Historical Documents Brought ‘Home’
Following our objective and commitment to preserving our local historical past, the Society is excited to report that thanks to a well-known worldwide market place, two long lost historical documents have been brought back to their Neath ‘home’. It is always a mystery how items can become dispersed so far from their point of origin. In this instance they had been bundled up into a parcel, which from the postmark was in the 1830s. Probably damaged even then, they continued to travel. The vendor purchased them at auction on the South Coast a few years ago.
The first document is dated 1684 and refers to a legacy of £10 paid yearly to the poor of Neath. The second is an indenture of 1700 concerning an annuity to be paid to Jane Price by Thomas Mansell of Briton Ferry. They have survived quite well and it makes one wonder how documents of today will look in over 300 years from now.
These parchment or vellum items have been folded for bundling and are also a bit wrinkled in places. The next action for the Society is to consider how best to conserve and repair them so that they can be displayed to their best advantage.
Meanwhile they have been transcribed (as written) for the benefit of those who may be interested in easily reading the content.
The Minister, Overseers - receipt for Mrs Lykey Gwyn legacy of 10 L to ye poore of Neath. No. 40 - 12th Jan 1684 - 12
To all those people to whom these presents shall come we Godwin Lewis, Clerke and Minister of the Towne of Neath in the County of Glamorgan and David Leyson, Mariner and Israel Lovet, Currier Overseers of the poore and Churchwardens in the said Towne send greetings etc.
Whereas Lleyky Gwyn of the said Towne widow late deceased by her last will and testament amongst other legacies and bequests did give and bequeath unto the poore people of the Towne of Neath aforesaid the sum of Tenne pounds of lawful money of England to be paid by her Executors to the Minister, Churchwardens and Overseers of the said Towne on the feast day of St. Thomas the Apostle next after her decease to be paid out at use by us and our successors and the use or increase to be by us yearly distributed on the feast day of the aforesaid among the said poore people for ever and whereas the said Lleyky Gwyn made Robert Morris of Neath aforesaid Gent her Executor and the said Robert Morris hath paid the said legacy to us the persons above named according to the said will Now know yee that wee the said Minister Churchwardens and Overseers of the poore of the said Towne doo by these presents acknowledge to have had and received of the said Robert Morris of the legacy of Tenne pounds to the use aforementioned and we do by these presents release and discharge the said Robert Morris his Executors and Administrators of any toching from the said Tenne pounds and from all demands of the said legacy in manner whereof we have set our hands and seales the twelfth day of January anno domini 1684
Signed sealed with his word Godwin Lewis (seal)
Witness inter [____]
in the presence of [____] Illegible (seal)
sealed by the said Godwin Lewis
[___] in the presence of Israel Lovet (seal)
W Evans
Illegible
John Ll Morgan
Evan Owen
Tho. Morris
Transcribed by Keith Tucker & Michael Phelps Feb 2016
3rd Octo’br 1700 - Grant of an Annuity from Thomas Mansell Esq’r to Jane Price for life - No. 2 v A fo 13 N
This Indenture made the Third day of October in the Twelfth yeare of the Reigne of our Sovereign Lord William the Third by the grace of God over England, Scotland, Ffrance and Ireland King Defender of the Ffaith of and in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand and Seavern Hundred Betweene Thomas Mansell of Briton Fferry in the County of Glamorgan Esqr of the one parte and Jane Price of the Towne of Neath in the said County Spinster on the other parte Witnesseth that the said Thomas Mansell foure and in consideration of certain Messuages, dwelling houses or Cottages and one Garden and Killne that was sold conveyed and assured unto him the said Thomas Mansel by the said Jane Price and which are situate lying and being in a place called High Street in the said Towne of Neath, which said houses now or lately were in the tenures, possessions and occupations of Ann Nicholas [als] Penry widdow deceased, Margaret Price [als] William widdow and her assigns or undertenants and Margaret Thomas, Spinster and for a further recompence and in lieu for the said houses the said Thomas Mansell at the special instance and request of the said Jane Price Hath given, granted and confirmed and by these presents doth give, grant and confirm unto the said Jane Price one Annuity or yearly Rent charge of eight pounds per annum to be had taken, perceived and received of the said Thomas Mansell his heires, Executors, Administers or Assigns to be paid on the two ffeasts or termes in the yeare (that is to say) at Lady:day or Michaellmas by even and equall portions, the first payment thereof to be made and beginner on the ffive and twentieth day of March now next ensuing the date of these presents To Have Hold, receive, perceive, take and enjoy the said Annuity or yearly Rate charge of eight pounds per annum unto the said Jane Price or her Assigns to be paid at the two ffeasts aforesaid in fforme before declared from the day of the date of these presents for and during the natural life of the said Jane Price and if it shall happen that the said Annuity or Rent charge of eight pounds be behind and unpaid in part or in all after any of the said ffeasts days or for most of payment thereof as aforesaid in which it is pointed to be paid and the same being first lawfully demanded that then and soe often as the same shall soe be behind and unpaid the said Thomas Mansell granteth and agreeth for himselfe his heirs Executors, Administers and Assigns to and with the said Jane Price that it shall and maybe lawful to and for the said Jane Price and her Assigns and every and any of them into all and singular the said Messuages, dwelling houses or Cottages, Killne and Garden of the said Thomas Mansell situate in Neath as aforesaid to enter and distraine both for the Annuity aforesaid and the arrearages thereof (if any such shall be) to the said Jane Price or her Assigns be fully satisfied contented and paid and the said Thomas Mansell shall put the aforesaid Jane Price in full possession of the same Annuity or yearly Rent charge of eight pounds in the fforme as aforesaid (to be had received and taken) by the delivery and payment of ffive shillings which the said Thomas Mansell hath at the Ensealing and delivering of these presents given and delivered unto the said Jane Price in name of possession for the said Annuity and the said Jane Price that she or some of them shall and will from time to time and at all times during the said Termes of the naturall life of the said Jane Price well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto her or her Assigns the said Annuity or yearly Rent of eight pounds in manner and fforme aforesaid and according to the true Intent and meaning of these presents In Witness thereof the said Thomas Mansell hath to these presents said his hand and seale the day and year first above written
Thos (seal) Mansell
Sealed and delivered in the presence of us
Thos. Hopkins
John Hutton
John Jones
Wm. Thomas
Notes:
1. There are two six penny tax stamps pasted in the left margin of the document
2.[als] could be an abbreviation for alias, which may be what today is called nee or maiden/unmarried name
Transcribed by Keith Tucker & Michael Phelps - Feb. 2016
