Some time ago,our friend, Steve Thompson of Get Technology Together, Leeds, gave us an old document, dated 1675. Our specialist at Transcribing at Morley Community Archives is Jane Sheehan. Here are her comments and the result of her comprehensive study.
She says it deals with a property complaint over some 'seiling' in a house. This may be 'ceiling' but the note appears to be a dispute about poor workmanship. The matter was referred to John Hallway and Thomas Mottley and it was agreed that Robert Hall should pay John and Elizabeth Mettcaffe £1 5s. The document is the signed acknowledgment that this has been paid. It is signed by John and Elizabeth (with their marks as they can't write) and by Matthew Aveyard (who also has a mark) and John Hallway.
Jane has made a thorough study of this with the following results: it appears to be merely a proof that Robert has paid the fine and witnesses attest to this. Robert Hall and John Metcaffe are both from Morley. She cannot find any evidence of a bigger dispute. She has looked at Marriage records, trying to find out about the relation between John and his wife Elizabeth. Some possibilities have been found but nothing of great substance. The strongest possibility is that the couple were John Metcaffe and Eliza Wharton who married in 1669 in Leeds but extra archival work would be necessary to give this more weight.
Jane says she has transcribed it exactly as it appears in the document,including two words which have been crossed out. She has also underlined any word extensions so that Rob becomes Robert and ye becomes the. There is one word on line 17 which she cannot read. It begins with p and ends with nall but she can't make out the letters in between.
Here is the result:
Transcription
1. Whereas (upon difference ariseing between Robert
2. Hall and John Metcaffe both of Morley about some
3. seiling in a house Robert Hall bought of him) it was
4. referred by them to John Hallway & Thomas
5. Mottley who agreed it thus that in consideration
6. of the sume of one pound five shillinges
for goods
7. the sayd John Metcaffe & Elizabeth his wife
8. should ingage themselves to acknowledge a fine
9. at the pleasure of Robert Hall after he have payd
10. them the sayd sume of one pound five shillings
11. without demanding any thing therefore
12. Now know the that I John Metcaffe & Elizabeth
13. my wife doe acknowledge the receipt of the sume
14. of one pound five shillinges from Robert Hall and
15. in full satisfaction for whats left in the house
16. and the acknowledgement of a fine and doe hereby
17. ingage in the p_nall sume of ten poundes that
18. that the fine shall acknowledged without any
19. further demands In Wittnesse wherof wee have
20. hereunto set our hands & seales this twentieth day
21. of Aprill one thousand six hundred seventy five
22. sealed & delived in
23. the presence of us
Matthew Aveyard his mark MA John Mettcaffe his mark I
John Hallway Elizabeth Mettcaffe her mark LM
Thank you Steve!
