264 PARISH OF OTTEHHAM. 



the taking of the inquisition, which was on Saturdaj' next after 

 the feast of St. Gregory (12th March) 9th Eichard 11 (1385-6).* 



John Sergeaux acquired the fee in chief of this manor by 

 his marriage with Elizabeth, one of the daughters and coheirs 

 of William Champernon. 



A further inquisition was taken at Merwen Church (Marham 

 Church) some dozen years later, viz. : on the Monday next before 

 the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, 1397-8, more especially 

 with reference to the Manor of Penrose Burdon, which, there 

 being now no Duke of Cornwall, was held of the King in 

 capite. There is not anything in it concerning the Manor of 

 Otterham, but inasmuch as it gives us some information relative 

 to the issue of Sir William Fitz Wauter, it will be well to cite a 

 few passages. The jurors find that the said Sir William died 

 seized of the Manor of Penrose Burden as of right, which upon 

 his death was seized into the hands of the king, who held it for 

 two years, when he, by Letters Patent, granted to one William 

 Corby all the lands of the said Sir William within the County 

 of Cornwall, together with the marriage of Thomas, son and 

 heir of the said Sir William, to receive annually to the use 

 of the said William Corby £20, and to account for the surplus 

 into the Exchequer. And they jurors say further that in the 

 12th year of the said king, Edward Eurl of Devon entered into 

 the said manor and expelled all who claimed right of the king, 

 and occupied the said manor for five years foUoM'ing and received 

 the profits, and that afterwards the said Earl for the following 

 four years received two parts of the profits and no more, 

 because Margery, who was wife of Thomas Fitz Wauter, 

 received the third part as her dower, and the jurors say that the 

 two parts of the said manor of right pertained to the king until 

 the full age of Nicholas, son and heir of Thomas Fitz Wauter, 

 who was then of the age of four years and more, and was under 

 the guardianship of William Drayton, knight, his uncle, by 

 grant of the king f 



From this we learn that Thomas, son and heir of Sir 

 William Fitz Wauter, married Margery, sister of Sir William 

 Drayton, and died circa 1 392-3, leaving Nicholas, his son and heir, 



*Inq. p.m. 8 Eich. IT, No. 16. 

 flnq, p.m., 21 Rich. II, Exclj. 



