CP40 H1549 A Tr Stoughton and Monins vs Mathew

CP40 Hilary Term 1549, Stoughton and Monins versus Mathew, heirs of Richard Exhurst, division of gavelkind land in Staple and Ash next Sandwich, Kent [1] [2] (Jan Wolfe thanks Prof. Robert Palmer, University of Houston, and Dr. Matthew Tompkins, University of Leicester, for assistance with this transcription and translation and for discussion of legal issues in the case.) Transcription: 1. Kantia – Alanus Mathew & Elizabetha vxor eius summoniti fuerunt ad respondendum Francisco Stoughton Henrico Stoughton 2. Thome Stoughton Thome Monynges & Willelmo Monynges de pl(ac)ito quare cum ijdem Franciscus Henricus 3. Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges Willelmus Alanus & Elizabetha in iure ip(s)ius Elizabethe insimul & 4. pro indiviso teneant vnum mesuagium vnum columbare vnum gardinum centum acras terre viginti sex acras prati & 5. quadraginta acras pasture cu(m) pertinenciis in Staple & Asshe iuxta Sandwiche de hereditate quo fuit 6. Ricardi Exherst p(at)ris dicte Elizabethe ac aui predictorum Francisci Henrici & Thome Stoughton ac proaui 7. predictorum Thome Monynges & Willelmi Monynges cuius heredes ip(s)i sunt s(e)c(un)d(u)m consuetudinem de 8. Gavelkynd in comitatu predicto ijdem Alanus & Elizabetha p(ar)ticionem inde inter eos s(e)c(un)d(u)m legem 9. & consuetudinem predictas faciende contradicunt & eam fieri non permittunt minus iuste &c Et vnde 10. ijdem Franciscus Henricus Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges &Willelmus per Thomam Frankleyn 11. proximum ?amicum suum dicunt quod cum quidam Cristoforus Eldergate fuit se(si)itus de tenemento predicto cum pertinenciis 12. in d(o)m(ini)co suo vt de feodo Et idem Cristoforus sic inde se(is)itus inde feoffauit predictum Ric(ard)um 13. Exherst ac quosdam Johannem Waller Juniorem Georgium Guldeford Johannem Herynden Rob(er)tum 14. Southland & Simonem Bawson Habendum eis heredibus et assignatis suis inperpetuum quod quidem 15. feoffamentum factum fuit ad vsum dicti Ricardi Exherst heredum & assignatorum suorum per 16. quod ijdem Ricardus Exherst Johannes Waller Georgius Guldeford Johannes Herynden 17. Robertus Southland & Simon Bauson fuerunt se(is)it de tenemento predictus cum pertinciis in 18. dominico suo vt de feodo ad vsum dicti Ricardi Exherst heredum & assignatorum suorum 19. ip(s)is quibus Ricardo Exherst Johanne Waller Georgio Guldeford Johanne Heryndon Roberto 20. Southland & Simone Bauson ad eundem vsum sic se(is)itus existens idem 21. Ricardus Exherst quintodecimo die Junij anno domini millesimo quingentesimo 22. duodecimo apud Asshe predictam fecit & declarauit vltimam voluntatem 23. suam in scriptis & per e¬andem inter alia voluit quod Johanna vxor eius heredeat pro 24. t(ermin)o vite sue tenementum predictam per nomen sui tenementum de peddyng cum o(mn)ibus terris eidem pertinciis 25. que Thomas Aldey tunc habuit ad firmam ac per nomen sui tenementum in Gyldyntowne 26. cum omnibus t(er)ris eidem spectantibus que Lamb(er)tus Sawyer tunc habuit ad firmam ac etiam 27. idem Ricardus per eand(e)m vltimam voluntatem suam voluit quod post decessum dicte 28. Johanne vx(or)is eius tenementa predicta remaneant Thome filio suo quando veniret ad etatem 29. viginti duorum annorum sibi & heredibus suis imperpetuum Et si conting(it) dictum Thomam ante 30. etatem viginti duorum annorum obire quod tunc tenementa predicta remaneant Bened(ic)te Aldey 31. Elizabethe Exherst seniore Marie Exherst & Elizabethe Exherst juniore filiabus dicti 32. Ricardi Exherst Habendum sibi & heredibus suis imperpetuum Et predicti Franciscus Henricus Thomas 33. Stoughton Thomas Monynges &Willelmus dicunt quod tenementa predicta sunt de natura et 34. tenura de Gavelkynd in comitatu predicto ac quod omnias terras & tenementa eorundem nature & tenure a 