Henry V: March 1416

Parliament Rolls of Medieval England. Originally published by Boydell, Woodbridge, 2005.

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'Henry V: March 1416', in Parliament Rolls of Medieval England, (Woodbridge, 2005) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/parliament-rolls-medieval/march-1416 [accessed 25 March 2024]

In this section

1416 March

Introduction March 1416

Westminster

16 March - ?22 May

(C 65/77. RP , IV.70-86. SR , II.192-6.)

C 65/77 is a roll of twelve membranes, each approximately 300 mm. (11.8 ins) wide, sewn together in chancery style and numbered at the head and foot in a later hand. The text, which is in a neat and clear chancery script, occupies the rectos of the membranes only, the versos being blank apart from the identification of the parliament at the foot of m. 11: '3 H. 5. Parliamentum Regis Henrici quinti tercio'. The condition of the roll is generally good, but some text has been rendered illegible by gallic acid on mm. 12, 11, 10, 4 and 1. The lower halves of mm. 11 and 9 are blank. Arabic numerals throughout the roll are in a later hand, although marginal Roman numerals are contemporary. Membranes 12 to 8 appear to have been written by one hand, m. 7 by another, with the first hand perhaps resuming work on m. 6, while a third hand began work on the answer to item 28, and perhaps completed the roll. There is nothing to suggest that the roll is incomplete.

Barely two months had passed since the dissolution of the November 1415 parliament when, on 21 January, Henry V issued writs for another parliament to meet on 16 March at Westminster. The king's aim, as revealed in chancellor Henry Beaufort's opening speech, was to capitalize on the continuing goodwill evoked by his triumphs of the previous year. With the French Armagnac faction in disarray following Agincourt, and Duke John of Burgundy seemingly more eager than ever to link his fortunes with those of England (yet another Burgundian embassy arrived in London in January), (fn. m1416int-1) Henry can hardly be faulted for thinking that he could not act too soon to press home his advantage. Within less than two months, however, the mood had changed significantly; the arrival, firstly in Paris and then in London, of Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor, on a peace mission, seemed to hold out a real prospect that the war between France and England might be rapidly ended. In fact, any such hopes were soon to be dashed, but Sigismund's arrival certainly played its part in shaping the course of the parliament which met at Westminster in the spring of 1416.

The list of lords spiritual summoned to this parliament was unchanged from 1415, but with the king and the majority of the lay peers now back in England, the number of lords temporal who were summoned rose to twenty-nine compared with the nineteen who had been summoned to the previous parliament. (fn. m1416int-2) The returns of the elected members are by no means complete, but the names of 176 (or possibly 182) of the commons are known. (fn. m1416int-3)

On Monday 16 March, parliament assembled as usual in the Painted Chamber in Westminster palace, and for the fifth time in succession it fell to the king's uncle Henry Beaufort, chancellor of England and bishop of Winchester, to make the opening speech. The official record includes only a truncated account of his speech, but a fuller version is preserved in the Gesta Henrici Quinti . (fn. m1416int-4) Taking as his theme, 'He hath opened for you a way', (fn. m1416int-5) he reminded the assembled members of their king's victories, before professing to marvel at the fact that although God had pronounced three 'definitive sentences' in favour of the English - at Sluys in 1340, at Poitiers in 1356, and now at Agincourt - nevertheless the 'wretched and stiff-necked' (fn. m1416int-6) French still refused to accept His judgment and persisted in denying Henry his rightful inheritance. As a result, God had deprived them of three things: their chief ports, such as Calais and Harfleur, their courage, and their military power. According to the Gesta , Beaufort then concluded with a mocking 'prayer' for the French nation. However, the roll makes it clear that he also reminded the members of the need to 'provide the wherewithal' to press home the king's advantage, so that what had been successfully begun might be brought to completion. Whereupon the commons were dispatched to the abbey refectory to choose their speaker, with orders to present him to the king the next day.

In fact it was not until two days later, Wednesday 18th, that the commons presented their speaker - Sir Walter Beauchamp, knight of the shire for Wiltshire and a man who, despite the fact that this was his first parliament, was rich in military and administrative experience, and, having just returned with the king from Agincourt, was unlikely to be opposed to the king's desire to maintain support for the war effort. (fn. m1416int-7) His first task, at any rate, was to persuade the commons to bring forward the date by which the tenth and fifteenth granted in November 1415 were to be collected, and he seems to have accomplished this without difficulty, the commons agreeing that it would now fall due in June rather than November. This, however, was all that was granted to the king by way of taxation in this parliament, and there is no evidence to suggest that Henry asked for anything more. (fn. m1416int-8) Nothing of course needed to be done about the wool subsidy or tunnage and poundage, which had been granted for the term of the king's life in the previous parliament, and no doubt Henry calculated that to ask for a further tenth and fifteenth so soon might be overplaying his hand. Instead, he probably reckoned - as in April 1414 - on holding back for the moment in the hope of thereby inducing the commons to be doubly generous in the future; which, if it was indeed his hope, proved to be well-founded.

Given that the question of financial provision can hardly have occasioned much debate, this is clearly not the reason why the parliament lasted as long as it did; rather, it was because the king had heard that Sigismund's arrival in England was imminent, and he wished to keep the parliament in session so that it could be invited to ratify any agreement which might arise from their meeting. (fn. m1416int-9) Sigismund had arrived in Paris on 1 March. (fn. m1416int-10) By Wednesday 8 April, the fourth week of the parliament, it must have become clear that he was unlikely to reach England before Easter (which fell on 19 April), so the king prorogued the assembly until the third Monday after Easter, 4 May. (fn. m1416int-11) By this time Sigismund had arrived in England - he landed at Dover on 1 May - although he had still to reach London, so that he and Henry had not actually met as yet. Parliament thus remained in session for some while more, although just how long is far from clear. The Gesta Henrici Quinti says that after reconvening at Westminster on 4 May, it 'continued its proceedings there for several days' (aliquot dies) . It was certainly over by 6 June, when letters patent of the king referred to a petition of 'the last parliament'. (fn. m1416int-12) The likelihood is that it ended some two weeks before this. The St Albans chronicler, more concerned to recount the festivities arranged for Sigismund than to provide a chronology of the parliament, says that Henry 'suspended (suspendit) for the moment all the business of parliament', (fn. m1416int-13) so that he could take Sigismund with him to Windsor for the St George's day Garter ceremony, which was held on Sunday 24 May, having been delayed for a month in the emperor's honour. (fn. m1416int-14) The word 'suspended' might indicate that parliament reconvened once more after 24 May, were it not for the fact that the chronicler presently goes on to say that the parliament which had been 'interrupted' (intermisum) because of Sigismund's visit met again in October, (fn. m1416int-15) whereas this was in fact a separate parliament. By 'suspended', he seems therefore to mean 'ended', which suggests a date shortly before 24 May - possibly Friday 22nd, as it was common (though by no means invariable) for parliaments to end on a Friday.

The likelihood is, therefore, that the parliament was in session for a total of six weeks at least: three and a half weeks in the first session, with a further two and a half weeks or more in the second. It is far from easy to know what this time was spent discussing. Apart from the acceleration of the tenth and fifteenth, the only items of business recorded during the first session were the decision - in the absence of any recognised pope (fn. m1416int-16) - to allow metropolitans to confirm bishops-elect, and the formal rendering of homage to the king by Henry Percy, grandson of the traitor earl of Northumberland who had been killed at Bramham Moor in 1408. (fn. m1416int-17) The second session began with a further speech from Henry Beaufort, very different in tone from his opening speech, declaring that Sigismund had now arrived in England and there appeared to be a genuine prospect of peace. However, the remainder of the business was hardly of the sort to require prolonged discussion, and it is difficult not to avoid the thought that for much of the time the members may in reality have been doing little more than awaiting the emperor's arrival. They were, however, eventually rewarded for their patience, for according to the St Albans chronicler, Sigismund accepted an invitation to address parliament in person, and did so at length, sparing nothing in his praise of the English king, his brothers, his nobles, and indeed the whole realm. (fn. m1416int-18)

Among the petitions submitted by the commons, a number are worth noticing. Three of them concerned the coinage, a recurring theme in the legislation of the reign, doubtless because of the king's frequent demands for taxation; the emphasis on this occasion was on measures to punish counterfeiting, the seriousness with which this was viewed being indicated by the fact that 'sweating, clipping and filing' of coins was henceforth to be construed as treason. There is also some evidence that the pressure of cross-channel war was beginning to tell, with shipowners requesting a restoration of the ancient custom whereby they were compensated at an agreed rate when their ships were impressed by the king for war. The Bretons in Queen Joan's household were also once again the target of the commons' hostility, as they had so often been during the previous reign; the king was obliged to agree that they should all be expelled from the realm by midsummer. Two complaints against the clergy which had been raised in 1414 were also now raised again: one, that extortionate fees were being charged for proving wills, and the other, that endowments granted to hospitals founded by laymen were being misappropriated. In the case of wills, a bone of contention for some time now, legislation was finally agreed by convocation later in the year. Lastly, an interesting sidelight is cast on the fishing industry at this time by a petition stating that English fishermen had recently taken to fishing along the shores of Iceland, where their takings had evidently been plentiful, so that they begged the king not to prohibit them from going there, as he had apparently been asked to do by the fishermen of Norway and Denmark. Henry replied evasively that he would consider this further, eventually ordering - under pressure from the king of Norway - that no English should fish in Icelandic waters except 'as had been customary of old'. (fn. m1416int-19)

Whatever may have been Henry's true intentions with regard to the possibility of peace in the spring of 1416, it seems fairly clear that by the summer - perhaps even by the time parliament had been dissolved - it was war rather than peace which was once more uppermost in his mind. Sigismund, having failed to win acceptable (to Henry) concessions from the French, now veered decisively to the English side, concluding the Treaty of Canterbury with Henry on 15 August before his departure from England ten days later. On the same day that the Treaty of Canterbury was sealed, an English fleet under the duke of Bedford defeated a French fleet which had been blockading Harfleur, in the 'Battle of the Seine'. Despite this victory, however, it was clear that the security of Harfleur depended on further English conquests in Normandy, and three weeks later, on 3 September, Henry issued writs summoning another parliament, his third in twelve months. There was, on this occasion, to be no doubt about his intentions: he had determined to renew the war, and for this he required a further grant of taxation - preferably a large one.

