Court Book of Assemblies and Hundreds

WIN/54

Court Book of Assemblies and Hundreds

1586-1597

The cover labelled '5' and inscribed 'Hundred & Sessions Booke from the 24th Oct 28 Eliz 1586 to 3d Nov 39 Eliz 1596' [recte 1597]

Beyond the business specified above as normally occurring the following items have been selected for mention:

Folio

3 land to be sold:

St Johns Hospital with the land occupied by John Mills under the lease to Thomas Brett

The house where John Mills lives with its land [see below]

Rent from Tinkers Garden and Saverys Field in Quarter 17 - sold to Christopher Mockett at £32

Rent from two houses near Crouds in Quarter 14 which Mr Mockett has in fee-farm - sold to CM at £9 1s

3 rods (in length from the E from Mother Garnesye's ground and in breadth so far as her ground stretches [f8v sold to her for £1]

A lane at the E side of John Vincent's house [between it and the house of Bery's heirs - sold to JV for 13s 4d - f8v]

3v St Johns to be sold as follows:

St J's house and adjoining field + barn Lawrence Middleton £57

House where Mills lives and two adjoining fields LM

The Crooked Acre Mr Love £11

The Reed Acre Mr White £6

The field on the N side of Andrew Sone's house Mr Middleton £10

The field with the Millbank in it Mr Pirle £6

The piece on the E head of the chapel

A little piece near Kings Green Mr Ashburnham £1 6s 8d

A little piece at Monday Market John Standen £1 6s 8d

A little piece in Ashburnham Peck's field Mr Egleston £2 7s

So lost of 22s Quarter R which the town used to pay 4s 9d

4-6 Resolutions following the procuring of Letters Patent by the corporation for the confirmation of title to church lands in Winchelsea; 15 Dec 1586

4v some people had land put into the patent to strengthen their titles, it not being church land; they are to pay the reserved rents and:

Francis Bolton for the land at Icklesham £3 6s 8d

Henry Peck for a messuage and acre at Strand 10s

Owners of Castle Field and the messuage in Quarter 7 where Henry Peck lives £8 - paid by Adam Ashburnham esq

Thomas Tokey for the Lamp House £2

5 costs for obtaining patent = at least £258 + £150 paid to the patentees

7v Order dividing the rents of St John's Hospital among the purchasers, with rental; 31 Dec 1586

7v on death of Thomas Neighbour and his wife the goods found in the house sold for £20 for the benefit of his orphan daughter Mary; 1587

8 List of loans made for provisions for the poor during a famine; 10 Jan 1587

9v Decree against poaching; 12 Jan 1587

9v sale to Thomas Eglestone:

1 three rods in breadth from his shops at Strand near the house of the heirs of Michael Bieson eastward

2 one rod in breadth from his shops which belonged to Thomas Whitfield Eastwards

All the land between these last two as a line shall extend itself straight between the pieces; TE to give 16s 8d and make the enclosure at his own charge

10 Mr White has sold to the town his interest in a small piece on the E side of the street at the E head of the chapel of St Johns Hospital for 33s 4d; it, and the land there which the town already owned, sold to Lawrence Middleton for £3 6s 8d; 1587

12 Henry Guildford, now of age, to show his right to the Claypits; 1587

17 two victuallers; 1587

18 the King's Green (12a) and the adjoining pendents, which the town had of the queen, sold to Mr White and Thomas Cheeswell; reserving such part as lies common to the town (N from Coney Field and from a strake once let to Hugh Middleton and the pendents adjoining to the reserved parts of the green) at £40 1s; 1587

18v storehouse at Strand and the breadth of the house down to the channel granted to Mr Fane at 6s 10d; 1587

20 licence to Mr Poole parson of St Thomas and St Giles to sell the stones fallen down in the churchyard of St Giles, but to allow that part of the church which stands to remain standing; 1587

20 licence to John Vincent to pull down a shop adjoining the town storehouse, lately had of the town, and to rebuild it on any part of the land which he holds of the town; 1587

20v licence to Henry Furner to carry 6 loads of stone out of the town; not to include hewed stone or Caen stone; 1587

22v arbitrators with John Fray = Mr Culpepper and Mr Avery of Battle; 1587

22v Appointment of two jurats to attend the Lord Warden to treat concerning the provision of 12 ships of war to sea from the Cinque Ports, later amended to 6, for service against the anticipated Armada from Spain. Winchelsea contributed £66 13s 4d towards the ship provided by Hastings for this fleet, which served under [Henry Seymour] Lord Seymour in the Narrow Seas. [Further references occur on fos 23, 23v, 29, 30v, 31, 32, 37, 37v 46v, 47, 47v, but give no details of this service]; 4 Sep 1587

28 a sugar-loaf to be sent to the town's counsel Edmund Pelham, this year reader of Gray's Inn; 19 Mar 1588

29v Mr Love, William Burdett and John Osborne may take 10 tons of rough stones out of the town; not to extend to freestone, Caen stone or hewed sandstone; 1588

