Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 24, 1432-37

EDWARD BENSTEDE, KNIGHT

62 Writ. ‡ 14 October 1432. [Wymbyssh].

SUFFOLK. Inquisition. Newmarket. 22 February 1433. [Roys].

Jurors: John Gladewyn ; Thomas Hackewrong ; John Hakwold ; Henry Tredegold ; William Farewell ; John Dere ; John Gardener ; Ralph Hancok ; Richard Gateward ; William Smyth ; Ralph Padyll ; John Decon ; and Simon Berle .

Edward Bensted , named in the writ, held the manor of Tuddenham for life by enfeoffment of Robert Rykedon and John Belers, clerk , remainder to Edmund Bensted, chevalier , his son, and Eleanor his wife and the heirs of their bodies, and then to Edward’s right heirs. Robert and John formerly held the manor jointly with John Waltham, parson of Benington church , and John Tannere, parson of Great Tey church , now deceased, by enfeoffment of Edward. Tuddenham, the manor. There is a messuage with adjoining buildings, worth nothing yearly; 120 a. arable, worth 30s. yearly, each acre 3d.; 20 a. pasture, each acre worth 12d., sum 20s.; 6 a. meadow, each acre worth 16d., sum 14s.; and 16s. 3d. assize rent with farm of land. The manor is held of the abbot of Bury St Edmunds , service unknown.

He died on 8 October 1432. The same Edmund Bensted is his son and next heir, aged 45 years and more.

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63 Writ. ‡ 14 October 1432. [Wymbyssh]. Addressed to the escheator of Hampshire and Wiltshire.

HAMPSHIRE. Inquisition. Winchester. 21 April 1433. [Veer].

Jurors: John Brewer ; John Dutton ; Thomas Dunster ; Henry Putte ; John Philpot ; John Bamburogh ; Nicholas Randolff ; Thomas Costrell ; John Fuller ; John Purs ; John Felde ; and William Pele .

Edward Benstede , named in the writ, held the following in the vill of Binstead in his demesne as of fee: 40 a. pasture in the forest of Woolmer, each acre worth 1d. yearly above all charges; a messuage and a cottage, worth nothing yearly; 80 a. arable, worth 6s. 8d. yearly above all charges, each acre 1d.; 6 a. pasture, worth 12d. yearly above all charges, each acre 2d.; and 5 a. meadow, worth 2s. 6d. yearly, each acre 6d. The pasture in the forest is held of the king in chief by fealty and 7s. 8d. rent for all service, and the rest are not held of the king in chief but of whom and by what services is unknown.

Date of death and heir as in 62, except that heir’s age is given as 40 years and more.

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64 [Writ: see 63.]

WILTSHIRE. Inquisition. Salisbury. 24 April 1433. [Veer].

Jurors: Robert Bodenham ; Ralph Thorp ; John Rous ; William Botreaux ; John Judde ; Richard Thachaham ; John Quarley ; Peter Cokerell ; John Haytour ; William Mohun ; Richard Patriche ; William Pette ; and Richard Ambros .

Edward Benstede , named in the writ, held £20 annual rent at Midsummer and Michaelmas in Winterslow, of the king in chief by service of 1/4 knight’s fee.

Date of death and heir as in 63.

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65 Writ. † 14 October 1432. [Wymbyssh]. Addressed to the escheator of Essex and Hertfordshire .

HERTFORDSHIRE. Inquisition. Ware. 24 October 1432. [Barley].

Jurors: William Olyver ; Nicholas Clares ; Roger Lory... [hole in ms]; ...fremundus Auncell ; John Bunkere ; Philip Malyn ; John Roch ; William Bulkele ; William ?La... ; Richard ...k ; John Lumbard ; and John atte ?Hach.

