Reider-Underwood Genealogy

Manor Court of Clayton, 1574 (excerpt)

List of "Tenents ad Voluntatem" (meaning tenancy was terminable at the will of either party)
5th name: Robertus Worden

"And that William Werden who held the Lord of Clayton aforesaid certain lands and tenaments in Clayton aforesaid for a rent of ___ a year, died since the last court, and that Robert Worden is his son and next heir and is aged 40 years or thereabou ts but by what service the jury know not" (meaning the yearly rent and the nature of the service payable to the Lord was unknown).

__ ___ 1542 Preston, Lancashire, England; appeared as out-Burgess in guild rolls.

__ ___ 1562 Preston; Robert also appeared as out-Burgess.

cir __ ___ 1568 contract to marry is in Flowers Visitation 1567.

__ ___ 1574 Clayton, Lancashire, England; Robertus (age 40,son and heir of William) appeared as a tenant-at -will in Roll of Manor Court of Clayton, Lancashire, England (rolls which contained a lists of the tenants of the manor).

__ ___ 1574 Isabel's dowery was paid by her brother Richard in 1574. Land which Robert held in Coppull was part of her dower.

aft 11 Sep 1580 Because Robert died when his son and heir was only 11 years old and the lands in Leyland and Clayton were held by feudal tenure, William during his minority was liable to be treated as a ward of his superior lord. Isobel tr ied hard to avoid this, and was helped by her eldest brother and John Banaster. Court battles were fought between Isobel and Sir Edmund Huddleston as well as between Isobel and her brother Richard along with John Banaster not only for the contro l but the actual physical person William. We do not know if there was indeed bad feelings between Isobel and her brother and John Banaster or if this was a plan in the legal moves against the Huddlestons. These numerous court battles argue not onl y over the rights of William the heir but over those of the younger children. Although not conversant with English laws and customs of the times, I wonder if this has anythingto do with Peter I's statements of rights he might have in England.

03 Sep 1584 "Inquisition Post Mortem of Robert Wearden, gent. taken 3 Sep 1584"-Robert Werden, he of the marriage to Isobel Worthinngton, died on 11 September 1580. At his death, he held "1 messuage, 1 cottage, 7 acres of land, 3 acres o f meadow and ___acres of pasture in Clayton" (these were inquiries into land held at the time of death, by what service he held it and who his heirs were.) He also held land in Coppull and Leyland.

Inquisition Post Mortem 1584

D.L. 7/14.

Award delivered in the Chancery 21 Nov. A.D. 1584.......

Lancaster.

Indented inquisition taken at Leyland in the county aforesaid on Thursday namely the third day of September in the 26th year of the reign of Elizabeth, by God's grace Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc., before Willia m Farrington, esq., Andrew Huddleston, esq., and Gilbert Moreton, Gent., Foedary of the lady Queen in the county aforesaid, committed by the said lady Queen by virtue of a commission of the same lady Queen in the nature of a writ of Mandamus afte r the death of Robert Wearden, gent., deceased, directed to the same commissioners and annexed to this inquisition, (by) the oath of John Cureden, gent., William Banester of Wrightington (?), gent., William Craston, gent., Richard Farrington, gent ., Richard Walton, gent., John Singleton of Ingolhard (?), gent., John Diconson, gent., William Sonnes, gent., James Stopforth, gent., Robert Farrington, gent., Thomas Wearden, gent., Roger Farrington, gent., and Richard Kellet, gent., jurors. Wh o say on their oath that the aforesaid Robert Wearden... on the day of his death was seised in his demesne as of fee tail, namely to him and the heirs issuing from his body, of and in one messuage, one cottage, 7 acres of land, 3 acres of meadow a nd ( ) with appurtenances in Clayton in the county aforesaid. And of and in one messuage, 6 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture with appurtenances in Cophull in the county aforesaid. And of and in 3 acres ( ) of meadow and 2 a cres of pasture with appurtenances in Leylonde in the county aforesaid. And the foresaid Robert Wearden, being so seised of all and singular the premisses with appurtenances, died seised thereof of such estate. And further the jurors aforesaid sa y on their oath that the aforesaid messuage and rest of the premessis with their appurtenances in Clayton aforesaid are held at the time of the death of the aforesaid Robert Wearden were held of Edmund Huddleston, knight, and Dorothy, his wife, a s of their manor of Clayton, by what service the jurors foresaid are utterly ignorant. And they are worth by the year in all issues after deductions 40s. And that the aforesaid messuage and rest of the premises with appurtenances in Copphull afore said are held at the time of the death of the aforesaid Robert Wearden were held of the lord of the manner Copphull in socage, namely by fealty only and a rent of 12d. For all services and demands. And are worth by the year in all issues after ded uctions 20s. And that the land and tenements and rest of the premises with their appurtenances in Leyland in the county aforesaid are held at the time of the death of the aforesaid Robert Wearden were held of the aforesaid Edmund Huddleston, knigh t, and Dorothy, his wife, as of the half of their manor of Leylande by military service. And are worth by the year in all issues after deductions 13s, 4d. And moreover the jurors aforesaid say on their oath that the aforesaid Robert Wearden...ha d or held no other or more messuages, lands, tenements or hereditaments of the said lady Queen nor of any other person or persons in demesne, reversion, nor in service, on the day on which he died in the said county of Lancaster other than is abov e said. And that the aforesaid Robert Wearden died on the 11th day of September A.D. 1580. And that William Wearden is son and heir of the aforesaid Robert, and was aged 11 years on the day of the death of the aforesaid Robert Wearden, his father . In testimony of which thing to this inquisition both the aforesaid Commissioners and jurors aforesaid have applied their seals. Given the day, year and place first above written.

Transcribed in the Court of Wards by W. Tusser, esq., Clerk of the Duchy of Lancaster
Robert Worden