From "Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society", Vol I,Colchester, pp 251-273, The History of the Barrington Family
@www.southfrm.demon.co.uk/Genealogy/Barr.html:
Nicholas Barrinton was living in 1343, and died soon after. His eldestson John de Barenton succeeded him, on whom settlement had been made byhis father in 1330 of his estates and his office of woodward. This wasdone on John's marriage to Margaret daughter and heir of Sir JohnBlomville. The seal is remaining to this settlement, it is of red wax anEagle displayed surmounted by a shield with the Barrington arms threechevronells and a label of three points round it is inscribed
"Sig. Nicholai fil'i dni Nicholai de Barenton."
On the back of this deed are the following remarks in Mr Micklefield'swriting,
Yre is no Consciens in kepying of Ye deeds with Mikyfeld enidence forit shal nevr case ye Baryntons no hurte the for ye hath be so longpossession of Baryngton Hall in Hatfield, in the name of Barynton, ye isto say syth ye first Heneys days yt was sone to Willm Conquer and beforebut it myght hurte my son Rob Mekylfeld or hys heyr yt the heyr of myfadr Lawe Baryngton had it, & wolde be dispoyd to selle it, thanne yf heyt solde it dies wtout heyrs, my sone' or his heyr to ye Baryntons myghtbe delaid of their four done by yt dede.
Immediately on this settlement being made by his father, John claimedthe woodwardship for himself as appears by the following statement,
John fitz Nicholas de Barenton of Hatfield Regis claimed (to be anappurtenant to his free tenement in Hatfield aforesaid, which he had ofthe gyft and feoffment of the said Nicholas his father, that is to say tothe maner and ancient lands to the said Manor belonging, the which theancestors of the said Nicholas had of gift and confirmation of the King)the Bailiwicks of the forestership and woodwardship. By virtue of whichBailiwick he was to have all the woods fallen by wind in the forest whatkind of tree soever it were, and also the escheats of all sorts of treesthat shall be fallen in the said forest, and if the Lord will fell in theforest any ancient trees called Stockhok he is to leave the stocks fromthe ground the height of a mans knee, and the said John was to dig up andhave the same with the roots, and carry them away and also sufficientlyto clear the said lands of the underwoods lying within the forest to wit,from Florentes Heene to Bush Endgates, and also that he should take inthe said forest, at what time he should send in the yeare, so muchunderwood, as with the underwood and es-cheats aforesaid should besufficient fewel for his expenses in his tenement in the town aforesaid,and also to gather nuts in the forest at reasonable times, the Lord oneday with his tenants, and he another day with his tenants, and also thathe have a stock of hay in the Lords meadow called the marsh, the Lord tochoose the first best, and he to have the second best after and also tocommon in the said forest with all manner of beasts, as his father andhis ancestors had at all times used, which profits the feoffee of thesaid John and his ancestors had enjoyed time out of mind.
John de Barenton was also keeper and woodward of the Earl of Oxford'spark and warren of Great Canfield, as appears by letter patent from Johnde Vere, seventh Earl of Oxford, dated Hedingham 6th of March, 25th yearof King Edward the Third, by which he gave and granted
To his faithful friend and servant John de Barenton the keeperage ofhis park and Warren of all his outwoods in Kanfeld. To have and to holdthe same bailiwick, soe long as it shod please the said Earl, and to takeof him for every ten weeks one quarter of wheat, one cart load of hay.and three quarters of oats, and five shillings in silver yearly for hisfee to issue out of said Manor, and one Robe, of the same that theEsquires of his Household did wear, and as made his common livery tohimself. And he also granted that the said John shold have in his Park ofKanfeld pasture for four Cows, one Bullock, one Colt, and four Hogsringed, to feed and eat the pannage all the year within the said Park.And also that he have all the wood fallen by the wind within the park,except great timber, and that he have all the fern growing within thesaid Park, and outwoods without disturbance of the said Earl, or anyunder him. And also that he have the escheats of trees within the saidPark and Warren aforesaid. And willed that the said John shold answer forall manner of trespasses done in all the woods within his Bailiwick, andpresent all trespassers at every Court his Lordships Steward or hisDeputy shold hold at his manor of Kanfeld aforesaid.
John de Barenton was knighted by King Edward the Third, in hisfather's life time, and had a resettlement of his estates made in theyear 1345 by a deed from John Knyvet, rector of Dunmow, and William Amys,chaplain of Hatfield, by which they gave and granted to John de Barenton,son of Nicholas de Barenton, and to Margaret his wife, all landstenements &c with the woodwardship of the forest.
Sir John was living in 1368 as he appears as a witness to a deed April20 the 41st year of King Edward the Third, but he must have died soonafter, as in a deed dated 11th of Jan. in the 42nd year of Edward theThird, Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Essex, Hereford and Northampton,Constable of England, at the request of his dear and well beloved JohnKnyvet, discharged Dame Margaret Barenton, wife of the late Sir JohnBarenton, for her life, from all services and customs due from thetenements she held in Hatfield, excepting quit rents, with anacknowledgement of services due, and the care of the fence round his park.
this is for your use,please do not copy it to any data base used to make money. i am glad to share it with you robert lord