Text and translation

[p. iv-70]
[memb. 12]
ROTULUS PARLIAMENTI TENTI APUD WESTM', SEXTODECIMO DIE MARTII, ANNO REGNI REGIS HENRICI QUINTI POST CONQUESTUM TERTIO. THE ROLL OF THE PARLIAMENT HELD AT WESTMINSTER ON THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE THIRD YEAR OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH SINCE THE CONQUEST.
[col. a]
1. Pronunciacione de parlement. [The opening of parliament].
1. Fait assavoir, qe al parlement tenuz a Westm' le .xvi. jour de Marcz, l'an du regne le Roy Henry quint puis le conqueste tierce, mesme nostre tressoverain seignur le roy, seant en sa see roiale, en la chambre Depeinte, dedeinz soun palois a Westm', et auxi les seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et les [chivalers des] countees, et citezeins, et burgeoises de soun roialme, venuz a dit parlement, pur toute la communalte de mesme le roialme, adonqes illoeqes [esteantz] , monsir l'evesqe de Wyncestre, uncle a roy, et chanceller d'Engleterre, par comandement de roy disoit, qe le roy voet, qe seint esglise [ait et enjoise ses droitures] , libertees, et franchises, par luy, et auxi par ses nobles progenitours rois d'Engleterre bien grantez, et par les erchevesqes, evesqes, abbes, priours, et autres gentz de seinte esglise, bien et duement usez, et par nostre dit tressoverain seignur confermez, et auxi qe les seignurs temporelx, citees, et burghs, aient lour libertees et franchises a eux par mesme nostre seignur le roy, ou par sez ditz progenitours bien graunteez, et par eux bien et duement usez, et par nostre dit tressoverain seignur [confermez.] 1. The opening of parliament. Be it remembered that at the parliament held at Westminster on 16 March, in the third year of the reign of King Henry the fifth since the conquest - with our same most sovereign lord the king seated on his royal throne in the Painted Chamber within his palace at Westminster, and the lords spiritual and temporal, and the knights of the counties and the citizens and burgesses of his realm who had come to the said parliament on behalf of all the commons of the same realm, also then present there - my lord the bishop of Winchester, the king's uncle and chancellor of England, by order of the king, said that the king wishes that holy church should have and enjoy those rights, liberties and franchises fully granted by him, as well as by his noble progenitors kings of England, and which have been fully and duly exercised by the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors and other people of holy church and confirmed by our said most sovereign lord; and also that the lords temporal, cities and boroughs should have those liberties and franchises fully granted to them by our same lord the king or by his said progenitors, and well and duly used by them and confirmed by our said most sovereign lord.
2. [Et puis] mesme le chanceller, del comandement le roy, pronuncia la cause del somons du dit parlement, et prist pur soun theame: 'Iniciavit vobis viam'. (fn. iv-70-11-1) Sur quoi il allegea pluseurs bones auctoritees et notabilitees, en affirmation et declaration de sa matere, et entre autres, il disoit, qe de bone purpos bien comencee, ove bone et diligente continuance, a force aviendra [gracious] fyn et desyrable, come luy sage le dit, Dimidium facti qui bene cepit habet. (fn. iv-70-11-2) Et qant a le purpos qe nostre tressoverain seignur, par advis et assent de toutz les estatz et communalte du roialme, pur les droitures de sa corone par dela le meer recoverer, jatard emprist, par la ou mesme nostre seignur tressoverain, dedeinz un brief temps apres soun tresgracious arrivaille pres la ville de Hareflu, et sa seege mys a ycelle, fuit mesme la ville a luy renduz, et puis s'en passant d'illoeqes par terre vers sa ville de Caleis, de sa treshaut corage, ove un poy de ses gentz trop fiblez purdefaute de vitaille, fuit countree [ove un tresgraunde] poair et multitude des gentz de France, et d'autres paiis adjongnantz ove eux, si avant combatuz, tanqe Dieu de sa [haute mercie luy dona] la victorie, et la partie adversarie tue et discomfite, le purpos avauntdit, par celle gracious comencement fuit, et est pur verraie et droiturelle overtement determinee et approvee par Dieu l'emnipotent. 2. And then the same chancellor, at the command of the king, declared the reason for the summons of the said parliament, and took as his theme: 'He hath opened for you a way'. (fn. iv-70-11-1) Whereupon he cited many good and notable authorities in affirmation and elucidation of his theme, and among other things, he said, that when a good enterprise has been well begun, and properly and diligently pursued, a noble and desirable result will inevitably follow; for as the wise man says: 'He who begins well has achieved half of his end'. (fn. iv-70-11-2) And as regards the enterprise which our most sovereign lord, by the advice and assent of all the estates and commons of the realm, has recently undertaken in order to recover the rights of his crown overseas - that is, when our same most sovereign lord, within a short time after his most noble arrival near the town of Harfleur, had laid siege to it, the same town was surrendered to him; and afterwards on leaving there by land for his town of Calais, as a result of his most outstanding courage, with a small number of his men who were severely weakened from lack of food, encountered a very large army and a great number of soldiers from France, accompanied by men from the adjoining regions, and fought with them, until God from his bountiful mercy gave the victory to him and the enemy had been killed and defeated - the aforesaid enterprise, by that noble beginning has been and is truly and justly clearly determined and approved by God the Almighty.
3. Et outre disoit, qe pur le bone et expedient continuance de mesme le purpos, [si honourablement] comencee, [col. b] nostre dit tressoverain seignur ad appellez a present ses seignurs, et la comunaltee de soun roialme, d'avoir lour bone et sage conseil et aide celle partie, les queux en effect bien executz, bone et desirable fyn aviendra, par la grace de Dieu,a l'honure, pees, et profit du roialme perpetuelle. 3. And moreover he said that, in order to provide the wherewithal for the due and appropriate continuation of the same enterprise, so honourably begun, [col. b] our said most sovereign lord has now called upon his lords and the commons of his realm in order to have their good and wise counsel and aid on this matter, which when fully implemented will lead to a good and desirable result, with God's grace, to the perpetual honour, peace and profit of the realm.
4. Et puis le dit chanceller disoit, qe pur tant qe nostre seignur le roy voet qe droit et ouele justice soit fait a toutz ses lieges, sibien povres come riches, si ascuny soit qe se voet compleindre d'ascun mal ou tort a luy fait, qelle ne purra estre remedie par la commune leie, q'il mette avant sa peticione, parentre cy et lundy proschein avenir, as resceivours des peticions assignez, les nons des queux, et auxi les nons de les triours d'icelles, ensuent cy dessoutz. Et a cestes choses et maters par l'aide de Dieu bien perfairez, et a bone fyn deducerz, mon dit seignur le chanceller, par commandement du roy, assigna a les ditz chivalers, citezeins, et burgeoises, une maison appellee le froytour dedeinz l'abbe de Westm', a tenir en ycelle lour counseilles et assemblez, et q'ils aillent a l'eleccion de lour commune parlour ceste jour, issint q'ils luy purront presenter a roi demain avant manger, en le parlement avantdit. 4. Then the said chancellor said that because our lord the king wishes that full and impartial justice should be done to all his lieges, whether poor or rich, if there is anyone who wishes to complain of any evil or wrong done to him which cannot be remedied by the common law, then he should submit his petition between now and Monday next [23 March] to the assigned receivers of petitions, the names of whom, as well as the names of the triers of them, follow here below. And in order for those things and matters to be well accomplished and, with God's help, brought to a good conclusion, my said lord the chancellor, by order of the king, assigned to the said knights, citizens and burgesses a house called the frater within the abbey of Westminster, in order to hold their councils and assemblies there, and said that they should proceed to the election of their common speaker this day, so that they can present him to the king in the aforesaid parliament tomorrow before dinner.
5. Receivours des peticions d'Engleterre, d'Irland, Gales, et d'Escoce:

  • Sire Simond Gaunstede
  • Sire Johan Hertilpole
  • Sire Johan Frank'.
5. Receivers of petitions from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland:

  • Sir Simon Gaunstead
  • Sir John Hartlepool
  • Sir John Frank.
6. Receivours des peticions de Gascoigne, et des autres terres et paiis pardela le meer, et des isles:

  • Sire Johan Springthorp'
  • Sire Johan Thoralby
  • Sire Johan Mapilton'.
6. Receivers of petitions from Gascony and the other lands and countries overseas, and the Channel Islands:

  • Sir John Springthorpe
  • Sir John Thoralby
  • Sir John Mapleton.
Et ceux qe veullent liverer peticions les baillent parentre cy et le samady proschein avenir. And those who wish to submit their petitions should deliver them between now and next Saturday.
[p. iv-71]
[col. a]
7. Et sont assignez triours des peticions d'Engleterre, Irland, Gales, et Escoce:

  • L'ercevesqe de Canterbirs
  • L'evesqe de Loundres
  • L'evesqe de Duresme
  • Le duc de Clarence
  • Le duc de Bedeford
  • Le duc de Gloucestre
  • Le count de la Marche
  • Le count de Westmerland
  • L'abbe de Seint Albon'
  • L'abbe de Gloucestre
  • Le sire < de Gray > de Ruthyn
  • Le sire de Berkeley
  • et Monsir William Hankford'.
7. And the following are assigned triers of petitions for England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland:

  • The archbishop of Canterbury
  • The bishop of London
  • The bishop of Durham
  • The duke of Clarence
  • The duke of Bedford
  • The duke of Gloucester
  • The earl of March
  • The earl of Westmorland
  • The abbot of St Albans
  • The abbot of Gloucester
  • Lord Grey of Ruthin
  • Lord Berkeley
  • and Sir William Hankford.
- toutz ensemble, ou sis des prelatz et seignurs avauntditz au meyns; appellez a eux les chanceller et tresorer, et auxint les serjantz du roy, qant y bosoignera. Et tiendront lour place en la chambre du chamberleyn, pres la chambre Depeinte. To act all together, or at least six of the aforesaid prelates and lords, consulting with the chancellor and treasurer, as well as the king's serjeants when necessary. And their session will be held in the Chamberlain's Chamber, next to the Painted Chamber.
8. Et sont assignez triours des peticions de Gascoigne, et des autres terres pardela le meer, et des isles:

  • L'ercevesqe d'Everwyk
  • L'evesqe de Cestre
  • Le count de Saresbirs
  • L'abbe de Abyndon'
  • Le seignur de Ponynges
  • et Richard Norton'.
8. And the following are assigned triers of petitions for Gascony and the other lands overseas, and for the Channel Islands:

