Vol 3 - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family
Henry Ewer was High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1711 216 . Their daughter
Jane married her cousin Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the 3 rd earl of
Shaftesbury in 1709 217
It is possible that either Thomas or John were involved in a court case
reported by Samuel Pepys in his diary; in July 1667, only months after the
Great Fire had devastated London 218 , Pepys attended the Sessions where
he witnessed the trials, with “ several brought in for making it their trade
to set houses on fire merely to get plunder” 219 bring heard by the Lord
Chief Justice 220 . Two of the prosecution witnesses were boys, one of
whom was “my Lady Montagu’s (I know not what Lady Montagu) son ” 221
Pepys’ account of the trial is a little lengthy but worth including. He says
that the two boys
were playing in Moore-Fields, and one rogue, Gabriel Holmes,
did come to them and teach them to drink, and then to bring
him plate and clothes from their fathers’ houses, and carry
him into their houses, and leaving open the doors for him,
and at last were made of their conspiracy, and were at the
very burning of this house in Aldersgate Street, on Easter
Sunday at night last, and did gather up goods, as they had
resolved before and this Gabriel Holmes did advise to have
had two houses set on fire, one after another, that, while
they were quenching of one, they might be burning another.
And it is pretty that G. Holmes did tell his fellows, and
216 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Sheriff_of_Hertfordshire#Anne
217 http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/Shaftesbury1672.htm married
29 th Aug 1709
218 September 2 nd – 5 th 1666
219 Pepys’ diary entry for July 4 th 1667, online edition www.pepysdiary.com
220 John Kelynge was LCJ King’s Bench 1665-1671
221 Pepys’ diary ibid
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