Request for assistance reading a case from 1556

Question

Hi,

I recently purchased a copy of a 1556 case that mentions two of my ancestors and I need some help decoding it.

The case is Wysewall v Asheman [1556–1558] C 1/1485/59. It involves my ancestor Anne Ashman formely Baynton nee Fynamore, the daughter of Walter Fynamore, gent, widow of Robert Baynton, gent (also an ancestor), and wife of William Ashman, gent. She and her husband were sued by her niece Elizabeth Wysewall, the wife of Ralph Wysewall and granddaughter of Walter Fynamore.

Because of its age and poor physical state, I am unable to read the case. If there is anyone who is able to understand it, I would like to know:

• What is the case about?
• Is there anything in the case that explains further who Anne's first husband, Robert Baynton, was and when he passed away? I am interested in finding out how he relates to the Baynton family of Bromham, I know that he was bequeathed land in the 1545 will of Sir Edward Baynton, but Edward did not mention his relationship to Robert.
• What can we learn about Anne from the case?
• What can we learn about Walter Fynamore from the case?
• Does the case say anything about Anne's son Edward Baynton, gent?
• Is there anything else in the case that could teach me more about Anne and her family?

The case is available here. Any help you can offer would be very much appreciated as I understand how difficult it can be to read very old documents such as this one.

Answer 1

Ooh that's a tricky one! I might be able to make a out a few bits, I can see the testament of Walter Fennymoore mentioned, whether it will be enough to get the gist of it I don't know! It's interesting to me though as we're working in roughly the same area.

Comments

I've sent what I've managed, perhaps someone else can fill in some of the missing bits. The gist of it is that the Ashmans apparently refused to give Elizabeth her legacies (because of her marriage?)

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Robert beynton [Inferred?] that where the same Robert
fourtye markes to & towarde her preferement yn
   Anne then his wyffe & [...] now the wyfffe of [wylliam?] Asheman
where? also one Walter fenymore grandfather to the said Elizabethe yn consyderaton of the better ...
...aste gave to her one cowe [&?] to have her & the encrease thereof w[hi]ch was then delyv[er]ed to theym ...
... aboute xxth daye of maye in the yere of o[ur] lord god A thousand fyve hundred fiftie & seven ...
devysed [in/to?] the same Elisabeth xx£ to be delyvered to her ^at the day of ^her mariage And where the same Walter [...]
... testament devysed geve and bequeth [^to the same Elizabeth] [...] to have, to her & to her heires one capitall
... comonlie called the [Crowne?] w[i]th all the houses land[es] & ten[amen]ts to the said capitall ...
... as said the one adyoyning to the brydge betweene the water their upon the [...] p[ar]te ...
of Th... S... of the northe p[ar]te and the other standeth in the strete at Calne aforesaid comonlie called ...
of one Will[ia]m [Norris?] and the third? meise? standeth in the Strete their called pattesfurde strete and then ...
... his land[es]  ?aites [...] [...] comons and hereditam[en]ts whatsoev[er] to the said meises? or anye of theym ....
... the [...] or anye of theym of w[hi]ch said laste remembred Testament the same Walter fenymoore ...
... onelye and sole Executour unto whose hand[es] ... the cheif of the substances? goodes chattells plat[e] all...
... the full [...] of her livinge at the ... by reason she? intermaried w[i]th the said ...
... w[i]thin a shorte space after the death ...... as Alsoe all the goods chattell[es] plate ...
... Amongest? other all the charters.....  the said ... and other the ...
... her heires of the same Walter fenymore dyd [...] [...] the land[es] and [...] of the same ...
... the detts of the said [...] and walter be fullie satisfied or els longe? Ag... might fe? have bynne ...
... chattell[es] in thand[es] of the said Will[ia]m and Anne w[i]th [...] overplus to suffice the same And ....
... of xl?ij? yeres? and above and lawfullie maried to the said Raff Wysewall the other of the supplicants ...
... and ... and erneste frendlie request[es] to the said Asheman & his said wif?
... if the said [...] w[i]th her encrease and of the said Evidens and alsoe of the said two sev[er]all legacies of...
... or anye of them to delyv[er] the said Asheman and his said wief have allway[es] refused and yet do refuse..
...able yntents and p[ur]passes of late have solde awaye the said cowe? and suche other one of....
.... and fynd and saye that [...] the debts of the said Robert beynton...
... true as truth knowed? ...theise compleyn[a]nts that is nott the onely done for the yntent and ...
.... they............ and still w[i]tholde from the said [...] the said legacies and ...
... them [...] to lyve because the said Rauffe? ys A [draper?] and shuld well live
... he ys compelled to for.. to his greit?...
... and de... to the said Elsabeth and her [heires?] of..
... and ....possession the certentye...
said orato[r] ........ they shalbe thus kept from all the p[re]miss[es] to [their?] utter hyndrannce and ....
w[i]thout helpe or redresse [...] suche [...] Except y[our] grace the [premisses?] ...
...of.......

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^Just in case anyone can see the missing parts.

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This is amazing, thank you very much Gill! You got much more transcribed than I was able to.

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You're welcome!

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Wow. I'm pretty good at 19th and 18th century handwriting, but this is something else entirely.

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It all comes easier with practice :) I wish I could have got more of it!

Answer 2

I uploaded a new copy of the manuscript. I tried to improve the readability. Hope it helps