Welsh Journals

Aldford." And it is added in the Survey that the lands last mentioned were ancient freehold lands, granted by the charter, but then held by lease. Mr. Roger Roydon had also until recently held various parcels of leasehold land in Hewlington, containing 48 customary-or 1011 statute-acres which, how- ever, had been assigned on the 22nd March, 1614 to Mr. David Speed. Mr Roger Roydon was the eldest son and heir of John Roydon, Esq.,1 of Isycoed, by his first wife Anne. Roger married firstly Jane, daughter of Thomas Powell, of Horsley, Esq., and among his sisters were Dorothy, wife of Thomas ffoster, and Joan, wife of Edward Crewe, both named above. It is intended to deal with the Roydons at greater length when treating of the chapelry of Isycoed. JOHN Sivedale had an acre and a-half of free land, part of little Annes hey goz," near Knight's Wood. DAVID SPEED, gent., had two burgages, whereon his mansion- house stood, one other burgage, and over 17 customary-or about 36 statute-acres of free land, besides the leasehold land in Hewlington mentioned above also the Gallowtree field there (on lease), and an estate at the Rossett. The Speeds were a notable Holt stock, although which house was the head of their estate there it is not yet possible to point out. John Speed, the antiquary, is said to have been born at Farndon in 1552, and to have been a member of this family. David Speed, of the Holt, gent. was buried 11th April, 1633, and his will proved at Chester in 1639. This man it was who appeared on Norden's jury of 1620 and it is probable that to his nimble brain and sound knowledge is due the exposition of the case of the forty years' leaseholders as it stands in the preamble to the present- ment of the jurors of Hewlington the jury for Holt and Hewlington being composed of the same persons, and he being named among the jurymen, next after the mayor of Holt. He was followed by another David Speed, recorder, who was, most likely, the David Speed who married at Farndon, 25th June, 1 In the Survey of 4 Elizabeth, 1562, John Roydon, the father of Roger, is described as having in the town of Holt one messnage, two burgages, the fourth part of one burgage, an orchard, in which formerly were seven burgages, and five parcels of land called "morehalfield, lesehallfield, milnehey, barbors hey," and a parcel of meadow lying next said miluehey, lately in tenure of John Roydon, his father. But morehalfield was assigned, in November, 37th year of Queen Elizabeth, by John Roydon and Roger his son to John Hare. 6TH ser., VOL. VII.