Thomas Carewe In June 1565, on behalf of the Queen’s Exchequer, a panel (1) was convened in Fordington to investigate accusations that Thomas Carewe, Steward of the Manor, was granting away the occupancy rights of the customary tenants in favour of ‘his owne men’, against the custom of the Manor and possibly diverting revenue from the Crown. Carewe’s men were demanding up to £20 (much more than the usual fees paid to the Crown) from copyhold tenants who wished to add or substitute a name to their copyhold. The inquiry assembled compelling evidence that Carewe was exploiting his position for his own gain but did not confirm a custom of inheritance by copy on the Manor. What action was taken to punish him or his men, John Allen, John Harte and Richard Sine, is not known. The panel heard from nine men and examined 25 changes to copyhold made by Carewe over the 12-14 years he had been Steward (list attached). In six cases there were huge discrepancies between the amounts paid by tenants and the amounts recorded as received. William Crymble, for instance, paid 70 shillings for his fine, but the payment recorded on the roll was just 26 shillings 8d. Four tenants paid more to Carewe’s men than they had paid to the Queen, eg Richard Porter paid £5 to the Queen and £20 to Carewe. The nine witnesses to the inquiry gave their ages, allowing us to calculate their year of birth:
• William Downton of Fordington, aged 30 [ie born ~1535, he died in 1574] • Ambrose Hunte, of Fordington, aged 53 [ie born ~1512, he died 1587]. He said that he had only known Carewe for 7-8 years which suggests that he either moved to Fordington around 1557 or perhaps had spent some years out of the district] • Henrie Chownte, or Chounte, of Fordington aged 40 [ie, born ~1525, died between July 1583 and May 1584] • Roger Keate of Fordington, aged 40 [ie, born ~1525, was buried 1580] • John Eames of Fordington aged 53 [ ie, born ~1512, died between 1566-1584] • Robert Towpe or Tuppe of Fordington aged 38 [ie born ~1527, died after 1574] • John Barne[s] of Fordington aged 52, [ie, born ~1513, buried 1567] and • Peter Maber of Holuy [Holwell?] aged 40 [ie born ~1525], who had been under steward for 15 or16 years prior to Carewe’s tenure Richard Butt–John Samwayes and William Downton said Butt had been forced to pay £20 to Carewe’s man John Allen (this transaction not listed by the panel) Notes:- (1) Sir William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester [1488-1572]; Robert Coker, Esq – probably of Mappowder, John Leweston Esq [1506/7-1584] member of Parliament for Dorchester 1559-1562; Thomas Mulleyns Esq (2) Note added by Michael Russell OPC for Fordington :- There is a strong possibility that Xpian Clapcotte married Robert Bartlett c1577 and had 3 children before Robert was buried FStG 1578/9. She then married Henry [Harry] Chownte c1580/2 before he died in 1583 and is a beneficiary under his will - she died in 1605. |
E/134/7Eliz/Trin2 [1565] Interrogation to be mynystedd ____ ____ell unto the Quenes___ ___ of // Her quenes manor of Ffordington in the Countie of Dorsat unto other // witnesses on the pte and behalfe of or sovereigne Lady the Quene// matie against Thomas Carewe esquire the Quenes maties Stewarde // there. 1. Imprimis howe longe hath the saide stewarde bene Stewarde of the saide manor 2. How eny men of the saide Tennte howe many ynherite by coppie of Courte Rolls // of that manor hath the saide Stewarde made sythens he was officer there and what fynes // have they paide unto the Quenes matie or unto any of her quenes progenitours for the same 3. Whether in the hole tyme which they did compounde for and agree with the Stewarde to // paye to the Quene’s matie or to any of her progenitours for there sowell coppies conveyed // and put unto their said coppies aye or not and yf yt be not them to see their coppies and // what there win__th in every of them 4. Item whether is the custome of the manr that every one of the Queenes coppyeholders there // shall and maye give the revercon of hys coppieholde for his children or frende before any stranger // payeinge to the Quenes matie a reasonable fyne for the same aye or not and howe doe they // knowe the fine to be trewe 5. Item whether hath the saide Stewarde contrary to the custome of the saide manor____ to // grante awaye the revercon of any of the customary tenemente from the _tennte which // is in possessyon which hath desyred to take the same in wherof for some of his children // or frende withoute the consent of the tennte in possessyen yourself [?] 