Chancery Depositions (C2 Eliz C23/57 Wm Adams vicar v Luke and Joan Ree)

easter 25Eliz1 (1583)

document 15300140

the joint answers of Luke Ree and Joan his wife defendants to the bill of complaint of Wm Adams clerk complainant the said defendants saith that the said bill is uncertain and insufficient in the law to be answered and that (torn) forth and contrived by the said complainant only to put these defendants being very poor folk to unjust suit vexation and charges thereof so to (torn) in this suit to be by them sustained that for want of ability they may be constrained to defend their right in and to the premises (torn) advantage of which insufficiency to these defendants at all times hereafter saved they for further answer saith that long before the said sir (torn) said bill mentioned anything had in the said messuage and lands called Fenhouse one Math Rede as these defendants hath heard and (torn) was thereof lawfully seised in his demesne as of fee and so being seised at Colchester in the said county of Essex died thereof seised (torn) premises with the appurtenances descended and came unto Jn Rede the son and heir by reason whereof the said Jn Rede entered into (torn) accordingly seised in his demesne as of fee and the issues and profits thereof did during all his life quietly receive and take (torn) said Jn Rede being thereof seised did likewise die thereof of such an estate seised by reason whereof the premises (torn) and came and of right ought to descend and come unto one Rich Rede son and heir of the said Jn the said Rich then (torn) after the death of which said Jn Rede one (rubbed out) wife of the said Jn Rede as these defendants have heard and can well prove without any (torn) and thinking that for as much as the said Rich his son was but an infant and very young thereby not able to (torn) should be offered him she might do with the said lands what herself thought good she did take upon her to be owner and (torn) afterwards for the goodwill and over much familiarity as has been credibly reported that was and (torn) she having no interest or colour did notwithstanding as these defendants have credibly heard grant and convey the same premises to (torn) after which conveyance so made the said sir     Swallow by colour thereof entered into the premises the said (torn) wrongfully during the minority of the said Rich did withhold from him and afterwards (torn) her death bed greatly bewailing the former injury she hath done to the said Rich her son (torn) conscience for the same called the said Rich up to her and declared unto him that (torn) yet being in that case she could not but for the discharge of her conscience (torn) to repair to a place whereunto she directed him for the getting of the forged (torn) him to come by his lands again and declared unto him that if he (torn) the same again in a very short time after which the said     mother of the said Rich (torn) and had a copy of his said grandfather's will and thereby (torn) had most wrongfully (torn) his manifest disherison did enter into the said premises (torn) premises in his demesne as of fee and the said Rich Rede so being thereof seised and (torn) defendants he the said Rich about ten years last past did by his indenture under his (torn) unto Jn Walford and Robt Walford for the term of thirty years (torn) by reason whereof they entered into the premises (torn) accordingly and after the (torn) did give and devise the reversion of all (torn) holden of socage (torn) her life with the remainder (torn) (rest too badly torn to do)