ECR 26 178
Reference code
ECR 26 178
Title
Cottisford and Fringford, Oxfordshire: Letter concerning land dispute
Level
Item
Date
11 August 1606
Content description
Sir Henry Savile to Sir Anthony Cope.
Good Sir,
Havinge receaved advertisement of late of divers wrongs done at Cotsford [Cottisford] (thoroughe the sufferaunce of the Colledge farmar and teanaunts there) as welle by the freeholdars of the same as also by soome of your teanants in Heathe [Heath], whereof I though it fitt to make you acquainted assueringe my selfe that you will sea redresse of any wrongs done by them without anye further meanes to be used. Firste ther is a peece of grownde called Cuckolds Burrowe or Cuckolds Furres which Mr Pettye about viii yeares paste did plowe uppe and sowe with corne, and when harveste came, the parson of Cotsforde demaunded tythe, and for coveteousnes of savinge the tythe to him selfe saied that that peece of grownde was belonginge to Heathe and therfore shoulde paye no tythe to Cotsforde, since which tyme it hathe bine used as Heathe grownde (thorough his sufferaunce) and never before.
Now this yeare one Robert Paine of Heathe hathe plowed uppe a peece of grownde lyeinge in the waye that leadethe from a certaine gate, called Holte gate, to the common, where neither was nor is any markes at all as your other lands have and alwayes, ever since anye man can remember, the teanaunts of Cotesdorde have tyed ther horses and fedd their cattaile there. Also the same againe hathe lykewise plowed uppe this yeare an other peece of grownde uppon Cotesforde common containynge aboute x acres which never has plowed before, and in tymes paste had no markes at all for Heathe lande (as wille be proved by sufficiente witnes) untill of late yeares that Heathe men have used to goe when and where they will in Cotsforde feelde to marke grownde at their pleasuer, without anye of the inhabitaunts of Cotesforde goinge with them. Since Michaelmas laste the tenaunts of Heathe have divers tymes brought ther sheepe into Cotsford feelds and fedd them there contrarye to all right, for they have no right of common ther, nor never before this tyime persumed to feede anye cattaile in Cotsforde feelde.
All these wronges, and manye moe, have our farmar and teanaunts of Cotsforde suffered, and never saied anye thinge to them, nor never made us acquainted with any sutche dealings: wherefoore nowe my desier is that the corne growinge uppon these severall peeces of grownde may with your good lykinge be sett uppe by it selfe in sume honeste manes custodye until our cumminge to Cotsford wich wilbe (god willing) verye shorlye, where I woolde be glade yf please you to intreate your companye, or elles to meete in anye other place where you shall thinke fitte to the intente wee maye further conferre of thes matters. Ande in the meane tyme that the tythes be paied to Cotsforde as of right they ought to be. And so with moste hartye commendacions in haste I betake you to God from Oxford the xith of Auguste 1606.
Yor very loving friende
Henry Savile
(only the last four words and the signature are in Savile's hand).
Endorsed: My master's firste letter to Sir Anthony Coape which was not delivered.
Good Sir,
Havinge receaved advertisement of late of divers wrongs done at Cotsford [Cottisford] (thoroughe the sufferaunce of the Colledge farmar and teanaunts there) as welle by the freeholdars of the same as also by soome of your teanants in Heathe [Heath], whereof I though it fitt to make you acquainted assueringe my selfe that you will sea redresse of any wrongs done by them without anye further meanes to be used. Firste ther is a peece of grownde called Cuckolds Burrowe or Cuckolds Furres which Mr Pettye about viii yeares paste did plowe uppe and sowe with corne, and when harveste came, the parson of Cotsforde demaunded tythe, and for coveteousnes of savinge the tythe to him selfe saied that that peece of grownde was belonginge to Heathe and therfore shoulde paye no tythe to Cotsforde, since which tyme it hathe bine used as Heathe grownde (thorough his sufferaunce) and never before.
Now this yeare one Robert Paine of Heathe hathe plowed uppe a peece of grownde lyeinge in the waye that leadethe from a certaine gate, called Holte gate, to the common, where neither was nor is any markes at all as your other lands have and alwayes, ever since anye man can remember, the teanaunts of Cotesdorde have tyed ther horses and fedd their cattaile there. Also the same againe hathe lykewise plowed uppe this yeare an other peece of grownde uppon Cotesforde common containynge aboute x acres which never has plowed before, and in tymes paste had no markes at all for Heathe lande (as wille be proved by sufficiente witnes) untill of late yeares that Heathe men have used to goe when and where they will in Cotsforde feelde to marke grownde at their pleasuer, without anye of the inhabitaunts of Cotesforde goinge with them. Since Michaelmas laste the tenaunts of Heathe have divers tymes brought ther sheepe into Cotsford feelds and fedd them there contrarye to all right, for they have no right of common ther, nor never before this tyime persumed to feede anye cattaile in Cotsforde feelde.
All these wronges, and manye moe, have our farmar and teanaunts of Cotsforde suffered, and never saied anye thinge to them, nor never made us acquainted with any sutche dealings: wherefoore nowe my desier is that the corne growinge uppon these severall peeces of grownde may with your good lykinge be sett uppe by it selfe in sume honeste manes custodye until our cumminge to Cotsford wich wilbe (god willing) verye shorlye, where I woolde be glade yf please you to intreate your companye, or elles to meete in anye other place where you shall thinke fitte to the intente wee maye further conferre of thes matters. Ande in the meane tyme that the tythes be paied to Cotsforde as of right they ought to be. And so with moste hartye commendacions in haste I betake you to God from Oxford the xith of Auguste 1606.
Yor very loving friende
Henry Savile
(only the last four words and the signature are in Savile's hand).
Endorsed: My master's firste letter to Sir Anthony Coape which was not delivered.
Location of this record in the archive hierarchy
Click the hyperlinked text below for further details.
(Click here to scroll to the current record within the hierarchy)
Number 3 of 53 at this Level
Beneath this record in the archive hierarchy
None