| Description | 21 leaves of vellum numbered 25-28, 30-32, 35-40 (two being numbered 38), 45, 50-52, 55-57; and three sheets of paper
The earliest deed is dated 1320 and the latest 1450. The bulk of the deeds are feoffments, but there are also quit claims, memoranda, letters of attorney and a survey.
An interesting deed is numbered lxv f 55, and is a confirmation of seisin, given by Richard Duke of York father of Edward IV and son of Richard of Connesburgh Earl of Cambridge.
In all there are seventy eight entries including a few duplicates; thirty-five deeds relate to lands in Braithwell, Micklebring and Clifton. Doncaster has eighteen dealing with lands in Balby, Hexthorpe, Ouston, Adwick-le-Street and Doncaster; Ravenfield has ten under the head of Steristhorpe (Streetthorpe); five deeds deal with lands in Sandal, and three with lands in Pigburn; while Rotherham is represented by four deeds.
The bulk of the deeds are concerned with lands acquired by a certain John Vyncent and his wife Agnes. John Vincent, according to Hunter's "South Yorkshire" vol i, p 131, belonged to the family of the Vincents of Great Smeaton in Richmondshire. He was agent of Richard Duke of York for his Yorkshire property. For legal services rendered to the prior and convent of Lewes, he received a grant of a capital messuage called the Over-hall in Braithwell. He was slain with the Duke at the battle of Wakefield, 1460.
Of two odd deeds, one concerns lands in Barningham granted by William Vyncent in 1380, and the other is a grant of lands in Scarthingwelle from the prior of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in England, dated at Eycles.
It is evident from a comparison of these deeds with Hunter's "South Yorkshire" that Hunter was not acquainted with them, and that they would have given him information on several points of family history, with regard to which he deplores the lack of evidence.
The separate deeds appear, with others, in this catalogue in their chronological order. |