Concealed lands

Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664. Originally published by EJ Francis, London, 1878.

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'Concealed lands', in Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664, (London, 1878) pp. 112-116. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/index-remembrancia/1579-1664/pp112-116 [accessed 19 April 2024]

Concealed Lands.

I. 339. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Christopher Hatton, Knight, informing him that the Companies of the City had complained to the Court of Aldermen of proceedings taken against them in the Court of Exchequer, upon informations of intrusion touching divers houses in the City supposed to be concealed lands, out of which the late King had by Act of Parliament (fn. 1) been allowed to have the profits superstitiously employed as rent-charge, which rents the several Companies afterwards purchased of the King to the full value of such profits. Nevertheless the Companies had bestowed those profits in good and charitable uses and in Her Majesty's service. If the law should be otherwise taken, the confusion and loss would be infinite. He therefore requested him to give his assistance to the Companies in their application to Her Majesty and her Council for relief, and for stay of the suits.
Sans date. Circa 1582.

I. 341. Letter from Roger Manwood, (fn. 2) Robert Suthcott, (fn. 3) and John Clench (fn. 4) to Sir James Harvey, (fn. 5) Knight, Lord Mayor, and the Court of Aldermen, stating that divers suits of intrusion for the Queen had been presented before them in the Exchequer against divers of the City Companies for certain tenements claimed to belong to Her Majesty. In benefit of the said Companies, they had granted an extraordinary favour to them to plead the general issue, and in the mean time to continue their possession upon asseveration by them and their counsel that such wills enrolled in the Hustings as might testify the truth of the rights and titles in question should be truly copied out and examined, and delivered to the parties prosecuting on Her Majesty's behalf; they also requested that within the next five days true copies of the under-mentioned wills might be made and delivered to the bearer, he paying reasonably for the same, otherwise they would be obliged to reconsider the favour granted to the Companies to plead the general issues.
Dated at Westminster, 19th May, 1582.

The Will of Simon Adam, enrolled in the twenty-seventh year of of Henry the Sixth.

The Will of William Calley, enrolled in the eighth year of Henry the Eighth.

The Will of John Billesden, enrolled in the twenty-fourth year of Henry the Eighth.

The Will of Elizabeth Burell, enrolled in the sixteenth year of Henry the Seventh.

The Will of John Warpole, (fn. 6) enrolled in the twenty-fourth year of Edward the Third.

I. 347. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Christopher Hatton, Knight. The same as Number 339.
— May, 1582.

I. 348. Letter from Sir Christopher Hatton, Knight, to Mr. Serjeant Fleetwood, (fn. 7) Recorder, informing him that he had acquainted the Patentees with the offer made on behalf of the Companies for committing the matter in question for concealment of lands to the hearing of such of the Lords of the Privy Council as they were content to name for the final settlement thereof, to which the Patentees most willingly agreed. He therefore requested him to signify the same to such of the Companies as might appear to him good, that they might forthwith make application to the Council to undertake the inquiry.
2nd June, 1582.

I. 349. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Christopher Hatton, Knight, expressing his regret that he should have offended him in not forwarding a letter directed to him, praying his favour on behalf of the City Companies in the suits brought against them, and informing him it had been delayed by the advice of the Companies themselves.
3rd June, 1582.

I. 418. Letter from Mr. Recorder Fleetwood, to Sir Christopher Hatton, informing him that he had imparted to the chosen persons of the principal Companies his speech touching their lands supposed to be concealed, upon hearing which they acknowledged with one consent his accustomed goodness to the City. They would endeavour with all speed to treat with their several Companies, but some delay would be necessary on account of the absence of some members through the late sickness.
26th October, 1582.

I. 512. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Treasurer, with respect to the controversy touching the lands supposed to be concealed, which had been submitted to the Lord Chancellor and Sir Walter Mildmay, (fn. 8) who had since directed that the two Lord Chief Justices should deliver their opinions in law as to certain cases which might rule the rest, and that all suits touching those lands, as well as those of Sir James Mervin and of the Patentees depending upon the Vice-Chamberlain should stay during the treaty, the Judges having proceeded somewhat in the cause; in the mean time, contrary to this order, Sir James Mervin had taken proceedings in a case against the Haberdashers' Company, and the matters which might arise would perchance be prejudicial to the whole cause. He therefore requested that instruction might be given to the Lord Chief Baron (fn. 9) to stay proceedings until it should be thought convenient to proceed with the trial of the whole matter.
9th June, 1583.

IV. 126. Order in Council reciting that a letter had been read at the Board from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London concerning a Commission issued from the Exchequer to inquire as to the waste grounds within the City pretended to be intruded upon or concealed and detained from His Majesty, for the execution whereof the Commissioners had appointed a sitting at Guildhall on the 12th instant, and stating that, having before been troubled by a Grant or Patent obtained from the King, they had been forced, on account of great inconvenience and disturbance to the citizens anticipated therefrom, to address His Majesty, who had signified his pleasure thereon to the Council, upon which an Order had been issued for the stay of further execution of the grant, which they now desired might be renewed. The Council, therefore, upon perusal of the aforesaid Order, finding that the ground and soil of the streets, walls, ramparts, common dikes, banks, ways, waste grounds, sewers, and other common places within the City and Liberties, which the City had long enjoyed by ancient grants, confirmed by His Majesty and otherwise, were called in question by virtue of the Commission, which was contrary to His Majesty's pleasure, ordered that the proceedings of the Commission be absolutely stayed so far as concerned the City and Liberties of London.
Greenwich, 7th June, 1618.

