File Clenennau letters and papers 443 [RESTRICTED ACCESS] - Owen Thomas, Pencoed, to William Maurice,

Understands that there is a meeting this day at Caernarvon for conference to decide what mise should be imposed on the poor country towards furnishing a hundred soldiers for Her Majesty's service in Ireland. Owen Thomas intended coming. Indeed came as far as Llanaelhaearn. There of a sudden he was intercepted by a fit of ague which made him return. Asks to be excused. But urges William Maurice to have regard to the present state and poverty of the country. 'Soe shall you, Sir, remove that wrongfule conceite of you which by some of your privie adversaryes hath bene formerly bruted (as you have partlie heard yourself). Winne the love of your countrey and drive some of your underminers to a non plus, which wold willingly and maliciouslie joine with you to any such proceedinge, and afterwards wold be the first that would by privie whisperinge emblaze your defame and discredit, such even with the best, as I can partlie tell, imposing the whole offence in you and setting themselves on cleere ground ... Whyle they have you to beat the bush they will be sure to catch the byrd'. Craves William Maurice's gracious favour for two of Owen Thomas's tenants - Richard ap Morice and Gruff' ap Ievan Lewis that they not be pressed. 'For the rest they can play the knaves and fawn upon others'. There is a tenant of Owen Thomas, a young fellow, a bachelor, who has played the knave with the writer, for having got a poor honest maid of the parish with child, a cousin german of William Morgan, the writer's cousin, whom Owen Thomas would have him marry. He utterly refuses it and denies to father it. He has since (notwithstanding he dwells on Owen Thomas's land) offered his service to another man. His name is Ievan ap Owen alias Evan Vaughan. If William Maurice thinks good he may send a warrant for him and let him either pay or go forward.