A transcription of a 1640 document listing the freeholders, copyholders and tenants of Bowden Middlecale. 

My thanks to Allen PETERSON for sending me this information

PRO DL 17/81 Duchy of Lancaster Warrants & Commisions (1640?)

List of Names 1   List of Names 2

Mr Clerk of the Dutchy

Where as an agreemt hath bin concluded and settled between his Ma:tie and the ffreeholders & Tenants of  Bodin Middlecale and the Hamlitts wthin ye same (by virtue of his Ma:tie warrants under his Privy Segnitt in ye said agreemt minc[     ] ) for the conviying, granting and sittling as will the moyeties allowed and layd out for his Ma:tie as the other moyity remaining and belonging to said Towneship, unto the said ffreeholders and Tenants to bee improved and divided amongst themselves: Now to this and the said division may the better bie made and effected wth all equally and indifferincy; Make forth a Com to passe the Dutchy Siale directed to ffrancis Revell esq: Robt. Cryir Clerk Antho: Elcocke Clerk George Hopkinson Hinry Balgye & Robt: Yeavely gent: or to any two or more of them, directing & authorising them by a sufficient Jury and by two or more sufficient Surveys upon oath to divide, part, and lay out to every the said ffreeholders & Tenants of the said Township & hamlets theirof according to the pportion & quantity of their Inland, their severall shares and allotmts of the said waste & Common in a true equall and pportionable mannir both for quantity and quallity, according to the Tenor, intent, and true meaning of the two Cirtificates or agreemts and or the hands of [divease] of the said ffreeholders & Tenants herein tha[nnexed]; Wth all such necissary Articles intrucons and directions as may tend to the better execution and pfecting of the said division wth all such powir, clauses & limitations as in the like Cases is usuall the same to bee returnable quing [        ] And for so doing this shalbee ye warrant    E: Newburgh

To the Clerk of his Ma:tie Dutchy of Lancaster or to his Diputie

Whereas we the ffreeholders and ancient Copyholders of Bowdon Middlecale whose names are subscribed have compounded with his Ma:tie for his said Ma:ties waste within the sayd Bowdon Middlecale /It is concluded and agreed upon by and between the sayd ffreeholders and ancient Copyholders for the quiet Division of all the Commons & waste wthin the sayd Bowdon Middlecale aswell the part of the waste belonging to the sayd ffreeholders as his sayd Ma:ties part that the Division shalbe made by the Survayors and a Jury to that purpose Swornd And that every one shalbe Served within his owne Hamlett of the next Commons lying to his In=land with all conveniencie, quantitie & qualitie considered And if yt chance that any of the Hamlett shall have more ffreehold of their Inlands then their Commons will extend unto: That then the Surplussage  of those Commons whare in other Hamletts shalbe with all conveniencie added to that wch wauteth And further yt is agreed that if any question or controversie shall arise about the dividing joysting or stinting of the sayd ffreeholders and Ancient Copyholders within the sayd Bowdon Middlecale: and that the Division is to be made by the best, second & worst sort of land ( `W` or `X` indicates how they signed)

Rand: Ashenhurste	Edmund Jodrell	Thomas Bowden
John Legh	ffrancis Clayton
John Bretland	Robert Armfeild
William Barbar	William Hyde
ffrancis E Eyre	Nicklis Marchinton
Ric: ffryer	James Carrington
Robert Bradbury  his mrk
William Bradbury `W`	Edward Bennet of the waterside
Robt Ridgway `RR`	John Bennet `X`
John  Kinder `JK`	John Stafford
John Heward `X`	Raphe Hyde
Thomas Heward `X`	John Bore
Thomas Godard `O`	Robert Hyde `X`
Robert Godard `K`	Anthonie Stafford
George Beard `X`	John Stafforde `X`
Thomas Bradburie `B`	John Hibbert `IH`
Thomas Boden `X`	John Wylde
[       ] [Hayd] `H`	Robert Bowdon
John  Robotham `JR`
William Bennett de Haugh `O`
John Warrington
Marke Trickett	(top)

