Misc. MSS Box 91 [C]: Certificates c.1554 (nos 405-415)

London Viewers and their Certificates, 1508-1558: Certificates of the Sworn Viewers of the City of London. Originally published by London Record Society, London, 1989.

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'Misc. MSS Box 91 [C]: Certificates c.1554 (nos 405-415)', in London Viewers and their Certificates, 1508-1558: Certificates of the Sworn Viewers of the City of London, (London, 1989) pp. 151-155. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-record-soc/vol26/pp151-155 [accessed 20 April 2024]

In this section

CORPORATION OF LONDON RECORDS OFFICE MISC. MSS. BOX 91

(Envelope marked 'Viewers' Certificates circa 1554')

The envelope contains fragments of 11 separate certificates strung together. They are printed here in chronological order, so far as that can be ascertained: the letters [a] – [k] following the item number represent the file order. Salutations throughout are largely missing or illegible and have been omitted here.

Certificates c.1554 (nos 405-415)

405. [d] 16 February 1555.

. . . Russell, Nicholas Ellys, Thomas . . . Carpenters and Tilers, viewers . . . of late Charged by your lordships commaund [ment] . . . [parish of St.] Saviour in the Borow of Southwarke betwene . . . and Humfrey Collett, Bowyer, defendaunte . . . the said foure sworne viewers have . . . saye that the said varyance is of and . . . said parties which fence we say is the same . . . to be by him sufficiently made, upholden, . . . the Southeaste Corner post of the dwelling . . . east to the Comon Sewer and a nale by the upper . . . strycken into a bourde of the northe syde of a Jakes . . . the brinke of the said Comon Sewer. All these . . . be observed, kept and done and every man to bere . . . they have done. Except there be any wryttyng . . . to be shewed.

Endorsed: 16 Feb[ruary] A[nn]os [sic] 1 & 2 infert[ur] iste visus

406. [c] February 1555.

. . . and Mary, Kinge and Quene . . . & Tylers, viewers indifferent . . . in the parishe of Saint Saviour in the borough of Southwark . . . partie and William Giverson, Bowyer, defendant . . . serched & seen and thereupon we say . . . same to be devyded betwene the . . . whiche houses, tenementes and rentes we . . . tenements in tenure of Richard Pever in . . . tenements in the tenure of Thomas Pen . . . at xlvi s. viii d. Furthermore we say & app[oint]. . . tenement in the tenure of Thomas Forman . . . out of his iiii d. land and tenement in the tenure of . . . William Pynson who rented yerely at his iiii . . . We appoynte, Judge, and thinke in our consideration . . . therof ymmedyatly after the same is due . . . And to take distresse for the same so that yt . . . Clea[?n]sed to my Lord Maior and Aldermen . . . Also either of the said parties to bere their . . . London as they now be . . . devyded tenements so long as . . . writing, evidence or specialty . . .

Endorsed: . . . February Anno 1&2 infrascr[?iptorum] visus . . .

407. [e] 20 April 1555.

Shewen unto you . . . 20th daye of April in the first and second yeres of the Reignes of our soveraign . . . Philipp and Mary, by the grace of god Kinge and Quene of England, France etc. John Russell, Nicholas Ellys, Thomas Peacock and Water Cowper, the foure Maysters of Fremasons, carpenters, and Tylers, viewers indyfferent sworne to the said Cytie That whereas they were of late charged by your Lordships comaundment to view and oversee a varyance in the parishe of Saint Sepulchre withoute Newgate of London betwene William Averell, Innholder, defendaunte on the other partie [sic] which varyance therof we the said foure sworne viewers have viewed, serched, & sene & theruppon we saye that the said varyance is of & for the bering of the waters fallinge from the houses of the parties. Which Waters we saye ought of right to be borne by either of the said parties accordyng to the anciente and laudable custome of the Cytie of London & furthermore we saie there is a variance betwene the said plaintiff & John Sturgion, Chamberlayne of the Cytie of London, (fn. 1) of & for a stone Walle on the east syde of the grounde of the said partie plaintyf whiche brykwalle [sic] is in length north and south xxix fotte di. of assise. Which walle overhangeth in the ground of the said partie plaintiff at the northe ende v ynches of assyse, Which walle ought to go lyne right and plome from the north to the south by all the length aforesaid. Except there be any wrytinge, Evidence, or especialtie to the contrarie to be shewed.

