563 Writ mandamus. ‡ 26 February 1442. [Bate].

LEICESTERSHIRE. Inquisition [indented]. Market Bosworth. 25 April 1442. [Cotys].

C 139/105/11 mm. 1–2

564 Writ scire facias. † 5 April 1460. [Clerk’s name not entered]. Addressed to the sheriff of Leicestershire. [Writ: ms worn and dirty down right-hand edge.] It was found by inquisition taken at Market Bosworth on 25 April 1442 [563] that Walter de Stretton was lately seised of the following in demesne as of fee tail, to him and the heirs of his body [continues as 563 until ‘30 and more’], as more fully contained in the inquisition. Afterwards, Henry Knyveton , as represented by John Raytheby, his attorney, came before the king in Chancery and protested that Walter de Stretton, Osbert, his son and heir, and Margery de Stretton were never seised in demesne as of fee tail of the manor of Stretton en le Field, the advowson, or any part of the same, as is supposed within the inquisition. He said that the advowson belongs to the manor, and has done so from time immemorial, and that it is true that one parcel of the manor is in Leicestershire and the other parcel is in Derbyshire. In the Leicestershire part, there are 9 1/2 messuages, a watermill, 2 crofts which each contain 2 a. land, 3 cottages, one house, and 13 virgates of land in Stretton en le Field, as specified in the inquisition. Also in the Leicestershire part is a messuage and a virgate of land in Twycross, similarly specified in the inquisition. The 9 1/2 messuages etc. and the messuage and virgate in Twycross are, and have been from time immemorial, parcel of the manor of Stretton en le Field. There are no other nor more lands or tenements in Leicestershire that are or were parcel of the manor. In the Derbyshire part, there are 11 messuages, an orchard, a croft – the orchard and croft each contain an acre – a garden, a cottage, and 9 virgates of land in Stretton en le Field, 2 messuages, a virgate of land, and a parcel of meadow, containing 6 a., in Edingale, and 26s. 9 1/2d. assize rent from various lands and tenements in Edingale. In this parcel of the manor, there are also 2 messuages, 1 1/2 virgates of land, an acre of meadow, and 2d. assize rent from various lands and tenements in Oakthorpe. The messuages, orchard, croft, garden, cottage, land, meadow, and rent are parcel of the manor, and have been so from time immemorial. Henry Knyveton also said that the... [ms torn] messuages, orchard, croft, garden, cottage, land, meadow, and rent in Stretton en le Field, Twycross, Edingale, and Oakthorpe, in Leicestershire and Derbyshire, comprise the manor of Stretton en le Field, and have done so from time immemorial. He said that Margery de Stretton was seised in demesne in fee of the whole manor and the advowson. Thus seised, she granted the manor and advowson to John Fyndern , and his heirs and assigns. John was thus seised in demesne as of fee and, thus seised, he granted the manor and advowson to Henry Knyveton , Richard Lane , John Ireton , and Thomas Aylmond, clerk , and their heirs and assigns. Henry etc. [as above] were thus seised in demesne as of fee and, thus seised, they demised the manor and advowson to Joan, who was wife of John Fyndern , for life. She was thus seised in demesne as of free tenement and afterwards married John Bothe . John and Joan were thus seised in demesne as of free tenement in right of Joan, and they demised the manor and advowson to Thomas Staunton , Henry Fylongley , and Thomas Assheby , to hold for the term of Joan’s life. They were thus seised in demesne as of free tenement, with reversion then belonging to Henry Knyveton, Richard Lane, John Ireton, and Thomas Aylmond until they were removed and expelled without justice by virtue of the inquisition above and by letters patent to John Bate , a Chancery clerk, regarding custody of the parcel of the manor in Leicestershire [CFR 1452–61, p. 158]. John Bate was to have custody of these lands and tenements with their issues, described as custody of all the lands and tenements that, by the death of Walter de Stretton, ancestor of Margery de Stretton were taken into the king’s hand with their issues, to hold from the time of Walter’s death as long as they shall remain in the king’s hand. Richard Lane, John Ireton, and Thomas Aylmond afterwards died at Stretton en le Field and then, on 1 December last, Joan died there. The manor was not held of the king in chief, nor any part thereof; and neither the part in Leicestershire, nor the 9 1/2 messuages etc. in Stretton en le Field and the messuage and virgate in Twycross were held of the king in chief, nor any part thereof. Walter de Stretton, Osbert son of Walter, and Margery did not, nor any one of them, die seised of the manor of Stretton en le Field in Leicestershire, or any parcel of the same, and Walter, Osbert, and Margery did not die seised of the 9 1/2 messuages etc. in Stretton en le Field, the messuage and virgate in Twycross, nor any parcel of the same, as supposed in the inquisition. Henry Knyveton thus petitioned the king that the letters patent to John Bate regarding the parcel of the manor in Leicestershire, viz., the 91/2 messuages etc. in Stretton en le Field and Twycross, be annulled, that the king’s hand be removed from that part in Leicestershire, and that Henry Knyveton obtain his possession of the part, and have the issues from the time of Joan’s death, from 1 December. The sheriff is ordered to have John Bate informed that he must come before the king in Chancery one month from Easter next, to say or show why the letters should not be annulled, the king’s hand not removed, and Henry Knyveton should not have possession with the issues of the part from the time of Joan’s death. [Dorse:] Edmund Mountfort, knight , sheriff. John Bate was informed by Thomas Capper , Thomas Rag , Thomas Johnson , and John Browne .