Welsh Journals

270 BYE-GONE S. July, 1875. KYN ASTON, Roger, who, in 1462, was Sheriff of Shropshire, had descended from Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, King of all Wales, bat was born near Ellesmere, in Salop, where his family had long been settled. He lived in busy times, and was a devoted Yorkist, taking part on that side at the battle of Bloreheath. He was attainted by King Henry's Parliament, but his popularity was so great that he with four others, at the especial prayer of the House of Com¬ mons were dismissed upon the payment of a fine. He managed to keep in favour until the accession of Henry the Seventh, when his fortunes threatened to undergo a reverse, but he managed to die in peace, staunch a Yorkist as he continued to be. KYN ASTON, Rogeb, of Hordley, Salop, was sheriff in 1603, when " the greate assize was kept in Shrewsbury for the shire."Mr Kynaston came into the town with the judges with a goodly company of "his well wyllers," and appears to have kept great state thereon. It is recorded as remarkable that " there was so many prisoners which caused great multitudes of people to resort; the whiche, by the quick dispatche of the sayde jadgis sitting early and late des¬ patched bothe the gaole and all by Wensday afternoon ; in the which great assize was condemned but one man who was executed and a number burned in the hand." KYRLE, John, whose name has been immortalised by Pope in his well-known theme " The Man of floss," was born at the White-house, Dymack, in Herefordshire, in 1637. Graduating at Baliol College, Oxford, he settled at Ross, and there for the long course of his useful life he dis¬ played in all its beauty the benevolent character of a Christian benefactor. To pretend to dwell upon any particu¬ lar virtue in his character would be but a mockery of his history, for in God's good providence he had learnt to live in holiness and to die in peace with all mankind. When in 1724 he was gathered to his fathers, he left behind him a record of goodness and of mercy, which will always carry the traveller to his grave, and as he looks upon it, and re¬ flects upon the grace that made him what he was in life, he will bless God for the mercy that has made him what he is in heaven. July 7, 1875. NOTES. MAYORS OF WELSHPOOL (June 16, 1875.)— SiDce the passing of the Municipal Corporation Act the town has been governed by a Mayor, four Aldermen, and twelve Councillors. The Act was passed Sep. 9, 1835, and abolished the office of Bailiff ; the town previously being governed by two Bailiffs, a Steward, a Recorder, the Alder¬ men, and the Burgesses assembled in Common Hall. The Bailiffs were elected annually; the Steward and Re¬ corder generally held their offices for life. The Bailiffs, Steward, and Recorder were Magistrates. The Aldermen consisted of all persons that had been elected Bailiffs. Th« Burgesses were the hereditary and elected Freemen. You will find the Borough of Welshpool mentioned in Schedule A to the said Act, which changed the title of the Corporation from " The Bailiffs and Burgesses of the Borough of Poole in the county of Montgomery," to that of " The Mayor, Alder¬ men, and Burgesses " of the said Borough. I subjoin a com¬ plete list of Mayors :— 1835 John Davies Corrie cf Dysserth (Unanimously elected first Mayor). 1836 Thomas Beck of Llwynderw, banker 1837 Edward Pugh of Broad-street, ironmonger 1838 Joseph Jones of Park Lane, solicitor 1839 Charles Wilding of The Dairy 1840 Thomas Bowen of Hendrehen 1841 Thomas Davies of The Moors 1842 Robert Devereux Harrison, solicitor 1843 Morris Jones of The Gungrog (Died Dec. 10, 1843, and Thomas Owen of Church Bank, elected in his stead) 1844 Charles Wilding (2nd time) 1845 Joseph Jones (2nd time) 1846 Maurice Lloyd Jones, surgeon 1847 Robert Owen of Broad-st., bookseller 1848 Abraham Howell, solicitor 1849 Thomas Brettell Barrett, surgeon 1850 Thomas Bowen, banker 1851 John Williams of High-street, woolstapler 1852 William Yearsley, solicitor 1853 Edward Thompson David Harrison, surgeon 1854 Charles Wilding (3rd time) 1855 William Yearsley (2nd time) 1856 Robert Owen (2nd time) 1857 Robert Devereux Harrison (2nd time) 1858 Maurice Lloyd Jones (2nd time) 1859 Thomas Bowen (2nd time) 1860 Abraham Howell (2od time) 1861 Do. Do. (3rd time) 1862 Edward Thompson David Harrison (2nd time) 1863 John Haywood Williams, woolstapler 1864 Abraham Howell (4th time) 1865 Thomas Jones of Clive Place, late chemist 1866 William Withy of The Golfa 1867 Edward Thompson David Harrison (3rd time) 1868 Do. Do (4th time) 1869 Griffith Parker of Trade Hall, draper (Med Jan. 1,1870, and Thomas Bowen elected in his stead) 1870 Thomas Morris of London House, draper 1871 Do. Do. (2nd time) 1872 David Pryce Owen, bookseller 1873 Do. Do. (2nd time) 1874 Edward Maurice Jones, solicitor Of the foregoing Messrs Corrie, Bowen, and A. Howell have since been placed on the commission as magistrates for the eounty; and Messrs Barrett, E. T. D. Harrison, Withy, and D. P. Owen for the borough. The latter (with the Mayor and Ex-Mayor) constitute the Borough Bench with the addition of Messrs S. Powell and W. T. Parker, who are not members of the Council. I will shortly send vou as complete a list as I can of Bailiffs, from 1728 to 1835. J. QUERIES. JOHN GOWER, THE POET.—It is stated in Beeton's British Biography, and various other books, that this celebrated Doet was born is Yorkshire. Many also give Wales as his native country. Could some reader of Bye-gones furnish any proof to decide the doubt. Welshpool. CABACTACOS. REPLIES. HOMER IN WELSH (Nov. 11, 25, 1874).- " Cynddelw " informed me the other day that he remem¬ bers, about the year 1821, some specimens of Homer done into Welsh hexameters, published in Seven Gemer, and that the translator subscribed himself " Siencyn ab Tydvil, Tre- homer," = «' Jenkyn son of Tydvil, Homert< [w]q." Mr Jenkyn (<«hn was a native of Merthyr Tydvil) was then a student at Homerton College, London, at that time pre- sided over by the Rev. J. Pye-Smith, D.D., F.G.S. Mr