Letter from John Lord, London, to Sir Humphrey Ferrers, Walton, 1597 June 2, L.e.568
For related articles, consult Manuscripts (disambiguation).
This article features a transcription of a Folger Shakespeare Library manuscript, Letter from John Lord to Sir Humphrey Ferrers, L.e.568, (June 2nd 1597), featured in the Age of Lawyers Exhibition, September 12, 2015-January 3, 2016.
More manuscripts from this collection can be found in Guide to the Papers of the Ferrers Family of Tamworth Castle
Although most trials were held at the assizes, there were exceptions. This letter to Sir Humphrey Ferrers from his agent, John Lord, notes that in one case, the opposing party is eager for a trial "at the bar"—meaning at the Court of Common Pleas in Westminster—and has offered 20 pounds in travel expenses.
Transcription
Below is a semi-diplomatic transcription of Folger manuscript X.d.122(4). The transcription below was created by the Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO) project. To access an image of the original leaf, click on each transcription's heading.
L.e.568
Right wourshipfull maye hit please you to be aduertised
That the sute is to be tried at the Barr for the
Replevin against ffrancis Bradborne And ffrancis is to
geve the Iurye xxli toward there charges by order
of the couerte the Iudges weare devidid in hit that
is to sey mr lord andersone & mr Iustes Beamont
to haue hit tried at the assises the other at the Barr
so at the last vppone his vnrulye exclamacione &
offer to geue xxli towardes the Iuryes charges hit is
ordred to be tried at the Barr, mr pagett is of mind
that hit is best for vs and also wee shall serve
the charge of the nisi prius which would have
bene vjli for the Record, / I Receaved from your worshipfull
letters concer[n]inge the sute against mistress sacheuerell
& mondaye is the daye appointed By mr Iustes
Beaumont for the hearinge of the counsell one booth
partes / ffrancis Bradborne had stolen a Rule against
his eldest Brother in the kinges benche vppone
the writte of error, which was that william should
appere the ffirst tuesdaye in this terme to assigne
errors in proper persone I had a motione and haue
overthrowen there order and a Rule the shall plead
vnto the errors assigned or els (nihill dicis) is to
be entred against theme, I heare nothinge of
Anthony Bradborne his sute or of any letter
sent from my lord keper vnto mr william as yett,
I have the Iurye to Retorne this weake &
so to gett out a distre[ss] against michelmas
terme & to see some end of mr sacheuerells matter,
mr dormer is not yet come to londone I haue
sought him at his house daylye but he is
in the countrye yf he come I will see all
thinges effectually dealt in, there will be
nothinge hard of the Informer against youe
in the duchye though Inquyrye haue been made
& further
To the Right wourshipfull
his assured good m[aste]r S[i]r
Humfrey ferrers knight
at Walton with
Spead /
Ihon Lort