  • The archbishop of York
  • The bishop of Chester
  • The earl of Salisbury
  • The abbot of Abingdon
  • Lord Poynings
  • and Richard Norton.
- toutz ensemble, ou quatre des prelatz et seignurs avauntditz; appellez a eux les chanceller, et tresorer, et auxint les serjantz du roy, qant y bosoignera. Et tiendront lour place en la chambre Marcolf. To act all together, or at least four of the aforesaid prelates and lords, consulting withthe chancellor and treasurer, as well as the king's serjeants when necessary. And their session will be held in the Marcolf Chamber.
Presentacione du parlour. [Presentation of the speaker].
9. Mekerdy, le terce jour du parlement, viendrent les communes devant le roy et les seignurs en parlement, et presenterent Wauter Beauchamp chivaler pur lour commune parlour, a qi le roy s'agrea bien. Et apres ceo le dit parlour pria, q'il purra parler dessoutz tiele protestacione come autres parlours avoient fait par devaunt. Et le roy luy ottroia q'il aueroit tiele protestacione come autres q'avoient estee parlours devaunt ces heures ont eu, el temps de les nobles progenitours mesme nostre seignur le roy. Et pria auxi le dit parlour a nostre dit tressoverain seignur, qe s'il parleroit riens autrement qe n'estoit accorde par ses ditz compaignons, q'il soi purroit corriger et refourmer par lour bone advys, a qi le roy s'agrea bien. 9. Presentation of the speaker. On Wednesday the third day of parliament [18 March], the commons came before the king and the lords in parliament and presented Walter Beauchamp, knight, as their common speaker, whom the king readily accepted. Then the said speaker asked that he might speak under such protestation as other speakers had done before this time. And the king granted him that he might speak under such protestation as other speakers had done previously, in the time of our same lord the king's noble progenitors. And the said speaker also asked our said most sovereign lord that if he should say anything other than that which had been agreed by his said companions, that they, after due deliberation, should correct him and set him right; to which the king readily agreed.
[memb. 11]
L'acceleracione de paiement des x e et xv e grantez a roy a le darrein parlement. [Acceleration of the tenth and fifteenth granted at the last parliament].
10. Fait a remembrer, qe par la ou al parlement tenuz a Westm', le lundy proschein apres le fest de Toutz Seintz darrein passe, les communes du roialme d'Engleterre venuz a mesme le parlement, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx illeoqes assemblez, eussent grauntez a nostre tressoveraigne seignur le roy, le xij e jour de Novembre, en mesme le parlement, une entier xv e , et une entier x e , pur estre levez des layes gentz en manere accustume, a le fest de Seint Martyn en yvere, le dit xij [sic: read 'xi']e jour de Novembre proschein ensuant, les communes du dit roialme venuz en ycest parlement, considerantz la guerre estre continuez, saunz pees ou trewes avoir, pur la hastive resistantes des enemys, et pur la graunt et entier affeccione q'ils ount a nostre seignur le roi, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx assemblez en ycest present parlement, tenuz a Westm' le xvi e jour de Marz, l'an du reigne nostre dit seignur le roy tierce, vuillont, et grauntout, qe les ditz xv me et x me queux issint duissent estre levez, et paiez, a le dit feste de Seint Martyn, soient levez, et paiez a mesme [col. b] nostre dit seignur le roy, a le fest de Pentecost proschein avenir, en forme et manere acustume. 10. The expediting of the payment of the tenth and fifteenth granted to the king at the last parliament. Be it remembered that whereas, at the parliament held at Westminster on Monday after the feast of All Saints last [4 November 1415], the commons of the realm of England who had come to the said parliament, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal who were assembled there, granted to our most sovereign lord the king, on 12 November, in the same parliament, a whole fifteenth and a whole tenth, to be levied on the laity in the customary manner on the feast of St Martin in the winter, 11 November next; the commons of the said realm who have come to this parliament - considering that the war is continuing, and in the absence of peace or a truce because of the purposeful resistance of the enemy, and on account of the great and entire affection which they have for our lord the king - by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal who are assembled in this present parliament held at Westminster on 16 March in the third year of the reign of our said lord the king, wish and grant that the said fifteenth and tenth, which ought to be levied and paid on the feast of St Martin, should be thus levied and paid to our same [col. b] said lord the king on the forthcoming feast of Whitsun [7 June 1416], in the accustomed terms and manner.
L'ordinance pur les eslitz as eveschees durant la presente voidance del see papale. [The ordinance concerning those elected to bishoprics during the present vacancy of the papal see].
11. Nostre seignur le roy, aiant consideracione a la longe voidance de la see apostoliqe, pur la dampnable seisme qe ja longement ad endure en seinte esglise, et l'em ne sciet unqore cumbien s'endurera, et coment certeins esglises cathedrales deinz soun roialme, qe sount de la fundacione de ses nobles progenitours et de soun patronage, ont este ja piecea, et sont uncore destitutz de pastorele governance, a cause qe les persones qe sont eslitz a ycelles, ne purrount estre confermez es parties de dela, pur defaute d'appostoille, combien qe nostre dit seignur le roy sur ceo ait ottroie soun roial assent, en graunt diminition de divine service es dites esglises, subtraccione d'ospitalitees, tresgraundz peril des almes de plusours, devastacion et destruccione des seignuries et possessions d'icelles, et empoverissement des eslitz des ditz esglises; et coment par possibilitee en tiel manere puissent voidier toutz les esglises cathedrales de soun dit roialme, et issint estre destitutz de governaille, et le roy et soun roialme, du conseil, comfort, et aide, qu'il deusse avoir de la prelacie, et considerant auxint coment en plusours parties de dela, depuis la voidance du dite see, diverses confirmacions ount este faitez, et ceo font de jour en autere, par les metropolitans des lieux, sicome creablement il est enforme, et vuillant pur tant pur ouster les ditz meschiefs purvoier, come appent, de remedie, de plein et deliberat avis et assent des seignurs et communes de soun roialme esteantz en cest present parlement, voet et ordeigne, qe les persones issint eslitz et a eslirz, deinz soun roialme, durante la voidance du dite see apostoliqe, soient confermez par les metropolitans des lieux, saunz excusacione ou outre tarier en cele partie affaire, et qe les briefs du roy, s'il bosoigne, soient adressez as ditz metropolitans, lour estroitement enchargeantz de faire les ditz confirmacions, et tout ceo qe a lour office ent appent; et auxintz as ditz eslitz, qu'ils devers eux effectuelment pursuyent lour ditz confirmacions; issint q'en defaute des ditz metropolitans, ou eslitz, damage ou prejudice n'aviegne a nostre dit seignur le roy et a soun roialme, et a lez ditz esglises, pur l'enschesons desuisditz, qe Dieu ne voille. (fn. iv-70-42-1) 11. The ordinance concerning those elected to bishoprics during the present vacancy of the papal see. Our lord the king - having consideration for the long vacancy of the apostolic see on account of the damnable schism which has already lasted for a long time in holy church (and not knowing how long it will continue in future), and how certain cathedral churches within his realm, which are of the foundation of his noble progenitors and of his patronage, have for a long time been, and still are, bereft of pastoral guidance, because the persons who are elected to them are unable to be confirmed abroad for want of a pope, even though our said lord the king has given his royal assent thereupon, to the great diminution of divine service in the said churches, the withdrawal of hospitality, the very grave peril of many peoples' souls, the devastation and destruction of their lordships and possessions, and the impoverishment of those elected to the said churches; and considering how all the cathedral churches of his said realm are in danger of becoming vacant and will thus be destitute of governance, and the king and his realm of the counsel, aid, and assistance which he ought to have from the prelacy; and considering also how in various countries overseas, since the vacancy of the said see, various confirmations have been made, and these are made from day to day by the metropolitans of the provinces, as he is reliably informed; and wishing therefore to prevent such evils and to provide a remedy in due manner - by the full and considered advice and assent of the lords and commons of his realm who are attending this present parliament, wills and ordains that the persons thus elected and those who will be elected within his realm during the vacancy of the said apostolic see should be confirmed by the metropolitans of the provinces, without excuse or other delay being allowed in this matter; and that the king's writs, where necessary, should be addressed to the said metropolitans, urgently charging them to make the said confirmations and all that pertains to their office concerning this, as well as to the said elected that they should urgently seek their said confirmations before them; so that from the failure of the said metropolitans, or the elected, damage or prejudice should not befall our said lord the king and his realm and the said churches on account of the aforesaid, which God forbid. (fn. iv-70-42-1)
De l'homage Sire Henry Percy. [Homage of Sir Henry Percy].
12. Item, fait a remembre, qe Henry FitzHenry FitzHenry de Percy, nadgairs count de Northumbr', vient devaunt le roy nostre tressoveraigne et tresgracious seignur, seant en sa see roiale, en cest present parlement, et illeoqes en presence de toutz les seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et les communes du roialme assemblez illeoqes, fist [overtement soun homage] a roy nostre tressoveraigne seignur avaundit, en manere come les auncestres de mesme celuy Henry FitzHenry FitzHenry et autres counts et piers du roialme fist [ont] faitz, a fist [mesme] nostre seignur le roy, et a ses nobles progenitours, jadys roys d'Engleterre, pardevaunt. 12. Concerning the homage of Sir Henry Percy. Also, be it remembered that Henry, son of Henry, son of Henry de Percy the late earl of Northumberland, came before the king our most sovereign and most noble lord, who was seated on his royal throne in this present parliament, and there, in the presence of all the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons of the realm who were assembled there, publicly rendered his homage to the aforesaid king our most sovereign lord in the same manner as the ancestors of Henry, son of Henry, son of Henry, have formerly done, and other earls and peers of the realm have done, to our same lord the king and his noble progenitors, the former kings of England.
Adjournement de parlement. [Adjournment of parliament, 8 April].
13. Item, le meskerdy, le viij me jour d'Apprille, en la quarte sepmaine du parlement, le roy pur certains causes notables luy moevantz, en la presence des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et des communes assemblez en cest parlement, fist proroger et adjourner mesme le parlement, de cest present jour de meskerdy tanqe a le lundy en les trois sepmains de Pasqe proscheinz avenirz ovesqe toutz les estates et degrees de parlement, come ils sont en cest lieu de Westm' a present, pur estre tenuz et contenuz illeoqes en le mellour manere, et a tiel fyn qe plerra a Dieu. Et sur ceo, ad donez as seignurs et communes congee de partir a ceste foitz. 13. Adjournment of parliament. Also, on Wednesday 8 April, in the fourth week of parliament, the king, because of certain notable reasons influencing him, in the presence of the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons who were assembled in this parliament, caused the same parliament to be prorogued and adjourned from this present Wednesday until the third Monday after Easter next [4 May]; when, with all the estates and degrees of parliament which are in this place of Westminster at present, it will be held and continued there in the best possible fashion and then concluded in a manner pleasing to God. Whereupon he has given the lords and commons permission to depart at this time.
[p. iv-72]
[col. a]
Recontinuacione du parlement. [The reconvening of parliament].
14. Fait assavoir, qe lundy en les trois sepmains de Pasqe, as seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et as chivalers des countees, citezeins, et burgeois, venuz a cest parlement a Westm', issint adjournee tanqe al cest present jour, et assemblez illeoqes, solonc l'adjournement d'icelle, devaunt le roy nostre seignur tressoverain, seant en sa see roiale en la graund sale, dedeinz soun paloys de Westm', monsir l'evesqe < de > Wyncestre, chanceller d'Engleterre, recita et declara, par commaundement du roy, < les > causes de mesme l'adjournement: un, pur tant qe chescun des ditz seignurs et communes servir purroit le solempne fest de Pasqe le dit adjournement ensuant a sa propre lieu, et esglise, et luy accorder illeoqes ovesqe soun salveour, solonc l'auncien usage et custume; une autre, pur taunt qe le roy par certeins messages jatard appris, coment pees et bone accord de part soun adversair de Fraunce ad este moevee et desire parentre luy, et nostre dit tressoverain seignur, as queux il ad a tout temps appliee, le droit de sa corone tout ditz save, le quel saunz assent et le bone conseil d'estates de roialme, ne vorra concluder; et le tierce, pur ceo qe le treshonourable prince le roy des Romaines, desiraunt principalment pees et unite en l'esglise universell, et auxi parentre roialmes et roialmes cristienes, soy ad afforcee et laboree envers la partie Fraunceis, d'avoir pees et bone accord ovesqe nostre seignur tressoveraigne avauntdit, et ses lieges: et a celle entent, est jatard venuz hors de Fraunce cy en Engleterre, ove tiele report, come il est, la qelle n'est my uncore a roy publiee, mes deinz brief temps y serra a roy demonstre; sur la quelle, le roy en apres, par bone advis de soun tressage counseil cy present, purra estre appris qe a luy soit le multz profitable et honourable affaire en la matere. Et puis furent les ditz communes chargiez de part le roy, q'ils procedent avaunt entour lour communes busoignes et affaires le meen temps. 14. Reconvening of parliament. Be it remembered that on the third Monday after Easter - with the lords spiritual and temporal and the knights of the counties, citizens and burgesses who had come to this parliament at Westminster thus adjourned until this present day and assembled there, in accordance with its adjournment, before the king our most sovereign lord, who was seated on his royal throne in the great hall in his palace of Westminster - my lord the bishop of Winchester, chancellor of England, repeated and declared, by order of the king, the reasons for the same adjournment: first, in order that each of the said lords and commons could celebrate the solemn feast of Easter following the said adjournment in his own place and church, and commune with his Saviour there, according to ancient usage and custom; second, because the king, by means of certain messages, has recently learned how peace and a good agreement with his adversary of France has been proposed and sought between him and our said most sovereign lord - for which he has always striven, saving always the right of his crown - which, without the assent and the good counsel of the estates of the realm, he is unwilling to conclude; and the third reason, because the most honourable prince the king of the Romans, desiring peace and unity especially in the universal church, and also between Christian realms, has himself urged and advised the French faction to make peace and a good agreement with our aforesaid most sovereign lord and his lieges: and to that end he has recently left France and is now in England with this proposal, which has not yet been made known to the king, but which within a short time will be explained to the king; whereupon the king, with the good advice of his most wise council present here, will then be able to be advised as to his most profitable and honourable course of action on the matter. And then the said commons were enjoined on behalf of the king that they should now proceed with their common business and affairs in the meantime.
[memb. 10]
