Aldgate.

In 1690 William Knight was a “Pottmaker” in “the parish of St. Buttolph without Aldgate, London,” and made “white ware.” In that year he had conveyed to him, by deed, some premises which were situated “by the river running from Merton Mill to Wandsworth, in the county of Surrey,” and consisted in part of a mill, “used for a colour-mill for grinding colours for the glazeing of white ware” made by him. The original deed, which is in my own possession, was first made public by me in my “Reliquary,” and is altogether one of the most interesting contributions to the history of the ceramic art in England which has of late been made. The deed is as follows:—

THIS INDENTURE, made the Tenth Day of March, Anno Dom. 1690, and in the Third Yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigns Lord and Lady William and Mary King and Queene of England Scotland France and Ireland &c Betweene Mary Crispe of the parish of St. Andrewe Holborne in the County of Middx Widow late wife of Ellis Crispe late of Wimbledon in the County of Surry Esquire Deceased and Samuel Crispe of the Inner Temple London Gent. Son and Heire of the said Ellis Crispe of the One part And William Knight of the Parish of St. Buttolph without Aldgate London Pottmaker of the Other part Witnesseth That For and in Consideration of the Sume of Seaven Hundred Pounds of lawfull mony of England heretofore to the said Ellis Crispe and the said Mary Crispe (by the name of Mary his wife) or one of them paid by the said William Knight And in Consideration of the Sume of Five Shillings to the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or one of them in hand at or before th’ ensealing and delivery of these presents by the said William Knight well and truly paid The Receipt of which severall Sumes they the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe doe hereby respectively Acknowledge Testifie and Declare And thereof and of and from every part and parcell thereof Doe hereby severally and respectively Release Acquitt and Discharge the said William Knight his Heirs Executors and Administrators and every of them by these presents And in pursuance of a Covenant for further Assurances of the Lands Mill and Hereditaments hereinafter mentioned or intended to be Released or Conveyed made by and from the said Ellis Crispe for himself and for the said Mary Crispe (by the name of Mary his wife) and for the Heires and Assigns of the said Ellis Crispe to the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes Conteined in an Indenture bearing date on or about the Four and Twentieth day of July Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Three and in the Five and Thirtieth Yeare of the Raigne of the late King Charles the Second Made or mentoned to be made Between the said Ellis Crispe and the said Mary Crispe (by the name of Mary his wife) of the One part and the said William Knight of the Other part And for diverse other good Causes and Consideratons them the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe thereunto moueing They the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe Have Bargained Sold Released and Confirmed And by these presents Doe Bargaine Sell Release and Confirme unto the said William Knight (in his actuall possession now being) and to his Heires and Assignes All Those Five Closes or Parcells of Meadow Ground Conteineing by Estimation Fifteene Acres be the same more or lesse lyeing neare and adjoyneing to the River running from Merton Mill to Wandsworth in the County of Surry Together with the Mill Erected on part of the said Fifteen Acres formerly used for a Fulling Mill and Brasill Mill and now and of late used for a Colour Mill for Grinding Colours for the Glazeing of White Ware And also the Watercourses Ponds Mill Ponds Floodgates Wayes Waters Comodityes and Appurtenances to the said Mill and Premises or any of them belonging or of right apperteineing All which Premises now are and late were in the tenure or occupaton of the said William Knight his Tennants or Assignes And are Scituate lyeing and being in the said Parish of Wimbledon in the said County of Surrey And also all the Land Mill and Hereditaments with the appurtennces which in or by One Indenture bearing date the Fourth day of November Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred Seaventy and Three And in the Five and Twentieth Yeare of the Raigne of the late King Charles the Second made Betweene the said Ellis Crispe of the One part and John Campion of London Pewterer and the said William Knight of the Other part were or were mentoned to be demised granted and to Farm letten by the said Ellis Crispe unto the said John Campion and William Knight All which premises doe abutt on the Southside towards the Highway on the Westside towards the Land late of the said Ellis