Inquisitions: 1577

INQUISITIONS OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.

John Tatton, Citizen and Clothier.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 20 May, 19 Eliz. [1577], before John Langley, Knight, Mayor and escheator, after the death of John Tatton, citizen and clothier of London, by the oath of John Haddon, Robert Dickenson, John Harrison, John Keblewhighte, Arthur Rainscrofte, Thomas Russell, William Armesby, John Jackson, Richard Smith, William Povye, John Crowche, William Layer, John Wilde, Thomas Eliotte, John Richardes and Edward Owen, who say that

John Tatton was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 messuage, now in the tenure of Hugh Full, and 1 shop also in the tenure of the said Hugh, situate in Birchenlane in the parish of St. Edmund in Lumbardstreate, London; 4 messuages lying together with shops and other buildings now or sometime parcel of the said messuages, now in the several tenures of Richard Marriatte, John Godfrey, Robert Goodwin and Alice Crasten situate in Birchen lane in the said parish; 2 messuages lying together at the corner of Birchenlane towards the highway called Cornhill in the parish of St. Michael upon Cornhill aforesaid with all shops, &c., now in the several tenures of Dorothy Tatton, widow, and John Stanley, and 2 messuages in the parish of St. Olave in Old Jewry, London, now in the tenure of Edmund Syvedale.

All the said premises in Birchenlane in the said parish of St. Edmund are held of the Queen, by fealty only, in free burgage, and not in chief, and are worth per arm., clear, £30. The 2 messuages at the corner of Birchenlane towards Cornhill in the parish of St. Michael are held of the Queen in free burgage, and are worth per ann., over and above 6s. 8d. paid yearly to the Dean and Chapter of the College of Westminster, £9 13s. 4d. The messuages in the said parish of St. Olave are held of the Queen in free burgage, and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £4.

John Tatton died 7 March, 19 Eliz. [1577], Thomas Tatton, gent., is his brother and next heir, and was then aged 40 years and more.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 19 Eliz., part 2, No. 32.

Alice Leighe, Widow.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 11 July, 19 Eliz. [1577], before John Langley, Knight, Mayor and escheator, after the death of Alice Leighe, of London, widow, by the oath of John Haddon, Robert Dickenson, John Harrison, John Kebelwhite, Robert Langwith, George Gynne, Thomas Russell, Thomas Hackett, John Jackson, Richard Smyth, William Povie, John Crowche, William Layer, Thomas Elyot, John Rickardes, Anthony Barbor and John Stodderde, who say that

Alice Leigh was seised in her demesne as of fee of 2 messuages situate in Chauncery Lane in the parish of Si. Dunstan in the West, London, now in the several tenures of Thomas Scyson, salter, and William Barryngton; 2 messuages lying in the street of Fleetstreete in the said parish, now in the tenure of Thomas Modisley and Thomas Cartewrighte, and so seised, the said Alice made her will [here given in English] as follows:

I give to Elizabeth my daughter my messuage in Chauncery Lane in the parish of St. Dunstane in the West, in the suburbs of the City of London, now or late in the tenure of one Thomas Barryngton: to hold to her and the heirs of her body; for default, the same to remain to my daughters Anne, Margaret and Alice, and the heirs of their bodies; and for default, I give the same to my son Edward Leigh and his heirs for ever.

I give to Anne my said daughter the reversion of my messuage in Chauncery Lane, which I have granted to Margery Robertes, now the wife of John Robertes, by the name of Margery Nycolson for her life, she yielding yearly to me 1 peppercorn if demanded: which said messuage was late in the occupation of [—] Russell, and is now in that of Thomas Sysonne: to hold to her and the heirs of her body; for default, the same to remain to my said daughters Elisabeth, Margaret and Alyce and the heirs of their bodies; and for default, to my said son Edward Leighe and his heirs for ever.

I give to my said daughter Margaret my house in Fletestrete, now or late in the tenure of Thomas Modisley: to hold to her and the heirs of her body; for default, the same to remain to my said daughters Elizabeth, Anne and Alyce and to the heirs of their bodies; and for default, to my said son Edward Leighe and his heirs for ever.

I give to Alyce my youngest daughter my house in Fletestreete, now or late in the tenure of Thomas Cartwright: to hold to her and the heirs of her body; for default, the same to remain to my said daughters Elizabeth, Anne and Margaret and the heirs of their bodies; and for default, to my said son Edward and his heirs for ever, as by the said will dated 20 November, 19 Eliz. [1576] more fully appears.

