Roll A 41: 1410-11

Calendar of the Plea and Memoranda Rolls of the City of London: Volume 3, 1381-1412. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1932.

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'Roll A 41: 1410-11', in Calendar of the Plea and Memoranda Rolls of the City of London: Volume 3, 1381-1412, (London, 1932) pp. 302-310. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/plea-memoranda-rolls/vol3/pp302-310 [accessed 19 March 2024]

In this section

ROLL A 41

Rolls of Memoranda of the time of Thomas Knolles, mayor, in the 12th year of King Henry IV

Membr. 1

15 Nov. 1410

Recognisances by Robert Coventre, grocer, Alice his wife, brasyere (fn. 1), and John atte Wode, brasyere, of Oxford, of a debt of £80 payable to John Stapulford, grocer, and John Selman at the feast of St John the Baptist next coming, and of a debt of £100 payable to the same at Easter 1412.

Membr. 1 b

24 Nov. 1410

William Skrene brings a plaint of intrusion against Henry Talbot, John Syntawbyn, Richard Trevage, John Trelowny, James Treverbyn, John Keynys, Thomas Kelly, John Kylmynawt, William Derby, John Tredewey and John Lawer touching his free tenement in the parishes of St Olave in Silvyrstrete, St Alban in Wodestrete, St Mary Magdalene in Milkestrete and St Peter in Wodestrete.

23, Oct. 1410

Whereas there had been discord and litigation in the Sheriffs' Court and hi the Mayor's Court between John Turvey, brewer, plaintiff, and Richard Wellom, defendant, both parties agreed to put themselves on the arbitration of George Crescy and Robert Queldryk, and entered intomutual bonds of £20 to abide by the award.

Afterwards on 11 Nov. the arbitrators reported that they had inspected all writings and evidences and had examined a register relating to costs and expenses, which had been put in by both parties, but they had afterwards discovered and learnt by the evidence of trustworthy persons that one folio of the register, containing expenses, costs and a full account between the parties, had been cunningly cut out and destroyed by the said John Turvey, wherefore on 9 Nov. they had given as a final award that the said John Turvey should be precluded from all actions and claims hitherto made, and that the defendant should be free of all further trouble and molestation, and that if either party refused the award he should pay the penalty of £20 to the party accepting it.

Membr. 2

Robert Hicheman, son of Thomas Hicheman, was exonerated from his apprenticeship to John Wellys, weaver, to whom he had been apprenticed for 13 years, his master having left the city and failed to provide for him.

Guy Hecheman, son of Thomas Hecheman pf Rikmannesworthe, who had been apprenticed for 14 years to the same master, was similarly exonerated.

Membr. 2 b

Edmund Kyng, son of Thomas Kyng, who had been apprenticed for 7 years, likewise exonerated.

Membr. 3

4 Nov. 1410

John Ilshawe, son of William Ilshawe and Margaret his wife, who had been apprenticed for 11 years, likewise exonerated.

Membr. 2 b

22 Dec. 1410

Margaret Olmestede, abbess of the house of Grace of the Blessed Mary of the order of St Clare without the Wall of London (fn. 2), brings a plaint of intrusion against Richard Morcok touching her free tenement in the parish of St Botulph without Aldgate.

Membr. 3 b

7 Feb. 1411

Writ of certiorari to the mayor. Whereas a plea of trespass was pending before the King (fn. 3) between John Judde, plaintiff, and John Saler, defendant, the action not yet having been pleaded to an issue, and whereas a certain Thomas Alfred, merchant, had lately affirmed a plaint of detinue of 1000 degeon (fn. 4) against the said John Saler in the Sheriffs' Court, which had been removed before the Mayor, the king demands information as to the said plaint and the time whenit was levied and affirmed. Witness W. Gascoigne at Westminster, 7 Feb. 1411.

Return of the mayor that there was no plaint of detinue as mentioned in the writ, but that a plaint of account on the receipt of 1000 "degeoun made," value 100s, levied in the Sheriffs' Court, had been removed before the Mayor and was then pending unsettled. There was also an original bill concerning merchandise called "a thowsand degeoun," value 4 marks, pending before the Mayor, arising out of a business transaction at the market-town of Burdeux (fn. 5), the pleadings of which had gone as far as a jury according to the law merchant and the custom of the city. This plaint was levied and affirmed on 9 Jan. 1411.

Membr. 4

12 March 1411

Writ of corpus cum causa demanding the body and the cause of the taking and detaining of Alice Messynger. Dated at Westminster 12 March 1411.

Return of the mayor and sheriffs that Alice Messynger, under the name of Alice Messanger, had been taken and detained in prison at the suit of William Boydell, squyer, by virtue of a plaint of detinue of a gold and diamond ring levied in the Sheriffs' Court and removed before the Mayor and Aldermen.