6. Item whether hath the saide Stewarde used to make such grante in Reverson to some // of his owne men And wold not suffer the tennte in possessyen to take the same for his children or frende until that the tenannte had first compounded with his srvnnte // for that money so made by his mr unto hym, And howe many hath he used soe, what // somes of money hath he won or any of them so receyved for every such grante whych he hath // so made And what had the Quene for her fyne for the said coppieholde 7. Item whether were those grannte and bawgaines made by the Stewarde’s men after that // they had paide the Quene a fyne for the same or ells did they use to sell the same before // they had ther coppies or paid the Quenes fyne and howe many have they used soe after // that sorte 8. Item whether hath the stewarde was_sed to make grante of the __borrow [?] of any tenante // there in possessyen unto the same tennte whych wont have surrendered their estates // and removed hys namein there coppyes for other lyfes sayenge that the promysse is waste // and that he hath grannted the reverson thereof unto one of his srvinte and that // they maye not have the same untyll that they have compounded with the saide ____ 9. Item what other mater doo the said tennte or any of theym or any other knowe of // Any other mysdemeanr done by the saide Stewarde, And whether hath he broken any of the // ancient customes of the said manr yf he hath so done then in what ___ matters hath he // ____ or broken the saide customs, And ___ doe they know the same to be true Deposicons taken at fordington in the said countie the xiiijth [14th] daye of June in the Seventh yere of the Regne [1565] of // o/r moste dear sovoureyne Ladie Elizabeth by the yeare of god of England ffrance and Ireland Quene defend of the // faith & before willm poulit knight (1) Robt Cootler Thoms Mulleyns and John Loweston Esquires by vertue of her // highnes comyssion out of her most honourable courte of Exchequer to them directed dated the xvij [17th] of maie // in the yere above said. John Samwayes execon [?] the mannor offfordingtona_a_// that grannte was made by // the steward of the said mannor. John Samewayes of Toller (2) in the same countie gent of the age of lvj yeres [56] or thereaboute Sworne and examined to the firste // interrogatorie saythe that Thoms Carewe esquier hathe bene Steward of ffordington xiiij [14] yeres and more. To the second and thirde interr he saythe nothinge To the ffowrthe inter he saythe that ther is no custome in the Mannor offordington but that the steward for the tyme benowe beinge ___// and before this tyme by the space of those xlti yeres hathe and maiye let to his srvnte [servant] or strangers the revercon or revercons of any coppyhold // wt/in the same manr for suche fyne as betwene them shalbe agreid./ Nether shall or maye the Tennte or Tennte in possession by any custome // heretofore used clayme the same for his children or frende before any other And this he knowth to be true for that beinge for xlti yeres paste // srvnte to the understeward of the sayd Mannor and after that sr/vnte to Sr Thoms Trenchard knyghte highe Steward of the same mannor he hath // knowen hym to grannte dyvers and sondrie of the copieholde usuell in possession as revercon to his srvnte and Strangors from the Tennes // in possession or there children.// To the fyvethe interr he saythe that he hathe knowen the same Thoms Carewe nowe steward there to have granted awaie the revercons of // sondrie of the copieholde of the sayd manno from theTennte in possession & nether is there any custome to the contrarie as he above hath declared // but whether any of the Tennte in possession dyd desire of hym to take the same for their children or frende he knoweth not To the syxtheinterr he saythe that the sayd Steward hathe granted sondrie revercons to his srvinte but whether he wolde not suffere the // Tennte in possession to take the same for his children or frende until the tyme as the same Tennte had compounded wt his srvnte for that grante & // prmyse made by his m[aste]r he knoweth not Nevertheles he knoweth that the said steward granted the reversion of aTente to one of his srvnte named // John Allen who afterwards had of Richard Butte ats ^partes^ Tennte in possession to said Tente for his good will and righte to the same the soome Xxl over & beside cs that the sayd Butte paid to the Quenes matie for her pte To the reste of thinterr he saythe nothinge. Notes:- (1) Sir William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester [~1532–1598] (2) Toller Fatrum. John Samways bought the Manor in 1540 Willm Downton of fordington in the said countie of thaige [the age] of xxxti[30] yeres or thereabouts Sworne and examyned to the first // Interr saythe that he hath knowne Thomas carewe synce to have bene steward of the manor of ffordington by the span of xj[11] yeres. // To the second interr he saith that he knowth of a grante made by the sayd steward viz to John harte [?] twoo tente in revercon by one copie// for the fyne of xls one to RobtChubbe for the fyne of __ one to Roger Coosens for the fyne xx and one other to Willm Clapcotte for the // fine of xx and nil payable to the Quenes ma/te pte To the thirde interr he sathe that all the whole fynes abovesayd are entered upon their severall copies // To the fowrthe he can saye nothinge // To the fyvthe interr he say that the steward hath granted awaye the revercons of iij [3] copieholde in the saide manor viz Elizabeth downt___// Edithe Justin [?] and Robte Bartlette _not wth standing they all desired to have taken the same in revercon for their children and frende before // he had made any grannte of the same but he cannot saye that it is [missing] used in that or noe but by heare saye To the syxthe interr he saythe that the steward hath grannted awaye