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Dec. 7.
Westminster. |
To Hugh de Courteneye earl of Devon and his fellows, guardians
of the peace and justices of oyer and terminer in Devon. Order to
set free from prison, wherein they detained at command of the said
justices, the seamen arrested by the said earl in a ship of Hugh
Peyntour merchant of Vanes, making restitution to the said merchant
of his said ship, goods and merchandise according to the judgment
hereinafter rehearsed; as lately at the suit of the said merchant the
king learned that he was by the said earl arrested and detained under
arrest with his ship, his salt and other merchandise, and his seamen,
praying that all should be delivered as he was the king's liege man
and has done nought for which he ought to be arrested or aggrieved;
and in consideration that it was then witnessed by many his lieges
that the said merchant was his liege man, and ever well disposed
toward him and his, willing therefore to do what was lawful in that
behalf, the king commanded the said justices to send the said merchant
before the king and council at Westminster under safe guard for which
they would answer, and the cause wherefore they ordered him to be
arrested and detained with his ship, seamen and goods, so as to be
there on Tuesday after St. Simon and St. Jude last in order that the
king should view the cause aforesaid and cause what further should be
lawful to be done, and they did so; and because Robert de Asshton
admiral of the fleet from the mouth of the Thames westward, in whose
bailiwick the said arrest was made and to whom pertained the debate
of the business, was at the king's command occupied about other
business so that he might not have leisure so to do, willing that the
said merchant should not be longer detained in prison, but that the
matter should this time be determined by Nicholas de Tamworth
admiral of the fleet from the mouth of the Thames northwards instead of
the said Robert, the king sent him the certificate of arrest sent by the
said earl, commanding him to view the same, to call before him
those whom he should see fit, to cause the said merchant to come
before him, and this time of the king's favour to proceed further to
deliver the said merchant, his ship, goods and seamen, according to
maritime law; whereupon the said Nicholas took with him William
de Wychingham one of the justices of the Common Bench, Edmund
de Chelreye deputed to plead pleas for the king and Robert de
Tresilian, all learned in the law, and by the constable of the Tower
of London, in whose custody he was, caused the said merchant to come
before him in the port of the said city, and in presence of those aforesaid
learned in the law had speech with him concerning adherence to the
king's enemies of France, destruction of boats and fishermen along
the sea coast and other evildoings in the said certificate contained,
who said he was in no wise guilty and put himself upon the country;
and the jurors thereupon chosen, sworn and tried said upon their oath
that he is not guilty, and being further asked if his seamen of the said
ship were guilty in any of the premises against the king and his
subjects, so that order should be taken for their safe custody if they
were there accused, the jurors said they are not guilty, nor any of them;
wherefore by advice of those aforesaid learned in the law it is
determined that the said merchant and seamen shall be set free, and
full restitution shall be made of the said ship, goods and merchandise,
as the king is assured by the tenor of the record and process of the
business sent into chancery at his command. |
Dec. 10
Westminster. |
To John Moubray, Thomas de Ingelby, William de Fyncheden
John de Langeton and William Graa. Order that they, four etc. of
whom the said John Moubray, Thomas or William de Fyncheden shall
be one, shall proceed to make inquisition, according to the form of
the king's commission to them, touching the things contained in an
information laid against William Coke of Kexby, and shall without
delay send such inquisition into chancery under their seals and the
seals of those by whom it shall be made, and also this writ, staying
the determination of the evildoings hereinafter rehearsed until the
king, being by them certified touching the said inquisition, shall send
instructions as to what shall be lawful therein, but continuing the
process so far as shall be lawful in the meantime; as lately at the
plaint of Roger de Selby mayor of York the king learned that when
he was lately occupied about the execution of the king's commands,
the keeping of the peace, and the restraining of evildoers in the said
city, the said William Coke, scheming cunningly to hinder him therein,
and other evildoers and disturbers of the peace with abusive and
crafty words assailed the said mayor, assaulted him with force of
arms, with drawn knife laid violent hands upon him, and would have
slain him had not a rescue been speedily made, whereby the king's
business remained undone, the offenders there by aid of the said
William escaped without punishment, and other crimes were committed
contrary to the peace, to the contempt and prejudice of the king, the
hurt of the said mayor, and the disturbance of the whole city,
wherefore the said William was taken and committed to the king's
prison of York wherein he is yet detained, and the king not willing
that such contempts and evildoings shall pass without punishment
appointed the said persons justices to make inquisition concerning
the names of the evildoers who with the said William committed the
same and concerning the truth of the premises, and to hear and
determine the contempts, trespasses and evildoings aforesaid as well
at the suit of the king as of the said mayor according to the law and
custom of England; and because the king has undoubted information
by certain credible persons that the allegation whereupon the said
commission was made was untrue, he would be by the said justices
fully certified touching the same before the evildoings therein
contained are determined. |
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Membrane 3. |
Nov. 20.
Westminster. |
To Nicholas de Styuecle late escheator in Bukinghamshire. Order
not to meddle further with a manor in Weston Turvile and the
advowson of that church taken into the king's hand by the death of
Joan who was wife of Michael de Ponynges, delivering up any issues
thereof taken; as the king has learned by inquisition, taken by the
said Nicholas, that the said Joan at her death held no lands in that
bailiwick in chief nor of any other in her demesne as of fee, but by fine
levied in the king's court held the said manor and advowson of the
feoffment of John de Molyns knight to her and John sometime her
husband son of the said John and to the heirs of their bodies, with
remainder for lack of such an heir to William brother of the said John
the son (yet living) and to the heirs male of his body, that John the son
and Joan are dead without an heir of their bodies, wherefore the
premises ought by virtue of the said fine to remain to the said William,
and that the same are held of another than the king. |
Nov. 28.
