Fines (or final concords) were a means of conveying freehold property, and of having the conveyance officially recorded. The system evolved in the late 12th century from a legal procedure for settling disputes, and retained the form and language of a law suit between a plaintiff (or querent) and a defendant (or deforciant); that is, respectively, the person to whom the land was being granted, and the person granting it.
The essential stages were that a concord, or agreement, was reached between the parties, and its text was copied three times on to a single piece of parchment, which was then cut up, along lines which were indented to prevent forgery. One of these indentures (or chirographs) was given to each party, and the foot of the parchment was retained in the court. For this reason, the copies preserved in the P.R.O. are called feet of fines.
Records of fines survive in the P.R.O., among the records of the Court of Common Pleas, from the early 1180s until the 19th century. These extracts are taken from the Derbyshire Feet of Fines.
Belper (Beaurepaire) is mentioned only twice, but Duffield and other neighbouring districts have also been included here, as have the "feet" relating to the Stathums and other people related to the website project.
Number 805 (Duffield and Heage)
Westminster
Quindene of Michalmas 1341
P: John Touyot of Chestrefeld.
D: William Trussebut, chivaler, and John his wife.
Concerning one messuage, one toft, 74 acres land, 4 acres meadow and 5 acres woodland in Heghegge (Heage) and Duffeldfryth (Duffield Frith). William and Joan remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, themselves and the heirs of William to John and his heirs. John gave £20.
Number 814 (Heage)
Westminster
Quindene of Easter 1343
P: John Touyot of Chestrefeld, clerk
D: William de Enefeld and Cecily his wife.
concerning one messuage, one toft, 74 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow and 5 acres of woodland in Heghegge and Duffeldfrith. William and Cecily remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, themselves and the heirs of Cecily to John, who gave 100 marks of silver.
Number 965 Westminster (Belper)
Quindene of Trinity 1386; Octave of Michalmas 1386
Plaintiff: Thomas de Wennesley, kt., Roger Harcourt, Thomas Hunt, William del Lowe and William de Adderley.
Deforciant: John de Annesley, chivaler, and Isabel his wife.
Concerning 12 messuages, 9 1/2 bovates, 1 1/2 acres land, 7s rent and a third part of 2 messuages, 1 bovate, 80 acres land, 15 acres meadow, and 12 acres pasture in Ekynton, Duffield, Beaurepaire, Mogynton and Henore, a third part of the manor of Rodburne and the advowsons of the churches of Rodburne and Magynton and a fourth part of the church of Ekynton. John and Isabel acknowledged these to be the right of William de Adderley and rendered them to the plaintiffs to hold themselves and the heirs of William de Adderley of the chief lord etc forever. john and Isabel warranted for themselves and the heirs of isabel to the plaintiffs and the heirs of William de Adderley. The plaintiffs gave £100.
Number 1312 (Belper)
Westminster
Quindene of Trinity 1541
Octave of Hilary 1542
P: Nicholas Powtrell, gent
D: Roland Babyngton, Esq.
Concering 19 messuages, 200 acres land, 90 acres meadow, 40 acres woodland, 40 acres marsh, 100 acres gorse and heath and common pasture for 100 head in Derby, Somercotys, Swanwyk, Codnor and Beaurepper. Nicholas has these of the gift of Roland who remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, himself and his heirs to Nicholas and his heirs. Nicholas then granted and rendered the tenements to Roland to hold of the chief lord etc for life, without impeachment of waste. Successive remainders to Joan, Roland's wife, for her life; to Augustus, to Michael, and to Henry, sons of Roland, and the male heirs of their bodies; to Humphrey and to William, brothers of Roland, and the male heirs of their bodies; and to the right heirs of Thomas Babyngton, Roland's father.
Number 1171 (Shottle)
Westminster
Octave of Martinmas 1504
P: William Hastynges, Esq. Richard Knevyton, Esq. John Porte and Thomas Thorley, clerk.
D: William Blount, Lord Mountjoy and Elizabeth his wife.
