upload image

William Clopton of Suffolk Post Mortem Inquisition 1588

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Long Melford, Suffolk, Englandmap
Surname/tag: Clopton
Profile manager: Andrew Sansum private message [send private message]
This page has been accessed 100 times.

Contents

Historical Context

A post Mortem inquisition, was an inquiry, undertaken after the death of a feudal tenant in chief (that is, a direct tenant of the crown), to establish what lands were held and who should succeed to them.

This inquisition related to the death William Clopton in 1588 and named as his heir.

Source Material

This translation to English was based on a Latin transcript of a section of text contained in the notes provided with The Visitation of Suffolk, 1561 titled [1] .

The source material was said to be damaged and illegible in places.

INQUISITION ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM CLOPTON , 1588-9

It was recorded in the visitations as having been sourced from Inquisition post mortem 31 Elizabeth , No.124 this presumably now stored at The National Archives Kew but the current source reference has not been located.

Summary of Key Facts

At his death William Clopton was seized of:

Placelocation held of fee annual value
Manor of Kentwell Long Melford illegible the service of a quarter of one knight's fee and rent of 65 shillings paid annually illegible
Manor of Lutons Long Melford The Queen by fidelity and rent xvi. d. per year for all services and bequests £6 13s 4d
manor of Woodhouse or Woodfoules Long Melford Henry, earl of Sussex by fealty and rent of two shillings per annum for all services whatsoever66s 8d
manor of Melford Monachorum and tenement of Bixbie’s Long Melford The Queen by the service of the fortieth part of one knight's fee, and by an annual rent of thirty-two shillings and four pence one obol [half penny]] [illegible] pounds, three shillings, and four pence and an obol
messuage or tenement called Blakes Long Melford The Queen by fealty and rent of sixpence per annum for all services and rents whatsoever20 shillings
manor of Downhall and messuages, lands, tenements, and other premises Raleigh Essex Henry, lord of Hunsdon fealty only and suit of court for for all services and inquiries to whomsoever twelve pounds
manor of Wheatley and the aforesaid lands, tenements, and other premises Raleigh, Thundersley, and Hadleghe, Essex Henry, lord of Hunsdon fealty only for all services and rents whatsoever twenty pounds
manor of Newenhamhall The Queen fealty only for all services and questions; Thirteen pounds Six shillings and eight pence
lands and tenements called Trippes and Stockmans Duchy of Lancastria The Queen fee by fealty and rent of liii.s. iii.d. per year 53 shillings four pence
water mill with its appurtenances called St. Savior's Myll Barmonsey, Surrey Robert Trappes esquire, as of his manor of Barmonsey fealty and rent of vi.s. viii.d. per year106 shillings 8 pence
parcels of land, meadow, pasture and wood in the aforesaid Melford called Brometons Grove, Lettons Pightell, Petwyns, Coppyns, Deadlond and PadbrokeLong Melford Henry, Earl of Sussex by fealty , and by which other services the aforesaid jurors are completely ignorant;twenty shiilings

Method of Translation and Warning

The Latin text was captured by copy paste from google books and then translated by google translate by Sansum-45 22:30, 3 August 2023 (UTC)

Sections highlighted in bold have been inspected and retranscribed manually and then retranslated. Line breaks have been introduced to facilitate reading and do not represent the layout of the original. Clarification or necessary expansion are contained within []

The method contains errors from two main sources:

  1. The capture of the Latin text may contain errors compared to the original transcript. Obvious problems have been retranscribed manually (highlighted in bold)
  2. The translation will certainly contain significant errors

Despite these shortcomings, the translation is useful to identify key parts of the text for closer attention and it is still possible to extract useful information, both Latin and English versions of the text have been retained to allow subsequent corrections to be carried out.

If you make use of a specific section of this translation:

  1. CHECK THE LATIN TRANSCRIPT CONTAINED HERE AGAINST THE ORIGINAL
  2. THEN SCRUTINISE. THE TRANSLATION OR BETTER CARRY OUT YOUR OWN.

English

And afterwards the same William Clopton was named in the aforesaid commission * * * * and his last will * * * and by the same he ordered and appointed the said Thomas Clopton his brother and the said William Clopton of Groton, and a certain John Bouswell the gentleman executors * and gave to the poor of Melford . ** ** the same William Clopton named in the aforesaid commission of good and sound memory existing on the thirteenth day of December last past before the seizure of this inquisition published and * * * the true testament and last will of William Clopton himself, and delivered the same as his last will and testament and with his own hand **** on the fourteenth day of December last past before the cap tion of this inquisition, the same William Clopton the squire named in the aforesaid commission concerning his such estates * * died seised without issue from his procreated body; and the aforesaid Anna his wife survived him and is still alive.

