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413 - Benett family of Pythouse, Tisbury

1 - Public office

2 - Manorial

3 - Estate

4 - Title deeds

5 - Legal

6 - Probate

7 - Executorship papers

8 - Correspondence

9 - Household

10 - Genealogy

11 - Personal

1 - Assignment and grant of wardship and marriage, Sir Lewis Pollard (? 1465-1540) judge, to Anthony Pollard his cousin, the wardship and marriage of Alexander Wollecombe son of Thomas Woolecombe deceased. With letter and translation, 1913.

2 - Award of Henry Tooker of Salisbury in a dispute between William Benett clerk, William his son and William Mellesent on one hand, and Thomas Bernett and William his son, sons and executors of William Benett their father, on the other.

3 - Memorandum, Matthew Wallis of Westbury acknowledges receipt of two obligations of John Hadnet of Devizes in which William Benett of Norton Bavant is bound to John Hadnet in sums of money, Wallis binding himself to Hadnet to procure such sums as Benett has.

4 - Note-book (16 ff.) of memoranda recording a series of payments by William Benett of Norton Bavant and Thomas Benett of Westbury to William Weston of Dorchester, with the hour, place (porch of St Martin’s, Salisbury) and witnesses. Bound loosely in a fragment (11½” x 13”) of accounts of the (?) manor of Calne [c.mid-16th cent.}, recording the value of rents {with mention of land in Whatyndon, Quemerford, Abberd, Waynehyll, ‘Toppe of John Bradfield , Thomas Hyllere, Richard Style, Robert Hatherett, Robert Sawyer, Walter Pontyng William Stapulford, William Chandler, William Gogh, John Gryffyn, William Aleyn and Thomas Fynnamore] and a reference to the Hospital {of St John the Baptist and St Anthomny] of the lord in Calne.

5 - Plan of Poole, Dorset. With (i) printed caption, (ii) Coat of arms, coloured.

6 - Receipt by John Benett, Collector, of William Kent, £8, by way of loan to the king, according to the tax set upon his wife, Anne [nee Benett] of Norton Bavant, in her widowhood.

7 - Receipt, composition for distraint of knighthood, Thomas Benett of Norton Bavant, £28.

8 - Receipt, by the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity of Winchester, for £10, a legacy from Dr Reniger.

9 - Trial of the Earl of Castlehaven. Seventeenth century copy.

10 - Acknowledgement, by Henry Earl of Marlborough, of the receipt of £1,000 damages awarded him against Thomas Benett in a Star Chamber action.

11 - Bond in £300, Richard Brett of St Martin-in-the-Fields to Philip Gerard of High Holborn , Richard Brett to get a licence to clear a site in Drury Lane and build a new brick house there within three years.

12 - Instructions to all officers and commanders of the trained bands of Wilts., majors, sheriffs, justices, bailiffs and constables, 'to endevore to hinder and restrayne ye soldiers from offringe any violence to ye hows or goods of Mr Will[ia]m Arundell’, if necessary by force. Signed by the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, Nevil P [a]wle[t] and J Evelyn. Addressed, ‘for ye honoble the Lady St Johns And her husband Mr Will[m] Arundell at [?Horningsha]m.

13 - Two [differing] nineteenth century alleged copies of the text of the Articles of Surrender of Bristol to Prince Rupert, 26 July, 1643. Giving also the text of Thomas Benett’s receipt for his composition for distraint of knighthood, 1631. The former document, stated on one copy to be among the papers of Col. Thomas Benett, is no longer present.

14 - Warrant, under the sign manual, to Richard Conquest, to raise a regiment of 1,200 foot. Issued from Oxford, 16 Oct. Countersigned by Edward Walker.

15 - ‘His Highnesse Prince Rupert’s Raising of the Siege at Newarke upon Trent, March the 21. 1643. Written by an eye Witnesse to a Person of Honour’. Printed, corrected and annotated. Now in British Library

16 - Extract from the Commons’Journal, Thomas Benett fined £2,000 for having borne arms with the clubmen and sat on an illegal commission at Salisbury. With (i) letter from clerk of the House of Commons and certified extract from the Journal, 1938, (ii) two letters, 1906, 1911.

