Letter

Samuel Wood (Trevalyn) to Sir John Trevor, MP (Cannon Row, Westminster): reports that recipient's mother's health had become worse and 'being troubled with a soreness in her mouth and wearisome fits [she] did tamper very much with medicines and things to ease her so much that on Wednesday last in the morning she discovered infallible figures of death and (nature being spent) her speech and pulse and eyes began so to fail and herself to be so faint that we saw the end drawing nigh and waited on her and amongst some of her imperfect speeches she uttered these words to me that she willed to let you know that she prayed for a blessing on you and yours. And so being willing (by signs she made) that we should go to prayers with her it was so performed oftentimes that day and so indeed had been usually every day and towards sunset whilst the curate of Estyn and diverse more were joining with her in prayer she fainted and yielded her life to God in a sweet and comfortable manner. Sir Evan [Lloyd] her executor suddenly prepared for her funeral and it being to be performed tomorrow morning being Saturday at Plas Teg and Estyn, she was this day carried on a bier to Plas Teg and good store of company with her. It was (as Sir Evan said) her desire that her corpse might rest there one night before she was interred in the vault and there I left her this night with Sir Evan, his lady and all their servants and with many cooks and others with very great provision for much company tomorrow to dinner where they say they hoped to have Mr John Trevor come to them. The curate of Estyn is appointed to preach the sermon to whom she hath left a legacy of £5. I never saw nor could ever certainly hear of any part of the will till this night. She hath given to the lady, her grandchild, her border of buttons and £50 in money and her coach and litter and the coach gelding and made her the sole executor. £24 she hath given to some one other grandchild of Monmouthshire and £10 apiece to her gentlewoman and chambermaid and to the one ?? a mare and 40s to the poor of Estyn and some other things I remember not well, and he thinks he shall be a loser by the executorship and the funeral charge but that he hopes that the remainder of her coal farm annuity (not come to her by my payments or by this charge of housekeeping here laid down by me) will make him a gainer when the Scotch shall have left the coal mines for he accounteth all that of that annuity shall be arrears and not one of these was paid her … he hath pressed me many times to lend him of the plate and goods that are to come to you but I told him that until they were delivered to me for your use I could not lend any … this day also we opened the pewter chest at Plas Teg … other of the goods at Plas Teg we shall not meddle withal till after the funeral for the linens are immured in a chamber of the house which I was not willing should be opened till after this great business past …Sir Thomas Eyton my countryman (though not yet compounded yet he weighs up again about it) desires to take an house and thinks this might befit for him if it be not too big … Indeed he was and is a fair conditioned gent and not a violent cavalier, he hath lived many months in this county about Ruabon and now would remove …'; recommends Mr Massy for John Meredith's farm; Mr Weston is offering recipient all his lands in Allington at Darland Green and elsewhere; '…Sir this house where I am hath been so filled hitherto that though Capt. Viner who is quartered at Mrs Langford's house have 3 times attempted to quarter some of his men here (upon payment for their quarter) yet by the fullness of the house I put him off but I think I shall now be pressed to it again and the rather because they see store of hay and stable ground here but I do not mean to yield it till I hear the commander in chief speak …'; 'this very day Mrs Robinson the widow is to be buried at Gresford. She fell into sudden apoplexy or palsy with a lethargy also ? and never spoke after lived only about 10 days hath left 6 daughters and all unbestowed and with her the poor neighbourhood hath lost a good and bountiful friend…'; the mill still grinds and he will get a sworn statement to this effect as 'I conceive to be needful if an attachment be awarded which I think will be the way of proceeding and not using any way by force to pull it down as the Mayor [?Major] conjectured...'

Please order documents using the alternative reference number (where provided).