Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 190

Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 12, Edward III. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1938.

Citation:

M. C. B. Dawes, J. B. W. Chapman, 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 190', in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 12, Edward III( London, 1938), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/inquis-post-mortem/vol12/pp75-79 [accessed 3 December 2024].

Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 190


96.	WILLIAM SON AND HEIR OF WILLIAM DE SEPTVANS, knight.
	Commission to John de Cobeham of Kent, Thomas de Lodelowe and William Waure to enquire as to the age of the said heir, the proof of his age made before the escheator being erroneous; and, if it be found that he is still a minor, to ascertain by whom the previous proof was made and by whose procurement, imagination and information, who has been in possession of his lands since the said proof, in whose company the heir has been and by whom he has been counselled and led, what waste and destruction has been done in the said lands, and what profit the king has lost by reason of the incorrect proof of age. Russhyndon in the isle of Shepeye, 13 April, 40 Edward III. By letter of the seal called ‘le signet.’
	Writ of venire facias to the sheriff of Kent to provide a jury of knights and others for the said commissioners. Russhyndon in the isle of Shepeye, 13 April, 40 Edward III.
	Precept of John de Cobham, Thomas de Lodelowe and their fellows, justices, to the sheriff of Kent to provide a jury of twenty-four knights and others on Tuesday before St. George at Canterbury. London, 15 April. Panel of twenty-one (twelve of whom are noted as jurors), and their pledges.
KENT.	Inq. taken at Canterbury, Tuesday before St. George, 40 Edward III.
	Jurors, John de Northwode, knight, Thomas Apuldrefeld, knight, Thomas Chicche, knight, Richard atte Lese, knight, John de Brokhull, knight, John Barry, William Apuldrefeld, Thomas Colpepir, Henry Apuldrefeld, the elder, Henry Anger, Fulk Payforer and Geoffrey Colpepir. The said heir will be 20 years of age and no more on the feast of St. Augustine the Doctor next. Twelve men whose names are attached to this inquisition were summoned to be before the escheator, John de Tye, at Canterbury on a certain day now past, to prove the age of the heir, and three of them, Alexander Raven, John Pykeryng and Thomas Ropere, were not sworn, so that the proof of age was not duly or lawfully made, as the jurors understand. William de Chirchehull, clerk, was the first to procure and suggest to the said heir at Canterbury that he should sue to have his lands &c. out of the king’s hand and prove his age; and after the return of the inquisition de etate probanda the said William de Chirchehull and Luke de Whetyndon sued to have the said lands &c. out of the king’s hand, the said Luke being retained as counsel of the said heir. The said heir had a moiety of the manor of Aldyngton, and also certain marshes called ‘Lokelyng’ and ‘Herlyng’ in Ywade, of which he was in possession from the time when the king removed his hand until Christmas, 38 Edward III, when he enfeoffed thereof John Gower and his heirs in return for 80 marks. The latter has had possession since then and received the issues. The manor contains a wood worth 100l. to sell. William de Chirchehull was the first to procure &c. the suing out of the king’s hand of the manor of Melton and a messuage in Canterbury, and after the inquisition &c. he and Luke de Whetyndon sued this manor and messuage, as well as 10l. rent in Litelebourne and Welle, out of the king’s hand. Afterwards, on Michaelmas day, 39 Edward III, at the order of Sir Nicholas de Loveyne, the said heir, by virtue of a covenant made between him and the same Nicholas, enfeoffed Walter de Multon and Richard de Sugworth, chaplains, and Richard Maufe, all servants of Nicholas, of the said manor and rent to the use of Nicholas, by virtue of which feoffment the said Walter, Richard and Richard have had possession of the manor until now and have received the issues &c. to the use of Nicholas, and the heir has continuously remained in possession of the rent of 10l. The said heir also had the manor of Promhill by gift and feoffment of Richard de Alesle, rector of the church of Hariettesham. It is charged with a yearly rent of 10l. to John Septvans for his life, and is held of the archbishop of Canterbury. This manor the heir alienated to the aforesaid Walter, Richard and Richard for the use of the said Nicholas. After the aforesaid feoffment made to John Gower, the heir continually dwelt in the company of Richard de Hurst and the said John Gower, at Canterbury and elsewhere, until Michaelmas last, and during that whole time he was led and counselled by them to alienate his lands &c. From Michaelmas last until the feast of St. Gregory last he dwelt with the aforesaid Nicholas Loveyne at Penesherst and elsewhere, and during that time was led and counselled by the said Nicholas, and by the aforesaid Walter, Richard and Richard Maufe, to alienate his lands &c. There is no waste. Simon de Burgh, at his own suit, caused himself to be retained with the said heir as of his counsel, and made the heir grant a yearly rent of 10l. to him and his heirs out of the manor of Melton by a writing. The writing was delivered to Richard de Hurst to keep at the wish of the said heir, and was afterwards delivered by Richard to the said Simon against the wish of the heir. [Schedule.] Evidences (in French) by which the jurors know that the child is under age. Many of the knights and