Chancery. Inquisitions Post Mortem. Series II, and other Inquisitions, Henry VII to Charles I
Inquisition by indenture taken at WestGreneWich in the county of Kent on the 26th day of June in the 23rd year of the reign of King Henry VIII (1531) in the presence of Robert Cheseman esquire escheator of the said Lord King in the said county by virtue of his office upon the oaths of John Swetsyr etc who said upon their oath that Clemens Ballard esquire formerly was seized in his lordship as of fee of and in the manor of Horton within the parish of Chartham in the hundred of Felberych with appurtenances in the said county of Kent with a certain chapel parcel of the said manor since before the time of these present or other men's memories through certain lords of possessors of the said manor within the site then sufficiently and decently erected and founded and dedicated in honour of St Egidius abbot by which a certain master Henry Acton clerk formerly rector of the church of the parish of Chartham aforesaid held and all his predecessors of the said rectory of the said church from the time from which memory cannot recall by reason of which said donation and concession by the certain lords of the manor aforesaid to the certain rectors of the said church had made and permitted to have each and every great and small tithes each year from the lands tenements and inhabitants within the manor and hamlet of Horton aforesaid increasing or accruing or emerging that the said tenth fruits and gifts and emoluments were extended each year to ten marks by which the said John Acton formerly rector of the said church held of Egidius Badlysmere knight then the lord of the said manor and all the predecessors of the former rectors of the church in right of the said church from the whole of the said time they were held from the said manor aforesaid for the time being 18 acres of arable land lying in a certain field called Stonefeld in Chartham aforesaid 2 acres of wood lying in part to the north of the said field in Chartham aforesaid 10 acres of land called Whitedycje in Chartham aforesaid 1 acre of wood then there found within and pasture land of cattle yearly namely from the day called Hokday until the day of the Exaltation of St Crucis Passion with the cattle of the lord of the said manor for the time being in lands and pasture of the same manor by fealty and service found to the customs and expenses of the said rector for the time being a certain chaplain of suitable standing in the said chapel in form following hours and times due known and sufficient namely lands in Edomade? namely on the Sunday of the feast of the Quarta and Sexta. And to the present lord and lady of the manor or whichever of them he will make the celebration of the mass each day at the right time and on Sundays and at feasts the said chaplain will say the lesson at vespers or whichever and three days in the feast of the birth of the Lord and in this manner after the mass the Quarta or the feast of Quinta and Sexta in the parish and all other holy festivals of the church in the said chapel by the said chaplain for the lord and lady of the manor of Horton and all inhabitants and residents within the manor or hamlet of Horton aforesaid will be able to celebrate accordingly in the said chamber distinct from the shrine notwithstanding by this service provided and maintained in the said chapel books, vestments, candles and all other necessary things to celebrate in the said chapel of their costs and expenses from which services and other said premises Egidius de Badelysincre both by reason of which tenure the lands, woods and pasture aforesaid and by reason of which accordingly the said tithes was seised by the hand of the said Henry Acton then rector of the said church as by the hand then now truly holding of him as of fee and right accordingly by a certain actual composition between the said Egidius de Badelysincre and the said Henry Acton then died and from which how many of the said jury had full notice and sufficient evidence of which the said Egidius held of and in the said manor, chapel and other premises of the said Clement Ballard as aforesaid which he previously held. And being thus then seized on the 5th day of June in the 6th year of the reign of the Lord King (1514) of that manor with appurtenances amongst others enfeoffed Richard Elliot formerly one of the justices of the said Kings Common Bench by name Richard Elliot sergeant at law, John Peche knight[1], Richard Walden knight[2], John Roper esquire, James Walsyngham esquire[3], William Draper gentleman[4], William Brent gent, Robert Draper gent[5] and Henry Walter gent to have and to hold the said manor and other premises with appurtenances to the said Richard Eliott John Peche Richard Walden John Roper James Walsyngham William Draper William Brent Roger Draper and Henry Walter their heirs and assigns forever to the use of the said Clement Ballard and Mary his wife daughter and heiress of the said William Draper and the heirs male of the bodies of the said Clement Ballard and Mary lawfully begotten. And for want of such males heirs then to the use of the heirs of the body of the said Clement lawfully begotten. And for default of such heirs of the body of the said Clement then to the use of the rightful heirs of the said Clement Ballard forever. And as a result of which feoffment the said Richard Elyott, John Peche, Richard Walden, John Roper, James Walsyngham, William Draper, William Brent, Robert Draper and Henry Walter were then seised in their lordship as of fee to the said use. And they said that the said Richard Elyott, John Peche, John Roper and Henry Walter died and that the said Richard Walden, James Walsyngham, William Draper, William Brent and Robert Draper outlived them and thus being then seised in their lordship as of fee for the said use by right … (text missing) [And] they said that the present rector of Chartam … (text missing) aforesaid from the said Richard Walden and his … (text missing) of his manor of Horton aforesaid by the said service in the aforesaid form. And they said that the said manor of Horton with the said chapel and certain premises which were held from Hamo Crenquer[6] by the military service of half a knights fee and he held from … (text missing) that the said manor of Horton with the chapel and all its other appurtenances are worth each year after reparations £10. And they said further that the said Clement Ballard died on the 14th day of the month of … (text missing) and that the said Mary his wife outlived him and is living still. And they said that Nicholas Ballard is the son and heir first born of the body of the said Clement Ballard and Mary his wife lawfully begotten and is of the age of … (text missing) years or thereabouts. And they further said that the said Clement held no other or none other lands or tenements held from the said Lord King in chief or by military service at the time of his death. In which things etc.
[1] Sir John Peche of Lullingstone. He was amongst King Henry VII's forces when the Perkin Warbeck rebellion was crushed at Blackheath. It was at this confrontation that the then John Peche was knighted. He was also present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, when Henry VIII took a delegation of 5000 men to France to broker peace with the French. He died in 1522.
[2] Sir Richard Walden of Erith, Kent died 1539.
[3] James Walsingham of Chislehurst died 1541.
[4] Clement’s father-in-law.
[5] Brother of William Draper.
[6] Hamo Crevequer.