17 - Receipt, by Dennis Mollister of Thomas Benett, £20, ‘contribution Money due to the garrison of Bristall for 9 months [,] granted by ordinance of Parliament for support of the same …’.

18 - Release, receipt and statement relating to £40 received by Thomas Benett of Norton Bavant from his father, Thomas Benett.

19 - Indenture of apprenticeship, Thomas Benett to Jonathan Brewer of Lullington, clothier.

20 - Receipt, ‘by vertue of a Commission from the Agents for granting Wine Licences for the Use of his Highness [Oliver Cromwell] and the Common Wealth…’ by George Benett of Simon Rogers, 30s.

21 - Bond in £500, Elizabeth and John Benett of Norton Bavant to Edward Hawtaine of Marlborough ‘Practitioner in Physicke’, to secure a debt.

22 - Certificate of the commissioners for Settling the Militia in England and Wales, that Elizabeth Benett of Norton Bavant is charged with a horse and arms in the Warminster division.

23 - Warrant to Henry Fendall, cutler, of London to receive and take the arrears of the king’s fee farm rents issuing out of the manors and lands purchased by him in Somerset, to 24 June 1660, in accordance with the Act of Indemnity. With schedule, the fee farmers of the rectory of Mere, the manor of East Chinnock, the manor of Closworthy, the rectory of Ashton, the manor of Noglinch, Norwood Park, Brookes Place, the grange of Henton, with rents.

24 - Unsigned receipt for £21 received of Henry Long of Rood Ashton.

25 - Two receipts by Richard Knight of Elizabeth Bentett for £1-12-9 and £3-10-0½.

26 - Copy of a patent of Charles II confirming to Shaftesbury former privileges, etc.

27 - Acknowledgement of interest received, William and Dorothy Baron of Wells, of John Benett of Motcombe and Mathew Benett of Kilmington.

28 - ‘The humble Peticon & Addresse of Ed. Earle of Clar[endon]’, addressed ‘To ye right Honorble the Lords Sp[iritual and] temporall in Parliament assembled:/’ [The original petition presented to the Lords in Nov. 1667 was burned, after being copied into the Journal of that House. This manuscript may have been copied from it, prior to its destruction, or it may be a discarded draft. It departs in a number of instances from the wording of the text preserved in the Journal, without affecting the sense, and in the following particulars where the sense is affected]: ‘The second [charge]. That I have been the sole Manager, and chief Minister, in all Transactions of State,’ [J.H.L.]. ‘The 2nd that I have been ye chiefe manager & sole minister in all transactions of state…’ [Ms. Copy]. ‘I will offer any Thing to your Lordships but what is exactly true’. [J.H.L.]. ‘I will not offer anything unto yor Lordshipps but what [is] exactly true’… [Ms. Copy]. ‘although the Office in both their Times was lawfully worth Double to what it was to me, and I believe now is: That all the Courtesies and Favours which I have been able to obtain from the King for other Persons, in Church or State’, [J.H.L.]. ‘although the office in both theire tyme was lawfully worth double to what it was to mee & so I beleeve now That all ye Curtesies and favors wch I have been able to obtainne from ye King or other persons in Church or Estate ….’ [Ms. Copuy] ‘that several Sums of Money, and some Parcels of Land, which His Majesty hath bountifully bestowed upon me since His Return into England, are worth more than all I have amounts to.’ [J.H.L.] ‘that ye severa[l] sumes of money & some parcells of Land wch [H]is Maty hath bountifully bestowed upon me since his returne into England are more worth then all I have amoun[ts] to,’ [Ms. Copy]. ‘that I had dome them some Prejudice with His Majesty, or crossed them in some of their Pretensions’, [J.H.L.]. ‘that I had done them some prejudice wth his Maty or crossed ym in some of theire perswations…’ [Ms. Copy]. ‘and to His Majesty’s Ambassador at Madrid,’ [J.H.L.]. ‘and to his Matys Embassadors at Madrid…’ [Ms. Copy]. ‘and who knew well enough how much I disliked and complained of the Liberty they took to themselves, or reviling all Councils and Counsellors, and turning all Things serious and sacred into Ridicule’. [J.H.L.]. ‘They took all Ways imaginable to render me ingrateful to all Sorts of Men [whom I shall be compelled to name in my Defence]; persuading those who miscarried in any of their Designs, that it was the Chancellor’s Doing,’ [J.H.L.]. ‘they tooke all wayes Imaginable to render me ungrateful to all sorts of men (whome I shall be compelled to name in my owne defence[)] persuading these that miscarriages in any of theire designes, that itt was the Councellors doeing’, [Ms. Copy]. ‘that I may be able by such withdrawing heerafter to appeale and may my defence…’ [Ms. Copy]. The ms. is imperfect. With (i) text as recorded in the Journal of the House of Lords, (ii) letters, 1904, 1905, 1907.

