MUTILATED ROLL OF 1377–8
Membr. 1
Notarial instruments, under the seal of John de Mitford,
clerk of the Diocese of Durham, recording that John Pavy,
merchant of London, had bought ten casks of wine from
John Jacob (fn. 1) for £41 and that the wine had been loaded in the
ship "Gracedieux" of Plymouth, of which Richard Coteler was
master. It was agreed that the purchase-money should be
paid within fourteen days of delivery. The said John Pavy
had deposited nine casks in the cellar of John Blakeneye of
London. The present document notifies all and sundry that
John Blakeneye has no right or claim to the wine. Witnesses:
William Preston and Humfrey Passour.
Certificate of William Boyvile, clerk of the Diocese of
Carlisle, as to the same.
Membr. 2
14 Sept. 1377
A Congregation of Mayor and Aldermen on Monday
the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross [14 Sept.]
A
o 1 Ric. II [1377]
John Prentys, draper, Isabella de Wynchestre, Thomas de
Emethulle, chaplain of the perpetual chantry for the soul of
Nicholas Crane (fn. 2) , and others demanded Assizes of Nuisance
against William Newe, Warden of the House of the Friars
Minors, as regards their free tenements in the parish of St
Nicholas Shambles.
Petition of John Foxton, spicer, setting forth that he had
bought a site for building in Bucklersbury from Adam de
Bury, and that it had been found on a view taken on 1 Sept.
by the sworn Masons and Carpenters (fn. 3) of the City that the
tenement of Richard Haveryng and Anneys his wife encroached on the land several inches. The petitioner prays that
he may have possession of his land in order to proceed with
his building. [French]
Membr. 2 b
21 Oct. 1377
Writ of protection in favour of William Mapull, who was
then about to cross the sea in the company of John Arundell.
Dated 21 Oct.
Writ of protection in favour of Thomas Stapilton, who was
then about to cross the sea in the company of the Duke of
Brittany.
John, son of Richard Shirlok, who had been apprenticed
to Richard Messenger, saddler, was exonerated from his
indentures, because his master had fled for debt and taken
refuge in the Liberty of St Helen's, London.
Membr. 3
2 Dec. 1377
Writ to the Mayor and Aldermen reciting that the late
King, understanding that the Mayor and Aldermen had in
their custody moneys belonging to enemy Frenchmen, had
ordered them on 29 Jan. 1370 to send to the Exchequer a bond
in £525 from Ralph de Knyghton, John de Southam and
William Brikles, merchants of London, to Simon Corder,
merchant of St Valery: The said Ralph, John and William,
being ordered to show cause why they should not pay the
sum mentioned in the bond, had pleaded that payment was
subject to certain conditions contained in a sealed paper in the
Chamber of Guildhall. The Mayor and Aldermen are commanded to produce this document.
The paper, which was sent as ordered, recorded that the
above-mentioned "Raulyn," John and William had sold to
the said "Simonet" Corder 1600 chaldrons of coal of Newcastle-on-Tyne, which they had bought from William Acton
and another burgess of that town. It was agreed that the
buyer should send a ship or ships to fetch the coal and that
the vendors should load the coal within 12 working-days after
their arrival; otherwise, if no ships were sent the vendors
should arrange for carriage at the buyer's risk. The vendors
were to have a rebate of £320 for freightage. There were
further rebates in connection with the sale of 31 tuns of woad
at £15 the tun, which were stored in a house in London belonging to John Stodeye, and conditions relating to the sale
of a ship lying at the Wood wharf for £60. [French]
Membr. 3 b
20 March 1378
Letter of attorney from Bonsignor Belbok (fn. 4) to John
Bokassouche (fn. 5) , merchant of Lucca.
6 April 1378
The same from Thomas Shanke of co. Dorset to William
Rule of London, draper.
Membr. 4
Joan Wodelok and Ralph Taillour were attached to answer
Walter Hampstede on a charge of abducting his daughter
Joan, aged 11 years. The defendant Ralph pleaded that he
had been procured and abetted in so doing by the said Joan
Wodelok and put himself on the mercy of the Court. He was
committed to prison.
The said Joan pleaded that the girl's grandfather held a
messuage, 40 acres of land and 10 acres of wood in Mymmes
by homage, scutage and military service from William Swanlond, and that the girl, through her mother Joan, was his
heiress. She herself, with the assent of the said William
Swanlond, assumed the wardship of the girl. She prayed
judgment whether the plaintiff ought to have any action
against her.
