twenty five Marks of Quit-Rent out of the Mannor of Thrapston Lands and Tenements or twenty Pounds in Land during hyr life and that she have twenty Mark in money for hyr Chambre so that she aske ne take no stofe out of the Mannor of Addington Alsoe I will that as in Shepe Nete and allodyr Cattell she have hyr part accordyng to the Lawe and let hyr chuse whedyr she will have twenty Pound in Land or the said Quit-Rente Alsoe I will that she have the two littel Salts that goe daily abroad with the Silver Spones and a Pese that Thomas Ashe have Alsoe I will that all such Goods as I have in the Mannor of Addington unbequest remayne to the said Mannor while the World last or the said Goods endure that is to say Bedding Chests Tables Brasse Pewter and a Coffer of Plate with Harnesse Gold Rings Owches and a Chene of Gold with other Jewels in the same Coffer Alsoe I will that my Dawter Elizabeth have the same Mannor in parte of hyr Chose and all my purchased Land in the same Towne and also in Addington parva more than hyr chose to meynteyn the seyd Mannor Alsoe I will that my Dawters Anne Constance and Audre have an odyr Coffer called a Gardewyn with certain Plate a Chene Girdyll and odyr Stoffe to be partyd among them when they come to Age and if the one dye the t' other to depart it than if one dye the t'other to have all if they all depart the said Coffer to remain to the Mannor again Alsoe I will that William Marbyry have the Rule and the gyding of my Children till they come to Age to gyde themselves Alsoe I will that the said William have the Receits of my Land till the said Children come to lawful Age alsoe the kepyng of all other moveable Goods that I have bequeathed to them and when they come to lawful Age or els happyn to be marry'd then to deliver to them syche as I have besett them as he think most profit to them Alsoe if it happe the said William Marbyry decesse ere all this be fulfilled and performed then I will that the foresaid William Marbyry to chose or to assigne such a person or persons as he can bethink best with the avise of Mr. John Bloxham if he be then alive or els of Sir Thomas Thornton now Parson of Addington Alsoe I will that if it happe my Children all decesse and noe Issue of them then I will that my Goods and Stoffe in my Mannor of Addington and odyr not delivered to them be sould and done for my soule and the soules of my Fadyr and my Modyr and all Christen soules and if there be any of nere kin that have need in their Marriage I will that they be holpyd and succuryd before odyrs Alsoe I will that eche of my Sisters have ten Shillings and eche of their Children six Shillings eight Pence alsoe William Marbyry during his life three Pounds six Shillings eight Pence Alsoe Robert Marbyry to be Steward of all my Lands haveing for his Fee six and twenty Shillings eight Pence for terme of life Alsoe I will that my Servaunts that will byde till our Lady Day shall have their Wages and eche of them three Shillings four Pence over their Wages Alsoe I will that John Daundely have every Yere three Shillings four Pence to pray for me dureing his life Alsoe any Preste that comes to the Day of my Beriall seventh Day or Months every one six Pence a pese Alsoe every odyr Clarke two Pence Alsoe I will and I charge my Children that they nor none of them nor no odyr shall troble ne vex William Marbyry whom I have made Receyver of my Londes and of all odyr Goods for to call him to accompt or reckynnyng but to make it after his owne Conscience and soe I put my trust in him Alsoe I will that there be given twenty Shillings to the Abbey of Crowland to pray for me Item to Sir Thomas Whotton six Shillings eight Pence besides his Wages Alsoe I will that if that Maister William Marbyry may not have the Rule ne the Marriage of my Children to syche as he will with his counseil so if any of my Children will not be rulyd be him then my Executors shall have my purchased Land in their kepeing and possession unto the time that my Will be fulfilled and than to gyff hit to them or one of them as they think best in all manner of things the Stoffe both Plate and all odyr to dispose them for my soule Alsoe I will that William Dounhall have the Lond that I shuld have in Harawld for the Wyfe of William Milner terme of hyr life as they of Harawld and I have agre Alsoe I will that myn Executors be suffred to receyve the profitts as well of all my Londs in Fee-tayl as of my Londs in Fee-simple ....... my Children to be kept and maryed be their assents then I will all such Goods as I have assigned to remaine in the Mannor of Addington aforesaid be taken and kept be my said Executors and the profitts of my Londs in Fee-simple unto the time my Children be of reasonable Age and then to dispose the said Goods and profitts of Londs after their discretion as they find cause and se my Childrens disposition Provided alway that and my said Executors may not have and receyve the revenue and profitts of Londs aforesaid to performe this my last Will then I will they see it performyd with my moveable Goods and the revenues and profitts of my Fee-simpul Lands SIGILLVM HENRICI DE VER Fuller's History of the Worthies of England Page 298. HEnry Vere was the Son of Richard Vere of Addington Esquire by Isabel his Wife Sister and at last sole Heir of Henry Greene of Drayton Esquire of whom formerly This Henry was after Knighted and dying without Issue Male Elizabeth his Daughter and Coheir was married to John first Lord Mordaunt to whom she brought Drayton in this Country and other fair Lands as the Partage of her Portion Here lyeth the Body of Sr Henry Vere Knt. who was once Lord of this 〈◊〉 He was Father of Elizabeth Wife to Iohn the first Lord Mordaunt vnto whom his eldest Daughter Coheire did decend the Greatest part of his Ancient 〈◊〉 In heritance On whose Soule God have Mercy ELIZABETH VERE Lady Mordaunt Lady of Drayton Thrapston Addington and Inheritrix of all the Lands that belonged to the Greenes and Veres her Predecessors Specialis Liberatio Terrarum Greene Vere assignata per Regem H.R. REX c. omnibus c. Sciatis quòd Nos de gratia nostra speciali ac ex certa scientia mero motu nostris concessimus licentiam dedimus ac per praesentes damus concedimus pro nobis Haeredibus nostris quantum in nobis est dilectis fidelibus nostris Thomae Cheyne Militi Elizabethae Uxori ejus Filiae
Knight then our Attorney General did inform for divers great Contempts and Misprisions by them committed and done against us whereupon our said Court weighing and considering the quality of their said Offences did order and adjudge The said Henry Lord Mordaunt for his Offence therein should pay to our use for a Fine the Summ of Ten thousand Marks as by the Records of the said Court of Star-Chamber it doth and may appear And whereas the said Fine of Ten thousand Marks hath not been to us yet answered and paid so as the Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods and Chattels of our Right Trusty and Welbeloved John Lord Mordaunt Son and Heir of the said Henry Lord Mordaunt deceased are chargeable subject and liable to and with the payment of the same Know ye nevertheless That we being graciously pleased to free and acquit the said John Lord Mordaunt and his Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Goods and Chattels of and from the said Fine and every part thereof of our special Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion have Pardoned Remised and Released and by these Presents for Us our Heirs and Successors do Pardon Remit and Release unto the said John Lord Mordaunt by whatsoever Name or Names Sirname or Sirnames or addition of Names or Sirnames Dignity Place or Places the said John Lord Mordaunt is or lately was called or known the foresaid Fine or Summ of Ten thousand Marks and every part and parcel of the said Ten thousand Marks And further for the more full and absolute freeing and discharging of the said John Lord Mordaunt of and from the said Fine or Summ of Ten thousand Marks and of every part and parcel thereof We of our special Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion for Us our Heirs and Successors do by these Presents Pardon Remit and Release unto the said John Lord Mordaunt all and all manner of Actions Suits Informations Seisures Extents Writs Processes Judgments Executions Impetitions Claims and Demands which we now have or which We our Heirs or Successors at any time hereafter can may or might have against the said John Lord Mordaunt his Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns or his or their or any of their Lordships Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Goods Chattels Rights Debts or Credits whatsoever for or in respect of the said Fine or Summ of Ten thousand Marks against or upon the said Henry Lord Mordaunt his said Father adjudged given set and imposed as aforesaid and him the said John Lord Mordaunt his Heirs Executors Administrators Terrtenants and Assigns and his and their Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Goods Chattels Rights Debts and Credits of for from and concerning the said Fine or Summ of Ten thousand Marks and every part and parcel thereof We do for Us our Heirs and Successors clearly and absolutely Acquit Exonerat Free and Discharge for ever by these Presents Willing and by these Presents for Us our Heirs and Successors straitly charging and requiring our said Commissioners for our Treasury and the Treasurer Chancellor and Under-Treasurer Chamberlains Barons and Remembrancers of the Exchequer of Us our Heirs and Successors for the time being and all other the Officers and Ministers of the said Court for the time being whom it may concern and all other the Officers and Ministers of Us our Heirs and Successors whomsoever That he the said John Lord Mordaunt his Heirs Executors Administrators Terrtenants or Assigns or any his or their Lordships Maners Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods Chattels Leases Debts Rights or Credits or any of them or any part or parcel thereof for or by reason of the said Fine or Summ of Ten thousand Marks or any part thereof be not hereafter by any of the Sheriff Under-Sheriff Bayliff or other Officers or Ministers of Us our Heirs and Successors in any wise Sued Vexed Extended Seized Troubled Molested Impeached Questioned or Inquieted but shall thereof be fully freely clearly and absolutely from henceforth by virtue and upon shewing forth of these Presents or the Inrolment Constat or Exemplification thereof acquitted exonerated and discharged against Us our Heirs and Successors the said Order Decree Sentence Fine and Judgment of our said Court of Star-Chamber herein before mentioned or any matter or thing therein contained or any Estreat Process Seisure or Extent heretofore awarded had or made touching the Premises or any Act Statute Ordinance Provision Proclamation or Restraint whatsoever to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And further We do for Us our Heirs and Successors of our especial Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion Will and Grant to the said John Lord Mordaunt by these Presents That these our Letters Patents of Pardon or the Inrolment thereof and every Clause Grant Article Matter or Thing therein contained shall be good sufficient and effectual in the Law and shall be taken construed and adjudged most strongly against Us our Heirs and Successors and most favourably benignly and beneficially to and for the said John Lord Mordaunt his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns for the full clear and absolute Pardoning Releasing Freeing and Discharging him them and every of them and his and their Maners Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods Chattels Rights Debts and Credits of for from and concerning the said Fine or Summ of Ten thousand Marks so ordered decreed and adjudged as aforesaid and every part and parcel thereof And of and from all and every Writ Process Extents Seisures Executions Claims Benefits and Demands whatsoever which we now have or which we our Heirs or Successors at any time hereafter shall might or may have for touching or concerning the Premises Notwithstanding the not true or not certain or not reciting naming or mentioning the said Information wherein or upon which the said Fine was set or assessed upon the said Henry Lord Mordaunt or of the Offences or Misdemeanors or other Cause for which the same was set or assessed or of the natures or qualities of any of them And notwithstanding the not mentioning not reciting or not true and certain meaning or reciting of the just Day or time of the said Sentence or Judgment therein given as aforesaid or any Act Statute Ordinance Provision Commandment Order or Restraint or any other Incertainty Defect or Imperfection Cause Matter or Thing whatsoever to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding Although express mention of the Certainty of the Premises or of any of them or of any other Gift or Grant by us or any of our Progenitors or Predecessors to the said John Lord Mordaunt before this time made in these Presents is not made Any Statute Act Ordinance Provision or Restraint heretofore had meaned ordained or provided or any other matter cause or thing whatsoever to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding In Witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patents Witness our self at Westminster the Eleventh Day of March in the seventeenth Year of Our Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the
