Court Officials and Attendance
| Lord of the ManorThe Lord of the Manor was the landowner with legal and economic control over a manor. They collected rents, administered... In full. | William Whitchurch (Esquire) |
| The HomageHomage referred to the sworn body of tenants who served as the jury of a manor court. Selection for the... In full. | William Loder (foreman), Thomas Cooke, Richard Snooke, John Carter, Robert Langman, Nicholas Farvis, Thomas Serjeant, William Kember, William Milles, Edward Hellier, Robert Bullen (by marriageJure uxoris ('by right of wife') was how a husband gained rights over his wife's property. In the English property... In full.), Robert Chaffey, George Jolliffe, William Browne, William Clarke |
| Did not Attend | Free SuitorIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full.: William Weston (Esquire) Tenants: Andrew Loder, Francis Cooke, Thomas Hobbs, Lucy Thornhull (widow), Joan Locke, Maria Hellier, Jane Lambert, John Loder, Henry Snooke, Thomas Bingham, Robert Hobbs, Joan Chamberlaine, Melior Snooke |
| AffeerersAn affeerer was a manor court official who assessed and adjusted amercement amounts. Selected from among the manor's tenants, affeerers... In full. | Nicholas Farvis, Edward Hellier |
Property Transactions
| Transaction | Individuals, Relationships and Roles | Premises & Land |
|---|---|---|
| SurrenderSurrender was the formal procedure of returning a copyhold tenancy to the lord of the manor. It served several purposes:... In full. and AdmissionAdmission was the legal process granting a new tenant rights to copyhold property. The court 'admitted' someone following a previous... In full. Thomas Cooke surrendered property and it was then taken by his son John who was admittedAdmission was the legal process granting a new tenant rights to copyhold property. The court 'admitted' someone following a previous... In full. tenant. FineA fine was a customary payment made to the lord of the manor upon changes to tenancy arrangements. It acknowledged... In full. and HeriotHeriot was a duty the lord of the manor collected at the end of a tenancy. It traditionally consisted of... In full.: 40s already paid | Thomas Cooke (tenant, surrenderer) John Cooke (new tenant) | One enclosure of pasture called Woolland. Communal pasture for ten beasts |
| Surrender and Admission for 3 lives William Browne surrenders land and it was then taken to be held by George Snooke, his son George and William Langman for their joint lifetimes in succession. George (the father) is admitted as tenant. Rent 2s Heriot when due Fine £31 1s 6d already paid | William Browne (surrenderer) George Snooke (new tenant, first life, admitted) George Snooke (son of George, second life, admitted in ReversionThe automatic transfer of a tenancy upon the termination of the current tenant's interest. In manorial practice, reversions were commonly... In full.) William Langman (son of Robert Langman deceased, third life, admitted in Reversion) Christina Watts (widow, previous tenant) | One meadow called Hempitts about six acres once part of a customary tenementA tenement was any holding of land with at least one building. A customary tenement was held according to the... In full. occupied by Christina Watts |
Presentments by the Homage
| PresentmentPresentments constituted the formal declarations and findings submitted by the Homage at each sitting of the manor court. The Homage... In full. | Individuals, Relationships and Roles | Premises & Land or Rights |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance and Repair | Mistress Thornhull | The backs at the commonLand over which manorial tenants held shared rights. These typically included common of pasture (grazing), turbary (cutting turf for fuel),... In full. gate need repair and it should be done by the last of July next on pain of'On pain of' was a phrase in presentments specifying the penalty for non-compliance with a court directive. When the court... In full. 10s. Reported as done. |
| Customary RightsThe rules, rights and obligations by which a particular manor was governed/administered. These customs acquired legal force through long usage... In full. | No tenant is allowed to take any agistmentAgistment was an arrangement whereby landowners or tenants permitted others to pasture their livestock on lands for a specified fee.... In full. sheep to the common and let them lodge or couchIn manorial usage, 'to lodge or couch' on the common means that animals grazing there remain resting or lying, typically... In full. there. They are to be penned, and if not penned by the tenant who allowed them onto the common, any other tenant is free to pen them. | |
| Maintenance and Repair | Joan Locke (widow) Edward Hellier Thomas Cook | Joan Locke is to set up a gate between Edward Hellier’s Erridge and Thomas Cook’s ground in the way that leads to her coppiceA coppice was a managed woodland where trees were periodically cut back to encourage new growth. Coppicing produced a renewable... In full.. To be done by the next court on pain of 10s. Reported as done. |
| Customary Rights | To take firebootBoot (or Bote) was a customary right allowing tenants to take timber for designated purposes. Categories included: Fireboot (deadwood for... In full. without assignmentManorial custom might require agreement (assignment) to use common resources, such as wood for building or repairing houses (houseboot). In full., and housebootBoot (or Bote) was a customary right allowing tenants to take timber for designated purposes. Categories included: Fireboot (deadwood for... In full. only with assignment. | |
| Maintenance and Repair | Henry Snooke | Henry Snooke’s ditch at West Lying against Puscandle Plecke from his gate down to his style needs repair and is to be done by Michaelmas on pain of 10s. Reported as done. |
| Failure to do SuitIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full. AmercedAn amercement was a monetary penalty imposed by the court for breaching custom. The origin of the word reflects the... In full. 3s 4d Assessed at 3d | Andrew Loder, John Loder, Thomas Hobbs, Henry Snooke, Robert Hobbs |