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Inquisition about villeins, 1575
National Archives, E178/432 (translated from Latin)
The legal status of villeinage had virtually died out by the reign of Elizabeth I, but not everyone had gone through the appropriate legal form of being granted manumission by the lord of the manor. Patents were issued in the 1570s for people to issue manumissions on royal manors, such as Winslow at the time. This meant that they threatened to claim 1/3 of the property of people who could not prove that they were free, unless they agreed to pay for manumission. The inquisition at Winslow must have been the result of such a patent. Various inhabitants of the manor were stated to be “villeins by blood” (nativi ex sanguine) and had to prove that they or their ancestors had been granted manumission, or otherwise pay to be manumitted now. Each entry ends with the people under investigation saying that “they have their manumission”, without showing how.
The document is in poor condition and most of the lower right part is missing. It has been transcribed from photographs, and doubtful readings could be improved by checking the original.
Indentured inquisition held at Winselowe in the County of Bucks on 11 November in the 17th year of the reign of Elizabeth, by the grace of God queen of England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc. before Thomas Heron esquire,
commissioner[?] by virtue of a certain commision of the said lady Queen directed to the same Thomas Heron and annexed to this inquisition by the oaths of Thomas Fige gentleman, Robert Williatt, John Couper, Thomas Barton, Richard Capenhurst, John
Grauntt alias Miller, William Glenister, John Grace, John Pipken, Walter Haukenes, Henry Baylie & Henry Illinge, respectable and legal men of the aforesaid county, who say on their oath that William Boton alias
Bouton otherwise called William Bouden is a villein by blood of the manor of Winselowe aforesaid in the County of Bucks now dwelling in Greneboroughe in the aforesaid County, and has issue John, William, Agnes and Joan, and that
the aforesaid William the father on the day of the taking of this inquisition was seised of one virgate of land in Greneborugh to hold to himself and his heirs by copy according to the custom of the manor of Winselowe aforesaid, now in the occupation of the aforesaid William Boton
the father, worth per annum 20s beyond reprises [listed in 1556 with rent of 9s 7½d]. And he has goods and chattels of the value of £5. Also they say on their oath that Thomas Boton alias Bodon is a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe
and dwells at Waddesden in the aforesaid county and on the day of the taking of this inquisition was seised of a half-virgate of land in Greneboroughe to hold to himself and his heirs by copy according to the custom of the manor of Winselowe aforesaid, now in the occupation
of John Mon[tagu?], worth per annum 10s. And also they say on their oath that John Boton alias Bodon of Slymbridge in Gloucs is a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe and that [he has neither]
goods nor chattels, lands nor holdings known to them[?]. All and singular the aforesaid Botons alias Bodons say they have their manumission. Also they say on their oath that John Thomlyn was a villein [by blood]
belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe and he died at Adstock in the aforesaid county in the year 1559 or[?] around the same time and he had issue William Thomlyn, Robert Thomlyn and R[ichard and]
that the said William Thomlyn son of the aforesaid John now living in Greneborough in the aforesaid county has issue a daughter named Margaret living with him there and on the day of the taking of this inquisition he had goods and chattels [of the value]
of £10 and was seised of a tenement and three virgates in Shipton & Winselowe, to hold to himself and his heirs by copy according to the custom of the manor of Winselowe, by annual rent of the value [ - - - ]
and that the aforesaid Robert Thomlyn son of the aforesaid John, now living in Adstock in the aforesaid county has issue a son called William living with him there, and on the day of the taking of this inquisition he had goods [and chattels of the value]
of £20, and the aforesaid Richard son of the aforesaid John Thomlyn now living at Oxford is a scholar of New College there and is a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe [ - - - and]
the Thomlyns say they have their manumission. And also the aforesaid jurors say on their oath that Richard Thomlyn late of Shipton aforesaid deceased was a villein by blood [belonging] to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe
and had issue Richard Tomlyn now of Greneboroughe laborer and the aforesaid Richard Thomlyn son of the aforesaid Richard deceased has issue Richard Thomlyn and Margaret living with him [ - - - ]
and he is a pauper. Also they say on their oath that Thomas Thomlyn late of Winselowe deceased a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe laborer died at Winselowe aforesaid [in the year 15-]
58 and had issue William Thomlyn and Robert Thomlyn. The aforesaid William son of the aforesaid Thomas now dwelling in Shipton has issue Thomas Thomlyn [ - - - ]
Anthony Thomlyn and Edmund Thomlyn, and on the day of the taking of this inquisition he had goods and chattels to the value of 40 marks and was seised of a tenement and houses[?]