De ducatu Lancastr' et ipsius senescallis. [Concerning the duchy of Lancaster and the steward of the same].
15. Fait assavoir, qe les communes d'Engleterre assemblez en ceste parlement, baillerent une peticione en mesme le parlement, en la fourme q'ensuit: 15. Concerning the duchy of Lancaster and the steward of the same. Be it remembered that the commons of England who were assembled in this parliament delivered a petition in the same parliament, as follows:
Please au roy nostre seignur soverain, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et de les communes en cest present parlement assemblez, par auctoritee de mesme la parlement, d'acceptier, approver, ratifier, granter, et confermer voz lettres patentes par vous faitz et grantez, en vostre parlement tenuz a Westm', l'an de vostre regne second, touchantz les libertees, custumes, et franchises, a usiers, avoirs, et a continuers deinz voz heritages, de vostre duche de Lancastre, et des countees de Hereford', Essex', et Norht', et autres choses comprises en les dites lettres; (fn. iv-70-56-1) solonc l'effect, tenure, et purport de mesmes les lettres, en due forme, adjoustantz et en outre par voz lettres ent affairs grantantz, pour vous et voz heirs, del assent des ditz seignurs et communes de mesme cest parlement, et par auctoritee d'icelle parlement, pour vostre grande proffit de voz heritages suisditz, et pour la meillour governance d'icelles, et en conservacione et sustentacione de les avantdites libertees, et custumes, et franchises, les clauses et paroles qe cy ensuyent: May it please our sovereign lord the king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons assembled in this present parliament, by the authority of the same parliament, to accept, approve, ratify, grant and confirm your letters patent made and granted by you in your parliament held at Westminster in the second year of your reign concerning the liberties, customs and franchises to be possessed, held and maintained within your inheritances in your duchy of Lancaster, and in the earldoms of Hereford, Essex, and Northampton, together with the other matters specified in the said letters, according to the effect, tenor and purport of the same letters, in due form; (fn. iv-70-56-1) including and granting in addition by your letters to be made on this, for you and your heirs, by the assent of the said lords and commons of this same parliament, for the great profit of your aforesaid inheritances and for the better governance of them, and for the conservation and maintenance of the aforesaid liberties, customs and franchises, the clauses and words which follow here:
Volentes insuper de assensu dominorum spiritualium et temporalium ac communitatum regni nostri Anglie in presenti parliamento nostro existencium et auctoritate ejusdem parliamenti concedentes et declarantes pro nobis et heredibus nostris quod uterque capitalium senescallorum nostrorum ac heredum et assignatorum nostrorum hereditatum nostrarum predictarum pro tempore existentibus in singulis comitatibus dicti regni nostri infra ballivam suam vel in quibus officium suum senescalcie excercet seu excercere debeat, in singulis commissionibus custodum pacis ac justiciarorum laboratorum, servientum et artificum, necnon justiciarorum ad diversa felonias transgressiones [col. b] et malefacta audienda et terminanda assignatorum exnunc facienda, de tempore in tempus, assignetur et nominetur ultra numerum hujusmodi custodum et justiciarorum, juxta formam statuti inde editi prius limitatorum, statuto predicto non obstante: quodque nulle donaciones, concessiones, pardonaciones, remissiones, vel relaxaciones que dictas hereditates nostras aut honores, castra, maneria, terras, tenementa, redditus, feoda, advocaciones, libertates, et franchesias, ad easdem hereditates nostras qualitercumque pertinencia, seu aliquam parcellam eorumdem, aut wardas, custodias, maritagia, relevia, exitus, fines, amerciamenta, proficua, et commoditates, aut officiarios vel ministros nostros, seu heredum vel assignatorum nostrorum hereditatum predictarum, sive honores, castra, maneria, terre, tenementa, redditus, feoda, advocaciones, libertates et franchesie illa in manibus nostris, aut dictorum heredum vel assignatorum nostrorum, sive in manibus aliorum quorumcumque, ex concessione sive feoffamento nostri aut eorumdem heredum vel assignatorum nostrorum, inde facto seu faciendo ad terminum vite vel annorum aut in feodo seu alias qualitercumque ad opus nostrum seu heredum vel assignatorum nostrorum concernunt, seu aliquo casu emergente, aut quovis quesito colore concernere poterunt, aut de dictis hereditatibus nostris, seu aliqua parcella earum, in futuro emergere aut in eisdem fieri vel oriri contigerint, sub aliquo alio sigillo nostro, heredum vel assignatorum nostrorum [predictorum] , magno vel parvo, preterquam sub sigillo nostro pro ducatu predicto, ut premittitur, ordinato vel ordinando dumtaxat exnunc faciendo, [seuque sub aliquo] alio sigillo aliqualiter emanare contigerint, in futuro valida sint aut effectualia quovis modo: immo cassa, [irrita et inania reputentur] et habeantur imperpetuum. Wishing moreover, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons of our realm of England assembled in our present parliament, and granting and declaring by the authority of the same parliament for us and our heirs, that each of our chief stewards, and those of our heirs and assigns of our aforesaid inheritances at the time, in every county of our said realm, within his bailiwick or in which he exercises or ought to exercise his office of steward, in each commission concerning keepers of the peace and justices of labourers, servants and craftsmen, as well as justices assigned to hear and determine various felonies, offences [col. b] and wrongs which may be committed hereafter, should from time to time be assigned and nominated to all such commissions in addition to the number of such keepers and justices appointed in accordance with the terms of the statute of limitations published previously thereupon, notwithstanding the aforesaid statute: and that no gifts, grants, pardons, remissions or relaxations which concern our said inheritances - nor the honours, castles, manors, lands, tenements, rents, fees, advowsons, liberties and franchises, pertaining to our same inheritances in any way whatever, or any part of them; nor any wardships, custodies, marriages, reliefs, revenues, fines, amercements, profits and commodities; nor anything concerning our officials or ministers or those of our heirs or assigns of the aforesaid inheritance; nor any honours, castles, manors, lands, tenements, rents, fees, advowsons, liberties and franchises which are in our hands or those of our heirs and assigns, or in the hands of any others, given or to be given thereupon by our grant or feoffment or that of our same heirs or assigns, for a term of life or years, or in fee, or in any other way whatsoever for our use or that of our heirs or assigns; nor any case which arises, or any licence which is sought in any place which might concern either our said inheritances or any part of them - shall in future be brought forward, or undertaken, or heard in the same, under any other seal of ours or of our aforesaid heirs and assigns, great or small, except under our aforesaid seal which, as said above, has been or will be made for our aforesaid duchy; and those which are given under any other seal or in any other way which may be valid or effective in any place, shall be considered and held as quashed, invalid and void forever.
La quele peticione lieu overtement en cest parlement, et bien entendu, fuist respondu en le manere [q'ensuit:] Which petition having been read openly in this parliament, and fully understood, was answered as follows:
[Le] roy, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx esteantz en cest parlement, et a le requeste des communes avauntditz, le voet en toutz pointz. The king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal present in this parliament, and at the request of the aforesaid commons, wills it in all its clauses.
Pur Johan Baskervile. [Petition from John Baskerville].
16. Item, mesmes les communes bailleront une supplication en le dit parlement, pur Johan Baskervyle de Erdesle en la marche de Gales, en le countee de Hereford', chivaler, en la forme ensuant: 16. On behalf of John Baskerville. Also, the same commons delivered a petition in the said parliament on behalf of John Baskerville, knight, of Eardisley in the march of Wales, in the county of Hereford, as follows:
Supplient voz treshumbles communes, pur Johan Baskervyle de Erdesle en la marche de Gales, en le counte de Hereford', chivaler: qe come il esteant en vostre treshaut service es parties depar dela, et unqore demuret sur la saufe garde de vostre ville de Hareflu, fuist endite de diverses felonies et trespasses, et mys en exigende et utlagez, et par celle encheson, sez terres et tenementz, biens et chateux forfaitz, et ascunes de mesmes les terres et tenementz, biens et chateux, par voz eschetours et ministres seisiz en voz mayns come forfaitz, et ascunes es meyns des seignurs des fraunchises, es lieux ou tielx biens et chateux furent trovez, a tresgraunt arerissement du dit Johan. Your most humble commons request on behalf of John Baskerville, knight, of Eardisley in the march of Wales, in the county of Hereford, that, whereas he has been in your most exalted service in regions overseas, and remains there even now in connection with the safeguard of your town of Harfleur, he was indicted of various felonies and trespasses and put in exigent and outlawed, and for that reason his lands and tenements, goods and chattels have been forfeited, and some of the same lands and tenements, goods and chattels have been seized by your escheators and officials into your hands as forfeit, and some into the hands of the lords of franchises in the places where such goods and chattels were found, to the very great harm of the said John.
Pleise a vostre tresnoble benignite, de pardonir a dit Johan, par queconqe noun q'il sit nome, toutz maners des felonies et trespasses, dount il est issint endite, rette, ou appelle, et les utlagaries en luy pronuncies par celles enchesons. Et auxi de graunter, qe toutz tielx terres et tenementz, biens, et chateux, issint forfaitz, seisiz, ou arestez, dount voz ditz eschetours, ou ministres, n'ount unqore rendue lour accompt a vostre escheqer, soient pleinement restitutz a dit Johan. Et de vostre treshabundant grace graunter, qe par auctorite d'icest present parlement, soit ordeine, qe tieux biens et chateux, issint forfaitz es mayns des ditz seignurs des fraunchises, soit auxi restitutz a dit Johan. Et qe en l'une cas et l'autre, eit le dit Johan atauntz des briefs, et atant de foitz hors de vostre chauncellerie, pur ent avoir [p. iv-73][col. a] sa restitutione, come meultz semblera a luy bosonables, pur Dieu et en oevere de charite. May it please your most noble mercifulness to pardon the said John, by any name by which he is known, for all manner of felonies and trespasses of which he is thus indicted, accused, or appealed, and the outlawries pronounced on him for these reasons. And also to grant that all these lands and tenements, goods and chattels thus forfeited, seized, or arrested, for which your said escheators or officials have still not rendered their account at your exchequer, should be fully returned to the said John. And to grant from your most abundant grace that, by the authority of thispresent parliament, it should be ordained that such goods and chattels thus forfeited into the hands of the said lords of franchises should also be returned to the said John. And that in either case the said John should have writs thereupon from your chancery whenever it seems necessary to him, in order for him to have [p. iv-73][col. a] restitution of them; for God and by way of charity.
La quele peticione lieu overtement en cest parlement, et bien entendu, fuist respondu en le manere q'ensuyt: Which petition having been read publicly in this parliament, and well understood, was answered as follows:
Le roy, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx esteantz en mesme le parlement, et a le requeste des communes suisditz, le voet, quantqe a mesme nostre seignur le roy apparteint. (fn. iv-70-69-1) The king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal present in the same parliament, and at the request of the aforesaid commons, wills it, insofar as it pertains to our same lord the king. (fn. iv-70-69-1)
Pur Alisaundre Meryng. .[Petition from Alexander Mering].
17. Item, mesmes les communes bailleront une peticione en le dit parlement, pur Alisaundre Meryng, en la forme ensuant: 17. On behalf of Alexander Mering. Also, the same commons delivered a petition in the said parliament on behalf of Alexander Mering, as follows:
Item, priount les communes: qe come Alisaundre Meryng ad suye un especialle assise du novelle disseisyn envers Johan Tuxford et Katerine sa femme, des tenementz en Petyt Markham, Tuxford, Mylton, et Bevercote, devant Robert Tyrwhyt et autres justices, a ceo assignez, processe taunt suye en la dit assise, qe les ditz Johan Tuxford et Katerine, en la dit assise, prierent eyde du nostre seignur le roy pur diversez causez, le qelle eyde par les ditz justicez fuist graunte, et tant avaunt fuist suye apres a nostre seignur le roy en sa chauncerie, que le dit suppliaunt avoyt brief nostre dit seignur le roy, direct as ditz justicez, pur proceder pluys avaunt en la dit assise, paryssynt qe lez ditz justices ne procederent a juggement en la dit assise, le dit nostre seignur le roy ent nyent counseille, et en la dit assise sy avaunt fuist pursue devant les ditz justices, tanqe qe la dit assise passa, et trove fuist par verdit del dit assise, que le dit suppliaunt fuist seyse, et disseise par les ditz Johan et Katerine, et assesserount les damagez a cinqaunt marcez, et lez ditz justices apres enquysterount des ditz assises come longe temps fuist puys qe le dit disseisyn fuyst fait, lez queux disoient qe la disseisyn fuyst fait par tieux parolles. 'The dissesyn was donne on Seynt Bartilmewe day was two yer'. Et le clerk des ditz justices, par negligencez et mesprisione, fyst une note du dit verdit, et escryva les ditz parolles avaunt escryez en Engelysch, par teux parolex en Latyn: 'Quod Johannes Tuxford et Katerina uxor ejus, disseiserunt predictum Alexandrum, in festo Sancti Bartholomei anno regni Regis Henrici quarti terciodecimo', la oue il dussoyt avoir fait anno duodecimo. Et issint par sa mesprision et negligence par la dit note fuyt suppose, qe disseisyn fuyt fait puys la date del purchace du dit assise, issint par celles negligence et mesprision, le dit suppliaunt estoyt tant outrement en poynt d'estre disherite, et jammez d'avoir juggement sur le verdit du dit assise. Also, the commons pray that, whereas Alexander Mering has sued for a special assize of novel disseisin against John Tuxford and Katherine his wife, concerning tenements in Markham, Tuxford, Milton and Bevercotes, before Robert Tirwhit and other justices assigned to this; the process was sued in such a way in the said assize that the said John Tuxford and Katherine requested aid from our lord the king in the said assize for several reasons, which aid was granted by the said justices; and afterwards it was then sued to our lord the king in his chancery that the said supplicant should have our said lord the king's writ, addressed to the said justices, in order to proceed further in the said assize, provided that the said justices should not proceed to judgment in the said assize, without our said lord the king being advised on this; and then the said assize was pursued before the said justices until the said assize was brought to a conclusion, and it was found by verdict of the said assize that the said supplicant was seised, and was disseised by the said John and Katherine, and the damages were assessed at fifty marks. And thereupon the said justices enquired of the said assizes how long a time it had been since the disseisin occurred, and they replied that the disseisin was made in the following words: 'The disseisin was made on St Bartholomew's day [24 August] two years ago'. And the clerk of the justices, by negligence and misprision, made a note of the said verdict, and replaced the said words written above in English with these words in Latin: 'That John Tuxford and Katherine his wife disseised the aforesaid Alexander on the feast of St Bartholomew in the thirteenth year of the reign of King Henry the fourth [1412]'; whereas he ought to have written the twelfth year [1411]. And thus by his misprision and negligence it was assumed from the said note that the disseisin was made after the date of the purchase of the said assize, so that by this negligence and misprision the said supplicant was on the point of being completely disinherited, and never able to have judgment according to the verdict of the said assize.
