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

RICHARD MALEGRAVE , SON OF THOMAS MALEGRAVE

566 Writ de etate probanda. ‡ 30 May 1435. [Wymbyssh]. Regarding his inheritance as son and heir of Thomas Malegrave , deceased, who held of ‪ Henry V in chief. His inheritance is in the custody of Richard Restwold, junior , by commission of ‪ Henry V [CFR 1413–22, pp. 385–6, 423]. Inform Richard of the forthcoming proof of age. [Dorse:] Richard Restwold was informed by John F...unt [ms torn] and Thomas Adam . Date and place of proof given. Richard Restwold attended but could give no reason why the lands should not be returned to Richard Malegrave , who is of full age.

ESSEX. Proof of age. Brentwood. 29 October 1435. [Iwardeby].

The jurors say that Richard was born at Horndon on the Hill and baptised in the church there on 31 October 1413. 22 years have passed since then, so Richard is aged 21 years and more. William Spaldyng , 50 and more, knows because on the same day he was seised in demesne as of fee of a messuage in Horndon on the Hill, then held of Thomas Malgrave , and on the same day the hall and the stable of the messuage collapsed to the ground and two of his horses and two of his cows in the stable were killed. Richard Joly , 53 and more, says that on the following Sunday there was a great bear-baiting there and one of the bears broke the right shin of Thomas Bell , then his servant. And there it was commonly said that Richard, son and heir of Thomas Malegrave , was born and baptised on the abovesaid day. Guy Grymston , 54 and more, was at Horndon on the Hill on the same day as the birth and baptism, and he purchased a messuage there from Richard Faux and was delivered seisin of it on the same day, when it was said that Richard, son of Thomas Malegrave , was born and baptised. Richard Goossyl , 56 and more, says that on the same day he bought 20 quarters of malt from Thomas Norman for 100s., to be paid the next Christmas following, and loaded 10 horses with 10 quarters of the malt. On returning to his house at Lampetts, two of the horses collapsed and suddenly broke their necks. John Cok , 57 and more, says that on 29 September 1413 he took to farm the manor of Drayton from John Hampton . On the day of the birth and baptism certain felons called aliens (‘alyons’) came and totally burned the manor and stole 40 of John’s sheep (oves) that drowned when returning to their own locality. And there on the same day it was said that Richard, son and heir of Thomas Malegrave , was born and baptised. William ?Brodlam, 50 and more, says that on the same day he met John Pulter driving 40 sheep (oves) and as he was driving them from the Thames towards Sandon, 12 of the sheep (oves) drowned. Thomas Marchall , 53 and more, says that on the same day a strong wind blew up and pushed Richard Adam into the Thames, where he drowned. On the same day, the coroner officiated at the viewing of the body and there it was much spoken of that Richard, son and heir of Thomas Malegrave , was born and baptised. Reynold Coteler , 55 and more, says that he had a daughter named Agnes and before the birth and the day and year aforesaid a suffragen was at Elmham, who confirmed Agnes on the same day, and there it was said that Richard, son and heir of Thomas Malegrave , was born and baptised. Thomas Sylvestre , 58 and more, says that the next day he was at Elmham to talk to John Plokrose and the hue and cry was raised because Benedict Malepas’ house was on fire and he gathered together with many others to put it out. He fell over a stone on the road and broke his left shin and his right arm. Stephen Prentys , 60 and more, says that on the same day he was at Pelham with his cart, which he loaded with timber. When he came to the end of the vill the cart fell to the ground, killing his two horses drawing it. Richard Charfoull , 62 and more, says that on the same day John Aleyn feloniously killed Robert Buntyng at Bumpstead. Richard pursued John Aleyn from Bumpstead to Ballingdon and in the churchyard there fell to the ground, breaking three of the ribs in his right side. John Kempe , 63 and more, says that on the day and year abovesaid, at Horndon on the Hill, many Lollards gathered with insurgents against the church’s power and privilege and, like disturbers, destroyed the king’s peace, proposing that the young be not baptised, to the prejudice, destruction and scorn of the entire church. Thomas Malgrave ... afraid that Richard would be killed unbaptised, ordered many armed men, of whom he was one, for defence and to destroy the force and their diabolic intention. They fought the Lollards on the same evening... and two hundred of them were thrown to the ground and killed. Richard was born and baptised on the same day, and this battle happened twenty-two years ago.

‘Monday on the vigil of All Saints 1 ‪ Henry V’ in ms, but the vigil, 31 October, was actually a Tuesday that year. The text erroneously says that it is 22 years since Thomas Malegrave (rather than Guy Grymston ) had seisin of the messuage.

C 139/78/53 mm.1–2