And moreover the aforesaid jurors say upon their sacrament *** the brother of the said William Clopton, as is preferred, is the next male heir of the said William Clopton, named in the aforesaid commission concerning the body of the said William Clopton the father * and at the time of the seizure of this inquisition he was of the age of thirty years and more. And the said Anne the wife of the said Hamon Claxton and Margaret C * but one Thomas Smythe son and heir apparent of the said John Smythe de Hunden and Elizabeth his late wife just deceased another ** of the same William * * * the next heirs of the said William Clopton in the said commission named by com the role of the law And that the said Anne Claxton at the time of the seizure of this inquisition is forty years of age * Margaret Clopton is of the age of thirty-eight years and more, and that the said Thomas Smythe on the third day of September last past before the seizure of this inquisition he was of age * * *

And further the aforesaid jurors say on their oath that the aforesaid manor of Kentwell is held and at the time of the death of the said William Clopton it was held of *** by the service of a quarter of one soldier's fee, and by the rent of sixty-five shillings to be paid annually to the ward of the said camp; and that the said manor is clearly valid for a year beyond the recapture **

And that the said manor and domain of Melford Monks, and all the said tithes, and the said tenement called Bixbies are held, and at the time of the death of the aforesaid William Clopton they were held of the said lady Queen in chief by the service of forty part of one soldier's fee and an annual rent of thirty-two shillings four denarii and one obel to be paid every year at the feast of St. Michael the Archangel; and they are worth clearly per year more than * pounds, three solidi, four denarii, and one obulum. [halfpeny] ***

And that the aforesaid manors and tenements called Woodhous and Woodfoules are held, and at the time of the death of the aforesaid William Clopton they were held of Henry earl of Sussex as of his manor of Shimplinge by fealty and rent of two shillings per annum for all services whatsoever; and they are worth clearly for a year beyond the recaptured sixty-six shillings and eight pence.

And what the aforesaid Blakes held, and at the time of the death of the said William Clopton, held of the said lady Queen, as of her hundred of Baberghe, since it was lately parcel of the monastery of Bury Saint Edmund in the aforesaid county of Suffolk) by fealty and rent of sixpence per annum for all services and rents whatsoever; and it is worth clearly for a year beyond the recapture [return?] twenty shillings.

And that the aforesaid manor is held of the Lutons, and at the time of the death of the said William Clopton was held of the said lady Queen as of her aforesaid hundred of Baberghe by fealty and rent of sixty pence per annum for all services and rents whatsoever; and it is valid clearly for a year beyond recapture six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence

The aforesaid manor of Downhall, and the aforesaid messuages, lands, tenements, and other premises are held in Raleigh, in the said county of Essex, and at the time of the death of the aforesaid William Clopton they were held of the noble Henry, lord of Hunsdon, as of his honor of Raleigh by fealty only and suit of court for for all services and inquiries to whomsoever; and they are worth clearly for a year beyond the recaptured twelve pounds.

And that the aforesaid manor of Wheatley and the aforesaid lands, tenements, and other premises in the aforesaid Raleigh, Thundersley, and Hadleghe are held in the said county of Essex, and at the time of the death of the said William Clopton were held of the aforesaid Henry, lord of Hunsdon, as of his aforesaid honor of Raleigh by fealty only for all services and rents whatsoever; and it is worth clearly for a year beyond the recaptured twenty pounds.

And that the aforesaid manor is held of Newenhamhall, and at the time of the death of the aforesaid William Clopton was held of the said Lady Queen now as of her honor of Hatfeld Peverell by fealty only for all services and questions; and it is worth clearly for a year beyond the recaptured thirrteen pounds, six shillings, and eight pence.

And that the aforesaid lands and tenements called Trippes and Stockmans are held and at the time of the death of the said William Clopton they were held of the same lady Queen as of her Duchy of Lancastria in firm fee by fealty and rent of liii.s. iii.d. per year for all services and inquiries to whomsoever; and they are worth clearly for a year beyond the recaptured fifty-three shillings and four pence.

And that the aforesaid water mill with its appurtenances called St. Savior's Myll, and other premises in the aforesaid Barmonsey are held in the said county of Surrey, and at the time of the death of the said William Clopton, were held of Robert Trappes esquire, as of his manor of Barmonsey by fealty and rent of vi.s. viii.d. per year and they are worth a hundred and six shillings and eight pence per year beyond the recaptured.

