‹ E-CIPM 25-238: ANNE, COUNTESS OF STAFFORD ›

Inquisition Head

YORKSHIRE. Inquisition [indented]. York. 18 December 1438. [Fitzwilliam].

[Inquisition: ms galled, dirty, and faded.]

Inquisition Head

LINCOLNSHIRE. Inquisition [indented]. Lincoln. 12 January 1439. [Haweley].

[Inquisition: ms faded and dirty.]

Inquisition Head

240 Chancery traverse. Humphrey, earl of Stafford, versus John Vampage for the king, regarding the manor of Burstwick in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

The traverse begins by reciting two inquisitions in full: 238 (Yorkshire) and 239 (Lincolnshire). It continues as follows. Regarding which, Humphrey, earl of Stafford , came in person before the present king in his Chancery at Westminster on the morrow of Candlemas 1439, saying that he is the son and heir of the late countess, as found by the inquisitions, and suing for livery of the manor of Burstwick with all its members and appurtenances, and all other premisses specified in the inquisitions, as held by the late countess when she died. ⁿ¹⁶⁷ [ John Vampage .] John Vampage , for the king, says that the earl should not by law have livery of the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances, nor any of the lands and tenements specified in the inquisitions because all the messuages, tofts, cottages, mill, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Keyingham, specified in the Yorkshire inquisition, are parcel of the manor of Keyingham; all the messuages, land, meadow, pasture and rent in Skeffling are parcel of the manor of Skeffling; all the land, meadow, and pasture in Little Humber, are parcel of the manor of Little Humber; all the messuages, tofts, mill, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Bond Burstwick , are parcel of the manor of Bond Burstwick; all the mill, land, meadow, pasture, closes, ponds, and rent in Cleeton, are parcel of the manor of Cleeton; all the messuages, tofts, land, meadow, pasture, woods, and rent in Skipsea, are parcel of the castle, lordship, and manor of Skipsea; all the messuages, tofts, land, meadow, pasture, woods, and rent in Hornsea Burton, are parcel of the manor of Hornsea Burton; all the messuages, cottages, tofts, land, meadow, pasture, woods, and rent in Skeckling, are parcel of the manor of Skeckling; the rent in Hedon is a certain fee-farm of the king and his ancestors, and not parcel of the manor of Burstwick; all the messuages, cottages, tofts, land, meadow, pasture, woods, and rent in Keyingham Marsh, are parcel of the manor of Keyingham Marsh; all the messuages, cottages, tofts, land, meadow, pasture, woods, and rent in Burton Pidsea, are parcel of the manor of Burton Pidsea; all the messuages, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Preston, are parcel of the manor of Preston; all the messuages, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Elstronwick, are parcel of the manor of Elstronwick; all the messuages, land, meadow, and rent in Sproatley, are parcel of the manor of Sproatley; all the messuages, tofts, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Owthorne, are parcel of the manor of Owthorne; all the messuages, cottages, land, meadow, stank, mill, fairs (nundine), tolls, and rent in Withernsea, are parcel of the manor of Withernsea; and all the messuages, tofts, cottages, land, meadow, mill, rabbit-warrens, and rent in Kilnsea, are parcel of the manor of Kilnsea; all the messuages, land, meadow, and rent in Sunthorpe and Hutton, are parcel of the manor of Sunthorpe; all the messuages, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Easington, are parcel of the manor of Easington; and all the messuages, land, meadow, pasture, and rent in Dimlington, are parcel of the manor of Dimlington. These manors or messuages, cottages, tofts, mills, dovecots, land, meadow, woods, pasture, rent, and other premisses are, and always were from time immemorial, separate manors and messuages, cottages, tofts, mills, dovecots, land, meadow, woods, pasture, and rent of the king and his ancestors, and all those in which the king has an estate are separate and distinct from the manor of Burstwick. They are neither members nor parcels of that manor, and never were, as sufficiently clear from the record in the king’s Chancery, Exchequer, and Treasury, in the keeping of the chamberlains of the Exchequer Receipt and other officers and ministers. He says that the place called Holderness or the lordship of Holderness is a locality (patria) or island, within which various people are separately seised of the various separate holdings, manors, fees, and lordships. The manor of Skipsea lies within the locality or island called Holderness, and is, and always was, the chief and principal lordship within the precinct or territory of that locality. Many tenants and possessors of various manors in the rest of the locality hold, and have held, their possessions of the lords and possessors of the castle and manor of Skipsea by certain services as of that castle, manor, and lordship, as of the chief and principal lordship of Holderness, by services called castleward among other things. John