find no man who can speak in it to your profit But as touching the Pedigree of John Camell and Richard Garnsay I have Examined as followeth that is to say Richard Garnsay Son and Heir of the aforesaid Richard sayes that he once had certain Evidence concerning the Land that Moleyns laid claim unto which Evidence with a Release made by him he delivered to Sir Nicholas Latimer promising him thirty three shillings four pence which money he never had notwithstanding at my desire if you think his Title may do you good or profit he is contented to do for you as much as in him lies and farther I cannot know of either of your Pedigrees but as I have afore written to you Also as touching John Reade that you writ to me which gave Moleyns the Land in Fee Tayl I can in no wise hear of the same Reade but the Country sayes that one Moleyns was in possession a while there but he was Disseised by Sir Nicholas Latimer again but farther I cannot know Also my Lady your Mother hath given Giles Peny the Buck that you wrote to her for Sir Also I have moved my Lady many times that you might have Latimers Lands to Farm which in no wise she will agree unto yet I have done therein as much as I can for she sayes that she will be Mistress of her own Lands during her Life Farther I pray you to have me recommended to my Sister your Wife and to my Uncle William Mordaunt And I yours to my little power as knoweth Jesus who always preserve you From Dorchester the third day of October Anno Regni Regis Henrici Octavi quinto By me Yours Giles Strangeways The Petition of the Lady Edith Carewe To the King our Soveraign Lord. IN most humble wise beseecheth Your Highness and most Noble Grace your poor Oratrice Dame Edith Carewe Widow sometime the wife of Sir John Mordaunt Knight That whereas the same Sir John Mordaunt at the time of his Death left and gave to your said Oratrice then his Wife in Plate Jewels ready Money and Stuff to the value of a Thousand Marks and above to have to her own proper Use and Behove By force whereof she was thereof possessed accordingly and afterward she being possessed thereof took to Husband your late Servant Sir John Carewe Knight which Sir John Carewe afterwards by Chance of War was perished and lost on the Sea in the Service of Your Grace At which time he lost not only his Personage on the Sea but also lost his substance of such Goods as to your said Oratrice was left by her former Husband which the said Sir John Carewe then had with him to Sea both Plate Money and also his Apparel as well necessary Apparel to his Body as other Apparel that he had bought with the said Goods for the defence of his Body in your said Wars By means whereof your said Oratrice is left little or nothing worth in substance of Goods And the aforesaid Sir John Carewe in his life borrowed and had of your Grace by way of Prest Two Hundred Pounds for the repayment whereof he was and stood bound by his Writing Obligatory to the Use of your Grace And so it is Gracious Sovereign Lord that the most Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of Canterbury as Ordinary hath sequestred and made Seizure of all the Goods that belonged to the said Sir John Carewe within this your Realm at the time of his death which Goods by a true Inventory taken have been extended and valued to the Summ of one Hundred and Fourscore Pounds And forasmuch as your said Oratrice is now left a poor Widow by reason of the Premisses and never had nor hath any Preferment nor other Benefit by the said Sir John Carewe neither in Possessions nor in Goods in consideration whereof That it would please your Highness of your abundant grace and benign pity to direct your gracious Letters missive to the said Archbishop of Canterbury reciting by the same Letters That the mind and pleasure of your Grace is to accept and take the aforesaid Hundred and Fourscore Pounds in full recompence and satisfaction as well of the said Two Hundred Pounds as of all other Debts which the said Sir John Carewe ought unto your Grace at the time of his Death which Debts ought to have first preferment in payment by the Order of your Laws before any payment of any Debts that the said Sir John Carewe ought at the time of his death to any persons And further by the same your Gracious Letters to command the aforesaid Archbishop of Canterbury to deliver or cause to be delivered the aforesaid Goods attaining the Summ of one Hundred and Fourscore Pounds to your said Oratrix to have to her own proper use of the gift of you And farther that it may please your Gracious Highness to direct your Warrant to be signed with your most victorious hand unto your Servant John Heyron commanding him by the same to deliver or cause to be delivered the foresaid Writings Obligatory of Two Hundred Pounds to your said Oratrix to the intent that she may deliver them to the said Archbishop of Canterbury for his discharge as Ordinary of and for the payment and delivery of the said Hundred and Fourscore Pounds And this at the Reverence of God and in the way of Charity And your said Oratrix shall pray to God for the prosperous continuance of your Royal Estate and for the preservation of the same The Kings Warrant signed with his hand to Thomas Lucas to release unto Sir John Mordaunt the Latimers Lands that had stood ingaged to King Henry the Seventh for a thousand pounds HENRY the Eighth by the Grace of God of England and France King Defender of the Faith and Lord of Ireland To Thomas Lucas Esquire Greeting Where ye and the Right Reverend Father in God our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor Richard Bishop of Winchester with Sir William Gascoigne Knight and others now Deceased by divers Writs of Entry in the post recovered the Mannors of Devilish Estpullham and Duntish with the Appurtenances in the County of Dorset and certain other Lands and Tenements in Devilish Estpullham and Duntish aforesaid Bokeland Helton and Milborn Saint Andrew in the said County of Dorset And also the Mannor of Estoket with the Appurtenances in the County of Somerset the Mannor of Turvey with the Appurtenances in the County of Bedford and also certain other Lands and Tenements in Turvey aforesaid And also the Mannor of Burnton and Newton per mare with the Appurtenances in the County of Northumberland and certain other Lands and Tenements with the Appurtenances in the said County of Northumberland against Sir John Mordaunt by the name of John Mordaunt Esquire John Jenor and others as by the Records thereof exemplified under the Seal of our Common-Bench and also by two Releases which Releases the said John Mordaunt shall shew unto you signed with our hand
late hath permuted a Benefice that he had in Northbeneflete in Essex for the said Benefice in Addington with oon Master John Ovyn late Parson there and as he saith ye doe now pretend that a Graunt was made unto yow by the said Master John Ovyn in his time of the Ferme of the said Parsonage of Addington for the space of a Yere which pretence I understand the said Master John Ovyn utterly denyeth saying that he never was agreable thereunto and how that ye have no writing thereof but onely that ye intend with strong hand to keep the said Ferme against the will of the Parson there and contrary to all good reason and conscience Wherefore I pray yow as hertely as I can that as well for my sake as in discharge of your owne conscience ye woll deal favorably with the said Parson and to suffer him to occupy and enjoy his Benefice according to Right without your interruption wherein yow shall give me cause to be good Lord unto yow in eny thing ye reasonably can desire me And if ye doe the contrary the matter will be ferther attempted against yow to your trouble and charge Written the third day of March. Franceys Lovell To my Trusty and Welbeloved Henry Vere Squier TRusty and Welbeloved I grete yow welle and let yow wite that I am credibly informed how ye grevously and contrarie to all right vexe and trouble the Tennants and Inhabitants of the Towne of Addyngton in the County of Northampton belonging unto the Abbot of Crowland whereof I am Steward and had not I have been the said Abbot had ere this time shewed it unto the Kings Grace my Lady his Modre and alsoe unto my Lord of Oxford in as moche as he is Chappellaine unto them which as I suppose would have been to yow none ease gif he had so doon Wherefore I advise yow from hencesorth no more to vexe ne troble the said Tennants and Inhabitants but to leave such your wrongful dealing among them and suffre them to have their Comunes and Herdes as they have had in times past for drede of that may ensue thereof And that yow will surcease of any more troubling with them as I may say unto yow gramercy at our next metyng And if I understand that ye doe the contrary I shall provide a convenient remedy therefore And alsoe as for such mattris as been depending betwix yow and my Servant Richard Clerc I shall when we next speke togedyre see a remedy therein Moreover that you will give credence unto the Bringer hereof whych is a Servant of the Kinges and myne Yeven under my Signet at the Mannor of Shene the three and twentyeth day of May. John Viscount Welles A Letter from the King to Henry Vere To Our Trusty and Welbeloved Henry Vere Squier By the King H.R. TRusty and Welbeloved we grete yow wel And wot ye wel grevouse Compleynt hath be made unto us on the behalf our trusty and welbeloved in God th'Abbot of our Monastery of Crowland how where he in the right of the said Monastery hath a Fermor and certeyn Tennants in the Towne of Addington ye without matter or cause sufficient of your pure malice not onely at divers times heretofore have by your sinister menes vexed and trobled the said Eermor and Tennants that they ne are of sufficient power defending their life to pay and content to him their Fermes due unto the said Monastery for their termes in the same but as well put them dayly in such feare of new trouble that he is like to be destitute of any sufficient Fermor and Tennants to occupy the Mannor and Tenements lying in the said Towne at any time hereafter to the utter impoverishing of our said Monastery as we be informed Wherefore we willing the said Abbot peasibly to enjoy the profits of our said Monastery as far as he ought of right to doe by reason of his Dignity there most specially in consideration of that it is of our foundation whom we are bound to defend in all the right of the same woll and straightly charge yow if it be as is surmised unto us in this parte that ye not onely dispose you lawfully to compound with the said Abbot for such injuryes and offences as ye have attempted in this partie contrarie our Lawes and good conscience but alsoe at all times hereafter to suffer the said Fermors and Tennants now being and hereafter for to be peceably to occupy their tenors in the same without eny vexation inquieting or trouble of you or other in your name or for you into the contrary so that the said Abbot have no cause of reason eftsoons to pursue unto us in the premisses as ye woll answer unto us at your uttermost perill Yeven under our Signet at our Towne of Stamford the fourteenth day of March. To his Right Worshipful and Welbeloved Brother Sir Henry Vere be this delivered RYght Worshipful Brodyr in the most herty wise I commend me unto yow and Brodyr I have sent unto yow your Aporne and Gussets of Mayse I trust not appaired and I thanke yow right hertely for them and if it like yow not to have them againe ye shall have for them what ye will think reasonable And Brodyr I have sent yow be this the Bringer hereof the Copye of the evidence of Barton and Sywell and I will be with you with the Grace of God on Tewesday or Wednesday next coming and bring to you all the dedys concerning the Mannor of Sywell with th' appurtenances And Brodyr I pray yow to lend to me be the Bringer hereof five Marcks that ye promissed I should have had at the first payment for ye promissed me twenty Marcks and I had but ten Pounds And I pray yow of all gentilnesse that I may have this five Marcks now or els that ye will send me forty Shillings for it would doe me great ease now and I have nede thereof and ye shall finde me in all behalfes as I have promissed yow with the Grace of Jhesu who preserve yow Written at little Okely in haste on Sainct Peters Eve And I pray yow that this Bill may recomend me to my Sister Your loveing Brodyr John Tresham To his Right Worshipful Brodyr Sir Henry Vere be this delivered RYght Worshipful Brodyr in the most loving wise I recomend me unto yow and unto my Sister your Wife And Brodyr whereas I sent yow word by your Servaunt to have been with yow as this day I pray yow to take it for noon unkindnesse that I come not for I have such a sorenesse in my Throat that hit grevys me to speake or to swallow any thing and the Wether is soe farvent colde that I dare not aventure forth And alsoe your Servaunt shewed me that ye should understand that I have sold more Londs in Northampton to Chauncey and for certein so have I done And though I help and ease my selfe with parte of myne inheritance that is fee-simple to bring me
th' appurtenances for the considerations in these Indentures to th' use of the sayd Sir Thomas Cheyne and Elizabeth his Wife for terme of their lifes onely and either of them longer living onely without impeachment of waste dureing the life of the sayd Elizabeth his Wife and after their decease to th' use of the right Heirs of the sayd Isabel Vere Daughter of the sayd John Greene in like manner and forme and of like Estate as the Heirs of the sayd Herry Greene Fader of the sayd Constance late Countesse was inheritable to the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements and of the other moyety of the same Mannors Lands and Tenements after the decease of the same Countesse to the use of the right Heirs of the same Isabel Vere Daughter of the same John Greene in manner and forme and of like tenure and Estates as is aforesayd of the other moyety of the same Mannors Lands and Tenements And the sayd Sir Thomas Cheyne and Elizabeth his Wife John Mordaunt the younger and Elizabeth his Wife Robert Mordaunt and Amye his Wife John Parre and Constance his Wife and Audre Vere and every of them before the sayd sixteenth day of July next coming shall further do and suffer and cause to be done to make the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements afore appoynted to the sayd Countesse sure to the sayd Margaret Stafford Countesse of Wiltes Johan Vicountesse Lesle John Grey Vicount Lesle Thomas Grey Esquire John Bretteyn Clerk Thomas Frowyke Sergeant at Law Edward Hungerford Esquire Thomas Marrow and John Gardiner and to their Heirs to the uses aforesayd as by the Counsel learned of the sayd Countesse before the sayd sixteenth day of July next coming shall be advised at the Costs and Charges of the sayd Countesse And over that is covenanted bargained and agreed between the sayd Parties that the sayd Sir Thomas Cheyne and Elizabeth his Wife dureing their lives shall have the Mannor of Drayton in Drayton the Park of Drayton the Conyngre and the Oxe-Pasture Provided that they shall therein doe no waste And over that that the sayd Sir Thomas Cheyne and Elizabeth his Wife shall have for terme of their lives onely and of every of them longest living without impeachment of wast dureing the life of the sayd Elizabeth his Wife the Moyte of all other Mannors Lands and Tenements within the Realme of England Wales and the Marches or Libertyes of the same the which late were of the same Herry Greene and after their decease the sayd Mannor of Drayton the Park Conyngre and Oxe-Pasture and all the same Moyety of all other the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements within the Realme of England Wales and the Marches of the same to goo and grow to the right Heirs of the sayd Isabel Vere Moder to the sayd Herry Vere and to their Heirs for ever in manner and forme and of like Estate as the sayd Herry Greene had therein or was heretable to the same And that the sayd Elizabeth Mordaunt Amy Mordaunt Constance Parre and Audree Vere shall have the other Moyte of all the sayd other Mannors Lands and Tenements in England Wales and the Marches of the same to them and to their Heirs in the manner and forme and of like Estate as the sayd Herry Greene had therein or was inheritable thereunto And that all such persons as were late inseoffed by the sayd late Earle or be now seised or hereafter shall be seised of