Concerning the manors of Totley, Hasylwood and Lutchurch and 12 messuages, 10 tofts, 300 acres land, 100 acres meadow, 200 acres pasture, 40 acres woodland, 50 acres marsh, 50 acres heath and 40 s rent in Totley, Hasylwood, lutchurche, Brusshefeld and Languisdon and also the common pasture for 24 cows and one bull within the poark of Shothyll in Shothyll. William Blount and Elizabeth acknowledged these to be the right of William Hastynges and they remised and quitclaimed of themselves and the heirs of Elizabeth to the plaintiffs and the heirs of William Hastynges. They also warranted for themselves and the heirs of Elizabeth against John, abbot of St. Peters Westminster and his successors. The plaintiffs have 300 marks of silver.
Number 864 (Thomas de Stathum)
Westminster
Quindene of Michalmas 1359
P: William de Lynton, parson of the church of Ilkeston, and Robert Mold, vicar of the church of Spondon.
D: Ralph de Stathum and Goditha his wife.
Concerning the manor of Morleye.
Ralph and Goditha acknowledged the manor to be the right of William who, with Robert, had it of their gift. William and Robert granted and rendered it to Raplh and Goditha to hold to themselves and the male heirs of their bodies of the chief lord etc forever. Successive remainders to the male heirs of the body of Goditha, the heirs of the body of Goditha, Thomas de Stathum, Ralph's brother, and the male heirs of his body, and the right heirs of Goditha.
Number 890 (Ralph Stathum)
Westminster
Quindene of Michalmas 1367
P: Robert Mold, parson of the church of Breydesale, and Henry de Adderleye.
D: Ralph Stathum and Godiva his wife.
Concerning one messuage, two tofts, 60 acres land, 12 acres meadow, 6 shillings rent, a rent of one cock and six hens and an eighth part of a mill in Derby.
Ralph and Godiva acknowledged these to be the right of Robert who, with Henry, had them of their gift. They remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for themselves and the heirs of Godiva to Robert and Henry and the heirs of Robert. Robert and Henry gave 100 marks of silver.
Number 925 (Ralph de Stathum)
Westminster
Quindene of Easter 1376
Octave of Trinity 1376
P: Ralph de Stathum and Goditha his wife
D: John Flegh and Margery his wife
Concerning a moiety of the manor of Caldlowe. John and Margery acknowledged the moiety to be the right of Ralph and they remised and quitclaimed it of themselves and the heirs of Margery to Ralph, Goditha and the heirs of Ralph. Ralph and Goditha gave 100 marks of silver.
Number 957 (John de Stathum)
Westminster
Quindene of Trinity 1385
P: Master Nicholas de Chaddesden, William de Monyasshe, vicar of the church of Duffield, Nicholas de Knyveton, Thomas de Weddenesleye and Thomas de Stannton.
D: John de Stathum and Isabel his wife.
Concering the manor of Cotton.
John and Isabel acknowledged this to be the right of William who, with the other plaintiffs, had if of their gift, to hold to themselves and the heirs of William of the chief lord etc forever. Isabel warranted for herself and her heirs. The plaintiffs have 100 marks of silver.
NOTE: The solemn and binding obligation which the final concord imposed upon the grantor and grantee alike, together with the recognition accorded to it at law, meant that fines were often used to secure the titles of person who had successfully advanced a claim to property in the courts or through arbitration.
The settlement of the manor of Callow on Thomas and Elizabeth Stathum in 1386 (see number 963 below) serves as a case in point, for the Stathums had previously been involved in litigation at the Derby assizes with the Staffordshire landowner, Sir Philip Okeover, who had himself made an enfeoffment of the manor some four years earlier, and had only relinquished his claim after a long fight.
His son Thomas was evidently prepared to confirm the Stathums in possession through a collusive suit in 1407, but no less than thirty-six years passed before he abandoned all hope and agreed to release his title by a fine (number 1095 below). Since this document did not necessarily prevent his next heirs from trying their luck, it was by then of limited value.
Number 963 (Ralph de Stathum)
Westminster
Quindene of Easter 1386
P: Thomas Stathum and Elizabeth his wife.
D: Thomas Witty, parson of the church of Braydeshale, John Parke, and Goditha widow of Ralph de Stathum.
Concerning the manor of Caldelowe. Thomas Stathum acknowledges the manor to be the right of Goditha who, with the other defendents, granted and rendered it to Thomas and Elizabeth to hold to themselves and the heirs of their bodies of the defendants and the heirs of Goditha, paying therefor one rose per year at the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist for all services etc due to the defendants and the heirs of Goditha and doing to the chief lord etc. Successive remainders to the heirs of the body of Thomas Stathum and to Richard his brother, and the heirs of his body. Reversion to the defendants and the heirs of Goditha.
