‹ E-CIPM 20-272: NICHOLAS ATTE ›

Nicholas Churchehull , aged 80 years and more, says that Nicholas was born at Ashbrittle and baptised there on 4 May 1368, and has been aged 21 and more long since. Sybil, Churchehull’s mother, died that day and the parson was doing the funeral rites when a man came to where the body lay and called the parson in a loud voice to baptise the son of Christina and John Hulle. He hurried to the church with the parson and the boy was given his name of Nicholas. The other jurors confirm the date for the following reasons:

John Skynner , 87 and more, was at the exequies of Sybil that day and saw Nicholas Churchehull and the parson hastening to the church for the baptism.

Thomas Wyphull , 63 and more, had the duty of filling the font with water and lighting a fire under it. Hearing the church bells he asked his servant what they were for. Told that it was for Sybil’s funeral he went to her home where Geoffrey Blast , John Hulle ’s servant, told him of the birth and he went to the church with the parson and Nicholas Churchehull .

John Goldryng , 60, was a parishioner of Ashbrittle and being near the church and heard several men talking there. He went in to find the parson, Nicholas Churchehull and others. Observing that the holy water clerk was absent … to Oakford in Devon to visit his sick mother. He performed all the necessary duties of the holy water clerk and saw the baptism.

John Pope , 60 and more, was walking with John atte Hull , the father, in a field called ‘Weryscroft’ to look at some oxen which he was buying when a man came to announce the birth. He went to the church and saw the baptism.

Thomas Clere , 59 and more, rode from his home at Withiel Florey to Ashbrittle that day to pay the parson 5 marks 6s.4d. for tithe lambs of the previous year bought from him.

Nicholas Walrond , 81 and more, had a dispute with Thomas Fodryngham and both released all actions against the other on that day. John Hull the father gave him 20d.

John Chuket , 69 and more, was a parishioner at Ashbrittle, and his daughter Clarice was baptised that day.

Walter atte Coine , 80 and more, was at the house where Sybil, Nicholas Churchehull ’s mother, died and also at the church for the baptism, and the father asked the parson to write in a missal in English ‘And … Nycol the sone of John atte Hull and Crystyne his wife was y bore’.

John Hurne , 61 and more, Adam Langeford , 62 and more, and John Churchay , 73 and more, heard that day that Nicholas Churchehull of Ashbrittle, their kinsman, who was captured by the French when in the company of Henry duke of Lancaster , had returned home and that Sybil his mother was ill. They came to Ashbrittle to confirm the news, found Nicholas and the parson praying for Sybil, Nicholas’s mother, who was dead. They went to the church for the baptism, saying they hoped that Nicholas would prove as good a fighting man as his godfather.