Membrane 1r.

1. John Christian, cleric, is bound to answer William Wilbeck in a plea of trespass on the case. John Slowe of Coveney, yeoman, and John Cappit of Coveney, yeoman, act as surety.

2. Richard Ferrar of Haddenham, husbandman, is bound to answer Thomas Phypers of Haddenham, husbandman, in a plea of debt. William Gooday of Haddenham, husbandman, acts as surety.

3. Humphrey Boston of Terrington, Norfolk, and Audrey his wife, lately known as Audrey Wawbott of Terrington St John, Norfolk, widow, are bound to answer James Salowbanck of Wisbech, tailor, in a plea of debt. William Franklyn of South Lynn, Norfolk, gentleman, acts as surety.

4. Richard Lees of Wisbech, yeoman, alias Richard Lees of Tholomers Grove, is bound to answer Henry Fysher of King’s Lynn, Norfolk, in a plea of debt. Thomas Gray of Wisbech, gentleman, acts as surety.

Membrane 1v.

5. John Christian of Coveney, cleric, is bound to answer Thomas Ryvett esquire in a plea of debt. Henry Dawkyn, [place of abode not stated stated], husbandman, and John Osteler of Haddenham, yeoman, act as surety.

6. Thomas Doby of Wisbech, tinker, is bound to answer Francis Turner in a plea of trespass on the case. Robert Best of Wisbech, yeoman, and Edward Wylkes of Wisbech, yeoman, act as surety.

Membrane 2r.

7. John Shepperd of March, yeoman, answered John Atkynson in a plea of trespass on the case that on 1 May 1575 at Wisbech he did, in scandalous words, accuse of Atkynson of being a rank rogue, who had stolen a Cambridge man’s wife and had stolen goods from her husband. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial.

8. Richard Palmer of Emneth, Norfolk, husbandman, answered William Payne of Elm, husbandman, in a plea of trespass that on 5 Feb. 1574 at Elm he forcibly entered the close of Payne, namely five acres of land, where his livestock trampled and overgrazed the grass growing there. Palmer claimed Payne took the livestock to the close. Pled not guilty to trespass; to proceed to the next session.

Membrane 2v.

9. William Welbeck, gentleman, [place of abode not stated], answered John Christian, cleric, in a plea of trespass on the case that on 6 Jan. 1576 he did, in scandalous words, accuse Christian of stealing a sheep from his flock at Higham, Suffolk, and driving that sheep to the Isle of Ely. Pled not guilty; to proceed to the next session.

10. John Osteler brought information for the Crown that Thomas Jones of Leverington, yeoman, bought four steers, one cow and one heifer 16 Oct. 1574 from John Dickenson contrary to statute [3 and 4 Edw. VI c.19 An act for the buying and selling of rother beasts and cattle]. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial. Membrane 3r.

11. Richard Cobbe of Chesterton, yeoman, answered John Hunt in a plea that on 25 Nov. 1575 he broke and entered the close of Hunt at Haddenham and caused damage. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial.

12. John Beamys of Thetford, husbandman, answered Richard Sawter that on 4 Feb. 1576 at Thetford at a place called [Havering Mere] he took 1300 reed sheaves. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial.

13. John Christian of Ely, cleric, answered Thoms Ryvett esquire in a plea of non-payment of 20 pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 29 Oct. 1574 at Ely. The bond of obligation is recited. Christian says Lancelot Flower paid 12 pounds. To proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

Membrane 3v.

14. William Sole, [place of abode and occupation not stated], answered Nicholas [Crossote] and John Buskyn in a plea of trespass that 10 Apr. 1575 he broke and entered their fish garth at [Prestes House] and took and carried away lake nets and fish. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial.

15. John Randes of Sutton, husbandman, answered Edward Gunton that on 20 Aug. 1575 he broke and entered the close of Sutton with swords, sticks and daggers and took and carried away grain worth 40 shillings. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial.

Membrane 4r.

16. John Atkynson of March, tailor, answered John Shepard in a plea of trespass on the case that on 10 July 1575 at March he did, in scandalous words, accuse Shepard of using force against and ravishing Margaret News and Margaret Andrewe. Atkynson was arrested by Shepard by warrant from the Lord Bishop of Ely. Atkynson says Shepard carnally knew Alice Reynolds in Northwold Lane in March and also Margaret Newes. To proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

17. William Akers and Ralph Harbottle, churchwardens of the parish church of Leverington, bring a suit against Christopher Cure, husbandman, Thomas Marten, husbandman, Richard Tego, husbandman, and Giles Foster, labourer, all of Leverington, that on 28 Feb. 1576 they broke a certain chest in the custody of Akers and Harbottle, and took and carried away various indentures or documents relating to lands and holdings in Leverington. The defendants say the plea is not sufficient in law; to proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

Membrane 4v.

18. Roger Browne, [place of abode and occupation not stated], answered Henry Dawkyn in a plea of trespass on the case relating to the debt of 9 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence owed by William Walden to Dawkyn, 30 Aug. 1570 at Aldreth. Pled not guilty; to proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

19. John Randes of Sutton, husbandman, answered Richard Randes in a plea of trespass that on 15 Sept. 1575 he broke and entered the close of Richard Randes at Sutton with swords, sticks and daggers, and cut down and took away 8 willows, called osiers, to the value of 40 shillings. Pled not guilty; to proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

Membrane 5r.

