste in theire furnitures about the value of CCCCli /\ Andt he said Thorpe beinge required by the Constable to deliver unto him the Armers he the said Thorpe would have had the saide Thorpe did offer to stabbe him /\ And are by those meanes greatelye disfurnished All in extortions offences procurement and other misdemeanors the said Latham Furneys Marshall and Thorpe have Committed longe since your Highnes generall pardon and have bin done to the great hindrance of your Majesties saide service And in Contempte of your Highnes and your lawes of this Realme to the great Damage and losse of your Majesties sunjectes within the same Countie of Wiltes And to the evill example of others readye to Committ the like offences except some Condigne punishment be by your Majestie Inflicted uppon the saide offendors

Maye yt therefore please your Majestie the premisses Considered to graunte your moste graciouse writtes of Subpena to be direcred unto the said John Latham [ ] Thorpe [ ] Marshall and [ ] Furreys Commandinge them & every of them thereby at a certaeine daye & under a Certeine paine therein to be limited personally to appeare before your Highnes in your Majestes Courte of Starre Chamber & there to answeare the premisses and to receive suche punishment as by the order of the saide Courte shalbe inflicted uppon them. Law: Coke