29 - Statement to the effect that William Gray of Semley has given to John Benett of Shaftesbury, in lieu of a debt of £29, a number of cattle described (‘one red Cow with white in her face’ etc.) and a white mare. N.B. The term ‘Shorte Hornes’ also appears.

30 - Lawyer’s [perhaps the Master of the King’s Bench] notebook. Part [pp.371-782] of a series of bound manuscript volumes, approx. 8½” x 13”, of pleas in the King’s Bench, giving cases and notes upon them in chronological order terms by term, including opinions of the bench and a number of marginal references to sources and authorities. ‘Rules & Course of Court’ are set out periodically [pp.379, 415, 535, 562, 590, 615, 667, 718, 767] and memoranda concerning other events such as the death of a judge. The record is in the same hand throughout and would appear to have been copied from another source, thus there is a note [p.525], ‘All that is with in this Line is inserted here by mistake: it belongs to the next Terme. Hil. 22 & 23,’ suggesting the use of notes or material already arranged. Other indications that the record is intended as a final compilation are its neatness, the provision of catch-words, the careful pagination and the consistent headings for each page. It may represent a complete part of a series as it stands, beginning, ‘Parte of Hill. Terme anno 210: & 220: Car. 2d B:R:”

31 - Balance sheet, Robert Welstead and John Benett.

32 - Part of an account book kept by Thomas Farr, [prob. servant to John Benett, who died Feb. 1677], recording receipts and disbursements of a miscellaneous nature between 1673 and 1677. Income derives in part from a number of Arundell lands including Semley, Donhead [?St Mary], ‘Fontmell’, Melbury, ‘Hamperston’, Compton, Ashgrove, ‘Kingsdon, Tisbury, ‘Warder’ [?Wardour], ‘Ber[ry] Court’ [in Donhead St Mary], East Grove, ‘Austy’, ‘Petherton’ and East Orchard, Annual Crown rents comprise the largest single item [£833-9-1, 1675, £766-18-7, 1676], mention is made of the Crown rents for Somerset and Dorset, and of the king’s rent for Bath [£50, 1673]. Expenditure ranges from payments to boot boys and washerwomen to the loan of £1,000 to the Earl of Shaftesbury [Apr.-May 1675], and includes a ‘Byll of Expences in ye time of yor: Election £232-19-0’ [Mar. 1676/77], as well as seven payments made to collectors of ship-money in various places [1677]. 16ff.

33 - Fragment only, address and signatures of Rupert, Anglesey, George Carteret and Coventry.

34 - ‘The Breviates of the Princes Letters’. Additional material to the diary about Prince Rupert’s activities in the same hand and style. Photocopy only, original now in British Library.

35 - Notes on the office of the Lord High Steward transcribed from ‘a little folio-booke’ belonging to William Fleetwood [?1535-1594], Recorder of London. Subscribed. ‘And this is all wch, is Conteyened in that antient Booke, concerning ye High Stewardship of England/ The Originall in Latine’.

36 - Loose folios (3) of rough, personal accounts, John, William and Mathew Benett.

37 - ‘An Act for Granting a Licence to his Highness Prince Rupert, Duke of Cumberland for One and Thirty Yeares./’ Signed by the Clerk of the Parliaments.

38 - Deed relating to ‘a certaine new art or manufacture for the converting into Steele all manner of Edgetooles…for the converting of all manner of Iron wyer..also a new Invencon or art of preparing and softeninge all Cast or melted Iron…And also a new Invencon for Tincturing of Copper upon Iron…’ [Under Pat. 23 Car.II]. Parties: Rupert, Shaftesbury, Chicheley, Benett, Hampden, Stringer.

