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Legal cases - Gregory family

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Draft of a bill of complaint addressed to Sir Christopher Hatton, knight, of the Garter and Lord Chancellor of England, from Edmund Gregorie of Warr', gent., alleging that his father, Thomas Gregorye of Coventrye, gent., was seised of the manor of Kingeshall, a grange called Hellinhall Grange and diverse lands in Fynham, Flechamsteed, Stoneley and Asfordebye (co. Leics.) and of the manor of Styvechall and other property in Asthull and Coventrye; that in 7-8 Elizabeth [1564-5] the said Thomas conveyed these lands to his eldest son Arthur, but, in order to provide for his youngest sons, Edmund and Jeremy, the said Arthur, in 9 Elizabeth [1566] became bound to them in 1000 pounds for their maintenance; that Thomas Gregorye died in 16 Elizabeth [1573/4] in possession of the bond which then passed to his wife and executrix, Ann, the step-mother of the said Edmund, who kept it for the sole use of her natural son, Jeremy; that Jeremy had died in 31 Elizabeth [1588-9] whereupon the bond eventually came into the said Edmund's possession, and that, having failed to reach an understanding with the said Arthur, he had extended the said statute in March last upon the said premises; and complaining that, despite the extent, many of the tenants (named) at the instigation of the said Arthur, have kept the said Edmund from the said premises, have procured false leases, have refused to disclose the proper rents and have forcibly resisted any attempts to distrain for the same.