| Description | It is a moderately sharp missive, not critical of R.B. himself, but of certain officials and intermediaries on whom they had depended to arrange matters relating to taxes due from the county; the default of one of them has meant paying £3 (no small sum in those days) to an Exchequer messenger. "We pray your endevour that our composition money may be payd the first of November yearly, because wee cannot returne our money otherwise than by drovers". R.B. was young Bulkeley, grandson to the third Sir Richard; it was his death less than three years later, that paved the way for the accession of his uncle Thomas [first Viscount Bulkeley] to the Baron Hill inheritance. The five signatories were Sir Thomas Holland of Berw; Dr William Griffith of Carrglwyd, Chancellor of two dioceses; Owen Wood of Rhosmor; and two brothers Rowland Whyte of Friars by Llanfaes, and Dr Robert Whyte, prebendary of Penmynydd, who (to all appearances) drafted the document. It is not very clear whether these moneys were delayed payments of Ship money or of the benevolence levied for the repair of St Paul's (for the attitude of certain Denbighshire hundreds towards this latter project, see Cal. Wynn Papers, doct. 1599) |