Tenants' petition to Sir Roger Townshend, January 20, ca. 1550–1600, L.d.839
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This article features a transcription of a Folger Shakespeare Library manuscript, Tenants' petition to Sir Roger Townshend, L.d.839, (January 20, ca. 1550–1600), 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 Bacon-Townshend collection, 1550-1640
In this petition, some of Sir Roger Townshend's tenants argue for keeping their land-holding arrangements without change. The tenants who signed are all yeomen (freeborn subjects). Some write their names with "Gent.," for gentleman. A few, presumably illiterate, sign with an X.
Transcriptions
Below is a semi-diplomatic transcription of leaf 1 recto of Folger manuscript L.d.839. 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.d.839, leaf 1 recto
Our dewtyes remembred, Whereas vppon certayne articles here
tofore preferred by your worshippes officers, we were compelled to sett
downe our knowledge by verdytt what our Customes were touching
the state of your segnorye and of our Tenamentes which we do ffynde
an hundred yeares past and more, hath much differed from the
tyme present almost on all thinges, and consideringe your Worshipes
grand father was in his tyme a learned ma[n] Iudge, and a grave man
both feared and Loved of all men in Respect of his goode
dealinge, who allowed the Tenantes in his tyme which were oure
forefathers and ancetors, to take vp by dissent their Landes as
we of late have done, and for the most part in all the tyme of
Kinge Henry the seuenth, & Kinge Henry the eight ded &
observed the Rulinge of fynes likewise as of late have bene
we thought we might the more boldly present, as we ded in our
Verduytt sett downe, wherin if any thinge be done by vs
to your mislikinge, we ar readye with all dutyfulnes to be reformed
by those to whom the matter is committed, most humbly besechinge
yow, that whereas the Ripplinge of our estates, and the controversyes
which may aryse & grow therevpon ar unspeakeable, and the forfitures
of bondes & incommbrannces which may be brought in question ar innume
rable, that we may finde yow our good Lord, to permitt & suffer
vs to enioye our inheritannce as our forefathers ded in the tyme
of your worshippes anncetors, vnder such dew order or instrument
as the law will allow off, and we your poore Tenanntes shall
thinke our selfes dayly bound to pray to god for the preservation
of your life in much worshippe longe to continew at Heydon
the xxviijth of Ianuarie your Tenanntes at your worshipes co
mandement.
Signatures in the left column:
the marke of Richard Marchall [no mark]
Erasmus Hamleton
Ihon Clerkson
Robert Thistleton
Andrew Dewynne
Ihon Garrett
William Hoclinges
Ihon Garrett
Robert Worth
Iohn Lockett
Signatures in the right column:
Thomas Hunt
the mark of Edward Peck [mark]
the mark of Nicolas Bell [no mark]
by me Edmund bell [mark]
Wyllm manye
Iames Bell
the mark of Iohn Allyns
the mark of Richard Adams
the mark of Peter hall
by me Robert Taylor