| Description | To Richard Trygge of Hanley, county of Worcester (Wygorn'), wheeler, and Henry Hanley of Hanley, husbandman,his joint and separate attorneys, to deliver in his name to Richard Tele of Tewkesbury (Tewesbury), county of Gloucester, hooper (hopere), full and peaceful seisin of and in the rents and services which William Cole of Hanley has been accustomed to render to the grantor for the whole of that messuage with its lands, meadows, pastures and pasture rights with all appurtenances, situated in Hanley between the land of the said Richard Tele on the west and that of John atte Wode on the east, and extending from the king's highway in front (anterius) [of the messuage] on the south to the land of Robert Hancock behind it (posterius) on the north; and also the reversion of the messuage when it occurs with all appurtenances, according to the effect of the charter recently executed for the same Richard Tele by the grantor, who regards and will regard as ratified whatever his attorneys either jointly or singly perform or conduct (duxerint) in his name. Sealing clause.
[No witnesses].Dated at : [no place given].
Seal: red wax, device of a quadruped; legend illegible.
1. Roger Grove, probably one of the family originally called de Grava now lived in Bristol and so could not be present in person at the seisin. For the mobility of tenants, and migration both to and from Hanley, see Toomey, Medieval Woodland Manor, 184. This is the earliest grant of attorney surviving in the Hanley documents.
2. This is the first mention in the Hanley documents of a husbandman, as much an economic as a social classification, between that of yeoman and labourer. Henry Hanley was probably related to the forester's family, and although styling himself a mere husbandman he witnessed several deeds. By contrast Thomas de Hanley, who was forester and head of the family, describes himself as esquire (armiger); he thus ranked himself among the gentry, between knights and gentlemen. See also note 1.
3. Witnesses were not required for a grant of attorney.
[Ref. 125 in J. P. Toomey, Records of Hanley Castle (Worcs. Hist. Soc. 2001) [q.v. for additional details])] |