Manuscripts and Special Collections
Ma B 201/5 : Document relating to the quarrel between Laxton and Moorhouse, 26 March 1681
March 26th. 1681
Laxton in Nottinghamshire.
Whereas at Mich[aelmas] Courte for the said Mann[or] held at Mich[aelmas] 1680 for the Rt. Hon[ora]ble Robert now Earle of Kingston then Robert Pierrepont Esq[ui]re there was an Agreement drawne up by M[ist]er Will[ia]m Scrimshire Stweward of the said Court intending to end all differrances betweene the Towne of Mourehouse & Laxton. But soe it is & wee whoses names are hereto subscribed being some of the persons who did sett our handes to that agreement doe declare that we knew not the contents of the said Agreement and did not doubt but what M[ist]er Scrimshire had writ was for our good & by the order of the hon[ora]ble Elizabeth Pierrepont Mother to the said Earle, & that when we scrupled any we were over awed by M[ist]er Scrimshire & soe signed to what he pleased & afterwards when we came to understand it there was more granted to Morehouse then M[ist]er Hind or any of Morehouse Tennants ever asked or pretended to.
And we can justifie that Morehouse Tennants never had any Right of Common or Reake nor any gates but what the[y] paid for with us or in any of our feilds belongeing to this Towne, unlesse it were such Tennants as held Lands in Laxton then they enjoyed a share with us for that Land unlesse it be the meadows after mentioned. And we can further justifie that when theire Chattle [cattle] came into our grounds they where impounded till satisfaction was made. And there is severall Copies of a Ratem[en]t made above one hundred yeares since whereby it appeares what gates every man of Laxton had to his house, & Morehouse had noe Right to any nor ever enjoyed any, but indeed M[ist]er Augustin Hinde deceased and his sonn since hath for nine or Tenn yeares past enjoyed com[m]on in Rongsicke feilde because he was an emminent mann and we could not dispute it with him, but he had noe right to it. The Tennants of Morehouse have taken reake w[i]th Laxton in Southlound and Easting & that M[ist]er Hind for himselfe hath taken Reake in the Long meadow but by what right is not knowne.
This was read publickly (to the persons who have hereto sett theire hands) three times and M[ist]er Richard Eustis did in behalfe of the Earle of Kingston and by order of Madam Pierrepont his mother disowne and disclayme that Agreement made by Master Scrimshire as above.
Witnes
Val. Roos
Richard Eustis
John Cleaton