Vampage also says that all the knights’ fees, advowsons, and patronages specified in the inquisitions, except the advowson of the abbey of Thornton, are parcel of the castle, manor, and lordship of Skipsea, and belong to that castle, manor, and lordship, as the chief castle, manor, and lordship of and in Holderness. They are not, and never were, parcels or members of the manor of Burstwick. He says that the advowson of Thornton belongs to the king in right of his crown, as sufficiently clear from various records, charters, deeds, and other muniments, from there and from other premisses, in the king’s Chancery, Exchequer, and Treasury in the keeping of the chamberlains etc. [as above]. He also says that long after the letters patent of ‪ Richard II to the late duke of Gloucester , regarding the manor of Burstwick, were made [CPR 1388–92, pp. 255–6; CPR 1391–96, p. 504], and after the death of Anne, late queen of England , similarly specified in the inquisitions, ‪ Richard II was warned in right of his crown and he entered onto the possession of the duke, still living, in the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances and was thus seised in demesne as of fee simple. He continued his possession for all of the duke’s life and long after his death. The duke had issue: Humphrey, and died before 14 September, viz., on 8 September 1397, after the death of whom, it was found by various separate inquisitions taken by virtue of writs diem clausit extremum in Berkshire, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, and other English counties [CIPM XVII, nos 1022–1052], among other things, that Humphrey, son of the late duke, was his next heir and a minor. Afterwards, at the parliament begun at Westminster on 17 September 1397, and adjourned to Shrewsbury on the following quindene of Hilary [1398], where it finished, the late duke of Gloucester was judged traitor by authority of that parliament. It was further ordered by the same authority in the same parliament that all castles, manors, lands, tenements, reversions, fees, advowsons and whatsoever other hereditaments held by the late duke in fee tail and fee simple on 13 November 1387 and afterwards, and also all other lands and tenements in which others were enfeoffed to the use of the duke on that 13 November and afterwards, were forfeit to Richard and his heirs by the late duke and his heirs, according to the statute made in this case in parliament, as sufficiently clear from the record of the rolls of the same parliament [PROME, vol. vii, pp. 408ff (item 7)]. ‪ Henry IV afterwards received and was seised of the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances in demesne as of fee in right of his crown of England. Thus seised, by letters patent dated [space left in text of ms],ⁿ¹⁶⁸ he granted, among other things, the manor of Burstwick with all its members and appurtenances, to Thomas, duke of Clarence , described as [space left in text of ms], to hold to him and his heirs, as more fully shown in the letters patent [CPR 1399–1401, pp. 152–3]. The duke of Clarence was thus seised of the manor with its members and appurtenances in demesne as of fee. The duke of Clarence, so seised, granted the manor with its members etc., among other things, to Ralph, Lord Cromwell , John Colvile , William Bowes , knights, John Martyn , Henry Merston, clerk , William Alyngton , and James Strangways , to hold to them and their heirs. Royal licence was obtained [CPR 1405–1408, p. 363; CPR 1422–29, pp. 59–60]. They were thus seised in demesne as of fee, the estate of whom the duke of Clarence afterwards had in the same manor. He was thus seised in demesne as of fee and died seised of this estate. The manor descended to ‪ Henry V, as brother and heir of the duke of Clarence because the duke had died without heir of his body, and the king was seised of the manor in demesne as of fee. He too died seised of this estate, and the manor descended to the present king as son and heir of ‪ Henry V. Henry VI was thus seised of the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances in demesne as of fee. With the king thus seised, the countess specified in the inquisitions presented a petition to the king as daughter and heir of the late duke at the parliament held at Westminster in his first regnal year, regarding the manor of Burstwick, beseeching him to acknowledge the following and petitioning that, according to the law of England, by assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and the community of the realm there present, by authority of that parliament, justice be done for the countess according to the law of England: – to acknowledge that the manor of Burstwick was seized into the hand of ‪ Richard II by virtue of the judgement against the late duke of Gloucester at ‪ Richard II ’s parliament [recited as above];ⁿ¹⁶⁹ that ‪ Henry IV granted the manor by letters patent to the late duke of Clarence, described as his most beloved son Thomas de Lancastre, steward of England , to hold the manor to the late duke and his heirs and assigns of ‪ Henry IV and his heirs and other lords of the fees by due