The Evolution of an English Town eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 218 pages of information about The Evolution of an English Town.

The Evolution of an English Town eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 218 pages of information about The Evolution of an English Town.
appears, and pleads that he and his ancestors and the tenants of the Manor of Levisham have from ancient time taken the browsewood and dry sticks in the said woods and burnt them into charcoal, and afterwards exposed them for sale, and given them away at pleasure as part of his and their manorial rights.  He asks that the officers of the forest may try the question.  As it clearly appears to the Court by the answer of Sir John that he is making a claim to take a profit in the forest which he did not claim on the first day of the Eyre, as the custom is, and as proclamation was made, judgment is given that the liberty be seized into the Lord’s hands, and Sir John is to answer for its value in the meantime.  Afterwards Sir John appears, and prays that he may be allowed to pay a composition for making his claim, and a composition of 6s. 8d. is fixed.  Surety, Richard de Naulton.  The jury also present that a bridge called Friar Bridge, beyond the Costa, across which people are wont to pass on horseback and on foot going from Pickering to Malton, is in such bad repair that people cannot pass over, but have to make a divergence of about a mile and a half in the forest, treading down and injuring the pasturage of the deer.  The Abbot of Rievaulx and all Abbots of that place are bound to repair it.  He is summoned, appears, and does not deny that he and they are bound to repair it, but he says that the bridge is not in such bad repair that people cannot pass over it as they are wont and ought to do without doing harm to any one.  He asks that an inquiry may be made by the officers of the forest.  An inquiry is directed.  The foresters, verderers, and regarders, sworn and charged, say on their oaths, that after the summons for the Eyre was issued, the bridge was in such bad repair that people being unable to pass over it made a divergence into the forest, annoying the Lord’s deer and treading down their pasturage.  Afterwards the Abbot repaired it so that it requires nothing further, and people can quite well pass over it.  Therefore as to the present repair of the bridge the Abbot is acquitted, but he is to be amerced because he did not repair it before.

“The jury also present that the present Prior of Bridlington erected a sheepfold at Newland in the forest, 100 feet long and 12 feet broad, injuring thereby the Lord’s deer, notwithstanding that on another occasion at the last Eyre of the Justices the sheepfold was ordered to be taken down.  By what right they know not.  The Prior appears and prays to be allowed to compound with the Lord, and that he and his successors may rent the sheepfold in perpetuity, inasmuch as it no longer injures the deer.  Since the foresters, verderers, and regarders prove that it is so the Prior is permitted to compound by the payment of 13s. 4d. (surety Ralph de Morton), and he is likewise given a grant for ever of the sheepfold at a yearly rent of 6d. at Michaelmas.  The Prior is to hold it for ever quit of regard.  The jury

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The Evolution of an English Town from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.