IV. 128. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lords of the Council, for the stay of the proceedings on the Commission to inquire as to the waste grounds within the City. (This is the letter recited in the Order of Council, No. 126.)
Sans date.

V. 81. Petition from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, on behalf of themselves and the Companies and Commonalty of the City to the King, reciting that His Majesty had granted to Mr. John Murray, of his Bedchamber, the arrearages of lands given to superstitious uses, within the City, which lands being wholly converted to good and charitable uses, the composition required to redeem the arrcarages grew so burdensome, that the poor felt the weight thereof. The Petitioners, therefore, fearing that in this searching age, other weaknesses might be discovered, which might drive them to new inconveniences, humbly prayed that Letters Patent might be granted them, to secure them from fears for the quiet enjoying of their lands, and other hereditaments heretofore given, or intended to be given, to the City, the Companies, or the Parishes, for the relief of the poor, or other charitable or public uses.

V. 82. Answer of the King, directing the Attorney-General to draw up a book or books, to such persons as the City should nominate, for granting and confirming to them the matters petitioned for, and that such book or books should be drawn as firmly and beneficially for the security of the City as by law could be done, and further directing the Attorney-General to prepare and forward them, with all convenient speed, for His Majesty's signature.
Dated in margin, August, 1620.

Footnotes

  • 1. I Edward VI., c. 14. By the Act 21 James I., c. 2, the vexatious proceedings to which the former Act gave rise, were abolished.
  • 2. Called to the Bar about 1554–5; appointed Recorder of Sandwich, 1555, and elected to represent it in Parliament; appointed Reader of the Inner Temple, 1565; created a Serjeant, April 23rd, 1567; made Justice of the Common Pleas, October 14th, 1572, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and Knighted, November 17th, 1578; appointed one of the Commissioners for the Trial of Mary Queen of Scots. He was a friend of Sir Thomas Gresham. Died, December 14th, 1592. He resided in the parish of St. Bartholomew the Great. His first wife was the daughter of John Theobald, Esq., of Sheppy, in Kent; she had been twice married before, first, to Dr. John Crooke, and next to Ralph Allen, Alderman of London.
  • 3. This would appear to be an error in transcription. Robert Shute and John Sotherton were the only other Barons of the Exchequer at the date besides Manwood and Clench above mentioned. Shute, who is probably intended, was called to the Bar in 1552; created Serjeant, June, 1577; made Second of the Barons of the Exchequer, June 1st, 1579; removed to the Queen's Bench, February 8th, 1586; died, 1590.
  • 4. Called to the Bar, 1568; elected Reader of Lincoln's Inn in 1574; created Serjeant, 1580; Baron of the Exchequer, November 27th, 1581; Justice of the Queen's Bench, May 29th, 1584; died, August 19th, 1607.
  • 5. Ironmonger; elected Aldermen of Coleman Street, December 11th, 1571; chosen Sheriff, August 1st, 1573; removed to Langbourn, February 4th, 1578; Lord Mayor, 1581 George Barnes, elected, loco Harvey, deceased, June 25th, 1583. He was the second son of William Harvey, Gentleman, of Cotwalton, county Stafford. He married Agnes, daughter of Sebastian Gent, or Gens, of Antwerp. He served the office of Master of his Company four times, viz., in 1572, 1576, 1580, and 1582. Buried at St. Dionys, Backchurch.
  • 6. Should be "John de Walpole," Anno 23 Edward III.
  • 7. Of Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire; educated at Oxford; admitted to the Bar and elected Reader of the Middle Temple in 1562, again Reader in 1568; elected Recorder of London, April 28th, 1571; resigned, January 11th, 1591; elected Member of Parliament for London, 1572, 1585, 1586, 1589; created Serjeant, 1580; Queen's Serjeant, 1592. He resided in Noble Street, Aldersgate. An annuity of 100l. granted to him by the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens, for life, January 11th, 1591. Died, February 28th, 1594, and was buried at Great Missenden Church. For Pedigree, see Lipscomb's 'History of Buckingham,' vol. ii., p. 377, and Wood's 'Athenæ Oxonienses.' He presented the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with a book of his collections, called 'Liber Fleetwood,' containing the names of all the Courts within the realm of England; the arms of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in 1576, emblazoned in their proper colours; the liberties, franchises, and customs of the City; the liberties, customs, and charters of the Cinque Ports; the Queen's prerogatives in the salt shores, &c., written by his clerk, Thomas Weston.
  • 8. Made Surveyor-General of the Court of Augmentations, circa 1545–6; knighted 22nd February, 1547. One of the Commissioners to make an inventory of the wardrobes, &c., of Henry the Eighth, 14th September, 1547, and one of the Commissioners to inquire as to the Revenues of the Crown, 30th September, 1547. In March, 1548, was at the head of a Commission for the sale of land belonging to dissolved Chantries. Sat for Malden in Parliament in 1553. From 1557 till his death, represented the County of Northampton. Was Treasurer of the Household to Queen Elizabeth. In 1566 made Chancellor of the Exchequer. In 1584 he obtained the Queen's license for the foundation of Emanuel College, Cambridge. In October, 1586, was appointed one of the Judges for the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, at Fotheringay Castle. He died at Hackney, 31st May, 1589, and was buried in the Chancel of the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield. He was a benefactor to Christ's Hospital.
  • 9. Sir Roger Manwood.
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