service, inasmuch as Anne, late queen of England , or any other before her, held the same manor; that the duke of Clarence was thus seised in demesne as of fee by virtue of these letters patent, and died so seised without heir of his body; that the manor therefore descended to ‪ Henry V as brother and heir of the duke of Clarence; that, after the death of Henry V, the manor descended to the present king as his son and heir; and that it was in the hand of the present king for these reasons. A response, as recorded on the dorse of the petition, was made in the same parliament and kept in the Chancery files among the petitions of that parliament. From the record of this petition, the tenor, sealed and exemplified under the king’s great seal, was displayed here in court by John Vampage for the king before the Lord Chancellor. Afterwards, Ralph, John Colvile , William Bowes , John Martyn , Henry Merston , William Alyngton , and James Strangways , claiming the manor of Burstwick, demised it, among other things, to Robert, Lord Willoughby , Thomas Erpyngham , William Bonvile , William Cromewell , knights, Thomas Burgeys, esquire , and William Thirlewall , for 40 years, provided that it, among other things, remain at the end of the term to the king and his heirs. The grant was made by indented charter dated on 13 February 1423 and enrolled in Exchequer. They also delivered the charter to the chamberlains of the Exchequer Receipt, for safe-keeping in the Treasury, which [charter], exemplified under the seal of the Exchequer, was displayed by John Vampage , here in the Chancery court. The charter remains in the Treasury, in the keeping of the chamberlains. John Vampage also says that it was found by an inquisition taken by writ mandamus at Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, before Guy Bracy , in ‪ Henry IV ’s first regnal year [CIPM XVIII, no. 124], that the duke of Gloucester died on 8 September 1397, by which it is clear that the duke died long before the parliament in the late king’s 21st year [beginning at Westminster on 17 September 1397] . It was also found that Anne, countess of Stafford , Joan, and Isabel, his three daughters, were then his next heirs because Anne and Joan were of full age: Anne was aged 17 years, and Joan was aged 15 years. Isabel was a minor, and turned 13 on 23 April then last. In which case, the countess was not the duke of Gloucester’ s only heir, but his heir along with Joan and Isabel, her sisters. No mention of their deaths, or that of Humphrey, son of the duke of Gloucester , is made in any inquisition taken after the death of the duke of Gloucester ; and neither was it found by any inquisition, or material of record, that the countess had livery of the manor of Burstwick, the lordship of Holderness, or any parcel of the same, from the king’s hand as daughter and heir of the late duke, or as sister and heir of Humphrey, her brother, and [sister and heir] of Joan and Isabel, her sisters. Neither did the countess of Stafford ever have possession or seisin in any legal way, or by law of the land, of the manor of Burstwick, the lordship of Holderness, or any parcel of the same, from the king’s hand in any manner that John Vampage , for the king, can verify. He thus does not consider that the earl should have livery of the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances, any parcel of the same, any other of the above lands and tenements, or any other lands and tenements specified in the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire inquisitions, because to do so would go against the materials and other premisses that he has cited above. [ Humphrey, earl of Stafford .] The earl of Stafford , not acknowledging anything alleged previously by John Vampage , says that he should not be barred by any allegations from having livery of the manor of Burstwick and all the things specified as its members and appurtenances in the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire inquisitions. Where it was above alleged for the king that the manors or messuages, cottages, tofts, mills, dovecots, land, meadow, woods, pasture, rent, and other premisses – that John Vampage supposed to be distinct and separate – are and always were, from time immemorial, separate manors or messuages, cottages, tofts, mills, dovecots, land, meadow, woods, pasture, and rent of the king and his ancestors and of all others, and that the estate the king has in the same is separate and distinct from the manor of Burstwick and not member or parcel of the manor of Burstwick, the earl of Stafford protests the following. Long before the first letters patent, above, were made and by no small amount within the time of memory, Peter de Gauaston and Margaret his wife were seised of the manor of Burstwick and its members abovesaid, in demesne as of fee, by grant of ‪ Edward II [CPR 1307–13, p. 114]. The king afterwards, by charter dated by his hand at Stamford on 5 August 1309, proffered here in court by the earl, granted them his earldom of Cornwall, with very many castles, manors, vills, lordships, hundreds, and services, to have to them and the heirs of