and in the same other Mannors Lands and Tenements in England Wales or the Marches of the same and of the sayd Mannor of Drayton in Drayton the Park Conyngre and Oxe-Pasture with their appurtenances shall be and stand feoffed and seised of the same to the same intents and uses aforesaid And over that that before the sixteenth day of December next comeing shall not lett John Fisher one of the Kings Sergeants at Law William Mordaunt William Gascoyne Wistan Broun John Mulso and William Lane to recover all the same other Mannors Lands and Tenements and the same Mannor of Drayton in Drayton the Park Conyngre and Oxe-Pasture with th' appurtenances ayenst the sayd Elizabeth Cheyne Elizabeth Mordaunt Amy Mordaunt Constance Parre and Audree Vere and ayenst all such persons as be or then shall be their Husbands and ayenst all Feoffez thereof to their use in such manner and forme as shall be a vised by the learned Counsell of the sayd Sir Thomas Sir Richard Alice Lady Fitz Hugh and John Mordaunt the Father at the Costs and Charges of the same Sir Thomas the sayd Recoverez to be of the Moyete of all the sayd other Mannors Lands and Tenements with their appurtenances and of the sayd Mannor of Drayton in Drayton the Park Conyngre and Oxe-Pasture for the Considerations comprised in this Indenture to the use of the sayd Sir Thomas and Elizabeth for the terme of their lives and either of them longest living onely And after their decease to the use and behoof of the right Heirs of the sayd Isabell Vere of like Estate as is aforesayd And of the other Moyete of the residue of the sayd other Mannors Lands and Tenements to the use of the right Heirs of the sayd Isabel Vere of like Estate as is aforesayd for ever Provided alway that the sayd Margaret Countesse of Wiltes shall have for terme of her life the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements to her appoynted by these Indentures and alsoe her Title and Interesse of Dower of the Lands late of Thomas Tresham any thing conteyned in these Indentures notwithstanding and notwithstanding the sayd Recovere And where the sayd now Duke hath before this time pretended right and title to such Mannors Lands and Tenements as late were of the same Henry Greene as Cosyn and right Heir of the sayd Edward late Earle of Wiltes of the Faders side of the same Earle The sayd Duke now covenanteth by these Presents that he in consideration of all the premisses ymediately upon the sealing of theis Indentures by his Fyne and several Deedes sufficient in the Law to be enrolled on record at the Costs and Charges of the sayd Sir Thomas Sir Richard Alice Lady Fits Hugh and John Mordaunt Sergeant shall release all his right and title in all the Mannors Lands and Tenements with th' appurtenances late of the sayd Herry Greene within this Realme of England Wales and the Marches of the same to such persons and to their Heirs and in such wise and with warranty ayenst the Abbot of Chester and his Successors as the same Thomas Richard Alice and John shall name at the Costs and Charges of the sayd Thomas Richard Alice and John three two or one of them And the sayd Countesse and all other persons haveing any thing to the use of the sayd Countesse of and in the sayd Mannors of Newton Blosmevile Clifton Wathall Brafield and Policote and in all other Mannors Lands and Tenements which late were of the sayd Humphrey late Duke of Buckingham and afterwards of the sayd
come hear or see Robert Brudenell and Richard Elliot two of the Kings Justices send gretyng in our Lord. Whereas there hath been divers variances and debates moved and had betwyne the Right Honourable Lord George Earle of Shrewsbury on th' one party and John Mordaunt Esquyer and Elizabeth his Wife oon of the Cosynes and Heires of the Right Honourable Edward late Earle of Wiltshire oon his Moders side that is to say by Constance Moder of the sayd Earle and Daughter and Heire of Henry Greene of Drayton in the Countye of Northampton Esquier and Humfrey Brown Esquier late Husband to Amye and George Brown his Sonne and Heyre apparent and Sonne and Heire to the same Amye another Cosyne and another of the Heires of the sayd Earle of Wiltshire after the forme aforesayd and Sir Wistan Brown Knight and John Brown his Sonne and Heyre apparent and Audree his Wife the third Cosyne and Heire to the fame Earle after the manner abovesayd on the other party of and upon the Right Title Reversion Inheritance and Possession as well of the foresayd Mannor of Drayton with th' appurtenances as of all other Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their appurtenances in the sayd Countye of Northampton or elsewhere which late were to the sayd Constance or to the sayd Henry Greene or to any other person or persons to the use of them or th' other of them which Mannors Lands and Tenements the aforesayd Earle of Shrewsbury claymeth by a Will supposed to be made by the sayd Earle of Wiltshire by which Will the foresayd Earle of Wiltshire should will to the sayd Earle of Shrewsbury all his Fee-simple Lond Whereupon the foresayd Partyes have compromitted themselfe to abide the Award Ordinance and Judgment of us the sayd Robert Brudenell and Richard Elliott Arbitrators indifferently named and chosen by and betwyne the foresayd Partyes To award ordein and deme as well of and upon the premisses as for and upon all manner Evidences Charter Escripts Writeings and Aminiments concerning the premisses or any part of them and of all manner of Actions Suites Quarrels and Demands had or moved betwyne the foresayd Partyes or other Servaunts or Frynds before the Date of these Presents concerning the premisses And we the sayd Arbitrators takeing upon us th' auctority and power to award ordein and deme of and upon the premisses calling before us the Counsells of the foresayd Partyes hereing and seeing their Tytyls Answers Replications Evidences Proffes and all other their Alleadgeances concerning their foresayd Tytyls and Interesse by good deliberation and by consent of the sayd Partyes award ordein and deme of and upon the premisses in manner and forme following that is to say Forasmuch as the foresayd John Mordaunt Sir Wistan Humfrey Brown George and John Brown have shewed to us the Arbitrators a Will supposed to be made by the same Earle of Wiltshire and sealed with his Seal in which Will he revoked all former Wills and willed that same Will to stand in his full strength and virtue and for his last Will And in that Will there is no Clause whereby the same Earle of Shrewsbury should have any of his Mannors Lands or Tenements as by the same more playnly appeareth And alsoe they have shewed unto us fair and sufficient Deedes and other Writings proveing the aforesayd Mannor of Drayton and other the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements and Hereditaments to be yeven in tayle to the Auncestors of the sayd Constance Moder of the sayd Earle of Wiltshire And the sayd Earle of Wiltshire had and enjoyed the same by reason of the same Tayles And that the sayd Elizabeth and George Brown and Audree be Cousyns and next Heyres to the same Constance Moder to the sayd Earle of Wiltshire and to the same Earle on his Moders side and heritable to the foresayd Mannors and other the premisses by reason of the same Tayles Wherefore we award ordein and deme that the aforesayd Elizabeth George Brown and Audree shall have and enjoy all the foresayd Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and other the premisses to them and to their Heires according to their foresayd Tytylls of Inheritance And that the foresayd Earle of Shrewsbury shall by his severall Deedes sufficient in the Law to be enrolled release unto the sayd John Mordaunt and Elizabeth Humfrey Brown George Brown and John Brown Audree his Wife and to such persons or person as they shall name to the use of the sayd Elizabeth George and Audree and their Heires and all such Right Tytyl Clayme Interest and Demand as the sayd Earle of Shrewsbury or any person or persons to his use hath in the foresayd Mannors Lands and Tenements or other the premisses by reason of any guift or Will in the premisses or any part of them made by the aforesayd Earle of Wiltshire to the foresayd Earle of Shrewsbury at the Costs and Charges of the sayd John Mordaunt John and George Brown in all things And furthermore the sayd Earle of Shrewsbury shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the sayd John Mordaunt Humfrey Brown John and George Brown or to their Deputy or Deputies in London all such Charters Evidences and Writeings as he to his own use or any other to his use to his knowledge hath only concerning the premisses as soon as it may be conveniently done For the which Releases and other things above-specified and for other Costs and Charges which the foresayd Earle of Shrewsbury hath had by occasion of the premisses We the sayd Arbitrators award ordein and deme That the sayd Sir Wistan John Mordaunt Humfrey Brown and John Brown shall content and pay to the sayd Earle of Shrewsbury his Executors or Assignes two hundred Marks of lawful money in forme following that is to say The sayd John Mordaunt shall content and pay to the foresayd Earle of Shrewsbury his Executors or Assignes in the Day of the Feast of Sainct George the Martyr next comeing after the Date above-written at the Rode of the North-Door in the Cathedrall-Church of Pauls in the Citty of London betwyne the howrs of nine and eleven of the Clock of the same Day a hundred Marks And the foresayd Wistan Humfrey Brown and John Brown shall content and pay to the foresayd Earle his Executors or Assignes in the Day of the Feast of Sainct Andrew the Apostle then next ensueing at the sayd Rode in the same Church betwyne the howrs of nine and eleven of the same day a hundred Marks residue of the foresayd two hundred Marks Alsoe we award ordein and deme that the sayd John Mordaunt Sir Wistan Brown Humfrey and John Brown by their Deede and Deedes as sufficient as the sayd Earle of Shrewsbury or his Counsell shall advise shall release to the sayd Earle of Shrewsbury and to as many persons as the sayd Earle shall name and appoynt in Writeing before the Feast of Sainct Michael th' Arch-Angel next comeing after the Date hereof which hath done laboured or spoken for the
said William five Virgates and five Acres of Land in Yerdly with the five Villanes that then occupied the same Their Issue William de Mordaunt And Richard de Mordaunt WILLIAM de MORDAVNT Lord of Turvey Chicheley Clifton Yerdley Esthull and other Lands and Lordships CHAPTER V. WILLIAM de MORDAVNT the Son of William Lord of Turvey and of Esthull in the Fourteenth year of Edward the First purchased the Mannor of Chicheley and diverse Messuages therein of William the Son of Samson le Mansell and of Gualfridus de Stachesden In the Twenty second of the said King's Reign he had a dispute with the Lord Reignald de Gray then a great person and from whom the Earls of Kent are descended who continue to this day large possessions in those parts It was about a Fishing of a certain part in the River Ouse joyning to the Lord Grey his Lands which by reciprocal Indenture was accorded that it should be thenceforth free unto them both And in the Twenty fifth of the same Henry he obtained a Patent to Empark certain Lands in his Lordship of Turvey The last Act of his we find to be in the Eleventh Year of Edward the Second at which time he made a Grant Release and Quit-claim for ever unto God the Church of St. Need's and the Monks of that House of all his Right and Claim which he had or could have unto three Messuages Eighty eight Acres of Land and One Acre of Meadow in Turvey with their Appurtenances for the which he together with his partner Hugh of Ardres had Sued the Prior of that place in the King's Court as also fo other Lands and Tenements which the said Monks held of his Fee and in his Fee all which Lands their Predecessors had received from the Gift of his Ancestors in the said Village saving always to him and to his Heirs and unto Hugh of Ardres his partner the Services due unto them Roesia or Rose de Wake was the Wife of this William Mordaunt She was the Daughter of Sir Ralph de Wake who was Lord of Clifton which was a Family in those and elder times when there were no Dukes and but few Earls in England and the Degree of the Baronage wherein several of that Name sate was so illustrious did yield to few in splendor of dignity greatness of power and opulency of fortune It had brought forth a number of Hero's famous for Valour and Wisdom It had become worthy the Alliance of the Royal House And had Fortune persevered in her own work and not always delighted in the change and subversion of great Families there had not any in probaility arrived at greater eminency With this Roesia there was at that time given in part of Portion the Land and Mannor in Clifton which to this day remain unto the Mordaunts under the Name of Wake 's Mannor unto which a very Noble Royalty and Privilege do belong Their Issue Robert Mordaunt William Mordaunt ROBERT MORDAVNT Lord of Turvey Clifton Yerdley Knotting Chicheley and other Lands and Lordships CHAPTER VI. IN the Sixteenth Year of Edward the Second while William Mordaunt his Father was yet alive Hugo Bossard that was Lord of Knotting did Enfeoffe ROBERT the Son of William Mordaunt of all his Homages Services Natives and other Royalties of his Mannor of Knotting to him and to his Heirs Several Records and Rolls of his Court are extant that express upon the decease of his Father the Homages he received and the Noble Royalties which in Right of his Mannors he was invested in He was Lord of the Lordships of Turvey of Chicheley of Esthull of Yerdley of Clifton and of Knotting We find that he made over in the Seventeenth of Edward the Third in trust unto one William Campion of Stachesden all his Lands and Tenements which he had and held of the Fee of Gloucester in Turvey in Lands in Houses in Woods in Gardens in Meadows in Pastures in Paths in Ways and in Reversions in Homages in Wards and in Releiffs in Escheats in Rents of the Freemen and of the Villanes of their sequels and of all other things these are the words of the Deed. And the same William Campion does by another Deed return to Robert Mordaunt and to Johane his Wife all the said Mannors Lands Tenements and Services for the Term of his life with the Reversion over to Edmond Mordaunt Son and Heir to the said Robert and Johane Dated of the same Year The first Wife of Robert Mordaunt was one Mary of Rutland unto whom he was Married in his Father's time as we find by a Deed Dated of the Thirteenth of Edward the First wherein one Robert de Hulier of Turvey does sell unto them and the Heirs of their Bodies a certain piece of Land but she dyed early without leaving him any Issue His Second Wife was Johane de Bray the Daughter of Roger de Bray that was Lord of Silesho which Brayes were a Family of a long continuance in that Tract Their Issue Edmond de Mordaunt their only Son EDMOND de MORDAVNT Lord of Turvey Clifton Chillington Staggesden Shephaell and other Lands and Lordships CHAPTER VII EDMOND de MORDAVNT flourished in the Twenty seventh of Edward the Third at which time we find several transactions that past between him Sir Henry of Brussels and others about the Lands that came unto him in Right of his Wife But in the Twenty ninth of this King there happened a memorable dispute between this Edmond and one Roger Cooke of Newton Blosmavile that is at this day upon Record in the Court of Exchequer which I have seen there and taken a Copy thereof under the Hand of the Keeper of those Records Edmond de Mordaunt was Attach'd to Answer in the Term of St. Michael unto this Roger Cooke upon a Plea of Trespass by Bill and thereupon the said Roger came in his own person and complain'd That our Edmond upon a certain day in the Twenty Ninth of the said King's Reign had come into his House and had taken away by force the words are vi Armis scilicet gladiis c. a large proportion of Wooll Carpets and Linen Cloth and Forty Shillings in Money Whence he expresses himself to have been damnified in the Sum of One Hundred Shillings and thereupon produces his Sute In order whereunto Edmond Mordaunt comes likewise in his own person and defends the Force and the Injury Alledging That the aforesaid Roger unto his Bill ought not to be Answered Because he said he was a Native of him the said Edmond of his Mannor of Turvey in the County of Bedford And that his Ancestors from time without mind were and had been seized of the Ancestors of the said Roger as of their Natives of the Mannor aforesaid And likewise the said Edmond had been seized of Roger himself as of one of the Natives of his said Mannor And he desired Judgment Whether the said Roger were for these causes to be answered unto his Bill
