MANOR OF MIDLETON= CHENY

In Northamptonshi= re

COURT BARON= of Thomas= Ward, gentleman, farmer of the manor by demise of John late Bishop of Rochester, = held Wednesday 30^th October 1696

The HOMAGE:

George Williams, Matthew Shelleswell, John Merrival= e, James Jarvis, Thomas Wilkins, Thomas Penn, Matthew Neale, William Williams, Richard Cross, James Hopkins, Fulk N= eale, Richard Goffe and William = Tocty.

At this court it was recorded that Thomas Penn, a cust= omary tenant of the said manor, and who holds to himself and his heirs of the said manor ONE hereditable messuage or tenement and = one virgate and three quarters of a = virgate of customary land in the tenure or occupation of Robert Penn or his assigns, died at the time the previous court was held and Robert Penn is his son and heir and holds the premises... and he came to this court and sought admissi= on to the premises... and was granted admission to the premises to have and to hold forever according to the customs of the said manor, paying a yearly re= nt of 28s 6d....

To this court came James Dumbleto= n a customary tenants of the manor and sought license to demise his customary lands held of this manor for a term of 99 years to who= mseoever he wished. For this he paid a fine of 2s 6d.

Examined by John Welchman steward there.

COURT BARON of Thomas Ward, gentleman, f= armer of the manor by demise of John late Bishop of Rochester held Wednesday 7th October 1698

The HOMAGE:

George Williams, William Williams, Robe= rt Wise, John Osborne, Richard Penn, William Tooly= , John Evans, Thomas Mudden= , John Merrival= e, John Tew, James Dumblet= on and William Gullifer.

To this court came George Armitt one of the customary = tenants of this court and returned into the hands of the lord of the manor the moiety of le northside and one selion pasture in ley= in Lippett leyes wit= h the land of Valentine Evans to the north and a moiety or the eastern part of le yerd in crumpwell and the land of J= oseph Dumbleton on the east part thence with half a ley in Merrivales<= /i> leyes, with half a yerd in Springhill in le Cowpasture, and half a yerd in Sladeacre, with half mower in le meadows and common fields, half of &nbs= p; quarter part of one virgate land ... to the use and behoof of Thomas Ward, gentleman, farmer of the manor= , his heirs and assigns forever according to the customs of the manor and the ren= ts thence due and by services there by right accustomed....

At this court it was presented by the hom= age that Thomas Bromitcham who held to himself and = his heirs as a customary tenant of the manor and of the farmer thereof one customary messuage and half a virgate of land in Midleton Cheny<= /span>, and that after the last court he had died and that a h= eriot is owed to the farmer of the manor valued at £2-7-6 and that it be pa= id by Elizabeth Bromitcham his widow and afterward= s Elizabeth came to this court and was admitted tenant to the property

To this court came Elizabeth Bromitcham a customary tenant of this manor widow and surrendered one quarter part of = a virgate of land late of William Bull in Midleton Cheny to the use and behoo= f of Elizabeth Bromitcham, spinster, her daughter= .. and afterwards to this court came Elizabeth the daught= er and was admitted to the premises.

Examined by John Welchman,= steward there.