Pencombe and Herefordshire

 Searching through the Herefordshire Archives catalogue a couple of entries of interest:

Monday before Saint Peter in Cathedra 8 Edward III [21 February 1334], 1334
Reference number    A63/I/1/5
Date(s)   1334
Scope and content   
Michael de Grendene for common essoin through Henry the bailiff; John Bernard the same through William his bailiff; William de Wotton the same through Richard his son; Testified by the bailiff that Nicholas de Cimiterio has died and the bailiff after his death took the equivalent of a mark as heriot and the land was seised into the lord's hands, and John his son comes as his heir apparent and does homage and fealty, and acknowledges that he holds of the lord a messuage and half hide of land in Chirworde for the service of 12d a year; half a virgate and 12a. of land in Wooton hide rendering the lord for every service 1d and 7a. of land in Bigfield rendering the lord 6d and suit of court every three weeks, wardship, marriage, heriot, relief when it happens, and afterwards John gives as a relief 3s 2d; Roger Ilger has a day at the next court ...; Richard le Parkar in mercy for not having Nicholas le Parkar for whom he stood surety; Ordered to secure Nicholas by better sureties, afterwards Nicholas comes and pays his fine and does not find a surety; Ordered as several times before to distrain John le Bonde for several defaults; Ordered to distrain William le Parkar to pay homage and for arrears of rent; Ordered to take into the lord's hands land that was Alice de Cimiterio's for certain ? tithes; Ordered to distrain all tenants holding lands which were Nicholas de Fraxino's; Ordered to distrain Henry de Went for several defaults; A cow taken as heriot of Petronilla de la Stone remains in the lord's hands whom etc.; Total of the court with heriot fines and revenues of the bailiff 25s 7d delivered to him as appears in his estreats; Court of Pencomb Wednesday on the feast of Saint Lawrence 8 Edward III [10 August 1334]; Thomas de Houton for common essoin throuth John de la Wode; John de Honaldewode the same through John le Forster; John de Pencomb the same through William his father; John de Cimiterio the same through Arnald de la Grene; Anflissa de la Asche the same through William de la ...; Ordered to distrain John le Bonde for several defaults and afterwards John acknowledges that he is a suitor of the court, nonetheless it is ordered that the bailiff distrain him and afterwards he pays his fine ...; Ordered as before to distrain William le Parkar for arrears of rent and several defaults; Thomas de Maydenhyde is accused because he has sold land ... and also ... land which was Alice de Cimiterio's which was taken into the hand of the lord. It is testified by the bailiff ... and the bailiff is ordered to answer ...; As several times ordered to distrain all tenants holding lands which were Nicholas de Fraxino's; Ordered to distrain Henry de Went for several defaults; John ?Bernard comes and acknowledges ... all land ... ... service 3s ... ...; The dispute ... ... to the next on surety of ... de Fraxino; The dispute ... ... to the next on the surety of Nicholas de ?Thourdeston; Testified that Roger Ilger has alienated his land and the bailiff there took seisin ... Houton ... at the next adjourned on the surety of ... de la Asche; John Coliard and John de Grafton were sureties for Garin de Grendon to have him at the next and because Garin has not come; John Coliard and John Grafton are in mercy.; John son of Nicholas de la Churcheyord at the next, he has not come, surety John de la Stone to return a saddle here this day; Testified by the bailiff that the saddle has not been returned therefore John de la Stone in mercy. Ordered that John de la Churcheyord be distrained; John le Bond de Marston pays a fine because Richard de la Asche should do suit of court for himself as for tenements of Nicholas de Fraxino; Total of the court with pleas perquisites and reliefs and the attachments of the bailiff 48s 4d

For a service of 7d a year at the aforesaid times and suit of court for Pencombe every three weeks.
Reference number   A63/I/1/9
Scope and content   
Dispute touching the Abbot of Wigmore is adjourned until the next.; Dispute touching John de Bitterley for an encroachment? in Heckwod is adjourned until the next; John de Tullinton in mercy for not having the Dean of Hereford for whom he stood surety; Ordered to distrain the Dean to be at the next and the Prior of Saint John of Jeruselem to show how he holds his rent in Nerer Hakeley.; Balwyn de Wyteneye plaintiff opposes Roger Parson in a plea of trespass, because Roger on Monday after the beheading of Saint John the Baptist harmfully dug and carried away his land at Sclykis Furlong to a damage of 20s. Roger does not defend whereupon Balwyn asks for sentence although there is no defence and the suitors say that he has restored? insufficiently. Considered that Balwyn has (sic) recovered damages and Roger in mercy; The lord as plaintiff opposes Hugh de Wotton in a plea of trespass that Hugh and his household ... have cut his wood at Heckwood to a damage of 20s and a value of 20s and he brings his suit ...; Considered that the lord shall recover damages and Hugh in mercy; The same Hugh is accused because he has attached Roger de Hope in Heckwood and Roger the said attachment ... he has an attachment for his own use and Hugh denies this and wages law, surety for the lawsuit John Hakele ...; [Reg]inald de Wytheneye plaintiff opposes Margery and her household .. of Reginald to a value oof 40d and damage of 5s and brings a suit ... surety for the suit John de Hakele; ... de Brockbur does fealty and acknowledges he holds amessuage and half a virgate of land ... once Milo de Hyde's, 19d, suit of court every three weeks .. [heriot] when it happens and he gives for heriot half a mark, surety John de Pencomb.; ... Tullinton chaplain has done fealty and acknowledges he holds a messuage ... in Wotton for a service of 12d a year for all services and gives ...; ... la Nasch has done fealty and has a day for acknowledging at the next; Total of the court with attachments ... s

The date of 1334 for John de Pencomb whose father was William de Pencomb in the first document is interesting. Something closer to the mid 1400s to the late 1400s would be very helpful but finding the forenames and the surname is certainly very edifying. 