Estate in the Law in Fee-simple and in Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to the clear yearly value of Ten Pounds by the Year over all charges whereof the Maners Lands Tenements and other Hereditaments which the said John Elmes or any other to his use hath in Lilford Wiggesthorp in the County of Northampton shall be parcel to the use and behoof hereafter ensuing And also shall further do suffer and cause to be done at the costs and charges of the said John Mordaunt as well before the foresaid Feast as at all times after within the space of Four Years next after the said Feast when the said John Elmes thereto shall be required by the said John Mordaunt by his Heirs Executors or Assigns at their costs and charges a sufficient sure and lawful Estate in the law in Fee-simple to the foresaid Robert Brudenell and the said Co-feoffees their Heirs and Assigns or to the one of them and to their Heirs to the use ensuing by Feoffment Fine Recovery Release with Warranty Confirmation or otherwise of and in the foresaid Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments And that the said Persons their Heirs and Assigns beside of and in Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of the yearly Value of Fifty parcel of the said Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of the yearly Value of Sixty shall stand and be seized to the use of the said John Elmes and of the said Edith immediately after the said Marriage had and of the Heirs of the Body of the said John Elmes lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to the use of the Heirs of the Body of the said William Elmes And for default of such Issue to the use of the right Heirs of the said William according to the old Inheritance thereof Ten Pound residue of the said Hundred Pound that the said Feoffees their Heirs and Assigns shall stand and be seized thereof to the use of the said John Elmes and his Heirs during the life of the said Elizabeth his Mother and after the death of the said Elizabeth and Marriage had between the same John Elmes and Edith to the use of the said John Elmes and of the said Edith for term of her life and of the Heirs of the Body of the said John Elmes lawfully begotten with like remainder in any thing as is above expressed of the said Hundred Pounds And the said John Elmes Covenanteth and Granteth by these Presents That he before the said Feast of All-Saints and at all time and times within the space of Four Years next after the Feast of All-Saints when the said John Elmes thereunto shall be required by the said John Mordaunt his Heirs Executors or Assigns shall at the proper Costs and Charges of the said John Mordaunt his Heirs Executors or Assigns make cause or do to be made to the Persons abovenamed and to their Heirs or to the survivors of them and their Heirs a sufficient and lawful Estate by Feoffment or otherwise as by the said John Mordaunt his Heirs or Assigns shall be advised of all his other Maners Lands Tenements Rents Reversions and Services with their Appurtenances and all other his Hereditaments with the Appurtenances within the Realm of England which the said John Elmes or any other Person or Persons to the use of the said John Elmes now hath And the said Persons to be and stand seized of the same other Maners to the use of the said John Elmes and of the Heirs of the Body of the said John Elmes lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to remain in like manner and form as is aforesaid written of the said Hundred Pounds Provided alway That if it fortune the said Edith to decease and the said John Elmes to Marry and take another Wife or Wives that then it shall be lawful for the same John Elmes to make a Jointure or Jointures to his said Wife or Wives that it shall fortune him to Marry for the time of his Life of Maners Lands Tenements parcel of the Premises to the yearly Value of Fifty Pounds or under at the pleasure of the said John Elmes And the said John Elmes Covenanteth and Granteth by these presents That he shall not Alien Sell Give nor lay to Mortgate nor do nor suffer nor cause to be done nor suffer any manner of Act or Acts whereby any Maners Lands Tenements Rents Reversions and Services with the Appurtenances which be come grow or descend to the said John Elmes by the Death of the said William his Father should be Alienate or put away from the Heirs of the said John Elmes before expressed but that he shall suffer all such Maners Lands Tenements and other the Premises except before excepted to come grow and descend in Possession Reversion or in Use to the Heirs of the said John Elmes according to the Old Inheritance thereof And also the said John Elmes Covenanteth and Granteth by these presents That he shall not Alien Sell Give or lay to Mortgage nor do nor suffer nor cause to be done nor suffer any Act or Acts whereby any Maners Lands or any other Hereditaments which do come or may come or shall come grow or descend in power or in use to the said John Elmes as Son and Heir of the same Elizabeth by and after the Decease of the said Elizabeth his Mother should be Alienate or put away from the Heirs of the said Elizabeth but that the said John Elmes shall suffer the said Maners and all other the Premises which shall so descend or in any other manner of wise come or grow to him by the said Elizabeth his Mother to come grow or descend in Possession Reversion or in Use to the Heirs of the Body of the said Elizabeth lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue the remainder thereof to the Heirs of the said Elizabeth according to the old Inheritance thereof For the which Premises on the Party of the said John Elmes to be truly performed and kept the said John Mordaunt Covenanteth and Granteth by these presents To pay cause or do to be paid to the said John Elmes his Executors or Assigns Six hundred Marks of lawful Money for the which summ of a Hundred Marks the said John Mordaunt hath made to the said John Elmes Ten several Obligations for the sure payment of the same Six hundred Marks by the same Obligations Sealed with the Seal of the said John Mordaunt and remaining with the said John Elmes more plainly it doth appear And the said John Elmes Covenanteth and Granteth by these presents That if the said Edith within the time and space of Four Years next after the said Marriage solemnized do dye having no Issue by the said John Elmes that then the said John Elmes his Executors or Assigns shall repay or cause to be repaid to the said John Mordaunt his Executors or Assigns Two hundred Marks parcel of the said Six hundred Marks within the space of Four Years next and immediately
our Reign A Letter from King Henry the Eighth to Sir John Mordaunt To our trusty and welbeloved Sir John Mordaunt and Sir William Paulet Knights our Counsellors Henry R. By the King TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well And will and command you That for the enstoring the Park of our Right trusty and welbeloved the Lord Hastings ye deliver or cause to be delivered unto him or his Assigns in that behalf Three hundred of quick Deer to be taken of our Gift in our Chace of Leicester and within our Park there called Leicester Fryth And these our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and discharge in that behalf or at all times hereafter any restraint or commandment heretofore made or had the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Given under our Signet at our Maner of Greenwich the Seventh Day of April the Seventeenth Year of our Reign A Letter from King Henry the Eighth to Sir John Mordaunt To our trusty and right welbeloved Counsellor Sir John Mordaunt Knight Master and Surveyor of our Woods and Wood-sales Henry R. By the King HEnry the Eighth by the Grace of God King of England and of France Defender of the Faith and Lord of Ireland To our trusty and Right welbeloved Counsellor Sir John Mordaunt Knight Master and Surveyor of our Woods and Wood-sales within our County of Hertford and in his absence to his Deputy or Deputies there Greeting Forasmuch as we have not only commanded our welbeloved Servant Hector Asheley Master and Controuler of our Works at our Maner of Hunesdone in our said County of Hertford to fell and cut down or to cause to be felled and cut down with all diligence in either of our said Parks there such and as many Oaks as he from time to time shall think needful and expedient as well for Pale for the inclosing of a Paddok within our old Park of Hunesdone for a Winter pasture there as also for the empaling of the Parsons ground within our new Park at Hunesdone but also we by these presents for certain causes and considerations us specially moving have freely given and granted unto our said Servant all the Lops and Tops of the said Oaks and of every of them without any thing therefore paying or accompt yeilding unto us or our use at any time hereafter We will therefore and command you and every of you to permit and suffer the said Hector Asheley to have use and enjoy the whole effect of this our commandment and gift without any your challenge lett or interruption to the contrary as ye tender our pleasure And these our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and discharge in that behalf Given under our Signet at our Maner of Beaulieu the Twelfth day of August the Nineteenth Year of our Reign Charta Regis Henrici Octavi HEnricus Octavus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Rex Fidei Defensor Dominus Hiberniae Omnibus dilectis fidelibus suis Majori Civitatis suae Londini Johanni Mordaunt militi Conciliario nostro Christophero Hales Solicitori nostro Rogero Wygston Armigeris Salutem Quia accepimus quod Johannes Gysours filius Johannis Gysours Armigeri Fatuus Idiota in vita sua fuit quod regimen sui ipsius terrarum tenementorum suorum non sufficit quod ipse in fatuitate sua magnam partem terrarum tenementorum suorum alienavit in exheredationem suam nostri prejudicium manifestum nos indemnitati nostrae perspicere volentes vobis mandamus quod ad loca ubi terrae tenementa illa infra civitatem Londinum existunt in propriis personis vestris accedatis de statu suo qualis ille erat dum in humanis agebat viis modis quibus poteritis informari omnes affines cognatos vicinos suos circumspectè examinetis Et nihilominus per Sacramentum proborum legalium hominum de civitate praedicta per quos rei veritas melius sciri poterit diligenter inquiratis utrum idem Johannes Gysours junior fatuus idiota in vita sua fuisset nec ne si sic utrum à nativitate sua seu ab alio tempore si ab alio tempore à quo tempore qualiter quomodo si lucidis gaudebat intellectualibus si idem Johannes in eodem statu existens terras tenementa aliqua vendiderit seu alienaverit nec ne quid pro eisdem recepit si sic vendiderit tunc quae terrae tenementa ubi vel in vel quibus in quorum vel cujus manibus terrae tenementa sic alienata existunt qualiter quo modo quae terrae quae tenementa haeredibus suis adhuc remanent de quo vel de quibus tam terrae tenementa sic alienata quam terrae tenementa sibi retenta teneant per quod servicium qualiter quomodo quantum valeant per annum in omnibus exitibus quis propinquior haeres ejus sit cujus aetatis inquisitionem inde distinctè apertè factam nobis in Cancelaria nostra sub sigillis vestris sigillis eorum per quos fuerit sine dilatione mittatis hoc breve c. Teste meipso apud Westmonasterium quarto die Maii Anno Regni vicesimo Newman Charta Regis Henrici Octavi HEnry the Eighth by the Grace of God King of England and of France Defender of the Faith and Lord of Ireland To our Right welbeloved Counsellors Sir John Mordaunt Knight and Roger Wigston Esquire and to our welbeloved Robert Harward Thomas Borett and John Duke greeting Know ye that we having Trust and Confidence in your Wisdoms Fidelities and Circumspections have appointed deputed and authorised you and by these presents give unto you and two of you and to such Persons bringers hereof as ye shall substitute name and assign in your place and absence full Power and Authority to take and provide to and for the use of our Fortifications Munitions Buildings and Reparations of our Ordnances and other things concerning as well the Safeguard Defence and Tuition of our Town and Marches of Caleys the Castles of Guysnes Hammes and Newnambrigge as also other necessaries and requisites of and for the same purpose to be taken and had not only within our Lordships Maners Woods and Parks and other Grounds within our Counties of Kent Sussex and Essex but also to be taken and had within any Lordships Maners Lands and Tenements of any other Person or Persons within the said Counties of Kent Sussex and Essex at convenient and reasonable prices and by this we give unto you and two of you full Power and Authority in manner and form above-specified to take Carpenters Workmen Artificers and Labourers apt and convenient for Felling and Squaring of the said Timber and Trees to the use aforesaid and also all manner of Carriages as well by Sea and Salt-Waters as also by Fresh-Waters