30 grant of the brewhouse in fee-farm to John Standen at £8 10s; to agree with JS what part shall be pulled down and what repaired; 1588

34 land at Icklesham put into the patent at the request of Francis Bolton; 1588

35 Order for the upkeep of St Thomas's Churchyard inclosure; 4 Jun 1588

39 earth, stones and water to be laid beside Penyles Bench towards the making of the wall there; 1588

42v licence to Mr Mockett to sell all the stones in the walls belonging to a house in Quarter 14 which he bought of the town; 1588

44v Decrees concerning the pollution of town wells the holding of only two hundred courts in the year hereafter in view of the decay of the town, to be held on the Tuesday after Midsummer day and the Tuesday after Twelfth day; 7 Jan 1589

45 2 rods x 1½ rods under the wall of Fishers Dock let to James Lewes for 7 years at 12d for a lime-kiln; 1589

45v 2 rods x 12 feet under the king's green let to John Rolfe for 21 years at 8d for a watering-place for his own use; 1589

49v Mr Hollands may buy any timber within the town which is already pulled down and export it, the vendor not to incur any penalty; 1589

50 licence to Mr Mockett to sell building materials from a little house in Quarter 12 adjoining his mansion house once Robert Tokey; 1589

50v three innkeepers appointed victuallers; 1589

51v Order for the recovery from Christopher Moket of the town's drum used for calling out the people for the repairing of highways; 17 May 1589

52v Licence to carry stones dug from a cellar in Winchelsea; 19 June 1589

52v Mr Ratcliffe and Mr Colbrand of Rye may carry out of the town all the stones dug down in a cellar late Mr White, right against John Robinson's house; 1589

54 suspicion that Christopher Mockett has long occupied the pendents on the E of his mansion house wrongfully; 1589

54 grant to Ashburnham Peck of tenement and orchard once granted to Edmund Milward; 1589

54v Francis Bolton paid £1 to Father Stonam of Battle toward the education of Neighbour's orphan; 1589

57 Nicholas Smersall of Winchelsea innkeeper; 1589

59 John Berry put apprentice to Oliver St John gt for 9 years, O StJ to have his house during that time; 1589

62 rent of 6s 8d out of piece in Quarter 28 released to Adam White (called The Squire, 1¾a, near Monday Market); 1590

63v four victuallers; 1590

66 Mr Ashburnham may rail in the well he has made on the side of Watchbell Causeway; 1590

67 petition by Goodman Seering and William French of Rye that four of the braces of Dinsdale Bridge be replaced by iron dogs; 29 Aug 1590

68v Gabriel Watson to have the brewhouse at £7; to repair, and to procure Richard Watson to become bound for the repairs at 21 ; 1590

69 Richard Watson is 21 ; to have the brewhouse and begin brewing; 1 Nov 1591

72 A prisoner to be executed; town agrees to bear costs of anyone who is sued for going onto the traditional execution place on the salt-marsh over the channel on the N side of the town, in dispute with Mr John Peck; 4 Dec 1590

73v Nicholas Smersall of Winchelsea innkeeper; 1591

75 Richard Waterman victualler; 1591

76v mayor to go to Battle to request sureties of the peace from the JPs there; 1591

77 Resolution to prefer a bill of barretry at the next County Quarter Sessions against John Fraye for molesting inhabitants of Winchelsea; 19 Mar 1591

79 licence to Ashburnham Peck to remove 40 tons of rough stones out of the town; not to include Caen or hewed stones; 1591

79 licence Thomas Swallow to remove 40 tons of rough stones about his house, except Caen or hewed stone; 1591

79 Licence to Philip Durrant to remove 10 tons except Caen or hewed stone; 1591

79 Pipewell Gate let for 21 years at 6d to Mr St John, to make a garden; provided he leave the door there at the end of the term; 1591

80 Francis Bolton now lives in Rye; 1591

81v Francis Bolton may carry 12 Caen stones out of the town; 1591

82 four victualler; 1591

88 brewhouse contract void as no repairs done; because town wants somebody living in it, Watson's widow to hold it until the town can find a tenant; 1591

89v Robert Norton of Winchelsea tanner; 1591

91 ferry let to wife of Thomas Swallow after his death; 1591

91 no rent received from house let to William Black; town to re-enter; 1592

94v four victualler; 1592

97 licence to Mr Stephens to keep shop in the house which he has lately hired from Clay; 1592

98v licence to Richard Waterman smith to set up a post close to the wall of his house or garden to tie up horses which are brought to be shoed; 1592

98v Mr Mocket previously ordered to relieve building-material from the street by 29 Sep, now extended to St Bartholomew; 1592

98v licence to Mr Standen to remove four pieces of timber out of the town; 1592

99v John Roberts of Rye has all the tallow made in this town to supply candles; 1592

100 Agreement to choose Mr [Adam] Ashburnham as member of Parliament [elections made in due form have not been noted but in this case the method of selection calls for mention]; 5 Jan 1593

