Documents relating to John Crosseley

[14??-14??]



The following documents mention John Crosseley and members of his family


The Court of Star Chamber became a separate entity in 1487. Although the document below is to be found in the Yorkshire Star Chamber Proceedings, it was submitted in 1478, as can be proven as it refers to Sir John Pilkington being in London at the time, and Sir John Pilkington died in Selby on 29 December 1478. So this submission would have been made to the king's council (Curia regis)


Yorkshire Star Chamber Proceedings. Undated. [between 22 September and 29 December 1478].

No. XXIX.

To the kyng our leige lorde.

Petefully and lamentally shewith unto your heighnes your poor Orator and tenant, John Crosselee, of your Tounship of Stansfeld in your lordship of Wakefeld within your Countie of Yorke, that wher he putt unto your heighnes at Notyngham a bill of compleynt agaynes Rob't Pyllyngton, late of Rachedale in your Countie of lanc', Gentilman, of that yt he be the commaundment of Sir John Pylkyngton, knyght, with other moo persones unknowne, in defencibull aray with force and armes contrarie to your peasse and lawe, disseised your seid besecher of vj Messez, ccc acr' of lande, wode, Medowe with appurtenancez in the Tounship of Stansfeld within your Countie of Yorke to the yerly value of xvj marcs be yere ouer all charges, the which bill was delyuered to the Inquestes of your Oyer & determiner at your beyng at Pountfret, and yere ye seid Robert Pylkyngton was indicted be ij Inquestys of the seid disseisyn and forcibully entre, and ther upon be your heigh commaundment it was ordeyned be th'advise of your most discret counsell that euery man so foundon put out with force shulde haue your seuerell wryttys directe unto your Justices of pease and to the Shereft of ye same Shire and unto ychone of theym to putt theym in possession agayn accordyng to your lawes; Insomuche as thei coude haue no remedie after ye course of your common lawe, because thei were not of power to sue agayns ye gret myght of ye seid Sir John Pylkyngton, wher upon your seid besechere sued a wryte to putt hym in possession agayn of the seid vj Messez, ccc acr' of lande, Wood, Medowe with appurtenauncez, and so he was beforce therof putt in possession be oon of your Justices of Pease. And notwithstandyng ye seid possession delyuered unto your seid besecher be vertue of the seid wrytt, the seid Sir John Pylkyngton, knyght, nott feryng your seid ordynance, contrarie to the same now of late hath send on Laurence Tounley fro London into the seid Countie of Yorke, which hath called and gedered to gedir ther be ye commaundment of the seid Sir John Pylkyngton on Sir Robert Bentley, prest, Tristreme Tounley, James Halsall, Laurence Bentley, Thomas Bentley, Ric. Bentley, Herre Cokcroft thelder, John Cokcroft, Herre Cokcroft ye yonger, Thomas Ekkyrsley, James Ekkersley, Thomas Lawe, Ric. Lawe, Rob't Lawe, John Utley, Herre Ryder, Thomas Halton, Ric. Hudson, John James, Herre Ferror the elder and Herre Ferror ye yonger and other moo of the seruantz of the seid John Pykyngton to ye noumbre of xliiij persones, the which are indited alswell of dyuers felonies as of murders, and thei haue intred in agayn into ye seid vj Mesez, ccc acr' of land,Wode and medowe with appurtenaunces and disseised your seid besecher therof and hym utterly kepith out with force contrarie to your pease and lawe and to the warst insaumple that euer was seen in that Countre, and morouer the seid Sir John Pylkyngton, knyght, not dredyng your gret and strayt comaundment gyfen be your aune mouth at Pountfret unto all ye Gentilmen and other comons and other your leigmen of the same Countre for the weel of the same upon payn of your gret displeaser that ther shulde noman' confether nor make noon othes on to another nor noo ryotys doo, the seid Sir John Pylkyngton hath caused the seid Laurence Tounley and all the aboufe named persones with other moo to the seed noumbr of xliiijti ychone to besworne unto other opon the mesbooke at Heptonstall that what part that oon or eny of theym takith that ychone of theym shall take ye same, wheder it be right or wrang, unto ye utter undowyng of your tenauntz and inhabitantez of the same Countre in that behalfe, insomuch as that rnony of your seid tenantez darnott abyde in that Countre, Wherfor pleas it your heighnes the premissez tenderly to consider and to send a Sergeant of armes to the seid Sir John Pylkyngton, which be your comaundment is present in your Cite of London, to come and apeer afor your Counsell at a certeyn day to be assigned, to answer to the premissez. And also be the advice of your most discrete counsell that he then be yeuen in comaundment to cause the seid Laurence Tounley and all ye abofe named persones to apeere afor you and your counsell at such another day as shall pleas your good grace to asseigne and lemete.

(Ibid., Bundle xix, No. 43.)

[Yorkshire Archæological Society Record Series Vol. XLV, for the year 1910, Yorkshire Star Chamber Proceedings, Volume II, Edited by H. B. McCall, 1911, No. XXIX, Bundle xix, No. 43, p.82-84.

Photocopied with permission from the printed book in Leeds Library]

 


See Land Seizures in Calderdale

This & associated entries use material contributed by Joanne Backhouse



© Malcolm Bull 2024
Revised 16:28 / 8th April 2024 / 7589

Page Ref: MMC1120

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