| Abstract | Courte Leete Payments Penalties and Fines ERO D/DU 555 18 (003)
Transcribed by Jools Hoyle 5 June 2020
There is a translation to Modern English further down the page
Courte Leete [ Note 1 ] `
| 1. The Fines, forfeictures, amercements [ Note 2 ] etc | | |
| 2. found by the Homage [ Note 3 ], to be due unto the | | |
| 3. Lord of this mannor. / | | |
| | |
| 4. 1. Sept[ember]. 1.Eliz[abeth] : [ Note 4 ] | Imp[rim]is, the homage found that the Lo[rd]: is to have | } |
| 5. | yearely of them and of their desiners5 for a co[m]mon | } xixs |
| fine | } |
| | |
| 6. | It[em] For suffring Cattle to straye in the highwaye | } |
| 7. Hie waies (highways) | to the damage of the neighbo[ur]s, Tho[mas] Flowre | } ijs |
| and divers | } |
| 8. | other weare am[er]ced at xijd p[er] p[er]s[on]? & | } |
| Pollard at ijs | } |
| | |
| 9. bloud sead (bloodshed) | It[e]m for Bloodshed, Cowlson was amerced at | iijs iiij d |
| | |
| 10. | It[em] for not working with his neighbours to | } iiijs |
| 11. | mend the highewayes, Martell was amerced at | } |
| | |
| 12. | It[e]m midleton was ordred by a daye limited, to | } ijd |
| 13. | make vj rodds [ Note 6 ] of ditching upon paine of forfeiting | } |
| 14. | for every rod ijd / & for xvj rod more iiijs | } iiijs |
| | |
| 15. no catell sofud (suffered) | It[e]m it was ordeyned that no inhabitant of this | } |
| 16. one the Hie waies | manno[r], should hereafter suffer their Cattell to | } vjs viijd |
| 17. 7. July. 3. Eliz[abeth] [ Note 7 ]: | straye in the highe waye, otherwise then in dryving | } |
| 18. | to their grounds, under paine for every offence | } |
| | |
| 19. | It[e]m the ten[au]nt[es] w[hi]ch have Co[m]mon w[i]thin | } |
| this mann[or] | } |
| 20. | weare co[m]maunded, by a certeyne daye to make | } vs |
| 21. | a gate in Brookemead under payne of forfeyting | } |
| | |
| 22. reparing | It[e]m J[oh]n Harvy gentleman was Co[m]maunded | } |
| (by a day) | } |
| 23. Houses | to repaire ij howses w[hi]ch now are ruyines, and | } xls |
| 24. | are belonging to his tenem[en]t called Martells | } |
| 25. | under payne of forfeycting | } |
| | |
| 26. 10. Sept[ember].10.Eliz[abeth] [ Note 8 ]: | It[e]m that John Richmond had forfeicted xxs for | } |
| receaving | } |
| 27. nobody to soudun (ie sojourn) | one Thomas Butler to soiourne [ Note 9 ] with him in his howse | }xxs |
| 28. in this towne with | w[i]thin this towne, contrary to the Bylawes of | } |
| 29. out leafe | this towne |
| 30. | It[e]m that none should use any Gynnes [ Note 10 ], | } |
| Lyure[?] pypes (lure pipe?) or | } |
| 31. no ginn to be | Ferretts to catch connyes [ Note 11 ] w[i]thin this manno[r] but onely | } iijs iiijd |
| 32. usead | in their owne graunds upon forfeicting for ev[e]ry offence | } |
| | |
| 33. 27.Aug[ust]. 13. Eliz[abeth] [ Note 12 ]: | It[e]m for not appearing at the Leete, Tho[mas]: Walden | }iijd |
| 34. | being resident & dwelling w[i]thin the same, was fyned | } |
| | |
| 35. 3. Sept[ember]: 36.Eliz[abeth] [ Note 13 ]: | The Co[m]mon fine was found this yeare & the yeare | } |
| 36. | following to be xxs yearely | } |
| | |
| 37. Survay. A[nn]o. 3. Jacobi [ Note 14 ] | The homage found that the Lo[rd]: had a court Leet or | } |
| 38. | view of Franck pledge [ Note 15 ] to be held once yearely | } |
| | |
| 39. | And that they give the Lo[rd]: yerely for a co[m]mon fine | xixs |
| | |
| 40. | And that the King (being then Lo[rd]: of the s[ai]d mannor) | } |
| 41. | Each right of Patronage of the parishe church of | } xxvi |
| 42. | Eastmersy and that the Parsonage of Eastm[er]sy consisteth | }acres |
| 43. | upon the Tenths of all & ev[e]ry kynds & conteyneth in it | } |
| | |
| 44. | And that the Lo[rd]: was to have the rents & services of | } |
| 45. | certeyne Customary Tennaunts p[er] Annu[m] | } |
Note 1 A court of record held periodically in a hundred, lordship, or manor, before the lord or his steward, and attended by the residents of the district.
Note 2 a penalty or fine at the discretion of the Lord, or of his court
Note 3 The Homage = a representative group of tenants known as the manorial homage, whose job was to make presentations to the court and act as a jury.
