Inquisitions: 1591

John Withers, Citizen and Merchant-tailor.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 27 October, 33 Eliz. [1591], before Rowland Hayward, knight, Mayor and escheator, after the death of John Withers, citizen and merchant tailor of London, by the oath of Robert Dickenson, Thomas Russell, John Harrison, William Harvie, William Crowche, John Thomson, John Bond, James Robinson, John Stevyns, George Robertes,Edward Pyllesworthe, Hugh Ingram, Nicholas Hawkesford, Thomas Wigge, Christopher Dickenson, Robert Saunders, John Langley and Peter Noxon, who say that

John Withers was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 messuage lying in the street called Cornehill in the parish of St. Nicholas in Cornehill, wherein he then dwelt; 1 other messuage situate at the end of a certain lane called Finckes Lane towards Cornehill in the said parish of St. Nicholas, to the said messuage adjoining late in the tenure of John Dudley, and now in that of a certain Adven' (stranger); and 1 cellar lying in the said Fynckes Lane now or late in the tenure of Nicholas Abraham merchant tailor; with all the houses, gardens, shops, &c., to the said messuages belonging.

The said John Withers was likewise seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 messuage, curtilage and barn situate in the parish of Holy Trinity in Guildford in co. Surrey between the high street of Guildford on the south, the tenement formerly belonging to the chantry of the said parish of Holy Trinity and now the tenement of Nicholas Smalepeece on the west, and the tenement formerly of Nicholas Jennyns and now of Henry Bedells on the north and east, now or late in the tenure of John Sackvile, which he purchased to him and his heirs of John Tofte of Chillworth in the said county, gent.

So seised, the said John made his will 3 October, 1589, 31 Eliz. [1589] as follows [here given in English]: I give to my son Edward and his heirs for ever the messuage wherein I now dwell in Cornhill.

To my son John and his heirs for ever I give my messuage now in the occupation of a certain Straunger, my tenement adjoining my now dwelling house at the corner of Fynckes Lane, together with a cellar in Fynckes Lane now in the occupation of Nicholas Abraham, merchant tailor.

To my son Stephen Withers and his heirs for ever I give my messuage now in the tenure of John Sackvile, my father-in-law, situate in Guildford in co. Surrey.

I will that Joan my wife shall during the minority of my said children have and enjoy all my said lands and tenements, she paying to my said children the yearly rents hereafter mentioned, to wit, to the said Edward the yearly rent of £10, to the said John £5, and to the said Stephen £3.

Immediately after the death of the said John Withers the said Joan the relict and John Sackvile, father of the said Joan, entered into all the said premises and took the profits thereof to the use of the said will.

The tenement lying in Cornhill is held of the Queen by fealty only in free burgage and not in chief, and is worth per ann., clear, £5. The tenement and cellar in Fynckes Lane are held of the Queen by fealty only in free burgage and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £3. The tenement, curtilage and barn in Guildford in co. Surrey are held in free burgage of the borough of Guildford, and are worth per ann., clear, 20s.

John Withers died 15 October, 31 Eliz.; Edward Withers is his son and next heir, and was then aged 10 years.

Chan. Inq. p. m., Ser. 2, vol. 228, No. 67.

Edmond Hills, Citizen and Woodmonger.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 27 October, 33 Eliz. [1591], before Rowland Hayward, knight, Mayor and escheator, after the death of Edmond Hills, citizen and woodmonger of London, by the oath of Robert Dickenson, Thomas Russell, John Harrison, William Harvy, John Stevyns, William Crowche, John Tompson, John Bond, James Robinson, George Robertes, Edmund Pilsworth, Hugh Ingram, Nicholas Hawkesford, Thomas Wigg, Christopher Dickenson, Robert Saunders, John Langley and Peter Noxon, who say that

