EXEMPLIFICACON FOR Ye MEN AND TENNANTS OF GODMANCHESTER TO BE FREED FROM TOLL, &C. IN Ye

TOWNES OF PETERBOROUGH AND HARBOROUGH. ANNO ELIZ. QUINTO.

9

An. 5th. Regni Elizabeth dei gra Angliæ Franciæ et Eliz. A.D.1563. Hiberniæ Regina fidei Defensor, &c. Omnibus ad quos presentes Itra nostra pvenerint Saltem Inspeximus tenorem cujusdam decreti sive recordi in Camar Ducat nostri Lancastr9 apud Westminst' inter recorda ejusdem Ducat ibm remanen et existeŵ in hæc Verba. Termino Pascha Anno Regni Regina Elizabeta quinto.

Whereas the men and tennants of ye towneshipp and mann' of Godmanch' in ye county of Huntington parcell of ye possessions of ye Duchey of Lancast and especially one Robt Bird of ye said towne taylour, and Thos. Trice of ye same towne, exhibited their bill of complaint into this Cort declaring by ye same yt where ye sd towne and mann of Godmanchester is antient demayne as mainfestly appeareth as well by ye booke of Doomesday as by other ye Queen her Highnesses records remaining in her Court of Exchequer at Westminst and that by reason thereof ye sa men tennants and inhabitants of ye said towne ought to be discharged free and quite of for and from ye payment of any toll or custome in any fair markett citty burrough and elswhere wthin ye realme of England for any goods or cattels by them bought or sold-and also that where ye sd men of Godmanchester ought to be free and quite of for and from ye paymt of any toll custome pannage passage picage lastage stallage tallage carriage pesage terrage in any fair markett cittey burrough or elswhere wthin ye sd realme as by divers and sondry charters and grants thereof made by divers of the Queen her Highnesses

most noble progenitors Kings of this realme and confirmed by her Highness ready to be shewed in this honorable Cort more at large it did and may appeare-And yt ye sd men and tennants by force of their sd tenure and grantes, tyme out of minde of any man to ye contrary have ben freed and quite from ye payment of any toll custome and other paymts aforesd according to the nature of there sa tenure and purporte and effect of ye sd grantes untill now of late yt one Richard Anderson, bayliffe of ye burroughe of Peterburrough in ye county of Northamton at ye last Fayer there holden did demand of ye said Bird to pay toll custome and stallage and for yt he refused the sd Anderson tooke a distress and detained it. And yt afterwards at Harburrough at ye last fayer there holden aboute Michealmas then last past one Nich Fox bayliffe of ye sd towne of Harburrough in ye county of Lycester did likewise demand of ye aforesd Tho. Tryce toll and custome for certaine cattell by him then and there bought and would not suffer him to pass unless he would pay or pawne for ye sa toll soe demanded. And yt thereupon ye sd Tryce delivered in pawne to ye sd Fox a pawne in gold and yt by reason of those demandes and distresses soe taken they ye said complaints had not only ben greatly troubled vexed and hindered in ye sd faires townes and marketts but were like to have a continuall vexacon and wronge offered and done to them from tyme to tyme to there greate damage and thereupon prayed redress agt ye sd Anderson and ye sd Fox, as by ye same bill of complaint remaining of record in this honorable Cort doth and may appear. Whereunto ye sd Richd Anderson and Nich. Fox appeared and made generall answer and ye så men and tennants and ye sd Bird and Tryce replied and ye sd Anderson and Fox geñally rejoyned and ye sd ptyes ware at issue and a comission was thereupon awarded at ye request of

