So seised, the said Robert Chamberlain in part fulfilment of certain bargains and agreements specified and declared in certain indentures of bargain, dated the last day of March, 18 Eliz. [1576], and made between himself of the one part and the said William Chapman, deceased, and Joan his wife of the other part, sold to the said William and Joan the said messuage in Borthalane, the said yard or waste land thereto adjoining, then or late in the several tenures of the said William Chapman and of Robert Herne, merchant tailor of London, and also the said 2 other messuages: to hold to them and to the heirs of the said William to their sole use for ever.

And so seised, the said William Chapman made his will dated 15 August, 1579, as follows [here given in English]:

I give to William Chapman my son and heir apparent and to his heirs for ever my manor of Bright Walton alias Brickleton in co. Berks and all my lands in Bright Walton thereto appertaining.

I give to my son Robert Chapman all my lands, tenements, &c., in the City of London, and in the towns, parishes and hamlets of Cookeham and Bray in co. Berks.

The said messuage in Borthalane, the said yard or waste piece of land thereto adjoining, and the said 2 yards with the 2 small houses thereupon built in Borthalane aforesaid are held of the Queen by fealty only, in free burgage, and are worth per ann., clear, 40s. The 2 messuages in the said parish of the Blessed Mary Colchurch to the said late House of Acon belonging are held of the Queen in chief by the 40th part of a knight's fee, and are worth per ann., clear, £3.

William Chapman died 8 August last past; William Chapman is his son and next heir and was aged 7 years on the 20th day of December last past.

The said Joan still survives in the said parish of the Blessed Mary Colechurch, London.

I'

Chan. Ing. p. m., 23 Eliz., part 2, No. 79.

William Heron, Gentleman.

nquisition taken at the Guildhall, 30 January, 23 Eliz. [1581],

before John Harte, citizen and Alderman of London, William Tuck, esq., Auditor of the Court of Wards and Liveries, Richard Gadberye, gent., Nowell Sotherton, gent., and William Necton, gent., feodary within the City of London, by virtue of a commission to them and to Rowlande Haywarde directed after the death of William Heron, gent., by the oath of Robert Dyconson, George Gynne, William Povey,

John Harryson, Richard Smythe, John Jackson, John Irelande, William Styche, John Rychardes, William Leyer, William Typper, John Stoddarde, Roger Hole, Thomas Bromley and William Feake, who say that

William Heron was a citizen and freeman of the said city and was seised in his demesne as of fee of 14 messuages and I stable situate in Westsmythfeild in the parish of St. Sepulchre, London; and so being thereof seised he made his will 12 July, 1580, at London, as follows: [here given in English]: I give to Elizabeth my wife a yearly rent of £20 issuing out of my house called the Maydenhed and other my lands. thereto adjoining in the said parish of St. Sepulchre, on condition that she shall not claim any dower, "franke banke" (free beach) or wife's part of my lands or goods; if she does claim them then this my grant

to cease.

I give to Thomas Heron of Newcastell and his heirs for ever the yearly rent of £5 issuing out of my said lands and tenements in the said parish.

I give to 2 poor colleges in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, viz., University College in Oxford and Peterhouse in Cambridge, to each of them the yearly rent of £5, issuing out of my said lands "towarde the educacion and bringinge upp of poore schollers within the said towe severall Colleges or howses".

I give to the parish of St. Sepulchre to the use of the poor for ever the yearly rent of £4, also issuing out of my said lands.

Towards the repair of the parish Church of Clerkenwell the yearly rent of £4 for 12 years, and after that period, a like sum yearly for ever to the poor of the said parish of Clerkenwell: all issuing out of my said lands.

I give to Katherine Bassett alias Poppleton my first wife's daughter for life the yearly rent of 40s.; to Joan Hall alias Poppleton my said first wife's daughter the yearly rent of 40s. for life; to Margaret Bell my servant the yearly rent of 40s. for life; to the said Katherine Bassett alias Poppleton the yearly rent of 20s. besides the said 40s., and to John Hall the yearly rent of 20s. for life: all issuing out of said lands.

I give to the use and repair of the parish Churches of St. Sepulchre and Clerkenwell for ever the yearly rent of £20 after the decease of my said wife; and after the decease of the said Katherine Basset, Joan Hall, Margaret Bell and John Hall I give the said yearly rent of £8 issuing out of my said lands for ever towards the repair of the highways from time to time in most needful places between the Spittlehowse at Highegate and the corner of St. John's Wall and the common highway leading from Highegate through Kentyshe towne to Battlebridge: the same to be yearly bestowed by the Constables and Churchwardens of the said

places for the time being. I give to Thomas Charleton son of Roger Charleton the yearly rent of 26s. 8d., issuing out of my said lands.

And finally in order that the several demises of the said lands may be performed, I will that the said lands shall be conveyed to the corporations of the Woodmongers or Clothworkers to the above said uses if my executors shall be so advised by their counsel.

The said William Heron made Edward Buggins, gent., Robert Woode and Clement Rigges his exors.

After the death of the said William the said executors by their deed dated 6 October, 22 Eliz. [1580], conveyed the said premises to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the Freemen of the Art or Mystery of the Clothworkers of London and their successors to their proper use for ever.

All the said premises are held of the Queen in free burgage, and are worth per ann., clear, £40.

William Heron died 12 July last past; Thomas Heron is his kinsman and next heir, viz., son of William Heron, son of John Heron alias Bernard Heron, father of John Heron, father of the said William Heron named in the said commission, and is now aged 40 years and more.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 23 Eliz., part 2, No. 83.