408. [g] 17 or 27 May 1555.

Shewen unto your good . . . xviith day of May in the firste & seconde yeres of the Reignes of our . . . lorde & lady Philipp & Marie by the grace of god etc. John Russell, Nicholas Ellis, Thomas Peacock, and Walter Cowper the foure masters of Fremasons, Carpenters & Tylers viewers indifferent sworne to the said Cytie that whereas they were of late charged by your lordships comaundement to view and oversee a variance in the parishe of Holy Trinitie in the Warde of Bred Street of London betwene Robert Kyng, fishmonger, plaintyf on the one partie & Henry Mellyshe, merchanttailor, defendaunt on the other partie, which thinge and variance therof we the said iiii sworne viewers have viewed, serched & sene being for a gutter and water corse lying north and south betwene the said parties and there upon we say the gutter and water corse ought of right to be repaired, upholden, and mayntayned at the equall costes and charges of both the said parties as often as nede shall require & the water descendyng by the same gutter as it is now at this present tyme without interrupcion of ayther of the said parties. And further we saye that as concerning all other gutters and eavesdropping betwene the said parties & their houses that ayther of the said parties ought to bear the same water corse accordyng to the ancient & laudable custome of this Cytie. Except there be any evidence, writing, or especialty to the contrary to be shewed in that behalf.

409. [b] 10 July 1555.

. . . Reignes . . . England, France . . . Cowper the foure . . . sworne to the . . . Commaundement to . . . of Langbourne of London . . . one the one partie and . . . on the other partie which Thing . . . viewed serched and sene . . . a certen stone wall sett Betwene . . . from the house of the said partie defen . . . hath encroached with his Buyldinge the . . . and at and over the south ende of the . . . not so to do. Except therebe any . . . shewed.

Endorsed: 10 July A[nn]is 1&3 Regis et Regine infrano[m]i[n]atorum infert[ur] iste vis[us]

410. [a] 20 July 1555.

Shewen unto your . . . and . . . Lady Philippe and Mary . . . Nicholas Ellys, Thomas Pecock . . . indifferent sworne to the said . . . and oversee a varyance in the . . . plaintyfe on the one partye . . . varyance therof we the same . . . uppon we say that the said . . . and south Betwene the ground . . . from the house now in the tenure of . . . Wall ought to lye lyne right and plome . . . stretching West to a Brickwall of the . . . uppe and uppon the same at his pleasure . . . to the contrarie to be shewed.

Endorsed: 20 July A[nn]is 1&3 Regis & Regine infrano[m]i[n]at[orum] etc. infert[ur] iste visus

411. [i] [1554 × 1555] (fn. 2)

Shewen unto your good lordshipp . . . of the reignes of our soveraign . . . Ellys, John Cowper, and Tho[mas Peacock] . . . and Tylers viewers indyfferent . . . were of late charged by your . . . parishe of Christechurch . . . Edward Boyse, draper, plaintyf, on the byhalfe of the . . . Defendante on the other partie . . . have viewed, serened, and sene . . . of and for a lytle Tenement sett . . . Nicholas Chomells now in tenure and . . . lyttle Tenement we say is the freeh[old]. . . and doth of right belong to him . . . Especialtie to the contrary to be shewed.

412. [f] April 1555.

Shewen unto your . . . day of Aprill the firste and [second] years . . . John Russell, Nicholas Ellys, Thomas Peacock and Walter [Cowper] the foure maysters of Fremasons, Carpenters, and Tylers . . . sworne to the said Cytie, That whereas they were of late charged by your lordships comaundement to view and oversee a varyaunce in the parishe of Saint Katerin Coleman of London betwene Richard Barnes, Gentilman, plaintyff on the one partie, and Thomas Heath, Baker, defendant on the other partie, which thing and varyaunce therof we the said sworne viewers have viewed, serched, measured and sene And thereuppon we saie that the said varyaunce is of and for a certain Pale or Fence sett on the west syde of the ground of the said partie plaintif Which fence we saie is a partie fence betwene the said parties and ought to be made uppe and mayntayned at the equall costes and charge of the said parties, lyne right and plombe from a naile by us the said foure sworne viewers beaten into a Brickwall on the southsyde of the grounde of the said partie plaintyf to a stake by us sett one foote West from a post sett in the west ende of a pale which pale is sett on the south syde of a garden of the said partie plaintyf now in tenure of one John de Saloys, alias Barbour, merchantestraunger. Except there be any wrytinge, Evidence or especialtie to the contrarie to be shewed.

