| Description | John Cary esq; William Saunders; Philadelphia lady Wentworth (widow of Thomas lord Wentworth, son and heir apparent of Thomas earl of Cleveland deceased), Isaac Bringhurst, William Butts, and Henrietta Lady Wentworth (infant grandchild and heiress of the earl of Cleveland), plaintiffs, v Francis Howell, gent, Ann his wife (widow of William Robinson); and Ann Robinson (infant daughter of William, by her guardian), defendants.
This document summarizes the ownership of Stepney Manor following the earl of Cleveland's mortgage of it to Richard Cartwright in 1632. Following a number of assignments of the mortgage, and the earl's inability to repay various debts, Richard Blackwall and Sir William Smith became possessed of the manor, but in the Interregnum the earl's estate was 'sequestered and ordered to be sold by the usurping powers', who appointed trustees to sell (including William Robinson). Although Blackwall and Smith's title was clear, Robinson threatened them that they would receive no compensation unless they conveyed Bishops Hall, part of the manor, to Mrs Denne and others, in trust for himself, which they were forced to do 'without compensation except 6s'.
After the Restoration, Parliament declared that any mortgages of the manor made since 1630 could be redeemed at equity, so the plaintiffs (above) on behalf of the heiresses of the late earl, claimed possession of the manor from the defendants (the heirs of Robinson and Blackwall).
On dorse, 'it is ordered the bill dismissed with ordinary coste.' |