(right hand side damaged)
the joint and several answers of
Rich Harlakenden
esq and
Edw Elliston
gentleman two of the defendants to the bill of complaint of
Robt Partridge
and
Hannah
his wife
Thos Tickner
and
Prudence
his wife complainants these defendants saving to themselves all advantages of exception to the incertainties and insufficiencies etc these defendants or either of them for answer hereunto they answer and say and first the said
Edw Elliston
answereth and saith that he esteemeth it to be true that
Jeff Cuckoke
in the said bill of complaint mentioned was seised in fee to him and his heirs of and in one messuage 26a of land and 3a1r of meadow called
Curds
15a of land called
Barmans Field
Rowncys
and
Pellsland
and of and in one grove or wood land called
Curds Grove
containing by estimation 6a holden of the manor of Earls Colne in Earls Colne in the county of Essex by copy of court roll and that the said
Jeff Cuckoke
was likewise seised to him and his heirs of and in one garden and 6a of land more or less called
Wrongs
and one little grove of wood called
Cogges Grove
containing by estimation 2a holden of the manor of Colne Priory in Earls Colne aforesaid by copy of court roll and used with the said messuage called
Curds
without the
lands called
Curds
in the said bill of complaint mentioned and he believes it to be true that the said
Jeff
being so seised did surrender the messuage and lands
premises according to the custom of the said manor as respectively of which they were holden to the use of his last will and testament and by his last will and testament
bequeath all the said messuage and premises to
Rose
his wife in the said bill of complaint mentioned to her heirs and afterwards died so seised and that after his decease the will was is due form of law prosecuted the said
Rose
then the wife of
Robt Partridge
the said complainant
Robt Partridge
his father was admitted tenant accordingly as by the rolls of the said manor of Earls Colne bearing date
30.12.28Eliz1
and the court rolls of the said manor of Colne Priory bearing date
31.12.28Eliz1
to
and the said defendant further answereth and saith that he believeth it to be true that afterwards the said
Robt Partridge
and
Rose
his wife according to the custom of the manor
all the said messuage or tenements lands and premises holden of the said manor of Earls Colne to the use of the said
Partridge
and his heirs who was accordingly
the court roll of the said manor bearing date
18.9.31Eliz1
refereth himself it doth and may more at large appear and he believeth that the said
Robt
and
Rose
did likewise surrender the same lands and tenements
manor of Colne Priory to the use of the said
Robt Partridge
and his heirs and that he was admitted to the same and the said
Robt Partridge
being so seised
tenements and premises the said
Partridge
as this defendant hopeth to prove did according to the custom of the said manor of Earls Colne surrender the said grove called
Curds Grove
to the use of
Roger Harlakenden
esq then the lord of the said manor and his heirs and did surrender all other the said messuages lands and premises holden of the said manors respectively to the use of the said
Rose
his wife for her life and after her decease the use of
Jeff Cuckoe
t he elder
Jn Cuckoe
Jeff Cuckoe
the younger
Francis
Rose
Susan
and
Prudence Cuckoe
being the sons and daughters of the said
Jeff Cuckoe
deceased and of the said
Rose
and of the heirs of the said sons and daughters as by the court rolls of the said manor of Earls Colne holden upon
saturday in the week of whitsuntide 36Eliz1
and the court rolls of the said manor of Colne Priory to which for more certainty this defendant refereth himself it doth and may more at large appear and
this defendant further saith that afterwards and in the life of the said
Rose
all the said sons and daughters except the said
Jeff Cuckoe
the younger and the said
Prudence
then the wife of
Ralph Lunt
now one of the complainants died as this defendant believeth and their estate of and in the said messuage and premises did come by right of survivorship to the said
Jeff
the younger and the said
Prudence
who were admitted to the said messuage lands and premises in remainder after the decease of the said
Rose
admitted they the said
Jeff
and the said
Ralph
and
Prudence
his wife the said
Prudence
being solely and secretly examined according to the custom of the said respective manors did surrender all and every the premises to the use of
Roger Harlakenden
gentleman younger son of
Rich Harlakenden
esq then lord of the said manors forever who was thereupon admitted accordingly as by the court rolls of the said manor of Earls Colne bearing date
26.5.====
and the court rolls of the said manor of Colne Priory bearing date
whereunto reference being had may it more at large appear and the said defendant further saith that afterwards the said other defendant
Rich Harlakenden
esq then lord of the said manor of Earls Colne did grant out of his own hands to
Roger Harlakenden
his brother and his heirs the said ground called
Curds Grove
to hold according to the custom etc at the will of the lord and the said
Rose
then the relict of
Edw Rosse
in the said bill of complaint mentioned in her widowhood did surrender into the hands of the lord of the said manors of Earls Colne and Colne Priory respectively all the said messuages lands premises holden of the aforesaid manors etc
(torn)
to the use of
Roger Harlakenden
and his heirs who was admitted accordingly and the said
Roger
did according to the custom of the manors surrender the said lands and premises and the said grove called
Curds Grove
to the use of this defendant and
Mabel
his wife and to the heirs of their bodies begotten and for defect of such issue to the use of the right heirs of this defendant who were admitted accordingly as by the court rolls of the manor bearing date
9.1.1635
for more certainty he refereth himself it doth and may more at large appear by virtue whereof the said defendant and his wife did enter upon the said premises and being seised of the same and this defendant doth deny that he was tenant to the said
Rose Rosse
of or for the said premises or any part thereof or did or was to pay her any rent
(torn)
any other person whatsoever except such quit rents as are due and to be paid to the lord of the said manors and this defendant saith that he knoweth not that
(torn)
the said
Jeff Cuckoe
and
Rose
his wife and
Robt Partridge
the said complainant's father or any of them were seised of the premises or any part thereof or of any other estate
afore alleged or of any other lands than is afore alleged holden of the said manors respectively and to all other matters in the said bill of complaint mentioned
that he knoweth nothing concerning the same and the said defendant
Rich Harlakenden
severally for himself saith that he is lord of the said manor and that the premises are holden of him as of his said manor respectively by copy of court rolls and that he believeth the said surrenders grants admittances mentioned by the said
Edw Elliston
made is as afore alleged and he denieth that the said
Ralph Lunt
and
Prudence
his wife or either of them at any time did require any copies of him of or concerning any
but he confesseth it to be true that the said other complainants have come to him and desired copies of the said rolls to whom he answered that he was not bound to make them any copies but if they would bring any lawyer or his steward to peruse his wills they might have such copies as they desired paying due fees for the same but he denied to deliver his rolls to them and he did deny that he said none should see his rolls but his steward and he is willing that the said complainants may have seen copies as concern them paying due fees for the same or as this honourable court shall award and for all other matters in the said bill of complaint contained he saith that he knoweth nothing concerning the same without that that any other matter or thing in the said bill of complaint contained etc
these replies were taken at Colchester
11.4.1646
before
Thos Lawrence
and
Jo Shaw
(inserted)