Crispe late in the occupaton of Joseph Walton William Mason and Edward Hubbart on the Northside towards Biggery Road and on the Eastside towards the Old River All which Land Mill and Premises are Platted Sett out and drawne and butted and bounded in a Plott or scheame to these presents annexed[56] (Except and allwayes reserved out of this Present Release or Conveyance unto the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe and the Heires of the said Samuel The Royalty of Fishing and free leave liberty and lycense to and for the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe and the Heires of the said Samuel and her his and their Servants to come into and upon the premises hereby Released or Conveyed to Fish at all seasonable and convenient times) And the Revercon and Revercons Remainder and Remainders Rents Issues and Profitts of all and singular the Premises and of every part and parcell thereof And all the Estate Right Tythe Interest Revercon Inheritance Trust Property Profit Clayme and Demand whatsoever of them the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or either of them of into and out of the Premises hereby menconed or intended to be Released or Conveyed and every or any part or parcell thereof Together with true Coppyes (to be made at the costs and charges of the said William Knight his Heirs or Assignes) of all such Deeds Evidences and Writeings (now in the hands custody or possession of the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or which they or either of them may or can come at without Suite in Law) as doe relate to or concerne the Premises hereby menconed or intended to be bargained and sold joyntly with other the Lands Tenements or Hereditaments of them the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or either of them All which Premises hereby menconed or intended to be bargained Sold Released and Confirmed were heretofore bargained sold released and confirmed or otherwise Conveyed unto the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes to his and their own use and behoofe for ever by and from the said Ellis Crispe and the said Mary his wife by Indentures of Lease and Release bearing date the Three and Twentieth and Four and Twentieth dayes of July Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Three and in the said Five and Thirtieth Yeare of the Raigne of the said late King Charles the Second made or mencondd to be made Betweene the said Ellis Crispe and the said Mary Crispe by the name of Mary his wife of the One part and the said William Knight of the Other part and by other good and sufficient Conveyances or Assurances in the Law And also together with all Messuages Tenements Houses Erectons and Buildings Sythence erected and built upon the said Fifteen Acres of Land or any part thereof with their Appurtenances To have and to hold all and singular the premises (Except before Excepted) Unto the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes To the onely use and behoofe of the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes for Ever and to and for noe other use or uses intents or purposes whatsoever And the said Mary Crispe for herselfe her Heires Executors and Admstrators And the said Samuel Crispe for himselfe his Heires Executors and Administrators Doe respectively Covenant and Agree to and with the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes by these presents That it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes peaceably and quitely to Have Hold Occupy Possese and Enjoy the premises with the appurtennces hereby bargained and sold or menconed to be hereby bargained and sold and to receive have and take the Rents Issues and Profitts thereof to his and their owne Use and Uses without the lawful Lett Suite Trouble Molestation Eviction Disturbance or Interrupton of or by the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or either of them their or either of their Heires or Assignes or the Heires and Assignes of the said Ellis Crispe or the Heires or Assignes of Rowland Wilson Esquire Decd late Grandfather of the said Ellis Crispe Or of or by any other person or persons claymeing or to clayme by from or under the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or by from or under the said Ellis Crispe or Rowland Wilson or any or either of them in any manner of wise And that Free and Cleare and freely and clearly Acquitted Exonerated and Discharged Or otherwise by the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe their Heires and Assignes from time to time and at all times hereafter well and sufficiently Saved Defended and kept harmelesse and Indempnifyed of and from All and all manner of former and other Guifts Grants Bargaines Sales or Conveyances (Other than such as are hereinbefore menconed) Mortgages Joyntures Dowers