The plaintiff answered that he had charged her with a
trespass committed in the Old Jewry, and claimed damages.
Thereupon, on the ground that her plea, as pleaded by her
counsel, was designed to exclude the plaintiff from his action,
and in such a case the plaintiff or defendant might be examined on oath, the said Joan was examined and confessed
that she did not acknowledge the facts set forth by her
counsel. Thereupon counsel, on being examined, confessed
that they had not been instructed by the said Joan to make
the above defence, but by a certain Friar Peter Daniel of the
Order of the Friars Preachers. And because the above-mentioned William Swanlond denied that he had given authority
to the said Joan to assume the wardship (cetera desunt).
Membr. 5
Letter of attorney from William Chetelton to Roger de
Coyton, esquire, to recover from Henry Okeston of co.
Chester 32 francs, a.. of steel with a silver buckle and 20s
sterling entrusted to him by the said William.
12 May, 1378
Writ, dated 12 May Ao 1 Ric. II, to the Mayor and Sheriffs
ordering them to bring before the King's Council a certain
Odo Ude, then a prisoner in Newgate.
William Poynt of Willesden, who had put his. son John as
apprentice to John Shep for eight years, complained that the
latter had refused to make the boy free of the City on the
expiration of his term. The said John Shep pleaded that there
was still a year to run according to the indenture enrolled in
the Chamber of London in the time of John Cantebrugge,
Chamberlain. On examination it was found that the date in
the indenture in the Chamber differed from that of the
plaintiff's indenture. The Court accepted the latter as correct
and ordered that the apprentice should be accepted and enrolled as a freeman.
Membr. 5 b
John Blakeney was summoned to answer John Jacob (fn. 6) ,
merchant of Plymouth, in a plea of debt of £41, wherein the
latter complained that a certain John Pavy in Jan. 1377 at
Bordeaux had bought from him 10 casks of wine, and that
after his death the wine had come into the hands of John
Blakeney, who disposed of it as his own property and now
refused to pay the price.
The parties were summoned to appear on 6 April. And
because the plaint concerned merchandise, the Mayor fixed
a day for the hearing in a private room in Guildhall before
himself and other Aldermen, who were merchants, so that
the action might be terminated according to the law merchant (fn. 7) . The plaintiff produced a notarial instrument under
the seal of John de Mitford, clerk of the diocese of Durham,
and another under the seal of William Boyvile, clerk of the
diocese of Carlisle, in which the late John Pavy acknowledged
the debt and testified that the wine had been brought to
England in the "Gracedieux" of Plymouth, nine casks being
deposited in the cellar of John Blakeney in London, and
another cask at Colchester among goods belonging to the
said John.
The defendant admitted that the facts were as alleged. It
was further found that certain indentures between the defendant and the master of the "Gracedieux" differed, for
whereas in one part the date was 21 Jan. 1377, in the other
"January" had been erased and "February" substituted,
whence great suspicion attached to the said John Blakeney
(cetera desunt).
Membr. 6
Robert Lucas was attached to answer John Loveye,
mercer, in a plea of trespass, wherein the latter complained
that he had a tavern called "Cardynalhat" in the parish of
St Vedast, over the door of which branches and leaves were
hung to show that wine was sold there, and though this sign
had been used there from time immemorial, the defendant
by force and arms had torn down the branches and leaves to
the plaintiff's damage £40.
The defendant pleaded that the house had not always been
used as a tavern, but as a stable, a brewhouse and a dwellinghouse at different times and that the plaintiff had no right to
hang out branches and leaves from that part of the house
which now belonged to the defendant. The Court fixed a day
in order that it might be advised meanwhile.
Membr. 7
1377-8
Lodewic... was summoned to answer Nicholas Holbourne
on a plea of debt of £120 due on a bond. The defendant
pleaded that the plaintiff ought not to have any action against
him because he had already paid £60, and the plaintiff's
attorney in Bruges, Thomas Bak, had received from the defendant's attorney, Brancus Domenyk, the sum of £32 10s,
with which he had bought goods for the plaintiff, and the
residue of the £60 had been arrested in the defendant's hands
in an action brought by Stephen Alibert against the plaintiff.