Revercons of sondrie Tente to his mast srinte & wolde not saythe // the Tennte in possession to take the same for their children or frende until they had compounded wth his srinte for his grannte and prmyse made to them // ffowreof the Tennte he hath forced viz Richard Butte ats posess John Birde henrie chownte and Elizabeth Downton he sayth also that John Allen srinte to the said Steward had for the pmise and grante of his mr made to hym of the revercon of Butte Tente of ___ // Richard Butte xxl and the Quenes matie had for her pte of the said Butte cs. Richard Sine one other of his srvnnte had for the fine revercon // To them made of the revercon of John Byrde Tente of the said Byrd xxvl vjs viijd and the Quene had for her pte of the said Byrde// cs the said Richard Sine had also for the _y__ grante to hym made by his mr of the revercon of henrie chownte Tente of ther // said chownte vjl xiijs iiijd And the Quene for her pte had of the same henrie chownte xxs. To the seventhe he saythe that the bargainnes and grante by the Stuerde men were made before they had ryched copies of the same or // Payd ani fyn to the Quenes Matie and saythe that those iij [3] men in the laste intergatorie named nowe so used To the eighthe he sayth that the Stuerd there hath refused to make any grante in revercon or renewe the place of Wm Belman // Richard Coosen and John Bunne who wolde have sondrie tymes surrendered there estate and bought it for other lyves but he hath // answered them that his promyse is alredie paste and will ethe them to sae no furthers to hym for the same. To the ixth he saythe nothing Ambrose Hunte of fordington in the sayd countie of thage [the age] of liij [53] years or thereaboute Sworne and examyned to the firste interr // saythe that he hath knowne Thoms Carewe esquire Stewarde of the manor of fordington vij [7] or viij [8] yeres // To the second he saith that he doth not remembre howe many grante by copie of cort Rolle of the manor the said stewarde // hath made sins he was officer there nether what fynes hathe ben payd for the same // To the thirde and ffowrthe interr he can saye nothing. // To the vth [5th] & vjth [6th] interr he saythe in all thinge as wm downton before hath sayd // To the vij [7th] interrhe saythe that the stewarde men never payd fine to the Quenes matie for grante made to them by // ther mr for that they dyd make those bargaynes before they had any coopies and he knoweth but iij [3] that hath ben soused // To the viijth [8th] & ixth [9th] interr he saythe as wyllm downton before hath sayd HenryeChownte of fordington of thage [the age] of xlti [40] yeirs or thereabouts Sworne and examyned to the firste interr saithe that // Thomas Carewe esquire hath ben Steward of Fordington xij [12] yeres and more to his knowledge. // To the seconde interrhe saythe that he knoweth of a grante wch the sayd steward hath made of the coopiholdes wt/in the sayd // mannor viz one to John Birde for the fyne of cs one to Robt chubbe for the fine of cs one to xpian clapcotte for the fyne of // xl one to John hunte for the fyne of xls and one to this deponent for the fyne of xxs. To the thirde he saythe that those fynes above specyfied ar put apon there severall coppies. To the iiijth interr he can saye nothing but by hearesaye. To the vth interr he sayth that the said Steuerd hath granted awaye sondrie revercons of the custumarie Tente from the // Tennte in possession to certen of his men not wthstandinge the said Tenntein possession have desired to take the samein // revercon for some of there children or frende but what the custome is therin he sayth not s__ To the vjth inter he sayth that the sayd Stuerd hath granted awaye revercons to his awne srvnts and wold not suffer the Tennte // inpossion to take the same for there children and frende untyll that the same Tenntes had firste compounded wth his Srvnte for the // premyse so by hym to them made he knowth iiij that hath ben so used by willm downtown Edeth Justin [?] John Byrde and hymself // but what mooney the sayd Stewarde psnnte had eyther of downton or Justin he knowethe not but he saythe that Richard Sine one // of the sayd Steward men had of hym for his good will for the promyse made by his in mr the revercon of his Tente vjl xiijs iiijd And // the same had for her pte xxs The sayd Sine had also for the lyfe of Richard Burde xxl and about and the Quene // had for her pte cs. To the vij he sayth that he knoweth not if any copies that were made to the Stuerde men of the sayd revercons nether hath // Herd of any fyne that they payd to the Quenes matie for the same. To the viij he saythe that the steward hath refused to make grante in revercon to sondrie of the Tennte wch wold have // surrendred ther estate and renewed their coopies for other lyves. To the ixth he saythe nothinge Roger keate of fordington aforesaid f thaige [the age] of xl [40] yeres or theraboute sworn and examyned to the firste inter saythe that// Thoms carewe esquire hath ben Steward of the manr of fordington these xij yeres to his knowledge To the second iij and iiij interr he saythe nothinge To all the rest of the interr he saythe as henrie chownte before hath sayd. John Eames of fordington