39 - Receipt and promissory note by Thomas Benett for £4 borrowed off his cousin Thomas Benett of the Middle Temple, ‘towards the setting forth of my selfe to Sea;…’

40 - Commission under the sign manual, Mathew Benett to be Captain of a troop of Dragoons, in a regiment to be raised under the command of Prince Rupert.

41 - Bill for horse feed entitled ‘A bill for the honorabell skir [squire] benite [Benett] may 25:1678’.

42 - Release and quit-claim by Henry Lord Arundell of Wardour to Thomas Benett his steward, of all actions of account, etc. Ms. damaged.

43 - Three polls taken at Shaftesbury, February and September, on behalf of Thomas Benett.

44 - Receipt, by Prince Rupert of Thomas Benett, £1,500, ‘being in full of my two Pentions due unto me at Lady day last…’. Original now in British Library

45 - Warrants (3) for £483-16-6 back pay due Capt. Mathew Benett, numbered and signed by the Earl of Essex (First Lord), Laurence Hyde (lord commissioner) Sidney Godolphin (lord commissioner) and Robert Howard (secretary).

46 - Acknowledgement by William Benett of Norton Bavant of deeds received from Simon Sloper of Bath.

47 - Miscellaneous account endorsed ‘Mr Palmer[‘]s Bill and receipts deliver[‘] octor 5th: 1683’, divided into ‘Esqr: Bennett[‘]s account 1683’ and ‘For Small things’ [green geese, mowing, tobacco, cherries, etc.].

48 - Marriage certificate, Walter Benthall of Barbados to Mercy Eccleston of Enfield, Quakers. Signed by 40 witnesses.

49 - Deed of appointment, William Benett to be deputy-Recorder of Shaftesbury.

50 - Bond in £200, John Lane junior of Blandford Forum and John Lane senior of Haselbury Bryan, to William Benett of Shaftesbury, to secure the office of Deputy Treasurer of the Gaol Money [Dorset] against John Lane junior’s misbehaviour and to secure William Benett harmless in the office of Treasurer.

51 - Receipt, by (?) Elizabeth Catty of John Benett, £1-10s.

52 - Notes compiled towards a work on Prince Rupert comprising two manuscripts, A and B, used by Warburton, B.E.G. for Memoirs of Prince Rupert and the Cavaliers etc, 3 vols., 1848. With (i) report by H. J. Bell, British Museum, 1914, (ii) transcriptions (incomplete). [Manuscript ‘A’: Paper bound volume 8" x 12", ff 33, inscribed ‘MSS [sic] A: Memo from P[rince] R[upert’s] imprisonment to the Revolt of the English fleet to the King in 1648. [“Prince Rupert’s diary”]. Manuscript ‘B’: Skin bound volume approx 9" x 13¾", ff 140 [with ff 48 approx 7" x 11½" originally inserted, now separately bound] inscribed ‘Rupert’s Correspondence and his Log-book’ and, on the spine, ‘Rupert’.] Photocopies only. Originals now in British Library

53 - Skin bound volume approx 5" x 7", ff 234, marked ‘Benet Family £2’ containing entries by Ambrose Benett of Gray’s Inn and other unidentified hands. Entries by Ambrose Benett, from Jan 1656/57: 1.copies of bonds and notes about a system of borrowing 2.copies of letters 3.‘An Ingenious Invention to Tell any cast throwne by three dice or any number Thought on of that quantity or greater &c’, and other arithmetical gymnastics ‘Some tricks and pretty experiments’ Entries in a second hand A. Copies of state papers 1.Speeches in the trial of Bacon, 1621 2.The king’s speech in the Lords, 19 Feb 1624 3.Proceedings in the Lords, 21 Feb 1624 4.Council to the king, proceedings against Sir Edward Coke, 26 June 1616 5. Sir Edward Coke before the king at Greenwich, 30 June 1616 6.Sir Walter Raleigh to the king, ante 10 Dec 1604 7.Sir Walter Raleigh’s Apology following voyage to the Orinoco 8.Earl of Westmoreland [Mildmay Fane] to James I, undated 9.Thomas Allured to Buckingham, 1621 10.Francis Bacon to parliament, 1621 11.Declaration of the Commons, 4 June 1621 12.Petition, Francis Phelips on behalf of Sir Robert Phelips 13.‘The King’s direcon touching preachers ……..’, 4 Aug 1621 14.King’s letter of 16 Dec 1621 on parliamentary privilege 15.The Commons’ Protestation, 18 Dec 1621. [Differs slightly from Rushworth’s version, Historical Collections, I, 53] 16.The Lord Keeper to the judges, to enlarge papists, 2 Aug 1622 B. Miscellanea 1.Newgate sessions, Hil.1630/31 Speech from the scaffold, Earl of Castlehaven, 14 May 1631 Entries in different hands: 1.Jeux d’esprit Accounts, business (including cloth) and personal, 1661-1662, another series (sale of beasts, etc), 1688-1694 Insertions 1.Recipe beginning ‘Take ye greenis Cowcumbers you can 2.gett …’ Addressed to Mrs Dorothy Stubbs and marked ‘with speed’] Photocopies only. Originals now in British Library