20. Henry Grene of Sutton, yeoman, answered Thomas Anderson in a plea of trespass on the case relating to a messuage and building of a windmill in Sutton, 20 Jan. 1574. To proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

21. Thomas Bobye [Doby] of Wisbech, tinker, answered Francis Turner in a plea of trespass on the case, 30 Sept. 1575 at Wisbech. Francis Turner took possession of 7 pounds of legal English money from a purse [made of bladder]. Pled not guilty; to proceed to jury trial.

Membrane 5v.

22. William Fenner of [Gruesley], Sussex, gentleman, and Anna his wife, and Thomas Hatcher of [Karby], Lincolnshire, gentleman, and Catherine, his wife, daughter and coheir of Thomas Reade deceased of Wisbech, gentleman, answered William Day, executor of the will of William Day of Wisbech, fishmonger, in a plea of non-payment of 100 pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 24 Jan. 1549 at Wisbech. To proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

23. Humphrey Boston of Terrington, Norfolk, husbandman, alias of Terrington St John, and John Boston of the same, yeoman, answered James Salowbanck of Wisbech, yeoman, in a plea of non-payment of six pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 25 July 1574 at Wisbech. The bond of obligation is recited. To proceed to the next session at Wisbech.

Membrane 6r.

24. Robert Knevett of Littleport, labourer, answered Lawrence Johnson in a plea of non-payment of three pounds, six shillings and eight pence relating to [the supply] of pikes, 20 May 1575 at Downham. Knevett is fined.

25. John Tymmes, [place of abode and occupation not stated] answered Richard Merren and Alice, his wife, in a plea of trespass on the case that on 23 Jan. 1575 at Sutton he did, in scandalous words, accuse Alice of being a rogue. Tymmes is fined.

Membrane 6v.

26. [Vacat] [John Dyser] answered Thomas [?Fookes] in a plea of trespass that on 1 Oct. 1575 at Ely at a place called the high stream he took a barge, tackling and an anchor to the value of 20 marks from Thomas Fookes. [John Dyser] is fined.

27. William Pratt of Sutton, butcher, answered Henry Seman and John Clarke of Soham, yeomen, in a plea of non-payment of 40 pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 20 Jan. 1575 at Sutton. Payne is fined.

Membrane 7r.

28. Thomas Kyrkes of Ely, husbandman, answered Thomas Gray, gentleman, in a plea of non-payment of 20 marks relating to a bond of obligation of 22 Oct. 1567 at Wisbech. Thomas Kyrkes is fined.

29. Richard Lees of Wisbech, yeoman, alias of Wisbech St Mary, answered Henry Fyssher of King’s Lynn, Norfolk, yeoman, in a plea of non-payment of 20 pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 6 Apr. 1571 at Wisbech. The bond of obligation is recited. Richard Lees is fined.

Membrane 7v.

30. Richard Flower of Ely, gentleman, answered Thomas Jervys in a plea of taking animals that on 26 Oct. 1574 at Ely at a place called Barton Yard he took a grey horse, a [horse colt], a black steer, and two heifers from Thomas Jervys. There is a long discussion over the ownership of certain pieces of land in Ely. The entry is incomplete and the outcome is not stated.

Membrane 8r.

31. Christopher Russell of Ely, chandler, John Dyconson of Cambridge, labourer, Robert Lynsey of Ely, labourer, William [surname not stated] of Littleport, yeoman, answered Thomas Wade of Littleport, husbandman, in a plea of trespass that on 7 Oct. 1575 they broke and entered Wade’s close and dwelling house at Littleport, and took and carried away good and chattels to the value of 28 pounds, six shillings and eight pence – namely, 4 truss beds, a feather bed, 2 cupboards, a joined table, 4 cart loads of fodder, 4 cart loads of reed and 4 [chests of ‘linen stuff’]. The defendants pled not guilty to trespass. There is lengthy discussion of Christopher Russell’s feudal service and of the ownership of six cottages in Littleport. The defendants request leave to imparl to the next session at Wisbech.

Membrane 8v.

32. Henry Clarke of Littleport, labourer, and Hugh Tomson of Littleport, labourer, answered Thomas Wade of Littleport, husbandman, in a plea of trespass that on 8 Oct. 1574 they broke and entered the close and dwelling house of Wade at Littleport, and expelled him and took possession of his dwelling house. Clarke and Tomson say they are servants of Christopher Russell of Ely, [see 31 above], and acted under his mandate. There is lengthy discussion of the ownership of six cottages in Littleport. The defendants request leave to imparl to the next session at Wisbech.

Membrane 9r.

33. [Wisbech] Richard Ferror [Ferrar] of Haddenham, husbandman, answered Thomas Phipers of Haddenham, husbandman, in a plea of non-payment of 40 pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 31 Oct. 1563 at Haddenham. The entry is incomplete.

34. Edward Browne of Haddenham, husbandman, answered Richard Cobb in a plea of non-payment of 40 pounds relating to a bond of obligation of 15 Dec. 1575 at Haddenham. The bond of obligation is recited. Browne is fined.