[Endorsement by unknown hand:] 
                A reporte of the cause in Controversie between Sir John Clyfton knight and 
                William Kyrforde. 85./ 
        
[fol. 137r]
        Sir John Cliffton Knight, & william Cliffton his father decessed: grawnted to John Bord, 
            Robert Smith, & dyvers others, certayn  Lands in the Cownty of devon 
            
        [
Marginalia 
            (by Herle): vz. the ferme of Charlton & the Tenement in churchenford./]
    which 
        sithens have byn recoverd by on william Kirfford, by vertue of a former grawnt from 
        the Late duke of Suffolk made unto the sayd Kirfords wife who was wrongfullye kepte from the 
        same, by the sayd sir John Cliffton & his sayd Tenants by the space of 17. or 18. yeres: Since which 
        recovery uppon complaynt made to mi Lords of the Cowncell, agaynst sir Jphn Cliffton by his 
        sayd Tenants  
        [dyvers]
     orders have byn taken for the satisfaction of dyvers of theme. And for that 
        the sayd sir John Cliffton semes more willeng to depart with a further estate  in the 
        premisses then to make unto theme satisfaction: yett was ordred & agreed uppon, that 
        the sayd sir John Cliffton sholld make unto the sayd kirfford a good assured estate of 
        the premisses, for the terme of .3. lyves, or for yeres, determinable uppon 3. Lyves: And 
        that the sayd Kirfford sholld pay dyvers somes of money then agreed uppon: Butt for that 
        the sayd sir John Cliffton, & the sayd Kirfford, cowd not agree of the assurance; uppon 
        report of sir Aymez Pawlett (to whom the matter was lastly comitted by my Lords) ytt 
        was ordred whatt maner of assurance the sayd Kirfford sholld have, & lres written 
        from mi sayd Lords to sir John Cliffton comandyng him to performe the same: which lres 
        by him Receved, & uppon his fayth full promis to accomplyssh the contents therof: 
        asswell his sayd Tenants as William Kirfford, before the justices of Assise, surrendred clerely 
        their estats in the premisses: which don, he reffused to gyve ani other assurance, then 
        suche as lyked him sellf, & that might be qwarrelled with the first daye in sondry 
        materall poynts, wherffore the sayd Kirffords humble peticyon is to mi Lords, that he may 
        ^have^
     
        peremptory order from theme, for the qwiett enjoyeng of his former estate as the 
        cawse in eqwitye reqwires: And that the sayd sir John Cifftons Tenants may be satisffyed 
        att his hands, lyke as was first ment by mi Lordes, that they sholld be: for the sayd sir 
        John hath so incombred the estate of the premisses that Kirfford is owtt of hope of ani 
        good assurance therin. 
        The somes, which Kirfford was to paye, appereth by an order or accorde of Master  
        Attorney generall that now is, He craveth to be perfomed with as mi Lords appointed 
        by their lres to sir John Cliffton to be accomplisshed, the copy of which: under master Wades 
        hand, is redy to be exhibited. otherwise yf he may enjoye his first estate, as before is 
        mencyoned, & that the Tenants may be satisfied he humbly submittes him sellf to that 
        which mi Lords shall decree on that behallf./
         I Right honorable (att your comandment) have perused sir John Cliffton intricate by master Attorneyes order, & thys Lords lre to sir John: 
        allso have examined the 
        [ ... ]
     & circumstances asswell by the report of the Tenants As of 
        Kirfford 
        [ ... ]
       agreable to the extract I have made 
        in this paper, which your honor wilbe plesed to interprete well of, for the shortnes of 
        tyme I had to dele theryn. 28. november 
1585 your honors most sincerley devoted 
        W. Herlle.  
            [Postscript:] 
            ytt apperes that sir John Cliffton is a verey willfull person, & that the 
        wronges be mani that he hath offred to Kirfford & to the Tenants, which they 
        complayne of nott long hable to endure his opressyons longer./