Edmond Hills was seised in his demesne as of fee of 13 messuages situate in Holborne and Fewter Lane, one whereof is called the White Horse, late in the several tenures of Alban Leverett, John Harryson, John Cawston, William Preston, Richard Barker, Thomas Buttes, Cuthbert Proctor, Hugh Evans and Thomas Wells; 1 other capital messuage, house and tenement lying in Fewter Lane in the suburbs of the City of London on the east part of the said lane with 1 garden which was formerly 4 gardens to the said capital messuage belonging, which formerly were in the tenure of Edmund Bridges, knight, Lord Shandos, and late in that of Edward Ferrers: which said premises last recited the said Edmond Hills purchased to him and his heirs of William Lambe of London, gent.; 2 other messuages lying within the site and precinct of the late house of the Carmelite Brothers of London lately dissolved, late in the tenure of Richard Page and Elizabeth his wife, which he purchased to him and his heirs of John Bacon, gent.: also 3 messuages lying in a certain street called Adlingstreet in the parish of St. Andrew in the ward of Castle Baynard, London, late in the tenures of Thomas Rose, Christopher Wytton and Henry Adnett.

So seised, the said Edmond Hills made his will 24 February, 1587, as follows [here given in English]: I give to Humphrey Hills my eldest son 8 of my houses in Fetter Lane at the south end of my houses in the parish of St. Dunstan in the West in Fewter Lane on the street side: to hold for his life.

To Richard Hills my second son I give all my houses in the White Fryers in Fleet street for life: if the said houses happen to be "evicted and caried away by Lawe" at the costs of my heir, then my son Richard shall have £20 a year out of all my lands.

To Sylvius Hills my 4th son I give for his life 6 of my houses in Fewter Lane at the north end on the street side, now in the hands of Mr. John Lovden, George Pett, Mr. Anthony Dewe, Mrs. Margarett Steward, Thomas Besey and Mr. Thomas Goode.

I give to John Hills my 5th son my 3 houses in Adlingstreet, London, now in the hands of Mr. Anthony Hall, John Wynditt and Robert Bigges: to hold for his life.

The reversion of all my said lands so bequeathed to my said children and all other my lands which I hold in fee simple wheresoever they may be I give to Edmond Hills my 3rd son and to the heirs male of his body; for default, to Silvius Hills my 4th son and to the heirs male of his body; for default, to John Hills my 5th son and the heirs male of his body; for default, to Humphrey Hills my eldest son and to the heirs male of his body; for default, to Richard Hills my 2nd son and the heirs male of his body; for default to the heirs general by me lawfully begotten; for default, the said lands and tenements to return to me and my heirs for ever.

The said 13 messuages lying in Fetter Lane in Holborn 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, £10. The capital messuage in Fetter Lane and the garden adjoining are held of the Queen as of her said manor of East Greenwick by fealty only in free socage and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, 40 marks. The 2 tenements lying within the precinct of the late House of the Carmelite Brothers of London are held in free burgage of the City of London by fealty only and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £14. The 3 messuages in Adling street are held of the Queen by fealty only in free burgage or socage of the City of London and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £6.

Edmond Hills died 2 March, 30 Eliz. [1588]; Humphrey Hills is his son and next heir and was then aged 20 years and more.

Chan. Inq. p. m., Ser. 2, vol. 228, No. 79.

Anthony Walker, Gentleman.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 27 January, 33 Eliz. [1591], before John Allotte, Mayor and escheator, after the death of Anthony Walker, gent., by the oath of Robert Dickenson, Thomas Russell, Thomas Sewell, John Harrison, John Stevens, James Robinson, John Thomson, William Feake, William Crowche, Edward Pillesworthe, John Jackson, Edward Swayne, Hugh Ingram, Arthur Wrighte, Robert Sanders, Christopher Dickenson and Francis Wotton, who say that

