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3.

Die Martis, 7° Junii 1836.

The Earl of SHAFTESBURY in the Chair.

THE Order of Adjournment was read. ·

The Minutes of the last Committee were read.

The Counsel and Parties were called in.

Mr. Lewis stated, That having on a former Day tendered in Evidence the Copy of an Inscription on a Monument in Stoke Dawborne Church, for the Purpose of showing that Edmund Braye was Lord of the Manor of Stoke Dawborne, an Objection having been made that it ought to be shown to be an ancient Monument, he would now produce Evidence to that Effect.

Evidence on

the Braye Claim
of Peerage.

Then GEORGE FREELAND was called in; and having been sworn, George Freeland.
was examined as follows:

(Mr. Lewis.) Do you reside in the Parish of Stoke Dawborne in

the County of Surrey?

Yes.

Do you

fill any Parish Office there?

Not now.

I am a Guardian under the new Poor Laws.

How long have you resided there?

Seven-and-forty Years.

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Do you know any Monument there to the Memory of Frances the
Widow of Thomas Lyfelde?

Yes.

Have you frequently observed it?

Yes, certainly; I see it most Sundays.

You frequent the Parish Church?

Yes.

Is it an ancient Monument ?

Yes, very.

It has been there as long as you recollect?

Yes.

Is it in the same State now as it has always been within your
Memory?

Yes.

Has it always borne the same Inscription which it now bears?
Yes.

The Witness was directed to withdraw.

Mr. Lewis stated, That on the last Occasion he had offered in
Evidence, as confirmatory of the Fact that Sir Edmund Braye was Lord

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George Freeland. of the Manor of Stoke Dawborne, a Paper purporting to be a Bailiff's Account; that an Objection had been taken to it on the ground that it was not signed; but that he had since ascertained the Fact that it was a Paper found among the Court Rolls of the Manor, and upon that ground he submitted it was admissible, on the Authority of a Case in the First Term Reports, Page 466, where an old Customary was given in Evidence, notwithstanding the Objection that it was not signed, on the ground of its having been found among the Court Rolls.

R. Braye, Esq.

The Counsel were asked for what Purpose this Evidence was tendered.

Mr. Lewis stated, That it was not produced for any Purpose in the Way of charging the Bailiff with the Receipt of Moneys, but simply as Evidence of the collateral Fact that Sir Edmund Braye was Lord of the Manor of Stoke Dawborne.

The Counsel was informed, That he might produce his Evidence, but that it could not be received without the Attorney General, who was not at present in Attendance, being heard upon it.

Then REGINALD BRAYE Esquire was called in; and having been sworn, was examined as follows:

(Mr. Lewis.) You are the Solicitor of Mr. Edward Braye?

I am.

He is your Brother?

He is.

Is he a Descendant of Sir Edward Braye, the Brother of Sir Edmund Braye?

I believe so; it is so understood.

Do you produce any Document?

I have a Bailiff's Account.

From whence do you produce it?

I found it with the Court Rolls of the Manor of Shyre, of which Mr. Braye is Lord.

Have you had much Experience in the Investigation of Court Rolls?

I have had very frequent Occasion to refer to ancient Court Rolls, as Steward of the Manor.

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Mr. Lewis stated, That he proposed to put in certain Deeds found among the Title Deeds of Mr. Braye.

Then the Witness was asked

Do you produce a Document purporting to be a Conveyance of Lands and Tenements in the Manor of Cranley by Sir Edmund Braye, found among the Title Deeds of the Family?

This is a Conveyance from Edmund Lord Braye to Feoffees for his

Brother

Brother Sir Edward Braye of his Manors of Shere, Vackery, and Cranley, inter alia.

What is the Date of it?

The 26th of December in the 26th of Henry the Eighth.

Is that in your Hand a correct Copy of that Document?
It is.

The same was delivered in de bene esse.

Have you a Deed dated the Fifteenth of July in the Eighth of Henry the Eighth?

I have.

Is that before you a correct Copy of that Document?

It is.

The same was delivered in de bene esse.

Have you another Deed of the 12th of September in the 28th of Henry the Eighth ?

Yes.

Is that an original Document?

I have no Doubt it is.

From whence do you produce it?

I found it with the others I have just produced; with old Court Rolls and Title Deeds of the Manor of Shyre.

Is that in your Hand a Copy of it?

It is.

