Chancery Depositions (C3/242/4 Roger Harlakenden v Jn Bowser)

20.4.1594 (Saturday 20 April 1594)

document 15600098

addressed to the right honourable sir Jn Parkering knight lord keeper of the great seal of England Roger Harlakenden esq complainant of Earls Colne Essex declares that the right honourable earl of Oxenford being lawfully seised of the demesne as of fee or of some other estate of inheritance in Colne Priory or Colne House and in demesne lands tenements hereditaments with appurtenances in Earls Colne and Colne Engaine and the earl by his indenture of demise and grant for consideration specified therein let to the complainant Harlakenden among other things manor of Colne Priory or Colne House with gardens barns fishings orchards ponds courts stables yards barns and buildings belonging with all tithe corn of the parsonage of Earls Colne also all lands meadows pastures fields feedings and demesne lands plus appurtenances which for the twelve years since the making of the indenture have been enjoyed by Harlakenden Jane his wife or Rich Kelton gentleman or assigns the indenture for twenty one years from michaelmas under the yearly rent agreed in the indenture dated 2.1.30Eliz1 the estate right title interest term of years under demand of the said Rich Kelton of an in the said premises by good and sufficient conveyance in the law is lawfully come into possession of Harlakenden he being lawfully possessed of the premises there came into his hands from the mansion house of the manor of Colne Priory divers deeds and evidences about it and other lands and tenements which belonged to the earl of Oxford about .9.31Eliz1 Jn Bowcer citizen and merchant of London then servant to the right honourable Xoph Hatton knight late lord chancellor deceased whose father purchased not long before of the earl of Oxford the manor of Sherives adjacent manor of Colne Priory came to Harlakenden's house to speak to him he brought with him a letter from his late lord addressed to Harlakenden which said I am informed you have in your custody certain court rolls and other evidences concerning the manor of Sherives adjacent to Colne Priory which do properly belong to this bearer my servant Jn Bowser as rightful lord of the manor I pray you that on receipt of this you will search diligently for writings which appertain to the said manor and deliver these to the said servant at his repair to you for them next week he will then need them and will undertake that he will not interfere with any of the lands within the manor of Colne Priory during the term of its lease which offer is so reasonable that you cannot deny his demand in the accomplishment I shall take myself pleasured at your hands and so I bid you heartily farewell written from London 11.9.1589 by reason of this letter Harlakenden did gratify Bowser and gave him liberty to come where the evidences and writings were likely to be to search for them among very many deeds etc in the house they found many deeds which might concern Bowser and Harlakenden delivered about seventeen deeds and writings he was then urgently called away for the keeping of his court at Earls Colne and having conceived of a good opinion of Bowser he trusted him in his absence and one Smith a scrivener of London with him to search among the writings Bowser made a faithful promise that he would stay until Harlakenden returned and not remove any deeds without his consent but Bowser intending to challenge or encroach more lands than he owned by right of purchase having in his search found many deeds about manors of Earls Colne and Colne Priory lately purchased in the name of Harlakenden's son Rich by lawful conveyance from the earl of Oxford Bowser at the time of his search took away many writings touching the inheritance of the son Rich in the manor of Colne Priory contrary to the trust reposed in him he departed with these before Harlakenden returned from court and having the deeds in his hand he has of late entered on a parcel of ground called the Galle parcel of Colne Priory which is the inheritance of Harlakenden's son Bowser pretends to have title contrary to all right to the disinheriting of son unless his lordship order the contrary Harlakenden does not know for certain which writings Bowser took from his house in his absence and has no witness to prove that writings concerning the land the Galle were taken nor does he know the dates or contents nor whether they were in bag or box sealed or chest locked so has no remedy by common law he hopes that Jn Bowser under oath will declare the truth about the premises and pleads for subpoena on Bowser Bowser also to be ordered to bring to court writings concerning Harlakenden or his son so that they may be restored to him or kept in some indifferent place until further order