Anthony Walker was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 mansion house wherein Richard Brookeman, gent., now lives or lately dwelt, lying within the close of St. Bartholomew the Great, London; 13 messuages with all the gardens, buildings, &c., thereto belonging lying in a certain lane called Billiter Lane in the parish of St. Katherine Christchurch alias Crechurch, London; 1 capital messuage lying in the parish of St. Martin Organ alias Orgar, London, now or late in the tenure of Anthony Throckmorton; 1 messuage lying in a certain street called St. Martin's Lane in the said parish of St. Martin Orgar, now or late in the tenure of John Hawes; 1 capital messuage lying in a certain street called Botolph's Lane next Eastcheap in the parish of St. George the Less, London, formerly in the tenure of Dame Blanche Forman; 5 messuages in the parish of St. Gregory in the ward of Castell Baynard, London, now or late in the tenure of Elizabeth Kennette, John Farrington, William Lobleye, John Hasillwoode and John Benton; all those messuages late of William Slywright lying in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene in Barmondseye in cos. Surrey and Kent; all that capital messuage and 1 orchard and 1 garden thereto adjoining wherein Richard Holte lately dwelt lying in Batterseye in co. Surrey; and divers lands, tenements, fisheries and hereditaments in Battersey in co. Surrey lately occupied by the said Anthony Walker.

So seised, the said Anthony Walker made his will 14 February, 1589, as follows [here given in English]: I give to my son William Walker and his heirs for ever all my messuages, lands and tenements both freehold and copyhold lying in the parish of Batrichseye alias Batterseye; also all my lands, messuages and tenements whatsoever lying in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen in Barmondsey in Southwark; also all my messuages, lands, &c., lying in the City of London and the suburbs thereof, viz., in Pater Noster Row, and in the parishes of St. Gregory, St. Martin Orgar, St. George the Less in Botolphe Lane near Eastcheap, in the parish of St. Katherine Crichurch in Billiter Lane, and in the close or courtyard of Great St. Bartholomews in West Smithfield, London: to hold to the said William and the heirs male of his body; for default, the same to remain to my son Thomas Walker and the heirs male of his body; and for default, the said lands to remain to my daughters and their heirs for ever.

The said Anthony Walker was likewise seised of a certain manor called Fawnes in Estebedfonte in co. Middlesex; 1 capital messuage and divers lands, meadows and pastures now or late in the tenure of Thomas Fox, lying in Depteforde alias Westegrenewiche in co. Kent; 1 other messuage in Depteforde aforesaid now or late in the tenure of Richard Wotton, tanner; 1 other messuage now divided into 4 small tenements in Deptforde aforesaid; 1 other messuage called le Blewe Bore lying in the parish of St. Michael Cornhill, London, now or late in the tenure of George Smith; 1 messuage in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in London, now or late in the tenure of Roger Abdye; 1 other messuage in the said parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, now or late in the tenure of William Taylor; 1 messuage in the parish of St. Olave in the borough of Southwark in co. Surrey now or late in the tenure of John Wheeler; and 1 other messuage in the said parish of St. Olave, now or late in the tenure of George Joyner.

So seised, the said Anthony Walker by indenture dated 6 May, 25 Eliz, [1583], for the love which he bore towards Thomas Walker his eldest son and his other children, and also in consideration of a marriage to be solemnized between the said Thomas Walker and a certain Joan Moore daughter of John Moore of the town of Ipswich in co. Suffolk, merchant, agreed with a certain Thomas Taylor, citizen and grocer of London, and Robert Tyas of London, gent., and their heirs that if the said Thomas Walker should marry the said Joan Moore between the date of the said indenture and the feast of St. James the Apostle then next following, that then and from thenceforth the said Anthony Walker and his heirs should be seised of the said premises to the use of the said Thomas Walker and Joan Moore and the heirs of their bodies; for default, to the use of the said Thomas and the heirs of his body; for default; to the use of William Walker, one of the other sons of the said Anthony and the heirs of his body; and for default, to the use of the right heirs of the said Anthony for ever.