The plaintiff pleaded that the defendant's attorney in Bruges
had not paid £32 10s in discharge of the debt, but had merely
handed over that sum to purchase a letter of exchange, and
on that issue he put himself on the country. As the defendant
was a Lombard, precept was given to summon a jury of
Englishmen and Lombards.
10 April 1378
John Blakeneye, fishmonger, was bound over in £100 for
threatening and abusing Henry Herbury, who had given
evidence in an action brought by John Jacob against the said
John Blakeneye. The payment of that sum was respited so
long as he did not molest any person on account of the judgment recorded against him.
Membr. 7 b
23 July 1377
Release and quitclaim by Nicholas Dene of Sandwich and
... of Geoffrey Denny to Hugh de Bassingbourne of all
actions against him arising out of the will of the said Geoffrey,
except one relating to a stone called a "saefire."
Memorandum that by order of the Mayor certain goods
formerly belonging to William Seint Aubyn and Hugh Spicer
were valued, because goods and chattels had been taken by
the King's enemies in France during time of truce. The goods
comprised 3 dozen russet caps at 10s the dozen, 2 dozen blue
caps at 10s the dozen and 20 dozen red caps of a colour called
"half greyn," (fn. 8) total £22 10s.
Membr. 8
Proceedings in an Assize of Freshforce between William
Berkham, grocer, plaintiff, executor of the will of John Not,
late pepperer, and William Wodehous, John Hanham, John
Tot, Robert Lucas and Margaret his wife and William Horscroft, defendants.
Membr. 9
William Stoket brought a bill of complaint against Nicholas
Exton and John Stokyngbury to the effect that he had taken
a lease from them of a house which was in such bad repair
that it could scarcely stand. It had been agreed that he should
carry out repairs and that they should either set the cost
against his rent or reimburse him, nevertheless they had refused either, though he had repaired the roofs with timber,
laths and nails, had strengthened the foundations and put in
new floor-boards at a reasonable cost of £23 10d. [French]
The defendants denied liability, and both parties pleaded to
a jury. On 15 May the plaintiff withdrew from his action, and
the Court gave judgment that he and his pledges be in mercy.
Membr. 9 b
16 Nov. 1377
Writ of protection, to last for two years, on behalf of
William Vendacel, Ralph Cloffamer, Peter atte More, John
de Garc', Goscelyn Vanacre and Reginald Raules, foreign
clothworkers residing in the City of London, who had
petitioned for the same, in accordance with the ordinance in
Parliament of the year 11 Edw. III. They and their fellows
of the same trade are to be unmolested and any offences
against them are to be corrected immediately.
Membr. 10
Recognizances of John Writele, hostiller, John Cook,
Philip Bacon and Thomas Kilpyn, corsours, in 2 marks 6s 8d
due at Michaelmas to Adam Pope, clerk.
Sir William Berland, who was summoned to answer Maud
de Veer, Countess of Oxford, in a plea of debt of £10 due on
a bond, produced an acquittance, dated 10 Oct. 1376, at the
manor of Lekenefeld (fn. 9) under the seal of Robert de Flynthaulghte, the Countess's clerk. The clerk admitted that the
document was his own. Judgment that the Countess take
nothing by her plea and be in mercy.
Membr. 10 b
28 July 1377
Letter of attorney from Lambert Dati to Francis Cristofre,
merchant of Lucca.
Membr. 11
1377-8
Memorandum that discords having arisen between Richard
Toky, pepperer (fn. 10) , and Maud, widow of Richard Toky, wool
man, the parties appeared in the Husting and put themselves
on the arbitration of John Horn, Alderman. The latter
awarded that the said Maud should have for life 20 marks
annual rent issuing from lands and tenements belonging to
the said Richard in the parishes of St Edmund Lombard
Street, and Gracechurch, which annual rent had been granted
to her by him, and also a mansion house in the parish of St
Edmund for life; also that she should be exonerated from the
sum of 200 marks which the said Richard had claimed from
her, and that the latter should execute a quitclaim in her
favour of all actions, except of an action relating to a forged
bond for £400 under a fictitious seal, in connection with
which a certain William.. had been found guilty by a jury.
The said Maud on her part should execute a quitclaim to the
said Richard.
Note of payments subsequently made to the said Maud, in
accordance with the above, and that on 7 Sept. 1379 she refused to stand by an acquittance she had given for a payment.
