John Nowell, Esq., Lunatic.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 5 July, 20 Eliz. [1578], before William Tooke, esq., Auditor of the Court of Wards and Liveries, Ralph Bosseville, esq., and William Necton, gent., feodary, commissioners appointed to enquire into the lunacy of John Nowell, esq., by the oath of John Haddon, Thomas Russell, Anthony Barbor, William Layer, Richard Smythe, Thomas Eliott, William Povye, John Wylde, Arthur Rainescrofte, John Harrison, John Keblewhite, William Evaunce, John Ricardes, Edward Owen, William Curtes and John Ireland, who say that

John Nowell is a lunatic and does not enjoy lucid intervals, so that he is incapable of governing either himself or his lands, and became a lunatic a year ago through the visitation of God.

The said John Nowell had no lands in the City of London, but long before his said lunacy he was seised of certain lands and tenements lying in Bosseworth and elsewhere in co. Leicester, of the clear yearly value of £5, lately purchased by him of — Gent., esq., but of whom they are held the jurors do not know; divers messuages, lands and tenements in divers towns in the said county which he holds in right of Anne, now his wife, daughter and next heir of John Fowler, esq., deceased, viz., 1 capital messuage in Wellesborowe in the said county; the 3rd part of 5 closes of land and pasture, one whereof is called Horsepool lees, another Ringes hill yate Closse, the third the close towards Sybbesd . . . feelde, the 4th the close next Shenton, and the 5th the new Closse lying between the Hoofielde and the Ringes hill yate Closse containing 200 acres of pasture in Wellesborowe, and the same are held of Ralph Purefey, by knight's service as of his manor of Wellesborowe, and are worth per ann., clear, £5; also 2 other parts of the said 5 closes; 10 acres of meadow lying in Wellesborowe which were late the inheritance of Thomas Purefaye, esq., and are held of the Queen as of her honor of Hincklaye, parcel of her Duchy of Lancaster, by knight's service, viz., by the 4th part of I whole knight's fee, and are worth per ann., clear, £10; 5 messuages, 6 tofts, 8 virgates of land in Northkilwarthe, whereof 3 messuages, 6 tofts and 5 virgates of land are held of — Doulteney, esq., by the service of I grain of pepper by the year, and the 2 messuages and 3 virgates remaining are held of the Queen, but by what service the jurors do not know, and are worth per ann., clear, £3 1s. 4d.; 2 messuages, 2 tofts, and 3 virgates of land in Petlyng Magna in the said county which are held of Clement Villers, gent., but by what service is not known, and are worth per ann., clear, 12s.; 3 messuages, 2 closes and 4 virgates of land in Willoughbie Waterles in the said county which are held of John Marston, but by what service is not known, and are worth per ann., clear, 26s. 8d.; 3 messuages, and 4 virgates of land in Cosebye which are held of the Queen as of her manor of Huntingdon, but by what service is not known, and are worth per ann., clear, 48s. 8d.; 5 messuages and 3 virgates of land in Walton in the said county, which are held of Henry Over; but by what service is not known, and are worth per ann., clear, 26s. 8d.; 1 messuage, 1 toft and 2 virgates of land in Drye Stooke in the said county, but of whom they are held the jurors do not know, and are worth per ann., clear, 13s. 4d.; 1 messuage, 3 tofts and 1½ virgates of land in Cotton next Market Bosseworthe in the said county which are held of Henry late Marquis of Dorset by knight's service as of his manor of Bosseworthe, and are worth per ann., clear, 20s.; 3 messuages, 2 tofts and 2 virgates of land in Thedingwoorthe in the said county, which are held of — Feylding, esq., but by what service is not known, and are worth per ann., clear, 18s.

The said John Nowell was also possessed of £20 remaining in the hands of Francis Hastings, esq., and £60 in the hands of Andrew Nowell, esq., brother of the said John, and £80 in the hands of John Flower, esq., also of divers goods and chatties in his house in Wellesborowe under the custody and authority of the said Anne his wife, but how much the same are worth the jurors do not know.

William Nowell is the son and next heir of the said John Nowell, and is now aged 13 years and more.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 20 Eliz., part 2, No. 13.

