Examination of Thomas Docton 1575

National Archives ref: E133/2/240

Transcribed by David Carter

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Catalogue listing: 

Date: 17 Eliz. Hil. (17 Nov 1574 - 16 Nov 1575).
Records of the Exchequer, and its related bodies, with those of the Office of First Fruits and Tenths, and the Court of Augmentations.
Records of the King's Remembrancer.
E 133 - Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Barons' Depositions 

Description: A tenement called Irishe in Putford, a messuage in Chepingtoriton, two tenements in Weststodden, Northam, and Abbotesham, and a messuage in Harton in Stoke St Nectane in question between the queen and Richard Yeo, Edward Bagilhole and others. Whether the issues of these tenements or any part of them had been left to say masses in the parish church of Stoke St Nectane?

Reference: E 133/2/240
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5920931

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Verbatim transcription of document:

Document 1:

Interrogatories to be mynistred on the parte and behaulf of our sovereign Lady the Quene for thixamination of Thomas Docton gentleman uppon tharticle followinge:

1) Imprenis: Whether this deponent doth knowe one tenement w[i]th thappurtenancnces called Irishe situate lyeing and beinge w[i]thin the p[ar]ishe of Putford in the countie of Devon and one messuage in Chepingtorington in the countie of Devon w[hi]ch one Isabell Puddinge some tymes helde and wherein nowe one John Predys dwellethe and two tenements w[i]th thappurtenances in West Stodden Northam and Abbottesham in the said countie and one messuage or ten[eme]nte lyeinge in Harton within the p[ar]ishe of Stoke Ste Nectane now in question betwene the quenes ma[ies]tie and one Richard Yeo and others or any parte thereof and how longe hathe this ex[po]nante knowen the same landes and ten[emen]tes to his remembrannce.

2) Item: Whether this exponate doth knowe or hath harde that w[hi]th the issues and profuites of the same landes or any parte thereof there hath ben any priest founde to saye masse in the yelde called our lady yelde in the north parte of the channcell of the p[ar]ishe church of Stoke Ste Nectane aforesaid or to kepe any anniversary as to saye placebo and divinge on the Sondaye comonly called Passion Sondaye or to saye any masses in the channcell of the said churche for the soules of any parson or parsons or not.

3) Whether this exponate doth knowe or hath harde that any priest was founde to singe or saye masse or any other superstitious praiers for the deade in the said yelde in the xxxiiiith xxxvth xxxvith or xxxviiith of the late kinge of famous memory Kinge henry the eight.

4) Whether dyd John Docton father of this exaiate kepe or make the accomptes for the issues and profuites of the same landes at any tyme duringe the said last five yeres of Kinge Henry the eighth reigne or not to this Deponentes knowledge as he hath harde.

5) Whether this examinate have at any tyme sene anye the Accomptes concerninge the landes and tenementes before mentioned or any parte thereof for the said laste five yeres of kinge Henry the eight or any of them or for any yeres before that tyme and whether hath this examinate nowe or at any tyme heretofore hath had any of the said Accomptes in keapinge or the copies of the same Accomptes or of any of them and where are the same accomptes or copies of any of them nowe remayninge or how are the same imbesyled to this examinates knowledge or as he hath harde by reporte.

6) Whether hath any parson or parsons confessed to this exaiate where the same Accomptes or any of them of late were and uppon what occasion ware there speche used to this exaiate touchinge the same Accomptes and where and at what tyme was the same speche or communication hadd to this examinates remembrannce.

7) Whether this examinate hath or doth clayme any title to the premisses or any parte thereof and what title or interest doth this exaiate clayme therein and howe longe hath he pretendyd tytles to the same and by what meanes.

8) Whether any writinges evidences books of Accomptes rentalle or other mynyments whatsoev[er] touchinge or concerninge the p[re]misses or any parte or parcel therof become to the handes or possession of this examinate or to the custodye or possession of any other to his use or by his appoyntem[en]t or delyvery and what writinges or mynyments are the same and by colo[ur] of what title doth this examinate kepe the same.

Document 2:

Devon: 36:
15th day February Anno reign Elizabeth Reyne 17th [i.e. 1575]
Thomas Docton etc, concerning lands in Torrington
Thomas Docton of Hartlande in the countye of Devon gentleman of the age of xxxv yeres or there aboutes sworne and examyned the daye and yere aforesaide uppon his othe to the sursle(?) [several?] interrogatorys & deposethe and sayethe that he knowethe one mesuage in Chepinge Torrington wherein one John Predis nowe or have dwelled. And also knowethe one tenemente or toste lyinge in Harton mentioned in the saide interrogatorye now or late inquesteid betwene the quenes maiestye and one Edwarde Bagilhole And one ten[emen]te called Westodden or Stodden And that he hathe knowen the same by the space of sixtene yeres now laste paste And as to any other thinge or question contayned in the saide interrogatorye this deponente canne depose of his owne knowledge.

Item: To the second third & fourth interrogatory the saide deponente to his remembrance to any thing therin conteyned.

Item: To the 5th interrogatorye the saide deponente sayethe that as he remembreth he hathe seen one or more accompts And as he thinketh confirminge(?) the landes and tenements before mentioned or some p[ar]te thereof but of or for what tyme the same accompts weare this deponente dothe not remember certeynely And sayeth that he hath had certeyne accompts or the coppyes thereof or of one or mo(?) of them but where the said acomptes or coppyes are nowe remayninge And whether they are imbeseled yea or no or whether the same are in the of this deponente yea or no he doth not certeynely knowe.

Item: To the 6th interrogatorye he sayeth [crossed out:.. that he no p'son or p'sons confessed to the examynate whene the same accompts or any of them late weare And uppon what occation he canne saye no more therein] as before in the 5th interrogatorye saide And where toching the said int~~ [crossed out:… then he sayed alredye deposed in the 5 interrogatorye] he remembreth not.

Item: To the 7th interrogatorye this deponente sayethe that he and Richarde Channtrell gentilman havinge a longe lease for [crossed out:… certeyne] yeres of one ten[emen]te or toste with appt[urten]ents in Harton aforesaide And as this deponente remembreth grannted the same unto one John Bagelhole & Sibell his wyfe and Edwarde Bagelhole yf they or some of them receiving of rente. And after warde the saide Richarde Channtrell made this examynate his executor and dyed And [crossed out:… the saide John B] the saide John Bagelhole is lykewyse deceased where uppon this examynate thinkethe that by lawe yf the saide Isabell and Edwarde should dye before the saide lease be determyned this deponente any p[ar]te to have the same as executor unto the saide Richarde Channtrell.
Item to the 8th and laste interrogatory the saide deponent sayeth that as he thinkethe he hathe eyther writinges evidence accompts rentalls or mynyments conf[ir]minge the p[re]misses or some p[ar]te thereof in this deponents custodye but what writinges they are this depenonte knowethe not And that he kepethe the same by colour of his tytle mentioned in the 7th interrogatorye And also for that this deponents suposeth that he as heire to his father John Docton deceased is bonnde [crossed out:… to warranty as he suposeth] by laive to warrante the estate of the saide Richard Yeo in and to the saide landes and tenements called Irishe.
Signed: Thomam Docton.

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