Thrale/Thrall history

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given to Richard Eyles, the Clerk of the Court, to be entered into the Court Rolls. Since that time Richard Eyles had delivered copies of the minutes to George Clark, Edmund Feld, Thomas Feld, William Chapell, Roger Chapell, and Richard Chapell, who were stated by the representatives to be Bondmen of the Monastery. The defendants - the bondmen - denied the allegations and themselves alleged that the statements were made at Stevenage where the plaintiffs' friends, kinsmen and relatives lived, and that the plaintiffs intended to have the case heard by the special friends living at that town. The plaintiffs retorted that they had acted honourably and without malice, spoken the truth and could prove it.

High taxation was the price to pay for a certain affluence. In the Lay Subsidies, Robert Thrale was the highest taxed of 48 others in Sandridge, part of the Hundred Cashio. Rob't Thrale in goodes ... ciiij^s … Ixvj^S viji^d.¹⁰ The Hundred of Cashio included many parishes and manors, such as St. Albans (Myddyl Ward, Holywell Ward, Fyshpoole Ward, Seynt Petyrs Ward), hamlets of Westwyck, Chyldwick and Kyngysburg, in St. Michelles parish, and many others stretching from Watford to Redbourn. At the same time in the Hundred of Flitt for the manor of Westhyde, William Thrale was the highest taxed taxed of sixteen names. Wyll'm Thrale y n goodes xx^li … subs' xx ^S.¹¹

Alice, widow of Robert Thrale the elder, had upon his death gone to live in the Hundred of Flitt as mentioned in her son's will, this area very likely being her home originally. She became the second wife of Simon Fitz the elder of Aspley Guise, a land holder of some standing. By his will proved in 1544¹² he left to various members of his family land at Blundells, Flitton, Pulloxhill, Aspley Guise, Barton-in-the-Clay, Higham Gobion, all in the Hundred of Flitt. He gave Alice life interest in certain assets, asked to be buried alongside his first wife Margaret, gave legacies to many churches in the Hundred, and also willed that "an oneste preste to signe owt the thre years that I have begone for the sowll of my father and my mother, my granner and my grandam and myne and also for the sowll of John Sylam".

With regard to Blundells, Simon had purchased the reversion from Richard Farmer, already mentioned several times, and the subsequent history of this manor with much genealogical data can be gleaned from Chancery actions.¹³ Likewise with the manor of Beeches, the King at the time of the Dissolution granted it to Simon Fitz, and its descent was similar to that of Blundells.

Footnotes

10. Cashio 16 Henry VIII E.179/120/134.↩︎
11. Flitt 14-15 Henry VIII E.179/71/110.↩︎
12. Bedfordshire Record Office.↩︎
13. C.P. Series 2 Bdl 63 No.10 Court of Requests Bdl 54 No.36.↩︎