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A Yorkshire Almanac Comprising 366 Historical Extracts, Red-letter Days and Customs, and Astronomical and Meteorological Data

19 February 1557: At a tithe hearing, Ralph Dicconson (60) of Malton recalls his visits 40 years ago as a pedlar to Kirkham Priory before its dissolution in 1539

John Stanley Purvis. 1949. Select XVI Century Causes in Tithe. Yorkshire Archaeological Society. Reproduction by kind permission of Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society. Get it:

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Excerpt

Ralph Dicconson of New Malton, labourer aged 60, has known Hardy Flatts [a field on the York-Malton Road near Whitwell-on-the-Hill] this 40 years and more, and has much used to go by the same. He has sometime bated his horse upon the broad balk whilst he mended his wool packs, and he says men of Welburn would have comed to him and would have carried his horse to Welburn poundfold, and this deponent would have given them fair words, and so they would let them go. And he further says that he used to drive fish 40 years since and more from Malton to Kirkham with one Thomas Danby, then the convent cook at Kirkham, and about the said time he says he see the parson of Bulmer man then called Parson Jackson receive of Sir John Catton, then canon of the kitchen, certain salt fish which he carried away on horseback from Kirkham, and he saith he heard one of the priory servants come to Sir John Catton in the Priory of Kirkham then Prior Buttery for the delivery of the salt fish to the Parson of Bulmer, and he says when the fish was delivered he asked Sir John Catton wherefore he delivered the fish to the parson of Bulmer, and he told this deponent that the fish was delivered for the tithe of a ground called Hardy Flatts lying at Carvidale Crose, according to one agreement which was made betwixt Prior Buttery and the Parson of Bulmer called Parson Jackson, and he saith Parson Jackson and Parson Willobie and one Robert Jackson, then keeper of Henderskelfe, dined with the Prior of Kirkham the said day, and he saith one Richard Stamper was then the prior’s cook, Thomas Danby the convent cook and Robyn More the scullion of the kitchen, and he this deponent dwelt at that time with one Robert Baker of Malton, fish-driver and wool-driver.

To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations:

  • ER: East Riding
  • GM: Greater Manchester
  • NR: North Riding
  • NY: North Yorkshire
  • SY: South Yorkshire
  • WR: West Riding
  • WY: West Yorkshire

Comment

Comment

This broad balk is presumably a portion left untouched between ploughed portions as boundary, path or waste – see e.g. this beautiful medieval ridge and furrow at Pickering. I’m guessing it’s the boundary with Welburn land on the east of the plot shown on this satellite image – but this may help clarify. Also historical mapping.

Ra.: Radulphus, Ralph?

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Original

Ra. Dicconson of Newe Malton, laborer, aged 60.
hath knowne Hardie Flate this fourtie yeres and more and hath muche usid to go by the same he hathe sometyme bated his horse upon the brode balke whilste he mendid his wooll packes and he saith men of Welborne wolde have comed to hyme and wolde have caried his horse to Welborne poundfolde and this deponente wolde have given theme faire wordes and so they wold let them goo And he further saith that he used to drive fishe xl yeres sence and more from Malton to Kirkham with one Thomas Danbie then the Convent cooke at Kirkham, and abouttes the said tyme he saith he se the Parson of Bulmer man then called Parson Jackson receave of Sir John Catton then Chanon of the Kitchin certain saltefishe which he carried awaie on horsebake frome Kirkham, and he saith he harde one of the Prior servauntes come to Sir John Catton in the Prior of Kirkham name then Prior Butterie for the delyvery of the saltefishe to the Parson of Bulmer man and he saithe when the fishe was delivered he asked Sir John Catton wherfore he delivered the fishe to the parson of Bulmer man and he tolde this deponent that the fishe was delivered for the tithe of a grounde called Hardie Flate lienge at Carvidale Crose accordinge to one agreament which was made betwixte Prior Butterie and the Parson of Bulmer called Parson Jackson and he saith Parson Jackson and Parson Willobie and one Robert Jackson then keper of Hynderskelf dyned with the Prior of Kirkham the said daie, and he saith one Ric. Stamper was then the Prior cooke, Thos. Danbie the Convent cooke and Robyn More the Skolyon of the kitchin, and he this deponent dwelte at that tyme with one Robt. Baker of Malton fishedriver and wooldriver

314 words.

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