Family and Education

b. by 1515, 2nd s. of Sir William Morgan of Pencoed by Florence, da. of Sir Giles Brydges of Coberley, Glos.; bro. of Sir Thomas^†. m. by 1558, Emma or Mary, da. of Thomas Brague or Brayne of Little Dean, Glos. 3s.2

Offices Held

Servant, Thomas Cromwell by 1536; bailiff, former monastic lands at Skenfrith, Mon. 1546; commr. relief, Mon. 1550; mayor, Newport 1567-8.3

Biography

Giles Morgan is first mentioned in a letter of March 1536 from his father to Cromwell: writing in some apprehension that the proposed shiring of the marches would harm his position, the father sought Cromwell’s favour to Giles, who was in the minister’s service in a minor capacity, being one of those who were not to be allowed into the minister’s house except when commanded or upon good cause. Two years later Giles Morgan was present when his father was acquitted at Wigmore on a charge which had led to his imprisonment in Wigmore castle.4

Giles Morgan settled at Newport, where in October 1543 he was enfeoffed by Sir Edward Carne of the house and site of the Austin Friars. It was at Newport that he was assessed for the subsidy of 1559 on lands worth £2 a year, and he was to serve a term as mayor of the borough: he also played a minor part in county administration. His only appearance in Parliament was as Member for Monmouth Boroughs, of which Newport was one, his brother being knight of the shire. During the third session a bill was committed to him after its second reading on 14 Nov. 1549 and a week later he redelivered it: described in the Journal as being ‘for the passage boat over the river of Aust’, the bill doubtless concerned the ferry across the Severn which linked Monmouthshire with Gloucestershire.5

Morgan made his will during his last illness in January 1570. He asked to be buried in the church at Newport, and his bequests included 1s. to Llandaff cathedral, 3s.4d. to the vicar of Newport for tithes forgotten, £1 for repairs to the road between Newport and Parkhill and £2 for the upkeep of Newport bridge. The residue of his goods he left equally to his wife and his son William. One of the witnesses was William Morgan of Llantarnam. Morgan died on 9 Mar. 1570 possessed of the friary, held in chief and worth 13s.4d. a year, and other lands in Monmouthshire worth more than £21.6

Ref Volumes: 1509-1558

Author: P. S. Edwards

Notes

• 1. Hatfield 207.
• 2. Date of birth estimated from first reference. G. T. Clark, Limbus Patrum Morganiae, 320, 322; Bradney, Mon. iv(2), 213; CPR, 1555-7, p. 95; PCC 35 Lyon.
• 3. LP Hen. VIII, x, xiii, xxi; CPR, 1553, p. 360; B. P. Jones, From Eliz. I to Vict.: the Govt. of Newport 1550-1850, p. 198; C3/137/71.
• 4. LP Hen. VIII, x, xiii; M. L. Robertson, ‘Cromwell’s servants’ (Univ. California Los Angeles Ph.D. thesis, 1975), 529.
• 5. E179/148/49; 368/334, Hil. 12; Bradney, iv(2), 213; CPR, 1554-5, p. 344; 1555-7, p. 95; 1566-9, p. 133; 1569-72, p. 33; CJ, i. 11.
• 6. PCC 35 Lyon; Wards 7/12/37; CPR, 1569-72, p. 329.