Berkeley Hundred Court Rolls

Transcript taken from :Gloucestershire Notes and Queries. Vol. V. 1891-1893, Pages 85 to 88.
Edited by W.P.W. PHILLIMORE, M.A., B.C.L.
Published in 1894. London, England.

Transcribed by Brenda Pickard


In Vol. iv., p.27, Mr. Charles Scott, of Berkeley, gave a careful account of a court leet, held at Berkeley in the present day. We now give an abstract of the proceedings at one of these courts, held in the days of Henry VIII., nearly three hundred and fifty years ago. As is well known by reason of the demise of William, Marquis of Nottingham, the great estates of the Berkeleys came into the hands of the crown in the year 1495, and so remained until the death of King Edward VI., in 1553. Consequently, the Court Rolls of the hundred of Berkeley for that period are now to be found at the Public Record Office. An abstract in English of the court roll, for the hundred of Berkeley and Wotton Foreign follows.

The entries relating to each place are occupied with presentments, made by the respective decennarii or tithing men, and appointments of the new constables and the tithing men. In this abstract, only the names of the officers appointed are given, with a few presentments, enough however, to indicate the nature of the business transacted.

The official reference to this document is "Exchequer. Court of Augmentations: court rolls, portf.2, No. 93."


BERKELEY HUNDRED. View of Frankpledge held Monday after the feast of Simon and Jude. 35 Henry VIII.[1543] before Anthony Kingston, knight, chief steward.

ESSOIGNS. Hugh Tanner, Thomas Robyns, John Booke.

JURORS for the lord the king; Thomas Butler, gent., John Herny, gent., Richard Tyndall, Walter Wodward, Thomas Bayley, Edward Mallett, William Bere, Thomas Hurne, Robert Towche, Richard Jobyns, Richard Walker, Richard Griffith.

HAMME. The tithing men, with all the tithing present, that John a Barnysdale (8d), Thomas Warante (8d), Thomas Machine (8d), hold a water corn mill, and take toll, and are therefore amerced........That Richard Phelippes committed an assualt upon William Mallett, with a stick of no value, against the peace of the lord the king; he is amerced 12d. That Robert Smyth committed an assualt upon Margaret Herne, with a stick, etc., That Richard Smyth assualted William Willis with his fist, etc. That Morgan Griffyn assaulted John Evans with his stick. That William Mallet assaulted Richard Philipps with his fist.
Officers elected: Thomas Warante, Richard James, constables; Thomas Wynter, Thomas Cole, tithingmen.

STONE. [Presentments].
Officer elected: Thomas Tanner, constable.

AULKYNTON. [Presentments, assaults,etc.]. Officers elected: John Cole, constable; John Fremon, tithingman.

HYNTON. The tythingmen present that John Smyth brewed and broke the assize.
Officers elected:
John Fryer, James Hurne, constables; James Towrche, tithingman.

HAMFALLOW in Hynton's Side. [Presentments].
Officer elected: William Baker, constable.

KYNGESCOTT. [Presentments].
Officers elected: John Marten, tithingman; Thomas Hatheway, constable.

HURSTE.[Presentments, including one to John Selwyn].
Officers elected: William Webbe, tithingman; Thomas Harmys, constable.

SLYMBRIGGE. [Long presentment].
Officers elected: John Gordeler, tithingman; Richard Tomrell, constable.

NYMESFELD.
Officer elected:
John Mylls, tithingman; Richard Duryard, constable.

FLYTON and HAYE. No officers elected.

BRADSTON. [Presentmensts.]
Officers elected: John Cowley, sen., constable; John Browne, tithingman.

GENERAL VERDICT by all the twelve jurors concludes that business of the court.

WOTTON FORINE. View of Frankpledge, etc., and same date, etc., as previously abstracted view of Frankpledge of Berkeley.

ESSOIGNS. None.

JURORS for the Lord the King: John Fryer, Thomas Dorney, Giles Clayfield, James a Barnesdale, James Dunnyng, William Rye, John Hardyng, Anthony Mabbott, John Fordes, John Browninge, William Fordis, Walter Fryer.

CAMME. The tithing men with the whole tithing, summoned and sworn, come and present. Americaments. That Richard Tyndall holds a water cornmill, and takes excessive toll to the common damage of the lieges of the lord the king; therefore he is amerced 8d......

Pains pending......

Pains imposed. That Edmund Derratt, John Walkeley, and John Turner do not sufficiently amend a certain way leading from le hyde to hyde mede. Pain imposed, 6s. 8d.
That Edmund Derrett has inclosed and stopped up a certain public way leading from le hyde clyffe to the common, damage,etc.; and he is ordered to throw open the same as it was used of old time, before the feast of St. Katherine next, under a penalty of 3s. 4d.
Officers elected: William Nye, tithingman of Upper Camme; Edmund Deryett, tithing man, of Lower Camme; John Oswald, constable of Upper Camme; Henry Mayle, constable of Lower Camme.

OWLPEN. The tithingmen, etc., present, that all the inhabitants within the tithing sufficiently cut and lop all branches of trees hanging over a certain lane called Bowestrete lane, before the feast of Easter next, under a penalty of 6s. 8d. each. And that they make up their hedges round a field called the Woodcote filde before the feast of St. Katherine the Virgin. Also that Agnes, Daunte, widow, William Hancocke, and Thomas Adye, make up their hedges between Lampenis wood and Lurgishaler field before Christmas next, under a penalty of 3s. 4d. [Name of tithingman elected not given].

HUNTINGFORD. Presentment, "that all things are well."

ULEY. [Presentments] The tithingmen present that Roger Redyng holds a water cornmill, and takes toll to the common damage of the lieges; amerced 8d. That John Davy brewed and broke the assize thereof to the common damage, etc. That William Bassett do sufficiently scour the ditches about a garden called le Courte garden before the feast of the purification next ensuing, under a penalty of 6s. 8d., and that he also sufficiently scour the ditch in a lane called Tyberlays lane. That Giles Dymock do sufficently scour the ditches in Shybelay's lane before the feast of St. Katherine next ensuing, and make up the hedge round a field called le Whete field in Shybley. Also that the said William Bassett do sufficiently scour the ditches next the Cliffe, called Fowley's Cliffe. Also the tithingmen do provide one net called le Chassenett, for taking crows. under a penalty of 10d.
Officers elected: John Brounyng Giles Dauncey, tithingmen.

CROMEHALL. [Presentments].
Officer elected: Philip Hyckes, constable.

ARLYNGHAM. [Presentments].
Officers elected: Walter Rowyls, William Arnold, constables.

WARREN'S TENANTS. No tithingmen named.

SYMMONSHALL AND COMBE. [Presentments].
Officer elected: Roger Come, tithingman.

WORTLEY. [Presentments].
Officer elected: Robert Hopkyns, tithingman.

COWELEY. [Presentments].
Officers elected: Richard Peglar, constable; William Oliver, tithingman.

WODMANCOTE. [Presentments only].

NYBLEY. The tithingman presents, inter alia, that Thomas Purnell holds a water corn mill, and takes toll to the common damage, etc.
Officers elected:
Robert Jobbyns, constable; Robert Dawe, tithingman.

GENERAL VERDICT by all the twelve jurors concludes the business of the court.