C1/1405/12
Robert
Ballarde c. Nicholas Ballarde
[Document
is damaged making reading it a problem in parts]
Bill
of Complaint of Robert Ballarde,
No
date,
Clement
Ballarde, his father, was lawfully seized of a desmesne in the Manor of Horton
near Chartham and Sabbyington in the County of Kent, and of 1000 acres of land,
meadows, pasture and wood with appurtenances in Chartham and Petham in Kent. The
lands were entailed by a deed of 1 June [date obliterated] for the use of
Clement Ballard and Mary, his wife and their male heirs. After Clement’s
death, Mary took possession of the lands [?4 February 1535/6]. She later died
and the lands were passed to Nicholas Ballard as son and heir. Nicholas has no
lawful male issue, as yet and thus the land should descend to your complainant,
as brother of Nicholas. But Nicholas ‘by subtelty and craft counsell of divers
and sundry evil disposed persons” used means to “cut off and take away the
said entail and to take the benefit thereof from your [complainant]”. Thus
defying the mind and will of his father, Clement. Asks that Nicholas be called
to answer these charges.