AG BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM. 
“On the 25th April 1606 the Commissioners did sitt at 
Greenwich to enquire and after evidence given to the jurye and 
the greater parte of the same jury meaninge to give up their 
verdict that Westwood was the king’s waste and yet a comon, 
they were dissolved and left for that time, whereby that Com- 
mission was expired. 
‘‘Since which time the aforesaide Henri Newporte going 
about to defeat the inhabitants of Lewsham of their saide Comon 
hathe secretly made an inquisition in a remote place and alto- 
gether without the knowledge of the saide inhabitants by that 
meanes seeking to get some sinister testimony uppon recorde 
againste the inhabitants and also to prevent them of geving their 
evidence unto the jury as defendaunts of their rights of Comon.” 
The following ‘‘Humble Petition of the inhabitants of the 
parrishe of Lewsham” was accordingly made :— 
‘‘Wherefore the poore inhabitants of Lewsham aforesaide 
most humbly praye the Right Honorable the Earl of Salisburye 
in respect of his greate wisdom and justice and because he is the 
high Stewarde of Lewsham aforesaide that he wil be pleased to 
be informed of the sayd Newportes unjust proceedings and to 
relieve the poor inhabitants of Lewsham aforesaid that being 
above 500 poore housholders with wives and manye children 
greately relieved by the sayde Common and would be utterly 
undone yf yt should be unjustly taken from then. So shall theese 
poore inhabitants be alwayes ready to praye God as nevertheles 
for his honours long life and happie dayes with much increase of 
honor.” 
The case came again before the Court of Exchequer in 1607. 
“After dinner, on a Starre Chamber day,” notes Mr. Colfe, ‘‘and 
againe y® 9th of November 1608 but either Newport non suited 
himself or other error fell out in y* proceedings so y' he obtained 
not as yet his purpose.” 
But the good people of Lewisham were by no means secure. 
Presumably trusting that the Crown lawyers knew what they were 
doing, Mr. Newport in 1614 joined two more with him, namely, 
Robert Raynes, gent., sergeant of the buckhounds, and Innocent 
Lanyer, of Greenwich, one of the King’s musicians, and they 
jointly took a lease from the king of 347 acres of land in West- 
wood for a term of sixty years, and then, says Mr. Colfe, ‘*began 
very much to vexe y® inhabitants.” 
Seeing that their rights were now invaded in earnest, the 
parishioners, under the leadership of Mr. Colfe, took measures 
to defend themselves, and lodged a complaint against Newport 
and his co-patentees. After some preliminary proceedings it was 
agreed that Mr. John Burnett, one of the principal inhabitants, 
who amongst others claimed to have common rights in Westwood, 
should be sued as representing the parish. The trial took place 
on 14th October, 1614, with a jury of the County of Kent, and 
