Henley in Arden manorial records

Description

Records of the Manor of Henley in Arden, consisting of rough minutes of proceedings at the Manor-courts, with original presentments by the officials, etc. as subsequently entered upon the Court Rolls (ER1/24/14), 4 October 1598 - 20 October 1647. Latin and English. From 1598 to October 1609 the name of Thomas Spencer, Esq., occurs as that of Lord of the Manor, being farmer under the Crown. After an interval, during which no name is given, William White, Gent., appears as Lord in April 1614, and he so continues down to October 1629. After this date there is a break in the records, with the exception of two leaves in 1635 (ff. 130, 131) until 25 October 1637, when William Baldwyn was Lord, and he was still so on 20 October 1647, the end of the volume. The Stewards named are: George Venables, 1598-1602; Richard Yardley, 1602-1641; John Yardley, 1642-1647. Among cases dealt with are: a) 4 October 1599 (f.10) `Twelve men (sc. the jury) peane alle the howseholederes to provid a cloub in his house by Saint Luckes day [18 October] next and that they be aeidinge the constable or any other officer yf need bee upon payne xii supd;' b) 22 September 1602 (f.11) The names of the officers enumerated as `Constable, High bayleife, under bayleife [ale] tasters (2), brooke lookers (2), Chamberlens (2), Lethersealers (2)'; and among the presentments (f.13) for not making `panes Anglice vocatos penny howshold bread' according to statute, for selling beer without a licence, for killing `vitules Anglice yong veales' under age, and for not baiting bulls. c) 22 October 1606 (f.18) Presentment that William Clopton, esq., has alienated to George Caroe [sc. Carew] Knt., his mansion house and lands of Clopton held of the manor for 4 shillings annual rent and suit of court. To the officers are added a second constable and a `hayward' (f.19) and the `leather sealers' are styled `leather scearchers' (see also f. 26) Among the `pains' (f.19), that no alehousekeeper `shall bake anye pennye bread to sell', fine 3s 4d; that no one `doe take in any inmake or under tenaunt into any part of ther howses', fine 40s; that all who have been bailiffs or constables `do atene [sc. attend] uppon the Baylefe uppon the faire daye to make the Kinges proclamation', fine 3s. 4d. d) 1607 (f. 26) Presentment of Richard Keye's wife for having `forstalled the highwaye when the heyward was drivinge her husband' beastes to the pound', fine 12d. Ordered that all alehousekeepers `doe make sma[11 drink] to sell to the poore for one penie a gallant'; that Thomas Floyd `put awaye his undertenaunt' on pain of 40s; that Thomas Collenes the cobler, Joan Lock and Edward Skarlet put away bastards they have `taken in to keepe' on pain of 40s; and that `none shall sell corne in the markett before the Markett [bell] ring' on pain of 3s.4d. (see also f. 36). e) 25 October 1609 (f. 38v) Presentment of `all the bakers, bruers and all the vittellers... one as all and all as one to be faultie' Ordered (f.39) `Item twelf men paine that nether Mr. Baylife of this libertye nor no other inhabytant shall lysence or give leave to any players to play within town halle upon payne to forfayt for every default xls' (see also f.42) `Item that non of the buchers of this libertie shall pen up any kind of cattell in the chappell porche or in the entrye that leadeth from Thomas Ferefoxe shoop into the Chappell at any time to the anoyance of the inhabitance to forfayt for every default xs' (see also f. 42) f) 1615 (f.60) Presentments that `William Hill hatdraper had a brocken head doone by Humfery Smith', fine 2s 6d; and of `a bloodshed mad by twoo of Sir William Sommerfields [sc. Somerville's] men, viz. the Butler and the Fawkener, uppon John Collier', fine 2s 6d. each. g) 23 October 1616 (f.63) Presentments of blood being drawn (with a dagger', `with a staffe', `with a stonne pott', `with a bering cudggell'. h) 21 October 1617 (f.70) `Elizabeth Chare, Joan Sidnolle, Margery Boyes, Elnor Mason, the wyfe of Thomas Rogars, these being presented for common scolds, Henley October 21 supo; 1617, ordinatum est per Curiam quod recipient penam secundum legem Anglie' i) 21 October 1618 (f.74) `We present Elizabeth Smith the wife of Thomas Smith, cutler, for a common scolde and troubleth the Kinges courts light [sc. court-leet] Ideo subeat penam lavandi super le cooking stool' j) 21 October 1618 (f.75) `Item we present that Peter