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No. IV RECORDS RELATING TO CATHOLICISM IN THE
SOUTH WALES MARCHES, 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES EDITED BY JOHN HOBSON MATTHEWS
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REPORT FROM ROBERT BENNET , BISHOP OF HEREFORD , TO THE EARL OF SALISBURY , as to the Proceedings of the Papists in South-
West Herefordshire ; Apprehension of Persons participating in
a Popish Funeral and an Armed Assembly ; the Hearing of Mass ; Names of Recusants from other Counties , settled in Herefordshire . Record Office , Domestic James , vol. XIV, nn . 52 , 53. (1605.) RIGHT honorable maie it please yo ' Honor to bee advertised, that vppon wedensdaylast att eveninge beeing ye xixth ofJune, Sir James Scudamore, accompanied with Mr Ruddhall , Mr Rowland Vaughan § and Mr Kirle, Justices of ye peace , with such aide as I could giue them, went vnto ye Darren , ** and places neere adioyninge to make search and apprehend Jesuites and Priestes their abettors and Receavors , certaine daies beefore beeing riotouslie abroade with weapons, and did make diligent search all that night, and daie following, from village to village, from house to house , about thirtie miles compasse, neere ye confynes of Monmouth - shiere, where they found houses full of alters, images, bookes of superstition , Reliques of idolatry, but left desolate of men and weomen, except here and there an aged woman, or a child , all were fledd into Wales , and but one man apprehended, out of whose examination nothing worthie of relation can bee gotten ; all that circuite of rude and barbarouse people carried head-long into these desperate courses by Priestes (whereof there is greate store) and principall gentlemen, Lordes of Townes and mannors there ; who leade ye rest at will. But or purpose was descried, and made vayne, except a terror striken into them . And therefore vnder correction of their Hon . wisdomes, some other course must bee taken ; ffor if wee goe out with fewe, wee shal bee beaten home; if wee Levye any strength, wee are descried, and they are all fledd into woods, and there they will lurke vntill the assizes bee past ; therefore not I , but all ye rest are of opinion , that a proclamation must call them in by a daye prefixed to yeeld themselues to his mats either iustice or mercie . I have allso sent inclosed two severall examinations concerning ye Riott committed at ye first going out of ye Justices ; wch will yeeld some matter of further dis* of Holm Lacy (the Protestant branch).
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of Rudhall, near Ross. § ? of Bredwardine. Kyrle of Walford and of Eaton Tregoes, an ancestorof the Man of Ross. in the parish of Garway, Herefordshire, on the border of Monmouth-
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