He held no lands or tenements of the king in chief or another in his demesne as of fee. Long before his death, by his charter sealed with his seal and dated at Benington on 27 June 1402, he granted and confirmed his manor of Benington otherwise called the manor of ‘Benynton’, and the advowson of its church, to Philip Thornbury , John Waltham, chaplain , and John Bellers, chaplain , and their heirs and assigns, to hold of the chief lords of the fee by the services due and customary of right. On 13 July 1402, by their charter sealed with their seals, Philip, John and John granted the manor and advowson to Edward and Joan his wife and his heirs, to hold as before. This is more fully apparent in the royal licence previously obtained and dated at Westminster on 20 June 1402 [CPR 1401–5, p. 104], and the charters, shown to the jurors. Benington: the manor with advowson is held of the king in chief by service of 1/3 of 2 knights’ fees. In the manor there is a messuage, worth nothing yearly; 2 gardens containing 8 a. pasture, each acre worth 4d. yearly; 870 a. land, each acre worth 1 1/2d. yearly; 16 a. meadow fit to mow, each acre worth 2s. yearly; a great park, worth nothing yearly because substantial trees; another, enclosed, wood called ‘Heylewode’, worth nothing yearly because substantial trees; and £20 rents from free and customary tenants at Christmas, Easter, Midsummer and Michaelmas equally, worth nothing above this. Perquisites of the view of frankpledge held the Monday in Pentecost and other courts there are worth 20s. yearly after the steward’s expenses. The advowson is worth nothing yearly because occupied by John Tymmes, clerk . He held the manors of Chewells and Herons in the parish of Bishop’s Hatfield for life by enfeoffment of John Bellers, lately parson of Benington church , Henry Wareyn and John Tymmes, chaplain , with remainder to the following and the heirs of their bodies, all to hold of the chief lords of the fee by the services due and customary by right, as is clear fully in the indented charter shown to the jurors: John Bensted his son, who survives; Edmund Bensted, knight ; Margaret, Alice and Parnel, daughters of Edward; Edward Bensted, esquire , his son; and to the right heirs of Edward Bensted, knight . Chewells and Herons. The manors are held severally of the bishop of Ely and Thomas Broket, service unknown, annual value 100s. He held the manors of Harpsfield and Leigh for life by grant of the same feoffors, with remainder to the following and the heirs of their bodies, all to hold of the chief lords of the fee by the services due and customary by right, as is clear fully in the indented charter shown to the jurors: Edward Bensted his son; Edmund Bensted, knight ; Margaret, Alice and Parnel, daughters of Edward Bensted, knight ; John Bensted , son of Edward Bensted, knight ; and to the right heirs of Edward Bensted, knight . Edward his son predeceased him and Edward... [ms unclear] the son is the next heir of Edward, son of Edward, aged ?9 years and more. The manor of Harpsfield is held of the abbot of St Albans by service of 1/8 knight’s fee, annual value 5 marks. The manor of Leigh is held of John Fray , service unknown, annual value 40s.

Date of death as in 62. Edmund Bensted, knight , his son is his next heir, aged 44 years and more.

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66 [Writ: see 65.]

ESSEX. Inquisition. Chelmsford. 30 October 1432. [Barley].

Jurors: John Styward ; William atte Lee ; John Proudfoot ; Hugh Noreys ; John Meryweder ; Thomas Dalon ; John Dawe ; John Wyberd ; John ?Esgor [ms worn] ; Nicholas Spryngold ; John Mounfort ; and John Mawne .