Maunton kepeth a mault querne and taketh in mault to grynd in hinderance of the Lords mill, yet the Lord is contented to forbeare any fyne or amercement for this court onely' k) 20 October 1619 (f.80) A list of eighteen `Paines and Orders', including: /3 `that noe Inhabytant within this libertye shall receive anye great bellied woman or bastard borne child without the constent of Mr. Bayliefe and his brethren', fine 40s; /5. that all who have been bailiffs or constables attend the bailiff `upon the fayre day to walke the fayre whille the kings proclymacion is proclamed, and also al that have bine bayliefs shall find a sufficient man to wayght on him and atend upon the constabel with a sufficient weapon', fine 9s 4d; /6 that `there be layde no wood nor timber nor soyle in the comon streete', fine 3s 4d. /8. that every inhabitant `shall make a sufficient mound betweene neighbour and neighbour', fine 3s 4d. /11. that all `that ought to clense the brook in the street' shall do so `when a notyece is given in the churche' within one week after, fine 3s 4d /13. that all brewers `shall brue holsom midell drincke for the poore at the rate of iid the gallon and allso smale drink at the rate of a id a gallon', fine 3s 4d. /14. that `the forren bakers shall bring theire bread to the market crosse ther to be tried and wayed before they put the same to sale', fine 5s. /18. that no one shall `abuse Mr. Baylife in calling him knave or giving him any other unmannerly words'; fine 40s. 1) 1619 (f. 87) Thomas Lucye fined 10s `for giving Mr. Baylife unmannerly wordes videlicet knave' m) 20 October 1620 (f. 89v) `Also twell men present Elner Powell for that she is a scold and liveth unquietly. Judgment that she shall be cooked.' Francis Reeve, Richard Whatley and William Harper for `not attending upon Mr. bayliff to walk the fayre to make the kings proclimacion'; fine 3s. 4d each. n) 22 October 1622 (f. 99) Presentment that `Richard Knight, cowper, willfulle in the night tyme bracke the Towne stocks', fine 3s 4d. `Et comittitur ad sedendum in cippis [sc. the Stocks] per unum diem'. o) 21 October 1635 (f. 130v) Eleven married women presented for `comon skolds', with the note `every one iii sups; iii supd; or bee cooked in the cookestoole' `Mr. Baylife Ferefax' presented (f. 133) `for pasturinge sheepe in this lordshipp and folding them in another lordshipp' pain 2s 6d, and `for oppressinge the common', pain 3s 4d. p) 25 October 1637 (f. 136) Innholders presented `for not sellinge a quarte of ale for a pennie accordinge to ye statute', pain 12d. q) 23 October 1639 (f. 155) `Item wee present the wyfe of John Whistons for a common scole [sc. scold] and so also Israell Hunt and Ales Manton, pain for each iii sups; iiii supd; or punishment in yt case' Edward Smith presented `for pressing himselfe uppon the jury haveing warning, yet sayde he woulde be there in despite of them, and for braweling and disquieting ye jury in open Courte', pain 6s 8d; and James Gosnall and others `for giveing Mr. Baylife unmanerly words', pain 6s 8d. r) 21 October 1640 (f.157) `Richard Sander, constable, went from Henlye to Birmingham and left the towne desolate for want of a constable and not making Peter Whately the third borrowe any knowledg thereof and by that meanes the kings service was undoune', pain 3s 4d. At the same time (f.163) among the presentments of the said Richard Saunder is, `Item I present Peter Whateley, of Henley, shooemaker, for his neglecte of his office in my absence being a sworne thirdborrowe', pain 3s 4d. s) 20 October 1647 (ff. 183v, 191) Elizabeth, wife of Edward Reeve, presented as `a comon scould and disturber of the Kinges Maiestys peace' The Jury find (f.192) `John Courte deceased and in his sted and place William Courte his eldest sonne to be right heire' of a messuage, etc. in Henley. Included also are: 1. `The othe of the Balyffe of Henley in Ardenne' followed by that of the Constable; temp. Elizabeth. Mutilate and imperfect. (f.1) 2. Book of the names of freeholders, `Resiansees' [sc. residents] and `Batcheleres' in Henley-in-Arden; 21 October 1606 (f.21) 3. `The Courte Roll for the Lord of the Mannour of Henley', being the list of those owing suit; 25 October 1637. With the dates in subsequent years added, down to 20 October 1641 (f.140) 4. `An account of one years ch[ief] rent due to Andrew Archer, Esq., Lord of the said Mannour at Michaelmas 1699' as received by Thomas Sanders, his agent (f.200)