Westminster. |
To John de Rokwode escheator in Suffolk. Order not to meddle
further with the lands which Giles de Neketon at his death held by
knight service of the abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, lately void and
in the king's hand, and which by his death and by reason of the
nonage of Margaret daughter and heir of the said Giles and of the
vacancy of the said abbey were taken into the king's hand and are yet
in his hand; as the said Margaret, whom John Crull has taken to wife,
has proved her age before Nicholas de Styuecle escheator in Cambridgeshire, and on 12 November in the 35th year of his reign the king took
the fealty of brother John de Brynkele now abbot, and restored to him
the temporalities of the said abbey. |
Nov. 26.
Westminster. |
To John de Rokwode escheator in Norffolk. Order in presence of
Helmyng Leget the king's esquire, to whom he has committed the
wardship of the lands of Thomas de Feltham, tenant by knight
service of the heir of Adam de Clifton knight tenant in chief, a minor
in the king's wardship, or in presence of his attorney if being warned
he will attend, to assign to Joan who was wife of the said Thomas
dower of the lands of her said husband taken into the king's hand by
his death and by reason of the nonage of his heir, sending the assignment
under seal to be enrolled in chancery. |
Dec. 12.
Westminster. |
To William de Catesby escheator in Leycestershire. Order not
to meddle further with twelve messuages and twelve virgates of
land in Sheynton taken into the king's hand by the death of Joan
who was wife of William de Harecourt, delivering up any issues
thereof taken; as the king has learned by inquisition, taken by the
escheator, that the said Joan at her death held no lands in that county
in chief in her demesne as of fee, but held the premises in fee tail of
others than the king with reversion to Elizabeth wife of Thomas son
of Thomas de Asteleye, daughter and heir of Richard de Harecourt
knight the eldest son of the said William and Joan. |
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To Thomas de Musgrave escheator in Yorkshire. Like order in
regard to the manors of Bynglay and Helughfeld; as the king has
learned (as above) that the said Joan at her death held the said manors
of others than the king to her and the heirs of her body of the gift
and feoffment of John de Harecourt of Boseworth to the said William
and Joan and to the heirs of their bodies. |
Dec. 24.
[King's] Langley. |
To John duke of Lancastre the king's son, or to his representative,
sheriffs, stewards or bailiffs and ministers in Wales whatsoever.
Order upon their allegiance, under pain of forfeiture, as they love the
king and his honour and desire the salvation of the realm and of the
principality of Wales, on sight of these presents forthwith to postpone
all else and ceasing every excuse to cause all castles, fortresses, towns
and other places within the said principality to be furnished with
men at arms, armed men and archers, with victuals and other
things needful, and all the men, tenants and inhabitants within the
said duke's lordship of whatsoever estate or condition to be arrayed
with arms as their estate demands, and kept in array ready at
all times to resist the malice of the king's enemies if any shall
invade those parts, causing all men in the same who are suspected
of adherence of the said enemies, or of covin, aid, counsel or favour
toward them, to be arrested and kept in safe custody under arrest in
prison while danger threatens, so that no hurt or peril happen to
the king and realm or to his lieges by those enemies or their
adherents; as lately upon information received that his enemies
of France and other their adherents, endeavouring to do away the
king and realm and all the English tongue and to destroy the said
principality, drawing the same under their dominion, purposed to
land within the principality with a host of ships, men at arms and
armed men, the king many times commanded, the said duke and
every other the lords thereof and their ministers whatsoever,
charging them before him and the council to furnish all castles etc.,
array and keep in array all the men within their lordships ready to
resist the malice of the said enemies, and to arrest and detain all
those suspected as aforesaid; and now by divers messengers arriving
day by day the king has particular information that the said enemies
are actually at sea with such a host, purposing and preparing to land
within the said principality, to draw and subject the same to their
dominion, and to the utmost of their power utterly to destroy and
overthrow the king and his lieges if they be not speedily resisted with
a strong hand; and it is the king's will to oppose their malice by all
means he may, as he ought to do. By K. |
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[Fœdera.] |
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The like to the following lords: |
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Richard earl of Arundell and five other earls, including Edmund
de Mortuo Mari earl of March. |
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The countess mother of March. |
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Edward lord le Despenser, and the lord de Grey of Ruthyn. |
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Guy de Bryene and five other lords. |
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Elizabeth daughter and heir of William Botiller of Wemme. |
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Ingelram de Concy earl of Bedeford, for the lands of Edmund
earl of March, within age and in the king's wardship, which
by the king's grant are in his wardship. |
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[Ibid.] |
Dec. 24.
Westminster. |
To the representative of Edward prince of Aquitaine and Wales
and earl of Chester, his sheriffs, stewards, bailiffs and ministers in
Wales whatsoever. Like order, mutatis mutandis, reciting also the
king's command to make proclamation in the cities, boroughs, market
towns and other places in the said principality on the king's behalf
directing all and singular the lords thereof, under pain of forfeiture,
to furnish and fortify all their castles, towns and other fortresses
there, to array and keep in array all the men, tenants and inhabitants
within their lordships, and to arrest and detain all suspects. By K. |
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[Ibid.] |
