File Clenennau letters and papers 442 [RESTRICTED ACCESS] - Thomas Owen [Actually Owen Thomas Owen. In his early letters [Nos 75, 273, 286, 293] his signature appears as Thomas ...,

Thomas Owen [Actually Owen Thomas Owen. In his early letters [Nos 75, 273, 286, 293] his signature appears as Thomas Owen, but internal evidence shows that the writer could not have been Thomas Owen, senior], to William Maurice. This evening, coming to London from North Wales, he received a letter from William Maurice by Mr Roberts. Understands that others are sent by Henry Hughes to be left with Mr Powel. These have not yet come to his hands. William Maurice need not excuse himself to the writer of any suspicion of sinister dealing concerning the matter between William Maurice and the writer's young cousin. He never believed any such conceit. Only this he knew (and therein found himself to be overmatched) that William Maurice was very wise, circumspect and politic in his matches and bargains and the writer of small experience and practice in such things. Therefore he opposed against William Maurice his cousin Henry Lloyd, and to second him his cousin Gwyn, as he thought men of indifferent good judgment in the affairs of the world. But he found them far inferior and weak to deal with William Maurice as by their offers did appear. For they left the ground given them to deal for a younger brother and passed too far the bounds of the offer limited. 'You like a wise buylder and proporcioned and squared all your demands with such arguments and reasons that they knew not when to detracte anything from them, but still tooke more and more from mee to adde thereunto'. He will never have any man to be umpire in these matters any more. Either it must be ended quietly between William Maurice and himself or not at all. Cannot come home any more. Sir Thomas Sicil and he have bargained and now they are in terms again of a second bargain, namely that he will buy it back again or exchange it with other lands which are pastures, 'for mine being arrable landes will not yield in this cuntre so great a profytt as inclosures, and the freeholders that are mixt with me will not sell me their part that I may enclose yt'. Is bound to attend Sir Thomas Sicil when his leisure serves. Does not account deferring of time a material point. Neither force nor bad dealing can be offered William Maurice's child in William Maurice's own country. 'I assure myself your affection and love towards me is permanent and fyrme, and therefore time breaketh no square unless you determyne on other courses to seeke land and therein I am as I yelded at fyrst minimus apostolorum'. Postscripts: Other general personal matters. For William Maurice's reply see No. 442.