The Minor Family of Somerset

from "Vicar Favour and his Times"
page 43
Robert Waterhouse second son, of the Moot (Mulcture) Hall in Hal
ifax. In the archiepiscopal register is a dispensation, dated 1
4th May 1522 from Cardinal Wolsey, for Waterhouse and SibellaSa
vile to marry, they being related twice in the second degree. S
he was one of the two daughters and choeiresses of Rober Savile
, who had inherited Shibden Hall by his marriage with Janet, dau
ghter of William Otes. The interest of the other daughter, Isab
el, wife of john Dighton, was conveyed in 1526,and robert Water
house thus became possessed of the Shibden Hall estate. We hav
e already named his acquirement of the rectorial tithes. He mad
e his will 28th -----1578, proved 15th March 1580, in which he i
s styled "the E'deste,of Halifax." He bequeathed all his good
s to his children; and to his son Gregory and his son Nicholas a
nd their heirs, all messuages, lands etc in Conisbrough, Clifton
, Brawell, and Ovenden:-
"but so long as Gregory occupy them without let or disturbance f
rom my eldest son John or Robert Waterhouse his son, it may be l
awful for said John and his eldest son Robert to enjoy the said.
"
He appointed Richard, Jerome and Tobie, sons of his son Gregor
y Waterhouse, his executors; and mentioned other children of Gre
gory, viz, Robert, Jonas, Lewis, Susan, and Isabell.
It was to the grandson herein named (Robert sonof John) of Rob
ert Waterhouse of Shibden Hall, that the Grant of the marketwa
s proposed to be made, the rectory manor of Halifax having bee
n Grantedto his father John Waterhouse 37th Henry viii (1545-46
)
Another letter in The Egerton Papers, however shows that the tow
n was jealous of Mr. Waterhouse'sclaim:-
'To my very loving frend Mr. Thomas Egerton Esq., her Ma'ties So
llicitour Generall
Sir,
Whereas, a good while since, I writt to you for a patentto be m
ade for Mr. Robert Waterhouse to keepe certayne fayres in Halifa
x,which you did make readie accordinlgy for his Ma'ties signatu
re. So it is that some objection beeyng made agaynst that paten
t, and the considertion theroef by his Ma'tie beeyng referred t
o the Master of the Rolles, he hathe, afterthe hearyng of all o
bjections made a drawght of a newe by assent of Mr. Waterhouse
s adversarie in this cawse, which drawght I send you subscribe
d by the Master of the Rolles, praying you the same may be engro
ssed and subscribedby you, with some short dogquect of the effe
ct of the byll. And so I commendyou hartily to God. From th
e Court the fyrst of December, 1585,
Fra. Walsyngham.
Notwithstanding this agreement, however, the Grant was never mad
e; but by the following memorandum, which has just fallen into o
ur hands amongst other of Dr. Favour's letters, it would seem th
at Sir Edward Waterhouse (the son of the above robert), about th
e time of his sale of the manor to Arthur Ingram, of London, mad
e another attempt to increase his privileges:-
Quinto Januarij 1608 Reg Jacobi
Angl. Frac. & Hibern Co
Md that wheras Mr. Henry Ffarrer Esquier left with mee John Ffav
our, Dr. of ye lawes & Vicar of halyfax inMichaelmesse Terme la
st, before his going upp to London of the parishe moneygathere
d for ye defense of ye markett, the just and entyre sume of xx l
b to bee redelyvered whe it should bee called for, nowe knowe al
l me by these presentes yt I the sayd Henry ffarrer have reccyve
d the sayd xxlb and thereof and every part thereof do acquite an
d dishcare ye sayd John ffavor for ever inwitnesse wherof I hav
e to these presents ett my hand ye Daye andyear above wryten xx
lb Henry ffarrar
From the words "the defense of the markett" we may take it for g
ranted that the town looked upon a charter, if Granted to thelo
rd of the manor, as a robbery rather than a privilege. And henc
e Halifaxis left to enjoy, by prescription a market which a cha
rter could not preserve to Elland.
from www.patpnyc.com/waterhde.shtml