The said Anthony Walker was likewise seised in his demesne as of fee of 4 messuages in the said parish of St. Olave in the borough of Southwark now or late in the several tenures of Anne Begley, widow, William Frith, John Cowborowe and Robert Bodham and Margaret his wife; 1 other messuage in the said borough of Southwark in the parish of St. Olave called le Flower de Luce, now or late in the tenure of Peter Alderiche; 2 other messuages in the parish of St. Saviour in the borough of Southwark, one whereof is called le White Lyon in the several tenures of Arthur Bulman and Anne Thomas, widow, and the other messuage there is called le Rose and now is or late was in the tenure of Thomas Jaques.

So seised, the said Anthony Walker by indenture dated 6 May, 25 Eliz. [1583], agreed with the said Thomas Taylor and Robert Tyas for the considerations aforesaid that he after the solemnization of the said marriage would be seised of the said premises last recited to the use of him the said Anthony for his life; after his decease, to the use of the said Thomas Walker and the heirs of his body; for default, to the use of the said William Walker and the heirs of his body; and for default, to the use of the right heirs of the said Anthony Walker for ever.

The said marriage was afterwards had and solemnized.

Of whom or by what service the said mansion wherein the said Richard Brookeman lived in the said parish of St. Bartholomew and the 13 messuages in Billiter Lane are held the jurors know not: they are worth per ann., clear, 33s. 4d. The said messuages in the tenure of Anthony Throkmorton, John Hawes and Dame Blanche Forman lying in the said parishes of St. Martin Orgar and St. George next Eastcheap are held of the Queen in chief by knight's service, but by what part of a knight's fee they know not, and are worth per ann., clear, £4 1s. 8d. The 5 messuages in the parish of St. Gregory are held of the Queen in free burgage and are worth per ann., clear, £8. The premises late of William Sliwright in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene in Bermondsey are held of the Queen in chief by knight's service, and are worth per ann., clear, 30s. The premises in Battersey are held of the Queen as of her manor of Battersey in socage by the yearly rent of 7s. 3½d., and are worth per ann., clear, £3.

The manor called Fawnes in Eastebedfonte is held of the lately dissolved monastery of Hunslowe in socage, and is worth per ann., clear, £7 1s. 8d. The premises in Deptforde are held of the Queen in free and common socage by the yearly rent of 6s. 6d., and are worth per ann., clear, £8. The messuage called le Blewe Bore in the parish of St. Michael in Cornhill and the messuages in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle are held of the Queen in free and common burgage, and are worth per ann., clear, £8. The premises in the parishes of St. Olave in Southwark and St. Saviour in Southwark are held of the Queen in free socage and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £13 7s. 4d. The messuage in the tenure of Thomas Jaques is held of the borough of Southwark by the yearly rent of 4d., and is worth per ann., clear, 20s.

Anthony Walker died 11 May last past; Thomas Walker is his son and next heir and was then aged 32 years and more.

Chan. Inq. p. m., Ser. 2, vol. 230, No. 29.

John Marcant, Gentleman.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 18 February, 33 Eliz. [1591], before John Allott, Mayor and escheator, after the death of John Marcant, gent., by the oath of Robert Dickenson, Thomas Seawell, John Harrison, William Harvie, John Stephens, James Robinson, William Crowche, Edwards Pilsworthe, George Robertes, Peter Noxon, Hugh Ingram, Robert Saunders, Thomas Wigges, John Dapon, Christopher Dickenson and Francis Wotton, who say that

John Marcant was seised in his demesne as of fee of divers messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments lying in the parish of St. Martin in the Vintrey, whereof 1 now is or late was a Dyehouse formerly in the tenure of William Calverley, and now or late in the several tenures of Robert Swanne and Edward Balye: in whose tenures the residue of the premises now is the jurors know not. All the said premises are held in chief by knight's service, but by what part of a knight's fee the jurors know not: they are worth per ann., clear, £6 13s. 4d.