Please a voz tressagez discrecions, considerez lez negligencez et mesprisions du dit clerk ensy fait, a fynale desheritaunce del dit suppliaunt, et qe saunz vostre bone supplicacione en cest present parlement, le dit suppliant unqes avera juggement en la dit assise, du prier a nostre tressoveraigne seignur le roy, et a toutz ses seignurs temporelx et espirituales en cest present parlement, du charger le dit Robert Tyrwhit et sez compaignons justicez en la dite assise, du faire la recorde du dit assise, acordaunt a ceo qe fuyst trove et dit par la dite assise, par issint qe le dit suppliaunt poet avoir soun brief du procedendo en la dite assise, etc. May it please your most wise discretions, having considered the negligences and misprisions thus made by the said clerk to the ultimate disinheritance of the said supplicant, and that without your kind support in this present parliament the said supplicant will never have judgment in the said assize, to ask our most sovereign lord the king and all the lords temporal and spiritual in this present parliament to instruct the said Robert Tirwhit and his fellow justices in the said assize to amend the record of the said assize, according to that which has been found and pronounced by the said assize, so that the said supplicant should have his writ of procedendo in the said assize, etc.
La quele peticione leeu overtement en cest parlement, et bien entendu, fuist respondu en le manere q'ensuyt: Which petition having been read publicly in this parliament, and well understood, was answered as follows:
Le roy, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx esteantz en mesme le parlement, et a le requeste des communes suisditz, voet qe les justices de mesme l'assise, facent le recorde d'ycelle, quant a celle point tant solement, et ceo en la presence du chaunceller d'Engleterre pur le temps esteant, par auctorite de celle parlement. The king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal present in the same parliament, and at the request of the aforesaid commons, wills that the justices of the same assize should make a record of it, as regards this point only, and this in the presence of the chancellor of England at the time, by authority of this parliament.
[col. b]
Pur les gentz de l'artifice des ceinturers de Londres. [Petition from the craft of girdlers of London].
18. Item, les ditz communes bailleront une autre supplicacione en mesme le parlement, pur les gentz de l'artifice et mistere de ceinturers de la citee de Londres, de la qelle supplicacione le tenure est cy ensuant: 18. On behalf of the members of the craft of girdlers of London. Also, the said commons delivered another petition in the same parliament, on behalf of the members of the craft and mystery of girdlers of the city of London, the tenor of which petition follows:
Au treshonourable et tressoverain seignur le roy, et a les seignurs en ceste parlement assemblez, supplient les communes, pur les gentz de l'artifice et mistier de ceinturers de la citee de Loundres: qe come le roy Edward besaiel a nostre tressoverain seignur le roy q'ore est, par advys de soun counseille en soun parlement tenuz a Westm' l'an de soun regne primer, a la supplicacione des ceinturers du dite citee, par sez lettres patentz, les queux Richard nadgairs roy d'Engleterre, et nostre soverain seignur Henry, piere a nostre dit tressoverain seignur le roy, les queux Dieu assoille, ount severalment confermez, graunta, et conferma diverses ordinaunces, articles, et usages, devaunt par les ditz ceinturers pur le bien commune et profit de soun roialme faitz, les queux sount soubz escriptz. C'estassavoir, qe nulle homme du dit mistier fist garnier ceinture de soy, de lain, de quir, ne de file de lyne, de nul piere, metal, qe de laton, baterie, feer, et asser. Et qe en la dite citee soient eslutz par les gentz du dit mistier, un homme, ou deux hommes bones et loialx du dit mistier, pur la dite chose garder et serchier, et de ceo faire as toutz les foitz q'ils verront qe mistier serra. Et si < nulle > oeveraigne des ceinturers soit garni de plum, peautre, ou d'estein, ou d'autre faux chose, soit par les ditz gentz du dite mistier issint eslutz presente devaunt le mair de la ditee citee, et par agarde de lui et les audermans soit la chose forfait, et par lour discretion les oeverours puniz pur lour faux oeveraigne; sicome en lez lettres et confirmacions avauntditz pluis au plein est contenuz. (fn. iv-70-81-1) Et ore lez gentz du dite mistier de la citee suisdit, es plusours lieux deinz le roialme, sount molt diffamez, a cause qe certeins gentz usantz la dite mistier demurantz en les suburbes du dite citee, et aillours pres et environe d'icelle citee, facent et garnisent diverses ceintures de faux oeveraigne, et de metal nemye covenable, ne profitable, mais desceivantz a la commune poeple, et encountre les ordinaunces, articles, et usages avauntditz, a graunde damage du poeple, et esclaundre des bones gentz, et loialx oeverours de mesme la mistier en la citee suisdit, pur tant qe des tielx maneres faux oeveraignes du dit mistier deinz la dite citee, et joust les suburbes d'icelle, venduz sibien par foreins come par autres aliens, les achatours d'icelle lour mesmes excusent es diverses villes du roialme as lour achatours, q'ils mesmes celle ceintures ensi oeverez avoient achatez, et furent oeverez en la cite suisdite. To the most honourable and most sovereign lord the king and the lords assembled in this parliament, the commons request on behalf of the members of the craft or mystery of girdlers of the city of London: whereas King Edward [III], the great-grandfather of our present most sovereign lord the king, with the advice of his council in his parliament held at Westminster in the first year of his reign [1327], at the request of the girdlers of the said city, by his letters patent (which Richard late king of England, and our sovereign lord Henry, our said most sovereign lord the king's father, whom God absolve, have separately confirmed) granted and confirmed several ordinances, articles and customs made previously for the benefit of the said girdlers for the common good and profit of his realm, which are given below. That is, that no man of the said mystery should make belts trimmed with silk, wool, leather, or linen thread, nor with jewels, metal, brass, beaten metal, iron, or steel. And that in the said city there should be elected, by the members of the said mystery, one or two honest and loyal men from the said mystery to watch over and scrutinize the said matter, and to act upon this at all times when they see the mystery engaged in such things. And if any work of the girdlers is trimmed with feathers, pewter, or tin, or any other illegal item, it should be brought immediately before the mayor of the said city by the said elected members of the said mystery, and by his judgment and that of the aldermen the item should be forfeit, and by their discretion the artisans punished for their illegal workmanship; as is more fully specified in the aforesaid letters and confirmations. (fn. iv-70-81-1) Yet now the members of the said mystery of the aforesaid city are much maligned in several places within the realm, because certain people practising the said mystery dwelling in the suburbs of the said city and elsewhere close to and around that city make and trim various belts with illegal decoration, and with metal which is not at all suitable or serviceable, but deceive the common people, contrary to the aforesaid ordinances, articles, and customs, to the great damage of the people and the denigration of the good members and loyal artisans of the same mystery in the aforesaid city, because illegal workmanship of this kind of the same mystery is sold by both foreigners and other aliens in the said city and its suburbs, the buyers of which excuse themselves and their purchases in various towns of the realm, saying that the same belts thus made and bought by them were made in the aforesaid city.
Pleise a nostre dit seignur le roy, par auctoritee d'icest present parlement, de granter et ordiner, qe les gardeins du dit mistier deinz la dite citee, qi pur le temps serront, atant de temps que lour semblera affaire, a avoir et fair la serche et surviewe de tout ceo q'appartient au dite mistier, sibien deinz la citee suisdit, come aillours, pur l'espace d'une leuke en chescun partie tout environ icell citee, es queux mains les ceintures, ou l'oeveraigne d'icelle, serront trovez a oeverer ou a vendre, et de toutz les ceintures et l'oeveraign d'icelle, queux ils de temps en tempstrovent faitz encountre les ordinances, articles, et usages suisditz, deinz la dite citee, qe le mair et audermans de mesme la citee pur le temps esteantz, par presentement des ditz gardeins, facent l'execucione compriez en les ordinaunces et usages suisditz, es queux mains tielx maneres ceintures et oeveraignes ensi soient trovez a oeverer ou a vendre. Et auxi en toutz autres lieux < hors > du dite citee par l'espace du dit leuke, eient les baillifs ou constables du ville, ou lieux, ou tiel defalte encountre les dites ordinaunces et usages serra trovee, pleine poair affaire mesme l'execucione d'icelle ceintures et oeveraignes, ensi es queux mains q'ils [p. iv-74][col. a] soient trovez a oeverer ou a vendre; et eient les seignurs dez fraunchises illeoqes les profitz de la correccione d'icelle, si auscunez y soient; aucune ordinaunce, estatut, ou graunt faite au contrarie noun obstant. May it please our said lord the king, by the authority of this present parliament, to grant and ordain that the wardens of the said mystery within the said city at the time, as often as seems necessary to them, should conduct and carry out a search and inspection there of all that appertains to the said mystery, both within the aforesaid city and elsewhere within a mile radius in every direction around that city, in order to find out in whose hands the belts or their trimmings may be found being worked or sold; and that, with regard to all the belts and the makers of them which from time to time may be found to have been made contrary to the aforesaid ordinances, articles and customs within the said city, that the mayor and aldermen of the same city at the time, by presentment of the said wardens, should enforce the penalty specified in the aforesaid ordinances and customs against those in whose hands these belts and decorations are thus found being made or sold. And also in all other places outside the said city within a one mile radius, let the bailiffs or constables of the towns or places where such failure to comply with the said ordinances and customs is detected, have full power to apply the same enforcement concerning those belts and decorations, no matter in whose possession they [p. iv-74][col. a] are thus found being made or sold; and let the lords of the franchises there have the profits arising from any such punishment, if any are found there; notwithstanding any ordinance, statute, or grant made to the contrary.
La qelle supplication leu en mesme le parlement, fuist [memb. 9] respondu en la manere ensuant: Which petition, having been read in the same parliament, was [memb. 9] answered as follows:
Le roy, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx esteantz en ceste present parlement, et a la supplicacione des ditz communes, voet, qe les gardeins du dite mistere dedeinz la dite citee pur le temps esteantz, < par auctorite > du ceste parlement, eient le serche et la surveu de temps en temps, de tout ceo qe appartient a la dite mistere, parmy toute la franchise de mesme la citee tant soulement, et nonpas aillours. Et qe les mair et audermans du dite citee qe sont, et pur le temps serront, de toutz maners overaignes de mesme la mistere, queux par presentement des ditz gardeins soient trovez fauxement faitz, encontre les ordinances, articles, et usages, en les lettres patentz en la dite peticione especifiez contenuz, eient les correccione et punisement, et facent tiele agarde et execucione come es mesmes les lettres patentz sont limitez, et par ycelx lour est doneez, et ceo par l'auctorite suisdite. The king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal attending this present parliament, and at the request of the commons, wills that the wardens of the said mystery within the said city at the time, by the authority of this parliament, should have the power to search and inspect from time to time everything which appertains to the said mystery, throughout the franchise of the said city only, and not elsewhere. And that the present and future mayor and aldermen of the said city should have the correction and punishment of all kinds of workmanship of the same mystery which, on presentment by the said wardens, has been found illegally made, contrary to the ordinances, articles, and customs specified in the letters patent mentioned in the said petition; and let them award such judgment and fine as is specified in the same letters patent, and is thereby allowed to them, and this by the aforesaid authority.
De errore Catermayn. [Petition from Richard Quatermain alleging error].
19. Memorandum quod in presenti parliamento Ricardus Catermayn liberavit quandam peticionem cujus tenor sequitur in hec verba: 19. Of the error concerning Quatermain. Be it remembered that in the present parliament Richard Quatermain delivered a petition, the tenor of which follows:
A nostre tressoverain et tresgracious seignur le roy, et a les tresnobles seignurs de ceste present parlement, supplie Richard Catermayn: qe come en les record et processe et auxi en le rendre de jugement de plee, qe fuist devaunt seignur Richard nadgairs roy d'Engleterre secunde puys le conquest, en bank le roy, par brief de trespas du dit nadgairs roy, parentre Thomas le Hore de Elmedon pleynant, q'ore est mort, et le dit Richard, Johan Cook de Solyhull', William Darkere, Adam Cook de Knolle, Waryn Turnour de Coppe, et Walter Hunte, that was Williame's servant Breton' defendantz, de plee pur quoy ove force et armes le close de le dit Thomas a Elmedon' debruseront, et ces avers illeoqes troves pristeront, et emparkeront, et mesmes ceux avers illeoqes issint emparkes, tanqe mesme cesty Thomas fyn par xx li. pur la deliverance de les ditz avers a avoir, ove les avauntditz Richard, Johan, William, Adam, Waryn, et Walter, fist, deteigneront, et alters ledes luy firont, agrevous damage de mesme cesty Thomas, et encountre la pees le dit nadgairs roy, errours y sont intervenantz appartement, a grevouse damage du dit suppliant. To our most sovereign and most gracious lord the king and the most noble lords of this present parliament, Richard Quatermain requests: whereas in the record and process and also in the giving of judgment in a plea which was before the lord Richard, late king of England, the second since the conquest, in the King's Bench, by a writ of trespass of the said late king, between Thomas le Hore of Elmedon, plaintiff, who is now deceased, and the said Richard, John Cook of Solihull, William Darkere, Adam Cook of Knolle, Warin Turner of Coppe and Walter Hunt, who was William Breton's servant, defendants - in a plea alleging that with force and arms they broke the close of the said Thomas at Elmedon, and took and impounded his cattle which they found there, and detained those same cattle thusimpounded there until this same Thomas had made fine of £20 for the said cattle to be released and handed over, along with the aforesaid Richard, John, William, Adam, Warin, and Walter; and they committed other outrages against him, to the grievous damage of this same Thomas, and against the peace of the said late king - manifest errors have arisen, to the grievous damage of the said supplicant.