K

ye sd men and tennants of Godmanchester for ye tryall of ye contentes in there sd bill of compit. Whereupon divers deposiĉons ware taken and orderly certified into ye sd Cort of Duchey Chamber and exemplificacons thereof granted and divers dayes of hearing appointed and ye matter oppenlie maturely and deliberly heard and fully understanded befor ye Right honble Sir Ambrose Cave Knight Chancellor of ye said Cort and others ye councell of ye sd Cort upon ye hearing of whh sd matter forasmuch as it manifestly appeared to ye sd Chancellor and councell of ye sd Cort by ye hearing of ye sd deposicons yt ye sd Richd Anderson tooke by way of distress one truss of ye sả Birde and ye sd Nicħ. Fox received of ye sd Tryce a French crowne of six shillings in pawne for ye toll of ye cattell in ye sd bill of complaint mentioned. And farther as well by ye hearing of ye sa deposicons as alsoe by ye viewe and sight of sundry charters and grants made by sundry of ye Queen her Highness progenitors Kings of England as well by authoritie of Parliament as otherwise unto y Dukes of Lancaster and there heires and unto there tennants and there successors and from tyme to tyme confirmed as well by or sd sofaigne lady yo Queens Maty yt now is as also by others of her most noble progenitors Kings of this realme unto ye sd Dukes of Lancaster and there heires and unto there tennants and there successors that all and every the tennants of ye sd Dukes and of there heires and ye sd men and tennants of Godmanchester and there successors should and ought to goe goe and pass in any fayer markett and other place free and discharged from ye paymt of any toll custome pannage passage pickage lastage stallage carriage and terrage-and farther yt ye sd towne and mann' of Godmanchester of longe tyme heretofore hath ben and now yet still is parcell of ye possessons of ye sd Duchey of Lancaster and yt ye sd fran

chizes liberties privileges and immunities have ben by ye sd Dukes unto ye men and tennants of Godmanchester and there successors by speciall words granted and confirmed. And also likewise especially and namely granted by charter unto ye sd men and tennants of Godmanchester and there successors by sundry other charters made by sundry of ye Queens Highness sd progenitors under ye great seall of England and shewed to ye sd Chancellor and councell of ye sd Cort upon ye hearing of ye sd matter. And furthermore for yt it evidently appeared to ye sd Chancellor and councell of ye sd Cort upon yo hearing of ye sd matter as well by sundry certificates, under ye seall of ye Queens Highness Cort of Exchequer as by other sundry instruments and evidences to them then and there shewed that the saide towne of Godmanchester is antient demeane by reason whereof the inhabitants wthin ye sd towne ought to goe and pass free and quite as is afores of and from all manner of toll custome pannage passage pickage lastage stallage carriage and terrage in all marketts fayers marts and other places for there goods and marchandizes. It is therefore this present tearme of Easter in ye fifth yeare of or sd sofaigne Lady Queen Elizabeth by ye sa Chancell and councell of ye sd Cort ordered and decreed yt ye sa Richa. Anderson shall on this side ye feaste of ye Nativitye of St. John Baptiste next coming deliver or cause to be delivered unto ye sd Robt Byrde the sd truss soe by him taken in name of a distress or the value thereof: And likewise that the said Nich. Fox shall before the said feast in like manner deliver or cause to be delivered to the sd Thos Tryce ye sd French crowne or y° value thereof. And furthermore yt all and singular y men and tennants of ye said towne of Godmanchester shall from henceforth for ever pass and repass goe and come wth there goods and chattells and marchandizes in by and through ye marketts

fayers boundes marts and libertyes of ye sd townes of Peterborough and Harborough and every of them wthout any toll custome or other exaction or payment for ye goods cattells and marchandizes of them or of any of them to be hereafter asked demanded or taken. And furthermore it is likewise ordered and decreed by ye sd Chancell' and councell yt the sd Rich Anderson shall before ye Feast of St. John Baptist next coming pay unto ye sd Rob Byrde for his costs and charges in this sute sustayned ye sum of thirteen shillings and fower-pence. And likewise yt ye s Nich. Fox shall in like manner pay unto ye sd Thos. Tryce and before ye sd day thirteen shillings and fowerpence for his costs and charges in this sute by him sustayned.-Nos autem tenorem decreti sive record predic ad instantiam tenenciu et inhabitan de Godmanchester duximus exemplificam. In cujus rei testimonium has Itras nostras fieri fecimus patentes dat apud palaēm nĩum Westminst sub Sigillo ducat Lancastr' predia vicessimo quarto die Maii Anno Regni nostri quinto.