Whereas we the ffreeholders and Copyholders of Bowdon Midlecale whose names are subscribed have compounded with his Ma:tie for his sayd Ma:ties waste within the sayd Bowdon Midlecale beinge Some 2208 Acres or thereabouts It is concluded by and between the sayd ffreholders and Copyholders for the quiett Division of the sayd Commons That the Division shalbe made by a Jurie and two or three Surveyors to that purpose sworne, to distinguish and divide the sayd Commons within Bowdon Middlecale into three parts, Best, middle, and worst, and then proporcon every Hamlett, their ratable parts according to their Inland, aswell of the best sort middle sort as of the worst sort:  and yt is further agreed by & between the aforesayd ffreeholders and copyholders that every Hamlet shall have their owne so farre as their ratable and proporconal parts do stretch unto And if anie Hamlett be too short of anie of the aforesayd three divisions, that then those Hamletts soo wanting shall have their ratable and proporconable parts added unto them with conveniencie forth of those Hamletts next adjoyneinge to them where the overplus of the aforesayd three Divisions or of anie of them shalbe: And further it is agreed that every man shall have the benefitt of his owne Ring=fence according to his proporconable part: And likewise it is further agreed that yt shalbe referred to the most voyces within Bowdon Middlecale whether the ffreeholders part shalbe inclosed with the Kings part: And furthermore yt is agreed by and between the sayd ffreeholders & copyholders That the Jury and Surveyors shall divide to every particular man whom yt may concerne a Ratable part of every of the sayd Divisions according to the proporcon of his Inland.

Edmund Bradbury	Richard yeaveley
John Hyde	Thomas Bowdon
John dand	Robert Slake `O`
John Morehous	vid dewsnopp `M`
Raphe fferneley	vid mellor `X`
John Hadfeild	Thomas mariott
Thomas Waterhouse	Thomas bradburie
Charles Kyrk	John hyde
Tho: Kyrk  `T`	George Lingard
Rob Hadfield `R`	Charles Ashton
Edward Hyde `E`	Raph Armefild
Thomas Cottrell	Rob Smith
John Ashton	John Waterhouse
[T ] Bawdon	Raph Meller
George Rollinson `X`	Edward Downes
Lawrence Benet `B`	Thomas Bradbury
Thomas Whytel
Rob Bradburie `RB`	(top)

 1

[cutoff] Articles to bee ob[served] in the execucon of the Com: [cutoff] for the dividing the waste & Comons of Bodin Middlecale by [cutoff} the Com:rs Jury & Surveyers [cutoff] divide the whole waste to & amongst the ffreeholders & tenants equally & pportionally according to their inlands both for quantity & quality

2

To the end the same may bee the better effected the said Jury and Surveyors are to cast the whole waste into 3 distinct pts that is to say, the best sort of land the middle sort & worst sort numbring the quantity of acres of each of them

3

They are to allott to every man, according to his inland, a ratable and proportionable part, of every of the said sorte of land so as before distinguished as farr as every one of them will inland and amount, to make up the whole pportion that will belong to every man;

4

That as farr as possible it may bee done every mans allotmt shall bee layd out to him wth his owne hamlitt and of such part of the wast as shalbe adiacent or neerest to his ring fence or inland & but in such hamletts where there is not land of all the three severall distinctions sufficient to make up the allottmt that wilbe due to every man wth in the same then the same shalbee supplied and layd out unto them our of the other next adiacent Hamletts wth all the Conveniency that may bee

5

The said Com:rs are to sumon all the said ffreeholders & Tenants and to take the votes of them whether the moyity belong=ing unto them shallbee divided & inclosed for the present together wch the other part purchased from the King or shall ly still in comon to bee ioysted or stinted, and if the most voyces shalbee for the dividing & inclosing then the said Com:rs Jury and Surveyors are to pceed in the executing of the same in such manner as they are before directed

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