Close Rolls, Richard II: February 1386

Calendar of Close Rolls, Richard II: Volume 3, 1385-1389. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1921.

'Close Rolls, Richard II: February 1386', in Calendar of Close Rolls, Richard II: Volume 3, 1385-1389, (London, 1921) pp. 54-55. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-close-rolls/ric2/vol3/pp54-55 [accessed 20 April 2024]

February 1386



	Membrane 10.
Feb. 16. Westminster.	To the sheriffs of London. Notice and declaration that, although at the first petition of the mayor and sheriffs of London the king revoked not in writing his writ of supersedeas in favour of John de Overton at suit of Robert de Parys and John Bodkysham citizens of London against him and others for debt, it was and is the intent and express will of the king and council that when the octaves of St. John Baptist were past the sheriffs might proceed in that plea, the said writ notwithstanding, and that the process should remain in force, so far as it was lawfully made and there was no other impediment, and order to cause the said plea to be put in due execution; as for the safety of the estate of the people of Bury St. Edmunds the king appointed John de Overton bailiff thereof and certain others to make inquisition concerning the estate and means of men and burgesses of the town whatsoever who were bound to contribute to payment of a fine of 2,000 marks, which the said men made with the king in order to have the pardon from which they were barred for grievous offences by them committed, and appointed them to assess the men and burgesses thereto according to their possessions and means etc.; and learning that at the procurement of certain burgesses of Bury, scheming to hinder the said commissioners, the said Robert and John Bodkysham impleaded them before the sheriffs for debt, not willing that the execution of their commission should thereby be hindered, by mainprise of Thomas Ikworth of Suffolk, Henry Lacford of St. Edmunds, Thomas Hallesworth of St. Edmunds and Robert de Bekerton of London, who mainperned in chancery under a pain of 80l. that when that commission was executed John de Overton should be ready to answer those plaintiffs before the sheriffs, the king ordered the sheriffs to stay the plea of debt so pending; and after at the suit of the mayor and sheriffs and other officers of the city with the king and council for revocation of that writ, it was agreed that the same should be in force until the octaves of St. John Baptist then next, which time seemed competent for execution of the said commission, and the king has learned that all that time no attempt was made contrary to the said agreement, but that when the said day was past the sheriffs proceeded to final debate of the said plea, condemning John de Overton in the sum demanded; and the king is aware that there was no just cause for delaying that process after the date aforesaid, especially as the writ of supersedeas was obtained not merely for wholesome execution of the said commission, which was after revoked in parliament as issued in error, but rather to defraud another party of his right of action.
Feb. 16. Westminster.	To the king's steward of Ludynglond and his bailiffs of Lowystoft. Order, upon petition of Henry Pousyne master of a ship called the 'Bethleem' of Conyngesbergh in Sprucia, if he shall find mainpernors, for whom the steward and bailiffs will answer, who will mainpern under pain of his ship's value that he shall be ready to answer as justice requires any lieges who will complain of goods and merchandise of theirs arrested in Sprucia, to dearrest and deliver the same to him, certifying in chancery the names of such mainpernors and the value of the ship; as his petition shews that he brought his ship to Lowystoft and there unladed it, that the said steward and bailiffs have arrested the ship in name of reprisal for goods arrested in Sprucia, and that in the last parliament it was ordered that goods of them of Sprucia which may not without damage be kept under arrest should be delivered by mainprise to the owners.
Feb. 24. Westminster.	To the mayor and bailiffs of Grymesby. Order under a pain of 200l. to certify in chancery on Wednesday in the second week of Lent the cause wherefore Walter de Wele is taken and imprisoned in Grymesby prison, and in the mean time to deliver him in bail to William de Wele, bringing this writ that day in chancery, and themselves to appear there against the prisoner for the king or for themselves if they shall think fit; as he is so infirm and aged that his life is despaired of if he be kept in prison, and William de Rysum, John Seint Martyn, William de Wele and Thomas de Feriby of Lincolnshire have mainperned in chancery under a pain of 40l. to have him there before the king and council at the day named to answer concerning any articles laid against him on behalf of the king or of any complainant.