Thereupon the Mayor and Aldermen ordered the money to
lie in Court until she had been better advised by counsel.
On her consenting, the payments were resumed.
Membr. 11 b
19 May 1377
Agnes, wife of Richard Teukesbury, and another woman
were charged with standing next to the Conduit and hawking
salt-fish. Their offence was condoned for the present.
The bailiffs and men of Kingston-upon-Thames having
taken illegal toll from citizens of London, a boat which Elias
Garlond, woodmonger, held in partnership with Richard
atte Brugende of Kingston, was arrested. It was restored to
the said Elias on his promise to answer for the said trespass
quo et quando. Moneys belonging to John Colneye of Kingston in the hands of Robert Broun, woodmonger, were likewise arrested to reimburse John Barton, unless a settlement
should be previously effected.
John Thame, barber, who had been presented before
Thomas atte Noket, Alderman of Langbourne Ward, as a
common fomenter of quarrels, for keeping dogs in his house
and for being disobedient to the Aldermen and constables,
was found guilty by a jury and committed to prison.
Membr. 12
Gilbert Aumory, by Simon Aylesham and John Somerford
his attorneys, prayed that certain goods and chattels belonging
to Thomas Serland to the value of £28 10s, which were in his
hands, might be delivered to him by the Court in accordance
with the custom of the City, because the said Thomas Serland
on 18 June 1378 was two years and one quarter in arrears of
his rent for certain premises hired from the petitioner.
Thereupon came a certain Bartholomew.. who claimed
that the said Thomas had paid on behalf of the said Gilbert
a sum of money to Lord Fitz Wauter (fn. 11) , for which the latter
had given an acquittance. On examination it appeared that
the payment had been made, not by the said Thomas but
by the said Gilbert, and this was testified also by the attorney
of Lord Fitz Wauter. Accordingly, since it was clear that the
said Thomas had occupied and was occupying the premises
in question, the Court ordered that the goods should remain
under distress until the rent was paid.
Membr. 13
16 July 1378
Richard atte Hull was attached to answer Peter Stenby on
a charge that he and his three servants violently assaulted the
said Peter to his damage £40. The defendant, having pleaded
to a jury, confessed the charge and the jury taxed damages at
£20. As the Court wished to consult, a day was given on
16 July, when the Mayor and Aldermen, on the ground that
the damages were excessive, reduced them by 10 marks and
gave judgment for 20 marks. The money was paid in court
next day.
Membr. 13 b
1 Sept. 1378
Writ, dated 1 Sept. Ao 2 Ric. II [1378], ordering that an
inquest be held and a return made as to the death of John
Quynteyn, cutler, in the parish of St Audoen within Newgate.
Return that it was found by a jury that in the course of an
angry argument John Risele struck the said John a mortal
blow with his sword and afterwards fled to St Helen's Church
and thence to Westminster for fear of that felony. It did not
appear that the slaying was instigated by anyone else, or that
any one knowingly harboured the said John Risele or was in
any way concerned in the matter.
Membr. 14 b
Robert Boxford was attached to answer the Commonalty
of the City on a charge of having broken down certain stalls
and thrown out certain jewels from a stable and warehouse
below the gate of Ludgate, which had been leased to Robert
de Lynne and Joan his wife and to John Lyndeseye by the
Mayor and Commonalty. The defendant had no excuse to
offer, and judgment was given that he pay a fine into the
Chamber of Guildhall and construct new stalls as good and
competent as those destroyed. The question of damages to
the tenants was submitted to the arbitration of John Hoo and
Geoffrey Neuton, Aldermen. On the parties failing to agree,
a jury of twelve men from the four neighbouring wards was
impanelled, which taxed damages at 40s. Judgment was
given for that amount.
Membr. 15
1378
Robert Havelok, servant of Thomas Serlond, was summoned to answer John Aubrey and Richard Northbury in a
plea of debt of £25 due on a recognizance.
The defendant pleaded that the said John and Richard
ought to have no action against him because they had granted
by a defeasance, which he produced in court, that if he paid
to them before 7 June the sum of £25 which Gilbert Aumory
owed to them, or if the said Thomas Serlond could prove by
a reasonable account that he owed the said Gilbert nothing
for the rent of a house, which Gilbert held on lease from Lord
Fitz Wauter, then the recognizance should be of no effect.
