Public Record Office  WARD 7/51 no. 153

INQUISITION indented held at Newark upon Trent in the county aforesaid the twenty sixth day of September in the year of the reign of our lord James by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the faith and so forth, that is to say, England France and Ireland the fourteenth and Scotland the fiftieth [26 September 1616]  Before George Wigsall Esquire Escheator of the said lord King in the county aforesaid by virtue of his office to an inquiry after the death of William Ballard late of Southwell in the county aforesaid gentleman deceased upon the oaths and so forth  WHO say upon their oaths aforesaid that the aforesaid William Ballard for a long time before his death was seized in his demesne as of fee of and in one capital messuage or tenement and three cottages with appurtenances situated and being within the town of Southwell aforesaid  And of and in forty acres of land twenty acres meadow and thirty acres of pasture with appurtenances in the town of Southwell aforesaid and in the fields and territory of Southwell aforesaid and Upton Halam Easthorpe and Westhorpe in the same county of Nottingham aforesaid messuages whether being tenements or appurtenances  And that the aforesaid William Ballard so of the aforesaid messuages or tenements and the other premises being seized made his last will in writing bearing date the twenty eighth day of May in the year of the Lord 1616 by which amongst other things he wished and bequeathed the aforesaid messuages or tenements cottages and other premises to Edward Ballard second son of the same William to have and to hold the same to him the aforesaid Edward his heirs and assigns for ever in these words in English following, that is to say, And I will and bequeath unto my second sonne Edward Ballard all those my lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever with all and singuler their appurtenances sett lyinge and beinge in the townes feildes and territoryes of Southwell the burgage of Southwell Easthorp Westhorp Upton and Halam in the county of Nottingham to have and to hold all the same landes tenementes and hereditaments with their appurtenances to the same Edward Ballard my second sonne and to his heirs forever,   As by the same will the jurors aforesaid shown in evidence full appears and it is evident that afterwards he the aforesaid William Ballard thus also of the aforesaid messuages or tenements cottages and other premises being seized about the twentieth day of June now last past of such his estate died so in respect thereof seized   And the jurors aforesaid furthermore on their oaths aforesaid say that the aforesaid messuages or tenements and other premises are held and at the time of the death of the same William were held of our lord Archbishop of York of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter York or his Archbishopric of York as of his manor of the Burgh of Southwell aforesaid in free soccage for fealty and suit of court common and annual rent of nineteen shillings and two pence by the year  And by what other services the jurors aforesaid are wholly ignorant  And that the clear value by the year in all issues above the deductions from profit is forty shillings  And that William Ballard is son and heir and the next of kin of William the father and was aged at the time of death of his father twenty four years and more  And that he had no other or more lands or tenements at the time of his death or held of the said lord King nor of any other person to their knowledge.  In testimony of which thing, and so forth.