Cylchgronau Cymru

"OLD BRECKNOCK CHIPS." A Column of Antiquarian Chit-Chat relating to the County of Brecknock. NOTES, QUERIES, AND REPLIES, on Subjects inter¬ esting to Breconshire, must be addressed to EDITOR, Brecon County Times, Brecon. Real names and addresses mast be given in confidence, and MSS. must be written legibly, on one side of the paper only. DECEMBER 10th, 1886. NOTES. EPITAPH AT THE PKIOEY CHUECH, BEECON.—The following was noted by Thomas Dinely, Esq., who accompanied the Duke of Beaufort in his Tour through North and South Wales, in the capacity of secretary, in 1684. This note was made on August 8 of that year :— At the head of the tombstone is seen a wooden monument, with Rimes about it in Old English Character. There is but one large figure left thereon, the rest were sayd to be burnt by ye Usurper's Soulders. It belonged to a good family, the Games's of Aberbrain. This Thomas he of Godlie seale Uppon this monney spent; To shewe theyre race from whens they came By this theyre Monument. O Thomas Games, God graunte thee grace To judge of Goode and Evell; Thy doughters, wyffe, to serve God daylye, To fight against the Devell. Man's lyffe is vaine, you see As Scripture playne doth saye, Like pilgrims poore we ronne our race, And then retorne to claye. Is Sampson yett alyve For all hys mighty streinght; Both Solomon and Absolom Hath yelde to Death at liength. And Abraham he is dead, As Scripture tels hit trew ; Ould Gallen he hath left his books, And Physic byddes aduee. D.J. CHEIST COLLEGE MINUTE BOOK, 1766-1803.—We have perused the original " Clerk's book " of this Institution which, in those good old days, would appear to have been a much-abused institution. The " re¬ served prebends rents " amounted to £367, and as far as we can make out from this book the greatest total amount contributed by these prebends for the carrying on of the college was £4 8s. 5d. per annum. Dr. Barkley figures as holding from 1766 (when the minute book begins) to 1796, after which date a relative, Mr Barker, read himself in, —forth is 30 years Dr. Barkley drew the princely sum of £1,800 for doing nothing, and only contributed 80s. to the college " annual assessment of 3d. in the pound," namely, for the years 1766-7. This book of minutes, covering the long period of nigh forty years, consists of as many pages, the minutes, or what appears as an apology for minutes, being written on the back of each year's " list of prebends." The minutes are bound in an old piece of parchment. We have extracted a few items of interest which we shall now proceed to give :— An accompt. of money reced. from the Prebends of the College Church of Brecon in discharge of an assessment of 3d.inthepound charged on their several reserved rents, commencing at Mich, 1766 (old style). Reserved Cash Prebend. Persons Names. Bents. Seed. £ s. d. s. d. Llangammarch The Lord Bishop 60 0 0 15 0 Llanbister Mr (afterwards 60 0 0 15 0 Dr. Barkley) Llandysilio Mr Rogers, War- 215 0 6 7 minster Llangunllo Dr. Brickenden 26 0 0 6 6 Llanvynith Mr Beadon 22 0 0 5 6 Trallong Mr J. Williams, 20 0 0 5 0 Abercamlais Llanarthney Mr Goodenough 16 0 0 4 0 Clyro Mr Ball 15 6 8 3 10 St. Harmon Dr. Burton 14 0 0 3 6 Llanwrthwl Dr. Crucius 13 6 8 Llandugwy Mr T. "Williams 12 0 0 3 0 Llandegley Mr Edward Poole 11 0 0 2 9 Garthbrengy Mr Hughes, Cam- 10 0 0 2 6 bridge Nantgunllo Dr. Dodd, South- 10 0 0 2 6 ampton row Llanelwedd Mr Geo. Phillips, 7 13 4 111 Haverfordwest Moughtrey Mr Probert 8 0 0 2 0 Llandarog Mr Holcombe, 10 0 0 2 6 Tenby Llechrod Mr Williams, 6 13 4 18 Choriston Llandrindod Mr Rodd 6 0 0 16 Llandilograban Mr Williams 9 13 4 2 5 Boughrood Dr. Phillips 2 0 0 0 6 Llansaintfread Mr Morgan 16 8 0 3 367 0 0 4 8 5 Among the prebends are : Dr. Brickenden, the notorious Dr. Dodd, Dr. Crucius (Char¬ ter House), Dr. Burton, Dr. Phillips. In 1776 Dr. Dodd's name appears for the last time as a Prebend. (To be continued). KING CHAELES I. IN BEECKNOCK- SHIEE.—The following is an extract from the " Journal of the Marches of His Majesty King Charles I. through South Wales " :— July, 1645. Nights. Miles. Wednesday, 16th—To Tredegar, dinner ; Cardiff, supper; Sir T. Tirrell, de¬ frayed at the county charge (from Ragland) .. .. .. 1 20 Thursday, 17th—To Tredegar, Sir William Morgan, to bed .. .. .. 1 8 Friday, 25th—To Rupare, Sir Philip Mor¬ gan (from Usk) .. .. .. 4 5 His Majesty's Marches in August, 1645. Tuesday, 5th—To Glancaylan, MrPritch- ard's dinner; at Brecknock, the gov¬ ernor, supper (from Cardiff) .. .. 1 29 Wednesday, 6th.—To Gurnevit, Sir Henry Williams, dinner; to Old Radnor, supper; a yeoman's house ; the Court .. 1 18