A Robert BURNETT was one of those named in a list of "customary tenants" in the Court Roll of the Manor of Husthwaite in 1625 - the earliest year for which records have survived [NYCRO, MIC2044]. The same individual was listed in 1626 and in that year was also listed, with a number of others, under the heading "deffalt" [sic] with an amount of xijd against his name. Robert BURNETT was NOT listed in the Court Roll of 1627 nor any of the following years until 1638 - when the name again appears in the list of customary tenants.
Robert BURNETT married Elizabeth CALVERT at Husthwaite in 1639. The marriage entry in Husthwaite parish register gave his residence as Raskelf and indicated that the marriage was by licence. Unfortunately the marriage licence bond has not survived - this would have given some indication of Robert's age in 1639. Nevertheless, assuming that he would have been at least 19yrs old at marriage, we can estimate that Robert would have been born before 1620. However, if he was the Robert BURNETT named in the Court Roll at Husthwaite in 1625 [see above], who was probably at least 21yrs old at that time, this would give a birth date for Robert before 1604 - which would have made him at least 35yrs old at marriage in 1639 and at least 92yrs old at death in 1696. It is therefore more likely that the 1625 Robert was a close relative, possibly the father, of the Robert who married Elizabeth CALVERT.
The record of the proceedings at the Court Leet & Court Baron of the Manor of Husthwaite of Michaelmas 1639 include reference to an 'agreement' / contract between Wm PANNET & Anna his wife, Elizabeth wife of Robert BURNET and Thomas DRIFFIELD of Easingwold "upon condition that the said Thomas Driffield shall pay or cause to be paid to the said Wm Pannet & Elizabeth Burnett forty pounds of English money: £20 to Wm Pannet or his assigns, £20 to the said Elizabeth Burnett" Later in the same record of proceedings there was recorded an agreement between William PANNET and Robert & Elizabeth BURNETT. The record was written in Latin and is difficult to read.
From 1646 to 1649 inclusive Robert BURNETT was a member of the "homage" [jury] which sat at the manorial courts in Husthwaite. In 1669 Robert BURNETT *Snr.* was a member of the homage but in 1673, though a Robert BURNETT was listed as a member of the homage, he was not designated as Senior. Robert BURNETT Snr. is known to have moved to Thormanby before 1676 - he was without doubt the Robert BURNETT who, as Churchwarden, signed the Bishop's Transcript of Thormanby parish register in 1675. Also, a Robert BURNIT was listed as having two hearths at Thormanby, in hearth tax returns for the Birdforth & Bulmer Wapentakes, in 1673. This Robert was identified as the parish constable for Thormanby and it is likely that it was this same Robert who was Churchwarden in 1675.
Assuming that Robert Snr. was born before 1620, as described above, this makes him a contemporary of Cressie BURNETT, who became Lord Mayor of York in 1667 and whose father is known to have been Robert BURNETT who married Sarah ACKROYD. Sarah's brother Henry ACKROYD married Eleanor STAVELEY at Thormanby in 1605. This admittedly tenuous connection with Thormanby, together with the fact that Cressie BURNETT later became the Administrator of the estate of William BURNETT of Boscar Grange, Raskelf, and other connections between the BURNETT and STAVELEY families, all lend credence to the idea that Robert BURNETT, husband of Elizabeth CALVERT, was a brother of Cressie BURNETT - both being sons of Robert BURNETT, mercer and freeman of the City of York. It is even more likely that it was Robert BURNETT, mercer and freeman of York, who was a customary tenant of the Manor of Husthwaite in 1625 but who appears to have moved out of the Manor by 1627 [see above].
All of the known children of the marriage of Robert BURNETT and Elizabeth CALVERT were baptised at Husthwaite between 1642 and 1653.
Robert BURNETT was one of four 'appraisers' who produced an inventory of the goods and chattels of John LYTHE of Husthwaite on 3 Jan 1647/8. The same Robert BURNETT was one of four men who produced an inventory of the goods and chattels of Hester MERRYMAN of Husthwaite on 28 May 1661. In her will dated 3 Jun 1668, Elizabeth ROSSE, widow, of Husthwaite, named Robert BURNET and Elizabeth BURNET as beneficiaries - a Robert BURNETT was also one of the witnesses to the will. It is very likely that all of these references relate to the Robert BURNETT who married Elizabeth CALVERT and that the Elizabeth BURNETT named in the above mentioned will was his wife.
On 9 Apr 1687, Robert BURNETT senior of Thormanby and Robert BURNETT junior of Husthwaite accepted responsibility for the "tuition" of Elizabeth BURNETT, daughter of the late Edward BURNETT of Shipton, deceased. This more or less confirms that Robert BURNETT of Thormanby, husband of Elizabeth CALVERT, was the father of Robert BURNETT of Husthwaite, husband of Mary SHARROW.
Finally, at the Court Leet & Court Baron of the Manor of Husthwaite held on 5 May 1696, the following proceeding was recorded: "At this Court it is found by the Homage that Robert Burnett of Thormanby in the County of York, Yeoman, doth surrender into the hands of the Lord of the Manor by the hands of .... two customary tenants ... one house or tenement with a garth thereto belonging, now in the occupation of Robert Burnett the younger, adjoining Thomas Wales on the East and the said Robert Burnett the younger on the West, situate and being in Husthwaite ... to the use and behoof of the said Robert Burnett of Husthwaite, his heirs and assigns, forever, according to the custom of the Manor ..."
Robert BURNETT [Snr] died at Thormanby and was buried there on 28 Aug 1696. Unfortunately there is no record of Robert having left a will and no record of administration of his estate has been found.
Easingwold parish register includes the baptism record for Elizabeth, daughter of John CALVERT, on 13 Apr 1619 - *possibly* this Elizabeth.
There were three older siblings: John [1606], Richard [1610] and Alison [1614]
Husthwaite parish register [BT] records the burial of an Elizabeth BURNETT on 20 Mar 1688/89. The entry in the BT does not give the residence of this Elizabeth BURNETTT but she is thought to have been the former Elizabeth CALVERT, wife of Robert BURNETT. Robert and Elizabeth moved to Thormanby some time before 1676 and Robert died and was buried there.