Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 26, 1442-48

MARGARET, WHO WAS THE WIFE OF WILLIAM CHEYNE, KNIGHT

67 Writ.‡ 6 May 1443. [Bate]. Addressed to the escheator of Devon and Cornwall .

DEVON. Inquisition. Exeter. 10 November 1443. [Trevelyn].

Jurors: William Floyr ; John Lyte ; William Blenche ; Baldwin Vyell ; Thomas Bosse ; John Floyer ; William Saltern ; William Northle ; John Eyre ; Robert Wode ; John Lorwell ; and John Belhole .

She held the following in dower, by endowment of John Seymour , her late husband, and from the inheritance of Thomas Seymour , kin and heir of John, who is a minor in royal custody. North Molton, 1/3 manor, and every third presentation to the churches of North Molton and Black Torrington, the advowsons of which pertain to the manor [tenure and service not specified]. The annual values of the churches are 20 marks and £10 respectively. In the third of the manor there is a third of the site, worth nothing yearly; 100 a. arable, each acre worth 2d. yearly; 200 a. waste, each acre worth ¼d. yearly; 100 a. pasture, each acre worth ¼d. yearly; 10 a. meadow, each acre worth 8d. yearly; 500 a. heath, worth nothing yearly; 12 a. wood, each acre worth 1d. yearly; a water-mill, worth nothing yearly; a third of a park in which there are animals, the profits of which animals are worth 9d. yearly beyond a third of the fee of the parker; 52s. assize rent payable at Christmas, Easter, Midsummer and Michaelmas, delivered by various free tenants; 105s. assize rent payable at the same terms delivered by various tenants holding according to the custom of the manor; a third of 2 courts leet (letarum) called ‘lawedayes’, held at the quindene of Easter and the quindene of Michaelmas, of which the perquisites are worth nothing beyond the fees of the steward and bailiff; and a court baron every three weeks worth 20d. yearly. She held the following for the term of her life, from the inheritance of the above Thomas. North Molton, 2 messuages and 3 ferlings of land, annual value 5s., not held of the king .

She died on 23 March last. Thomas Seymour is the kin and next heir of her late husband John Seymour , as the son of John, the son of John. He is aged 16 and more. [Head:] Delivered to court on 9 December 1443.

C 139/110/37 mm. 1–2

68 Writ.‡ 6 May 1443. [Bate].

WILTSHIRE. Inquisition. Devizes. 30 October 1443. [Moleyns].

Jurors: William Coventre ; John Crey ; Thomas Smyth ; John Hanam ; John Fauconer ; William Bouke ; Robert Flour ; John Parker ; William Teuker ; Peter Lauyngton ; John Gilberd of Southbroom; Thomas Raynold ; John Hethewolf ; and John Nicholas .

She was seised of the following for the term of her life, from the inheritance of Thomas Seymour – kin and heir of John Seymour , her late husband – who is a minor in royal custody. Westbury, ¼ manor, held of the king in chief by knight service. The reversion pertains to Thomas and his heirs. In the fourth part there is a fourth part of the site, in which there is a barn, worth nothing yearly; 200 a. arable, each acre worth 1d. yearly; 25 a meadow, each acre worth 16d. yearly; 200 a. pasture, each acre worth 1d. yearly; pasture for 600 sheep, worth 40s. yearly; 100 a. waste wood in ‘le Verne’ and ?Clanger Wood, worth nothing yearly because its herbage is common pasture both for the lords and the tenants of the manor at all times of the year; 80 a. several wood, worth 10s. yearly; and a moiety of 2 water-mills, worth 20s. yearly. The following pertain to the fourth part: a fourth part of 2 views of frankpledge held in Westbury, after Michaelmas and after Easter, with a fourth part of the hundred court of Westbury, held every three weeks, with ‘wayff’, ‘strayf’, and the chattels of felons and fugitives, and with a fourth part of court baron called ‘Portmote’ in the borough of Westbury, held every three weeks, all worth 10s. yearly beyond the fees of the steward, bailiff and other officers; 52s. assize rent payable by free tenants who pay severally at Michaelmas, Christmas, Lady Day, and Midsummer; 1 lb. pepper worth 8d. yearly, 1 lb. cumin worth 2½d. yearly, and rent of 4 capons worth 12d. yearly, payable at Michaelmas; 15s. 9d. rent of ?free tenants liberorum et tenencium) in the borough of Westbury, payable at the feast of St Andrew apostle; and £11 rent payable by tenants according to the custom of the manor, both in the borough and in the fourth part, at the above four terms equally.

She died on 22 March last. The above Thomas is her kin and next heir, as the son of John Seymour , her son, and is aged 16 and more. [Head:] Delivered to court on 15 November 1443.

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69 Writ.‡ 6 May 1443. [Bate]. Addressed to the escheator of Somerset and Dorset .

SOMERSET. Inquisition. Ilchester. 30 October 1443. [Bayhous]. [Inquisition: ms torn, rubbed, galled, and creased in places.]

Jurors: Robert Golde ; John Mauncell ; Thomas Lyte ; John Welweton ; William Mountague ; William Drywe ; John Raly ; William Note ; John Brymton, senior ; John Gosgrove ; John Wayte ; and Walter Drudecote .

