sir_john_reresby

1676 on the 20th September a receipt for payment in settlement of three closes in Bringforth Acknowledgement of Mathew Askwith and John Chadwick for £163. 90 received of Sir John Reresby

Sir John Reresby,of Thrybergh, reported July I7, I677 that: " Severall persons with their wiues and children (in all to near the nomber off 200) many of them Quaquers and other dissenters, inhabitants about Sheffield and the adjoining parts of Nottingrhamshire and Darbyshr. (the principall of them sectaries but the rest able servants and labourers) haue lately gone and are euery day as yet going by the way of Hull to transport themselves to an Island in America called west Jarsey, and are dayly followed by others upon the same design."

Sir John was very perturbed upon discovering this and in his role as Deputy of the Lord Lieutenant, the Earl of Danby, requested instructions regarding stopping the ships. He also wrote a letter to the Secretary to the Duke of York for verification of this migration. The man organizing the migration was a Richard Mathews a Quaker of Sheffield, who said, that the island called New Jersey or West Jersey, two hundred miles in length and sixty miles over, as yet uninhabited, had been bought from his Highness, with implied " Libertie to send ouer inhabitants to plant the same." Before the Commands and instructions had been received from the King and the Duke, Mathews found himself charged at the Barnsley Sessions with enticing away servants from their masters, and leaving the realm without leave, and he had been bound over to the next Assizes to make his defense. However Sir John had made a blunder and perhaps would have been better off acquiring more knowledge of the situation.

For the truth of the matter was that in I663 Charles II. had transferred his part of the mainland of New England and Long Island to James his brother. James immediately sold it to Lord Berkeley and a Sir George Carteret. There was a plan to rename the region New Jersey or New Czesarea. The interference of Sir John was to late, the colony had been settled and there was a constitution in place prior to the fact coming to Sir Johns attention. It is more than likely that John would have received a reprimand for his actions which had placed him in conflict with the Kings business.

Other Matters

It was ~ one Chappell an attorney, one Bright a lawyer both concerned in the Duke of Norfolk's affairs and one Buck a chirurgeon of Sheffield whom I had caused to be prosecuted not long before for having two wives, ' who in I676 excited Sir John Reresby's indignation bygetting up a bogus charge against him of having caused the death of his black servant. Reresby brought an action against "the knave" Bright at York Assizes, ~and recovered of him a hundred marks, and more than that my credit, all the ~World being convinced of the malice and falsehood of the inventor."
On the 9 October 1677 Francis Foljambe wrote a letter to Sir John Reresby, Baronet, concerning the assessment of two estates in Rawmarsh

.High Sheriff of Yorkshire

FILE - Letter from Lord Danby, Lord Treasurer, to Godfrey Copley high sheriff, concerning a parliamentary election at Aldborough [North Riding] to fill 'the vacancy of Sir Sal. Swale' - ref. DD/CROM/11/93 - date: 29 Jan 1678/9
[from Scope and Content]

Good Cosin By the vacancy of Sr. Sal: Swale there is like to bee a new Election att Aldborough, which I doubt not but you know the dispute is about the numbers of Electors. To prevent that dispute I have writt to Mr Wentworth and proposed two Expedients: either to have his own votes added to the number of mine by consent of the Burrough, or that Sr Jo: Reresby shall give no disturbance to the manner of electing in case he may be assured not to bee any further disturbed as to his Election: but if neither of these proposalls will satisfy, I conceive itt will bee a safe way for you to follow the Presidents of the nine for [y Cour?] returne by w(hi)ch all that I can heare of have [?-] then to alter that practice, itt being a contest wherein the return will certainly be questioned, if the matter bee not composed by consent, and therefore I would have you as little concerned in the quarrell as may bee, but as much as you please in the accomodation bee twixt such worthy Gentlemen I will take this opportunity of presenting you my servile and assuring you that I am

Deeds relating to the rectory and tithes of Arksey and Bentley

      FILE - Appointment of 3 new trustees by way of lease and release - ref. CWM/197, 198 - date: 22 Jan 1678/1679
         [from Scope and Content] The rectory of Arksey to the use of Sir Thomas Wharton, of Edlington, Knight of the Bath, Sir John Reresby, of Thrybergh, Kt., Sir Godfrey Copley, son and heir of Sir Godfrey Copley, bart., late of Sprotborough, [as new trustees], and Thomas Yarburgh and Henry Cooke [surviving trustees], for the trusts created by the will of Brian Cooke, decd., of 3 Jan. 1660/1 [recited], and on the deaths of William Adams, William Mellish, and Sir Godfrey Copley, late trustees.

      FILE - Appointment of four new trustees by way of lease and release - ref. CWM/199, 200 - date: 13 and 14 Apr 1694
         [from Scope and Content] The rectory of Arksey to the use of Sir George Cooke, of Wheatley, bart., Henry Cooke, of the same, esq., nephew of Brian Cooke, decd., Thomas Vincent, of Barnbrough Grange, esq., John Copley, of Doncaster, esq., [as new trustees], Sir Godfrey Copley and Thomas Yarburgh [as surviving trustees] for the trusts created by the will of Brian Cooke, late of Whealey, decd., of 3 Jan. 1660/1 [recited], and on the death of Sir Thomas Wharton, Sir John Reresby, Sir Godfrey Copley, and Henry Cooke, late trustees.