their bodies in exchange for the following: the manor of Burstwick with its members and other appurtenances, as specified in the inquisitions, the castle and manor of Skipton in Craven with its members and other appurtenances in Yorkshire, the castle and honour of High Peak, with its members and other appurtenances in Derbyshire, the castle, manor, and honour of Cockermouth in Cumberland, the manors of Torpel and Upton in Northamptonshire, and the castle of Carisbrooke and certain other lands and tenements on the Isle of Wight in Hampshire. By letters patent dated on 28 September 1397 and enrolled here in Chancery [CPR 1396–99, p. 281], ‪ Richard II – affirming that the late duke of Gloucester had held, by letters patent, the manor of Burstwick and all things specified as members of the manor in the said inquisitions – granted to his most beloved brother, Edward, then earl of Rutland , the same manor with its members, described as the manor and lordship of Burstwick and the castle and manor of Skipsea, patronage of the abbey of Meaux in Yorkshire, the manor of Barrow upon Humber, patronage of the abbey of Thornton in Lincolnshire, and all manors, lands and tenements, rents and services, franchises, liberties, and possessions whatsoever, known by whatever names, in the vills of Preston, Burton Pidsea, Bond Burstwick , Skeckling, Lelley Dyke, Paull, Keyingham, Skeffling, Easington, Kilnsea, Withernsea, and Cleeton, that were of Thomas, late duke of Gloucester , then deceased, and forfeit by virtue of the judgement against him in ‪ Richard II ’s parliament at Westminster on 17 September 1397 for various treasons against the king’s regality. The earl also protested that it is manifestly apparent in various deeds and evidences kept in the king’s Chancery, copies of which were delivered to the earl by the court, that those manors or messuages, cottages, tofts, mills, dovecots, land, meadow, woods, pasture, rent, and other premisses, asserted by John Vampage to be separate and distinct from the manor of Burstwick, are members and parcels of that manor, viz., there is a deed, dated on 20 October 1354, by which William de la Pole, senior , quitclaimed for him and his heirs to the most excellent prince, Edward, late king of England and France , and his heirs and assigns, all right and claim, and all manner of action, that he had, or could have, against the late king and his heirs and assigns in the following: the manor of Burstwick in Holderness, the manors and vills of Cleeton, Little Humber, Burton Pidsea, Owthorne, Withernsea, Skeffling, Kilnsea, Easington, Preston, Bond Burstwick , Ravenser, Hedon, Barrow upon Humber, Paull Fleet, Sproatley, Lelley Dyke, and Elstronwick, the wapentake of Holderness, and a certain farm called serjeanty of the crown, that are members and appurtenances of the manor of Burstwick, also in 210 a. land and 92 a. meadow from the demesne lands of the manor of Burstwick in Skeckling, in the vills of Lelley Dyke and Elstronwick, and in the vills and hamlets of Northorpe, Hutton, Sunthorpe, and Dimlington, and in 20 bovates called Ridgmont, and in the manor and vill of Skipsea with the bailiwick and hamlet of Newhythe, and similarly in homages and services of free tenants in Hollym, and in all other members and appurtenances, that were then in the late king’s hand, and that William de la Pole had by grant of the king. There is a certain other deed, indented, dated at Westminster on 4 March 1355, made between the most excellent prince, ‪ Edward III , on the one part, and William de la Pole, senior, chevalier , on the other, witnessing, among other things, that since William granted, by two deeds, two annual rents to the king, viz., one of 1000 marks for the term of the life of Katherine his wife, and the other of £200 in fee simple, to be taken from all his lands and tenements in Yorkshire and other places in England, the king granted, for him and his heirs, that if either one of two things happened: – if Katherine should die and William survived, or if Katherine should survive after the death of William and release to the king her dower from the following manors, vills, hamlets, wapentakes, farms, rents, lands and tenements, homages, and services, that William had by grant of the king and that he had surrendered to the king and his heirs – then the king would surrender the deed for 1000 marks and restore it to William or his heirs, and that all of William’s lands and tenements would then be discharged of the rent at pleasure. The manors, vills, hamlets etc. in the deed comprise the following: the manor of Burstwick in Holderness, the manors and vills of Cleeton, Little Humber, Burton Pidsea, Owthorne, Withernsea, Skeffling, Kilnsea, Easington, Preston, Bond Burstwick , Ravenser, Hedon, Barrow upon Humber, Paull Fleet, Sproatley, Lelley Dyke, and Elstronwick, the wapentake of Holderness, and a farm called serjeanty of the crown, that are members and appurtenances of the manor of Burstwick, 210 a. land and 92 a. meadow from the demesne lands of the manor of Burstwick in Skeckling, and in the vills of Lelley Dyke and Elstronwick, the vills and hamlets