Reference
TW1031
Title
file (incomplete) of 42 foilos. Answers of Sir John Dive knight to information against him by Sir Thomas Hesketh, knight, Attorney of court of Wards and Liveries on behalf of Thomas Butler, His Majesty’s Ward
Date free text
15 Jun 1604
Production date
From: 1604 To: 1604
Scope and Content
Agrees that his father Sir Lewis held by lease for life supposed manor in Bromham late the Lord Latimer’s, he believes at 4 marks per annum.
His father was also seized of other estates in Bromham and Biddenham, mostly by descent, and also purchased freeholds in Bromham, and bought trees and wood growing on land late Lord Latimer’, and felled trees on the same land, among others trees growing in the mounds of two closes once Lord Latimers, i.e.Manynges or Latimers Close, and Wallnuttree Close. Mounds were not kept up as closes not kept in severalty, but joined to other lands round Walnuttree Close, but the line is still marked by leaving certain “Stames”.
As to the 20 acre meadow “supposed to be concealed”, he believes that all the meadow belonging to Lord Latimer’s land was sublet by his father, Sir Lewis, who was lord of the most part of Bromham. Sir Lewis, seeing that everyone lost by the method of “setting forth measuringe allottinge and carring of the grasse and hey”, as the meadows were settled out by lots and doles in small pieces in many places far distant the one from the other, persuaded his tenants and others to exchange and amalgamate their holdings, and this took place in the time of Lord Latimer, and so Lord Latimer’s meadow, once in small pieces, lay together, and Lord Latimer’s tenant was party to the exchange “and for his better satisfaccion therein carried the one end of the lyne wherewith the [land] was measured”. Both Lord Latimer and Sir William Cornewallis gave their consent.
As to the enclosing of the common meadows in Bromham by Sir Lewis 40 years previously, defendant has heard that before the enclosure his father kept a great number of cattle in the common fields of Bromham, which since the enclosure he ceased to do. They have lately put stones to mark lands once Lord Latimers. He knows nothing of a supposed manor house and free fishing part of Lord Latimers manor. He believes freeholders rents come to about 3s ¾p.
As to ancient ways and passages in Bromham supposed to be stopped by Sir Lewis, he says that they were either no longer of use, or other more convenient ways were laid out.
As to the death bed directions supposed to have been made by Sir Lewis to bring controversies to an end, “The defendant sayth that his said father and his auncestors having beene as aforesaid for manie yeares owners of an auncient manor on Biddenham longe before the said William or anie of his auncestors had any manner there the said defendants father purchased certen lands in Biddenham, which the said William Butler was desireous to have had, whereupon the said William Butler to curbe the said defendants father, as he gave it oute, purchased the said Lord Latimer’s Land in Bromeham aforesaid, after which severall purchases, unkindnesses grewe both in speeches and accions ... which unkindnesses grewe to that heighte that after some affrays made amongst them a servant of this defendants fathers not longe before his death was slayne by some or one of the servants of the saide William Butler...”. After Sir Lewis’ death Sir John willingly submitted all disputes to mediation, and he thought everything had been settled, for by one deed of the arbitrators all the land late Lord Latimers except the meadow were let to Dive’s servants in trust at a rent of3s 4d per annum etc., but later William Boteler exhibited a bill in Chancery for finding out unknown lands and the truth concerning meadow exchanged, and the meadow book and witnesses were examined, but this has not yet been returned into chancery.
As to waste in Bromham and Biddenham, the defendant is chief lord in both towns, and the said Ward’s supposed manor in Biddenham which before the suppression belonged to the Abbey of Newnham, was held of the defendants manor in Biddenham. The Ward has no court leet in Biddenham, the late Queen, by right of the honour of Cloucester, had a court leet of all the residents upon any part of the fee of Gloucester within Biddenham, which she granted to William Haber and Richard Duffeild and they to Sir Lewis.
As to the aftermath of 1½ acres in Biddenham supposed to be parcel of glebe of parsonage, he takes the soil of ½ acre to be his own, and the rest the Lord St.John’s of Bletsoe, and the after pasture is eaten by the commoners in the fields in Biddenham, as is the after pasture of Kings Mead which the Ward holds inclosed in severalty all the yaer.
As to holding up the water at Dive’s mill, he knows nothing but if any water were held up, he himself would sustain far more damage than the Ward.
He has no documents about Lord Latimer’s lands.
Examination of Sir John Dive taken at Bedford June 1604:
Of the three ways into the common fields now enclosed “one of the aforesaid waies lyeth neere Lowens house now Warrinor of Bromeham, the other neere the vicaridge house the Third towards the Bridge ende”.
“He doth not knowe anie man to have anie lande in Bromeham but himself except such lands as were sometimes the Lord Latimers and lands that are Mr.Mordaunts and lands that are Rochells, and lands belonging to Eaton Colledge...”
“.. to the fowertenth Interrogatory this deponent sayth that his father did take in certen Lands that were auncient arable lands in Bromham for the which the Lord Latimers tenaunts had or might have had as he thinketh commons in the same inclosed lands...”
“.. to the Fiftenth Interrogatory this deponent sayth that he thinketh that his father did occupie somme of the late Lord Latimers Land with his owne and some he did let to his Farmours and Tenaunts but how much ot to whome he doth not well knowe”.
“ .. to the Seavententh Interrogatory this deponent sayth that he had one blacke booke in his custodie concerninge the said Lord Latimers Lande which he delivered to Lewis Lord Mordaunt who bought of Sir William Cornewallis the greater parte of the lande that was the Lord Latimers Land in the countie of Bedford but what the contents of the Booke was he doth not knowe..”.
Level of description
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