Thomas Lawes Case in Court of Common Pleas Hilary Term 1500

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Hingham, Norfolk, England
Surnames/tags: Lawes Lincoln

Contents 1 Introductory Notes 2 Transcription Conventions 3 Persons Mentioned 4 Latin Transcription 5 English Translation 6 Footnotes

Introductory Notes

The Lawes Case was taken in England's Court of Common Pleas in 1500 and recorded on the plea rolls.

It concerns a personal action for debt made by Thomas Lawes of Hingham, Norfolk, England against five other parties, including Richard Lyncolne, wheelwright, of Hingham (possibly the most distant patrilineal ancestor of United States President Abraham Lincoln). The entry is for a mesne process; one of potentially several standard proceedings that may have taken place over a period of months or years before the case was finally heard (if it even made it to a full hearing - many did not).

Thomas Lawes complained that three men each owed him six pounds; and two (one of whom was Richard Lyncolne) owed him forty shillings (two pounds). Forty shillings was the smallest amount for which a writ could be issued to commence proceedings in the Court of Common Pleas. For context, a day labourer could expect to earn about four pence per day in this time period;^[1] so forty shillings represented about 120 days of work for a labourer.

The entry on the rolls is in Latin, heavily abbreviated. The text is clearly scribed in a standard court hand for this period. Much of of the entry is standard legal phrasing, as is expected for a procedural matter. The digital image has high resolution and covers the lower half of the front side of the rotulus. The parchment is generally in good condition. There is some minor markings/damage causing some of the text to be a little faint, but still readable. There is also some minor curling/fraying at the edges that does not impact the text. The Lawes Case entry is the eleventh of twelve entries (second from bottom) on the front side of rot. 435.

Transcription Conventions

Persons Mentioned

Latin Transcription

Thomas lawes de hengham husbondman alias d[i]c[t]us Thomas lawes de hengham p[re]d[i]cto p[er] Attorn[atum] suu[m] op[tulit] se iiijto die v[er]sus Johem Norman nup[er] de hengham in Co[mitat]u[s] p[re]d[i]c[t]o Asshbrenner Et v[er]sus Matheum Boby nup[er] de nup[er] de hengham in Co[mitat]u[s] p[re]d[i]c[t]o Wever alias d[i]c[t]u[s] matheum Booby de eadem Wever Et v[er]sus Edm[undus] Bole nup[er] de hengham in Com[itatus] p[re]d[i]c[t]o husbondman alias d[i]c[t]u[s] Edm[undus] Boole nup[er] de hengham husbondman de pl[a]c[i]to q[uo]d quil[i]b[et] eo[rum] reddat ei sex libras Et v[er]sus Ric[ard]u[m] lyncoln[e] nup[er] de hengham in Com[itatus] p[re]d[i]c[t]o Whelewryght Et v[er]sus Thomam multon nup[er] de welburn in Com[itatus] p[re]d[i]c[t]o yoman de pl[a]c[i]to q[uo]d vtq[ue] eo[rum] reddat ei quadraginta solidus quos ei debent & iniusce detinent &c Et ip[s]i non ven[erunt] et prec[eptum] fuit vic[ecomiti] q[uo]d sum[moneret] eos &c Et vic[ecomes] modo mand[at] q[uo]d nichil hab[en]t I[de]o capiantu[r] q[uo]d sint hic a die pasche in tres septimanas &c

English Translation

Thomas Lawes of Hengham, husbandman, otherwise called Thomas Lawes of Hengham aforesaid, through his attorney, presented himself on the fourth day against John Norman, late of Hengham in the county aforesaid, ash-burner, and against Matthew Boby, late of Hengham in the county aforesaid, weaver, also called Matthew Booby of the same, weaver, and against Edmund Bole late of Hengham in the county aforesaid, husbandman, also called Edmund Boole, late of Hengham, husbandman, of a plea that each of them should pay him six pounds; and against Richard Lyncolne late of Hengham in the county aforesaid, wheelwright, and against Thomas Multon late of Welburn in the county aforesaid, yeoman, of a plea that each of them should pay him forty shillings; which they owe him and unjustly withhold etc; and they did not come; and the sheriff was ordered to summon them etc; and the sheriff reports that all of them have nothing etc; therefore let them be arrested, that they are here three weeks from Easter Sunday.

Footnotes

1. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Raw-and-Corrected-Average-Day-Wages-1250-1739_fig2_4821218