the said Drayton-Park came into the Hands and Possession of the Lord Mordaunt and his Co-partners And the said Drayton-Park being in their hands the said Lord Parre and the King's Officers and Keepers of Brikestock-Park complained and said That the said Pale made by the said Sir Thomas Cheyne was no sufficient Pale for the Pale was so low that the Keepers of Drayton-Park might stand and did stand upon the top of the Dike of Drayton-Park and Shoot over the said Pale unto the said little Park and Killed the King's Deer being feeding within the said little Park And divers times the Lord Parre laid to the charges of the Keepers of Drayton-Park for Killing of divers and many such Deer and the Lord Parre not contented with the said Pale complained to Sir Thomas Lovel Knight at that time being Justice of the Forests for not maintaining and making a sufficient Pale or Hedge between both the said Parks And that complaint notwithstanding divers Pains were laid in the King's Grace's Court of Swanymote upon the said Lord and his Co-partners for to amend the said Pale and Hedge sufficiently Whereupon the Lord Mordaunt caused certain number of Oakes to be felled in Grafton and Grafton-Park and in other places within the bounds of Grafton for the new amending of the same Pale and Hedges and thereupon took down the old Pale and made a new Pale of a greater length and did certain costs of the Ditches of the said Park and did fell certain Thorns and other Wood for Ports Rails and Stumps for the good amending of the same new Pale which Pale so newly made continued divers Years and no default found at the same by the said Lord Parre or any of his Officers or Keepers And after this the Lord Parre's Keepers of Brikestock would in the Winter time being Frost and Snow break up the said Pale to the intent that the King 's Deer of the little Park might come into Drayton for to have their feeding there or else the said Deer would have Perished and Starved for hunger And yet the said Favour notwithstanding a new Complaint was made a new pain of Twenty Pounds was laid in the said Court of Swanymote That the Lord Mordaunt should amend his Pale and Hedge and scower his Ditches by a day upon pain of Forfeiture of the said pain of Twenty Pounds And after that within certain Years another like pain of Twenty Pounds was laid in the said Court of Swanymote for to make the said Hedges and Ditches between Drayton-Park and Brikestock-Park sufficient And the said Lord Parre at this time being Friendly with the Lord Mordaunt shewed Robert Catbyn Gentleman thereof to the intent that the Lord Mordaunt might have knowledge thereof for to make the Hedges and Ditches sufficient whereby the Lord Mordaunt might avoid the Forfeiture of the said pain of Twenty Pounds And forasmuch as such pains were so laid in the King's Graces Courts of Swanymote as well in King Henry the Seventh's days as also in the days of our late Sovereign Lord of Famous Memory King Henry the Eighth for that the said Sir Thomas Cheyne as also the Lord Mordaunt and his Co-partners should amend and repair the said Pale Hedges and Ditches of Drayton-park of that side that is between the said Drayton-park and the said Little Park of Brikestock by certain several days to them prefixed as by the Books of the said Courts of Swanymote it will more at large appear That if the Lords of Drayton-park had made any Encrochment upon the Little Park of Brikestock or of and upon any of the King's Ground that then their Encrochments should have been as well found and presented as for the amending and repairing of Drayton-park-pale and of the Hedges and Ditches of the said Wood in the said Courts of Swanymote remembred and presented A Letter to the Lord Mordaunt from the Lord William North. MY LORD After my hearty Commendations where by virtue of a Commission ye procure a Freeborde to be had within the King's Majesties Little Park of Brikestock there is upon the same past a Quest and Verdit by them given which Quest and Verdit as it is taken rather serveth for your purpose than for the Conservation of the King's Majesties Right The said Commission being never Executed in my Uncle the Lord Parre's life whose Office in the said Park I now have And that neither the King's Solicitor being then in those parts nor any other his Learned Council for the Soliciting and defending of his Grace's Right was called or Privy thereunto I thought hereby notwithstanding your Proceedings in the premises to require your Lordship to forbear to meddle or intromit with any thing within the said Park until it may appear unto my Lords of the King 's most Honourable Privy Council or otherwise by the Law what you have to shew for your Claim Thus I bid your Lordship heartily well to fare from Hampton-Court the Seventeenth day of October Your Lordships Loving Friend W. North. A Letter to the Lord Mordaunt from the Lord William North. MY LORD AFter my hearty Commendations perceiving by your Letter that according to such Commission as you have already proceeded in ye be desirous to enjoy the Freeborde within the Park of Brikestock to the which Commission notwithstanding my Uncle was Privy thereby to know your Claim and Title of the said Freeborde yet if God had continued his life till it had been sitten on he would have found and caused matter to be alledged for the King as would have been for the conservation of his Majesties Inheritance By the death of whom and for lack of the King 's Learned Council to speak in his cause it is thought the thing hath not past in his Highness's behalf in such ways as it might have done And as I have heard say The King's Solicitor hath before time advised you that ye should not take upon you to Encroach upon any part of the King 's old Inheritance this being parcel of the oldest his Grace hath in those parts To the proceeding of which Commission the said Solicitor being in that Country me seemed that he should have had warning and been privy to the Execution thereof to have spoken for the King 's Right Nevertheless because it may appear that as little as I can shall be by my time done in the said Parks to the derogation of the King's Inheritance Therefore I will procure another Commission either to the foresaid Commissioners or to other Gentlemen of good Estimation at the Execution whereof some of the King 's Learned Council shall be there for the defence of his Cause and I doubt not but you against the same time will provide as shall be best for your Claim And if upon the Tryal thereof you shall have Right to the said Borde I shall be well content ye enjoy it accordingly And in the mean time I require you not to intermeddle with any thing within the said Park by virtue of
Gules to him and his posterity ever after In the first mention of this Family we find it in a very flourishing condition possessed of the Mannor of Buckton from which the Lords thereof did take their usual style as also of the Lordships of Hey-borne Heydmoncourt Dodington Ashby Mares and Greenes Norton the latter whereof was held by particular obligation of holding up the Lord's right hand towards the King upon Christmas day whereever he should be at that time in England And of these was Lord Sir Thomas of Buckton or Sir Thomas Greene of Buckton who lived in the Reign of King Edward the First Of these Greenes we find divers to have been qualified from their riches their power and the esteem they held for the principal employments in the Countries where they lived One Sir Thomas Greene being recorded to have been High Sheriff of the County of Northampton in the third year of King Edward the Third an age when that Office was not as in these days but esteemed equal even to the care of Princes His Son Sir Henry Greene came nearer to the Throne He was employed in the gravest actions of State He had been a Councellour to the famous King Edward the Third and came at last to be Lord Chief Justice of England There was another even a second Son to this Chief Justice Sir Henry Greene of Drayton who came to try all the vicissitudes within the power of fortune that in his time had been an object of the nearest favour and confidence of a great King that had participated of the Honours the delights and riches of the Courts and came at last to be overwhelmed and to lose his life in the disasters of an unhappy Master There were also of these Greenes that from the examples of others came to understand the happiness of retired lives that giving themselves to the practice of Oeconomical Virtues became repairers of those ruines which ambition and unquietness do often make in well establisht fortunes and that became afterwards famous for extraordinary Wealth and Prudence and to deserve the following characters from the Learn Camden in his description of Britain Page 237. writing of Northamptonshire Magis ad ortum viculis omnia sunt aspersa inter quos nominatissimi sunt Blisworth sedes Wakorum qui ex illustri illa prosapia Baronum de Wake Estotevile enati Pateshull quae clarissimae quondam familiae nomen fecit Greenes Norton à Greenis viris superiori seculo ob opes clarissimis denominata antea nisi me fallo Norton Dany quòd tenebatur in Capite à Rege per servitium levandi manum dextram erga regem annuatim in die natalis Domini ubicunque fuerit in Anglia And again Pag. 239. Inde Adington olim Verorum Thorpston vulgo Thrapston Alluit huicque appositum Drayton aedes superiori seculo Henrici Greene postea per filiam ejus Johannis Edwardi Stafford Comitum Wiltoniae nunc verò Baronis Mordaunt ad quem à Greenis maximi nominis in hoc agro nobilibus haereditariò devenit Among the other advantages of this House the great blood of which it was participant did honour it very much it having had the fortune to ally it self to the great Houses of Stafford de la Zouch Mauduit Talbot Ferrers of Chartley and Rosse all of the illustrious and old Nobility But at last coming to the fortune of all transitory things it concluded in another Sir Henry Greene who dying without Issue male the Arms blood and inheritance of this Family came by a Daughter to the Veres that were Lords of Adington and from them by another Heir to the present Earl of Peterborow Sir THOMAS GREENE Lord of Buckton and other Lands and Lordships A Knight of this Family named Sir Thomas Greene that was Lord of Buckton and other fair Possessions flourished in the County of Northampton about the beginning of King Edward the First We find him recited in an antient Catalogue of the Knights who followed that King in his first expedition against the Scots The Name of his Wife does not appear but he had Issue Sir Thomas Greene Lord of Buckton THomas of Buckton who was indeed Sir THOMAS GREENE of Buckton is recorded to have been High Sheriff for the County of Northampton in the fifth year of Edward the Third an Office that unto those days had been of great trust and reputation and was justly esteemed honos sine onere He Married Lucie the Daughter of Eudo or Ivon de la Zouch and of Millesent one of the Sisters and Heirs of George de Cantelupe Lord of Abergavenny with whom he had in free Marriage nine Messuages one Toft and four Virgates of Land with their appurtenances in Harringworth which House of de la Zouch was lineally descended from the famous Alan who was once Earl and Soveraign of Little Britain He had after her decease to his second Wife Christian of Ireby Children by his first Wife Sir Henry Greene. By his second Wife Nicholas Greene who Married one of the Heirs of Bruce of Exton THE first mention that we find of this Sir HENRY GREENE was upon an occasion where in the Reign of King Edward the Third he was joyned a Commissioner with the Earl of Oxford to examine certain abuses whereof there was great complaint in the Diocese of Canterbury He was much employed and in special trust and authority under those Ministers the King left to govern the Land here during his absence in all the long Wars he made in France and in the thirty fourth year of his Reign he was sent with Sir William Shardshall a man of great credit in those days to enquire into that great cause of Thomas Lild the turbulent Bishop of Ely against whom the Lady Wake of Lydell the Kings nearest Cousin and a Princess of great merit and interest did complain for the murther of her Servant William Holmes and other misdemeanors About this time the testimony he had given during a long service of his integrity wisdom and great abilities did occasion his advancement to the Office of Lord Chief Justice of England He was Speaker of the House of Lords in the two Parliaments of the thirty sixth and thirty seventh of the same King's Reign He became at last of the King 's nearest Councels and such was his good fortune and the effects of the worthy and industrious endeavours of his life as made the Estate he left to his Posterity one of the most considerable in that Age He dying possessed of his antient Mannor of Buckton Greenes Norton East Neaston Heydmoncourt Heyborne Ashby Mares and Dodington with Lands in Whittlebury Paulespery Pisford and Northampton the Lordships of Drayton Luffwick Islip Slipton Wolston Wamingdon Chalton Haughton Boteshaseall with Lands in Harringworth Cottingham Middleton Carlton Isham Pichteley Harrowden Hardwick Raunds Ringstead Coates Titchmarsh and sundry other places full of years riches and estimation in the forty third year of King Edward the Third
