to this court came Reynold Heygate in his proper person and sueth Jn Banbury in a plea of land viz one messuage with the appurtenances called Skinners on croft of land sometime builded on one barn called Burtonsgarden with free ingress and egress through the gate of the manor there viz from the highway leading toward Colchester even to th said barn and through the croft called Berecrofte as well to carry and recarry there through the said gates as through the said croft of land one tenement with the appurtenances called Gentries three crofts of land containing 12a called Bromercofts one croft of land containing 11a called Beerecroft with a way leading to the field aforesaid to drive and chase and one meadow late parcel of the said croft of land called Beerecrofte containing 3a customary with the appurtenances in Earls Colne aforesaid within the jurisdiction of this court and protesteth to follow his suit in the form and nature of the writ of right of our lord the king at the common law and found pledges to prosecute the plaint aforesaid viz Wm Bent and Nich Py and the foresaid Jn being then present in the court appeared of his own accord and hereupon the foresaid Reynold in his proper person craveth of the foresaid Jn one messuage with the appurtenances called Skinners one croft of land builded on one barn called Burtonsgarden with the ingress and egress through the gate of the manor there viz from the highway leading toward Colchester even to the said barn and through the said croft called Berecroft as well to carry and recarry there as well through the said gates as through the said croft of land one tenement customary with the appurtenances called Gentries three crofts of land containing 12a of land called Brome Crofts one croft of land containing 11a of land called Beerecrofte with a way leading even to the field aforesaid to drive and chase and one meadow late parcel of the said croft called Beerecrofte containing 3a customary with the appurtenances in Earls Colne aforesaid within the jurisdiction of this court as his right and inheritance in the nature and form of a writ of right of the common law etc and whereupon he saith that he himself was seised of the messuage lands tenements and other the premises with the appurtenances in his demesne as of fee of right according to the custom of the manor in the time of peace in the time of our lord the king that now is etc to the value etc and that his right is such he offereth etc and the foresaid Jn in his proper person came and defended the right of the foresaid Reynold whom etc and the seisin thereof etc of which seisin etc as of fee and right etc and chiefly of the messuages lands tenements and other the premises etc and all etc and putteth himself into the assize of the king and craveth recognizance to be made whether he have more right to hold the said messuages lands tenements and other the premises with the appurtenances as he holdeth the same or the foresaid Reynold to have the said messuages lands tenements and other the premises with the appurtenances as he craveth the same before etc and the foresaid Reynold likewise etc and hereupon the same Reynold saith that there is and hath been from beyond the mind of man such a custom within the court of this manor among other viz that after the parties in a plea of customary land within the court of this manor were at issues that these issues ought to be tried by the homage of that court viz by the customary tenants of the lord of the manor aforesaid in stead of the great assize according to the custom of the manor aforesaid and not otherwise and therefore by the assent of the parties aforesaid there is charge given to the bailiff of the manor aforesaid and minister of this court that he cause to come before the steward of the court aforesaid of Earls Colne aforesaid on wednesday next after the feast of the assumption of marie the v irgin next coming 16.8.1542 to be holden twelve lawful men customary tenants of the lord of the manor aforesaid to take their oaths etc between the parties aforesaid of the plea aforesaid and that he have the names of the jurors and this precept etc and the same day is given to the parties aforesaid