The said Thomas, he pleaded, was willing within the term
mentioned in the defeasance to render account and to prove
by his book that the money owed by him had been set off
against a similar amount owed to him by Gilbert Aumory.
He prayed a day might be given to him to produce this book.
The plaintiffs answered that the said Thomas Serlond, who
was then in Newgate, had offered to produce a book which he
said was in Flanders, but had failed to produce anything but
a schedule of no value.
Afterwards the parties appeared in Guildhall on 16 Oct.
1378, when the plaintiffs conceded that if the said Thomas
could prove by the oath of twelve merchants that he had
satisfied the said Gilbert for the rent of the messuage they
would withdraw their action against Robert Havelok. This
offer was accepted and Peter Bagardyn, Peter Gracian,
Chanel Volpastre, Francis Cristofre, Andrew Michel, James
Wlpeny, Peter Mark, John Donat, Lowys Donat and three
other Lombards made the proof aforesaid.
Membr. 16
1378
Letter of attorney from Agnes Frowyk to John Oxewyke.
Inquest held by Andrew Pykeman and Nicholas Twyford,
Sheriffs, to inquire as to an affray which took place on the
Feast of the Nativity B.M. [8 Sept.] last past, and to discover
what evildoers had assaulted a certain John Claworth and
wounded his servant Peter Payn through the left hand with an
arrow.
The jury presented that Thomas Bowyer and John London,
servants of Thomas Soys, Walter Lucas, John Cole, Symekyn
Sadeler, servant of Rumbold Sadeler, and others, at ten
o'clock on the above date, in Bread Street, had lain in wait for
the said John and assaulted him, and that Thomas Hostiller,
servant of John Ittilcote, had shot an arrow into the air which
fell and pierced the left hand of the said Peter, in contempt of
the King and in manifest breach of the peace.
Membr. 16 b
Record of an action against Richard Bedewynd and Margery
his wife concerning the external repairs of a house at the
corner of Abbecherchelane, of which they were landlords.
Membr. 17
Notarial document [much mutilated] relating to a sale of
wine from John Jacob to John Pavy.
Membr. 18
1377
William Bardolf, Lord of Wermegeye, brought a bill of
complaint against William Fitz Hugh, goldsmith, for refusing
to surrender four "scochons" with hatchments of his arms,
which were found in the said William's possession. [French]
The defendant appeared on summons and pleaded that the
escutcheons had been openly exposed for sale in the City, and
that a certain foreign minstrel had bought them from other
foreigners in Lombard Street....
The plaintiff prayed that the escutcheons might be adjudged to him on the ground that the said foreigners had no
title to them. To this the defendant replied that he was not
bound to answer, because he was able to verify his own purchase. Thereupon the plaintiff was asked whether he wished
to dispute this verification, and answered "no." The Court
gave judgment that the plaintiff take nothing by his bill and
be in mercy, because the aforesaid verification was a complete
bar to his action (fn. 12) .
Membr. 18 b
1377
Bond of William Hoghton, John Vyne and Geoffrey Walderne to the Mayor and Sheriffs in £60 to save them harmless
against any claims which might be made upon them, owing
to their having paid over to the said William certain sums of
money belonging to the King's enemies in France, which
were in the custody of John Rydere, fishmonger.
Similar bond of Thomas..., John Scorfeyn, armourer, and
John Burnell, cordwainer, in £50 in respect of moneys paid
to the said Thomas in obedience to a writ. The Mayor and
Sheriffs are to be saved harmless in case the King's Council
should afterwards order the restitution of the money.
Cedula 1
Men of divers misteries elected to be of the Common
Council in the first year of King Richard the Second.
[A mutilated list follows of men belonging to the following
misteries, among others: grocers, mercers, goldsmiths,
vintners, drapers, fishmongers, skinners, saddlers, brewers,
tailors, weavers, curriers, ironmongers, cutlers, shearmen,
founders, leathersellers, tanners, plumbers, joiners, whitetawyers, loriners, bakers, tapicers, bowyers, fletchers, horners,
hatters, masons, smiths, pouchmakers, brouderers, spurriers,
hurers, haberdashers, cardmakers, pinners, butchers, fusters.]
Cedula 2
A list of aleconners of the several Wards, with the oath of
the aleconners (fn. 13) . [French]