Membr. 4 b

7 April 1411

Robert Thorley, treasurer of Calais, came into court and acknowledged a writing, dated 5 April, whereby he constituted Thomas Vale, citizen of London, and John Lekeford his attorneys to receive from the collectors of the subsidy on wool, hides and woolfells in the port of London all moneys and securities accruing from three parts of the subsidy for a period of two years from Michaelmas in the preceding year.

2 May 1411

Memorandum that Alexander Albertis paid the sum of £48 2s 6d in court to Ralph Middelton, mercer, who was acting on behalf of Sir John Fuldon, chaplain, executor of the will of John Fawconer, late parson of the church of Little Cressyngham, this sum being due on an exchange of 300 ducats, the residue of £66 13s 4d, made on 2 Jan. 1408 by the said Ralph and Edmund Alderford, on behalf of John Fawconer, with Philip de Albertis, brother of the said Alexander. Thereupon Ralph Middelton acquitted the said Alexander and Philip and the society of the Albertines of all further claims, and John Fauntleroy and John Admunxl, mercers, undertook to save the society harmless as regards the above sum.

Membr. 5

30 March 1411

Writ of error to the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs, demanding that the record and process of an action brought by Richard Reynowde, vintner, against William Hervy, hurer (fn. 6), for a debt of 20 marks 3s 4d before the Mayor and Aldermen, be produced before William Gascoigne, William Haukeford, Robert Tirwhyt and Robert Hull, the king's justices assigned to examine the same at the church of St Martin le Grand. Dated at Westminster 30 March 1411.

Membr. 5 b

23 Jan. 1411

John Reynowde, vintner, brought a bill before the Mayor and Aldermen against William Hervy, hurer, for non-payment of the sum of 20 marks 3s 4d, which he had agreed to pay on behalf of one Walter Tyd, taverner, who had bought from the plaintiff two pipes of red wine and one pipe of white wine in the parish of St Mary Wolnoth on 2 Aug. 1410.

The defendant was summoned by John Upton, the mayor's serjeant, and appeared on 26 Jan. He denied having acted as surety for Walter Tyd in the purchase. The plaintiff then prayed, in accordance with the law merchant and the custom of the city, that William Wanstall, scrivener, and Henry Norfolk his servant, who were conversant with the facts, should be examined. The defendant likewise prayed that the matter should be examined "peremptorily," under penalty of condemnation.

On the following Saturday the said William and Henry were examined on oath and testified that the defendant became surety as alleged. Accordingly it was considered that the plaintiff recover his debt and damages 6s 8d against the defendant and his pledge, John Goodburghe, haberdasher, and execution against the same was granted.

Membr. 6

12 May 1411

Writ of certiarari, reciting that John Mapilton, junior, had recently before the King impleaded Robert Chestreford, cordwainer, and William Clay, currier, for having on 23 June 1407 broken into his house in the parish of St Bride and carried away timber to the value of £20, to which the defendants had pleaded that they had previously sued an assize of freshforce before the Sheriffs against the said John, John Mapilton, senior, clerk, Peter Mapilton, Robert Faucom, John Kirkeby, Ellis Reyner and John Basset for having disseised them of five messuages in that parish and on 7 May they had received judgment that they recover the said five messuages, which they were prepared to prove by the record, and the said John Mapilton then said in replication that there was no such record. Accordingly the mayor is ordered to bring the record, if it exists, before the King on the octave of the Holy Trinity. Witness W. Gascoigne at Westminster, 12 May 1411.

Return of the mayor that it was contrary to the city's liberties to send any record out of the city except in "foreign warranties (fn. 7) " before the Mayor and Sheriffs (fn. 8), and in that case the record and process ought to be sent before the justices of the Common Bench and then returned to the city.

Membr. 5 b

9 Oct. 1411

Further writ of certiorari, reciting the above and noting that the record and process could not be sent outside the city. The mayor is ordered to send a transcript on 2 Nov. Witness W. Gascoigne at Westminster, 9 Oct. 1411.

Note that the transcript was sent as required.

Membr. 6

22 Aug. 1411

Quitclaim from Guy, son of Simon Dosser, late saddler, to Henry Pountfreyt, saddler, brother and executor of the said Simon.

Membr. 6 b

10 Sept. 1411

Quitclaim from Thomas Wilmbt, cutler, to William Barton, junior, late his apprentice, 1 Jan. 1410.

