THE CIVIL WAR

When the Civil War broke out in 1642 Thomas Penoyre was living at the Moor with his wife Frances, his son James and four daughters. Like most people in Herefordshire - except for the Harleys of Brampton Bryan, he was a Royalist supporting King Charles 1.

This portrait of Charles 1 (artist unknown) has been in the Penoyre family for many years.

In June 1645 he received the following ‘Warrant of the High Sheriff for recruiting and contribution’from Sir Barnabas Scudamore, Governor of Hereford: -

‘By his Ma’ties expresse Commande at the unanimous desier of the Gentry and other Inhabitants of this County assembled the 21th of June at Hereford, I am to Require you Mr. Thomas Penoyer and Mr John Higgins gent to cause forthw’th to be listed within the parishe of Clifford thirty seaven able bodied men such as you shall iudge fittest for Service, and to cause them without fayle to appeare at the gen’all Rendezvous at Wigmarsh the 28 day of this month, and to cause a months contribucon of yo’ parishe to be collected and brought in by you at the same time for the providinge of Muskets Bandileers & for the sayd Soldiers so brought in. And you are likewise Required to cause one list of the sayd psons so brought in and their habitatcons to be kept in the Constables hands of the parishe and another of the same to be returned in to the Commissioners that a fittinge course may be taken w’th those that shall happen to Runne away accordinge to a proclamatcon to be yssued for that purpose. And that all the constables and other officers and inhabitants are to be aydinge and assistinge unto you as they will answere the contrary at their perills.

B. Scudamore.Vic.

Hereff. the 22th of June 1645.

Whosoever shall bringe in Musketts Bandaleers the price of them shall be payd to such whoe furnishe them by those whoe gather the p’sent contribucon for this Service'.’

From the wording of this warrant it is clear that a proportion of those recruited were expected to desert, specially as it was the summer when men were needed to work in the fields on the harvest, and a ‘Warrant for apprehension of deserters’ was issued by Lord Scudamore two weeks later: -

Wheras I have received a list of divers souldiers that were latley Imprest in this Countey w’ch have dessertted their Commanders and are Returned home as is supposed, and being Commanded by his Ma’ty imediately to issue fourth my warrantes not only for the app’hending of them, but allsoe for the gettinge in of all default’ to make the number complete: and findinge by the said leist that the persons subscribed beeinge of yo’ p’ish are a p’te of those that have soe desserted their Commaunders: and that you have not brought in your full number of men; I require you with all vigillancie and care p’sen’ly uppon Receipt heare of: aswell to search for inquire after the said p’sones subscribed either in yo’ owne p’ish or elsewhere within this Countey: and them to ap’hend and bringe beefore mee at Heref to bee disposed of accordinge to his Ma’tis Comaund in that behalfe: as allsoe to make choyce of & bringe in theither soe maney able bodied men as will make the number Chardged uppon yo’ur p’ish complete to bee disposed of unto officers appoynted by his M’ti heare to Receive them, further Requiring you the Constables, & all other Inhabitance of yo’r said p’ish from time to time to have a Speciall care to spp’hend & bring in all such Runawayes: upon the penalty expressed in his Ma’tis late proclamacon for that purpose letting you knowe that if yo’ faiale in either I ame by his Ma’tis Commaunde to Returne unto hime your p’sones to bee disposed of according to his Ma’tis Plesure: and of this you are to give mee an accompt in your p’sones uppon Munday next at your p’ill: Given at Hereford the 5th day of July 1645.

B. Scudamore ar. Vic.

Howell ap John Rice John Tho: Baker John Lewis John Evan John William Richard William William’ Eustance Tho: James

Clifford

In December 1645 Hereford was captured by Parliamentary troops, Scudamore fled across the frozen River Wye and was later captured and imprisoned at Worcester. In 1646 Thomas Penoyre was arrested and the following accusations made against him: -

‘The heades of the Charge against Thomas Penoyer

Saith that about two yeares since Mr. Thomas Penoyer did aboute midnight being assisted w’th his servants pul’d this depon’nt out of his bedd and pres’d him to be a souldyer for the kinge.

That Mr. Penoyer answered he would finde out 40 men in the same p’ish where upon he had order to prese men for the kinges service.

That Mr. Penoyer did beate and wound diverse of them that he did press for neglecting or refusing the said service and threatened to hang those that disobeyed him therein.’

In his defence Thomas Penoyre sent a petition to ‘The High Court of Parliament’ saying that:

‘yo’r pet’r did never beare anie , or maintayne anie Armes against the nob’le State of Parliam’t . . . Onlie this in a Compulisarie Way . . By Warrant under the hands of Barnabas Scudamore hee being then Governor of this Cittie, and his Ma’tie being then in or about the said cittie of Hereford . . . soe that yo’r pet’r durste not doe anie thing to the Contrarie.’

