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Patrick

All Lasletts are descended from Roger Laslett's unnamed father mentioned in Roger's deposition of 2 May 1586 and reproduced below. An earlier document is listed in the Plea Rolls which indicates that Roger's father was probably named John while his mother, from a Harbledown burial record, was probably named Margaret. It is most unlikely that we have any Huguenot connection. It is conjecture but going by the earliest spellings of Laslett in Kent, that is Lauslet/Lawslett, the name may probably be a Cheshire surname like Lancelot or Lancelyn as rendered by Kentish clerks trying to understand our ancestors' unfamiliar Chesire accents.

I'll let you know if we find any earlier family records.

Regards

Gordon Lasslett

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Roger Lacelet of Harbledowne - 2 May 1586

Canterbury Cathedral Archives

Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury Deposition Register PRC 39/11 folio 176 verso.

Concerning the positions of Pettifer versus Dale
examined the 2 May [1586]
Roger Lacelett of the parish of Harbledowne where he has lived for the space of forty years or thereabouts originated in the parish of Namptwhich in the county of Chester aged about Lxxvij years a witness produced sworn and examined and of free condition as he says, deposes as foloweth,

To the first position this deponent upon his prescribed oath caused to be examined says and deposes that hee doth very well know the parcell of grownde comonlie called the cherry garden neere the cyty of Canterbury which contayneth to this deponentes judgement six acres* of grownde or there abowte the greater parte whereof this deponent saith is lyinge and beinge within the parishe of Harboldowne and for parcell of the said parcell parishe hath been comonlie reputed and taken to this deponelits owne knowledge this six or seaven and thirty yeares which he knoweth to bee trew for that very often within the saide tyme hee hath seene and viewed the bowndes whiche devide the saide garden (beeing an inh[ab]itawnt of the saide parishe of Harboldowne) and hath together with other parishioners of the saide parishe of Harboldowne in their perambulation fett (O.E.D. fetch) in the saide parcell of growride beeinge parte of that place now called the Cherry Garden as parcell of the saide parishe of Harboldowne and this deponent saith that hee never hearde the contrary but all waies yt hath been by the most awncient men of the saide parishe accownted and reputed as parte and parcell of the saide parishe of Harboldowne since the tyme of his remembrawnce and otherwise he does not know how to depose

2. To the second he says that the farmers or occupyers of the saide parcell of grownde have a allwaies paide to the parsons of Harboldowne for the tynne beeing their tythes of the saide grownde in their kinde as they grew since this deponentes remembrance and before as hath herde yt credybly reported by honest awncyent men paying in the field as he knows and says that his this deponentes brother was farmer of the parsonadge of Harboldowne abowte five and thirty yeeres agoe by the space of three yeares and before him his father with both which persons this deponent did dwell and yearlie in Chery tyme did fett cheryes in the name of tith cherryes from the saide parcell of gownde called the Cherry Garden and hee saith that since that tyme hee hath knowen the farmers of the saide parcell of grownde yearlie pay their tenthes and tithes as they grew and not in anie other sorte or manner and otherwise he does not know how to depose

3. To the last he says the predeposed has been by him the truth etc..

Mark of Roger Lacelet

Repeated and read before me John Alderstone** subsitute of the Venerable Master Stephen Lakes etc. Official 2nd May anno domini 1586
*The Kentish acre was a piece of land containing 160 perches of sixteen feet square, i.e. a fraction over 4,551 square yards. The standard English acre then being by statute 24 Hen VIII - 40 poles long by 4 broad (= 4,840 sq yards), or its equivalent in any shape, being based on that portion of land that a yoke of oxen could plough in a day.

**PRC 39111 folio 144v: John Alderstone clerk rector of the ecclesiastical parish of St Alphage Canterbury where he has lived for five years or thereabouts and before in the parish of St Mary Bredinanin the city of Canterbury and before in the University of Cambridge for seven years and more aged about 32 years, originated in the parish of Littlebourne in the county of Kent. John Venn & LA.Venn, Alumni Cantabrigienses, John Aldersion matriculated sizar frorn Pembroke, Easter 1572; B.A. 1575-6; M.A. from Magdalene, 1579. Perhaps Rector of St Alpliage,.Canterbury, 1580. Vicar of Hougham, 1590-2. Rector of Stouting, 1590.)