35. temp(or)e cuius contrarij memoria hom(inum) non existens fuerunt inter heredes masculos partita & 36. p(ar)tibilia ac etiam quod predictus Ricardus Exherst obijt apud Asshe predictam predicto anno 37. domini millesimo quingentesimo duodecimo ac quod predicti Johannes Waller Georgius 38. Guldeford Johannes Herynden Robertus Southland & Simon Bauson ipsum Ricardum Exherst 39. superuixerunt & furerunt se(is)itus de tenementibus predictis in dominico suo vt de feodo per ius 40. accrescendi ad vsum predicte Johanne pro termino vite sue Et vlterius ad usus inde 41. in predicta vltima voluntate specificatus ipsius quibus sic inde ad eosdem vsus se(is)itus 42. existens predicta Johanna que fuit vxor predicti Ricardi Exherst cepit in virum Thomam 43. Hordon Gentilman Et predicta Elizabetha Exherst seniora filia predicti Ricardi Exherst apud 44. Amsbury in Comitatu Wiltoniensis intrauit in religionem & ibidem fuit monialis professe sub 45. obedienciam Elizabethe abbatisse monasterie de Amsbury predicte Et postea predicti Johannes Waller Johannes Herenden 46. Robertus Southland & Simon Bauson obierunt et predictus Georgius Guldeford 47. ipsos supervixit & fuit solus se(s)itus de tenementibus predictis cum pertinenciis in dominico suo vt de feodo per ius 48. accrescendi ad eosdem vsus Et idem Georgius sic inde ad eosdem vsus se(is)itus 49. diu ante quartum diem Februarij anno regni domini Henrici nuper Regis 50. Anglie octaui vicesimo septimo obijt protestando inde se(is)itus post cuius mortem plus in dorso Translation: 1. Kent – Alan Mathew & Elizabeth his wife were summoned to answer Francis Stoughton Henry Stoughton 2. Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges & William Monynges in a plea why, whereas the same Francis Henry 3. Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges William Alan & Elizabeth in the right of Elizabeth herself should hold jointly 4. and in common a messuage, a dovecot, a garden, one hundred acres of land, twenty six acres of meadow & 5. forty acres of pasture with appurtenances in Staple & Ash next Sandwich of the inheritance which was 6. Richard Exherst’s, father of the aforesaid Elizabeth, also grandfather of the aforesaid Francis Henry & Thomas Stoughton, also great grandfather 7. of the aforesaid Thomas Monynges & Willing Monynges, whose heirs they are according to the custom of 8. gavelkind in the county aforesaid, the same Alan & Elizabeth refuse to make a partition thereof among them according to the law 9. & custom aforesaid & do not permit it to be made, without justice etc. And whence 10. the same Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges & William by Thomas Frankleyn, 11. his next friend, say that whereas a certain Christopher Eldergate was seized of the aforesaid tenement with appurtenances 12. in his demesne as of fee and the same Christopher, thus seized therein, enfeoffed the aforesaid Richard 13. Exherst and John Waller the younger George Guldeford John Herynden Robert 14. Southland & Simon Bawson gent., to Have to them, their heirs and assigns in perpetuity, which certain 15. feoffment was made to the use of the said Richard Exherst, his heirs & assigns, by 16. which the same Richard Exherst John Waller George Guldeford John Herynden 17. Robert Southland & Simon Bauson were seized of the tenement aforesaid with appurtenances in 18. their demesne as of fee to the use of the said Richard Exherst, his heirs and assigns 19. themselves, to which Richard Exherst John Waller George Guldeford John Heyndon Robert 20. Southland & Simon Bauson, being thus seised to the same use, the same 21. Richard Exherst the fifteenth day of June in the year of our lord one thousand five hundred 22. twelve at Ash aforesaid made & declared his last will 23. in a writing and thereby among other things willed that