54 - Fragmentary copy or draft of a petition of John Mayo to Sir Thomas Rokeby and Sir John Turton, judges in assize. With letter, 1909.

55 - Receipt, by Robert Gulliver of William Benett, of half a years rent for the rectory of Norton Bavant, ‘due to her Majesty the Queen Dowager ….’ [i.e. Mary of Modena, wife of James II in exile].

56 - ‘A list of the voutes that came from Shaftesbury to vote for Coll Strangewayes and Mr Chaffin’. Subscribed in a modern hand ‘anno 1701’.

57 - Appointment, William Benett of Shaftesbury to be a deputy-Lieutenant for Dorset.

58 - Materials collected through questionnaires concerning the value of benefices. The nature of these answers is explained in a copy of some pages from an article by R W Dunning ‘Some Somerset Parishes in 1705’, from Somerset Archaeology and Natural History, vol 112, kept with the document. The parishes are (in order of binding) – All Cannings Kingswood, Gloucestershire Ashton Keynes Lacock Bishopstrow Leigh in Ashton Keynes Boscombe Long Newnton Broughton Gifford Liddington Bulford Malmesbury Cheverell Magna Sherston Magna Chirton Stanton Fitzwarren Collingbourne Kingston Stourton Collingbourne Ducis Stratford Tony Coulston Sutton Benger Cricklade St Mary Sutton Veny Cricklade St Sampson Upton Scudamore Erlestoke Westport Farleigh, Monkton Westport and Charlton Figheldean Wilcot Foxley Winterbourne Monkton Froxfield (Hants) Winterslow Ham Wootton Bassett Hardenhuish

59 - Two receipts, by Frances Benett of William Benett executor of John Benett, for broad gold, personal and household effects, coach harness and the two best horses left to her by John Benett.

60 - Receipt by Frances Benett of William Benett, £100.

61 - Appointment, Thomas Benett to be deputy-Lieutenant for Wiltshire.

62 - Appointment, Thomas Benett to be a deputy-Lieutenant for Dorset.

63 - Commission, to Thomas Benett, to be Lt. Col. Of a regiment of foot.

64 - Certificate issued by court of Quarter Sessions to Thomas Benett of Norton Bavant, that he appeared in court and took the oath of allegiance.

65 - Appointment, Thomas Benett to be a deputy-Lieutenant for Wiltshire.

66 - Bond in £2,000, William [Wake] Archbishop of Canterbury to Thomas Benett of Norton Bavant, to secure a godmother’s preferment to Thomas Benett’s wife [Etheldred Wake].

67 - Commission, Thomas Benett to be a lieutenant-Colonel of a regiment of foot.

68 - Deed of appointment, Thomas Benett to be a deputy-Lieutenant for Wiltshire.

69 - Copy of an angry letter from George II to his eldest son Frederick Prince of Wales, ordering him out of St James’s for having moved the Princess Augusta from Hampton Court to St James’s during the birth of her daughter Augusta, 31 July 1737

70 - Statement of expenses attributed to Thomas and Catherine Benett at Norton Bavant.

71 - Arithmetical examples, worked.

72 - Account of a visit to Heytesbury by William Payne and Edward Holloway and an attempt by them to establish a relationship to the Benetts of Norton Bavant.