An interesting item on the Discovery Catalogue (UK Archives):

Pencombe Court of Robert Whiteneye knight
This record is held by Herefordshire Archive and Records Centre
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Reference:    A63/I/1/28
Title:    Pencombe Court of Robert Whiteneye knight
Description:   
Thursday 21 July 7 Henry VI [1429]

 The free tenants present that the Dean and Chapter of Hereford 2s Richard Wallewayn esq
 
12d Richard Bitterley 12d, Tenants of the lands and tenements of John Merssh of Merschcourt 6d who owe suit have defaulted they are in mercy

 John Grafton from suit at this court through William Churcheley essoiner. He has a day at the next.

The customary tenants present the default of Magote Drayton and Katherine Pencombe They are in mercy and are pardoned by the steward because they are weak and infirm. .............

and another

 Debtor: John de Pencombe of Bromyard [Herefords.], citizen of Herefords. Creditor:...
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Reference:    C 241/117/38
Description:   
Debtor: John de Pencombe of Bromyard [Herefords.], citizen of Herefords.

Creditor: Master Thomas de Astley, Canon of Hereford, Prebendary of Bromyard.

Amount: £82, of good and legal sterling silver, on account of a loan.

Before whom: Robert de Hampton, Bailiff; William de Aylton, Clerk; at Hereford.

When taken: 29/11/1339

First term: 29/09/1340

Last term: 29/09/1340

Writ to: Sheriff of Herefords

Sent by: Nicholas de Bromyard, Bailiff; William de Aylton Clerk; at Hereford.

Endorsement: Hereford': coram Iusticiariis de Banco.

Date:    1343 Nov 8

It does appear the fortunes of the Pencombe family in the 1340s in Herefordshire have not improved by 1428 (first item from the UK Archives) (Henry VI was King from 1421 to 1471 but it was a broken reign and if this record is from the second reign it would refer to 1477 which is much closer to the date). Only two female members of this family are mentioned at least I am assuming that Magote Drayton is a married daughter and Katherine Pencombe (but she could be a widow) still a spinster. Any children would not be mentioned likely in this document. It is still early though if 1428 but very interesting if actually 1477 as I am looking for a John de Pencombe still fairly young in the latter part of the 1480s. This is during the War of the Roses though and there was a lot of upheaval especially in the Midlands of England. Loss of life was high and likely quite a few minors in wardship. No records yet on that so will continue looking. I have now seen that John, William and Thomas are historically forenames in the Pencombe family which is also a step forward. 

Today is cleaning day and much time to be devoted to that item. However, I may take another glance at the Herefordshire archival records in my break times. I think the Newsletter for the 1st of June is mulling around in my brain these days and will start it this week. The 833 records in the Excel file from another researcher have proven to be interesting and provide another person's insight into this family in particular during the 1500s that I have already worked on. I will use the results of that set of data in the next Newsletter as well. Drawing the possible conclusion that Philip Pynkeham at Tawstock could be a sibling to the other three sons of John Pencombe and Edward Pencombe found at Tawstock on the Subsidy of 1581 the son of Philip is also a tantalizing thought. Proving some of this would be so much easier with wills but in the long run place and time also play a large role. Finding the material in the Herefordshire records is also most interesting. I do have some background knowledge of the War of the Roses (but it is distant in my mind) and will have a check on what was happening in Hereford in the mid 1300s into the mid 1400s from a viewpoint of historical happenings that involved the Plantagenets and the Lancastrians. It is a long time since I have even thought of those two sides in the War of the Roses. I certainly never thought that this historical period would have any effect on my ancestry for sure. 

Looks like sun today and it is  now 5 degrees celsius  but feels like 2 degrees celsius. The high today only 17 but again a typical May day. We have left winter behind though as I seldom remember snow past the Victoria Day weekend. Summer is ahead of us and certainly the dry month of July. Perhaps today and tomorrow we can get some seed planting done - the carrots, the lettuces and putting up the rabbit proof fencing! Other than that I am looking for breakfast and it is time. God is in our world as always looking down on us from above; looking at us through the trees and wondering when mankind will learn to love their fellow man as themselves. When greed and envy will disappear from our world and men and women will work together for a better future for the world and all of its people. 

Exciting news that SpaceX has taken two Saudi Arabian astronauts to the International Space Station yesterday and today a female scientist from Saudi Arabia - wonderful. Gradually the world is taking part in space - where God dwells. Where I do not know but my very soul tells me He is there.