On what day or in what year the said John Marcant died the jurors know not: Edmund Marcante is his son and next heir, but of what age he was when his father died is not known.

Chan. Inq. p. m., Ser. 2, vol. 230, No. 44.

John Hillar.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 27 October, 33 Eliz. [1591], before Rowland Heyward, knight, Mayor and escheator, after the death of John Hillar late citizen and goldsmith of London, by the oath of Robert Dickinson, Thomas Russell, John Harrison, William Harvy, John Stevens, William Crowche, John Tomson, John Bondo, James Robinson, George Robertes, Edward Pilsworthe, Hugh Ingram, Nicholas Hawkesworth, Thomas Wigge, Christopher Dickinson, Robert Sanders, John Langley and Peter Noxon, who say that

John Hillar and Katherine his wife were seised to them and the heirs of their bodies of all that messuage and brewhouse called le Flower de Luce with all the houses, buildings, stables, &c., thereto belonging lying in Golding layne in the parish of St. Giles without Creplegate, London: which said John and Katherine had issue Robert Hillar and Elizabeth Hillar.

The said John survived the said Katherine.

The said John Hillar was seised in his demesne as of fee of 7 gardens lying on the west side of a certain lane called Golding Lane in co. Middlesex now or late in the several tenures of Robert Alison, Thomas Preiste, Hugh Parker, John Heathe, John Simpson, Gregory Patricke and William Clarke; and 6 messuages in Redcrosstreate in the said parish of St. Giles now or late in the several tenures of Katharine Hyllar, Humphrey Cotton, Hugh Parker, Francis Fryer, Ellen Wotton, widow, Francis Terrell, gent., and [blank] Johnson, gent.

So seised, the said John Hyllar made his will the last day of April, 33 Eliz. [1591], as follows [here given in English]: I give to William Wood and Thomas Robinson my daughter's sons and to their heirs for ever all those my gardens or garden plots on the west side of Golding Lane in the parish of St. Giles.

To Robert Hyllyar my son for his life 1 give my messuage or brewhouse called the sign of the Flower de Luce lying in Gouldinge Lane, now in the tenure of Robert Allyson, brewer; and after his decease the remainder thereof to the issue of his body; for default, I will that the reversion thereof shall remain to the maintenance of the poor distressed people inhabiting within the freedom of the City of London in the said parish of St. Giles without Creplegate for ever, and the lease of the said messuage and brewhouse shall from time to time be made by the good advice of the parson and Churchwardens of the same parish of St. Giles, the deputy of the said ward without the gate and of the most part of the "Auncienstes and discretestes parsons parishioners of the same parishe Churche".

I also give to my said son Robert for his life all that my capital messuage heretofore demised to Francis Fryer situate in Redcross streate in the said parish of St. Giles; and after his decease the remainder thereof to the issue of his body; for default, to the said William Wood and Thomas Robinson and their several issue; and for default, to the use of my right heirs for ever.

I also give the reversion as well of my now dwelling house as of all other my messuages, houses, lands, &c., lying in Redcross-street whereof and wherein Katherine my wife has an estate for term of her life to my said son Robert and to the issue of his body; for default, to the said William Wood and Thomas Robinson and their issue; and for default, to the use of my right heirs for ever.

The messuage called the Flower de Luce is held of the Queen by fealty only in free burgage and not in chief, and is worth per ann., clear, £6. The 7 gardens are held of the Queen as of her manor of East Greenwich in co. Kent by fealty only in free and common socage and not in chief or by knight's service, and are worth per ann., clear, 40s. The 6 messuages in Redcross street are held of the Queen by fealty only in free burgage and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £6.

John Hillar died 7 May last past; Robert Hillar is his son and next heir, and was then aged 26 years and more.

Katharine Hillar late the wife of the said John still survives in the said parish of St. Giles.

Chan. Inq. p. m., Ser. 2, vol. 231, No. 74.