Back to results

Archive

Legal cases - Gregory family

Description

Copy of a bill of complaint in Chancery addressed to Sir Thomas Egerton, the Lord Keeper, from Arthur Gregorie of the Inner Temple, London, esq., alleging: that in 32 Elizabeth [1590], Edmund Gregorie extended upon Arthur's lands in Kingeshull and Styvechall a pretended statute merchant of 1000 pounds, supposed to be acknowledged before William Smalewood, mayor of Coventrie, and the Clerk of the Statute, which statute was unwritten in 15 Elizabeth [1572-3] and was dated 9 Elizabeth [1566-7]; that since Edmund's entry upon the said lands he has taken in rents and profits above the value of 1000 pounds; that the said statute, in which there is mention of three cognisees, was only meant in trust and was never out of the custody of the said Clerk of the statute [i.e. Thomas Gregory] while he lived, but was corruptly sold by the clerk's executrix, (or by Mathew Hulme, the vicar of Lemington Hastinges, who had married the said executrix), despite a suit against them in this court for the said statute; as a result of which malpractice on the part of the said Mathew and the said Edmund, the said Arthur has been deprived of his lands for nearly nine years; also that the said Arthur stands bound in 1000 pounds to Sir Humphrey Ferrers, knight, and others, that there are no encumbrances to prejudice the estate in tail which the said Arthur's father passed to the said Sir Humphrey and other feoffees in 15 Elizabeth, in trust for the heirs of the said Arthur and his wife; wherefore if this statute is true, then the other must be false. Endorsed: i) Arthur Gregorye his bill against Edmund Gregory, Hill. xl Eliz. ii) Mr Gregory