Court of Chancery. Early Proceedings.

John Balarde c. Robert Acton

C1/1331/2

Bill of Complaint of John Balarde,

No date (c. 1553-1558)

His father, Peter, was lawfully seized of one messuage and certain gardens in Lewes for about 26 years. This property ought to descend to John, as Peter’s son and heir. But after his death, certain deeds and ‘other writings” did “casually go” into the hands of Robert Acton and Thomas Charlwood. They have kept the same unlawfully from John for the past ten years or more[1], not permitting him to occupy the property. He has asked for it directly from them but they have refused. Asks that Acton and Charlwood be summoned to appear before the Lord Chancellor to answer the allegations.

C1/1331/3

Answers of Robert Acton,

No date,

Denies having any interest in the property mentioned in the bill nor has he in his possession any deeds relating to it.

C1/1331/4

Replication of John Balarde,

No date,

Repeats his allegations that at the time of the Bill of Complaint, Acton occupied the property mentioned in the bill.

C1/1331/5

The Rejoinder of  Robert Acton,

No date,

Thomas Vale, Thomas Gybbes and Richard Freeman were in possession of the property and, in turn, they granted it to John Aylarde, Thomas Grenewaye and Robert Holter to have and to hold and they were in possession of it a long time before the bill of complaint was issued. They, in turn, conveyed the land to the defendant who, in turn, conveyed most of it (except for a part of the garden containing an estimated one rood of land) to Alice Dupulake and she took possession of it before the time of the bill. He was, therefore, at that time, only in possession of one rood of land.