Henry Gaynsford, Citizen and Goldsmith.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 15 April, 20 Eliz. [1578], before Thomas Ramsey, Mayor and escheator, by virtue of a writ de melior' inquirend', after the death of Henry Gaynsford, citizen and goldsmith of London, by the oath of John Haddon, Thomas Russell, George Gynne, William Layer, William Evans, Richard Smith, John Ricardes, Griffin Jones, William Curtys, John Jackson, William Povye, John Crowch, John Welch, John Stodderd, Edward Owen, Arthur Rainscroft, John Harrison, John Keblewhite, John Ireland and Edward Osborne, who say that

Henry Gaynsford was seised in his demesne as of fee of the 4th part of 11 messuages situate in Lumberdstrete in the parish of St. Mary Wolnoth in the Ward of Langborne, London, now or late in the tenure of Hugh Keale, Fulk Edwardes, Hugh Newbole, Ralph Smith, Francis Kidd, John Wilkyns, William Jones, George Newbole, James Allen, William Ingram and Richard Sharpe; and of all that capital messuage called Scrope place and 4 messuages thereto adjoining and belonging, with all the buildings, &c., to the said capital messuage belonging, situate in the parish of St. Andrew in Holborn in the ward of Faringdon Without in the suburbs of London, now in the tenure of William Guye, Anne Cottingham and Henry Nayler.

The said messuages in Lumberdstrete are held of the Queen in free burgage, and are worth per ann., clear, £7. The said messuage called Scropes place and other the premises in the said parish of St. Andrew in Holborn are held of the Queen in free burgage, and are worth per ann., clear, £6.

Henry Gainsford died on the last day of November, 17 Eliz. [1574]; Thomas Gaynsford is his son and next heir, and was aged 11 years on the last day of December last past.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 20 Eliz., part 2, No. 16.

[Chanc. Inq. p. m., 20 Eliz., part 2, No. 17, is of similar tenor, but it was cancelled because of the omission of the names of William Necton and William Dalbye. There are other slight clerical variations.]

Thomas Castell, Citizen and Smith.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 20 October, 20 Eliz. [1578], before William Tooke, esq., Auditor General of the Court of Wards and Liveries, and William Necton, gent., Feodary, commissioners by virtue of a writ to them and to William Gerrard, esq., and William Dalbye, gent., directed, after the death of Thomas Castell, citizen and smith of London, by the oath of John Haddon, John Wytton, Thomas Russell, Robert Dickenson, Anthony Barbor, George Gynne, William Layer, Thomas Eliott, Richard Smyth, William Povye, Arthur Raincscrofte, John Harrison, John Keblewhite, John Ricardes, John Stodderd, Edward Owen, John Ireland, Thomas Hackett and Robert Langwith, who say that

Thomas Castell was seised in his demesne as of fee of 1 messuage and 1 shop called the Smythes Forge, otherwise the Ferrors house situate at the west end of the lane called Longelane within the parish of St. Sepulchre in the suburbs of the City of London, late in the tenure of the said Thomas Castell and now or late in that of Thomas Walbutte and William Mannsfielde; 1 large house, capital messuage or inn, lately called the Swanne, now divided into divers several tenements, lying in the said lane and parish, formerly in the tenure of Henry Lord Morley, deceased, and now or late in the several tenures of Paul Withipoole, esq., Oliver Chester, gent., — Germyn, Thomas Fletewoode, John Tempest, John Stapleford and Richard Pymperdell; 13 messuages lying in the said lane and parish now or late in the several tenures of the said William Mannsfielde, Richard Dale, William Bradstrete, Ralph Burnett, James Wanflett, Margaret Castell, relict of the said Thomas Castell, William Pickeringe, Leonard Smyth, Robert Whalley, David Nevell, William Herne and Ralph Arthur.

All the said premises are held of the Queen, in chief, by knight's service, but by what part of a knight's fee the jurors do not know, and are worth per ann., clear, £40.

Thomas Castell died 2 April, 11 Eliz. [1569], in the prison of the King's Bench in the parish of St. George in Southwerke in co. Surrey; Thomas Castell, son of Francis, son of the said Thomas is his kinsman and next heir, and on the 22nd of October last past was aged 20 years.

Thomas Rivett, esq., John Wood of London, brewer, and William Fulwoode of London, merchant tailor, immediately after the death of the said Thomas Castell entered the said premises and took the profits thereof up to the taking of this inquisition.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 20 Eliz., part 2, No. 18.