The Sheffield Cutlers

In I679, Sir John was invited to the Cutler Feast in Sheffield, agreeing to attend on the following terms " to give their votes for the knights of the shire as I should direct them" However Sir John was to write after the feast

" August 28th. ÑI went with my wife and family to the Cutlers' Feast at Sheffield, with some neighbours; I took with me the number of nearly thirty horse. The Master and Wardens, attended by an infinite crowd, met me at the entrance into the town with music and hautboys. I alighted from my coach and went afoot with the Master to the Hall, where we had an extraordinary dinner; but it was at the charge of the Reresby, who attended the Feast"

1680 An argument preceded Sir Johns next meeting with the Cutlers, and John deciding to let bygones be bygones he wrote on the 2Ist August, I680,:

" In my return from Buxton, where I went on the eleventh for my wife's health, I returned by Chatsworth, where the good Lord Devonshire received me with great kindness. I sent my wife the direct way, and met her at Sheffield, where the Corporation of Cutlers, and some principal men of the town, hearing that I was to pass that way, came to see me at my inn, and with great importunity prevailed with me, not- withstanding their late ingratitude (for in a neighbourhood where Providence hath placed one to live, and one's family to abide, as one that hath power must sometimes resist ill things, so one must sometimes forgive), to receive a treat they had prepared for me then; as also to dine at their feast a week after, or thereabouts."

Mr. Thynnes Murder

1682
February 12th, 1682. March 10th. Sir John Reresby was responsible for the arrest of a man who had murdered a Mr. Thynne, and was present at the execution of the men involved

"The captain and the other two that were guilty of Mr Thynne's murder, were hanged in the same street where it was committed. The captain died without any expression of fear, or laying any guilt upon Count Coningsmark. Seeing me in my coach as he passed by in the cart to execution, he bowed to me with a steady look, as he did to those he knew amongst the spectators, before he was turned off; in fine, his whole carriage, from his first being apprehended till the last, relished more of gallantry than religion".

No. 45 Leicester Square
In 1680 (ref. 2) Sir John Reresby, second baronet, of Thrybergh in Yorkshire, traveller and author, became the tenant of the house on this site. (ref. 13) As a Member of Parliament he supported the unsuccessful Bill introduced in 1685 for a tax on new buildings in London to raise money for suppressing Monmouth's rebellion. (ref. 14) As a justice of the peace he was responsible for arresting Captain Christopher Vratz, one of the assassins hired by Count Königsmark to murder Thomas Thynne. Königsmark's object in killing Thynne was to win for himself the wealthy heiress whom Thynne had recently married, the Lady Elizabeth Ogle. Reresby found Vratz on the morning of 13 February 1681/2 'at the hous of a Swedish doctor in Leicester Fields'. He afterwards examined several suspects at his house in the square. (ref. 15) Reresby occupied No. 45 until at least 1684, (ref. 2) and possibly until his death in 1689. (ref. 10)

From: 'Leicester Square, West Side: Leicester Estate: Nos 43-54 Leicester Square', Survey of London: volumes 33 and 34: St Anne Soho (1966), pp. 507-14. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=41127&strquery=THRYBERGH. Date accessed: 07 January 2007.

Ordnance of York

FILE - Survey of York - ref. D(W)1778/III/O/2 - date: 16 November 1682-1685
[from Scope and Content] Book containing a copy of Sir Christopher Musgrave's report to Lord Dartmouth on the fortifications and ordnance of the city of York and of Clifford's Tower, in execution of a commission in company with Major Beckman dated 7 October 1682; also a list of ordnance in Clifford's Tower including arms taken from papists, an account of goods in the King's manor house, a particular of defects of arms in Clifford's Tower, Major Beckman's report on the castle and tower with an estimate for fortifying them, nominal roll of the garrison; also a report by Musgrave dated 21 July 1684 on Clifford's Tower after the fire there with a schedule of ordnance showing what was lost in the fire, and advising that the shell of the tower be demolished; list of arms received from papists, and list of arms issued to Capt. Rowe's company and passed on to Sir John Reresby's company.

Brawl at Rotherham

I682 July I8 At an assembly attended by Sir John Reresby, Mr Jessop of Rotherham, and other justices at Rotherham Sessions, Sir John was raising the issue of a more rigorous persecution of Nonconformists, an issue Mr. Jessop was strongly opposed to. Strong words were used to which Sir John took offence, he attacked Mr. Jessop by throwing a lead standish at his head drawing blood, swords were drawn and only intervention by Mr. Jessops son saved further bloodshed. Sir John recorded this event thus:

" The laws having been put more vigorously into execution against Nonconformists of late than heretofore, Mr. Jessop (a known favourer of dissenters) made some scruple to join us in that proceeding. After a long debate in a private room to satisfy his doubts on that point, he cast some reflections on the proceedings of the justices in their former sessions as well as on those there present, declaring that all their proceedings and warrants were illegal; to which I replied that it was something saucy to arraign so many gentlemen of quality concerned in the commission of the peace for his single opinion. He (Jessop) stood up and retorted with great insolency 'You are very impudent.' At which words I (Reresby) took up a leaden standish (he sitting behind a table and at some distance from me) and threw it at his face, where the edge lighting upon his cheek, cut it through. We afterwards drew our swords, and I went into the middle of the chamber, but the company prevented his following of me, and afterwards reconciled us. I was sorry for this accident, it happening at a sessions of the peace, but the provocation could not be passed over."

However Oliver Heywood who was present later related that, Sir John Reresby was only prevented from attacking Mr. Jessop with his rapier by the intervention of the latter's son, " a stripling of fifteen or sixteen," who " grasps about Sir Johns middle (being a little man) holds him, gets hold of his rapier, thrusts it to the wall so the balble was stopt."

After receiving no further invites to the Cutlers Feast at Sheffield Sir John reasoned that it was the skirmish with Mr Jessop to blame. Oliver Haywood relates that Mr Jessops protest was heeded and at a following trial a Mr. Bloom was prosecuted on on the Five Mile Act, Mr. Benton for conventicles, and Mr. Wadsworth for absence from church, a leniant judgement was passed.

The Life and Times of Sir John Reresby pg 3

Sir John Reresby pg 3

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