And that the aforesaid parcels of land, meadow, pasture and wood in the aforesaid Melford called Brometons Grove, Lettons Pightell, Petwyns, Coppyns, Deadlond and Padbroke are held and at the time of the death of the aforesaid William Clopton they were held of the aforesaid Henry, Earl of Sussex, as of his manor of Shimpling aforesaid by fealty , and by which other services the aforesaid jurors are completely ignorant; and they are worth clearly per year beyond the recaptured twenty shillings.

And further the aforesaid jurors say upon their oath that the aforesaid WillHelmus Clopton, named in the aforesaid commission, held no other ** manors, lands, or tenements on the day he died of the said lady Queen, or of any others in the said county of Suffolk, or elsewhere in the dominion, service, return or use to notice the rights of the aforesaid. In witness whereof the jurors and the said commissioners have affixed their seals to one part of this inquiry, and the said jurors have affixed their seals to the other part of the same inquiry.

Latin

St postea idem Willielmus Clopton in commissione prædicta nominatus * * * * et ultimam voluntatem suam * * * et per eandem ordinavit et constituit prædictos Thomam Clopton fratrem suum ac prædictum Willielmum Clopton de Groton , et quendam Johannem Bouswell generosum executores * et dedit pauperibus de Melford , Stansted et Glemisford quinque libras *** voluntat ' prædict ' geren ' datum undecimo die Decembris anno regni dominæ Reginæ nunc tricesimo primo . ** ** idem Willielmus Clopton in commissione prædicta nominatus de bona et sana memoria existens decimo tertio die Decembris ultimo præterito ante captionem hujus inquisitionis publicavit et * * * verum testamentum et ultimam voluntatem ipsius Willielmi Clopton , et eandem ut testamentum et ultimam voluntatem suam liberavit et manu sua propria **** decimo quarto die Decembris ultimo præterito ante cap tionem hujus inquisitionis idem Willielmus Clopton armiger in commissione prædicta nominatus de talibus statibus suis * * obiit seisitus sine exitu de corpore suo procreato ; et prædicta Anna uxor ejus ipsum supervixit et adhuc in plena vita existit . Et præterea dicunt juratores prædicti super sacramentum suum *** frater dicti Willielmi Clopton , ut præfertur , est proximus hæres masculus dicti Willielmi Clopton , in commissione prædicta nominati de corpore dicti Willielmi Clopton patris * et tempore captionis hujus inquisitionis fuit ætatis triginta annorum et amplius . Quodque prædicta Anna uxor prædicti Hamonis Claxton et Margareta C * sed quidam Thomas Smythe filius et hæres apparens dicti Johannis Smythe de Hunden et Elizabethæ nuper uxoris ejus modo defunctæ alius ** ejusdem Willielmi * * * proximi hæredes dicti Willielmi Clopton in commissione prædicta nominati per com munem legem . Quodque prædicta Anna Claxton tempore captionis hujus inquisitionis est ætatis quadra ginta * Margareta Clopton est ætatis triginta octo annorum et amplius , et quod prædictus Thomas Smythe tertio die Septembris ultimo præterito ante captionem hujus inquisitionis fuit ætatis * * * Et ulterius dicunt juratores prædicti super sacramentum suum quod prædictum manerium de Kentwell tenetur et tempore mortis dicti Willielmi Clopton tenebatur de *** per servitium quartæ partis unius feodi militis , ac per redditum sexaginta quinque solidorum ad wardum castri prædicti annuatim solvendorum ; et quod dictum manerium valet clare per annum ultra reprisas **

Et quod prædictum manerium et dominium de Melford Monachorum , ac omnes decimæ prædictæ , ac prædictum tenementum vocatum Bixbies tenentur , et tempore mortis præfati Willielmi Clopton tenebantur de dicta domina Regina in capite per servitium quadragesimæ partis unius feodi militis ac per annualem redditum triginta duorum solidorum quatuor denariorum et unius obuli ad festum Sancti Michaelis Archangeli singulis annis solvendorum ; et valent clare per annum ultra * libras , tres solidos , quatuor denarios , et unum obulum . ***

Et quod prædicta maneria et tenementa vocata Woodhous et Woodfoules tenentur , et tempore mortis præfati Willielmi Clopton tenebantur de Henrico comite Sussexiæ ut de manerio suo de Shimplinge per fidelitatem et redditum duorum solidorum per annum pro omnibus servitiis quibuscunque ; et valent clare per annum ultra reprisas sexaginta sex solidos et octo denarios

Et quod prædict ' * voc ' Blakes tenetur et tempore mortis dicti Willielmi Clopton tenebatur de dicta domina Regina ut de hundredo suo de Baberghe ( quodquidem hun dredum nuper fuit parcella monasterii de Burye Sancti Edmundi in prædicto comitatu Suffolcia ) per fidelitatem et redditum sex denariorum per annum pro omnibus servitiis et redditibus quibuscunque ; et valet clare per annum ultra reprisas viginti solidos .

