looked upon as a tennant in possesion, and though I receive noe favour saveing to enjoye it before an-other, paying as much as any other will doe, I shalbe satisfied, and the reason is I have some younge horses which I kept onely for that ground, which I cannot well dispose of at present, and further, in my thoughts, it is somthing troblesome, that another person shall come in and make his bosts that he can have it before me, and I being soe long in possesion. If my good husbandry to it put me out of possesion, I can say nothing but he that waids long therein may come to finde the bothum. Noe more at present saveing my humble and respective service I desire to present to his lordshipp, I pray doe me the kindnes to send me word what I had best doe about Tho: Flowers lease, he told me you would send me word when you would have him come over for to have an end of it. I would be glad ther ware an end made, for I shall want mony by reson I have close both for my selfe and cheldren to buy. me. My lord wret me word he hath lately made a lease in trust for Ther is my life and two of my childrens lives in it, and it is called Bishops Meadowes in Howdenshire† and that I might advise with you conserning it, for you understud the bisiness. And so I pray you to doe me the favor to let me know what it is, and who is intrusted. This is all at present from her that is Your friend to * Edward Kirlew of Woodhall in the parish of Hemingborough, represented a family of small landowners of long standing in that place. He married first Frances, daughter of Ralph Lodge of Barlby in the same parish, and secondly Catherine, daughter of Hugh Taylor of Coates. He was buried 6th July, 1681, leaving issue. cf. pedigree of Kirlew, Burton and Raine, History of Hemingborough, p. 204. † Howdenshire on the Humber was originally granted to Carilef, Bishop of Durham, by William the Conqueror. In the time of Bishop Cosin the reserved rents received from the liberty amounted to £430 per annum, beside which there were very considerable fines payable on the renewal of leases. But this Bishop was compelled to expend no less than £800 to rebuild or make good the banks of the river Ouse. cf. Correspondence of Bishop Cosin, Surtees Soc., No. lv, pp. 91, 173, 234n. [Addressed] For Mir Stapylton at Durham Castle Thes. post paid 2. JOHN BRABANT TO MILES STAPYLTON. Honoured Sir: Wm Selby,* collectour of the rents in the towneship of Bishopp Midleham anno 1661, told mee yesterday at Durham that five shillings of the arreare lately levied on him by the Exchecquer bailiffe was returned by the late auditour upon my farme, he told mee moreover that you would order the bayliff to levy it on mee: I had once purposed personally to have waited on you and to have rightly informed you in the businesse thereby to rectifie misapprehension and prevent trouble, but unexpected occasions then interveneing I was hindred from my purpose and therefore I send you these lines. October 2d Anno 1661, I tooke a lease of my lord under these conditions (as you know), vizt. the payment of thirty fower shillings per annum at the feasts of St Martin, the Purification, Pentecost and St Peter ad Vincula by equall portions, and also yearly two lambs or tenne shillings in liew of them, at Pentecost, but notwithstanding the covenant of the payment quarterly his lordship willed mee to paie it only at two tearmes in the yeare and promised that noe advantage should bee taken: accordingly I paid vjs the Martinmas following and 178 more at Pentecost then next ensueing and also tenne shillings for the lambes, and soe have I continued ever since as will appeare by acquittances. Soe that how I should bee any thing arreare I thinke noe judicious man can conceave, tis true the late auditour upon pretence that the whole rent and lambes was formerly paid by equall portions would have had mee pay for one lamb at Martinmas (before it was due), alleadgeing that otherwise hee and the receavour could not perfect their accounts, to which when I replied that I, for the facilitateing of their businesse, ought not to paie money before it was due. Hee told mee in greate choler hee would send to distraine, whereupon I laid the whole businesse before my lord himselfe who thought it unreasonable that I should pay any thing in liew of the lambs till Pentecost, and thus haveing plainely represented the businesse I leave it to you to judge whether any arreare can justly be charged on mee; and, with my due respects presented, I remaine Sir Martii 21o, 65. Your affectionate freind and servant * 1682, April 18, William Selby buried in woollen as per affidavit made before Mr Robertson, curate of Sedgefield. Bishop Middleham Registers. ↑ John Brabant of Pedgbank in the township of Stockley and parish of Brancepeth, entered his pedigree 21st August, 1666, in Dugdale's Visitation K Sir: [Addressed] To his Esteemed Stapleton at the Castle in Durham these present. SIR GILBERT GERARD TO MILES STAPYLTON. London, Martch the 29, 1666. I am incoraged by many testimonies of yower kindneses too me and my wife and for whoes sake also I shall intret yow too inform yower selfe what retornes has bin made for this too laste halfe years pastt of the harthes or chimnes in the county paletin of Durham. I doo belive Captain Richerdson, or the deupity of the offis he houlds, can bestt informe yow or eles the undershrife. I pray yow also as near as yow can informe yower-selfe, and lett me know whatt the Kinge's yearly rentt of the chimneies of the county of Durham maie aris too. Sir I shall houlde my selfe mutch obliged too yow if yow will give me this faver, and yower-selfe the trobell of this bisnes: wich shall be alwaies acknolegd by Yower Frend and Servantt Gilb: Gerard.* of Durham. He was then 48 years of age and claimed to bear as arms sable, a fess embattled and counter embattled between three leopard's faces or, which claim was respited for proof. He was then the father of two sons and two daughters. The eldest son, William Brabant, after being at Northallerton school, was admitted to Christ College, Cambridge, 27th May, 1664, being then 18 years of age, and on the 29th of June in the same year he was entered in the Middle Temple. John Brabant, the second son of the first-named John Brabant, was 15 years of age in 1666, and on the 1st January, 1666-7, was apprenticed to his uncle, Henry Brabant of Newcastle, boothman-afterwards Sir Henry Brabant -and was admitted free of the Merchants' Company 19th July, 1676. *Sir Gilbert Gerard of Fiskerton, in Lincolnshire, was one of the sons of Radcliffe Gerard of Halsall, Lancashire. In the year 1643 or 1644 he married first Mary, widow of Sir Michael Hutchinson and daughter of Sir John Brereton, by whom he had issue sons and daughters. He married secondly, before the 7th March, 1660-1, Mary, the favourite daughter of Bishop Cosin, and thereby planted his foot on the ladder of preferment. He represented Northallerton in Parliament from 1661 to 1681, was created a baronet 17th November, 1666, with a special limitation in favour of his issue male by his second wife, Mary Cosin. He was sheriff of the county palatine of Durham in 1672 and 1674, and was admitted to Gray's Inn 10th March, 1673-4. Through his wife he received Brafferton, near Boroughbridge, and had several beneficial leases of lands, etc., belonging to the see of Durham, amongst which leases was one of the royalties, etc., of Gateshead. He was taken ill and died at York on his way to or from Gateshead on the 24th September, 1687, and was buried in the Minster, having made a nuncupative will: 17th September, 1687. "Sir Gilbert Gerrard late of Gateshead, county of Durham, barronett, being indisposed in body but of sound perfect mind and memory did in the last sickness of which he dyed in the presence of diverse |