Que plese a nostre dit tressoverain et tresgracious seignur le roy, et a seignurs avauntditz, de comaunder le chief justice de bank le roy, defaire venir devaunt eux en cest present parlement, le recorde et processe du dit plee, ove toutz choses ycelles touchantz et ent dependantz, pur corriger les errours avauntditz, et sur ceo de faire garnyr William Hore, et Johan Hore, executours de testament de dit Thomas, par agarde de mesme cest present parlement, d'estre al proscheyn parlement, d'oier les errours, queux par le dit Richard serront alleggetz et assignez en les recorde et processe suisditz, et outre affaire et resceiver ceo q'ent serra agarde. Et outre ceo, qe plese a nostre dit tressoveraigne et tresgracious seignur le roy, et as seignurs suisditz, de faire droit as ditz parties en la matere suisdite, pur Dieu et en eovre de charite. May it please our said most sovereign and most gracious lord the king and the aforesaid lords to order the chief justice of the King's Bench to cause to be brought before them in this present parliament the record and process of the same plea, with all things concerning them and dependent on them, in order to correct the aforesaid errors, and thereupon to summon William Hore and John Hore, executors of the said Thomas's will, by judgment of the same parliament, to be at the next parliament to hear the errors which have been alleged and pointed out by the said Richard in the aforesaid record and process, and moreover to accept and act upon whatever judgment will be made on this. And moreover, may it please our said most sovereign and most noble lord the king and the aforesaid lords to provide justice to the said parties on the aforesaid matter; for God and by way of charity.
Qua quidem peticione in parliamento ipso publice lecta de assensu ejusdem parliamenti consideratum fuit quod predictus Ricardus Catermayn habeat breve de scire facias faciendum et fundandum in suo casu super materia in eadem peticione contenta, retornabile in parliamento tunc proximo futuro ad premuniendum executores testamenti predicti Thome, essendi ad dictum proximum parliamentum in quocumque loco infra regnum Anglie [col. b] teneatur, ad audiendum errores quos per prefatum Ricardum in recordo et processu predictis assignari seu allegari contigerit et ad faciendum ulterius et recipiendum quod per legem terre in curia parliamenti similiter adjudicari contigerit in hac parte. Which petition having been read publicly in the same parliament, by the assent of the same parliament, it was adjudged that the aforesaid Richard Quatermain should have a writ of scire facias drawn up and issued for his suit on the matter specified in the same petition, to be returned in the next parliament, to warn the executors of the aforesaid Thomas's will to be present at the said next parliament, in whatever place it is held within the realm of England, [col. b] to hear the errors which have been attributed or alleged by the aforesaid Richard in the aforesaid record and process, and thereafter to act upon and accept whatever will be adjudged by the law of the land in the court of parliament on this matter.
Et memorandum quod prefatus Ricardus in isto presenti parliamento personaliter comparens posuit loco suo Thomam Haseley et Thomam Heuster sub alternacione ad lucrandum vel perdendum in loquela que est in predicta curia parliamenti inter ipsum Ricardum et Willelmum Hore et Johannem Hore executores testamenti prefati Thome in dicta peticione nominatos de predictis recordo et processu coram dicto nuper rege Ricardo sic habitis, et de quibus in peticione predicta sit mencio. Unde idem Ricardus asserit errores quamplures in eisdem recordo et processu ac eciam in reddicione judicii ejusdem loquele coram predicto nuper rege ut premittitur habitis intervenisse. Venerabilis pater Thomas episcopus Dunolm' recepit attornati. And be it remembered that the aforesaid Richard, who appeared personally in this present parliament, appointed as his attorneys Thomas Hasley and Thomas Heuster alternatively to win or lose in the suit which is in the aforesaid court of parliament between the same Richard and William Hore and John Hore, executors of the aforesaid Thomas's will, named in the said petition, concerning the aforesaid record and process thus submitted before the said late King Richard, and which is specified in the aforesaid petition; in which the same Richard claims that very many errors occurred in the same record and process, and also in the giving of judgment on the same suit submitted before the aforesaid late king as stated above. The venerable father Thomas, bishop of Durham, received the attorneys.
[memb. 8]
Pur l'evesqe de Nicholle et les dean et chapitre illoqes. [Petition from the bishop, dean and chapter of Lincoln cathedral].
20. Item, les communes baillerent en ceste parlement une supplicacione, pur l'onurable piere en Dieu Philip evesqe de Nichole, et les dean et chapitre de l'esglise cathedral de Nostre Dame de Nicholle, dount le tenure cy ensuit: 20. On behalf of the bishop of Lincoln and the dean and chapter there. Also, the commons delivered a petition in this parliament on behalf of the honourable father in God, Philip, bishop of Lincoln, and the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of Our Lady of Lincoln, the tenor of which follows:
A nostre tresgracious et tressovereigne seignur le roy, et as tresnobles seignurs en ceste present parlement, suppliont humblement soun chapelein Philip evesqe de Nicholle, et ses oratours le dean et chapitre de l'esglise cathedral de Nostre Dame de Nichole, la quel est del patronage de nostre dit seignur le roy, et de fundacione de ses tresnobles progenitours: qe come par estatuit fait l'an du regne du Sire Richard nadgairs roy d'Engleterre secunde puis le conqest xiij e , pur diverses grevances et injuries faitz as predecessours des ditz evesqe, et dean et al chapitre suisdit, et as lieges du dit nadgairs roy en la citee de Nicole, estoit ordeignez q'en assises, jurees, et toutz autres enquestes, qe delors serroient prisez parentre partie et partie, devaunt le mair et baillifs de la dite citee, qe delors pur le temps serroient, si ascun des parties delors soy pleindroit de faux serement, fait par tielx assises, jurez, ou enquestes, l'atteint luy serroit grauntee, et le record serroit maunde par brief en bank le roy, ou en commune bank, et qe le viscount arraieroit le panelle del juree de tiel atteint, des foreins saunz maunder al fraunchise del dite citee, et qe les justices prendroient mesme la juree des mesmes les foreins, nient contresteant ascun fraunchise graunte al dite citee, ou autre usage a contrarie; come en la diteestatuit, dount le verray copie est a yceste bille annexe, appiert pluis au plein. (fn. iv-70-107-1) Et puis apres le Roy Henry pier nostre seignur le roy qu'ore est, le xxi jour del moys de Novembre, l'an de soun regne xi e , par ses lettres patentz, entre autres graunta al mair et communalte de la dite citee; qe le noun des ditz baillifs de mesme la citee serroit translate en le noun des viscontz. Et qe mesme la cite, les suburbes, et le purceynt d'ycelle, forspris le chastiell et le bayle de Lincoln, et les mures et fosses d'ycelle, alors a toutz jours serroit appelles le counte del citee de Lyncoln', paront ascuns sont en ambiguite, le quel homme, qe pleindre soy voudra de faux serement faite en le counte del dite citee, puisse par force de l'estatuit suisdite, avoir brief d'atteint, direct al viscount del counte de Nicole, d'estre arraiez par gentz de mesme le counte ou nemye, et auxint d'autres articles et poyntz de mesme l'estatuit. To our most gracious and most sovereign lord the king and the most noble lords in this present parliament, his chaplain Philip, bishop of Lincoln, and his bedesmen the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of Our Lady of Lincoln, which is of the patronage of our said lord the king and of the foundation of his most noble progenitors, humbly request: whereas by a statutemade in the thirteenth year of the reign of the lord Richard late king of England, the second since the conquest [1390], on account of various grievances and injuries done to the predecessors of the said bishop, and the aforesaid dean and chapter, and the late king's lieges in the city of Lincoln, it was ordained that in assizes, juries and all other inquests that would henceforth be held between party and party before the mayor and bailiffs of the said city at the time, that if any of the parties henceforth should enter a plea concerning a false oath sworn in any such assizes, juries, or inquests, the attaint should be awarded to him, and the record sent by writ to the King's Bench or the Common Bench, and that the sheriff should empanel a jury for this attaint with outsiders, without informing the franchise of the said city, and that the justices should receive the same jury of these outsiders, notwithstanding any franchise granted to the said city or any other custom to the contrary; as is clearly explained in the said statute, a correct copy of which is attached to this petition. (fn. iv-70-107-1) Yet subsequently King Henry, the father of our present lord the king, on 21 November in the eleventh year of his reign [1409], by his letters patent, among other things, granted to the mayor and community of the said city that the name by which the said bailiffs of the said city are known should be changed to sheriff. And that the same city, the suburbs, and its precinct, except the castle and bailey of Lincoln, and its walls and moats, should then always be called the county of the city of Lincoln; as a result of which there is some doubt as to whether a man who enters a plea concerning a false oath sworn in the county of the said city can, by virtue of the aforesaid statute, have a writ of attaint addressed to the sheriff of the county of Lincoln for a jury to be empanelled of the people of the said county, or not, as with the other articles and points of the same statute.
Pleise a nostre dit tressovereigne et tresgracious seignur le roy, et as tresnobles seignurs suisditz, par assent des communes d'ycest parlement, pur oustier toutz les ambiguitees et doubtes en celle partie, de grauntier et ordeigner en approvant l'estatuit suisdit, q'en assises, jures, et toutz aultres enquestes qe sont et serront prisez parentre partie et partie, devaunt le mair et baillifs, ou viscountz del counte de la dite citee de Nicole, qe pur [p. iv-75][col. a] le temps furent et seront, ou ascuns de eux, si ascun des parties soy pleint de faux serement faite par tieux assises, jurees, ou enquest, brief d'atteint lui soit graunties, directe al viscount del dite countee de Nicole qe pur le temps serra, et le record soit maunde par brief en bank le roy, ou en commune bank; et qe le viscount del counte de Nicole qe pur le temps serra, arraie le panelle del juree de tiel atteint des gentz del dit counte de Nicole. Et qe les justices nostre seignur le roy, et des ses heirs, preignent mesme la juree des gentz del countee de Nicole, solonc l'entent et l'effecte del dit estatuit, les ditz lettres patentz, ou riens leinz contenuz, ou ascun possession, ou autre chose par force des mesmes < les > lettres ewez ou faitz, ou ascun fraunchise grauntie ou a grauntiers as citezeins del dite citee, ou a lour successours, ou autre usage au contrarie, nient contresteantz, pur Dieu et en oevere de charitee. May it please our said most sovereign and most gracious lord the king and the aforesaid most noble lords, by the assent of the commons of this parliament, in order to remove all ambiguities and doubts in this regard, to grant and ordain, while approving the aforesaid statute, that in assizes, juries and all other inquests that are or will be held between party and party before the mayor and bailiffs, or sheriffs, of the county of the said city of Lincoln, who are or shall be in office, [p. iv-75][col. a] or any of them, that if any of the parties should enter a plea concerning a false oath sworn in any such assizes, juries or inquests, a writ of attaint shall be granted to him addressed to the sheriff of the said county of Lincoln at the time, and the record shall be sent by writ to the King's Bench or the Common Bench; and that the sheriff of the county of Lincoln at the time shall empanel the jury for this attaint from people of the said county of Lincoln. And that our lord the king's justices, or those of his heirs, shall receive the same jury from the people of the county of Lincoln in accordance with the purport and tenor of the said statute, notwithstanding the said letters patent or anything specified therein, or any possession or other thing granted or allowed by virtue of the same letters, or any franchise granted or which may be granted to the citizens of the said city or to their successors, or any other custom to the contrary; for God and by way of charity.
La qelle supplication leu overtement en le dit parlement, et pleinement entendue, responde fuist en la manere q'ensuit: Which petition, having been read openly in the said parliament, and fully understood, was answered as follows:
Le roy le voet en tout ceo, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et a la requeste des communes assemblez en ceste present parlement, non obstant qe la citee de Nicholle est fait et incorparat countee par luy mesmes, et severee de le countee de Nicholle. (fn. iv-70-113-1) The king wills it in all points, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and at the request of the commons assembled in this present parliament, notwithstanding that the city of Lincoln was made and incorporated a county by itself, and separated from the county of Lincoln. (fn. iv-70-113-1)
De l'artifice de tinctours en la ville de Coventr'. [Petition from the craft of dyers in Coventry].
21. Item, prierent, pur la communalte de la ville de Coventr': qe come il y ad confederacie et entreliaunce en la mestiere des tinctours deins mesme la ville, qe nully des ditz tinctours ne voet tincter un duszein de draaps de commune colour, sinon pur vi s. < et > viij < s > . la ou ils soleient tincter communes ans passez le duszein de tiel drap pur v s., ou pur vi s. Et la ou ils soleient les ditz communes ans tincter < lx > li. de lein, pur xx s., ils ne voillent < les > tincter meyns qe xxx s. Et coment qe y faute xijli. de poys des ditz .lx. libres apres la tincture, unquore ils chacent le poeple de paier pur l'entier, sibien pur cella qe issint faute, come pur la remenaunt q'ils resceiveront. Et la ou ils soleient tincter chescun .xij. libres de file de leyn, et de lynne, q'est commune et graunt marchandise en la dite ville, pur iiij s., ils ount encrece la pris d'ycelle en lour dite mestiere tanqe a vi s. Et coment qe toutz les premisses ne sont suffisauntment tinctez, [...] unquore ils ne voillent abatier nulle denier de lour dit pris, ne le amender en lour dit mestiere. Et auxint mesmes les ditz tinctours sount graundes et communes fesours des draaps deins mesme la ville, et parnount a lour draaps demesne tout le floure de le wood, ou de le madour en lour fates, et de la remenaunt qe poye vaut servent le commune poeple, a graunt desceit, damage, et oppression, sibien al commune poeple demurrant en la dite ville, come aillours environ. 21. Concerning the craft of dyers in the town of Coventry. Also, the request on behalf of the community of the town of Coventry: whereas there has been a conspiracy and private agreement in the mystery of dyers within the same town that none of the said dyers are willing to dye a dozen pieces of cloth with ordinary colours for less than for 6 s. 8 d., whereas they used in the past commonly to dye a dozen pieces of such cloth for 5 s., or for 6 s. And whereas in the past they used commonly to dye sixty pounds of wool for 20 s., now they are unwilling to dye the same for less than 30 s. And although there is a shortfall of twelve pounds in the weight out of the said sixty pounds after dyeing, they even pursue the people to pay for the whole weight, both for the shortfall and for the rest that they receive. And whereas they used to dye each twelve pounds of woollen and linen thread, which is the most common and important commodity of the said town, for 4 s., they have increased the price of this in their said mystery to 6 s. And even if all the aforesaid are inadequately dyed, they are still unwilling to reduce their said charges, or amend them in their said mystery. Also, the said same dyers are powerful and regular manufacturers of cloth within the said town, because of which they use all the flowers from the woad or from the madder to dye their own cloth, and what is left, which is worth little, is given to the common people, to the great deceit, damage, and hardship both of the common people dwelling in the said town and those of the surrounding area.