of Northorpe, Hutton, Sunthorpe, and Dimlington, 20 bovates called Ridgmont, the manor and vill of Skipsea with the bailiwick and hamlet of Newhythe, homages and services of free tenants in Hollym, and all other members and appurtenances, the manors of Edingley (Eryngeleye) and North Wheatley or South Wheatley (Wetheleye) in Nottinghamshire, a certain annual rent of 260 marks that William took from an ancient custom of wools, hides and woolfells in the port of Kingston upon Hull, and all other lands and tenements that William had by grant of the king. Furthermore, he says that ‪ Richard II was seised in demesne as of fee of the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances and, by letters patent dated at Westminster on 22 November 1382 [CPR 1381–85, p. 203], produced here in court by the earl of Stafford , and by easement and consent of the lords, magnates and others of his council, he granted it, with the same members and appurtenances, described as the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances in Holderness in Yorkshire, along with the lordship of Barrow upon Humber, with its appurtenances in Lincolnshire, and various other manors, lands, and tenements specified in the same letters, to Anne, then queen of England and his most beloved consort, to have as part of her dower. She was thus seised in demesne as of free tenement with reversion to the king, and his heirs. The king afterwards granted, by his special grace for him and his heirs, by charter dated by his hand at Westminster on 12 June 1390 and produced here in court by the earl of Stafford , that the manor of Burstwick, with all its members and appurtenances that Anne held for life by his grant with reversion to the king and his heirs should instead, after her death, remain to the duke of Gloucester , described as his most beloved uncle, Thomas de Wodestoke , then duke of Gloucester , and the heirs of his body, to hold – with members, hamlets, knights’ fees, advowsons of churches, abbeys, priories, chapels, chantries, and hospitals, wards, marriages, reliefs, escheats, fairs, markets, liberties, free customs, franchises, parks, chases, woods, warrens, fisheries, reversion of lands and tenements of tenants in dower and of tenants at terms of life, and all other reversions and services from free tenants and neifs, and all other things belonging to the manor in whatever way and in whatever place, inasmuch as Anne held – of the king and his heirs by due service to the value of £600 yearly in part satisfaction of £1000 yearly already granted by the king to his uncle the more honorably to maintain his estate as the earl of Buckingham.ⁿ¹⁷⁰ Anne , then queen, attorned to the duke. Afterwards, by other letters patent dated by his hand in parliament at Westminster on 16 November 1390, in order to address any difficulties, imperfections, and ambiguities arising and to cut short any evil interpretations for the security of the duke and the heirs of his body regarding the charter, ‪ Richard II , by his special grace and by assent and counsel of all his prelates, magnates, and proctors of the kingdom of England, and others of his council, in the same parliament at Westminster on the morrow of Martinmas 1390 and also at a special suit and by assent of his entire community of the kingdom of England at the said parliament, granted and, by his charter, confirmed for him and his heirs to the duke of Gloucester , described as his most beloved uncle, Thomas, then duke of Gloucester , and the heirs of his body, the manor of Burstwick [terms of the grant are as charter above], to hold of the king and his heirs by due service to the value of £600 yearly, the more fittingly to support and maintain his estate as the earl of Buckingham [ PROME, November 1390, item 12, vol. vii, pp. 177–8]. Anne, late queen , afterwards died and, by letters patent to his beloved and faithful Robert de Hilton , John Conestable of Halsham, William de Holm , and Robert Sturme , first reciting the charter of 12 June 1390 [text as charter above] and wishing to effect the grant to his uncle, ‪ Richard II – more fully trusting in their fidelity and circumspection – appointed Robert de Hilton , John Conestable , William de Holm , and Robert Sturme , jointly and separately, to deliver full seisin and possession of the manor with its members, appurtenances, hamlets, and all other premisses to his uncle or his named attorney, according to the form of the charter, and ordered them to execute this task with all the diligence and efficacy that they were able. The letters patent were dated at Westminster on 10 June 1394 [CPR 1391–96, p. 420] and produced by the earl of Stafford here in court. Robert de Hilton , John Conestable , William de Holm , and Robert Sturme thus delivered full seisin and possession of the manor of Burstwick, with the messuages, cottages, tofts, mills, dovecots, land, meadow, woods, pasture, rent, services, closes, stanks, fairs (nundinis), rabbit-warrens, ferry, tolls, ponds, courts, wapentakes, advowsons, patronages, fees, fairs, liberties, free customs, franchises, parks, warrens, and offices, specified in the