494
Writ de idiote inquirenda.
‡
24 April 1415.
[
Sturgion].
For John son and heir of John Harpesfeld. [Dorse:] the escheator also examined John in person as the writ requires.
HERTFORDSHIRE
Inquisition
[indented].
Ware
6 May. [
Darcy].
Jurors:
William
Castell
;
William
Hert
;
John
Ferrour
;
William
Herdewyk
;
John
Marchall
;
William
Ferrour
;
John
Brantfeld
;
John
Walter
‘bocher’
;
John
Buskyn
;
Thomas
Blakemere
;
John
Takelegh
‘bocher’
;
John
Kerde
; and
Thomas
Bocher
.
John son and heir of
John
Harpesfeld
was an idiot from birth with insufficient sense to administer his lands and tenements. On his father’s death there descended to him 1 messuage, 320 a. arable, 10 a. meadow, 10 a. wood, 20 a. pasture and 5s. rent in the vills of Park Street, Sandridge and Bishop’s Hatfield.
Agnes his father’s widow, now wife of
Edmund
Cressy
of Harpenden, occupied the premises for 1 1/2 years after the death of the father on 4 Nov. 1394, then John Bestney held for the next 4 years, then Agnes and Thomas her son held for 13 years. Finally Adam atte Welle for 2 years and from Michaelmas last.
The annual value of the premises is 10 marks. One part is held of the
abbot of St. Albans
of his manor of Parkbury by a yearly rent of 13s.4d. and by the service of sending a packhorse to Tynemouth whenever the abbot goes there. The remainder is held of
William
Ashe
and Elizabeth his wife, in right of Elizabeth of the manor of Symondshyde by a yearly rent of 20s.
C 138/17, no. 74
E 149/104, no. 5
ENHANCEMENT OF TEXT: The text of this IPM which appeared in the print edition of CIPM XX has been enhanced in certain respects: see the About pages. The date of the writ has also been corrected.