Session at Maidstone, 1st April, 1600

General Session of the Peace at Maidstone on Tuesday after the close of Easter, 1st April, 1600, before Thomas Fludd, John Leveson and Thomas Waller, knights, and William Lambert, William Sedley, Sampson Lennard, George Ryvers, Nicholas Gilbourne, Robert Bossevill, William Beswicke, Samuel Lennard, George Waller, and Samuel Boys, esqs. and others.

Precept of venire facias to the sheriff, Roger Twisenden, esq., .......... returned......... defaulters' fines assessed at 10s. Certain of the constables, George Tomblyn, gentleman, Thomas Parker, Edward Holman, Walter Woodgate, Abacuck Ashby, John Charlton, gentleman, Roger Humfrey, Thomas Ollyver, Thomas Dan, Richard Cranne, gentleman, Thomas Huggett, Thomas Risby, Robert Johnson, Thomas Jefferey, Henry Harrys, John Quilter, and John Mercer, present:

1 John Coombe of Hollingbourne, yeoman, on 4th May, 1599, at Hucking, assaulted Marian Bunton, wife of William Bunton of Hucking, the elder, yeoman, and struck her with a stone.

Writ of venire facias for him to come to the next session at Canterbury on Tuesday before St. James the apostle next [22nd July, 1600]. On which day he does not come. Sheriff returns nichil habet, therefore writ of capias to have him at next session at Maidstone on Tuesday before Michaelmas [23rd September, 1600] to answer.

[In margin] On 23rd September, 1600, he appeared and submitted himself. Fine assessed at 6s. Paid in court to sheriff and discharged.

[Unnumbered] Memorandum at the session at Canterbury Castle on Tuesday after Epiphany, 9th January, 1598/9, before Thomas Wilsford, Moile Fynche, Stephen Thornehurst, Thomas Fane, and Michael Sones, knights, and Peter Manwood, Mathew Hadd and Henry Fynche, esqs. and others, by the oath of Ruben Stonestrete, William Lott, Henry Pilcher, Robert Dodd, William Chapman, John Goble, John Coulter, Richard Welche, Gregory Hall, Robert Godden, George Philpott, John Philpott and John Springate, jurors for the hundreds of Chart, Longbridge, Wye and the town of Ashford, it was learnt that a bridge at Beever in Ashford in the hundred of Chart, on the highway between Ashford and Romney Marsh, since 31st December, 1598, has been in a bad state of repair. Which bridge has been usually repaired by the inhabitants of Ashford and the hundred of Chart, and should be repaired by them.

At this session the inhabitants of Ashford come by Herbert Cadman, their attorney, and the inhabitants of the hundred of Chart by Thomas Mabb, their attorney, and the former say that they cannot deny the facts set out in the inquisition, while the latter deny the truth of the inquisition, since the inhabitants of Ashford ought to repair the bridge alone without their help, and have always done so, which they are ready to prove. John Webbe, gentleman, clerk of the peace, prosecutes and says that the inhabitants of the hundred of Chart should not be discharged by reason of their allegations, because they and the inhabitants of Ashford have been accustomed to repair the bridge at their equal charges, and he asks that the matter be referred to the country, to which the inhabitants of Chart hundred agree, and they are made defendants to the inquisition. He therefore asks that a writ of venire facias be sent to the sheriff for the appearance at Canterbury Castle of twelve men of the hundred of Felborough, which is adjacent to that hundred, on Tuesday before St. James next [22nd July, 1600]. On which day John Webbe and the inhabitants of Chart hundred, through their attorney, came, but none of the jury. Therefore postponed to Tuesday before Michaelmas next [23rd September, 1600] at Maidstone. Sheriff to have the jury there and the same day given to John Webbe and the inhabitants of Chart hundred.

[In margin, an illegible entry written over a deleted entry]