Joan his wife should inherit 24. for the term of her life the tenement aforesaid in her own name the tenement of Peddyng with all lands thereunto pertaining, 25. which Thomas Alday then had at lease, and in her own name the tenement in Gyldyntowne 26. with all lands thereunto belonging, which Lambert Sawyer then had at lease, and also 27. the same Richard by his same last will willed that after the death of the same 28. Joan his wife the aforesaid tenements should remain to Thomas his son when he comes to the age of 29. twenty two years, to himself & his heirs in perpetuity, and if it happen that the said Thomas before 30. the age of twenty two years should die that then the tenements aforesaid should remain to Benedicta Aldey 31. Elizabeth Exherst the elder Mary Exherst & Elizabeth Exherst the younger, daughters of the said 32. Richard Exherst gent., to Have to them and their heirs in perpetuity And the aforesaid Francis Henry Thomas 33. Stoughton Thomas Monyns & William say that the aforesaid tenements are of the nature and 34. tenure of Gavelkind in the aforesaid county and that all lands & tenements of the same nature and tenure, from 35. the time whereof the memory of men does not exist to the contrary, have been partitioned and partible 36. among the male heirs, and also that the aforesaid Richard Exherst died at Ash aforesaid the aforesaid year 37. of our lord one thousand five hundred twelve, and that the aforesaid John Waller George 38. Guldeford John Herynden Robert Southland & Simon Bauson survived the same Richard Exherst 39. & were seized of the tenements aforesaid in their demesne as of fee by the right 40. of survivorship to the use of the aforesaid Joan for the term of her life, And further to the use therein 41. specified in the aforesaid last will, to whom being thus to those same uses seized 42. the aforesaid Joan who was wife of the aforesaid Richard Exherst took to husband Thomas 43. Horden Gentleman And the aforesaid Elizabeth Exherst the elder, daughter of the aforesaid Richard Exherst, at 44. Amsbury in the county Wiltshire entered into religious life and there was professed a nun under 45. the obedience of Elizabeth, Abbess of the monastery of Amsbury aforesaid And afterwards the aforesaid John Waller John Herenden 46. Robert Southland Simon Bauson died and the aforesaid George Guldeford 47. survived them and was solely seized of the said tenements with appurtenances in his demesne as of fee through the right 48. of accretion to those same uses and the same George, thus therein seized to the same uses, 49. long before the fourth day of February in the year of the reign of King Henry the Eighth, late king of 50. England, the twenty-seventh [1536], died claiming to be therein seized, after which death more on the dorse [3] [4] Transcription: 1. predicta tenementa cum pertinenciis descendaverunt cuidam Johanni Guldeford nunc militis vt filio & heredi predicti 2. Georgii per quod idem Johannes Guldeford in ead(e)m tenementa cum pertinenciis intrauit & fuit inde 3. se(is)itus in d(o)m(ini)co suo vt de feodo ad vsus predictos usque ad & in predictam quarto diem 4. Februarij dicto anno vicesimo septimo quo quidem quarto die Februarij predicti 5. Thomas Horden & Johanna vxor eius fuerunt se(is)iti de tenementis predictis cum pertinenciis in br(ev)i 6. predicto specificate in dominico suo vt de lib(er)o tenuro pro t(ermin)o vite ip(s)ius Johanne in iure 7. ip(s)ius Johanne posteaq(ue) idem Thomas Exherst apud Asshe predictam in vita predicte 8. Johanne obijt sine exitu de corpore suo p(ro)creato et postea eadem 9. Johanna apud Lamberherst in predicto comitatu Kantie obijt post cuius mortem predicta tenementa cum pertinenciis descendauerunt prefatis 10. Francisco Henrico & Thome Stoughton ac predictis Thome Monynges & Willelmo Monynges 