Number 1095 (John Stathum)
Westminster
Easter one month 1443
P: John Stathum, Esq
D: Thomas Okover of Okover, Esq.
Concerning the manor of Caldelowe. Thomas acknowledges the manor to be the right of John and he remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, himself and his heirs to John and his heirs. John gave £100.
Number 1028 (James de Stathum)
Westminster
Easter one month 1409
P: James de Stathum
D: Richard de Berde
Concerning the manor of Berde. James has the manor of the gift of Richard and he granted and rendered it to Richard to hold of the chief lord etc for his life. Successive remainders to Peter, son of John de Legh, and Emma, Richard's daughter, and the heirs of their bodies and to the right heirs of Richard.
Number 1043 (Richard Stathum)
Westminster
Quindene of Trinity 1414
P: Richard Stathum, and Richard Denton
D: John Sperham and Emma his wife.
Concerning two messuages in Derby. John and Emma acknowledged the messuages to be the right of Richard Stathum, who with Richard Denton, had them of their gift. They remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, themselves and the heirs of John to the plaintiffs, and the heirs of Richard Statham. The plaintiffs gave 20 marks of silver.
Number 1070 (John Stathum)
Westminster
Michaelmas three weeks 1426
P: John Stathum of Morley.
D: William Wygley of Werkesworth and Agnes his wife.
Concerning one messuage, two tofts and 3 bovates of land in Caldelowe. John has these of the gift of William and Agnes who remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, themselves and the heirs of Agnes to John and his heirs. John gave 100 marks of silver.
Number 1110 (Henry Stathom)
Westminster
Octave of The Purification 1454
Quindene of Easter 1454
P: Henry Stathom, Esq
D: William Burton and Catherine his wife
Concerning one messuage and 2 acres land in Derby. Henry had these of the gift of William and Catherine who remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, themselves and the heirs of Catherine to Henry and his heirs. Henry gave £20
Number 1116 (Nicholas Stathom)
Westminster
Easter one month 1469
P: Nicholas Fitzherbert, Ralph Fitzherbert and Nicholas Stathom.
D: John Curson of Ketelson and Joan his wife.
Concerning the manor of Bentley called Hungrybentley, 8 messuages, 200 acres land, 20 acres meadow, 100 acres pasture, and 20 acres woodland in Bentley. John and Joan acknowledged these to be the right of nicholas Stathon who, with the other plaintiffs, had them of their gift. They remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, themselves and the heirs of Joan to the plaintiffs and the heirs of Nicholas Stathom. The plaintiffs gave 200 marks of silver.
Number 1118 (Henry Stathum)
Westminster
Michalmas three weeks 1472
P: Henry Stathum of Moreley
D: Henry Willymason of Cossall and Margaret his wife
Concerning one toft and 20 acres land in Chaddesdene called Cardellesfeld or Braudewode. Henry Stathum had these of the gift of Henry and Margaret who remised and quitclaimed of themselves and the heirs of Margaret to Henry Stathum and his heirs, and warranted against Henry, abbot of Derley and his successors. Henry Stathum gave 20 marks of silver.
Number 1189 (Henry Stathum)
Westminster
Easter one month 1513
P: Alexander Beynham, kt. Christopher Beynham, esq, Giles Grenvile, esq, Richard Cornewale, esq, John Abrahale, esq, John Bradswawe, gent, William Walwyn, gent, Robert Norwyche, gent, Henry Stathum, gent, Thomas Cokys, gent, John Skydemore, gent, John Arnold, gent, William Lanwarne, gent, Thomas Duckmanton, gent, Humphrey Meverell, gent, Nicholas Grace, husbandman, and Thomas Bradshawe, husbandman.
D: John Knyfton.
Concerning the manor of Wyndley Hill and six messuages, one toft, 340 acres of land, 146 acres of meadow, 86 acres pasture, 52 acres woodland, and 23s 4d rent in Wyndley. Wyndleyhill, Duffeld, Mogyngton, Ireton, Hasylwode, Wyndeleyryche, Undirwode, Ofcote and Kneton. John Knyfton acknowledged these to be the right of William Walwyn who remised and quitclaimed of, and warranted for, himself and his heirs to the plaintiffs and the heirs of William Walwyn. The plaintiffs gave £600.