Note 4 1559
Note 5 a desiner = member of a tithing, or group of fellow tenants
Note 6 a rod is about 16ft 6ins
Note 7 1561
Note 8 1568
Note 9 sojourn/stay with
Note 10 'gin', a trap, see OED definition 4b
Note 11 rabbits
Note 12 1571
Note 13 1594
Note 14 1606 - a Survey of the Manor was carried out for new owners by Thomas Peachy (Peachie/Peachey)
Note 15 a court held periodically for the production of the members of a tithing, later of a hundred or manor. A court Leete
MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION by Jools Hoyle February 2021
Court Leet [Note 1]
| 1. The payments, penalties and fines etc | | |
| 2. found by the Homage [Note 2] to be due to the | | |
| 3. Lord of this manor. | | |
| | |
| 4. 1. September 1.Elizabeth [Note 3] | Firstly, the homage found that the Lord (of the manor) should receive | } |
| 5. | annually from them and their fellow tenants by way of common fine [Note 4] | }19 shillings |
| | |
| 6. | Item: For allowing cattle to stray onto the highway | } |
| 7. Highways | to the detriment of the neighbours, Thomas Flowre and various | } 2 shillings |
| 8. | others were fined at 12 pence (1 shilling) per person, & Pollard | } |
| 2 shillings | } |
| | |
| 9. bloodshed | Item: For bloodshed, Cowlson was fined at | 3 shillings 4 pence |
| | |
| 10. | Item: For not working with his neighbours to | } 4 shillings |
| 11. | mend the highways, Martell was fined at | } |
| | |
| 12. | Item: Midleton was ordered, with a time limit of one day, to | } 2 pence |
| 13. | make 6 rods [Note 5] of ditching on pain of forfeiting | } |
| 14. | 2 pence for every rod and for 16 more rods, 4 shillings | } 4 shillings |
| | |
| 15. no cattle allowed | Item: It was ordained that no inhabitant of this | } |
| 16. on the highways | manor should hereafter allow their Cattle to | }6 shillings 8 pence |
| 17. 7. July. 3. Elizabeth [Note 6] | stray onto the highway, other than for driving | } |
| 18. | them to their land, on pain for each offence of | } |
| 19. | Item: The tenants who have the right to use common land within this manor | } |
| 20. | were commanded, by a certain date, to make | } 5 shillings |
| 21. | a gate in Brookmead on pain of forfeiting | } |
| | |
| 22. repairing | Item: John Harvy, gentleman, was commanded (by a certain date) | } |
| 23. Houses | to repair 2 houses which are currently in ruins and | }40 shillings
| | 24. | which are part of his property called Martells | } |
| 25. | on pain of forfeiting | } |
| | |
| 26. 10.September. 10. Elizabeth [Note 7] | Item: That John Richmond had forfeited 20 shillings for having | } |
| 27. nobody to sojourn [Note 8] | one Thomas Butler to stay with him in his house | }20 shillings |
| 28. in this town without | within this town, contrary to the bylaws of | } |
| 29. permission | this town | } |
| | |
| 30. | Item: That no-one should use any gin traps, (lure pipes) [Note 9] or | } |
| 31. no gin traps to be | ferrets to catch rabbits within this manor unless | } 3 shillings 4 pence |
| 32. used | in their own grounds, on pain of forfeiting, for every offence | } |
| 33. 27. August. 13. Elizabeth [Note 10] | Item: For not appearing at the Leet Court, Thomas Walden | }3 pence
| | 34. | being a resident and dwelling within the same (i.e. this manor) was fined | } |
| | |
| 35. 3.September. 36. Elizabeth [Note 11] | The Common fine was found (i.e. decided) this year and the year |
| | 36. | following to be 20 shillings annually | |
| | |
| 37. Survey. Year 3 James I [Note 12] | The homage found that the Lord (of the manor) had a court Leet or | } |
| 38. | view of Frankpledge [Note 13] to be held once a year | } |
| | |
| 39. | and that they should pay to the Lord each year for the Common fine | 19 shillings |
| |
| 40. | And that the King (being then Lord of the said manor) | } |
| 41. | held each right of patronage of the parish church of | } 26 |
| 42. | East Mersea and of the parsonage of East Mersea consisting | } acres |
| 43. | of one tenth of everything contained within it [Note 14] | } |
| | |
| 44. | And that the Lord (of the manor) was to have the rents & services of | } |
| 45. | certain customary tenants per annum | } |
Note 1 A court of record held periodically in a hundred, lordship, or manor, before the lord or his steward, and attended by the residents of the district
Note 2 The Homage = a representative group of tenants known as the manorial homage, whose job was to make presentations to the court and act as a jury.
Note 3 1st September of the first year of Elizabeth I's reign - she ruled from 17th November 1558, so this would be 1559
Note 4 not a penalty or fine, but a tax or payment due periodically to the lord of the manor
Note 5 a rod was an old English measurement normally equivalent to 16.5 feet, although it could vary from 9 feet to as much as 29 feet
Note 6 1561
Note 7 1568
Note 8 nobody to have visitors to stay
Note 9 this is unclear, but may refer to the practice of luring waterfowl into the "pipes" of a decoy pond
Note 10 1571
Note 11 1594
Note 12 1606 - a Survey of the Manor was carried out for new owners by Thomas Peachy (Peachie/Peachey)
Note 13 a court held periodically for the production of the members of a tithing, later of a hundred or manor. A court Leete
Note 14 i.e he was entitled to receive tithes (tenths) in payment to the church and parsonage
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