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Legal cases - Gregory family

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Draft answer of Loveisgod Gregory, esq., and Christopher Greswould to the bill of complaint of Thomas Lord Leigh [no. DR10/1766], admitting that the plaintiff is lawfully seised of the rectory of Stonly and the tithes belonging thereto, and admitting, as far as concerns the said Loveisgod, that he is seised of the said lands pertaining to Hellinghall Graunge, that he has sown and reaped and cut down trees on the same, and that he has paid no tithes as alleged, but claiming that he had refused to pay such tithes lawfully because the said lands late belonged to the abbot of Stonely, and had been freed from the payment of tithe; that at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, the said lands had come into the Crown's possession and had afterwards been granted to his ancestors; and admitting, as far as concerns the said mill and two crofts, that the said Christopher Greswould is in possession of the same and that he has made no payment of tithes, but claiming that there is an ancient custom whereby the said premises are discharged from tithes on the annual payment of 7s. 5d. to the rector of Stonly, which has been paid; and also alleging that, although tithes may have been paid from the two closes some time ago, this was because the said Loveisgod had been a minor and had had no opportunity to investigate his writings; and denying that they had ever refused to pay tithes which were legally owing.