17 Sept. 1411

Award of John Chadde, Richard Wellam, Thomas Kynton and John Swalowe, wardens of the mistery of Cutlers, enrolled by order of the mayor:

Whereas Thomas Wilmot, cutler, had sold and alienated certain years of the apprenticeship of William Barton, junior, to William Barton, senior, glover, and had offended, in other ways against the ordinances of the mistery, and had refused to be ruled and corrected by the wardens, whereof they had complained to the mayor, and whereas the said Thomas on being examined by the Mayor and Aldermen had prayed that he might accept the judgment of the wardens, they had made the following award: They award that he pay the sum of 6s 8d to the Chamber of the Guildhall, on account of the sale and alienation and the offences aforesaid, that he make a general acquittance to his late apprentice bearing date 1 Jan. 1410, and that, within eight days after the termination of the apprenticeship, at his own proper cost he cause the said William to be made free of the mistery of Cutlers. [French]

Membr. 7

18 July 1411

Bond of John Pottere, cordwainer, together with William atte Wode, goldsmith, John Champeneye, cordwainer, Walter Hydeman, shearman, and William Newham, cordwainer, to John Proffyt, chamberlain of the city, in £500 payable on 25 July, that the said John Pottere would appear before the Mayor and Aldermen when summoned, that he would observe and fulfil the decree and ordinance of the Mayor and Aldermen concerning himself, that he would keep the peace with John Martyn of Cornhill, William Doucet, Richard Shote and John Goodman, the present masters, and John Messyngham, John Yepeswyche, William Keneston and John Andrewe, late masters of the Cordwainers, and all the king's people, and all the piecers (pictaciarios) called "cobelers" dwelling in London, of whatsoever nation they might be, and that he would not interfere henceforth with any ordinance or regulation concerning the said mistery of Cordwainers (fn. 9).

The same day a similar bond was made by John Tebaud and George Benet, cordwainers, William Bray, fruiterer, John Sadeler, vintner, and John Yonge and John Wyghte, cordwainers.

Afterwards, since sufficient testimony was given before Thomas Fauconer, Mayor (fn. 10), and the Aldermen, both by late masters and by Richard Balman, John Baldewyn, John Chaumpeneys and Thomas atte Vanne, then masters of the Cordwainers, as to the good behaviour of John Potter and John Thebaud, and because the above bonds were not sufficient in law, and further because John Potter, John Thebaud and the others mentioned in the bonds had paid a fine of £3 to the Chamber to have the bonds annulled, therefore it was considered by the court, with the consent of the chamberlain, that the bonds should be annulled and withdrawn.

Membr. 8

15 June 1411

Robert Rykedon of co. Essex brought before the Mayor and Aldermen two letters (fn. 11) sent to Thomas Cogsale by John Haukwode, knight, in the following words:

8 Nov. (1392)

"Dere S' I grete you wel and do you to wytyn þt at the makyng of þis lettre I was in god poynt I thank god... I sende Johan Sampson bryngere of þis lettre to you enformed of certeyn thyngs quiche he schal tellyn you be mouthe Qwerfore I preye you þat ye levyn hym as my persone Wrytyn at Florence þe vii day of Novembre.

John Haukwode Chivaler."

20 Feb. 1393

"Dere trusty & welbiloved frend hertliche I grete you wel desiryng to heren god tidynges of youre welfare & preying you þt ye be helpyng & conseillyng to my welbiloved squyer Jankyn Sampson touchyng þt he hath to purseu for me atte þis tyme & nameliche for my sauf condutes & touchyng my will & my purpos I praye you þt ye wele yeve fei & credence to the forsaid Jankyn Sampson of al that he wele seyen you by mouthe & also I preye you þt ye wele speke to Hopky Rikyngdon & to Jankyn Serjaunt Robert Lyndeseye & alle myn other frendes þt þei don as þe forseid Jankyn Sampson seyth to you touchyng my will Tristy frend þe holy gost have you in his kepyng writen at Florence þe xx day of Feverer þe yer of oure lord mccclxxxxiii."

15 June 1411

The same 15 June the said Robert Rikedon brought before the same Mayor and Aldermen a copy of a certain indenture made between Thomas Coggesale and John Sampson, servant of the aforesaid John Haukwode, containing the following words:

