Chancery Depositions (PRO C1 621/6 Robt Cowper v Robt Abbell prior of Colne)

1525 (date approximate as no date given) (1525)

document 14800159

humbly showeth and complaineth unto your good lordship your daily orator Robt Cowper of Nayland Suffolk (torn) as your said orator took to farm of the demise and grant of one Thos Cheltenham prior of the priory of (torn) lived and convent of the same house all their fulling mill called Chalkney Mill lying within the parish of White Colne together with (torn) fens feedings pastures and waters as far as (torn) pertained and by for time letten with the said mill with all the profits and (torn) to the same belonging that is to say from the 23.4.9Hen8 the king that now is unto the end and term of twelve years is ended and finished yielding and paying therefore yearly during the said term unto the said prior and convent and the (torn) at the usual feasts in the (torn) and further that your said orator should repair sustain and maintain the said mill in all manner or reparation during the said years and at the end of the term to leave the said mill before whereof your said orator in the said mill with appurtenances was possessed and further bound himself in an obligation to the said prior and convent in the sum of 20marks for the true performance of all things in the said lease comprehended and your said orator (torn) non obligation of the said prior and convent on their part but only trusting to their faithful promise and their lease and now be it your gracious lord the said Thos Cheltenham before the year of the said leased determined died by force whereof one Robt Abbell also before the same year determined was elected and chosen prior of the same house by force whereof the said bond of obligation did come unto the said prior is any might be found in the said lease your said orator the said prior at the end of the said lease he might invent and find any within the said lease whereby your said orator might now came unto the said now prior and him to view the said mill with premises and to redeliver unto your said orator as well his said obligation as the said lease or else to show before divers men of the occupation of millwright at that time there being present if there were any said orator ought at his charge to amend and so found by the said millwright would gladly do it without any cost or charge prior appointed the which commendation the said prior at that time held himself very well content and agreed that the said mill and upon that judgement at the time your said orator to be at the charges and that fulfilled so to stand clearly (torn) prior and convent and their successors forever by force whereof the said millwright at the time viewed the same mill and then and there they bestowing of 26s8d they would sufficiently repair the said mill for to service according to the conveyance according to his said promise and to the said prior agreement paid unto the same millwright for the reparation aforesaid the sum of money the which they had finished and done according unto the said agreement and according unto their to have clearly discharged of the said bond according to the faithful promise of the said prior unto all and also to the faithful promise made before sufficient the same prior and (the following is a summary of what else can be read that for some reason the prior refused to discharge him and has kept his bond presumably because he thought he had left the mill in a bad condition)