Court Rolls 26 to 30

Willington Court Rolls Introduction

Willington Court Rolls Index of Pages

Court Roll 26

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May 2nd 1419

Court of John Mowbray Earl of Nottingham and Marshall of England held there on Tuesday next before the feast of the Finding of the Sacred Cross in the seventh year of the reign of Henry Vth after the conquest.

The head steward, Thomas Bekingham, is said to be 'de vj^o' presumably meaning that he was promoted to this post in the 6^th year of Henry Vth. But he is first described as head steward in 1417, the fifth year, see roll 23.

• Two men were essoined. Only 11 sworn men are listed on the main jury. This may be a scribal error.
• A grange belonging to one tenant is falling down.
• Another tenant is reported as having left the manor. His father was ordered to make enquiries and see that he returned. (In roll 29 he is reported to have died.)
• One cottage was re-let. Felicia Prentys's former holding and a cottage are still without tenants.
• A widow surrendered her holding and it was granted to John Budenho, who probably lived in an adjacent manor.
• Thirteen tenants still needed to repair their buildings, but had until August 1^st to do so.

Unusually the names of the tenants who were Assessors of Fines to the court were not given.

Full transcript of Court Roll 26 (pdf)

Court Roll 27

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October 2nd 1419

Welyngton View of Frankpledge with Court of John Mowbray earl of Nottingham and Marshall of England held there on the Monday next after the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel in the seventh year of the reign of Henry the Fifth after the conquest.

• Thomas Bekyngham, was head steward.
• One man essoined, three did not attend court, of them the Prior of Newnham was not fined, the other two were. Usual common fines paid.
• John Ussher the miller took excessive toll.
• Two tenants needed to attend to their watercourses. Ten brewers paid fines. Two young men entered into tithings.
• A plea of debt was adjourned to Bedford.
• Lands were granted out to a man and his wife, for their lives. They are not to 'hand over or divide the said holding without permission from the lord.'
• A cottage was granted but no entry fine was charged because it was ruined.
• Twelve tenants had still not repaired their buildings. They are ordered to do so or 'the lord will recover from them the total aforesaid penalties to be raised as fines for his use.'
• Two new tasters of ale were elected.

Full transcript of Court Roll 27 (pdf)

Court Roll 28

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May 1st 1420

Welyngton Court of John Mowbray Earl of Nottingham and Marshall of England held there on the Wednesday next before the feast of Saint John before the latin gate [6^th May] in the eighth year of the reign of Henry the Fifth after the conquest.

• Thomas Bekyngham, the head steward.
• Two men were essoined and another was fined because he did not come to court.
• A tenant who had held two holdings had left the manor and 'removed all his goods and chattels.' It was not known where he had gone and the other tenants were asked to make enquiries. The holding had not been granted to another tenant.
• One plea of debt was adjourned to Bedford. Four tenants were fined for taking action in other pleas of debt.
• Although twelve tenants are listed for not repairing their buildings, several of them seem to have done so by the day of the court.
• The holding which formerly belonged to Felicia Prentys is still without a tenant.
• One holding was surrendered because the tenant 'was a poor man [and] was incapable of holding the said holding.'
• No names of assessors of fines given.

Full transcript of Court Roll 28 (pdf)

Court Roll 29

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October 7th 1420

Welyngton View of Frankpledge with Court of John Mowbray Earl of Nottingham and Marshall of England held there on the Monday next before the feast of Saint Dennis [9th October] in the eighth year of the reign of Henry the Fifth after the conquest.

• Thomas Bekyngham, the head steward.  Was John Kempston the lord's bailiff?
• John Pratt. said to be Bailiiff there.
• Two men were essoined. Four men did not attend court; three were fined, but it was noted that the Prior of Newnham was constantly absent.
• One bullock came as a stray.
• Three water courses are stopped us and putting right. A watercourse noted in another roll was still not put right.
• The Miller of Willington Mill, took excessive toll against the statute. Therefore he is amerced. And that the same John took toll by a measure without a seal.'
• A tenant who 'contradicts presentments, in presentments, by the tenants is amerced.'
• One woman 'is a common chatterbox and disturber of the peace within the same neighbourhood.' She is heavily fined.
• One woman unlawfully called the hue, another called it lawfully.
• One tenant and a tenant and his wife were assaulted.
• The Tasters of Ale have not done their job properly recently. There were thirteen brewers of ale and 'John Kempston sold ale against the proclamation.'
• A man from South Mills and one from Blunham hunted game in the Warren and have taken rabbits. They are to be prosecuted.
• A tenant has taken a case to another court when it should have been heard in the Lord's court. He was fined.

One by-law passed:

•  'That no tenants henceforth dare to do nor make a plea either in the court of the king, neither in a Special court, under a penalty of xxs [20s] … without a special command granted by the lord or steward.'
• Seven tenants have ruined buildings but the penalties which would have been imposed are postponed 'because the said tenants are paupers and the greatest penury of Money exists between them Therefore still each of them is given a day until the feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist next in the future by the grace of the steward.'
• John Rydere the younger has died and there is no money for the lord as herriot. The holding is left without a tenant.
• One young man joined a tithing.

Full transcript of Court Roll 29 (pdf)

Court Roll 30

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April 16th 1421

Court of John Mowbray earl of Nottingham and Marshall of England held there on the Wednesday next after the feast of the Saints Tiburtius and Valerianus [14^th April] in the ninth year of the reign of Henry the Fifth after the conquest.

• Thomas Bekyngham, the head steward John Boteler the understeward.
• Six men still have ruined buildings. Five tenants are to be given timber for their repairs.
• Five holdings, including that of Felicia Prentys, are still without tenants, and the lord's income is reduced.
• Dishonesty by the woodward, John Kempston, who concealed sales of timber and at least 50 pairs of rabbits was discovered by the understeward, but no punishments are mentioned.
• At the end of the roll it indicates that Thomas Bekingham (note a slightly different spelling) and others, stayed there for one day and one night, on 17^th of June to agree the rents with the tenants. Their accommodation cost 4s 1d.

Full transcript of Court Roll 30 (pdf)