He held 1 a. land, annual value 2d., in the manor of Higham Benstede in Walthamstow in his demesne as of fee of the king in chief by knight service. Described as Edward Benstede, chevalier , long before his death and by his charter sealed with his seal and dated at Walthamstow on 14 June 1429, he granted this manor less the acre to Philip Thornbury, chevalier , John Fray , Leonard Stepulton, esquire , and John Tymmes, clerk , their heirs and assigns, to hold of the chief lords of the fee by the services due and customary by right. By their indented charter dated on 20 November 1429, Philip, John, Leonard and John granted the manor less the acre to Edward and Joan his wife for their lives without impeachment of waste, to hold as before, remainder to the following and the heirs of their respective bodies: Edmund, son of Edward; Margaret, Alice and Parnel, daughters of Edward; Edward, son of Edward; John, brother of Edward, son of Edward; and the right heirs of Edward Benstede, chevalier . This is clear more fully in the royal licence obtained previously, dated on 10 June 1429 [CPR 1422–29, p. 539], and the charters, shown to the jurors. Higham Benstede: the manor, except for 40 a. land and 5 a. meadow, is held of the king in chief by service of 1/2 knight’s fee. The 40 a. land are held of the earl of Warwick of his manor of Walthamstow, service unknown; 4 a. meadow are held of the abbot of Waltham by service of 5s. yearly for all service; and 1 a. meadow is held of the rector of Chingford by service of ?1d. [ms worn] yearly for all service. In the manor there is the capital messuage, worth nothing yearly; 210 a. arable, each acre worth 2d. yearly; 36 a. meadow, each acre worth 2s. yearly; 8 a. pasture, each acre worth 12d. yearly; 50s. rent from tenants at Easter and Michaelmas in equal portions, the rent worth nothing above this; and perquisites of the view of frankpledge held the Thursday in Pentecost and the other courts, worth 12d. yearly above the steward’s expenses. Long before his death, by his charter sealed with his seal and dated at Great Parndon or Little Parndon on 31 May 1419, he granted his manor of Little Parndon and the advowson of its church to John Belers, parson of Benington , Henry Waryn alias Henry Wareyn of Ashwell and John Tymmes, chaplain , their heirs and assigns, to hold of the chief lords of the fee by the services due and customary by right. By their indented charter, sealed with their seals and dated on 12 March 1421, John, Henry and John demised the manor and advowson to Edward and Joan his wife for their lives without impeachment of waste, to hold as before, remainder to the following and the heirs of their respective bodies: Edmund Bensted, knight ; Margaret, Alice and Parnel, sisters of Edmund; Edward Bensted, esquire , son of Edward Benstede, knight ; John Bensted , son of Edward Benstede, knight ; and the right heirs of Edward Benstede, knight . This is clear more fully in the charters shown to the jurors. Little Parndon: the manor with advowson, except for 140 a. land and 16 a. pasture, is held of the king in chief by service of 1/4 knight’s fee. Of the 140 a. land, 80 a. are held of the countess of Stafford , service unknown, and 60 a. are held of the abbot of Beeleigh , service unknown; the pasture is held of Roger Spyce of his manor of Eastwick (Estwyk), service unknown. In the manor there are the capital messuage and other ruinous buildings, worth nothing yearly; a garden, its herbage and fruit worth 4d. yearly; 292 a. arable, each acre worth 2d. yearly; 26 a. 3 roods meadow, each acre worth 20d. yearly, the 3 roods worth 15d. yearly; 35 1/2 a. pasture, each acre worth 12d. yearly and the 1/2 a. worth 6d. yearly; a small park, worth nothing yearly because there are large trees; 15s. rents of tenants at Christmas, Easter, Midsummer and Michaelmas in equal portions, the rent worth nothing above this; a watermill, worth 10[?s.] yearly; and perquisites of the court, worth nothing yearly above the steward’s expenses. The advowson is worth nothing yearly because occupied by John Hey...en , chaplain. He held the manor of Great Stambridge with the advowson of its church in his demesne as of fee of Richard, duke of York , of his honour of Rayleigh by service of a knight’s fee, except for 5 a. meadow which is held of John Doreward of his manor of Rawreth by service of 6d. yearly for all service. The manor with advowson is worth ... marks [ms worn and soiled].

Date of death and heir as in 65.

Exchequer copy has 14s. crossed out and 8s. inserted. Despite the return consisting of two inquisitions, the dorse of the writ notes the existence of only one.

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