inquisitions as members of the manor, to the duke of Gloucester , according to the form of the letters patent directed to them. ‪ Richard II subsequently, by other letters patent, dated at Westminster on 8 August 1394 [CPR 1391–96, p. 504] and produced here in court by the earl of Stafford – reciting his grant to the late duke of Gloucester and the heirs of his body of, among other things, the reversion of the manor of Burstwick with members, hamlets, fees, advowsons, and all other franchises and appurtenances – ratified and confirmed the grant to the late duke and the heirs of his body, for him and his heirs, according to the force and effect of the letters made for that grant. Furthermore, he guaranteed whatever was contained in the letters to the duke of Gloucester and his heirs and, moreover, from certain knowledge, he granted for him and his heirs that if any possession or thing contained in the letters is found in future by inquisition, or any other way, to be of greater value than that specified in the letters, then his uncle and his heirs should have and hold according to the form of the grants, without impeachment or disturbance for that reason, or for any reason, by the king or his heirs and ministers. Afterwards, at the parliament begun at Westminster on 17 September 1397, and adjourned to Shrewsbury on the quindene of Hilary following [1398], where it finished, the late duke of Gloucester was judged traitor by authority of that parliament. By the same authority, it was also ordered that all castles, manors, lands, tenements, reversions, fees, advowsons and whatsoever other hereditaments that were of the late duke, in fee tail and fee simple, on 13 November 1387 and afterwards, and all other lands and tenements in which others were enfeoffed to the use of the duke on that 13 November and afterwards, were forfeit by the late duke and his heirs to Richard and his heirs, according to the statute then made in parliament, of whomsoever they are held, and that all his goods and chattels were forfeit to the king. Richard afterwards withdrew (se demisit) from rule and ‪ Henry IV took up (suscepit) governance. At his parliament held at Westminster on 6 October 1399, he considered the great losses caused by the parliament held Westminster on 17 September 1397 and adjourned to Shrewsbury where, as shown by the roll of parliament, various judgements were erroneously made by authority of that parliament, to the great disherison and destruction of honorable lords and other lieges, and their heirs; and he decreed by assent of all the lords spiritual and temporal and of the community of the realm, that the 1397 parliament and its authority were invalid. It was also ordained that all the lords and others who were so deprived in 1397 or, if they were now deceased, their heirs, be restored to their names and inheritances as wholly as they, or their feoffees, had been before the judgement of 1397, enter without suing and have livery [PROME, vol. viii, pp. 30–32]. He protested that since Joan died without heir of her body and Isabel also died without heir of her body, having taken the habit in the house of the minoresses of St Francis in the parish of St Botulph by the Tower of London [Aldgate] in Middlesex and been professed before the 1397 parliament was held, the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances thus remained continually in the hand of ‪ Henry IV until the king thus, and possessed of no other estate in the same, by his letters patent enrolled in Chancery dated [gap left in ms text for insertion of date] in his [gap left in ms text] regnal year, granted the manor with its members and appurtenances to his most beloved son, Thomas de Lancastre , then steward of England , to hold to him and his heirs and assigns of ‪ Henry IV and his heirs and the other lords of the fees by due service, as wholly as held by Anne, late queen of England , or anyone else before her. By authority of these letters, Thomas de Lancastre obtained possession of the manor with its members and appurtenances. He granted it by charter, among other things, with its members and appurtenances, to Ralph Cromewell, knight , John Colvile , William Bowes , Henry Merston, clerk , James Strangways , John Martyn , William Alyngton , Richard Norton , and John Heron , to hold to them and their heirs and assigns of ‪ Henry V and his heirs and the other lords of the fees by due service. The duke was described in the charter as Thomas, duke of Clarence, earl of Aumale , and steward of England , and the grant was made without royal licence. This offence meant that the manor with its members and appurtenances was taken into the hand of Henry V. Richard Norton and John Heron died. ‪ Henry V also died and, after his death, ‪ Henry VI pardoned the offence on 12 February 1423 by his special grace, and for 1000 marks paid into the Chancery hanaper [CPR 1422–29, pp. 59–60]. He also granted for him and his heirs as much was in the manor with its members and appurtenances, among other things, to Ralph, John Colvile , William Bowes , Henry Merston , James, John Martyn , and William Alyngton to hold to them