She held the following in demesne as of fee. Carlingcott, a messuage, 60 a. arable, 8 a. meadow, and 20 a. pasture, annual value 5 marks, not held of the king . In her pure widowhood, by charter shown to the jurors, she granted to Thomas Lovell of Wincanton for the term of his life an annual rent of 5 marks to be received from the above at Michaelmas. Morgan Gouz, John Barnard , Nicholas Samburn, junior , and Philip Spor , were once seised in demesne as of fee of the manors of Beckington, Babcary, Perry, and Durston, the advowson of a free chapel in the manor of Durston, presenting on alternate occasions, and the advowsons of the churches of Babcary and Beckington. They granted the manors and advowsons, by charter shown to the jurors, to John de Erlegh and Isabel his wife and the heirs of their bodies, with remainder to the right heirs of John de Erlegh . They were seised in demesne as of fee tail and had issue: Margaret, named in the writ. John and then Isabel died seised of such estate. Afterwards Margaret entered as daughter and heir, continued in such estate and died seised in demesne as of fee tail; except for (preterquam de) the manor and advowson of Beckington. The manor and advowson were granted by Richard Bye and Thomas Neuport to William Cheyne, knight , and Margaret his wife, named in the writ, and the heirs of Margaret, as appears by a fine [CP 25/1/202/37/50] raised in the king’s court at Westminster in the octave of Michaelmas 1438, and afterwards recorded in the octave of Hilary following, and shown to the jurors. William survived Margaret and died on 15 April 1443, seised in demesne as of free tenement. Beckington, the manor, and the advowson of the church, held of Robert Ponynges, knight , by service of 2s. or a sparrowhawk yearly at Candlemas. In the manor there is a site, worth nothing yearly; 204 a. arable, worth 20s. yearly; 20 a. meadow, worth 30s. yearly; 50 a. wood, worth 10s. yearly; 16 a. pasture, worth 5s. yearly; a water-mill, worth 20s. yearly; 25s. 8d. assize rent, payable at Easter, Midsummer, Michaelmas, and Christmas by various free tenants of the manor; 100s. rent payable at the same terms by various tenants holding for life terms according to the custom of the manor; ½ knight’s fee which the prior of Maiden Bradley holds of the manor, in right of his church, of William and Margaret and the heirs of Margaret, by suit by his tenants in the vill of Beckington twice a year to the court of the manor called ‘laweday’, and by other unknown service; and two views of frankpledge a year, held after Michaelmas and after Easter, with a court baron held every three weeks, the perquisites of these being worth nothing beyond the fees of the steward and bailiff. The advowson is worth £10 yearly. Babcary, the manor, with the advowson of the church, held of Humphrey Stafford, knight , of his manor of Marston Magna, by service of 2s. or a sparrowhawk yearly at Candlemas. In the manor there is a site, worth nothing yearly; 105 a. arable, worth 9s. yearly; a grove of wood, worth 20d. yearly; 20 a. meadow, worth 23s. 2d. yearly; 6s. 11d. assize rent payable at Easter, Midsummer, Michaelmas, and Christmas by various free tenants; 14 a. pasture, worth 2s. 4d. yearly; and 117s. rent payable at the above terms by various tenants holding for life terms according to the custom of the manor. The advowson is worth 8 marks yearly. Perry, the manor, held of the king , of the honour of Hereford, by service of 5s. yearly at the feast of St Thomas apostle. In the manor there is a site, worth nothing yearly; 47 a. arable, worth 5s. yearly; 16 a. meadow, worth 30s. yearly; 13½ a. pasture, worth 13s. yearly; 7s. ½d. assize rent payable at the above terms by various free tenants; and 25s. 2d. annual rent payable at the same terms by various tenants of various [lands and tenements holding for life terms] according to the custom of the manor. Durston, the manor, and the advowson of a free chapel there, presenting on alternate occasions, held of Robert Ponynges, knight , by service of 12d. yearly at Candlemas. In the manor there is a site, worth nothing yearly; 200 a. wood, worth...; 60 a. meadow,..., each acre worth 12d. yearly; 100s. rent payable at the above terms by various tenants of various lands and tenements holding for life terms according to the custom of the manor; rent of a pair of spurs payable at the feast of St George; and a court baron, held every three weeks, worth nothing beyond the fee of the steward and bailiff. The advowson of the free chapel is worth 40s. yearly. She held the following jointly with her late husband John Seymour , the son of Richard Seymour, late lord of Castle Cary , knight , to themselves and the heirs of their bodies, by grant of this Richard, paying to him and his heirs a rose at Midsummer. This appears by a fine [CP 25/1/201/34/15] in the court of ‪ Henry IV , in the octave of the Purification 1408, shown to the jurors, in which Margaret was described as Margaret, the wife of John Seymour , and the daughter of John Erlegh . Margaret survived her husband and continued in possession and died seised in demesne as of fee tail. Blackford, 2 messuages, 5 carucates of land, 35 a. meadow, 100 a. pasture, and 30 a. wood, with the advowson of the church, annual value £10, not held of the king . Prestleigh, a messuage, 3 carucates of land, 25 a. meadow, 100 a. pasture, and 50 a. wood, annual value 10 marks, held of William Palton, knight , service unknown.

Date of death as 67. Heir as 68, here called Thomas Seymour . He is in royal custody.

[Head:] Delivered to court on 22 November 1443.

C 139/110/37 mm. 5–6 E 357/38 rot. 33r–d