VII.
Charter in the custody of the Town Clerk. 20 July 1359.
Edwardus dei gracia Rex Anglie & ffrancie & Dominus Hibernie
Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Ducibus Comitibus
Baronibus Justiciariis Vicecomitibus Prepositis Ministris et omnibus
Balliuis & fidelibus suis salutem. Inspeximus cartam domini Edwardi
nuper Regis Anglie patris nostri factam in hec verba [Hic sequitur
prout in carta originali.] Nos autem concessionem & confirmacionem
predictas ratas habentes et gratas eas pro nobis & heredibus nostris
quantum in nobis est dilecto & fideli nostro Edwardo le Despenser
consanguineo & heredi predicti hugonis ac nunc Burgensibus & aliis
hominibus & tenentibus de kerdyf Vsk Kaerlion Neuport Cowbrugge
Neeth & kenefeg ratificamus approbamus & confirmamus prout carta
predicta racionabiliter testatur & prout ipsi et eorum antecessores
libertatibus & quietanciis illis hactenus vsi sunt racionabiliter &
gauisi. Hiis testibus venerabilibus patribus Stephano Archiepiscopo
Cantuariensis tocius Anglie Primate. Willelmo Wyntoniensis
Episcopo Cancellario nostro Johanne Roffensis Episcopo Thesaurario
nostro. Willelmo de Bohun Norhampton Ricardo Arundell Rogero
de Mortuo Mari Marchie Comitibus Johanne de Grey de Retherfeld
Senescallo hospicij nostri & aliis. Datum per manum nostram apud
Westmonasterium vicesimo die Julij anno regni nostri Anglie
tricesimo tercio regni vero nostri ffrancie vicesimo.
p' viginti solidis solut. in Hanap'io. Newenh.
Endorsed:—"Confirmac'o Edwardi Regis Anglie tercij etc.
Regni sui Anglie xxxiij and a° Regni sui francie xx°."
Note.—This Charter is in good condition. The initial letter E is neatly
ornamented with pen and ink drawings of oak slips, basketwork and checquy designs,
&c., and the capitals of the top line have their vertical strokes prolonged upwards and
broadened in a fantastic manner. Seal, repaired, of green wax on green and red silk
cords. Equestrian figure on one side; on the other, the King enthroned, with a lion
sejant to his right, and a shield of France and England quarterly.
[Translation.]
Edward, by the grace of God King of England and France, and
Lord of Ireland, to the Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Dukes,
Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Prevosts, Ministers and all his
Bailiffs and faithful subjects, greeting. We have inspected the
Charter of the Lord Edward, formerly King of England, Our father,
made in these words: [Here follows as in the original Charter.]
Now We, ratifying and allowing the grant and confirmation aforesaid, do ratify approve and confirm them, for Us and Our heirs,
as much as in Us lies, unto Our beloved and faithful Edward Le
Despenser, cousin and heir of the aforesaid Hugh, and to the
Burgesses and other men and tenants of Kerdyf, Usk, Kaerlion,
Neuport, Coubrugge, Neeth and Kenefeg, as the aforesaid Charter
reasonably testifies, and as they and their predecessors hitherto
have used those liberties and quittances. Witness the venerable
fathers Stephen, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England;
William, Bishop of Winchester, Our Chancellor; John, Bishop of
Rochester, our Treasurer; William de Bohun; Norhampton; Richard
Arundell, Roger De Mortemer, Counts of the March; John de
Grey de Retherfeld, Steward of our Household, and others. Given
under Our hand at Westminster, on the twentieth day of July in
the thirty third year of Our reign of England, and the twentieth
of Our reign of France [1359.]