premisses whansoever it pleas the Kings Highnes and your Lordship to comande me And Almighty God ever preserve your good Lordship to your most hertes pleasure Written at Haroweden the fower and twentyeth Day of October By your own Servant Nicholas Vaus The Answer of Henry Vere Esquire to the Bill of Complaint of Thomas Watts THE said Henry saith by protestation That the said Bill of Complaint is insufficient and compriseth matter slaunderous For the declaration of the trouth of the premisses the said Henry saith That the said Thomas Watts before the said twentye sixthe day of August specified in the said Bill that the said Compleynent in the dayes of King Richard late in dede and not in right King of England took from the said Henry riotously with thirty persons defensibly arrayed certeyn Timber Hey-Rekes Peese-Rekes with much other Stuff of Howshold to the value of eleven Marks and more And alsoe the said Thomas in lyke riotous wise resevyd of the Rents of the said Henry ten Mark in Ekton Barton and Wouleston within the Counte of Northampton for the whyche the said Henry compleyned to the Kings Grace imediately after his first feld And it pleased the Kings Grace among other of his Highnes Comandemenâ—s to comand the said Henry to bring the same Thomas to him to answer to the premisses And the said Henry by reason of the same Comandement with two persons harnessed came from his first Feld unto the House of the said Thomas to the entent to execute the Kings said Comandements then and there being John Tresham Esquier the Viccar of the said Town of Rothewell John Dove and one Cowper and many others and they knowing the premisses and knowing for trouth that the said Thomas of and in the premisses and many other had offended the said Henry desired the said Henry to take some reasonable weye and end with the said Thomas in eschewing further expences and troubles At the whych time the said Viccar and John Dove by the special desire of the said Thomas brought unto the said Henry ten Mark And the said Thomas by his Servant sent the same Black Horse specified in his said Bill to the said Henry in full recompence of such injuries as been afore rehersed All which matters and every eche one of them the said Henry is ready to prove as this Court will award and prayeth to be dismissEd out of this Court with his reasonable Costs and expence for his wrongful vexation Fuller's History of the Worthies of England Page 296. HEnry Vere was High Sheriff of the County of Northampton in the first Year of Henry the Seventh To the Right Worshipful Maister Vere Shrese of Northamptonshire be this Letter delivered c. MAister Shrefe After due recommendation with my service in my most herty manner I pray yow that for as mikyl as the Ferme of all th' assarts within the Forest of Rokyngham was granted to my Brother Sir William Stoke and Richard Burton yontly and to other of them longer lyffing and my sayd Brother whom God hath called from this World nothyng medled with the gadryng up of the deutes of the same but onely Richard Burton like as he said unto yow at Stamford but lately that he would charge himself with them and discharge my Brother in that behalfe It may please yow in that manner-wise and after that Forme to make returne of your Writte And as for my Brothers Lyvelode within the Shyre it is but littyl he purchased and bought two Cottages in Rokyngham of lityl value and a Meese in Kyrtby also two Closes one beside Pipwell and one at Brigstock and here is all the livelode that he had in the Shyre for that livelode that was my Moders in Warmington and elsewhere she gaf hit to me twenty Yere ago and my Broder had never ado the with but by myn assignement and for myn behofe In this and in other thinges concerning me and myn I pray yow shew your kindly favor and I shall so dele with yow at our next meetyng in Northamptonshyre that ye shall hold yow ryght well content From Lincoln the twentyeth Day of March. And as for Newys with us This day my Lady of Northumbyrland came to the King to Lincoln and brought to the Kings Grace with hyr hyr eldest Sonne a goodly yong Lord. On Munday cum sevenyght the Kyng is preposed toward Nottingham there to tary six or seaven dayes and from thence to take his journay toward York c. Yours to his power Thomas Stoke To his Worshipful Brother Henry Vere be this Bill delivered at Addington RYght Worshipful Brodyr I recommend me unto yow and to my Sister your Wife hertily desiring to here of your welfares the which Almightie God preserve to his plesure and yowr hertes desire Sure I have spokyn with Maister Catesby and he hath promissed me to be as frendly to yow in yowr matter as he can He is ryding with my Lord Chamberlyn this Morning toward the Kyng Watts calleth for the processe and therefore I went to Maister Catesby this morning when he took his Horse and fete a Tokyn from him to Watts that he shuld cale noe more on the processe till he come to Towne ayene and that shall be when the King come and that shall be within fourteen dayes and if ye come up then he will see an end betwix you and the other Gentilman the Jewe and so I think best yow doe for anoder man cannot labour your mattir soe well to yowr intent as yowr self sure As for your Suite against Beke they have yeven yow none Answere as yet There is an Exigent out against Parson Edward Davy sure I pray yow remember my Brother Barners for I sent him word That ye would send him ten Pounds within fourteen dayes after Alhallow-Day Brother whereas yow wrote unto me that ye were not in hertes ese ye have made me very hevye of that tydings but I trust to God in the next Bill ye shall send me better comforte And sure at the reverence of God whatsoever adverfityes befall yow take them lytely and set them not to yowr herte and then remedye them as ye think best for if ye set them to yowr herte ye shall hurt your selfe and that shall plese syche as be the causes thereof and all syche as love yow not and shall discomforte all syche as be yowr frendes and Lovers Wherefore I will avise yow to take that way that may comforte yowr frendes and lovers and displese yowr foes No more to yow at this tyme but I shall be at yowr comandement both here and elswhere be God's Grace who have yow in his kepeing At London on Symond Jude is Evyn Be your Brother and Servant Baldwyn Vere To my Right Trusty and Welbeloved Henry Vere Gentilman RYght Trusty and Welbeloved I commend me unto yow And whereas I have perceived by my Right Welbeloved Sir Thomas Thornton Parson of Addington in the County of Northampton how that he of
was provided by the same Book that if the now Lord Mordaunt did not assure the Fitz-Lewis's Lands which are of the value of five hundred Marks per annum within six Months after the Feast of Saint Andrew next ensuing the Date of the same Book to Sir Robert Throckmorton and other the Recoverers and their Heirs of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands that is to say parcel thereof to the value of three hundred Marks or under to the use of the now Lord Mordaunt and my Lady now his Wife for the term of their lives disponishable of waste during the life of the now Lord Mordaunt and after their deceases to the use of Lewis Mordaunt and of the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten And for default of such Heirs to the use of the right Heirs of the Fitz-Lewis And the remanent part thereof to the use of the now Lord Mordaunt for the term of his life without impeachment of waste And after his decease to the use of his Will for the term of ten years and after to the use of Lewis Mordaunt and of the Heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten and for default of such Heirs to the use of the right Heirs of the Fitz-Lewis for ever That then the use of all such and so much of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands as was appointed to the now Lord Mordaunt by that Book should be unto the late Lord Mordaunt for the term of his life without impeachment of waste and after to the use of Lewis Mordaunt for the term of his life without impeachment of waste And after the said several uses of the late Lord Mordaunt's shall be ended and determined as is abovesaid and as the same shall severally end and determine the uses thereof be further appointed as followeth that is to say Unto the first Son of the said Lewis Mordaunt in lawful marriage begotten and to the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten And after to the second Son of the said Lewis Mordaunt on lawful marriage begotten and to the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten with divers remainders over the last remainder thereof being appointed to the right Heirs of the said Lewis Mordaunt for ever And to the intent that my Lady Mordaunt now Wife to the now Lord Mordaunt should have goodwill that the Fitz-Lewis's Lands should be assured as aforesaid the late Lord Mordaunt did grant unto her for the augmentation of her Joynture to make it up four hundred Marks a year an yearly Rent of an hundred Marks by the year during her life with a Clause of distress in his own Land for the not payment thereof upon Condition that the Fitz-Lewis's Lands should be assured as is aforesaid Shortly after this Book thus agreed upon and sealed one part thereof was sent to the now Lord Mordaunt that he might thereby perfectly understand what his Father had done and the premisses notwithstanding he would not assure the Fitz-Lewis's Lands as he ought to have done within the said six Months by reason whereof the uses of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands appointed to the now Lord Mordaunt did cease through the wilful default of the now Lord Mordaunt and the same came to the said Lewis Mordaunt Memorandum That the Conveyances of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands as is aforesaid was of the mere motion circumspection and providence of the late Lord Mordaunt for the causes aforesaid without any seeking of the said Lewis Mordaunt who neither would nor durst move the said late Lord Mordaunt his Grandfather being a wise man in such a matter Now the premisses considered it may appear that the said Lewis hath not done any thing whereby to offend his Father except it be in refusing to marry his Mother-in-Laws Daughter which his Father offered him in marriage which he liked not or else in receiving the benevolence of his Grandfather unprocured of his part The Causes of the late Lord Mordaunt's doings and the doings of the now Lord Mordaunt towards the late Lord Mordaunt his Father and towards the Fitz-Lewis's Lands may plainly appear in the Articles abovesaid The Book was delivered to the now Lord Mordaunt within twelve days after the beginning of the six Months so as he had all the six Months saving twelve days to consider thereupon and to have made assurance of the Fitz-Lewis's Lands accordingly Another Will of Sir John Mordaunt of Westhornedon IN the Name of God Amen The twentieth Day of September in the Year of our Lord God a thousand five hundred forty and nine and in the third Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Edward the Sixth by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and in Earth of the Church of England and Ireland the supreme Head I Sir John Mordaunt of Westhornedon in the County of Essex Knight being of whole mind and perfect remembrance thanks be to God do make my Testament and last Will in manner and form following First I bequeath my Soul to Almighty God and my Body to be buried in the Parish Church of Westhornedon aforesaid by Dame Ely Mordaunt my late Wife trusting through the merits of Christ's Passion to be saved And the doings and ordering of my Funeral-expences I commit to the order and disposition of Dame Joan now my Wife whom I make and ordain by this my present Testament my sole Executrix And first as concerning the devise and bequest of my Lands and Tenements I give and bequeath to John Mordaunt Knight Lord Mordaunt my Father the said Joan my Wife and to Edmond Mordaunt my Brother all that my Mannor of Westhornedon and all my Right Title and Possession that I have in the said Mannor with the appurtenances with all those my Lands and Tenements called Fieldhouse and Maundes now in the manurance occupation and tenure of John Wright of Keldon in the said County of Essex The reversion of the Mannor of Wantons in Bumpsted ad Turr ' with Purbysher and Whytley set lying and being in thé Town of Bumpsted ad Turr ' and Burdbroke which Dame Joan my Wife doth hold for the time of her life as Parcel of her Joynture with all and singular Rights Members Appurtenances and all Lands Tenements and Advowsons Meadows Feedings Pastures Woods Underwoods and other Hereditaments that be or have been in times past reputed taken or known as Part or Parcel of the said Mannor of Westhornedon and Wantons in the said County of Essex And all other my Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in the said Town of Westhornedon Easthornedon Tholderdyche Warley magna Bumpsted Sturmer and Burdbroke in the said County of Essex To have hold and enjoy all the Premisses with their Members and Appurtenances and every Part and Parcel thereof to the said Lord Mordaunt Dame Joan and Edmond Mordaunt and to their Heirs and Assigns upon the Conditions following that is to wit That they with the Issues and Profits of the Premisses shall find and provide or cause to be
one Estate for One and twenty Years of the said Mannor and Premises granted to Francis late Earl of Bedford Oliver late Earl of Bullingbrooke Sir Henry Compton and Sir Rowland Saint John to Commence immediately from and after the Decease of the said Countess Dowager for the raising of Four thousand Pounds for the Portion of the Lady Elizabeth Howard Daughter of the said Countess according to the Purport and true Meaning of One Indenture bearing Date the First Day of November in the Fourteenth Year of His now Majesty's Reign as by the said Indenture may appear And that the Uses Estates and Limitations herein before mentioned shall be Subject to and Charged with the said Rent-Charge of Three hundred Pounds per Annum and term of One and twenty years any thing in these Presents contained to the contrary notwithstanding In witness whereof the parties above named have to these present Indentures Interchangably set their Hands and Seals the Day and Year first above written E. PETERBOROW Sealed and Delivered in the Presence of Tho. Farrer Will. Preston Sam. Holland A SUCCINCT GENEALOGY Of the HOUSE of MORDAUNT Justified by Antient and Extant Charters Publick Records Histories and other Authentick Proofs By ROBERT HALSTEAD The Arms of the House of Mordaunt were Argent a Cheveron Sable between Three Stars Waved of the same Of the Name Antiquity Descent Alliance Possessions Greatness Actions and Arms of the House of Mordaunt IN the Preface to these Genealogies there has been exposed to the Reader the Nature and Antiquity of Sur-names and the grounds causes and occasions upon which they were assum'd in general To ascribe why the Lords of this House took to themselves the Name of Mordaunt is not in my power but that they did so near Six hundred Years ago and have continued it to their descendants unto this very day will be as easie as to read the unquestioned Proofs shall be exposed upon that matter The obvious and natural conjecture will be the quality of the occasion where they first appeared an occasion of War Chivalry and Conquest a Souldier a younger Brother and a brave fellow set out to make a Fortune by adventures of Arms it was proper to such a one dare mortem to Wound Kill and Destroy his Enemy whence le Mordaunt which was the first Epithet assum'd by Osbert the beginner of that House might appear no unproper sobriquit for him that did deserve it The descent of this Osbert is not affirm'd to be certain neither by one of who detestes to advantage his undertaking by any thing he cannot prove but it is evident his Father Robert was a great deserver in the Conquest and that by the assistance he brought Duke William and the share he acquired as the reward of his labour He bore the illustrious appellation of de Sancto Aegidio or of Saint Giles which at that time was the Name of the Soveraign Earls and Princes of Tholouse of which House he was in all probability a Son a Brother or a near Relation and from his Brother Eustace the eldest Son of this Robert our Osbert did receive several noble provisions as the Lordship of Radwell that of Brayfield with Lands in Wahull in Lavendon and in other parts and for the Blood of the Gentlemen who were his descendants it has been so fortunately pure as never to have been mis-allyed since the first knowledge of the Family but the chiefs thereof have always Married into Names of great Authority and