1439-02-12, Westminster Thomas Richard

Commission to Henry, earl of Northumberland, Ralph Cromwell, knight, de Glifford (sic), knight, Thomas Fulthorp, John Vampage, Knyght and the sheriff of Yorkshire to make inquisition in the county touching a petition presented by William Fitz Hugh, chivaler, son and heir of Henry Fitz Hugh, chivaler, showing that Henry, lord Lescrop of Masham of Faxflete, co. York, knight, for high treason to Henry V on 20 July in his third year [see fee simple of the manors of Masham, Coverham, Burton Constable, Clyfton, Aynderby with the bell-tower, Hunton, Garston and Bellerby, co. York, and 126 messuages, 49 cottages, 12 tofts, 80 bovates and 662 acres of land, 145 acres of meadow, 1021 acres of pasture, 140 acres of wood, and 881. 8s. rent in Masham, Helagh by Masham, Sutton by Masham, Ellyngton, Membranes 15d and 14d Ellyngstryng, Feerby, Burton Constable by Hunton, Burton upon Youre, Thirn, Well, Aynderby with the bell tower, Hunton, Berdene by Haukeswell, Scotton by Hyppeswell, Bysewyk (Rysewyk), Coverham, Caldebergh by Coverham, Melmorby by Ooverham, West Crafton, Watlowes, Bernyngham, Neweson in Broghton Lithe, Bellerby, Richemond, Scurueton, Fyngale, Westwitton, Estwitton, Ikketon, Warlaghby and Thorp by Masham, which premises by letters patent dated 10 June, 5 Henry V, were granted to petitioner's said father in tail male, by the name of the manors of Masham, Clifton, Watlows, Thirn, Nostrefeld, Burton Constable, Hunton, Garston Bellerby, Coverham, Aynderby with the bell-tower, Bernyngham and Neweson with their members, together with all the lands, rents and services late of the said Henry, lord Lescrop, called Henry Lescrop of Masham, within the liberty of Richemond, of the yearly value of 2601. whereby the petitioner's said father was seised, and after his death the right descended to petitioner as his son and heir; a petition was presented to the king by the commonalty of England in the Parliament held at Westminster on 81 July, 8 Henry VI [Rolls of Parliament, Vol. IV, p. 287] on behalf of John Lescrop, knight, as brother and heir of the said Henry, lord Lescrop, claiming the entailed possessions of the said Henry, unto which the king assented, with a proviso (Jbid. pp. 287, 288] pursuant to which the said John Lescrop in the same year appeared in Chancery before the Chancellor and among other evidences showed four deeds, then enrolled in Chancery, whereby on previous petitions he had obtained of which deeds purported to be grants in fee tail by John Alburgh, dated at York 22 September, 18 Edward III, to Geoffrey Lescrop, knight, ancestor of the said John Lescrop and the fourth, a like grant by John de Gunwardby, dated at Coverham 22 February, 25 Edward III, to Henry Lescrop, knight, son and heir of the said Geoffrey; with regard to which deeds the present petitioner points out that the premises contained in them arethose mentioned in his petition, the lands etc. mentioned in the second of them being, however, situated only in the townships of Caldebergh, West Scrafton, Warlaghby and Melmorby ; [loc. cit.] Nostrefeld, mentioned in the third, being a hamlet of Well and the lands etc. mentioned in the fourth being situated only in Masham, Helagh, Sutton, Ellyngton, Ellyngstryng, Feerby, Burton Constable, Burton on Youre, Thirn, Well, Aynderby with the bell-tower, Hunton, Berdene, Scotton, Rysewyke, Coverham, Caldebergh, Melmorby, West Scrafton, Watlows, Bernyngham, Newson, Bellerby, Richemond, Scurueton, Westwitton and Estwitton ; but on the strength of such evidences and of the inquisitions mentioned in the said petition of the commons, judgment was given in Chancery on 16 July, 8 Henry VI, for the said John Lescrop to enter into the premises as heir in tail, and he entered on 24 July following. Now the present petitioner denies that the premises were entailed, as stated, and on 25 April last by two inquisitions taken at Northallerton, co. York, rirtute officit, before Christopher Conyers, escheator there, and returned one into the Chancery and the other into the Exchequer, it was found that the said Henry, lord Lescrop, the forfeiter, was seised of the premises in his demesne as of fee simple at the time of his forfeiture; by virtue of which inquisitions the premises were seised into the king's hands and on 16 July last the keeping of them was committed by letters patent to Robert Paynell, esquire, and James Flore, esquire, from the said 25 April, to Martinmas now to come. The present petitioner begs that right may be done him in the matter. By k. . Panr 1. 278