esquires of the jury were with the earl of Huntyngdon when the king was at Came and the earl with him, at the time when the count of Ew and the chamberlain Tankervyle were taken and sent into England. And at that time the earl of Huntyngdon returned to England to be cured of a sickness, and Sir William de Septvauns, the child’s father, who was of the earl’s company, returned with him. They found Sir William’s wife, the child’s mother, great with child. The earl went away to Popeler to stay there and have his medicines near London, and made the countess remain at Preston to be godmother to the child when it should be born. The child was born on the day of St. Augustine the Doctor next following, and the abbot of St. Augustine’s, predecessor of the present abbot, and Sir Thomas de Aldon, the elder, were his godfathers, the countess being his godmother. Soon afterwards the earl was cured and returned beyond sea to the siege of Calais, and Sir William with him; and Sir William told his companions, knights and esquires on this jury, how that since he left them he had had a son. Moreover, William abbot of St. Augustine’s, the child’s godfather, died within a month after the baptism, and the licence to elect a successor to him was applied for at once and is dated in the king’s twentieth year. Moreover, there is a certain Sir John Frebodi, parson of the church of Bocton, who was treasurer to Sir Thomas de Aldon, the child’s second godfather; and in his account it appears that he delivered to his lord and master a cup and ewer of silver to be given to the child, and that the gift was made on the morrow of St. Augustine, 20 Edward III. [Schedule.] List of the jurors of the original proof of age of the said heir. Memorandum that, upon this inquisition &c. being read and examined in the Parliament held on the morrow of the Invention of the Holy Cross, 40 Edward III, the heir himself being present, it appeared to the prelates, magnates and commonalty that he was not of full age. It was therefore resolved that the proof of his age should be of none effect, that his lands should be taken back into the king’s hands, that all bonds &c. made by him should be annulled, and that process should be made by writs of scire facias against all persons to whom he had alienated any lands &c. of his inheritance since the proof of his age.
	Writ of certiorari to Fulk Horewod, mayor of the staple of Westminster, touching the tenor of all recognisances and bonds of the staple made before him by the said heir. 10 May, 40 Edward III.
	Return. The said heir came before John Pyel, mayor of the said staple, on 22 June, 39 Edward III, and acknowledged himself bound to John Gouwer in 60l. to be paid at All Saints then next following. He also came before Fulk de Horwood, the present mayor, on 27 September in the same year, and acknowledged himself bound to Nicholas de Lovaygne, knight, in 1000l. to be paid at Easter then next following.
	Writ of scire facias to the sheriff of Sussex, ordering him to warn Richard Herst and Joan his wife, to whom the said heir, after proof of his age, granted the manor of Morhalle with lands &c. in Nemnefeld, Wertelyngge and Hoo, to be in the Chancery on the octave of Trinity next to shew cause why the said grant should not be annulled in accordance with the above decision in Parliament. 12 May, 40 Edward III.
	Endorsed: Certificate by the sheriff that he gave notice to Richard and Joan by Thomas Hunte and Richard Clerk. Second endorsement: They, being called, did not appear, so that it was awarded that the grant should be annulled and the mesne profits answered for to the king.
	Similar writ to the sheriff of Essex with regard to William de Boudon, chaplain, to whom the said heir granted the manor of Wyghebergh and a yearly rent of 10l. from all his lands in Essex. 12 May, 40 Edward III.
	Endorsements: Certificates of notice given by Thomas Whitheved and Stephen Bampton, and of judgement of court as above.
	Similar writ to the sheriff of Essex with regard to Robert de Denton, chaplain, to whom the said heir granted a yearly rent of 10l. from all his lands in Essex. 12 May, 40 Edward III.
	Endorsements: Certificates of notice given by John Everard and Stephen Bampton, and of judgement of court as above.
	Similar writ to the sheriff of Kent with regard to John Gower, to whom the said heir granted the manor of Aldyngton, with rents of 14s. 6d., a cock, 13 hens and 140 eggs in Maplescomp and the homages and services of the tenants from whom the same are due, and a yearly rent of 10l. from the manor of Wygebergh and all his lands in Essex. 12 May, 40 Edward III.
	Endorsements: Certificates of notice given by John Northbourne and Robert Sare, and of judgement of court as above.
	Similar writ to the sheriff of Kent with regard to John Gower, to whom the said heir, on 22 June, 39 Edward III, before John Pyel, then mayor of the staple of Westminster, bound himself in 60l. 15 July, 40 Edward III.
	Endorsements: Certificates of notice given by Richard Smyth and Thomas Stafford, and of judgement of court that the recognisance be annulled.
	Similar writ to the sheriff of Kent with regard to Nicholas de Lovayne, knight, to whom the said heir, on 26 September last, before Fulk Horewod, mayor of the staple of Westminster, bound himself in 1000l. 15 July, 40 Edward III.
	Endorsements: Certificates of notice given by Walter de Wy and William Benge, and of judgement of court that the recognisance be annulled. Two copies of the commission to John de Cobeham and others, their inquisition, the evidences as to the age of the heir, and the decision in Parliament. (fn. 1)
	C. Edw. III. File 190. (whole file.)