Scope and Content
Roll 78
This roll is written in a very different hand, on a different quality of skin which has been ruled into lines on the front. There are very few headings in the margin.’ Only the beginning of the roll is in Latin. The heading ‘Orders’ and the text which follows it is in English. The roll includes a detailed list of 27 tenants and the common fines which they paid, on the dorse. 13 tenants did not attend court.
In 1630 Sir Edward Gostwick died and his heir, also named Edward, was deaf and dumb It was arranged that the estate should be managed by a board of trustees. The list of Trustees given in Finberg ‘The Gostwicks of Willington’ p.100, does not include Sir Edward’s wife, who herself died in July 1633, however the unusually detailed list of tenants, suggests that there had been a change of management after her death.
Willington
View of Frank Pledge With Court, of Edward Gostwick, Baronet, held 20th September in the year of our Lord 1633, in the ninth year of King Charles by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith etc.
Defaults
Oliver Luke Knight, Thomas Lyans, John Vinney, Widow Rozzell, Edward Selby, Robert Cleyton, William Mason, John Crouch, William Davy, Francis Darnell, Harman Branklyn, Stephen Jarvis, John Croft, John Man, made default at this court, the amercements were pardonned
Sworn men and the homage
William Hill William Fadlett John Croft
Robert Hancock William Mayes John Crouch
John Cartwright Richard Piseley William Mason
John Osmond William Spencer William Day
Richard Morgan Stephen Manford Robert Cleyton
Firstly The Jurors say on their oath that the Henry Earl of Kent, Oliver Luke Knight, and the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity in Blunham and the heirs and assigns of Thomas Allen the elder owed suit to this Court, and at this Court made default, but that they have not had sufficient notice to prepare.
[the text below is as written in the document]
Orders
In primis yt is ordered and agreed upon that Brooke Mead dich or brooke shalbee sufficiently scoured and from tyme to tyme soe kept soe often as need shall require if tyme and water-line leave to have it done, upon paine for every one that shall refuse to contribute towards the Charge, or the doing of the same, to forfeit for every tyme xs [10s] and the Constables to have the oversight of the same.
Item it is ordered that Francis Darnell shall sufficiently, betwixt this and Whollan.ide next, ditch and scour his ditch against his acre of land by the Mill, and soe keepe the same upon paine to forfeit vs [5s]
Item it is ordered and agreed upon that if any man shall plow from his neighbours land and lay it unto his owne land, that then the penalty [for] so offending [he] shall forfeit for every offence [illegible].
Item it is ordered and agreed that there shall noe hoggs come forth in brooke lane from the Five and Twentieth of March untill such tyme as harvest bee gone, upon paine for every one soe offending, to forfeit for every offence or any severall place in the field iijd [3d]
Item it is ordered and agreed upon that there shall noe Inhabitant neither keepe oxen or horses or any other Cattell in Mill Leyes, Dodmer, Thirty Leyes, and Michaelmas [blank] or any other feidall ground in the Fields unless they be tyed or staked upon their owne ground, and to lead them to the same, and not to be kept loose, but in the lotts, upon paine to forfeit for every offence iijs iiijd [3s 4d]
Item it is ordered that the Constables of Willington shall for the time being Cause the Three gates mentioned in the old orders to bee sufficiently made and soe kept from tyme to tyme maintayned and kept, upon paine to forfeit for every tyme offending to the lord of the manor, xs [10s]
Item it is ordered and agreed that the said gates shall bee sufficiently made and sett up before the Feast day of the Annunciation of our Lady Saint Mary the Virgin [March 25th] 1634 and that untill that tyme noe man shalbee liable to the penalty for their [illegible] hoggs until the gates bee made.
Item it is ordered that every man that hires any grasse in the Common Fields shall lead and stake or hold all such Cattell as hee shall feed or depasture upon the same grasse and not any way trespasse any other man, upon paine to forfeit to the lord for every tyme offending ijs vjd [2s 6d]
Item it is by general Consent ordered that all orders agreed upon att the Court Leet and Court Baron held for this Mannor the Seventeenth day of April in the One and Twentieth year [writing erased] of the reign of the late king James Sixth over England etc [1623] shall be and continue in force.
Constables: Robert Hancock, William Mason, sworn men
Supervisors of the fields: William Hill
Sworn men John Osmond
Richard Morgan
Richard Piseley
John Crouch
Thomas Manton
[written very faintly below}
John Osmond
John Cartwright
John Craft
[one name illegible]
Thomas Manton
Widow Titford
Common Fines [on the dorse]
Robert Cleyton vjd 6d
Robert Hancock xjd 11d
William Hill xiijd 13d
John Cartwright xvd 15d
William Fadlett vjd 6d
Thomas Rotegan ijd 2d
John Osmond viiijd 9d
John Crouch ijd 2d
John Vinney viiijd 9d
Edward Selby vjd 6d
Widow Rozell ijd 2d
William Bunnion jd 1d
William Mason vjd 6d
Stephen Mumford jd 1d
Thomas Manton jd 1d
John Guy jd 1d
Francis Dornell jd 1d
William Davy jd 1d
William Spencer ijd 2d
Richard Morgan vd 5d
Augustine Titford jd 1d
Richard Titford jd 1d
John Craft jd 1d
Richard Piseley ijd 2d
William Maye iijd 3d
William Day jd 1d
Harman Branklye jd 1d
Sum total is jxs ijd [9s 2d, this total is correct]