Title
Indenture of conveyance
Parties:
(i) Robert Barbor als. Grigg the elder of Dunstable, yeoman; Richard Barbor als. Grigg of the same, [brother of RB]; Edward Swynfen, citizen and 'upholder' [upholsterer] of London; and George Barbor als. Grigg of Dagnall, Edlesborough (Bucks.), yeoman;
(ii) Elizabeth Fynch of Dunstable, widow; Richard Fynche of Dunstable, her son, citizen and merchant tailor of London; Thomas Fynche of London, her son of 'Agmondesham' (Bucks.), maltman; Richard Fynche, son of TF; John Fynche, another son of EF; Roger Fynche, another of her sons, Collector for the poor of Dunstable; William Typlady, another Collector for the same; Thomas Pedder, churchwarden; William Osemon, churchwarden; Roger Fynche, son of the said RF; Edward Fynche, another son of RF; William Ordwey, son of William Ordwey the elder; Michael Spencer; Richard Brigges the younger; Robert Hadden; John Bull; Richard Heathe, son of William Heath; Thomas Heathe the younger; William Knightley the younger; Edward Swynfen the younger; Roger Dawson the younger; Henry Culverhowse the younger, all of Dunstable
Reciting:
- that EF and her son RF "according to our Christian duty pitifully beholding the want necessity and distress of the great number of poor inhabitants of the...town of Dunstable namely widows and fatherless and motherless children and such other as be in age sickness lameness and otherwise of God's visitation not able to labour and provide for their living and like to be the like according as our Saviour Christ sayeth 'the poor you shall always have with you' especially such as before their visitation have been willing to labour and be godly disposed, and being moved to extend their charitable compassion towards their relief, to provide of that competent ability which God hath blessed them with all that the said poor people may have amongst them a contribution of forty shillings yearly at a certain day forever" in which "good meaning and charitable intent" they have laid out and disbursed 20 to RB "who [is] also ....charitably affected to further the said good work"
Operative Part
- Conveyance (the operative words being 'bargain, grant, assign, assure and confirm') from (i) to (ii) and their heirs to the uses and intents below:
Property etc.
(a) an annuity of 40s. payable out of the following land now in the tenure or occupation of Roger Dawson or his assigns;
(b) a messuage or tenement in West St., Dunstable where Henry Fletcher now dwells, between the toft and ground of Anthony Tiplady in the right of his wife 'Johan' (daughter of Thomas Medgate, gent.) on the E, and the tenements and ground of Robert Barbor belonging to the messuage called 'the leaden portche' on the W part, and abutting towards the S upon Iknell St., and towards the N upon the ground of Henry Full[e]r, now in the occupation of Thomas Vyntner;
(c) 3 closes, tofts or crofts of ground belonging to the above messuage 'set' in the West End of Dunstable, of which one abuts towards the S upon Iknell St. lying between the tenements and grounds of Mr. Wyngate sometime belonging to the Brotherhood of Dunstable on the E and the close of RB on the W;
(d) another of which lies on the same side of Iknell St. 'being now the 'owtmost' close' next the common field towards the W adjoining to the 'bounde waye' called Hawsden balk and a close of James Skelton on the E; and the other close or croft of which lies on the other side of Iknell Way at the same end of the town, the common field of Dunstable being next on the W, the ground of Mr. Wyngate 'sometime inclosed' on the E side butting N upon Iknell Way
Habendum
to (ii) and their heirs for ever to the use of the continued Churchwardens and the Collectors for the Poor of Dunstable and their successors forever to be paid to them on the feast day of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin St. Mary annually 'to the only succour relief and behoof of the poor people of Dunstable forever', to be bestowed and distributed by them, with the consent of the Church Minister, to and amongst the poor people of the town of Dunstable 'where most need is and shall be at their good discretions' annually upon the 10th February, the first such payment to be at the next such feast day 'and to be paid at the usual place of accounts in the body of the Church'.
- Includes power to distrain, in the event of non-payment, including the right to take 10s. nomme paenae as a forfeit each time; and covenant for further assurance.
- Signed and acknowledged at the foot by RB before Richard Swale, Master in Chancery, 21 Sep 1598.
- Signed (but seals missing) by (i).
- Dorse: sealed, signed and delivered, after payment of 2d. for seisin, 30 April 1598, in the presence of Robert Bostock, clerk, John Willis, minister, Thomas Cow....[?], and Roger Dawson senior; and inscribed as inrolled on the Close Rolls, 28 September 1598, signed John Snelling.