| Description | Tells a Long circumstantial story of a rogue and vagabond staying at Hugh Owen's house, who would have it that he [the rogue] was a son to Cheadle's wife, the former Lady Ann Bulkeley, widow of Sir Richard Bulkeley, 4th Knight. Cheadle goes to great pains to uncover a story of roguery and deceit, how he got him apprenticed to a picture drawer in London "12 yeares sithence", then to a “puritan” in Manchester; how this apprentice was got at by Cheadle’s and my Lady's enemies to file a bill in Chancery for maintenance as her supposed son. A somewhat tall story, and unconvincing as it stands. However, Cheadle wants the bailiff to put the 14 Elisabeth, sec. 10 [he even gives the page, 479] in motion against him, and 22 Henry VIII, if need be, to get him lodged in a house of correction or transported him over the ferry to Caernarvonshire. "I wonder mr Bulkeley will suffer him to abuse his mother were it noe other but for his owne creditt"; this was young Richard Bulkeley, son of the Sir Richard who was alleged to have been poisoned by Cheadle in order to marry his widow. This letter must be looked upon as a mere interlude in the stirring story of the Bulkeley-Cheadle vendetta that started with the rumours arising from the death of Sir Richard in 1624, developed through fierce Litigation at Great Sessions, and ended with the tragic duel on Lavan Sands. For just over a month before this letter was penned, young Bulkeley was receiving news from his London agent how certain suits were proceeding against Cheadle in the Star Chamber and the Court of Wards (docts. Baron Hill 63, with date 13 Nov., 1635). How strongly he felt against his mother, and how unlikely he was to interfere in avenging these insults upon her, may be deduced from the Cal. Wynn Papers docts. 1554, 1573-4.
Note: In this long and circumstantial letter T.C. gives many details, for some of which (at least) there is apparent confirmation. E.g. in his references to the Manchester “puritan” he recalls a journey of his own to Cheadle to seal a lease of the parsonage-house in which the Bulkeleys of Anglesey were interested; there are two documents in the Baron Hill collection (301-302) which roughly correspond with the above date, in which Thomas Cheadle signs as fifth witness. He was also the attorney" |