Burglary at Campden House, Kensington

Mary Fielding

A print of Campden House Kensington
Campden House Kensington

From the Middlesex Sessions’ Rolls
Middlesex County Records, Vol. 3 (ed. John Cordy Jeaffreson)

12 June 2 Charles I (1627)

True Bill that, at Kensington co. Midd. in the night of the said day, Henry Elliott alias Moris late of the said parish, labourer, broke burglariously into the dwelling-house of Sir Baptiste Hickes knt. and bart., and stole therefrom and carried away…

…fifteen yards of satten worth twelve pounds fifteen shillings, fifteen yards of fine crymson satten worth …, … yards of calymanco worth forty-eight shillings, four yards of …. wrought velvet worth three pounds and twelve shillings, four yards of … wrought velvet worth four pounds thirteen shillings and sixpence, two yards of … velvett … worth three pounds eight shillings and ninepence, three and a half yards of … velvet in work worth four pounds seven shillings and sixpence, … thirteen yards of silk Tellettos worth four pounds six shillings, … yards … of gingerlyne and white Tufttaffitye worth four pounds and sixteen shillings; … a gold ringe cutt with armes to seale withall worth thirty shillings; … Elizabeth angelles worth five pounds and ten shillings; a gold picture … of King Henry the Eighte worth ten pounds; “unum instrumentum auratum vocatum an agott sett with diamonds and a falcon cutt” worth ten pounds.

satten –  satin; calymanco – calico?; Tellettos – unknown; gingerlyne – presumably a gingery colour; Tufttaffitye – taffeta?; unum instrumentum auratum  = “one gold tool/instrument”; vocatum – called – possibly a gold utensil such as a salt, a ewer or bowl, set with an agate and diamonds, maybe in the form of a falcon, engraved with a falcon or with a falcon finial.

Putting himself on trial, Henry Elliott was found ‘Not Guilty’; but was reprisoned in the House of Correction.

Covering with close parchment a parchment, 1 foot 9 inches long by 11.5 inches broad, this lengthy indictment is so defaced as to be legible only in places; but the several dozens of items of stolen goods seem to indicate that, if he did not actually carry on business at his Kensington house, Sir Baptiste Hickes knt. and bart. used some part of the dwelling-house for the storage of the goods, in which he, a member of the Merchant Taylors Company (sic), dealt.

 

 

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