STAC 5/A6/17

From Waalt

STAC 5/A6/17 - B - 38 Eliz - Berkshire - Almoner v William Stevens

Transcribed by Helen Good

Bill

To the Queenes moste excellent Majestie Humbly complayning sheweth unto your highnes your Majestes humble & obedient subject Richard by the providence of god Bushopp of London your Majestes Almoner. That whereas one Edmonde Bullock late of Eaton in the parishe of Appleforde in your Majestes County of Barkshire labourer about the Fourtenthe daye of January in the xxxvijth yeare of your Majestes moste prosperous raigne thatching a certeine stack or rick of beanes & peaze one of the staves of the ladder on which the saide Edmonde Bullock stoode upon in thatching the saide stack or rick did breake so that the saide Edmonde Bullock by misadventure fell from the toppe of the said ladder & Rick upon a pronge which did reare to a hedge joyning to the said stack or Ricke and so the next daye followeng dyed of the saide fall and hurte from the topp of the said Rick and ladder. By reason whereof the saide stack or rick of beanes and peaze with the saide Ladder and pronge all the same being accidentes to the deathe of the saide Edmonde Bullock & goodes moveable being of the value of Twenty Nobles & upwardes are forfeyted to your Majestie as a Deodand as belonging to your Majestes prorogatyve royall and ought to be at the disposition of your Majestes said Almoner by vertue of your Majestes gracious lettres patentes unto your said subject & Almoner in that behalf graunted & made as by the same lettres patents at large maye appeare. But so yt is if it maie please your moste excellent Majestie that one William Stevens of Eaton in the saide parishe of Appleford husbandman whoe did owe the saide stack or Rick of beanes & peaze from the height whereof the saide Edmonde Bullock fell which was the chief occasion of his saide deathe being of the value abovesaide dothe with holde deteyne and kepe the said stack or rick of beanes and peaze & the Ladder & pringe from your Majestes saide Almoner and hathe refused & still dothe refuse to deliver all the same or the value thereof to your Majestes saide Almoner whoe hathe right to all the same by reason of the saide Edmonde Bullock his deathe as aforesaide. All which the saide William Stevens his doinges in with holding the foresaide goodes contrary to lawe equity and conscience & denyeng to make satisfaccion to your Majestes said Almoner according to the value of them and in practizing by all subtill and sinister meanes he can or maye Devise to defeate your Majestes right to all the same & your Majesties said Almoner from the disposicion thereof tende any to the breache of your Majestes Lawes & any to the evill example of suche like evill disposed persons & lewde offendors if condigne and worthie punishment for the redresse thereof were not provided in that behalf. Maie yt therefore please your most excellent Majestie the premisses considered to graunt your moste graciious writt of Subpena out of your Majestes highe Courte of Starre chamber to be directed to the said William Stevens comaunding him by vertue thereof personally to be and appeare in your Majestes Courte of Starre Chamber before the Lordes of your Majestes moste honorable privy Counsell at a certeine daye and under a certeine payne by your Highnes to be lymitted and appointed then and there to answere all and every the premisses and to abide suche order therein as the saide Lordes of your Majestes Counsell shall upon the hearing of the caise order and sett downe. And your Majestes humble and loyall subject will Daylie praye as he is moste bounden for the prosperous estate of your Majestes moste royall person long to raigne and rule over us.