The same was delivered in de bene esse.

Mr. Lewis stated, That he proposed to put in a Predigree of the Lovett Family, for the Purpose of showing that Mary Lovett (No. 31. in the Pedigree) died without Issue; that when this was tendered in Evidence on a former Day the Counsel were informed that the Presence of Lady Lovett, in whose Possession it had been, could not be dispensed with, unless her State of Health disabled her from attending, but that she had died since the last Meeting of the Committee, and that her only Daughter was not in a State which allowed of her attending the House; but that he was in a Situation to produce the Witness to whom Lady Lovett had delivered it, stating that it was found among the Papers of Sir Jonathan Lovett, a Descendant of Colonel Lovett.

The Counsel being asked how he could prove that it had been found among the Family Papers, he stated, That he could prove that only by the Declaration of the late Lady Lovett to the Witness that she took it from the Room where all the Papers of the Family were deposited.

The Counsel were informed, That this could not be received in the Absence of the Attorney General.

The Counsel were directed to withdraw.

Proposed to adjourn this Committee to Thursday next, at Half past

Two o'clock;

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R. Braye, Esq.

Die Jovis, 9° Junii 1836.

Evidence on the
Braye Claim of
Peerage.

J. Brundrett, Esq.

The Earl of SHAFTESBURY in the Chair.

THE Order of Adjournment was read.

The Minutes of the last Committee were read.

The Counsel and Parties were called in.

Mr. Attorney General submitted, That the Bailiff's Account, tendered on a former Day, was not receivable in Evidence.

Mr. Lewis was heard in support of the Evidence.

Mr. Attorney General was heard in reply.

The Counsel were informed, That, in the Opinion of the Committee, this Document could not be received in Evidence.

Mr. Lewis stated, That he proposed to put in an ancient Pedigree found in the Possession of the late Lady Lovett, for the Purpose of showing that Mary Lovett (No. 31. in the Pedigree) died without Issue.

Then JONATHAN BRUNDRETT Esquire was called in; and having been sworn, was examined as follows:

(Mr. Lewis.) I believe you were the Solicitor of the late Sir Jonathan Lovett?

I am the Family Solicitor.

What Document do you produce?

This Pedigree, which I received from the Hands of Miss Lovett.

Was it taken from the Family Muniments?

So I was told by Miss Lovett; she gave it to me.

(Mr. Attorney General.) When did she deliver it to you?

This Day Week, the 2d of June.

Where?

At the Mansion at Liscombe House. Lady Lovett has died within this short Time.

Where were you when you received it?

At the Mansion House, Liscombe House, near Leighton Buzzard.

She

She delivered that Document into your Hand?

She did; and promised to make further Search for any other Documents that might give further Explanation upon it.

That is all you know of it, except what she may have told you?
Most assuredly; she pointed out some of the late Sir Jonathan
Lovett's Corrections.

Mr. Attorney General submitted, That this could not be received without the Testimony of Miss Lovett; that Evidence of the Declarations of Miss Lovett were not admissible.

Mr. Lewis was heard in support of the Evidence.

(By a Lord.) Did you see it taken by Miss Lovett from a Parcel of ancient Documents?

She told me she had found it among the Documents, and would make further Search for any further Evidence.

(Mr. Attorney General.) You never saw it among the Family Muniments before?

No.

Did you ever hear any deceased Member of the Family talk about it?

Certainly not.

The Witness was directed to withdraw.

J. Brundrett, Esq.

Then CHARLES TEBBS Esquire was called in; and having been Charles Tebbs, Esq. sworn, was examined as follows:

(Mr. Lewis.) Will you look at that Document; was that delivered to you by Lady Lovett?

It was delivered to me by Miss Lovett at Liscombe House.

From whence did she take it?

She took it from a large Folio Volume containing Copies of all the Monumental Tablets, and the Inscriptions on them, to the different Members of the Family; Tablets of very ancient Date; all the Monuments erected in the Church.

(Mr. Attorney General.) When was that?

It was just before Lady Lovett's Death; about a Month ago.

Where?

At Liscombe House.

In what Apartment of the House?

It was a Sort of Library; I do not know how they occupy it; I was never there before; it was taken from a very large Folio Volume containing all those Documents.

By Lady Lovett ?

No, by Miss Lovett; Lady Lovett was confined to her Bed. evidently preserved with great Care.

It was

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