413. [j] [25 July 1554 × 15 March 1555] (fn. 3)

Shewen unto your good lordshippe . . . Reignes of our Sovereigne . . . lorde and . . . Thomas Peacock the foure mayst[ers] . . . sworne to the said Cytie That . . . to view and oversee a varyaunce . . . Xpofer Bumstede, mercer, plaintyf . . . the other partie whiche they . . . viewed, serched and sene And . . . certen Jakes and the annoyaunce of . . . defendante during his yeres. And ther . . . of right to dense and skowre the same . . . up right and plumbe uppon his . . . Annoye the said partie playntyff. And . . . the houses of the said parties which ought to . . . equall and severall costes and charges . . . wyth comyng into the said gutter. And further . . . ought of right to make a lawfull fence in his . . . and the grounde of the said partie defendante . . . postes that there now stande. All the prem . . . and kept. Except there be any wryttinge . . . to be shewed.

Endorsed: . . . Marie etc.

414. [k] [25 July 1554 × 15 March 1555]. (fn. 4)

Shewen unto your good lordship . . . of the Reignes of our soveraign . . . Ellys, John Cowper and . . . and Tylers, viewers lnd[ifferent] . . . of late Charged by your lord[ship] . . . parishe of Saint Sepulchres . . . Governors of Saint Bartholomew . . . of the King and Quenes Chap[?el] . . . Betwene the parties whiche . . . Sworne viewers have viewed . . . the said varyaunce Betwene the said . . . said parties where an old pale nowe stands whiche Fence we saie . . . parties at their severall and equall . . . mayntayned From tyme to tyme . . . Evydence or esspycyaltie to the contrary . . .

415. [h] [28 July 1554 × 10 November 1556] (fn. 5)

Shewen unto . . . Reignes of our soveraigne lorde and lady . . . Russell, Nicholas Ellys, Thomas Peacock and . . . viewers Indyfferent sworne to the said . . . commaundement to view and oversee a varyance in the parishe of Saint Martens [Outwych of London] betwene Thomas Altam, clothworker, plaintyff on thone partie, and Robert Spencer, clothworker, defendant . . . and varyance therof we the said iiii sworne viewers . . . we say that the said varyance is of and for a brickwall . . . we say of right ought to stretche east from the southeast corner post of the . . . defendaunte to the grounde of the said partie plaintyf lyne right and plome xxxv foote . . . and further we saye that said partie plaintyf may buylde upon the same wall at his pleasure . . . save that the Brickwall at the east ende of the garden of the said partie defendante ought . . . dothe. And that no man may Buyld uppon the same But onely the said partie defendaunte . . . each to bere their own waters accordinge to the Ancyent and laudable custome of the Cytie . . . wryttinge, Evydence or Especialtie to the contrarie to be Shewed.

Footnotes

  • 1. The Chamberlain may here be appearing in a private capacity.
  • 2. Since the fragment speaks of reignes', the certificate cannot date from before 25 July 1554. The terminus ad quem is before 15 March 1555, because there is a certificate of that date showing Walter Cowper, who replaced John Cowper, as a viewer.
  • 3. Thomas Peacock was viewer from before the beginning of the reigns of Philip and Mary (25 July 1554); from at least 15 March 1555, the most junior and therefore lastnamed viewer was Walter Cowper.
  • 4. John Cowper was viewer from before 25 July 1554; he had been replaced by Walter Cowper by 15 March 1555.
  • 5. The view must date from after 28 July 1554, the date of the last extant certificate of the previous set of viewers, and before 10 November 1556, when Nicolas Ellys' death is reported in Rep. 12 (2), f. 447.