The said 2 messuages in Chancery Lane are held of the Queen in chief, by knight's service, but by what part of a knight's fee the jurors do not know, and they are worth per ann., clear, 40s. The said 2 messuages in Fletestrete in the suburbs of London are held of the Queen as of her manor of East Greenwich in co. Kent, by fealty only, in free socage, and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £6.

Alice Leighe died 13 January, 19 Eliz. [1577]; Edward Leighe is her only son and next heir, and on the 5th day of November last was aged 16 years. The wardship of the body and the marriage of the said Edward were in the hands of the said Queen long before the death of the said Alice Leighe and now are by reason of the death and tenure of the lands and tenements of a certain Henry Leighe, grandfather, of the said Edward deceased, which are held in chief by knight's service, and which were committed to the said Alice in her lifetime by Letters Patent dated 19 April, 12 Eliz. [1570].

Chan. Inq. p. m., 19 Eliz., part 2, No. 37.

William Spenser, Gentleman.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 10 December, 19 Eliz. [1576], before Philip Skudamore, esq., Thomas Holcroft, gent., and William Necton, gent., feodary, after the death of William Spencer, of London, gent., by the oath of Humphrey Browne, Thomas Hunt, Richard Hewson, Oliver Skynner, Edmond Puckell, John Collett, Oliver Swayne, William Lewson, Thomas Wiggens, George Cloughe, William Barker, Richard Bell, Nicholas Atkyns, Thomas Russell, Thomas Ellyot and William Layer, who say that

William Spenser was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 messuage and 1 garden thereto adjoining in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle within the City of London; and so seised, by Charter dated 29 November, 1 and 2 Philip and Mary [1554] granted to George Ogglander, gent., and Thomas Spenser, gent., the said messuage and garden then in the tenure of George Spenser another of the brothers of the said William: to hold to them and their heirs for ever, to the use of the said William Spenser and Mary then his wife for their lives; and after their decease, to the use of the heirs of the body of the said William; for default, to the use of the said Thomas Spenser and the heirs of his body; for default, to the use of the said George Spenser and the heirs of his body; and for default, to the use of the right heirs of the said William for ever. The said messuage and garden are held of the Queen in chief, by knight's service, but by what part of a knight's fee the jurors do not know, and by the payment of 3s. 8d. by the year in the name of tithe, and are worth per ann., clear, £4.

William Spenser died 18 May, 1 Eliz. [1557]; William Spenser, junior, is his son and next heir, and was then aged 1 day.

The said Mary still survives at Sibston in co. Huntingdon, and she took for 8 years and Stephen Cardinall, deceased, took for 9 years the profits of the said premises after the death of the said William Spenser.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 19 Eliz., part 2, No. 42.

Stephen Woodroffe, Merchant.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 15 January, 19 Eliz. [1577], before Thomas Fanshawe, esq., Peter Osbourne, esq., and William Necton, gent., feodary, after the death of Stephen Woodroffe, merchant, by the oath of John Haddon, Robert Dickenson, John Keblewhite, Arthur Rainescrofte, John Jennyns, Anthony Garrett, Thomas Bromeley, Thomas Hackett, William Ermesbie, John Jackson, George Gynne, John Crouche, William Povie, John Wylde, Griffyn Jones, John Stoddard and Thomas Elyott, who say that

Stephen Woodroffe was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 capital messuage called Rengedhall, in which Thomas Mildmaie, esq., deceased, dwelt, situate in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in the ward of St. Martin in the Vintry, London; 3 small tenements adjoining the said capital house, in which John Alleyn, Michael Hodson and Rose Spurrier dwelt; and 1 garden and stable lying in the parish of Holy Trinity in the said ward, and adjoining, at the back, the said capital house: all which said premises the said Stephen Woodroffe purchased to him and his heirs for ever of James Croftes, Knight, as by his deed enrolled in the Court of Chancery, dated 16 February, 14 Eliz. [1572], more fully appears.

So seised, the said Stephen Woodroffe made his will 20 April, 1576, whereby he bequeathed as follows [here given in English]: I give to my wife Brydgett Woodroffe for her life my dwelling house at St. Albones, with my house purchased of John Compborte, and my house called the Flower Delewce; and afterwards the same to remain to my son Christopher Woodroffe and his heirs for ever. I give also to my said son my house at St. Thomas the Apostles and my land lying in Kentish Town.

All the said premises are held of the Queen in chief by the service of the 40th part of a knight's fee, and are worth per ann., clear, £4 6s. 8d.

Stephen Woodroffe died 30 November last past; the said Christopher Woodroffe is his son and next heir, and on the 8th day of March last was aged 8 years.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 19 Eliz., part 2, No. 43.