worth per year 53 shillings 4 pence, which he holds by copy of court roll according to the custom of the manor of Winselowe. The aforesaid Robert Thomlyn son of Thomas [Thomlyn]
lives at Banburie in the county of Oxon and is apprentice there and had no goods or chattels on the aforesaid day of the taking of this inquisition; he is seised of one virgate[?] [ - - - ]
to hold to himself and his heirs by copy according to the custom of the manor of Winselowe, worth per year 50s apart from reprises. All and singular the Thomlyns say [that they have their manumission. And they say on their oath]
that Thomas Ellyot of Shipton was a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe and died at Shipton around the year 15[54 and had issue Robert and]
Richard his sons. The aforesaid Robert Ellyot lives at Shipton in the aforesaid county of Bucks and has issue Thomas Elliot and George Elliott his sons and [ - - - and on the day of the taking]
of this inquisition he was possessed of goods and chattels to the value of 10 pounds and was seised of a tenement, two and a half virgates of land in Shipton together [with - - - ]
their [appurtenances] by copy according to the custom of the manor, worth per year 40 shillings apart from reprises . And the aforesaid Richard Elliott, son of the aforesaid Thomas Elliott, brother of the aforesaid Robert [Elliott - - - ]
on the day of the taking of this inquisition was possessed of goods and chattels to the value of [ - - - ]. All and singular the Elliotts say that they have their manumission. [And they say on their oath that William Adam]
of Swanbourne in the aforesaid county of Bucks a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe, passed his final day at Swanbourne aforesaid in the year [1533? - - - ]
having issue five daughters: Margaret, Christina, Agnes, Isabel and [blank]. The aforesaid Margaret was married to Thomas T[...]rell, Christina was married to [ - - - , Agnes was married to - - - ]
in the county of Oxon, husbandman, and Isabel was married to Thomas Davy[?], of whom the husbands were free. And they also say that the aforesaid William Adam late of [Swanbourne held freely?]
sixty acres of land and meadow \in Winselowe/ and eighteen[?] pence[?] rent arising from various lands and tenements in Winselowe with appurtenances formerly Walter Winselowe’s [ - - - and that he is a villein]
by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe and that the aforesaid messuage(s?), lands, tenement(s?) and rents aforesaid are now in the tenure of William T[ - - - ]
pounds apart from reprises. They also say on their oath that John Kinge of Swanbourne deceased was a villein by blood belonging to the aforesaid manor [of Winselowe - - - ]
son of the aforesaid John and brother of the aforesaid Robert dwelling at Swanbourne in the aforesaid county has issue William Kinge, Thomas Kinge [ - - - ]
of the value[?] of forty marks[?] and was seised of a messuage[?] and certain lands in Swanbourne aforesaid which he had [ - - - ]
Robert[?] son[?] of the aforesaid John Kinge and brother[?] of the aforesaid [....] dwelling at Twyford in the aforesaid county is a laborer [ - - - ]
[ - - - - - - - - - ] is possessed of goods and chattels to the value of £3[?] And furthermore the jurors [say upon their oath that - - - ]
[a villein by blood] belonging to the aforesaid manor of Winselowe was in [ - - - - - ] on the day of the taking of this inquisition [ - - - ]
[ - - - - - - - ] and ten shillings and the aforesaid Isabel says that she has [her manumission - - - ]
Notes
William Boton / Bodon was buried at Granborough on 26 Dec 1576, and his will was proved in 1577. His children were baptised there: John 1555, William 1570, Agnes 1564, Joan 1561. He held a virgate of land in Granborough in 1556 at a rent of 9s 7½d.
Thomas Boton was apparently his nephew, bap. 1554, son of Richard Boton (d.1558) who held a half-virgate at Granborough in 1556.
John Thomlyn of Adstock died in 1558 (see his will). In 1556 he held 2½ virgates in Shipton and some smaller holdings. William his son had a daughter Margaret Tomlyn bap. at Granborough 1551.
John's son Robert Tomlins was buried at Adstock in 1612. William son of Robert Tomlins the younger bap. at Adstock 1567.
John's third son Richard Thomlyn graduated from New College, Oxford, BA in 1572, MA in 1576. He was probably the vicar of Heyford Warren (Upper Heyford), Oxon, 1587-97.
Richard Thomlyn of Shipton must have died before 1560 when the parish registers start. His son Richard Thomlyn of Granborough had a son Richard bap. at Granborough 1575 and daughter Margaret bap. 1570.
Thomas Thomlyn of Winslow died in 1558 (see his will). William Thomlyn his son d.1589 (see inventory). William's sons included Thomas (?bap. 1561), Anthony (bap.1568) and Edmund (or Edward) (bap.1572).
Thomas Ellyot of Shipton d.1554 (see his will). Robert Ellyot his son d.1599 (see his will). In 1556 Robert Elyott held 2 virgates in Shipton.
William Adam of Swanbourne may be the man whose will was proved in 1533 (Centre for Bucks Studies We 3 49), but his will does not mention any land except "my pyghtell callyd Spryngwyke", and it only mentions one daughter, "Crysten", who was bequeathed 6 beasts. The 60-acre freeholding which seems to be referred to here was in the hands of Walter of Winslow in 1346, and was inherited by William Adam from his father Richard in 1513. In 1556 Richard Dele held it as the dower of his wife Agnes, perhaps William Adam's widow (she was the main beneficiary under his will). William Adam was evidently a wealthy man as he wanted "a marbell stone ... upon my grave w(ith) iij pyctures of reme(m)brans of me and my wyffe".