Right and Tytle of Dower Uses Wills Intayles Recognizances Statutes Merchant and of the Staple Judgements Executons Extents Seizures Forfeitures Debts to the Crowne and of and from all other Charges Estates Tytles Troubles and Incumbrances whatsoever had made comitted done or suffered or to be had made committed done or suffered by the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or either of them respectively their Heires or Assignes or by the said Ellis Crispe and Rowland Wilson or either of them or any clayming by from or under them either or any of them in any manner of wise And Farther That the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe either of them their and either of their Heires and Assignes and all and every other person and persons claymeing or to clayme by from or under the said Mary Crispe and Samuel Crispe or either of them or the said Rowland Wilson or Ellis Crispe shall and will from time to time and at all times hereafter within the Space of Seaven Yeares at the Request Costs and Charges in the Law of the said William Knight his Heires or Assignes make doe acknowledge leavy execute and suffer or cause and procure to be made done acknowledged leavyed executed and suffered unto him and them such further or other lawfull and reasonable Act and Acts Deed and Deeds Conveyance and Conveyances Assurance and Assurances in the Law whatsoever for the further and better Conveying Assureing Surety and Sure makeing of the Premises with the appurtennces hereby bargained sold or released and every part and parcell thereof unto the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes to his and their owne use and uses Bee it by Fine or Fines Recovery or Recoveryes with single double or treble Voucher or Vouchers over Deed or Deeds Inrolled or not Inrolled Release Confirmacon or by all or any of those wayes or meanes or by any other wayes or meanes whatsoever As by the said William Knight his Heires or Assignes or his or their Councell Learned in the Laws shalbee reasonably devised or advised and required Soe as such farther Assurance shall conteyne noe further or other Warranty or Covenants then only against the partyes thereunto and for and concerning their own acts only and soe as the Person or Persons making such farther Assurance shall not be Compelled or Compellable to Travell farther than the Citys of London or Westminster in Case they Inhabit within Seaven Miles thereof or else farther than Seaven Miles from the Place of his or their abode for the doeing thereof And it is hereby Covenanted Declared and fully agreed by and betweene all and every the Partyes to these presents for them and their Heires That all and every Fine and Fines Conveyance and Conveyances Assurance and Assurances in the Law whatsoever already had made levyed acknowledged executed or suffered or hereafter to be had made levyed acknowledged executed or suffered by or betweene the said Partyes to these presents or whereunto they or any of them are or shalbee Party or Partyes Of or concerning the premises hereby menconed or intended to be Released or Confirmed unto the said William Knight his Heires or Assignes intirely by themselves or joyntly with any other Lands Tenements or Hereditaments whatsoever shalbee and Enure and shall be adjudged deemed construed expounded and taken to be and enure and is and are hereby declared to be and enure as to the said severall Closes Mill and other the premises with the appurtenaces hereby menconed or intended to be Released or Conveyed To the use and behoofe of the said William Knight his Heires and Assignes and to and for noe other use or uses intents or purposes whatsoever In witness whereof The said parties to these present Indentures Interchangeably have Sett their Hands and Seales Dated the Day and Yeare First above written.

MARY CRISPE.   SAMUEL CRISPE.

The deed, which is sealed with the arms of Crispe, is thus attested on the back, “Sealed and Delivered in the presence of

The William Knight, “pott maker,” of this deed was the same William Knight whose name appears three years later on, in 1693, along with those of Thomas Harper, Henry De Wilde, John Robins, and Moses Johnson—“all potters in London”—in the curious “Brief Account of the Evidence given on behalf of Edmund Warner” in a trial in the Court of Exchequer, concerning a parcel of Potter’s clay which had been wrongfully seized as Fuller’s-earth, given on page 134.

“Mary Crispe of the parish of St. Andrewe, Holborne, in the county of Middx., widow, late wife of Ellis Crispe, late of Wimbledon, in the county of Surry, Esquire, deceased, and Samuel Crispe of the Inner Temple, London, Gent., Son and Heire of the said Ellis Crispe,” were, there can be but little doubt, of the same family to which, later on, Crispe, the china manufacturer, belonged.