of thage [the age] of liij [53] yeres or theraboute Sworne and examyned to the firste interr saythe that // Thomas carewe esquier hath ben Steward of fordington these xij yeres at the leaste. To the second interr he saythe that the steward hath made grante of sondrie Tente wt/in the sayd mannr but howe // many or for what fynes he remembreth not To the third & ffowerthe interr he saythe nothinge To the fyvethe he sayth that the steward hath granted awaye certen revercons of the custimrie Tente from the Tente // in possession to his srinte not wthstanding the sayd Tennt in possession have desired to take the same revercino for th[eir] // children and frende. But what the custom is he speakethe but by heare saye To the vj interr he saythe that the steward hath granted awaye sondrie revercons to his srvnte but whether he ___// suffer the Tennte in possession to take the same for ther children and frende before they had compounded with the sayd S___// for the prmyse by hym to them made or no he know not nevertheles he saythe that his men have receyved for the // grannte and promises made by ther mr of the Tente in possession those srvntes folowinge viz of John whyte // vjl xiijs iijd before xls payd by the sayd whyte for the Quenes pte of John Byrd xxvl ijs viijd // before vl by hym payd for the Quenes pte And of henrie chownte vjl xijs iiijd before// xxs by the sayd henrie payd for the Quenes pte. To the vijth he saythe that the stuerde men did sell the grante in revercon promised by ther mr before they eyther payd any fyne to // the Quenes matie or had anni copies of the same and he remembreth iiij that hathe ben souled To the viij he saythe that Wm Belman Richard Cusens and John Bunne wolde have surrendred ther estate in ther Tente to have enowed [endowed?] // ther copies for more lyves but the Steward refused to make them any grante of the same sayinge that his pmyse was alredie paste. To the ixth he saythe nothinge. Robt Towpe ^ats Tuppe^ of fordington of thaige [the age] of xxxviij [38] or theraboute sworne and examyned to the firste interr saythe that// Thoms carewe esquier hath ben steward of the manor of fordington these xij yeares at the leaste To the second he saythe nothing To the thirde he saythe that he knowt/ not whether the hole fynes that enie man dyd compound wt the steward for to paye // to the Quenes matie or any her noble pytmtes were set upon ther copies or no but for his __b__rye lxvjs viijd is set hoolie on his copie To all the reste of thinterr he sayth in all thinges as John Eames before hath sayd John Barne of fordington aforesayd of thaige [the age] of lij [52] yeres Sworne and examyned to the firste interr sayth that Thoms // carewe esquier hath ben steward of fordington xiiij yeres and somewhat more ./ To the second he saythe that he hath knowen dyvers grante made by coopie of courte Rolle of that manor by the // said Steward but he remembreth not what fynes were payd for the same To the thirde& iiijth he sayth nothinge To the vth he saythe that the steward hath granted awaye the revercons of sondrie [?] of the custumrie Tente from // the Tenante in possession which hath desired to take the same for there children & frende w/out the consent or // agreannt of the said Tennte in possession but concyninge the custome in that poynt he speaketh but by heresaye To the vj interr he saythe in all things as John Eames before hath sayd To the vij interr he saythe nothinge To the viij he sayth that where Edythe Justin and Robt Bertlet wolde have surrendered there severall estate // to have renewed ther copies for other lyves the sayd Steward refused to make them any grante for longer estate // sayinge that his pmyse was alredie paste To the ixth he saythe nothinge Peter Maber of holuyl [Holwell?] in the sayd countie of Dorset of thage [the age] of xlti [40] yeres or theraboute Sworne & examyned to the // firste interr Saythe that Thomas Carewe esquire hath ben Steward of fordington these xiiij yeres and somewhat more To the second and thirdinter he saythe nothinge To the fowrthe interrogatorie he saythe that he was understeward of the sayd manr by the span of // xv or xvj yeres in the tyme of Thomas Trenchard kniyht then highe Steward of the saide // d__inge wch tyme and by all that span he never herd or knewe the Tennte of fordington to have or clayme// by any custom the revercon of ther copieholde before a Stranger fr ther children or frende painge to the Quenes // matie for reasonable fyne for the same / To the reste of the interrogatories he saythe nothinge// Fforsomoche as enne of the deponents aforesaid nor ani other could certenlie answer the second and third interr.we have // __ordinge us by the sayd interr it is wylled from all the coopies made by the above named Thoms carewe since he was steward of fordington, // and have hereunder _ynoted what fynes, as expressed upon enie of the sayd copies and what wantenthe in enie if // them wch the Tennte payd moure than is set upon the same as also what the sayd Steward men did take if eny & // of the Tennte for suche grannte and pmyses as they made to them if eny ther revercons wch [obscured] said Ten__under// the severall othes before us did declare viz |