101 garden late occupied by Edward Wood let to John Milward for 7 years at 7s 9d; 1592

101 licence to Ashburnham Peck to plant rabbits from Mr Standen's pendents to the Postern Gate along the pendents, and kill them, for 5 years at 5s 0d; 1593

103 suspicion that a house and land let to John Milward is forfeit; 1593 [f107 to re-enter as the tenement is pulled down; 1593; see f108]

103v Memorandum that the white parchment book and an old roll sent to London to the members of Parliament for support of the town Liberties have not been returned and are to be sought. Returned at the Hundred on 29 Apr (fo 105); 17 Feb 1593

105v Henry Turner of Winchelsea baker appointed town baker; 1593

108 tenement late Plomer's let to John Milward for 21 years at 8s 0d; building-stuff left there sold to John Vincent for 20s, he to let the corporation have the tiles at 12s 0d a thousand; 1593 [this is the tenement in Quarter 14 let to JM in 1554]

108v licence to Ashburnham Peck to carry 30 tons of rough stone out of the town; 1593

109v town to conclude a bargain with Walter Everden for the lands which were Lawrence Middleton's and the reversion of the house where Mr Standen lives; 1593

112 Ordinance for revision of town ordinances; 22 Nov 1593

113 licence to John Egleston to sell all the rough stones of the long house at his backside; 1594

113v The parchment roll [containing the custumal] was taken by the mayor to London where the town of Hastings had need of it; 22 Jan 1594

114 Agreement that the mayor and others confer with Mr Janibell about the haven which he had promised to make; 21 Feb 1594 [the Italian engineer Federigo Genibelli, whose suggested improvements for Rye harbour were made in 1591; RYE 47/45 and Bendall 2 197]

115 four victuallers; 1594

116 John Vincent has requested that a storehouse be built at Strand for which he will give 40s a year for 10 years; to view plot and estimate cost; 1594

117 town to re-enter house once let to Edmund Milward; 1594

120v Robert Young of Battle chandler to have all the tallow of Thomas Gray the town butcher and to supply the town with candles; 1594

123v house and orchard once let to Edmund Milward in fee-farm let to Ashburnham Peck at 8s 0d; 1595

125 to view plot adjoining Newgate which Thomas Foster requires, and to view other places near the same place which are hurtfull to cattle; 1595

127v licence to Thomas and John Egleston to carry three tons of old timber out of town; 1595

129 four victuallers; 1595

135v John Gower previously fined for putting a house out on the common more than he was licensed to do; half fine forgiven on account of poverty and that it was done through ignorance; 1595

136 Brewhouse and Bartholomew Field to be used as security [so owned by town]; 1595

138 The mayor and Thomas Eglestone sent to Dover to treat concerning the ship to be provided by the ports [Towards the Cadiz expedition. Documents concerning the ship provided by the West Ports are among the Cinque Port Confederation Records CP/Br] Similar orders on 5 Jan 1596 (fo 140), 13 Jan 1596 (fo 141v) Arthur Peck and Thomas Fane sent to Rye on I Feb 1596 for a final settlement of this matter; 25 Aug 1595

141v one small strake of the pendents adjoining his land let to Eustace Gadbury at 2d; 1596

145v licence to Ashburnham Peck to carry a transom window of Caen stone out of the town; 1596

145v Confirmation of ship contribution of 2 ships and 2 hoys by the ports, £80 being provided by Winchelsea Further negotiations at Rye resolved, 10 Mar 1596 (fo 149v) Resolution concerning the assessment and collection of the sess made 7 Mar 1596 (fo 150) Accounts of the enterprise to be heard at Rye, 9 Sep 1596 (fo 155) ; 5 Feb 1596

149 Goodman Pelham is sued at Dover for a field bought of the town; 1596

154 licence to Mr Mockett to take slate out of the town; 1596

157v three town bakers; 1596

158 Reference to the plague at Rye; 11 Jan 1597

160 theft of cloth from house of John Walker by Ann Meadow of Camber Castle, singlewoman, in 1589; 1597

162v three victuallers; 1597

163 Michael Bieson has enclosed a lane beside his house; to show right; 1597

164v the town's house besides Watchbell Gate granted to Master Bolton at 13s 4d; power to re-enter if any part pulled down without permission; 1597

165 Order for an investigation of the town records and a report upon the title to land of all those in the town; 19 Jul 1597

166-7 various entries of transactions in the market; 1597

167v small piece at Strand granted to Thomas Pont at 5s 0d; 1597

167v small lane against the Chantry Ground in Quarter 13 granted to Mr Standen at 16d; 1597

168 Nomination of one member of parliament granted to the Lord Warden; 7 Oct 1597

169 Decree concerning night watches along the coast in accordance with the Lord Warden's defence proclamation; 21 Oct 1597

English

Large folio bound in limp parchment with three leather straps cross-stitched in parchment. Comprises 170 paper folios.