By this time Thomas Penoyre had been forced to mortgage his estate at ‘the Hardwicke infra pochia de Clifford’ to a man called Wellington, who ‘comes armed and accompanied w’th divers armed souldiers (the unruliest hee could gett) . . . drives Mr. Pen’rs cattle & kyne in an outragious manner upon other mens lands & especially upon his owne where they are impounded, starved almost to death & detained till a Replevie w’th diffiiculty p’cured; and by these wayes Mr. Pe’r receaves noe profitt from the said land . . ‘

(Insert scan Thomas Penoyre in prison)

‘Mr. Penoyer’s estate is all extended for sev’all debtes & his body in prison upon sev’all executions & his landes not worth one hundred poundes p’ann’.

Thomas Penoyer had been released by 1648 but with Parliamentary troops controlling Herefordshire his troubles were not over. In September ‘One ffraunces James, Richard Powell and John ffrench cam violently into Thomas Penoyres house w’th their pistolls ready charged, to the greate feare & terror of his people,and searched the house and went upp one payre of stayres to his owne chamber and took from thece one newe sadle and furniture w’ch cost xxs, and two bridles, one bitt of a bridle, one crossebowe & one sworde & belt being worth xxxs.

The said Thomas Penoyre beinge comynge towards his house Richard Powell & John ffrench did runne & apprehend him and asked him woulde hee have quarters, or ells they woulde pistoll him, and went very fierce & cruell upon him soe that he was fayne to desire quarters, and upon that they searched his pocketts and tooke thence iijs in money .

The said ffraunces James, Richard Powell & John ffrench kkept the said Thomas Penoyre as a prisoner and caused him to enter into a bond of Ch: penaltie to app’r next morninge att the house of Mr. Hugh Lewis in Brilley before corporall Lukes and to bringe with him his st’on horse w’th a white starre in the forehead being worth xl’.

The said Thomas Penoyre app’d the next morninge att the house of the said Hugh Lewis in Brilley according to tenor of the said bond before croporall Lukes, and tendered him xl in lyew of the said horse, but Lukes would not accept thereof, but kept Thomas as a prisoner. And the other soldyers ffraunces James, Richard Powell & John ffrench rayled at the said Thomas Penoyre and sayed that they weare sory that they had not burned his house And wished him w’th all spede to send for the said horse or els they woulde plunder him of all the goodes and meanes that he had in the worlde. And upon this Thomas Penoyre was forced to send his servant w’th Luke’s servant for the said horse, and to remain a prisoner in the meane ttyme, and when the horse was deliv’ed unto corporall Lukes the said Thomas Penoyre was released’.

(Insert Oliver doc.)

Thomas Penoyre’s troubles continued until 1655 when he had to bring a bill to Chancery against a man called Simon Brace claiming that his lands had been damaged by Simon Brace and his servants ‘have committed much waste and spoyles upon the said landes by cuttinge downe many Tymber Trees . . .’ The Court ordered ‘Symon Brace and ye his servantss agents and workmen . .under the payne of ffive hundred pounds to be levyed upon the lands goods and chattles of you . that yee desist and forbeare from henceforth from doeinge or committinge any waste or spoyle . . upon the lands in question, And that yee p’mitt and suffer the plaintiffe and his Assignes to hold and quiettlie enjoy the lands in question.’

From then on there is no further record of Thomas Penoyre suffering any further harassment and he died aged 78 in 1680. His son James, who had ridden off as a lad of 16 to fight for Charles 1, been shot in the thigh and was involved ‘in most risings for the King until the Restoration’, married Dorothy daughter of Watkin Lloyd of Brecon , settled at Hardwicke Court and had two sons and two daughters.

DEATH OF JAMES PENOYRE

The older son, Thomas,(1660-1727) inherited the Moor, and the younger son James (1663-1694) went to London in 1693 to work in a business and in his first letter to his brother at home wrote “Dear Soul, This day ab’t two a clock gott here . . . Wee had brave weather but deep roads . . “

Another letter of 14th October reads: - “I think I had never a more melancholy journey than this last coming here . . . and am ashamed (seeing I have been soe long abroad) I should be such a child to weep still at ye thought of you.”

A year later a letter to his parents on 30th October begins: -

“Dear father and mother,

Not wth’out a great de’ll of paine & weakness I endeavour to write you these few lines. I have had a lingering distemper hanging on me this fortnight, & since last friday it hath been very violent on me . . I thought on Sunday night & munday night I was past any hopes of recovering, & should hardly carried yr Blessing to my grave, w’ch I hope you will now grant me. I am like to keep my Chamber for I am soe weak not hardly able to stand. I thought to had Joe Bengor to write for me but I believe he is afraid of my dis’er. God knows whither this be ye last from me . . . you must let this excuse me to my poor Bro’r & all others for I can say noe more but adieu

Yr ever dutyfull son

James Pennoyre”

The letter is marked in red in a different handwriting of the same era:

“Jas Penoyre of London to his father & mother on his death bed in 1694”

(Insert copy of James Penoyre death bed letter)