Nobleness as that of Fortis Alno Olney who were of the first Conquerors those of Wake L'Estrange Latimer Vere Darcy and Howard all of the prime Nobility And as they have taken Wives out of the greatest Families so they have given them to the chiefest Gentlemen and prime Houses of England to Strangeways to Fettyplace to Browns to Henningham to Mansell to Danvers to Radney to Nevill and to Howard To these circumstances has been added their felicity that by the Prudent Conduct of their Affairs and successful undertakings they have ever flourished in an eminent degree of Riches and opulency They had been before the time of the first Sir John Mordaunt Lords of great Mannors Lands and Lordships but from his time to which was design'd the exaltation of this Family and his Alliance with the House of Latimer his Sons with the Heir of Vere and his Grandsons with the Inheritrix of Fitz-Lewis The Riches and Patrimony of this House was such as there was scarce a Gentleman in England whose Estate was comparable to it After this as the occasion of their coming into this Kingdom was the Military Service of a victorious Prince so the Lords of this House have continued to serve divers of their Kings in their Wars they have served them likewise in their Councils they have deserved to be called into the supreme Dignity of the Peerage and thereby made hereditary Grandees Judges and Councellors in which they have remain'd for divers Ages There have been of them Privy Councellors to several of the greatest Kings Ministers of State Captains Ambassadors and Governours of Provinces And in all these qualities they have served without reproach So as if Antiquity of Original Illustrious Derivance Descent from noblest Blood great Alliances high Dignities and Employments worthy Actions and large Possessions be of Virtue to make a Family considerable there will be little cause for Envy to bark at my endeavouring to establish the Honour and Memory thereof according to what is due to the merit of a Name so Illustrious For the Arms of this House from the time they have been in use and born hereditarily in Families were Argent a Cheveron Sable between Three Stars Waved of the same OSBERT le MORDAVNT Lord of Radwell and other Lands and Lordships CHAPTER I. IN the Year 1066. against which Providence had prepared so great a change for the People and Government of England as did ensue by their subjection to the total Conquest of a Victorious Prince At that time among the other Hero's who joyn'd their hopes and assistance to the Fortunes of the famous William Duke of Normandy there was a Noble Knight called Robert of Saint Giles in the Latin Tongue Robertus de Sancto Aegidio who brought to his Service Fourscore Knights Milites out of the South parts of France and joyn'd himself to the Duke 's other Troops at the Imbarcation for this great undertaking Of this Robert of Saint Giles no more is extant of what he was than the assurance that the Soveraign Earls and Princes of Tholouse did all at that time use the Name and Appellation of Saint Giles or De Sancto Aegidio That the Attendance of Fourscore Kinghts was an Equipage suitable to a Prince Adventurer and that after his labors in this War he was rewarded by the generous Conqueror with great Lands and noble Possessions How long this Robert of Saint Giles lived or remain'd in this Kingdom we cannot tell but we find his Son Eustace of Saint
Giles did survive his Father and possessed his Acquisitions by a Charter wherein he gave to his Brother Osbert who from some occasion was call'd Le Mordaunt and was the beginner of this House and Name the Lordship of Radwell in the County of Bedford and other Lands that were of his Father's Partition And from this Osbert all the Mordaunts do derive as will appear by a continued Series of Extant Proofs He lived after to a great Age and being engaged in assistance with the first Conquerors of Ireland we find him to have received from the Gift of Harvey de Montmorency who is stiled Marescallus Domini Regis totius Hiberniae the Lordship of Balinaeeros Tobenere and many great Possessions When or where he died doth not appear but He left Issue Osmund Mordaunt And Baldwin Mordaunt Which latter was a Witness to many Antient Charters that are Extant OSMVND le MORDAVNT Lord of Radwell Felmarsham and Chellington CHAPTER II. OSMVND le MORDAVNT flourished in the time of Henry the Second and became possessed of the Lordship of Radwell of the Town of Felmarsham of Lands in Wahull and other places which were of those his Father Osbert did possess in this Kingdom and it is possible may have been a younger Brother and that an elder Son of Osbert Mordaunt did remain settled upon his Lands in Ireland under some other Name However he was a Knight of much Renown as may appear by the Alliance he contracted with one of the most famous Knights of his time Sampson Fortis of whom was held many Fees by Knight Service This Sampson was so called from his great Strength and Valour being a great Champion and Associate in War with Simon de Saint Lis and David of Scotland and the Earls of Huntington and Northampton and was Lord of several Towns and Villages of Chellington among the rest which he gave in Marriage to Osmund Mordaunt with his Daughter Ellen of whom the said Osmund had Issue Eustace Mordaunt Robert Mordaunt EVSTACE le MORDAVNT Lord of Radwell Felmarsham Chellington of the Moiety of the Noble Lordship of Turvey as of Lands in Wahull and in Brayfield CHAPTER III. EVSTACE le MORDAVNT was a Valiant and a Fortunate Knight he did Accompany King Richard the First among the Troops that followed him into the Holy Land and served in all the Enterprises of that Expedition At his return he found his Father Deceased and a Devolution to him of his Inheritance He began with an Action of Piety in acknowledging the mercy of his Return and Establishment and gave under the Name of Eustachius le Mordaunt certain Lands in Turvey in free pure and perpetual Alms to the Church of St. John Baptist and St. John Evangelist of Caldwell and the Canons of that place for the good of his Soul for that of Alice his Wife and for that of all his Ancestors and Successors He had indeed by his merit and worthiness acquired a Wife out of the House of Alno or de Alneto who from the Conquest had been Lords of Turvey and other fair Possessions which by the death of Hugh of Alno without Issue were devolved to Two beautiful Sisters Alice and Sarah whereof he Married the first the second being the Wife of Sir Richard of Ardres and with this Lady he became possessed of the Moiety of that Noble Lordship from thenceforth called Mordaunts Mannor having a large Extent and very particular privileges He had a Sute with Gilbert Fitz-Williams in the Ninth Year of Richard the First about some Lands in Radwell which was Adjudged on his behalf and granted several Lands in Turvey for their Homages and Service and other considerations to William Cooke to Simon of Turvey to Raignold le Bray and to others Toward his latter end about the Sixteenth Year of King Henry the Third he had a Contest with Sir John de Traylly and the Cause was decided against him and we find he died near that time Leaving Issue William Mordaunt Agnes Mordaunt WILLIAM MORDAVNT Lord of Turvey Felmarsham Esthull Radwell of Lands in Wahull and in Yerdley CHAPTER IV. WILLIAM de MORDAVNT for from this time in the old Deeds the le is changed into the de after the death of Eustace became Lord of the Lordships of Radwell Turvey and several other Lands In the Twenty ninth of Henry the Third he paid a Releif to the Lord William de la Church and the Lady Matilda de Traylly his Wife for certain Lands he held I suppose they were those about which Eustace his Father was cast in the behalf of John de Traylly in the Sixteenth of the said King's Reign About the same time Henry the Son of Fulk Huriel Roger le Soc of Wybaudston and Albreda the Daughter of Robert of Saint George do by several Deeds Release and Quit Claim to this William under the stile of William de Mordaunt their Lord divers Rights and Lands And Richard of Ardres unto the said William for such proprieties the Lords of this Mannor of Turvey had in these and after-times Gives Grants and Confirms for Six Marks of Silver which he gave to him in Gersumam one of his Villanes called Adam Pite with all his sequel and procreation gotten and to be gotten for ever There passes afterward between William Mordaunt and Hugh Poore Prior of the Monastery of St. Neads an exchange of divers Lands with an advantage given by the said William in free pure and perpetual Alms. And as the last testimony of him there is Extant an Accompt given unto him under the Seal of one William de Wikely who terms himself therein Serviens Willielmi de Mordaunt in Manerio suo de Turvey Dated the Ninth of Edward the First Not long after which he is supposed to have deceased Amice of Olney the Daughter of Sir William of Olney was the Wife of William Mordaunt and by her he had the Lordship of Esthull and a Mannor with diverse Lands in Yerdley which last had been given her Father by John Scot Earl of Huntington a Prince of the House of Scotland Her Husband is stiled in a Deed wherein Matilda the Daughter of Lettice of Esthull does remit unto him and Amice his Wife her Right and Claim to certain Lands Lord of that place The Charter runs Willielmo de Mordaunt Domino de Esthull Amiciae Vxori suae Sir William of Olney the Father of this Amice was one of the Sons of that Sir Richard Sutton that flourished in the time of Henry the Third from whence the Lords of Dudley did descend He assumed the Name of Olney from certain Lands he held therein that his Father had received from the Grant of Ralph Earl of Chester After the death of William Mordaunt this Amice took into her Second Bed Aegidio de Albeny Lord of Demster and under the Name of Amicia de Albeny she Granted afterwards in the Ninth Year of Edward the Second unto William Mordaunt her Son and to Robert the Son of the
desire of seeing Italy so as there was no occasion for her Highness or any others concerning themselves in his motions The Gentlemen departed and the Earl immediately gave an account to the King and the Duke his Master of what had happen'd and the discouragement he had met and though he directed his Servants and Equipage to remain at Lyons till farther orders yet he resolv'd himself to proceed as far as Turnin where resided an Embassador of France who had the reputation of presiding over the French affairs in Italy to whom he might communicate what had happen'd and to take some measures with him about his farther proceeding He repaired immediately to the Embassador's House after his arrival at that City and enquired of him Whether he had any orders to assist him in the affair in question wherein the World esteem'd the King his Master the chief mover The Embassador assur'd his Lordship he had never been made acquainted with that business and that if his Master were concern'd in it it was likely he design'd to send some Man of Quality on purpose who would be particularly instructed in the management thereof But he said that to his particular surprise he had two days before receiv'd a Letter from the Dutchess of Modena wherein she pray'd him That if his Lordship came to Turin and did confer or advise with him upon that matter he would signifie to his Lordship an impossibility in the accomplishing of it for the reasons had been before expressed in the Letter his Lordship had at Lyons received from Nardi This second appearance of an averse proceeding began very much to discourage the Earl of Peterborow and after he had given an account thereof to the Court he was in doubt what to do or how to make any farther advances But the French Embassador who though unimploy'd in this affair did now believe his Master much concern'd in bringing it about advised the Earl to a little patience and that continuing the pretence of a casual Traveller he would advance his Journey down the Po to an agreeable City called Plaisance where he might find occasion to remain and entertain himself till he had farther orders The Earl follow'd his Counsel arriv'd at the place agreed on and lodged himself as conveniently as he could to the appearance of a private Traveller but for all his caution the Second or Third day after he came to Plaisance one of the Servants brought him word one Morning how there was a Gentleman desired the favor of being admitted to him who came from the Dutchess of Modena The Earl sent immediately to have him introduced and it proved the same Nardi himself who had written the first Letter to his Brother at Lyons He had the appearance of an ingenious Man who spoke well and was practised in all Italian civilities He presented now to his Lordship a Letter from the Dutchess her self wherein she wrote That having heard of his Journey into those parts with the end and causes thereof she thought it her part before a great King and his Minister should expose themselves in the demand of a thing which could not be accomplish'd out of respect to them to manifest the reasons of it that she might be excused from seeming any ways the cause of their dissatisfaction There was likewise in her Letter repeated what was contain'd in hers to the Embassador with something more but to all she added That indeed there were other Princesses besides her Daughter to one of which if the King his Master did think fit it was possible he might be admitted to address himself And however in the mean time if his Lordship would come and divert himself in that Court she should esteem her self favour'd by his reception and he should be very welcome The Earl after having excused himself to the Dutchess from the trouble his coming into those parts seem'd to cause unto her Highness and thanked her for the Honor she did in the rest with a fair excuse he told her again There was no cause for the first because he was but a private Traveller without design or orders to disquiet any body with pretences were not agreeable to them nor indeed with any of that nature which might answer the latter also So Nardi return'd with a seeming satisfaction at that time But the next day his Lordship receiv'd a Letter from the French Embassador at Turnin whereby he acquainted him That there was now by the King of France's Order upon the way the Marquess of Angeao design'd by his Majesty to come with most pressing desires to the Dutchess for a consent and conclusion to this Match and to assist his Lordship with all the offices and endeavours imaginable This did much satisfie the Earl of Peterborow if on the neck thereof there had not come an Express out of England to assure him of the same as to the part of Monsieur d' Angeao but with direction That when he came instead of the young Princess from whom they took it all the difficulties did arise they should demand an Aunt of hers which in all manner of circumstances was inferior to her and from divers considerations improper for the Duke's occasions This sudden change in the Affair did infinitely mortifie the Earl whose Head turn'd round under this variety of uncertainties But he had but to obey and be patient And now some days after came Nardi again with new Complements from the Dutchess and Expressions how glad that Court should be if the Honor was supposed to be intended to the Daughter might be transferr'd on any other Princess of that Family for it seems they had been enform'd that something of that kind had been listned to in France The Earl that was in expectation of his French assistant who was not yet near continued still upon his first guard owning no Orders at all but alledged the cause of his stay to be a little Indisposition which he expected should soon pass and return'd the Dutchess his Duty and humble Thanks for the honor of her Civilities About a week after this another new Express came out of England countermanding again the last directions and assuring the sudden arrival of Monsieur d' Angeao who was to use the uttermost power of the King of France's mediation in demand of the Princess's Daughter and no other Whereof if at last they should come to fail the Earl was then commanded to return to Paris without any farther delay Accordingly about a week after the Marquess of Angeao came and the Morning of his arrival hastned to Visit and Complement the Earl at his Lodging acquainting him That his Commission was to assist him in his Negotiation with all the offices of France which he would improve with his best industry This Marquess was a Man of good appearance very cunning and bred to all the Arts and Confidence of Courts It was soon concerted between them That this Envoy should go first to Modena having had formerly some acquaintance with
