1644 Chancery Proceedings Chas I Ref. P. 4/22, dated 1 July 1644 [The Howland Quarterly, Vol XXVIII, Jan-Apr, 1964, Nos. 2 & 3, p.7]
"Richard Phillips of Fenney Stanton, co. Hunts, shoemaker, and Margaret his wife V. Humphrey Howland and Anne his wife.
Subject of suit: Estate of George Howland of London merchant who owned warehouses and had considerable dealings as a merchant, both in England and beyond the seas, a single man and said to have a personal estate amounting to £6000 at least which he is stated to have intended to leave to Plaintiffs, as they had nine children, living, but his brother, Humphrey Howland of London, clothworker is said to have been in possession of George Howland's will and destroyed the same and taken out letters of administration without making any inventory of the estate. Humphrey Howland denies this allegation and stated that the estate amounts to nothing like £6000 and that their are debts of at least £300 against the estate, also that he had nothing to do with his brother George of late and knows nothing of his affairs. Defendants also state that they have never heard that George Howland intended to leave any part of his estate to Plaintiffs. George died 11 Feb. 1643/44."