(IV)

[In Illustration of the Peasants' Grievances]

S. P. Dom. Charles I. Vol. 151, No. 38.

To the Kings most Excellent Ma^tie.

The humble peticoɳ of yo^r Ma^te poore and distressed Tennants of yo^r Mannor of North Wheatley in the Countie of Nottingham belonging to yo^r Ma^ties Duchie of Lancaster.

Most humbly shewing. That yo^r poore Subiects have tyme out of mynd byn Coppieholders of lands of inheritaunce to them and their heires for ever of the Mannor aforesaid, and paid for every Oxgang of land xvj^s viijđ rent, and paid heretofore vpon every Alienacoɳ xijđ for every Oxgang, but nowe of late, about 4⁰ Jacobi by an order of the Duchie Court they paie ij^s s vj^d d vpon euery Alienacoɳ for every acre, w^ch amounteth nowe to 45^s an Oxgang.

And whereas some of yo^r Tennants of the said Mannor have heretofore held and doe nowe hold certayne Oxganges of lands belonging to the said Manor by Coppie from xxj yeres to xxj yeares, and have paid for the same vpon eⱱy Coppy ij^s, and for every Oxgang xvj^s viij^d ᵱ Anɳ; they nowe of late by an order in the Duchie Court hold the same by lease vnder the Duchie Seale, and paie vj^li xiij^s iiij^d for a Fyne vpon every lease and xvj^s viij^d rent w^th an increase of vj^s viij^d more towards yo^r Ma^ties prouision.

And whereas in 11⁰ Edw: 4⁰ yo^r petic[o~n]ers did by Copy of Court Roll hold the demeanes of the said Mannor for tearme of yeres att ix^li vj^s viij^d ᵱ anɳ, they afterwards in 6⁰ Eliz: held the same demeanes by lease vnder the seale of the duchie for xxj yeares, att the like rent; and Tenne yeres before their lease was expired, they ymployed one M^r Markham in trust to gett their lease renewed, whoe procured a newe lease of the demeanes in his owne name for xxj yeres att the old rent, and afterwards contrary to the trust Comitted to him increased and raised the rent thereof vpon the Tenants to his owne privat benefitt to 56^li ᵱ annư.

And whereas the woods belonging to the said Mannor hath within the memory of Man byn the only Co[~m]on belonging to the said Towne, paying yerelie for the herbage and pannage thereof vj^s viijđ, they nowe alsoe hold the same vnder the Duchie Seale att xvj^li li xvj^s ijđ ᵱ annư.

And whereas the Court Rolls and Records of the said Mannor, have alwaies heretofore byn kept vnder severall Locks and Keys, whereof yo^r Ma^ts Stewards have kepte one key and yo^r Ma^ties Tennant (in regard it Concerned their ᵱticuler inheritances) have kept an other keye. But nowe they are att the pleasure of the Stewards and Officers transported from place to place, and the nowe purchasers doe demaund the Custody of them, w^ch may be most preiudiciall to yo^r Ma^te poore Tennants.

Now for asmuch as yo^r Matie: hath byn pleased to sell the said Mannor vnto the Cittie of London, whoe have sold the same vnto M^r John Cartwright and M^r Tho: Brudnell gent: And for that yo^r peticon͠ers and Tennants there (beinge in nomber Two hundred poore men, and there being xj of yo^r Ma^te Tennants there that beare Armes for the defence of yo^r Ma^te Realme, and xij that paie yo^r Ma^tie Subsidies fifteens and Loanes) are all nowe like to be vtterlie vndon, in Case the said M^r Cartwright and M^r Brudnell should (as they saie they will) take awaie from yo^r Tennants the said demeanes and woods after thexpiracoɳ of their leases, and that yo^r poore Tennants should be left to the wills of the purchasers for their Fynes, or that the Records and Court rowles should not be kept as in former tymes in some private place, where the purchasers and Tennants maie both have the custody and viewe of them as occasion shall serve.

Maie it therefore please yo^r Sacred Maj^tie That such order may be taken in the premisses for the reliefe of yo^r poore Tennants of the Mannor aforesaid That they maie not be dispossessed of the demeanes and leases, and that they may knowe the Certayntie of their Fynes for the Coppieholds demeanes and leases and maie have the Court Rolls & Records safely kepte as formerly they have byn. And that yo^r Ma^tie wilbe further pleased to referr the Consideracoɳ hearing, ordering and determynacoɳ of the premisses vnto such Noble men, or other 4 gent: of esteeme in the Country whome yo^r Ma^tie shalbe pleased to appoint, that are neighbours vnto yo^r Ten^ãnts, and doe best knowe their estate & greevances. That they or any two or three of them may take such order, and soe Cettell the busynes betweene the purchasers & yo^r poore Tennants, as they in their wisdoms and discressions shall judge to be reasonable and fitting, or to Certifie yo^r Ma^tie howe they fynd the same, and in whose defalt it is they cannot determyne thereof. And yo^r poore Tenn͠ts as in all humble dutie bound will daielie pray for yo^r Ma^tie.

Whitehall this 10 of Novemb^r 1629.

His Ma[~] is graciously pleased to referre the consideration of this request to the Co[~m]ission^rs for sale of his lands, that vpon the report vnto his Ma[~] of their opinion and advise his Ma[~] may give further order therein. Dorchester.

[Endorsed.] Divers Tenants of his Ma^te mañor of North Wheatley
in the Countie of Nottingham.