X. - HUMPHREY STAFFORD was certainly in possession of
the ancestral estates eventually, but he seems to have been forced
to take legal proceedings to obtain the Ryley estate, so often
mentioned in this history, probably the same land granted in
1445 by Nicholas Martyn to Robert Stafford, for in 11 Henry
VIII. (1520)[92] Richard Sutton and John Porte, Esquires, were
appointed as arbitrators in a dispute between Humphrey Stafford,
Esquire, and Ralph Martyn, of Wynster, respecting the right to
a messuage, two oxgangs, and one rood of land called Rylye, in
Eyam, with the result that Humphrey Stafford was judged to be
the rightful owner, and Ralph Martyn was ordered not only to
deliver up to Humphrey all the evidences and muniments which
[Page 288]
concerned the land in dispute, but also, at his own expense, to provide
the necessary legal documents to establish the right of Humphrey and his
heirs to the land in dispute.
The following is eighteen years later, when Humphrey appears in the light
of a family man: a release and quitclaim[93] by Thomas Bagshaw, of Eyam, and
Humphry, his son and heir, to Humphry Stafford, of Eyam, armiger, and his
three sons, Humphry Stafford, Roland, and Anthony Stafford, of all rights,
etc. It is dated 22nd October, 30 Henry VIII. (1538). Four years later,
namely, 1 March, 33 Henry VIII. (1542)[94], a lease was granted by him to
one Hew Sheldon of a messuage and lands in Monyash, which would be
undoubtedly a portion of his inheritance from the Lynfords. His great
grandfather, the first Stafford who inherited the Lynford estate, had
endowed St. Mary's Chantry in this place with certain lands[95], and this is
the reason, doubtless, why Humphry is part patron, as is shown in the
Chantry Roll drawn up in the reign of Henry VIII., which mentions a chantry
founded at Monyash by Nicholas and John Congson, of which the Earl of
Shrewsbury and Humphrey Stafford, Esquier, were then patrons.[96]
In 2 Edward VI. (1548)[97], Humphry Stafford, Esquier, senior, of Eyam, made
a provision for "his younger son Roland Stafford" by a grant of certain
lands in Roland. Rent a red rose. Not ten years later both he and his
eldest son Humphry were dead.[98] He married Anne, whose identity has not
been discovered. She died in 1560, as will be seen below, having had
issue:-
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[Created 5 Mar 2001. Last updated 3 Jan 2009 - 15:22 by Rosemary Lockie]