Et quod prædictum maner'um de Lutons tenetur et tempore mortis dicti Willielmi Clopton tenebatur de dicta domina Regina ut de prædicto hundredo suo de Baberghe per fidelitatem et redditum sexdecem denariorum per annum pro omnibus servitiis et redditibus quibuscunque ; et valet clare per annum ultra reprisas sex libras tresdecem solidos et quatuor denarios

Et quod predictum manerium de Downhall , ac prædicta messuagia , terræ , tenementa et cetera præmissa in Raileighe in dicto comitatu Essexiæ tenentur , et tempore mortis præfati Willielini Clopton tenebantur de prænobili Henrico domino Hunsdon ut de honore suo de Raleighe per fidelitatem tantum et sectam curiæ pro omnibus servitiis et demandis quibuscumque ; et valent clare per annum ultra reprisas duodecim libras .

Et quod prædictum manerium de Wheatley ac prædicta terræ , tenementa et cætera præmissa in Raleighe , Thundersley , et Hadleghe prædictis in dicto comitatu Essexiæ tenentur , et tempore mortis dicti Willielmi Clopton tenebantur de præfato Henrico domino Hunsdon ut de prædicto honore suo de Raleighe per fidelitatem tantum pro omnibus servitiis et redditibus quibuscunque ; et valet clare per annum ultra reprisas viginti libras .

Et quod prædictum manerium de Newenhamhall tenetur et tempore mortis præfati Willielmi Clopton tenebatur de dicta domina Regina nunc ut de honore suo de Hatfeld Peverell per fidelitatem tantum pro omnibus servitiis et demandis ; et valet clare per annum ultra reprisas tresdecem libras , sex solidos , et octo denarios .

Et quod prædictæ terræ et tenementa vocata Trippes et Stockmans tenentur et tempore mortis dicti Willielmi Clopton tenebantur de eadem domina Regina ut de Ducatu suo Lancastriæ in feodum firmæ per fidelitatem et redditum liii.s. iiii.d. per annum pro omnibus servitiis et demandis quibuscunque ; et valent clare per annum ultra reprisas quinquaginta tres solidos et quatuor denarios .

Et quod prædictum molendinum aquaticum cum pertinentiis vocatum St. Savior's Myll , et cætera præmissa in Barmonsey prædicta in dicto comitatu Surriæ tenentur , et tempore mortis dicti Willielmi Clopton tenebantur , de Roberto Trappes armigero , ut de manerio suo de Barmonsey per fidelitatem et redditum vi.s. viii.d. per annum ; et valent clare per annum ultra reprisas centum et sex solidos , et octo denarios .

Et quod prædictæ parcellæ terræ , prati , pasturæ et bosci in Melford prædicta vocatæ Brometons Grove , Lettons Pightell , Petwyns , Coppyns , Deadlond et Padbroke tenentur et tempore mortis præfati Willielmi Clopton tenebantur de præfato Henrico comite Sussexiæ ut de manerio suo de Shimplinge prædicta per fidelitatem , et per quæ alia servitia juratores prædicti penitus ignorant ; et valent clare per annum ultra reprisas viginti solidos .

Et dicunt ulterius juratores prædicti super sacramentum suum quod prædictus Will ielmus Clopton in commissione prædicta nominatus nulla alia ** maneria , terras , seu tenementa tenuit die quo obiit de dicta domina Regina sive de aliquibus aliis in dicto comitatu Suffolciæ seu alibi in dominico , servitio , revercione vel usu ad notitiam jura torum prædictorum . In cujus rei testimonium uni parti hujus inquisitionis penes commissionarios prædictos remanenti tam juratores quam commissionarii prædicti sigilla sua apposuerunt alteri autem parti ejusdem inquisitionis penes juratores prædictos remanenti * * commis sionarii sigilla sua apposuerunt die , mense , anno et loco prædictis .

( Inquisition post mortem 31 Elizabeth , No. 124

Sources

  1. The Visitation of Suffolk, 1561, in Walter C Metcalfe. The Visitations of Suffolk , Exeter, England: Wm Pollard & Co., 1882, Vol. I, p. 101, Internet Archive




Collaboration
  • Login to edit this profile and add images.
  • Private Messages: Send a private message to the Profile Manager. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
  • Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)


Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.