Que pleise a nostre tresredoute seignur le roy, par assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en ycest present parlement, d'ordeiner, par auctoritee de mesme le parlement, qe chescun an le jour de le eleccione de le mair du dite ville, par mesmes ceux qe facent la election del dit mair, purront estre esluz quatre suffisantz persones de la dite ville, c'estassavoir deux drapers, un woder, et un tinctour, al fyn d'aver bone governance en la mestiere suisdite, qe serront jurez de surveier les ditz tinctours. Et qe les ditz surveyours pur le temps esteauntz issint esluz, aient poair d'examiner et governer les ditz tynctours en lour dit mestiere, et ceux ou celuy qe duement soient ou soit devaunt eux trovez en defaute en le dite mestiere, de tielle confederacie, excesse, ou mesgovernaile, qe adonqes les ditz surveiours aient poair eux presentier ensemblement ove lour defautes, a le mair, et baillifs, de la dite ville, et a les justices de la pees deins mesme la ville, et si de ceo devaunt eux soit ou soient duement convictz ou convict, qe a primer foitz face ou facent fyn et raunseon a nostre seignur le roy, et a seconde foitz face fyn et raunseon a nostre seignur le roy, et [col. b] eit l'emprisonement de demy an. Et au tierce foitz, face fyn et raunseon a nostre seignur le roy, et eit l'emprisonement d'un an, et paie a le fesure de les mures de la dite ville pur l'encloser d'ycelle, xli.; et ceo ataunt de foitz come il de cella soit convict de tielle confederacie ou excesse apprendre del dit poeple. Et auxi qe nulle tynctour del dite ville, ne face nulles draaps vendables marchandizement pur le temps q'il soit commune tinctour, sur mesme la peyne. May it please our most dread lord the king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal in this present parliament, to ordain, by the authority of the same parliament, that each year on the day of the election of the mayor of the said town, there should be elected, by those same people who take part in the election of the said mayor, four competent persons from the said town, that is, two drapers, a woader and a dyer, in order to maintain good governance in the aforesaid mystery, who will be sworn to inspect the said dyers. And that the said inspectors thus elected at the time should have the power to examine and supervise the said dyers in their said mystery; and if anyone in the said mystery is duly found at fault before them because of any such confederacy, excess or mismanagement, that the said inspectors should then have the authority to present them, together with their misdeeds, to the mayor and bailiffs of the said town, and to the justices of the peace within the same town; and if they are duly convicted of this before them, that on the first occasion they should make fine and ransom to our lord the king, and the second time they should make fine and ransom to our lord the king and [col. b] be imprisoned for half a year. And on the third occasion, they should make fine and ransom to our lord the king, be imprisoned for half a year, and pay £10 towards the building of the said town's walls in order for it to be enclosed; and this should be done as many times as they are convicted of such confederacy or excess against the said people. And also that no dyer of the said town should make any marketable cloth for sale during the time he is a common dyer, upon the same penalty.
La qelle supplication en le parlement < leu > , responde fuist en la maner ensuant: Which petition, having been read in the parliament, was answered as follows:
Le roy soy avisera. The king will consider this further.
Pur Johan Shadworth'. [Petition from John Shadworth of London].
22. Item, les communes baillerent une supplicacione en cest parlement, pur Johan Shadworth', citezein et mercer de Loundres, dount le tenure cy ensuit. 22. On behalf of John Shadworth. Also, the commons delivered a petition in this parliament for John Shadworth, citizen and mercer of London, the tenor of which follows.
As tressages communes de cest parlement, supplie treshumblement Johan Shadworth', citezein et mercer de Loundres: qe come a luy est due par le tresnoble roy, qe Dieu assoille, pier a nostre tressoverain seignur le roy q'ore est, la somme de liijli. vi s. viij d., pur diverses espices, par luy achatez et deliverez a Roger Wodhill', adonqes clerk du spicerye esteant, a l'oeps du dit nadgairs roy, pur paiement de quel somme, fusent deliverez a dit suppliant, certeins tailles levez a Westm' en la resceite du dit nadgairs roy, sur certeins custumers de mesme le roy; si come par les ditz tailles pluis pleinement appiert. Et ore est ensy, qe les custumes par les ditz custumers recieux n'amontent ne s'extendent my a tauntz de summes as queux les ditz tailles sont levez, et auxi mesmes les custumers sont dischargez de lour offices; si qe le dit suppliant par les causes suisditz ne purroit estre paie, par vertue de ses tailles avauntditz. Et soit auxi, qe Henry l'ercevesqe d'Everwyk, Thomas l'evesqe de Duresme, Johan Pelham, Robert Waterton', et Johan Leventhorp', assignez par commission < du > nostre tressoverain seignur le roy, de paier les dettes du dit nadgairs roy, par la survieu nostre tressoverain seignur le roy, ou de ses deputes, jusqes a la somme par luy a eux graunte, come il est pluis au plein en la dite commissione contenuz, ne voillent paier la somme suisdit a dit suppliant due, a cause q'il ne demonstre pas billes de debentur, desouthe la seal du clerk du spicerie du dit nadgairs roy, tesmoignauntz la dette suisdit; si qe le dit suppliant est verisemblable a perder la somme suisdite, par l'enchesons avauntditz, s'il n'eit autre remedie purveux celle partie. To the most wise commons of this parliament, John Shadworth, citizen and mercer of London, most humbly requests: whereas the sum of £53 6 s. 8 d. is due to him from the most noble king, the father of our present most sovereign king, whom God absolve, for various spices bought from him and delivered to Roger Woodhill, who was then clerk of the spicery, for the said late king's use; for payment of which sum, certain tallies cut at Westminster in the late king's receipt, payable by certain of the same king's customs officers, were given to the said supplicant; as is more clearly evident from the said tallies. Yet now it so happens that the customs received by the said customs officers amount to less than the amount for which the said tallies were cut, and moreover the same customs officers have been dismissed from their offices; so that because of the aforesaid reasons the said supplicant is unable to secure payment for those aforesaid tallies. And it also happens that Henry archbishop of York, Thomas bishop of Durham, John Pelham, Robert Waterton and John Leventhorpe, who were assigned by commission of our most sovereign lord the king to pay the debts of the said late king, by the authority of our most sovereign lord the king or that of his deputies, up to the sum granted to them by him (as is more fully specified in the said commission), are unwilling to pay the aforesaid sum owed to the said supplicant, because he has not shown bills of debenture issued under the seal of the clerk of the said late king's spicery confirming the aforesaid debt; so that it is probable that the said supplicant will lose the aforesaid sum for the aforesaid reasons, unless he is provided with some means of redress on this matter.
Please a voz tressages discrecions d'entendre la matier suisdite, et coment les ditz commissioners n'ount poair par lour commission, si noun tiel qe fuist graunte par auctorite du parlement, et sur ceo de supplier a nostre tressoverain seignur le roy, de commaunder as ditz commissioners par auctoritee du parlement, q'ils, vieus les ditz tailles, et devers eux pur descharge du roy suffisantz lettres d'acquitance du dit partie recieux, paient et facent paier a dit suppliant, les sommes sur mesmes les tailles contenuz; ceo qe expresse mencione des sommes levez par tailles n'est contenuz en lour commissione, ou autre cause qeconqe, nient contresteant. May it please your most wise discretions to consider the aforesaid matter, and how the said commissioners do not have any authority by their commission except that which was granted by the authority of parliament, and thereupon to ask our most sovereign lord the king to command the said commissioners, by the authority of parliament, that once they have inspected the said tallies and have received adequate letters of acquittance in discharge of the king from the aforesaid parties, they should pay and cause to be paid to the said supplicant the sums specified on the same tallies; notwithstanding the fact that the sum expressly mentioned on the tallies is not specified in their commission, or any other reason.
La qelle supplicacione < lieu > en le parlement, responde fuist en la manere ensuant: Which petition, having been read in parliament, was answered as follows:
Le roy, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et a la requeste des communes assemblez en cest present parlement, voet, qe paiement soit fait ceste partie a Johan Shadworth' nommee en la supplicacione suisdite, solonc la appoyntment fait as autres persones en caas semblable avaunt ces heures. The king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and at the request of the commons assembled in this present parliament, wills that payment be made for this to the John Shadworth named in the aforesaid petition, in the same way as agreements have been made with other persons in similar cases before this time.
Pur Henry Barton'. [Petition from Henry Barton].
23. Item, mesmes les communes baillerent < en parlement > une supplicacione, pur Henry Barton', dount le tenure cy ensuit: 23. On behalf of Henry Barton. Also, the same commons delivered in parliament a petition on behalf of Henry Barton, the tenor of which follows:
[p. iv-76]
[col. a]
As tressages communes d'yceste parlement, suppliet treshumblement Henry Barton': qe come a luy est due par le tresnoble roy, qi Dieux assoille, pier a nostre tressoverain seignur le roy qu'ore est, la somme de cccxxxiijli. vi s. viij d. pur divers pelure de luy achatee, a l'oeps le dit nadgairs roy, par le gardeyn de soun graunde garderobe adonqes esteant, pur paiement de quel somme fucent deliverez au dit suppliant, certains tailles levez a Westm' en la resceite du dit nadgairs roy, sur certains custumers de mesme le roy; si come par les ditz tailles pluis pleinement appiert. Et ore est ensy, qe les custumes par les ditz custumers rescieux n'amontent ne s'extendent mye a tauntz de summes as queux les ditz tailles sont levez, et auxi mesmes les custumers soient dischargez de lour offices; si qe le dit suppliant, pur les causes avauntditz, ne purroit estre paie par vertu de ses tailles avauntditz. Et soit auxi, qe Henry l'archevesqe d'Everwyk, Thomas l'evesqe de Duresme, Johan Pelham, Robert Waterton', et Johan Leventhorp', assignez par commission du roy nostre tressoverain seignur, de paier les dettes du dit nadgairs roy, par la survieu nostre tressoverain seignur le roy, ou de sez deputez, jesqe a la somme par luy a eaux graunte, come est pluis au plain en la dite commissione contenuz, ne voillent paier la summe suisdite au dit suppliant due, a cause q'il ne demonstre pas billes de debentur desouthz le seal del [col. b] garderober du dit nadgairs roy, qi Dieux assoille, tesmoignauntz la dette suisdite; si qe le dit suppliant < est verisemblable > a perdre la dite somme, pur l'encheasons suisdites, s'il n'eit autre remedie purvieu celle partie. To the most wise commons of this parliament, Henry Barton most humbly requests: whereas the sum of £333 6 s. 8 d. is due to him from the most noble king, the father of our present most sovereign lord the king, whom God absolve, for various furs bought from him for the said late king's use by the then keeper of his great wardrobe, for payment of which sum certain tallies cut at Westminster in the late king's receipt, payable by certain of the same king's customs officers, were given to the said supplicant; as is more clearly evident from the said tallies. Yet now it so happens that the customs received by the said customs officers amount to less than the amount for which the said tallies were cut, and moreover the same customs officers have been dismissed from their offices; so that because of the aforesaid reasons the said supplicant is unable to secure payment for those aforesaid tallies. And it also happens that Henry archbishop of York, Thomas bishop of Durham, John Pelham, Robert Waterton and John Leventhorpe, who were assigned by commission of our most sovereign lord the king to pay the debts of the said late king, by the authority of our most sovereign lord the king or that of his deputies, up to the sum granted to them by him (as is more fully specified in the said commission), are unwilling to pay the aforesaid sum owed to the said supplicant, because he has not shown bills of debenture issued under the seal of the [col. b] keeper of the wardrobe of the said late king, whom God absolve, confirming the aforesaid debt; so that it is probable that the said supplicant will lose the said sum for the aforesaid reasons, unless he is provided with some means of redress on this matter.
Please a voz tressages discrecions d'entendre la matiere suisdite, et coment les ditz commissioners n'ont poair par lour commission, si non tiel qe feust grauntee par auctorite du parlement, et sur ceo de supplier a nostre tressoveraigne seignur le roy, de commander as ditz commissioners par auctoritee du parlement, q'ils, vieues les ditz tailles, et devers eaux pur discharge de roi sufficiauntz lettres d'acquitaunce du dit partie recieux, paient et facent paier au dit suppliant, les summes sur mesmes les tailles contenuz; ceo qe expresse mencione des summes levez par tailles n'est contenuz en lour commissione, ou autre cause qeconqe, nient obstant. May it please your most wise discretions to consider the aforesaid matter, and how the said commissioners do not have any authority by their commission except that which was granted by the authority of parliament, and thereupon to ask our most sovereign lord the king to command the said commissioners by the authority of parliament that, once they have inspected the said tallies and have received adequate letters of acquittance in discharge of the king from the aforesaid parties, they should pay and cause to be paid to the said supplicant the sums specified on the same tallies; notwithstanding the fact that the sum expressly mentioned on the tallies is not specified in their commission, or any other reason.
La qelle supplicacione lieu en mesme le parlement, respondu fuist en la manere q'ensuit: Which petition, having been read in the same parliament, was answered as follows:
Le roy, del assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et a la requeste des communes assemblez en cest present parlement, voet, qe paiement soit fait cest partie a Henry Barton' nome en la supplicacione suisdite, solonc l'appoyntment fait as autres persones en caas semblable avaunt ces heures. The king, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and at the request of the commons assembled in this present parliament, wills that payment be made for this to the Henry Barton named in the aforesaid petition, in the same way as agreements have been made to other persons in similar cases in the past.
[memb. 7]
COMMUNES PETICIONES. [THE COMMON PETITIONS].
PLEASE A TRESREDOUTE ET TRESGRACIOUS SEIGNUR NOSTRE SEIGNUR LE ROY, EN SUPPORTACION DE SES POVERES LIEGES COMMUNES SE SOUN ROIALME D'ENGLETERRE, DE SA BENIGNE GRACE GRAUNTER LES PETICIONS Q'ENSUENT. THE COMMON PETTIONS: MAY IT PLEASE THE MOST DREAD AND MOST GRACIOUS LORD THE KING, IN SUPPORT OF HIS POOR LIEGE COMMONS OF HIS REALM OF ENGLAND, TO GRANT FROM HIS BENIGN GRACE THE PETITIONS WHICH FOLLOW.
[col. a]
I. I. [Liberties and Franchises.]
24. Primerement, qe seinte esglise eit toutz sez libertees et fraunchises, et qe toutz les seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et les autres lieges du roy, eiantz libertees et franchises, et toutz les citees et burghs du roialme, eient et enjoient toutz lour libertees et fraunchises, queux ils ount des grauntz de les progenitours nostre seignur le roy, ou de soun graunt demesne, ou confermement, et qe toutz bones estatutz avaunt ces heurs faitz et nient repellez, estoisent en lour force. 24. I. Firstly, that holy church should have all its liberties and franchises, and that all the lords spiritual and temporal and the other king's lieges who have liberties and franchises, and all the cities and boroughs of the realm, should have and enjoy all their liberties and franchises which they have by the grant of our lord the king's progenitors, as well as by his own grant or confirmation; and that all good statutes made before this time and not repealed should remain in force.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy le voet, forsprisez ceux fraunchises et libertees qe sont repellez en cest present parlement, et ceux qe sont repellablez par la commune ley. (fn. iv-70-146-1) The king wills it, except for those franchises and liberties which are repealed in this present parliament, and those which are revocable by the common law. (fn. iv-70-146-1)
II. II. [Wages of knights of parliament.]