and their heirs and assigns of the king and his heirs and other lords of the fees by due service. This is more fully contained in the letters patent enrolled in Chancery. The king thus removed his hand and ordered the treasurer and his barons of the Exchequer to stay any demands regarding the issues of the manor from 12 February, and for Ralph, John Colvile , William Bowes , Henry Merston , James, John Martyn , and William Alyngton , the stewards of the receipt, or other officers and ministers of the manor to come to Exchequer, as just, to be discharged and made quit. The order was made by writ, enrolled in Exchequer among the writs to the barons for Easter term 1427, roll 1. The site, parks, land, meadow, pasture, messuages, tofts, cottages, mills, rent, closes, services, ponds, stanks, fairs (nundine), tolls, rabbit-warrens, ferry, courts, wapentakes, advowsons, patronages, knights’ fees, liberties, franchises, free customs, warrens and offices, specified in the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire inquisitions, together with the castle, lordship, manors, messuages, tofts, cottages, mills, land, meadow, pasture, rent, closes, services, fee-farm, ponds, woods, stanks, fairs (nundine), tolls, rabbit-warrens, and dovecots that John Vampage supposes to be separate and distinct from the manor of Burstwick, and not parcel of the same, are, and thus far always have been, members and parcels of the manor of Burstwick. They were members and parcels of the manor when the letters patent were made to the late queen and when the charters and letters patent were made to the late duke of Gloucester , as well as when the parliaments were held and, within the letters patent and charters of the late queen and late duke, are so specified. They comprise, and thus far have always comprised, the manor and, when the letters patent and charters above were made, were known as, and are still known as, the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances alias the lordship of Holderness. Furthermore, the earl of Stafford says that Humphrey, son of the late duke of Gloucester , died without heir of his body long before the parliament of 1399; that Anne, late countess of Stafford was daughter and heir of the late duke of Gloucester when this parliament was held; and that the late duke was living at the time of the 1397 parliament. The late duke did not die on 8 September 1397, or before the parliament of that year; ‪ Richard II did not enter onto the possession of the late duke of Gloucester in the manor of Burstwick with members and appurtenances, or any parcel of the same, while the duke of Gloucester was living, and or was thence seised in demesne as of fee; the late duke of Clarence or ‪ Henry V did not die seised of the manor of Burstwick with members and appurtenances, or any parcel thereof; and the place called Skipsea that John Vampage supposed to be the manor of Skipsea within the locality called Holderness is not, nor ever has been, the chief lordship within the surrounding area of the entire locality. In which case, the entry of Anne, lately countess of Stafford , into the manor of Burstwick with members and appurtenances was allowable in law, notwithstanding anything alleged above by John Vampage . After the removal of the king’s hand, she thus entered onto the possession of Ralph, John Colvile , William Bowes , John Martyn , Henry Merston , William Alyngton , and James in the manor with members and appurtenances before the following took place: before any demise for 40 years, with remainder to the king and his heirs, was made by Ralph, John Colvile , William Bowes , John Martyn , Henry Merston , William Alyngton , and James, to Robert, Lord Willoughby , Thomas Erpyngham , William Bonvile , William Cromewell , Thomas Burgeys , and William Thirlewall ; before any delivery was made of the charter to the chamberlains of the king’s Exchequer Receipt; and before any enrolment of that charter. She was thus seised in demesne as of fee tail, and died seised of this estate as found by the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire inquisitions. Before the entry on the countess into the manor, Joan died without heir of her body, and Isabel was professed without having had heir of her body. The late countess thus did not, as alleged by John Vampage , enter onto the possession of ‪ Henry V or ‪ Henry VI in the manor with its members and appurtenances, or any parcel thereof; and he [the earl] is ready to prove this, by the record as regards those things which are supposed to be subject to the record, and as the court will consider as regards those other things which will determine the issue of the plea. As to the other things alleged by John Vampage , the earl of Stafford is not required by law to respond since it is found by these inquisitions that the late countess of Stafford died seised of the manor of Burstwick with its members and appurtenances in demesne as of fee tail, and that the same earl of Stafford is the son and heir of the late countess. Let him petition for right and livery of the manor with its members and appurtenances etc. [in ms].