73 - Papers connected with Thomas Benett’s application for election to a founder’s kinsman’s fellowship at All Souls, on the basis of his descent from Henry Chichele [?1362-1443], including an account of what such an election entailed for the candidate. With notes extracted from The Gentleman’s Magazine about the cause in Doctors’ Commons in consequence of his non-admission, and his eventual election as acting fellow, by direction of the archbishop, the college being fined £50 costs.

74 - Appointment, Thomas Benett to be a deputy-Lieutenant for Wiltshire.

75 - Appointment, Thomas Benett to be a deputy-Lieutenant for Wiltshire.

76 - Accounts, personal, household and estate, 1771, 1776, 1777 (3 vols).

77 - Report, post mortem examination of ‘the late Mrs D’. Cause of death unknown.

78 - John Benett LL.D., confirmation of letters of Dispensation. With admission to the rectory of Donhead St Andrews.

79 - Deed of appointment, James Charles Still to be under-Sheriff of Wiltshire. Parties: Grove, Still.

80 - Indenture, Richard John Gough to be under-Sheriff of Wiltshire. Parties: Benett (sheriff), Gough.

81 - Wrangler’s string, a document from Cambridge University. With letter, 1918, from John Hammond.

82 - Estimate of the cost of the mason’s work for repairs to Tisbury church tower.

83 - A collection of transcriptions of deeds relating to the Tropenell family. See WAM vol [37] xxxvii pp 542-592. End paper defaced.

84 - Note about slanders upon the clergyman responsible for the burial of ‘Mr Bennett’.

85 - Act, for vesting part of the estates devised by the will of Henry Lee Warner, in Wiltshire, Somerset, Northampton and Kent.

86 - Personal account from Tattersall’s.

87 - Fragment [10 lines], holograph letter of Wellington, said to have been written to Major-General Sir Henry Fane. Dated [by a later hand, 15 Nov. 1810].

88 - Notice of holding a court, manor of Enford.

89 - Newspapers, The Courier (2 Jan. 1815). The Morning Chronicle (24 July, 1818, 20 July 1819, 7 Aug. 1819, 15 Feb. 1820).

90 - Election expenses, county members, items set down in detail, against each locality, beer, ribbon, ‘accomodation’ of voters, etc., £4,872-7-10.

91 - Three letters written to John Benett M.P. during his election campaign. With (i) letter from his wife to the Earl of Pembroke soliciting his vote and the latter’s answer, (ii) draft notice or address, (iii) manuscript entitled ‘To the Old Moon-raker’ with comments upon it, (iv) printed material (mostly songs) directed against William Pole Tylney-Long-Wellesley [son of William Wellesley-Pole, nephew to the Duke of Wellington], described as nephew to the Duke, (v) pencil drawings.

92 - Poll of the freeholders, County of Wilts. Preface only. Printed. With (i) Song sung at Hindon, Jan. 18th 1819, by Benett’s supporters, (ii) sketch of a speech made by John Benett at Salisbury and two songs sent with it by F H Cowley to Col. J. Benett-Stanford in 1935.

93 - Thirty-four letters of advice and mainly support written to John Benett M.P. during his county election campaign, including a letter of support from Holland House, with mention of Rowland Hill and comments on the influence of the mob over the small [freeholder] shopkeepers. With (i) printed notice to the constituents. (ii) song.

94 - Memorandum about the sale of wool.

95 - Letter - R Bevan Smith to John Benett M.P., about an issue in the Commons and the way Benett might be expected to vote.

96 - Catalogue of Additions to MSS. [British Museum] relating to Prince Rupert.

97 - Letter, E M Westminster to H D Seymour, about ‘the coming Election for Shaftesbury’. Printed.

98 - Copy of correspondence between V F Benett-Stanford and John Benett, mayor of Shaftesbury, relating to the attempt to import into Shaftesbury a collection of prize fighters from London. General election.

99 - Post-card, with epigram ‘Arbores serit deligens ageicola quorum frustuc videbit ipse numquam’ – the good farmer plants trees the fruit of which he will never himself see.

100 - Marker catalogue of pictures, the property of Mrs David Lyon and others.

12 - State papers

13 - Public Local

14 - Private

15 - Copies of engravings and pictures

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