Description:

Plaintiffs: John Price. Defendants: James Morgan and others. Subject: property in Llanveynoe, etc, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire.
Document type: answer only.

Transcription by Arthur Price, reproduced with his kind permission.

[Written in a large, very clear rounded script. Whole document very well preserved.] 

The farther answer of James Morgan Esq. and John Price an Infant by Judith the wife of William Charles his mother and guardian Defendts  to the bill of complaint taken by John Price Complaint to the sayd Defendts former Answer. 

These defendts saveing and reserving to themselves all benefits and Advantages as by theire former answers unto them is saved and referred for answer to the matters in theire former answers excepted unto and not all ready fully answered unto these defendts the sayd James Morgan answering for himselfe and the sayd John Price by the sayd Judith Charles his guardian answer and say that they or either of them of theire own knowledge cannot tell or sett forth who made or wrote the will of James Price (in the bill and execeptions named) or who gave orders and directions for the making the sayd will and incerting what is therein contained or otherwise or wether the sayd James Price was of a sound and disposseing mind and memory when he did direct and seal and publish the sayd will these defendts or either of them not being present or anyway privy to the sayd matters. But these defedts have been credibly informed by some of the witnesses to the sayd will and by some neighbours of the sayd James Price and believe it to be true that the said will was written made and ingrossed by Seth Powell of Lantillio Grosseny in the County of Monmouth gent pursuant to such order and directions as were given him by the sayd James Price and that nothing was incerted which the sayd James Price did not direct. And all incerted as he did direct these defendts have alsoe been credibly informed and believe it to bee true that the sayd James Price was of a sound and disposing memory and understanding when he gave directions for the drawing his sayd will and when he signed sealed and executed the same of all which matters these defendts hope and believe thay shall make in due time a sufficient proof by the sayd witnesses although these defendts cannot affirme any thing thereof otherwise then as they were informed as aforesaid because these defendts have been credibly informed. And this defendt James Morgan farther answering saith that the sayd James Price to this defendts knowledge or beleife or as he ever heard was never seized of or interested in any Coppy hold lands or estate in the pish of Lanvayno in the bill and Exceptions menconed. But this defendt confesses that John Price the father of the sayd James Price was possessed of or interested in a small coppy hold tenemt in the sayd pish of Lanvayno of the yearly value of about four pounds for the lives of three psons (whose names this defendt knows not) who were all dead (as this defendt has heard and believes) about twelve yeares since And this defendt being then informed that the then Steward of the right Hon’oble George the Lord of Abergavenny on the behalfe of the sayd Lord (who was then the proprietor and owner of the sayd Land) was willing to take a fine and grant a new lease or a coppy thereof. This defent thereupon applied himself to the said Steward, and after having agreed upon and payd a fine of forty pounds in a court of the Lordshipp in which the sayd lands lyes this defendt was admitted tenant thereof to hold the same to him and his assigns by certain Rents and Services during the lives of three persons (in the court of the sayd Lordshipp named) and the survivor of them as by the sayd Court rolls whereunto for more certainty therein this defendt refers himselfe it may nowe plainly appeare. And this defendt verily believes the Complaint might have been and may att any time bee truly an fully informed by the Steward or recorder of the Lordshipp of Ewas Lacy (where the sayd coppy hold lands ly) what the names of the psons were for whose lives the aforesaid John Price the father of the sayd James held the sayd lands. The coppy wherby it was granted to this defendt being by this defendt lost or so misslayed as this defendtd cannot find the same. And therefore this defendt cannot sett out either the date thereof or any other pticulars concerning the same any otherwayes then as aforesaid (for want of the sayd coppy) And this defendt James Morgan confesses that he did take the sayd coppy and grant att his owne charge and payd the aforesaid sume of forty pounds for a fine and alsoe the sume of forty shillings and upwards for fees to the officers of the sayd Lordshipp and other necessary disbursmts. All which this defendt did and intended for the benefit of the sayd James Price and would have assigned his interest therein to the sayd James Price had he requested the same att any time after he came of age upon paymt of the sayd money soe payed upon the renewal aforesaid the same being forty two pounds of money as aforesaid. And the sayd James Price having not att any time after payed the sayd money nor requested this defendt to assign his estate in the coppy hold estate this defendt hath ever since his admittance thereto been in poseession thereof and is advised he is well intitled to the prmises by virtue of the sayd admittance. And that he ought to enjoy the same until he be reimbursed his money payd as aforesaid with Interest and charges he being willing upon paymt thereof and other money herein after menconed to assign his Interest therein to whom of right it doth belong all which he humbly submits to this Honoble Court. And saith the sayd James Price dyed alsoe very considerale in this defendts debt for boarding and schooling this defendt having been at the charge of finding and paying for the same for about eleven years in his infancy and had no  x x x allowance made him for the same nor for severall other money that was due to him from the sayd James Price att his death. And hopes it is but just for him to have satisfacon made to him for the same before he parts with his estate in the prmisses, however this defendt is willing to submit the same and to do therein at this Honoble Court shall think fitt to order, Without that, that any matter or thing alsoe material in the Complt bill or Exceptions or in these defendts former answers fully answered unto confessed or denyed traversed or avoided is true All which matters and things these defendts are ready to aver and prove . And pray as by theire former answers they have prayed.

[six short lines of latin text]

Jam Morgan
Judith Charles
Wm Phillips
Will Proger
Jno Morrse


Observations:

This is part of a wider collection of Price family records.

Another document relating to the same dispute can be seen here.