Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Social conditions
And whereas the court rolls and records of the said manor have always
heretofore been kept under several locks and keys, whereof your
Majesty's stewards have kept one key and your Majesty's tenants (in
regard it concerned their particular inheritances) have kept another
key; but now they are at the pleasure of the stewards and officers
transported from place to place, and the now purchasers do demand the
custody of them, which may be most prejudicial to your Majesty's poor
tenants.
Now forasmuch as your Majesty hath been pleased to sell the said manor
unto the City of London, who have sold the same unto Mr. John Cartwright
and Mr. Tho. Brudnell, gent.: and for that your petitioners and tenants
there (being in number two hundred poor men, and there being 11 of your
Majesty's tenants there, that bear arms for the defence of your
Majesty's realm, and 12 that pay your Majesty subsidies, fifteens, and
loans) are all now like to be utterly undone, in case the said Mr.
Cartwright and Mr. Brudnell should (as they say they will) take away
from your tenants the said demesnes and woods after the expiration of
their leases, and that your poor tenants should be left to the wills of
the purchasers for their fines, or that the records and court rolls
should not be kept as in former times in some private place, where the
purchasers and tenants may both have the custody and view of them as
occasion shall serve;
May it therefore please your sacred Majesty that such order may be taken
in the premises for the relief of your poor tenants of the manor
aforesaid, that they may not be dispossessed of the demesnes and leases,
and that they may know the certainty of their fines for the copyhold,
demesnes and leases, and may have the court rolls and records safely
kept as formerly they have been, and that your Majesty will be further
pleased to refer the consideration, hearing, ordering and determination
of the premises unto such noblemen, or other four gentlemen of esteem in
the country, whom your Majesty shall be pleased to appoint, that are
neighbours unto your tenants, and do best know their estate and
grievances. That they or any two or three of them may take such order,
and so settle the business between the purchasers and your poor tenants,
as they in their wisdom and discretion shall judge to be reasonable and
fitting, or to certify your Majesty how they find the same and in whose
default it is they cannot determine thereof. And your poor tenants as in
all humble duty bound will daily pray for your Majesty.
Whitehall, this 10th of November, 1629.
His Majesty is graciously pleased to refer the consideration of this
request to the commissioners for sale of his lands, that upon the report
unto his Majesty of their opinion and advice his Majesty may give
further order therein.
DORCHESTER.
13. AN ACT AVOIDING PULLING DOWN OF TOWNS [_7 Hen. VIII, c. 1. Statutes
of the Realm, Vol. III, pp. 176-7_], 1515.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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