Land Grant.
Vellum Document, 1p, 11¼" X 6 3/4" (bottom 3/4" folded over), likely penned in Ashley-Cum-Silverley, Cambridge, England, late 15th century. Very good. Moderate age toning only. Two-prong vellum cord affixed at bottom bears partial thick wax seal. Item #52517
Boldly and attractively penned in typical late Middle English, this land grant conveys land from one party to another using the medieval concept of feoffment (official land transfer from a freehold estate). Roughly translated and condensed, the opening portion reads: "Grant by John Burgoyne and Thomas Cotton to Nicholas Hunstot and John Wiburn land formerly belonging to Henry Kirkby in a feoffment by deed of 8th March, 1st Henry VII, to John Cheyne knight, Clement Hotham and Richard Ade to be held by the chief lords of the fee and have appointed attorneys for delivery John Colet and John Bothey, 14th December 10th, Henry VII...." Lots of "maybes" and "likelys" and "possiblys" -- none of them certain -- among these names: The Burgoyne family is strongly tied to Cambridgeshire, one John Burgoyne (1356–1435) a politician and Member of Parliament for that county, possibly related to the John Burgoyne of this document; a Thomas Cotton (1439-99) was a notable local knight and sheriff of Cambridge; a knight named John Cheyne (c. 1424-89) likely belonged to the prominent local family that included Sir William Cheyne (died 1438) a chief justice and Thomas Cheyne (1485-1558) a noted diplomat; John Colet may conceivably be famed scholar and church reformer who became Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London -- he went to Italy and France in 1493 to study law. Henry VII (1457-1509) ruled as King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1485 to 1509, likely dating this to the late 15th century. A relatively common type of document given its half a millennium age, but a clean and attractive example involving a number of families well known in this area at that time.
Price: $395.00