20 April 1393

"This endenture mad bitwen my maister Thomas Coggesale on that on half & me John Sampson on that other half witnesseth that my maister sire John Haukwode knyght bad me the forseid John Sampson seyen my credence to you Thomas Coggeshale in this wise: my maister sire John Haukwode greteth you wel & sendeth you to seyen that he purposeth hym for to comen in to Engelond. & I am comen to pursueu ii saufcondutes on for my maister & another my self & v men & v hors & therfor I wele hien me ayen to Galeys (fn. 12) therwilles that alle these lordes been there. & also my mayster sendeth you to seyen that yif he deye bifore his comyng horn that ye wolde knowe his will what he wolde were don with the londes & tenementz that been purchased to his bihufthe in Englond for he hath ordeyned for his doghtren in ytaille (fn. 13). at ferste he wolde that the ledene halle with the avowesones of the cherches be sold. & ii prestes yfounded in the nonnerie of Hethyngham (fn. 14) to singen there in my maistre chapel & i prest in the parisshe chirche of Hethyngham Sibille. & also yif my lady Haukwode overlive my maister sire John Haukwode & kepe hire sole & come in to Engelond he preyeth you & alle the other feffetz ye wolde enfeffe here in lisstories (fn. 15) & ostages (fn. 16) in Hethyngham to terme of here lyf: the reversioun to John Haukwode the sone of here in the tayle And the remenaunt to be kept in handis of the feffez til John my maistressone be of ful age. And at his ful age enfeffin hym ther in, that is to wetin to him and to his heires of his body getyn & for defaute of issue of his body, he wele that the forseide londes ben sold & do for his soule & for his frendes as yow thenketh best: And nameliche for the soules of hem that weren slayn for his love. And in the menetyme that my maistressone is withinne age that the profitez of the londes also be doon for my maistressoule & yif my maister come horn as I hope he shal than he wele ordeyne for hym self as hym liketh best. This is wretin by me forseid John Sampson atte the newe hall in boram (fn. 17) in Essex the xxe day of April the yer of oure lord the kyng Richard xvie."

12 Aug. 1411

Bond of Walter Jay, vintner, Walter Broun, dyer, and John Alfeld, draper, to Margaret Abelle, widow, in £52 that the said Walter Jay would not allege or show a protection or writ of the king to oust the Mayor's Court or Sheriffs' Court of their jurisdiction, so as to destroy a plaint of the said Margaret.

9 July 1411

Bond of William Trigillowe of co. Cornwall and John Megree, pewterers, and John Trigillowe and Henry Bedell, brewers, citizens of London, in £40 to John Profyt, chamberlain of the city, that the above William would keep in repair the lands, tenements and rents of John, son and heir of John Clophill, late of London, situate in the parish of St Botolph without Aldrichesgate, and render an annual account to the chamberlain of the profits received from the same, which lands etc. were extended as of an annual value of £10 3s 4d. above all reprises, a third part of which profits belonged to Elizabeth, mother of the said orphan, by way of dower for her life, and further that he would pay to the chamberlain whatever remained of the profits, after expenses for repairs and moneys disbursed for the use of the orphan.

Footnotes

  • 1. Sc. braseour, a brewer.
  • 2. See above, p. 286, n. i.
  • 3. Coram rege, in King's Bench.
  • 4. Sc. dudgeon, short lengths of hard wood used for knife or dagger handles. Cf. Letter Book H, fo. 118, qe nulles munches darbre forsque digeoun soyent colourez. See N.E.D. for references as to dudgeon being of maple, wild-ash root and boxwood.
  • 5. Bordeaux.
  • 6. A maker of hures, woolly caps.
  • 7. A "foreign warranty" may be defined as follows: If a defendant in a plea relating to land in the city courts called to warrant his possession a non-citizen or foreigner, having no lands or chattels in the city whereby he might be distrained to appear, the record could be sent to Westminster before the justices of the Common Bench, who could there compel the attendance of the warrantor. The validity of the warranty having been tried, the action was returned to the city for further proceedings. This procedure was set up by the Statute of Gloucester, 6 Edw. I, c. 12. Liber Albus (Mumm. Gild. Lond. (R.S.), i, pp. 183-4, 198) explains the matter in reference to proprietary actions of land in the Husting on writs of right patent and in actions of freshforce before the sheriffs and coroner. But the same procedure took place in mixed actions relating to land, dower, waste, rents and services, etc. See Husting Rolls of Common Pleas, 8, m. 2; 10, m. 10; ii, m. i; 13, m. 7 b; 19, m. 8; where the returns of the king's justices are enrolled.
  • 8. I.e. the Court of Husting.
  • 9. The dispute between the Cordwainers and Cobblers concerned the amount of new leather which a cobbler might apply to an old shoe. In 1409 the Cordwainers petitioned the king, who ordered an inquiry, the result of which is set out in Riley's Memorials, pp. 571-4. On 10 Dec. 1410 the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs, in their capacity as guardians of the peace, gave judgment that a pecyng was a whole "quarter" of a shoe, which cobblers were entitled to apply to an old shoe, as against the contention of the Cordwainers that a pecyng was only part of a quarter. Cal. of Letter Book I, p. 96.
  • 10. Mayor, 1414-15.
  • 11. See London Topographical Record, xiii, pp. 10-15; and above, p. 257, n. 2. These are the earliest extant private letters written in English. R. L. Kingsford, Prejudice and Promise, pp. 22-3.
  • 12. Calais?
  • 13. Italy.
  • 14. Castle Hedingham and Sible Hedingham.
  • 15. Listen's. Probably not the manor but a house formerly belonging to the Essex family of that name.
  • 16. A house called the Hostage or Hostelage in which the priest of the chapehy of Sible Hedingham lived. Temple Leader and Marcotti, Sir John Hawkwood, p. 308.
  • 17. Boreham.