The Stonor letters and papers, 1290-1483; ed. for the Royal historical society, from the origial documents in the Public record office, by Charles Lethbridge Kingsford.

157. AN ARBITRATION BETWEEN WILLIAM STONOR AND HIS MOTHER 28 NOV., 1475

After the death of Thomas Stonor, his executors, Jane Stonor, Thomas Hampden and Thomas Ramsey, by deed indented granted to William Stonor "all thing which to tham shuld apperteigne as executours," and William Stonor took upon him the charge of performing the will "demandyng as well the rentes of diverse landes and tenementes, as diverse goodes, catalles and dueties, which perteigned to his said ffader". Controversies and variances having grown between Jane Stonor and her son, the matters in dispute were submitted to Richard Fowler, Humphrey Forster, and William Danvers, who gave their award on 28 NOV., 1475. The document is much mutilated, and a great part of the statement of claim by William Stonor is missing. After reciting the circumstances under which the dispute had arisen, and stating the claims made by the two parties, the arbitrators gave their award in the terms printed below. This contains all that is of real interest save for those points added in footnotes. From Ch. Misc., 37, vi.

Of all the which controversies variances and demaundes, and of all oþer matieres dependyng betwix the said parties, the same parties have compromitted tham self to abide the arbitrement of and upon þe premisses; the surmises and allegeances of both the said parties by longe and ripe deliberacion herde and understond by thassent and aggreement of bothe the same parties, [we] arbitre, ordeigne, and deme þerupon in maner and forme folowing: that is to wite that the said William shall satisfie to his said Moder of the somme underwritten, that is to sey of þe somme of lxxiiij. li. ij. s. v. d. by her expended for expences and costes had aboute the burieng and enterement of his said ffader: and of þe somme of xl. s. by her paied for þe probate of þe said testament: and of the somme of xxxiij. s. by her paied to Robert Fuller for þe debtes of his said ffader: and of the summe of v marcs by her paied for thexpenses of her said cooexecutours: and that also the said William shall suffre his said Moder to have þe ward and mariage of John Gatton above rehersed, [Jane Stonor claimed this wardship "wherof her said husband was possessed".] and all oþer landes in þe which the same Johane had jointe astate with her said husbande for terme of her liff, which astate the same William shall conferme to his said Moder for terme of her liff

oonly: [She also claimed: "to have for terme of her lyfe, by the wylle of her seyd husband, certain lande purchased by her said husbande in Horton to þe yerely value of xx. s., also to have seurtie of þe said William for þe full performyng of þe last wille of his said ffader". See Thomas Stonor's Will, No. 137.] and that also the said William shall fynde sufficient seurtie to his said Moder and her coexecutors to performe the last wille of his said ffader: and as to thembloyment above rehersed and expenses of þe said William and his servauntes and also for thexpenses and wages of servauntes and husbandrie aforesaid, and also all maner of debtes due to þe said Thomas claymed by the said Johane, We arbitre, ordeyne, and deme that for asmuche as after the decease of þe said Thomas the said Johane and her servauntes, and þe said William, his brethren, and servauntes, and the said servauntes in husbandrie have expended of þe greynes, catalles, and stuff of houshold of þe said Thomas Stonour to her not bequested nor yeven, therfore the said William shall have the said embloyment and debtes towardes the performyng of þe wille of his said ffader, and þe said William shall also bee discharged ayenst his said Moder of all þe said expenses: [Jane Stonor claimed: "to be satisfied for thexpenses of þe said William Stonore and of his servauntes at diverses tymes coming to þe said Johane, and for thexpenses and wages of servauntes of husbandrie at Stonor payd by her sethen the decesse of her seyd husband: also to have the embloyment of þe lande of her said husband sowen the tyme of his deceasse". William's claim included allowance "for greynes and catalles expended by þe said Johane after þe deceasse of her said husband".] and furthermore we arbitre, ordeigne, and deme that the said William of þe sommes above rehersed, awarded to bee paid to his said Moder, shall deducte in his own handes and þerof abate þe sommes underwriten, that is to wite the somme of xlvj. s. viij. d. of þe price of wolle of cxl. schepe by þe said Johane soo sold as afore ys seyde, [William Stonor claimed: "to be satisfied of xlvj. s. viij. d. of þe price of the wolle of cxl. shepe, late of þe said Thomas Stonor, his ffader, by þe said Johane sold: also of þe somme of . . . by þe said Johane received of thissues of þe . . . tenementes underwriten". The claim is very imperfect, and only the item "of þe Manoir of Ryderfeld Pyperd xj. li." now appears.] also the somme of vj. li. by her received of thissues of þe Maner of Ryderfeld Pypperd over C. s. of þe same issues by her receaved . . . Dorchestre: also the somme of iiij. li. x. s. v. d. by her received of þissues of þe Manor [of] Boroughescote: also of þe somme of iiij. li. x. s. by her received of þissues of Burt[on and] Condycote: also of þe somme of x. li. vj. s. viij. d. by her received of thissues of P[enyton] Meysy: all the which issues were due to her said husband and paiable at þe fest [of the] Annunciacion of our lady

last passed before his deceasse out of þe said Manors in þe which the said Johane had noo jointe astate: also the said William shall deducte in his owne handes the somme of x. marcs by þe said Johane received of arrerages due to her said husband at þe ffest of Michelmas last passed before his deceasse: and as to þe somme of xxxviij. li. iij. s. iiij. d. by þe said Johane received of thissues of oþer Manoirs paiable at þe same ffest of Annunciacion the said William shall noo thing therof deducte, but þe same Johane shall have and retaign to her owne use the said somme of xxxviij. li. iij. s. iiij. d. for asmuch as in þe said Manoirs of þe which the said somme was received the said Johane had jointe astate with her said husband: also the same Johane before the ffest of Cristmas next comyng shall delivere to þe said William the basen, ewer, and two pottes of silver above rehersed: [This part of William's claim is missing.] also the said Johane shall have thoccupacion of þe Sawter [William claimed: "a sawter now in þe kepyng of þe said Johane, perteignyng to þe Chapell of Stonore".] above rehersed during her liff, and after deceasse shall leve the same Sawter to þe said William Stonore to thuse of þe Chapell in þe Manoir of Stonore forevermore: also before the said ffest of Ester the said Johane shall deliver to þe said William the blak boke, ["A blak boke conteigning thaccomptes and debtes due to þe said Thomas Stonor."] and the obligacion of Makeney ["An obligacion of Makeney of þe somme of xl. li. made to the said Thomas, wherof xx. li. is yet due." As to this see note on No. 190.] above rehersed, and fynde sufficient seurtie to þe same William that the said Johane and her said coexecutours shall mainteigne all maner of accions to bee taken by thadvyse of þe said William for any matere touching the testament of þe said Thomas. [As claimed by William.] Also we arbitre, ordeigne and deme that eiþer of þe said parties be quite and discharged ayenst other of all oþer matieres dependyng betwene theym before the day of þis present arbitrement. In witnesse wherof as well the said parties as we þe said arbitrours to every part of þis writing endented have set oure seale the xxviij day of Novemb. the xv^th yere of the regne of Kyng Edward the iiij^th.