William Clerk, Idiot.

nquisition taken at the Guildhall, 6 November, 23 Eliz. [1581],

before John Allott, Alderman of the City of London, Gabriel Colston, citizen and grocer of London, and William Necton, feodary, commissioners appointed to enquire into the lunacy of William Clerke, son of Roger Clerke, citizen and salter of London, by the oath of Robert Dickenson, William Layer, William Povye, John Harryson, Thomas Russell, John Irelonde, John Jackson, William Stiche, John Keblewhite, George Ginne, John Crowche, John Richardes, Edmund Owen, Gri ., Henry Shawe, William Curtes, George Robartes, Peter Legate, Roger Hole and William Feake, who say that

William Clerke is an idiot so that he is incapable of governing either himself or his lands, tenements, goods and chattels, and has been and still is an idiot by the visitation of God, and does not enjoy lucid intervals, nor is he seised of any other messuages, lands, &c.

Roger Clerke, son of the said Roger Clerke the father is the elder brother and next heir of the said William, and was aged 19 years on the 25th day of August last past.

Chan. Ing. p. m., 23 Eliz., part 2, No. 88.

Lawrence Reynoldes.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 27 October, 23 Eliz. [1581].

before John Braunche, Knight, Mayor and escheator, after the death of Lawrence Reynoldes, by the oath of Robert Dickenson, William Povye, John Irelande, John Facson, William Stiche, John Keblewhyte, John Riccardes, Griffin Jones, George Robertes, John Oldham, Roger Hole, John Stodderd, Richard Smythe and Thos. Russell, who say that One Edward Whitwell was seised in his demesne as of fee of all that messuage and the wharf, adjoining the same, situate in the parish of St. Andrew, at Castlebaynerd, in London; 3 small tenements in the said parish and 2 other messuages there near the gate of the lord of the Borroughe: which said premises the late King Henry 8 by his Letters Patent, dated 11 June in the 36th year of his reign gave to Robert Taverner, gent., to the sole use of himself and his heirs for ever, to be held of the said King in free and common socage, by fealty only and not in chief: the estate of which said Robert Taverner in the said premises the said Edward Whitwell had to him and his heirs at the time of his death; after whose death the said premises descended to Avice Reynolds, then wife of Thomas Reynolds, as daughter and heir of the said Edward Whitwell, and so thereof seised the said Avice died in the said parish, and afterwards the said Thomas died, by reason whereof the said premises descended to said Lawrence, named in the said writ, as son and heir of the said Avice and he was thereof seised in his demesne as of fee.

The said premises are held of the Queen in free and common socage by fealty only and not in chief, and are worth per ann., clear, £10.

Laurence Reynoldes died 15 August, 23 i.liz. [1581], without heirs of his body; John Bryan is his next kinsman and heir, viz., son and heir of John Bryan and Isabel his wife, daughter of Edward Whitwell, father of the said Edward Whitwell, father of the said Avice, mother of the said Lawrence, and is now aged 45 years.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 23 Eliz., part 2, No. 89.

Alice Skevington, Widow, Lunatic. [nquisition taken at the Guildhall, 2 November, 23 Eliz. [1581].

before William Necton, gent., William Dalbye, gent., and William Squier, gent., by virtue of a commission to enquire into the lunacy of Alice Skevington, widow, to them and to Humphrey Nichols

directed, by the oath of Robert Dickinson, Richard Smythe, Roger Hole, John Jackson, John Keblewhite, Walter Warde, John Twiste, Thomas Madocke, John Myles, Griffin Jones, William Typper, William Stiche, John Harryson, George Gynne, John Ireland and Edmund Owen, who say that

The said Alice Skevington is not a lunatic, nor does she enjoy lucid intervals, but is of sound mind and memory, and has the governing of her own lands, tenements, goods and chattells.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 23 Eliz., part 2, No. 91.

Nicholas Backhouse, Alderman.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 25 January, 23 Eliz. [1581],

before John Braunche, Esq., Mayor and escheator, after the death of Nicholas Backhouse, citizen and Alderman of the City of London, by the oath of Robert Dykenson, Thomas Russell, Arthur . . George Gynne, John Keblewhite, William Povye, . . . John Jackson, John Irelonde, William Stitche, John Ricardes, William Layer, Griffin Jones, William Jones, John Stodderd, Edmund Owen, Roger Hoell, Henry Shawe, William Feake and . . . who say that,

Nicholas Backhouse was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 large messuage and tenement situate in the streets of Cornehill and Brodestreete in the parish of St. Christopher next "lez Stockes" within the said city, lately purchased of Anthony Gamage, citizen and Alderman of London, John Banaster and Philip Banaster, executors of the will of Thomas Banaster, late citizen and skinner of London, deceased; I messuage and tenement situate in the parish of All Saints in Hony Lane within the said City, late in the tenure of Thomas Thickens, and lately purchased by the said Nicholas to him and his heirs of William Boxe, of London, grocer; I capital messuage or mansion house situate in the street called Bassinges Hawe within the said City, late in the tenure of John Gresshame, knight, citizen and Alderman of London, deceased; 5 small tenements adjoining the said capital messuage, lying in Bassingshawe aforesaid: all which said premises last recited lying in Bassinghawe were lately purchased by the said Nicholas Backhouse, to him and his heirs of Thomas Gressham, knight, and John Gressham now deceased; 3 tenements with 1 small garden lying in or near an alley called Swan Alley in the street called Colman strete in the parish of St. Stephen of Colman strete in the said City, late in the several tenures of the said Nicholas Backhouse, Libius Foxe and Matthew