Scope and Content
Parties:
(i) Thomas Browne of Arlesey, esquire; Samuel Browne, gentleman, son and heir of Thomas;
(ii) Francis Saint John of Thorpe alias Long Thorpe [Northamptonshire], esquire (son and heir and surviving executor of Francis Saint John, late of Thorpe, esquire, deceased); Isaac Ewer of Lincoln’s Inn [Middlesex], esquire;
(iii) Oliver Saint John of Lincoln’s Inn, esquire; and John Holgate of Saint Andrew, Holborn [Middlesex], gentleman;
(iv) Mary Saint John, spinster, daughter of Francis Saint John, deceased
Reciting:
- intended marriage between Samuel Browne and (iv);
- (iv) was entitled to a portion of £3,000 in her father’s will
Operative Part:
- Francis Saint John would pay £3,000 to Thomas Browne [this portion of the deed is damaged and difficult to read];
(i) conveyed (a)-(ah) to (ii) for 10/-
Property:
(a) Manor of Little Berkford;
(b) advowson of Rectory of Little Barford;
(c) free fishing on the Great Ouse in Little Barford, Eaton Socon and Tempsford;
(d) site of the manor with appurtenances;
(e) Finnums Close of 10 acres of pasture;
(f) Forge Close of 4 acres of pasture;
(g) close of 4 acres of pasture adjoining the parsonage yard;
(h) Lamas Close of 3 acres of pasture;
(i) Midsummer Meadow of 9 acres;
(j) parcels of meadow containing 29 acres, 1 rood;
(k) 277 acres of arable in the common fields
(d)-(k) formerly in the occupation of Jasper Edwards
(l) tenement with adjoining close of 3 acres formerly in the occupation of Edward Thrassell, since Jasper Edwards;
(m) farmhouse with appurtenances containing 140 acres of arable, 10 acres of meadow and close of pasture of 3 acres adjoining the homestead in occupation of Richard Peck;
(n) farmhouse with appurtenances containing 76 acres of arable, 10 acres of meadow and two closes of pasture containing together 2 acres, 2 roods in occupation of Thomas Tingey;
(o) farmhouse and appurtenances containing 176 acres of arable, 15 acres of meadow and two closes of pasture containing 8 acres in occupation of Widow Harding;
(p) farmhouse with appurtenances containing 9 acres of ley, 3 roods of meadow and 2 acres of pasture formerly in the occupation of William Savile;
(q) messuage with close of 1 acre, 2 roods of pasture adjoining formerly in the occupation of Oliver, 2nd Earl of Bolingbroke;
(r) cottage and adjoining close formerly in the occupation of Thomas Wats;
(s) cottage and adjoining close of 2 roods formerly in the occupation of Richard Ady;
(t) cottage and adjoining close of 2 roods formerly in the occupation of Widow Tilly;
(u) cottage with adjoining close formerly in the occupation of Widow Alenson;
(v) nine cottages in occupation of John Collier, John Hookes, John Roods, John Peck, Anne Tilly, Widow Betham, James Bayley and Leonard Wright;
(w) quit rent of 13/4 issuing out of lands of Thomas Tingey;
(x) quit rent of 2/4 issuing out of lands of Ashcombe [Sir Oliver Ayshcombe?] in Little Barford and Eynesbury
(l)-(x) formerly in the occupation of John Fettiplace, Samuel Pain, Thomas Hooke, Thomas Pearse, Elizabeth Bayley, Benjamin Thorneley, Henry Tingey, Stephen Rawlins, Oliver Chewne and Edward Dean, now or late in occupation of Edward King, Thomas Tingey, John Emery, William Emery, Edward Peck, Richard Peck, John Dorrington, Thomas Watts, John Cobb, Thomas Eyser, William Emery, Henry Ireland, Leonard White, John Adams, James Bayley, John Elimone, Widow Collier, Widow Merrington, and Thomas Browne
(y) Manor of Astwick alias Estwick in Astwick, Stotfold, Langford and Arlesey with manor house and appurtenances;
(z) Elmors alias Elmolds Close with hopground and Holmes Close adjoining, in Stotfold, being lamas ground; Church Mead; The Springs, near Astwick parsonage; two closes called Coneygrees; Ten Acres Close; Seven Acres Close; Hill Close; Hallowell Close; Gallow Close; Butt Close; Heycocks Close; meadow called Wheeler’s Mead; close called Temple Lees; Bush Close; Little Townsend Close; Townsend Spring; H[igh? Text here defective] Close; closes called the Hempland; pightles next to the mill and south of the highway; Ball’s Close; Estwick’s Close; Kitts Butts; Irnns Close; Porke Mead;
(aa) 280 acres of arable in the common fields formerly in possession of Thomas Cockayne, gentleman;
(ab) advowson of Astwick Rectory;
(ac) cottages in Astwick formerly in the occupation of Anthony Keyford, John Keyford and William Surtle;
(ad) inn called Greyhound or New Inn in Astwick near the London Road formerly in the occupation of John Griggs with two closes of pasture belonging containing 4½ acres;
(ae) cottage formerly in the occupation of John Lovell with orchard and close of pasture of 2½ acres;
(af) 6 acres and ½ rood of arable in the common fields of Astwick
(y)-(af) formerly in the occupation of Thomas Greene, gentleman, William Rowland [other names obscured by worn text]
(ag) Rectory of Arlesey with all appurtenances except glebe;
(ah) adowson of Arlesey Vicarage
Habendum:
- to (ii) to the use of Thomas Browne until the marriage then, as to (b), (y) and (z) and advowson of Astwick, to the use of Thomas Browne for his life, remainder to Samuel Browne for his life, remainder to the use of (ii) during the life of Samuel Browne to preserve contingent remainders allowing Samuel Browne to receive rents and profits;
- as to (a) and (c)-(w) to the use of Samuel Browne for life, to the use of (ii) during the life of Samuel Browne in trust to preserve contingent remainders permitting Samuel Browne to take rents and profits, then on the death of Samuel Browne to the use of (iv) for her life as her jointure to bar dower, to the use of issue of Samuel and Mary Browne, to the use of (iii) for 100 years, to the use of the first son of Samuel Browne and (iv) and his heirs male, in default to the second son of Samuel Browne and (iv) and so one in turn, in default of male issue to the use of (ii) for 200 years, remainder to the male heirs of Samuel Browne, remainder to John, second son of Thomas Browne and his heirs male, in default to the use of Thomas, third son of Thomas Browne and his heirs male, in default to the use of Thomas Browne the father for ever;
- (iii) to raise money from (a)-(z) as portion for any child who was not heir as directed by Samuel Browne, otherwise £1,500 if only one child was not heir, or, if more than one child was not heir then £1,000 for each such child; also to levy sums as maintenance for each child not the heir during their childhood;
- if Samuel Browne and (iv) had only daughters then (ii) were to raise £3,000 from (a)-(z) as portion for one daughter or £4,000 if more than one to be divided equally between them as well as paying for their maintenance in childhood
Witnesses:
- J Pedley;
- Robert Bamford;
- H Eason;
- John Doone;
- J Ewer;
- Isaac Malleson;
- Mell Green