their meeting the Earl comply'd It was desired by Sir Robert that he might see the Duke make his submission and be forgiven by him and through his means by the King His Lordship brought him to an audience his Highness assur'd him he was above private injuries That he was a Friend or an Enemy to none but as they were so to the King and the Government That he could forgive any body that would be dutiful to his Brother and love Him and His service If he would return to do so he would never think of what was past and he would undertake to make his peace with the King if he intended to deserve it by his future actions Upon which assurance Sir Robert took his leave in all appearance a good Subject After this being upon intentions to go to work with more considerable Men in the next meeting at the Countesses House those endeavours were diverted by an intervening Information Mrs. Cellier had told her Ladiship how she was come acquainted with an ingenuous young Man who by several accidents had attain'd the knowledge of such important things as if he could be brought to the King or Duke might become occasions of discovering one of the most dangerous Conspiracies against them both and the Government of England that had been at any time undertaken and she desired to know if his Lordship would be a means to introduce him The Earl said he would not engage to bring in any Man upon such an account unless he saw the person and heard some probable reasons to encline him to believe what he said but appointed an hour for her to bring him to his Chamber in the Court they did not fail and at the time a young Man appear'd under a decent figure a serious behavior and with words that did not seem to proceed from a common understanding He own'd his Name to be Thomas Willoughby and he introduced his business with a probable discourse of his Life He told That the Wars being ended in Flanders where in several capacities he got his living he returned to England and being here idle to pass his time and look out for opportunities he frequented the Coffee-Houses There by the general discourses wherein at that time most were very free he discover'd the temper of Men to be infinitely enclined to Sedition to a dissatisfaction of the Government and a great desire of change Malice appear'd in most of what was spoken or proposed in those places against the Ministers the Princes themselves and all their Friends and the compliance and sufferance of the good King had brought the esteem of his Power and Authority to so low a rate as Treason was spoke with that liberty as if their had been no Laws made against it In these places he said appear'd to be most busie a certain Man who was call'd a Major and reported to have been an Officer of the old Rebellion He spoke well with Art and Authority knew the Arguments that touch'd Men's Opinions and was not unprovided with those that concern'd their interests and this Man was not only willingly heard but always much applauded Coming thus to a knowledge of what was the humor of the times and the intentions of the principal persons he saw there he said he thought he could no way serve the King better nor the Government than by seeming to give into the Opinions and Inclinations of those Men that thereby he might become knowing of their intentions and Master of some secrets the discovery whereof might after perhaps be of more service than he could foresee He applied himself then to consider their Arguments and make himself able to improve them to their advantage he affected to show a zeal for Liberty and a cunning aversion to the constraint of a single Government He learn'd to make use of the word Popery when there was occasion and to talk high of Slavery and Power Arbitrary This proceeding he said won the heart of the Major and induc'd him to believe he had found an Instrument fit for the Cause and all the Party He could no more live without him he gave him a domestick freedom in his House and Family and at last opened his heart to him and left him no longer a stranger to any of his secrets He told him then that the time now approach'd wherein was designed the overthrow of the present Government against which had conspired the greatest Men in the Court in the Parliament and in the Conutries It was he said made easie by the weakness of the present King by his remissness and want of vigor to assert his own right and by the ill posture whereunto he had suffer'd his Brother to be brought that was the only hopes of sustaining the declining interest All Irons he said were now in the fire to this effect Assosiations were framing in every Country Contributions were making and Money raising from all the Party Men were Listing and Officers named to assert and carry on the Rebellion and he did assure him for his own part he should soon have himself a Commission to be Captain of a Foot Company He told him there was once a Week a Committee of the chief managers did meet to receive accounts from their Friends proceedings in the Countries and to disperse by Expresses they did send their Orders upon any emergencies that did arise He named most of the great ones that favoured the Party and said the Duke of Monmouth was maintained by the Contribution of their Churches And Mr. Willoughby concluded this Information with saying he no way questioned That being privy by this Man's means to the times when their Expresses were sent away that if he could be furnished with a good Horse and Arms he should be easily able to intercept such a one of them as would well discover the dangerous practices upon which they were engaged After having heard all this his Lordship thought it not safe even for himself to conceal or stifle what had been said if it were not of use to the Princes it might be perhaps a Trap for him to see how he would be concern'd for them in things of that nature and consequence He acquainted then the Duke upon the first occasion with what had passed with intent he should make it known to the King but he told the Earl he would first see the Man himself and hear if what he said was of importance enough to trouble the King with it but order'd That what he had to say should be put in writing for the King to see His Lordship had direction then to bring him in the Evening into his Highness's Closet but to be by and so close as he might be a witness to every thing he said Willoughby afterwards called Dangerfield came accordingly and to his Highness justified all he had said to the Earl with more besides and left it written in a Paper under his own hand He after complained of want of Money and the Duke for his
Lord Mordaunt by that Book should be unto the late Lord Mordaunt for term of his Life without Impeachment of Wast and after to the Use of Lewis Mordaunt for the term of his life without Impeachment of Wast And after the several Uses of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands shall be ended and determined as is abovesaid and as the same shall severally end and determine the Uses thereof be further appointed as followeth That is to say Unto the First Son of the said Lewis Mordaunt in lawful Marriage begotten and of the Heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten And after to the Second Son of the said Lewis Mordaunt in lawful Marriage begotten and the Heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten with divers Remainders over the last Remainder thereof being appointed to the right Heirs of Mordaunt for ever And to the intent that my Lady Mordaunt now Wife to the now Lord Mordaunt should have good will that the said Fitz-Lewis's Lands should be assured as is aforesaid The late Lord Mordaunt did grant unto her for the Augmentation of her Jointure to make it up Four hundred Marks a Year a yearly Rent of One hundred Marks by the Year during her life with a clause of Distress in his own Land for not payment thereof upon Condition that the said Fitz-Lewis's Lands should be assured as aforesaid Shortly after this Book was thus Agreed upon and Sealed one part thereof was sent to the now Lord Mordaunt that he might thereby perfectly understand what his Father had done And the Premises notwithstanding he would not assure the said Fitz-Lewis's Lands as he ought to have done within the said Six Months by reason whereof the Uses of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands appointed to the now Lord Mordaunt did cease through the wilful Default of the now Lord Mordaunt and the same came to the said Lewis Mordaunt Memorandum That the Conveyance of the late Lord Mordaunt's Lands as is aforesaid was of the meer Motion Circumspection and Providence of the late Lord Mordaunt for the Causes aforesaid without any seeking of the said Lewis Mordaunt who neither would nor durst move the said late Lord Mordaunt his Grandfather being a Wise Man in such a matter Now the Premises considered it may appear That the said Lewis hath not done any thing whereby to offend his Father except it be in refusing to Marry his Mother-in-law's Daughter which his Father offered him which Marriage he liked not or else in not refusing the Benevolence of his Grandfather unprocured on his part The causes of the late Lord Mordaunt's Doings and the Doings of the now Lord Mordaunt towards the late Lord Mordaunt his Father and towards the said Fitz-Lewis's Lands may plainly appear in the Articles abovesaid The Book was delivered to the now Lord Mordaunt within Twelve days after the beginning of the Six Months so as he had all the Six Months saving Twelve Days to consider thereupon and to have made Assurance of the said Fitz-Lewis's Lands accordingly Articles which Mr. Henry Darcy requireth to be performed for Mr. Lewis Mordaunt concerning the Marriage of his Sister FIrst That the Lord Mordaunt shall make his Sister a Jointure of One Hundred Marks Lands in Possession and One hundred Marks more after the decease of the said Lord Mordaunt Item That the said Lord Mordaunt do leave unto the said Lewis Mordaunt Eight hundred Marks a year to descend unto the said Lewis immediately after the decease of the said Lord Mordaunt and One thousand Pounds a Year more after the decease of Sir John Mordaunt Father to the said Lewis Item For the Marriage Apparel the Lord Mordaunt to find Mr. Lewis Mordaunt and Mr. Henry Darcy his Sister Item For the Charges of the Dinner at the Marriage the Lord Mordaunt to bear the one half thereof and Mr. Henry Darcy the other Item Mr. Henry Darcy is contented in consideration of the Premises to pay unto my Lord Mordaunt One thousand Marks the one half to be paid at the Day of Marriage the other half before the last Day of August next ensuing if they be Married before the said Day or else to be paid at one entire Payment at the Day of the said Marriage Item Mr. Henry Darcy will give unto the said Lewis Mordaunt and his Sister in Jewels or other like to the value of Two hundred Marks A Commission for Musters within the County of Northampton to the Lord Mordaunt and others directed ELizabeth Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina Fidei Defensor c. Praedilecto fideli Conciliario suo Willielmo Domino Burghley Domino Thesaurario Angliae charissimoque Consanguineo Consiliario suo Roberto Comiti Licestriae Magistro equorum suorum ac praedilecto fideli suo Ludovico Domino Mordaunt etiam dilecto fideli Conciliario suo Walter Mildmay militi Cancellario Scacarii sui necnon dilectis fidelibus suis Thomae Cecil militi Willielmo Fitz-Williams militi Edmundo Brudewell militi Richardo Knightly militi Edwardo Mountague militi Edwardo Onsey armigero ac Vicecomiti Comitatus Northamptoniae pro tempore existente Salutem Sciatis quod nos de approbatis fidelitatibus prudentibus circumspectionibus vestris plurimum confidentes assignavimus constituimus vos Commissionarios Deputatos nostros Dante 's concedentes vobis decem novem octo septem sex quinque quatuor tribus duobus vestrum tenore praesentium plenam absolutam Potentiam Facultatem Autoritatem omnes fingulos homines ad arma ac homines habiles ad arma ferendum tà m Equites quà m Pedites Sagittarios Sclopetarios supra aetatem sexdecem annorum ac infra aetatem sexaginta in dicto Comitatu nostro Northamptoniae tà m infra libertates quà m extra arraiandum inspiciendum ac traiandum ae armari muniri faciendum nec non assignandum equos arma caetera bellica instrumenta congruentia habilitati personae uniuscuiusque secundum formam effectum statutorum ordinationum ante-haec tempora inde editorum provisorum Ac omnibus illis tironibus hominibusque imbellibus rei militaris ignaris erudiendum instruendum excercendum ad usum praedictorum Equorum Armorum Bellicorum apparatuum secundum artem militarem ac omnia singula alia diligenter faciendum gerendum expediendum fieri causandum quae ad delectum monstrationem inspectationem ac etiam ad eruditionem instructionem exercitionem subjectorum nostrorum in re militari pro meliori servitio nostro defensione hujus Regni nostri maxime consentanea opportuna fore putaveritis Ita quod iidem homines ad arma homines habiles ad arma ferendum Equites Pedites Sagitarii Sclopetarii ac alii praedicti homines defensibiles sic arraiati inspecti muniti prompti sint parati ad serviendum nobis quotiens quando necesse fuerit Assignavimus insuper quoscunque tres aut duos vestrum