Staffordshire Quarter Sessions: 1589

Richard Bennett and William Mason of Wolverhampton. Q/SR/16/1 (1589)

To the Right worshipfull Sir Thomas Littleton knight one of
her Majesties Justices of peace within the County of Stafford

Humble beseache your worshipps your orators Richard Bennett and William Mason of Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, That whearas your said orators (uppon an Inditement hertofore preferred and found against them)
have bene dyverse tymes by the Sheriffe arrested, and yet have compounded with the said Sheriffe
for the same arrest trusting from tyme to tyme trustinge yet that the same might have bene
by your worshippe and other the her majesties justices ordred and ended, howbeit So yt is that
notwithstandinge your worshipps late order therin to Mr True the late clerk of the peace for
staye therof, yet the nowe clerke of the peace refusethe to enter any or make any staye
therof against your said orators unlesse he maye be therof informed by your worshippe
maye yt therfore please your worshippe in the behalfe of theise said poore menn to
informe the said clerk of the peace of the truethe of the cause to thend the said
poore menn maye be delivered from this infinitte chardge and trouble wherewith they are
from tyme to tyme oppressed And the said poore menn shall praye unto god for the
prosperouse estate of your worshippe

Requestinge also your worshipps lawfull
favor in theire fynes the offences beinge
very small

fuit Recognio per Cur'. Et de fine utriusque eorum e iis iiiid. exoneratur per Dna

John Tomkys of Bylston, gentleman, and Edward Marston of Yardley co Worcs, brickmaker. Q/SR/21/4 (1589)

To the Right Honourable and Worshippfull
her Majesties Justices of peace and Quorum
in the Countye of Stafford.

Humbly sheweth to your Honors and Worshippes your Orators John Tomkys late of Bylston in the
Countye of Stafford gentleman and Edward Marston of Yardley in the Countye of Wigorn
brickemaker That wheare the personnes and inhabitauntes dwelling and resyant in and about the townes
parishes and hamlettes of Bylston Wolverhampton Willnall Wednesbury Wednesfeylde and other
townes and places theareabout in the Countye of Stafford aforesayde are enforsed for theyr
provision of bricke and tyle to sende to sundrye remote places in the Countye of Worcester farre distant
from them to theyr both greate charge and trowble Yt would now please you the premisses
considered to graunt lycence to the sayde Edward Marston to builde and erecte one cottage in a pasture
called Gorstye Crofte lying to a place called Gotterne in Wolverhampton aforesayde being parcell
of the lande and inheretance of the sayde John Tomkys for the habitacion of the sayde Edward theare
and others for the better provision theareby heareafter of bricke and tyle theare to be by him and others
made for the sayde toweshippes And your orators shall daylye pray unto God for the longe and prosperous
estate of your Honors and Worshipps

• John Tomkys
• Edwarde Marson

Ranulphe Cradocke of Cotton Milne, prisoner. Q/SR/21/12 (1589)

Com Stafford

To the Right Honorable and Worshipfull the queenes Majesties
Justices of Peax and quorum assembled for the said County
at the Sessions of the Peaxe holden in the towne
of Stafford this present laste day of Septembre
1589. Your pore and humble Orator Ranulphe
Cradocke late of Cotton Milne nowe prisoner
in the Jaylors Warde most lamentably complayning
against one William Walter as followith

That wheras the said Randull uppon consideracion that the
said William being sonne to Margaret wiff of the said Rannulph
shoold susteigne and maynteyne the said Margaret his mother
and fyve of the children of the said Ranulph and Margarete
with sufficient meate drinke clothing and lodging) did geve
upp and releaxe into the handes of the said William his said
mylne called Cotton Milne with the appurtenances and all
his goodes and catalls moveable and unmoveable as more
playnly appearith recorded in writing, Notwithstanding
nowe of longe tyme the said William doth nether susteyne
nor mayntene his said mother bretheren and sisteren as
hee owght by convenant nether yet doth hee suffer his
said naturall mother d to use and enjoy her owne goodes
and live uppon them but contrary to all humanitie christian
dewtie & feare of god, and naturall love, dothe beate
strike and evill intreate his said mother and the reste, by mispending and taking from her her goodes and lyvinge
And furder by the synister counsaile and aide of one Richard
Walter of Stafford and John Walter of Aslowe and other
of the Walters, doth laye faynid matters against the
said Randull of good behavior and actions of the case to kepe
your said Orator in perpetuall prison and durance lest
hee shoold seeke remmedy therin by his libertie, to the
famyshing of the said Margaret and her children and
utter undoing of the said Rannulph. May it please your
worshipps therfore for godds sake to heare the said cawse
throwly and to take order therin according to your wisdomes
and good consciences, and to tender your said pore Orators complyn
that his said pore wiff and children may be releeved of
there owne, and avoyde the mysery of famishing, And that
your said Orator may bee sett at libertie according to the
truth and equity of this cawse, And so doing your w[orships] said
Orator and his pore wiff and children shalbe bounden
during liffe to pray for the preseervacion of your worsh[ips]
helthes etc

Your worshipps pore afflicted
orator Ranulphe Cradocke