Description | Date: from the Feast of Saint Michael Archangel in the 10th year, to the same feast in the 11th year of Henry VI, 1431/2.
This lady was the second wife of Richard Earl of Cambridge, who was the second son of Edmund Duke of York and grandson of Edward III. She was the daughter of Thomas, Lord Clifford and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Lord Rosse of Hamlake. The manors from which she received the profits appear to have come to her by way of dowry, from her second husband John, Lord Latymer, who died 9 Henry VI [1430/1] seised of the manors of Sinlington, Skampeston [Skampston] and Marten-super-Sevene. She died 25 Henry VI [1446/7].
(l) Compotus of John Forster stockkeeper, Michaelmas to Michaelmas 10-11 Henry VI. This roll is of considerable interest as giving the prices of stock at the-time. ' The same John answers for £22 received for 40 oxen sold to William Prank and William Fox of Scarborough and for £6 3s 4d received for 10 oxen sold to the prior of Gysburgh,' and for ' 9s 6d received from 1 cow sold to William Jackson ' . . . and for 9s received from 1 young bullock sold to a certain butcher of Scarborough,' and 'for 16d for the flesh of one bullock which died of murrain' (a considerable percentage of the cattle seem to have been lost by murrain). The stockkeeper paid smaller prices for cattle bought for fattening purposes. And for two young oxen bought from William Westeren vis. id.' Other details are given relating to farm properties. ' And for 2 markyngyrens bought from Richard Norham for marking the lady's beasts 10d. And for 2 hanging bolts bought for two gates of the forest this year 6d. And for 2 hopes of iron and 4 stapels of iron bought for posts of the gates 2d.' There are references to the manors of Danby, Fryopp, and Sinyngton.
(2) Compotus of John Robynson and Robert Leventon agistators of the manor of Danby. This account deals with rents for grazing, or agistments.
(3) Portion of an account of some bailiff unnamed for Danby. On the receipt side appear the following entries And for 6d per annum of rent of the prior of Cromond for permission to lead water from Stanegatebek to his mill. . . . And for 10s the price of one cow of the prioress of Rosdale for the escape of her cattle into the lordship there payable at the feast of Saint Laurence.' A fulling-mill brought in a yearly rent of 13s 4d. A cornmill called ' Lelom Mylne ' was rented at 16s. Two other corn-mills were let at a rent of 40s to John Robynson and Robert Leventon on a repairing lease. The lady of the manor promised on her part to supply the timber, while the tenants were willing to give up their lease at any time if the lady received a better offer. There are details of the rents of herbages and pastures and a curious entry of 2s 6d accruing from the sale of barbed arrows. The whole receipt was £100 6s 5 ¼ d. On the debit side is a long account of default of rent, centaining many interesting personal and place names. Another charge upon the income is as follows : 'And for a certain annuity of 10 marks per annum issuing from the manor of Danby payable at Martinmas and Pentecost, granted to George de Ecton and his heirs by John Nevell the last Lord Latymer and late lord of the manor there.' Wages were paid to the unmounted foresters Robart de Leventon, John Proddom, Robert Elys, and William Matthewe, each receiving 30s 4d per annum. Foresters no doubt were allowed to take game, for their wages were usually much less than those of ordinary artisans. Under the head of ' costs of enclosures of the forest' appear charges for fencing and walling the pastures and woods from Closegarth to Fryopbrogh, 11s 2d. (for continuation see 5 below)
(4) Account of Thomas Frauncys junior, bailiff, warden and parker of the manor of Synyngton. The usual receipts appear - rents of demesne lands, sales of herbage [the right of pasture on another person’s land] , perquisites of court and sales of wood. Under the last head we have ' And for 28s Id received from 34 Trees called Crankes remaining there . . . and for other divers trees and bark sold there.' On the expenditure side are the ' Expenses of the Chapel '-' For the wages of Richard Wryght of Synyngton for fixing timber with staples in order to make a reserved space, and shut-off portion in the Chapel there and for lining the said space and place with carpentry, and timber sawed for the " plauncheryng " of the same, and for repairing three doors in the chapel, according to an agreement for the whole work made with him by Robert Mauleverer the Receiver, 33s 4d. And for the wages of William Carter for breaking out the stone walls of the chapel and making large holes in them for the joists (lez gystes) and other timber of the new chamber, and for filling up the holes and the old windows under the space of the said room - six days at 5d per diem. And in wages to the said William for plastering (pergettantis) 5 windows with lime and sand, which windows were recently blocked up with clay 2s 6d. And for 560 Spykyngs' bought for the shut-off portion of the said chapel and other works 2s 6d. And to John Baker and John Burton for carrying timber from the park to the manor for the chapel-24 cartloads- 2s. And for the wages of John Golland for tempering mortar and supplying William Carter with stone at 3d a day in all 10 ½ d. And for the wages of John Stele and Robert de Grene for plastering the said 5 windows - 3s 4d.' Another interesting section deals with the ' costs of burning lime ' -' And for wages of John Baker and John de Burton for carrying 24 wagon-loads of stone from Ladyclose to the manor limekiln 20d. And for carrying 24 loads of wood there 2s. And to John Stele and Robert de Grene for sawing, breaking and splitting the said wood 2s. And to William Carter for breaking (?) stone for lime and firing the said kiln, emptying it, carrying the lime to various buildings in the manor, placing it therein and taking care of it for the stock of the manor 22s 6d. And for the wages of John Stele and William de Grene for felling 60 stub oaks (stubes quercus) for burning the said lime 5s.' Among other items of expenditure are payments for riding on business to Sir John Clareweaux at Croft-on-Tees, and for riding down to Connesburgh to consult with the lady of the manor, the wages of John Gollon and Thomas Taillour the palers (palaciarii), the price of a lock called 'a stoklok,' and the wages of two sawyers for sawing a clog into 9 boards for a pair of doors. The steward and receiver's wages are given and their expenses in attending the audit and in enrolling their accounts. Altogether the expenditure on this account totalled £20 5s 1 ½ d, and only £8 11s 9d was left as profit to the lady. This was charged further with the price of eggs supplied to her. The bailiff was allowed to retain part of the debt. An allowance was made for the expenses of two persons riding from Synyngton to Connesburgh with six bucks, sent by the steward to the Lady's Hospice in Connesburgh for the rejoicings on the occasion of the wedding of Philip Spencer and Joan Clyfford. Finally, all deductions made, the actual profit in money amounted to £2 6s 8d.
(5) (a contiutaion of 3 above) Account of William Thomson, 'Taillour,' receiver of Fryopp, which appears to have been a part of the manor of Danby. This account, which is imperfect, deals with grazing-leases of the meadows and forest of that place. Certain allowances were made in respect of items entered in other accounts. The roll is endorsed, ' Accounts of the various ministers of the lady Matilda de Yorke Countess of Cambridge rendered at the Feast of St Michael Archangel, in the 11th year of the reign of King Henry VI. Danby, Synyngton, Marten (?) Skampston, County of York.'
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