Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

Mr Jennings told him it was hard that Sir John Mallory’s daughter must wait at George Aislabie’s gates and not be admitted, and it rose so high that Mr Jennings told him he was the scum of the country. This stuck upon Mr Aislabie’s big spirit, whereupon after he had been at church in the forenoon he sent a challenge to Mr Jennings. Mr Jennings said go tell your master I will wait upon him presently. The place was called Pin-roes without Bootham Bar, the sign was the tolling of the bell to church. Mr Jennings took a boy with him as though he would walk, who directed him to that place or near it, and sent him back, none suspecting the business, Mr Aislabie kissed his wife when he went out. She said, “Love, will you not go to church,” “Yes,” saith he, “but not to the church you go to.” They fell to it with their swords. Mr Jennings run him up the right arm, his body was untouched, so many veins being cut he bled excessively. Mr Jennings led him back by the arm, then left him, went and told his servants to fetch their master, who made ready his coach, got him in it. The last words he was heard speak were, “I had him once in my power,” so died by that time he was got home. His wife came to the coach, being big with the 12th child, fell down into a swound. Mr Jennings was at Dr Watkinson’s when he heard it, was ready to tear the flesh off himself, when recovering, he got the duke’s coach went out of town, is gone straight to London, post to beg his pardon. Mr Jennings took two men, went to the high sheriff, they were bound with him in £500 a piece for his appearance at the assizes, and got his pardon from the king, and walks up and down York streets with confidence.

Comment

Comment

Perhaps Mrs was pregnant with twins, because in York Minster we find

“Georg, son of Georg Ayslebe, Esqr., bury’d in Minster, 16 Feb. 1675.” (Par. Reg., St. M.-le-B.) (81e). and ” Ann, daughter of Georg Aysleby Esquire, laite desesed, bury’d in-Minster, 7th March, 1675.”

Son John, 4 at the time, was also a crook.

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Original

Mr George Aislaby, the register of the spiritual court at York, did challenge Mr. Jonathan Jennings to a single duel, by whom he was slain on January 10, 1675, being Lord’s day. The occasion was this, the Duke of Buckingham living at his own house in York hath several masques, plays, interludes, dancings, at which a day or two before was amongst the rest Sir John Mallory’s daughter, living with Mr Aislaby, whose wife was her own sister. They stayed at the masqueing very late at night, Mr Aislaby and his family went to bed, left a man up to wait for his sister’s coming home and open her the gates, the man went to the Duke’s house to meet them, but missed of them for Mr. Jon Jennings (Sir Edmund Jenning’s brother of Ripon) had taken her into his coach, they coming to the gates in the man’s absence, knocked but got not admitted, whereupon Mr Jennings takes her to his brother-in-law Dr Watkinson’s house where he lodged. The day after Mr Aislaby and Mr Jennings met together had some words about it, were sharp, Mr Jennings told him it was hard that Sir John Mallory’s daughter must wait at George Aislaby’s gates and not be admitted. It rose so high that Mr. Jennings told him he was the scum of the country. This stuck upon Mr Aislaby’s big spirit, whereupon after he had been at church in the forenoon, on Sabbath day noon, January 10, 1675, he sent a challenge to Mr Jennings, charged the servant to deliver it to his own hands, but he being at dinner could not but gave it to one of the servants. He inquired what answer he brought, who telling him none, sent again to him, commanding him to bring a positive answer, having delivered the note Mr Jennings said, “Go tell your master I will wait upon him presently.” The place was called Pin-roes without Boulin [Bootham] Bar, the sign was the tolling of the bell to church, Mr Jennings took a boy with him as tho he would walk, who directed him to that place or near it and sent him back none suspecting the business, Mr Aislaby kissed his wife when he went out, she said, “Love, will you not go to church,” “Yes,” saith he, “but not to the church you go to,” so went out, they met, Mr Aislaby was come first, they fell to’t with their swords, Mr Jennings run him up the right arm, his body was untouched, so many veins being cut he bled excessively, Mr Jennings led him back by the arm, then left him, went and told his servants to fetch their master, who made ready his coach got him in it, the last words he was heard speak were, “I had him once in my power,” so died by that time he was got home, his wife being Sr John Mallory’s daughter came to the coach, being big with the 12th child, fell down into a swound. He was searched by surgeons who find no hurt upon his body, but arms.

Mr Jennings was at Dr Watkinson’s when he heard it, was ready to tear the flesh off himself, when recovering, he got the Duke’s coach went out of town, is gone straight to London, post to beg his pardon. The occasion and beginning of this might be a comedy, but the end is a tragedy: this George Aislaby was servant to one Turbet, Register of the Spiritual Court in the former Bps days, and when his master died he married his mistress, had by her £20,000 and having the books etc. was put into the same office since the Bps government was restored and hath made wonderful improvement of it for besides the place which is worth £500 per annum he hath much increased it by buying capias [civil arrest writs] for excommunicate persons through the country, giving some 30s or 42s for a capias, and if the bailiffs took the persons made them pay £5 or 6 or 8 or some £10 a piece or else go to prison; this hath been a gainful trade, doubling yea trebling his money in a year, so by these shifts he hath gotten two thousand pounds a year, and left it all in an instant, being prodigal of his blood, could not bear an affront, its confidently said that he was engaged in at least 12 duels formerly in Ireland, which he could not manage without the guilt of some blood, which god hath righteously returned upon his own head by such a hand of their own party as god singled out, however this violent persecution of god’s people for conscience sake was a sin which god will seldom suffer to pass unrevenged. I have had suspensions, citations, excommunications against myself all under his hand. Lord teach this generation something by it: Mr Jennings took two men, went to the high sheriff, they were bound with him in £500 a piece for his appearance at the Assizes: and got his pardon from the king, and walks up and down York streets with confidence.

868 words.

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• Aislabie, George (1618-75) (1), eldest son of Robert Aislabie of Osgodby (Hemingbrough), second wife was Mary (died 1683), younger daughter and coheir of Sir John Mallory of Studley Royal, mother of John Aislabie (1670-1742) ·
• Assizes (24) ·
• Charles II (1630-85) (25), King of Scotland 1649-51, King of England, Scotland and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration until his death ·
• Corruption (11) ·
• Duel (4) ·
• Edmund Jennings (Member of Parliament) (1) ·
• George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (2) ·
• Heywood, Oliver (1630-1702) (34), Bolton-born nonconformist minister and diarist, active in the West Riding, resident at Northowram, ejected for his beliefs ·
• 📌Ripon (16) ·
• Sword (4) ·
• 📌York (164) ·

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