Order to Sir Nathaniel Bacon in the Case of Edwards, Plaintiff v. Grigges, Defendant, 14 November 1604, L.d.739

This article features a transcription of a Folger Shakespeare Library manuscript, Order to Sir Nathaniel Bacon in the Case of Edwards v. Grigges, L.d.739, (November 14, 1604), 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

The Court of Chancery often referred fact-gathering tasks to a local commissioner. In this case, the high steward of the manor where the dispute arose was assigned to the role. Since alleged facts could be disputed in Chancery, the creation of such dossiers was vital to its work. The court still made the final decision.

Transcription

Below is a semi-diplomatic transcription of folio 1r of Folger manuscript L.d.739. 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.739, folio 1 recto

My Lord Channcelor

present /

Mercurij xiiij die novembris

Anno Regni Iacobi Regis secundo

Inter Thomam Edwardes querent

Thomam Grigge et alios defendentes

__________

Vpon the openinge of the matter this

present day by mr Gawsell beinge of the

plaintiffes Councell and by mr Athowe beinge

of the defendentes Councell And vpon the

readinge of an order of the xjth of

october Last It apered that the

recovery in the forme done in remaynder

which was latlie had against the plaintiffes

in cort of the mannor whereof the

Landes are holden, passed against the

plaintiffes by default and that the plaintiffes excepteth

to the Steward before ^^whome the tryall recouery

by default passed and because [.] it

is alleged that Sir Nathaniell Bacon

knight is highe steward of the said

mannor It is he therefore ordered

that the matter be referred to the said