Ithell Jones: housebreaking and theft
Denbighshire 1684
NLW Great Sessions gaolfiles 4/33/1
23: Examinations before Owen Thelwall JP, 16 August 1684
[Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis of Gwersyllt, yeoman, sworn]... saith and deposeth that one Ithell Jones of Treythin in the county of Flint upon the fifteenth day of August instant about nine of the clocke in the morneing of the same did with three poles or prizes cause or burst open the dore of this examinants dwelling house in Gwersyllt aforesaid as this examinant veryly beleives for the said Ithell Jones confessed that he had raised the doore of the hinges & with his hand put backe the boult or locke and did then felloniously steale out of this examinants said house four shillings out of a Chester coffer in the said house & being asked by this examinant how he came by the same money he said that the key was in the locke of the same chest and alsoe did then steale this examinants coate breeches & stockins out of the said house which were upon a line in the same house & out of the said chest did steale this examinants wifes petticoate which coate breeches & stockins this examinant did finde upon & take from the said Ithell which he did then weare ... [mark]
[Katherine wife of Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis, sworn]... saith & deposeth that one Ithell Jones of Trythyn in the county of Flint the fifteenth day of August instant about nine of the clocke in the morneing of the same day did burst or breake open the doore of this examinants house in Gwersyllt aforesaid as this examinant verily beleives for that the said Ithell Jones confessed to this examinants husband that he raised the doore of the said house of the hinges & with his hand had put backe the boult or locke of the same doore & did out of a chest or coffer in the same house steale the sume of four shillings in money and this examinants petticoate as this examinant verily beleives for that he said he found the key of the same chest in the locke thereof and did likewise out of the same house steale this deponents husbands coate breeches & stockins which this deponents said husband did take from the said Ithell Jones hee then weareing the same & the said Ithell Jones confessed he had stolen the said coate breeches & stockins out of the said house from of a corde lyne as this examinants said husband told this examinant ... [mark]
[Richard Rogers of Gwersyllt, sworn]... deposeth & saith that upon the fifteenth day of August instant he this examinant did heare one Ithell Jones of Treythyn in the county of Flint confesse and declare that he the said fifteenth day of August about nine of the clocke in the morning of the same day had caused the doore of the house of one Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis of Gwersyllt... scituate in Gwersyllt aforesaid of the hinges & with his hand had put backe the locke or boult of the same doore & that he had then out of the same house stolen the coate breeches & stockins which he did then weare from off a coard line in the same hosue which coate breeches & stockins the said Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis did take from the said Ithell Jones as his owne proper apparell and the said Ithell Jones then confessed he found the key of a chest or coffer in the same house in the lock of the said coffer but denyed he stole out of the same chest the summe of four shillings or the said Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis wifes pettycoate ... [mark]
[Ithell Jones of Treythin]... saith that he this examinant the fifteenth day of August instant about nine of the clocke in the morneing of the same day did heaare the latch of the doore of the house of one Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis in Gwersyllt in the county of Denbigh & opened the same doore & entred into the same house there being a boy in the said house, and saith that his reason of goeing into the same house was to fire his tobacco pipe and then in the same house finding upon the ground a coate breeches & stockins of his this examinants which he some tyme before had left in the same house did take the same away but denyes that he did steale out of the same house the said Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis coate breeches & stockins or steale out of a chest in the same house the said Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis wifes petticoate or the sume of four shillings in money or did burst open the same doore & heave the same of the hinges and further will not answer ... [mark]
Indictment 4/33/1.40
Ithell Jones of Wrexham, labourer; on 15 August at Gwersyllt, Denbighshire; broke into the house of Robert ap Hugh ap Ellis, and feloniously stole 1 woollen coat, 1 pair of breeches, 1 pair of stockings, 1 petticoat (value 2 shillings) and 4 shillings in money
Found guilty to the value of 2 shillings; benefit of clergy, branding (jury 4/33/1.47; gaol calendar 4/33/1.48)