11. necnon predicte Elizabethe vxori predicti Alane Mathewe videlicet eid(e)m Elizabethe vt filie 12. dicti Ricardi Exherst ac dictis Francisco Henrico & Thome Stoughton vt filijs predicte Marie 13. filie predicti Ricardi Exherst necnon predictis Thome Monyns & Willo Monyngs ut filiis 14. Margerie Monynges filie predicte Benedicte Aldey filie predicti Ricardi Exherst per quod ijdem 15. Franciscus Henricus Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges Willelmus Monynges Alanus 16. Mathewe & Elizabetha vxor eius in iure ipsius Elizabethe in tenementa predicta in brevi predicto specificato 17. intrauerunt & inde fuerunt & adhuc sunt seisiti in dominico suo vt de feodo insimul & 18. pro indiviso vnde ad ipsos Franciscum Henricum Thomam Stoughton pertinet ad habendum 19. terciam partem inde tenendas in separalitate ita quod ijdem Franciscus Henricus & Thomas 20. de proparte sua ipsos de tenementis predictis contingentibus se appruare possunt ac ad prefatos 21. Thomam Monynges & Willelmum Monynges pertinet ad Habendum aliam terciam partem 22. inde tenendas in separalitate ita quod ijdem Thomas Monynges & Willelmus de proparte 23. sua ipsos de tenementis predictis contingentibus appruare se possunt ac ad predictos Alanum 24. & Elizabetham vxorem eius in iure ipsius Elizabethe pertinet ad Habendum residuum tenementorum predictorum 25. cum pertinenciis in brevi predicto specificato tenendas in separalitate ita quod ijdem Alanus & 26. Elizabetha de proparte sua ipsos inde contingentibus appruare se possunt predicti ?tamen 27. Alanus & Elizabetha particionem inde inter eos secundem legem & consuetudinem predictos 28. faciende cont(ra)dicunt & eam fieri non permittunt minus iuste vnde dicunt quod 29. deteriorati sunt & dampnum habent ad valenciam quadraginta librarum Et inde producunt 30. sectam &c 31. Et predicti Alanus & Elizabetha per Johannem Colyard attornatum suum venunt et defendent vim & 32. iniuriam quando &c Et pet(ent) licenciam inde interloquendi hic vsque a die pasche in xv 33. dies et habent &c jdem dies datus est prefatis Francisco Henrico Thome Stoughton 34. Thome Monynges &Willelmo hic &c ad quem diem hic venunt partes &c Et super hoc predicti 35. Alanus & Elizabetha ulterius petent licenciam inde interloquendi hic vsque in Crastino s(an)c(t)e 36. Trinitatis Et habent &c Idem dies datus est prefatis Francisco Henrico Thomae Stoughton Thome 37. Monynges & Willelmo hic &c ad quem diem hic venunt partes &c Et super hoc predicti Alanus & Elizabetha 38. vlterius petent licenciam inde interloquendi hic vsque in Octavis Sancte Michaelis Et habent &c 39. Idem dies dat us est prefatis Francisco Henrico Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monnynges & Willelmi 40. hic &c Translation: 1. the aforesaid tenement with appurtenances descended to a certain John Guldeford now knight as son & heir of the aforesaid 2. George by which the same John Guldeford in the same tenements with appurtenances entered & was therein 3. seized in his demesne as of fee to the uses aforesaid until & in the aforesaid fourth day of 4. February the said twenty seventh year which certain fourth day of February the aforesaid 5. Thomas Horden and Joan his wife were seized of the tenements aforesaid with appurtenances in the writ 6. aforesaid specified in their demesne as of free tenure for the term of the life of Joan herself in the right of 7. Joan herself and afterwards the same Thomas Exherst died at Ash aforesaid in the life of the aforesaid 8. Joan without issue of his body begotten, and afterwards the same 9. Joan died at Lamberhurst in the aforesaid county of Kent, after whose death the aforesaid tenements with appurtenances descended to the beforementioned 10. Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton and the aforesaid Thomas Monynges & William Monynges 11. as well as the aforesaid Elizabeth wife of the aforesaid Alan Mathew, that is, to the same Elizabeth as daughter 12. of the said Richard Exherst and to the said Francis Henry & Thomas Stoughton as sons of the aforesaid Mary 13. daughter of the aforesaid Richard Exherst as well as the aforesaid Thomas Monynges & William Monynges as sons of 14. Margery Monynges daughter of the aforesaid Benedicta Aldey daughter of the aforesaid Richard Exherst by which the same 15. Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges William Monynges Alan 16. Mathew & Elizabeth his wife in the right of Elizabeth in the aforesaid tenements in the aforesaid writ specified 17. entered and therein were & still are seized in their demesne as of fee jointly and 18. in common, whereby it pertains to those same Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton to have 19. a third part thereof, holding in severalty, so that the same Francis Henry & Thomas 20. can improve their own share of the aforesaid tenements, and to the before mentioned 21. Thomas Monynges & William Monynges it pertains to have another third part 22. thereof, holding in severalty, so that the same Thomas Monynges & William can improve 23. their own share of the aforesaid tenements, and to the aforesaid Alan 24. & Elizabeth his wife, in the right of Elizabeth herself, it pertains to have the residue of the tenements aforesaid 25. with appurtenances in the aforesaid writ specified, holding in severalty, so that the same Alan & 26. Elizabeth can improve their own share of the aforesaid tenements, yet the aforesaid 27. Alan & Elizabeth refuse to make a partition thereof among them according to the law & custom aforesaid 28. & do not permit it to be made, without justice, whereby they say that 29. they are made poorer and have loss to the value of forty pounds And they produce 30. suit etc. 31. And the aforesaid Alan & Elizabeth by their attorney John Colyard come and defend the act and the 32. injury so far as &c And they seek license therein to imparl from now until the Quindene of Easter 33. and have [it] etc. The same day is given to the beforementioned Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton 34. Thomas Monynges & William [from] now etc. At which day the parties came here &c And on this the aforesaid 35. Alan & Elizabeth further seek license therein to imparl from now until the morrow of the Holy 36. Trinity And they have [it] etc. The same day is given to the before mentioned Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton Thomas 37. Monynges & William [from] now etc At which day the parties came here &c And on this the aforesaid Alan & Elizabeth 38. further seek license therein to imparl from now until the octave of St. Michael and they have [it] etc. 39. The same day is given to the before mentioned Francis Henry Thomas Stoughton Thomas Monynges & William 40. [from] here etc. Notes: The Statute of Uses, which converted uses to a legal interest, went into effect on 4 February 1536. This statute is reflected in the immediate possession by Joan and her husband on that date and in the change in the language of possession. An Elizabeth Exhurst was listed among the nuns of Amesbury Priory, Wiltshire, assigned a pension in December 1539 after the dissolution of the priory and among those still receiving a pension in 1555–56. In another lawsuit, Court of Chancery, C 1/1450/16–19, the plaintiff states that the Elizabeth Exhurst the elder died without issue. The elder Elizabeth may not have literally died, but she had died a civil death with respect to her inheritance at the time of her profession. She was thus excluded from the inheritance of her father’s land in Ash and Staple, and her right to inheritance apparently did not revive with the dissolution of the monasteries.