Welsh Journals

So far as can be judged from Duffield's pamphlet, neither the author nor the claimants at that time had any very clear idea as to the connection between the Selbys of Nevern and those of Buckinghamshire. One of the allegations made was that Thomas James Selby had been staying at Trevigin and afterwards went to Buckingham- shire, but there is no proof that he ever was in Wales. Legal evidence up to this date was conspicuous by its absence, but when we get to the last hearing of the action brought by Mrs. Davies something more tangible is brought forward. In the first place we get proof, in the shape of Judith Odell's will, that there was a James Selby of Monington, whose existence was previously more or less nebulous, and that he was related to the Rev. Henry Lloyd of Soulberry. This is very suggestive in view of the fact that Thomas Selby is said to have married Mary Lloyd, and one wonders whether further search was made to ascertain if there were any relationship between Henry Lloyd and James Lloyd, the brother-in-law of Thomas Selby of Nevern. Were this proved to be the case, or if it could be shown that this James Selby was the son of Thomas Selby of Nevern, a long step would be made towards connecting the Pembrokeshire Selbys with Buckinghamshire. It would be quite natural to suppose that Henry Lloyd obtained a living in that county, and that through his influence his relative James Selby settled in that neighbourhood. It will be seen that James Selby of Wavendon was admitted into the Inner Temple in 1647, and assuming that the two James Selbys are identical, it is possible that George Lloyd's bequest, which came into force in 1643, may have enabled him to enter the Temple. The will of Henry Lloyd shows that his connection with Wales was continued till close on his death, in 1646, and the statement contained in it that he