25. Item, priont les communes: qe come les gages des chivalers qe veignent as parlementz pur chescun counte d'Engleterre, duissent estre levez sibien deinz franchises, come dehors, et ore diverses seignurs par colour de lour libertees et franchises deinz diverses countes, ne voillent suffrer les quantites a eux duement assesses, et come appent solonc l'afferant de lour possessions par lour ministres propres lever, ne les visconts des countes, ne lour officers, d'entrer deinz les ditz franchises pur les ditz gages lever suffrer ne voillent, non obstantz les briefs du roy as ditz visconts directz, pur les ditz gages lever, pur quoy plusours des visconts de temps en temps sur lour accompt a l'escheqer nostre seignur le roy, sont suez par [col. b] bulle al suyte des ditz chivalers, et chargez de lour biens propres de les ditz gages, et ascun foitz les ditz gages sont levez tant soulement des gentz demurrantz hors du dit franchises; a graunde damage et arrerisment, sibien des ditz visconts come des gentz demurrantz hors du ditz franchises. 25. II. Also, the commons pray that, whereas the wages of the knights who come to parliament on behalf of each county of England used to be levied both within and outside franchises, yet now various lords by pretext of their liberties and franchises within various counties are unwilling to permit the assessed amounts due from them to be levied in due manner and in proportion to their possessions by their own officers, nor are they willing to allow the sheriffs of the counties or their officers to enter the said franchises in order to levy the said wages, notwithstanding the king's writs directed to the said sheriffs; as a result of which several of the sheriffs from time to time, when they account at our lord the king's exchequer, are sued by [col. b] bill at the suit of the said knights, and their own goods are charged for the said wages; and sometimes the said wages are levied only on the people dwelling outside the said franchises, to the great damage and detriment both of the said sheriffs and of the people dwelling outside the said franchises.
Que pleise a nostre seignur le roy de sa grace especiale graunter, qe les ditz visconts eient poair desore enavant de lever lez ditz gages des chivalers, de chescun entier counte deinz le roialme, en tout temps avenir, sibien dedeinz chescune franchise come dehors, forsprises de les demesnes terres, en les propres maines de ceux seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, sibien dedeinz franchise come dehors, qe veignent au parlement, par auctorite des briefs du roy, et forsprises de les citees et burghs, dount citezeins ou burgeises veignent as ditz parlementz, par auctorite des briefs nostre seignur le roy; considerantz qe les ditz chivalers en chescun counte, sont esluz et veignent sibien pur les ditz franchises come pur le remnant des ditz countes parmy tout le roialme d'Engleterre. May it please our lord the king to grant from his special grace that the said sheriffs should henceforth have the power to levy the wages of the knights from each whole county within the realm for ever more, both within and outside each franchise, except for the demesne lands in the personal possession of those lords spiritual and temporal, whether within or outside a franchise, who come to parliament by authority of the king's writs; and with the exception of the cities and boroughs whose citizens or burgesses come to the said parliament by authority of our lord the king's writs; considering that the said knights in each county are elected and come to reresent both the said franchises and the rest of the counties throughout the realm of England.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soit l'estatut fait l'an xij e le Roy Richard secunde puis le conqueste en tieu cas garde en toutz pointes. (fn. iv-70-153-1) Let the statute made in the twelfth year of King Richard, the second since the conquest, for such matters be upheld in all respects. (fn. iv-70-153-1)
III. III. [Wapentakes of Staincliffe and Frendles.]
26. Item, priount les communes: qe come les abbees, priours, et autres religiouses, dount ascuns sont del fundacione nostre seignur le roy, et ascuns del fundacione d'autres seignurs du roialme, demurrantz sibien deins le counte [p. iv-77][col. a] d'Everwyk, come en le counte de Lancastre, dount ascuns ount possessions deins les wapentakes de Stayneclyf wapentake, et Frendeles wapentake en Craven en le dit counte d'Everwyk, et ascuns nemy. Et plusours y sont, qe de jour en autre, par procurement et abbettement des bailiffs approwers des courts des ditz wapentakes, et des seneschalx qe teignont plees es ditz courtz, et des fermers des profitz et revenuz des ditz courtz, feynont et procurent par eux et autres de lour covyne et assent, diverses pleintz et plees de dette et trespas, et autres plees diverses, es courtz des ditz wapentakes, envers les ditz abbees et priours; et la ou les ditz abbees et priours veignont as ditz courtz, pur lour defendre de tielx torcenouses pleintz et plees, et priount et proferont as seneschalx et ballives des ditz courtz, de faire lour attournees en tielx plees de dettes ou trespasses, ou autres plees, les ditz seneschalx et ballives les refusent, et ne voillent receiver tielx attournees des tielx abbees et priours en nulle plee de dette ne de trespas, n'en autre plee, et ceo encountre reson et la ley du roialme d'Engleterre. Et en outre les ditz seneschalx et ballives des ditz courtz, de lour auctorite demesne, amerciount les ditz abbees et priours pur chescun pleint, a primere foitz xij d., et a chescun autre foitz, pur chescun des ditz pleintz, x s. et xx s., et pluis a lour volunte, a graunde damage et anientisment de les abbees et priours avantditz, et derogacion des divines services en lour abbacies et priories avauntditz. 26. III. Also, the commons pray that, whereas there are abbeys, priories and other religious houses, some of which are of the foundation of our lord the king and some of which are of the foundation of other lords of the realm, which are situated in either the county [p. iv-77][col. a] of York or in the county of Lancaster, some of which have possessions within the wapentakes of Staincliffe wapentake, and Frendles wapentake in Craven in the said county of York, and some do not. There are however various people, who, day by day - with the procurement and abetment of the bailiffs' stewards of the courts of the said wapentakes, and of the stewards who hold pleas in the said courts, and of the farmers of the profits and revenues of the said courts, and others by their co-operation and assent - feign and procure various plaints and pleas of debt and trespass and various other pleas in the courts of the said wapentakes against the said abbeys and priories; and when the abbots and priors come to the said courts in order to defend themselves in such unlawful plaints and suits, and request and make proffer to the stewards and bailiffs of the said courts to appoint their attorneys in those pleas of debt or trespass, or other pleas, the said stewards and bailiffs reject them, and are unwilling to accept those attorneys of the abbots and priors in any plea of debt or of trespass, or in any other plea; and this is contrary to reason and the law of the realm of England. And moreover, the said stewards and bailiffs of the said courts, on their own authority, amerce the said abbots and priors for each plaint, on the first occasion, 12 d., and on each subsequent occasion, for each of the said plaints, 10 s. or 20 s., or more at their will, to the great damage and ruin of the aforesaid abbots and priors, and the derogation of divine services in their aforesaid abbeys and priories.
Pleise a nostre dit seignur le roy, considerez les premisses et les circumstances d'icelles, en honour de Dieu, et de seinte esglise, graciousment graunter et ordeigner en cest present parlement par estatut, par assentdes seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, qe toutz tielx abbees et priours et lour successours, et chescuny de eux, ensy vexez ou a vexerz es ditz courtz, purront faire lour attournees ou attournee, generalx ou general, c'estassavoir, chescun abbee desoutz soun seal de sa abbacie, et chescun priour desoutz soun seal de soun priorie, pur gayner et perdre en chescun manere de plee de dette et trespas, et en autre plee qeconqe moeve ou amoever es ditz courtz, et en toutz autres courtz deinz Staynclyf wapentake, et Frendeles wapentake. Et qe les seneschalx et ballives des ditz courtz receyvent les ditz attournees issint faitz, et nomez come devaunt, sanz contradiccione ascune. Et si les ditz seneschalx ou ballives refusent de receyver ascuns ou ascun tiels attournees ou attournee issint faitz et nomez, affaire ou a nomer, qe les seneschalx ou ballives, a chescun foitz de refuser de tielx attournees, forface et encourge la peyne au roy de xli., et qe le roy ent eit l'une moite, et la partie greve l'autre moite. Et qe la partie greve eit sa suyte sibien pur le roy, come pur luy mesmes, par brief de dette a la commune ley. Et si la partie greve ne n'ose ou ne vorra suer en celle caas, qe celluy qe voet suer, sibien pur le roy, come pur luy mesmes, eit sa suyte et la moite des ditz x li. en manere et fourme avauntditz. Et qe les ditz abbees et priours, ne lour successours, es ditz courtz, ne ascun de eaux, pur ascune nounsuyte ou defaute, autrement qe seculers persones, ne soient amerciez en nulle manere a toutz jours. May it please our said lord the king, considering the foregoing and their circumstances, in honour of God and of holy church, graciously to grant and ordain by statute in this present parliament, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, that each one of those abbots and priors and their successors who is thus harrassed or who may be harrassed in the said courts should be able to appoint their attorneys-general or attorney-general, that is, each abbot under his seal of his abbey, and each prior under his seal of his priory, in order to win or lose in each kind of plea of debt and trespass and in any other plea before the said courts, and in all other courts within Staincliffe wapentake and Frendles wapentake. And that the stewards and bailiffs of the same courts should receive the said attorneys thus appointed and chosen previously without any argument. And if the said stewards or bailiffs refuse to receive those attorneys or attorney thus appointed and chosen, or those who will be appointed and selected, then let the stewards or bailiffs, each time they reject those attorneys, forfeit and incur the penalty of £10 to the king; and let the king have one half of this, and the aggrieved party the other half. And let the aggrieved party have his suit both on behalf of the king and for himself, by writ of debt at the common law. And if the aggrieved party does not dare or does not wish to sue in this case, let he who wishes to sue, either on behalf of the king or for himself, have his suit and a half of the said £10 in the aforesaid manner and terms. And that none of the said abbots and priors or their successors should be amerced in any way in the said courts for any nonsuit or default other than as secular persons are, for ever more.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy le voet; issint qe tieux lettres soient ensealez desoutz les communes sealx de les maisons, et qe toute la peyne especifie en la peticione tourne au roy tant soulement et riens au partie. Et qe ceste ordinance estoise en sa force par l'an prochein avenir, et tanqe a le parlement proscheinement ensuant mesme l'an. (fn. iv-70-160-1) The king wills it; provided that such letters are sealed under the common seals of the houses, and that the entire penalty specified in the petition is returned to the king only and not to the party. And that this ordinance be enforced for the following year, and until the next parliament following in the same year. (fn. iv-70-160-1)
IV. IV. [Impositions by the city of Bayonne.]
27. Item, priount les communes: qe come lez mair, eschevyns, jures, cent pares, communaltee, et universitee de vostre citee de Baion', ore tarde, et nomement puis le fest de Seint Michell' darrein passe, par grevouses distresses, manasses, et compulsions, ount pris et levez a [col. b] lour commune oeps et profit, de voz poverez lieges, ove lour niefs, biens, et marchandises al dite citee venauntz et passantz hors d'ycelle, torcenousement plusours graundes sommes, novelx imposicions, et paiementz de moneye, pur lour biens et marchandises avauntditz: c'estassavoir, de chescun pece de drape de layn entier d'assise amesne a la dite citee par les ditz lieges, la value de vi deniers Engloys; de chescun pipe de gaide amesnee hors de la dite citee, la value de .xij. deniers Engloys; de chescun tonelle de vyn issint venaunt ou retournaunt, la value de .vi. deniers Engloys, et issint de chescun tonellade de ferre, la value de deux souldz Engloys; de chescune cariage de bever, la value de .xij. deniers Engloys; de chescun mille de dogeon, la value de vi d. Engloys; et de chescun last de harank, la value de xij d. Engloys; et issint de chescun autre marchandise entraunt en la dite citee, ou issant d'icelle, pluis ou meyns a lour volunte, coment qe les ditz lieges nostre seignur le roy pur lour biens et marchandises entrauntz en la dite citee, ou issantz d'icelle, rien as ditz mair, eschevyns, jures, cent pares, comunaltee, et universitee, ne a nulle de eux paier deivent; a graunde damage et empoverissement de l'estate des lieges nostre seignur le roy avauntditz. 27. IV. Also, the commons pray that, whereas the mayor, echevins, jurors, hundredmen, community and university of your city of Bayonne recently, and particularly since the feast of Michaelmas last, by grievous distraints,threats and force, have wrongfully taken and levied for [col. b] their common use and profit, from your poor lieges arriving at and leaving the said city with their boats, goods and merchandise, many large sums, novel impositions, and payments of money for their aforesaid goods and merchandise: that is, on every whole piece of woollen cloth from the assize brought to the said city by the said lieges, the amount of six English pence; on every pipe of woad taken out of the said city, the amount of twelve English pence; on each tun of wine also taken or brought back, the amount of six English pence; and also on each tun of iron, the amount of two English shillings; on each load of drink, the amount of twelve English pence; on each thousand wood-staves, the amount of six English d.; and on each last of herrings, the amount of twelve English d., and also on every other type of merchandise entering or leaving the said city, more or less at their will, even though the said lieges of our lord the king ought to pay nothing to either the said mayor, or to any of the echevins, jurors, hundredmen, community or university for their goods and merchandise to enter the said city or to leave it; to the great damage and impoverishment of the estate of our aforesaid lord the king's lieges.
Qe pleise a vostre tresgracious seignurie, de l'advys et assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en cest presentparlement esteauntz, graunter, ordeigner, et establir, qe rien desore enavaunt ne soit pris ne levez d'ascun de voz ditz lieges de dit roialme d'Engleterre, pur lour biens et marchandises cariez ou envoiez tanqe al dite citee de Bayon', ne amesnez, envoiez, ou hors cariez d'icelle citee, par les mair, eschevyns, jures, cent pares, communaltee, et universitee del citee suisdite, ne nulle de eux, ne par nulle autre a lour oeps; mes qe les ditz lieges, de qeconqe paiementz, imposicions, et levees, pur lour ditz biens et marchandises desore enavaunt al dite citee de Baion entrauntz, ou d'icelle issantz, oultrement soient quitz et deschargez. Et si ascun tiele somme, imposition, ou paiement, soit pris ou levee a dite citee de Baion', par les mair, eschevyns, jures, cent pares, communaltee, et universitee du dite citee, ou par ascun de eux, des ditz lieges, pur lour biens et marchandises entrauntz mesme la citee, ou issantz d'icelle, apres le feste de Seint Johan le Baptistre proschein avenir, q'adonqes celuy q'y soy sent greve en cest caas, eit la double value de la dite somme leve, ou pris de luy. Et qe a qelle heure en apres, qe tiele leve ou prise soit faite come desuis est dit, si ascuns nefs, biens, ou marchandises d'ascunes gentz de la dite citee de Baion', veinent ou soient amesnez deins ascun port d'Engleterre, l'ou sount ascunes mair ou ballives qu'ount governance de la dit port, et la partie qe se sent greve en cest caas, poet amesner ovesqe luy .xij. persones, gentz dignes de foy, et de credence nient suspectz, a l'entent des ditz mair et ballives, dount ascunes furent al dite citee de Baion' quaunt la dite prise fuist fait, et lez ditz .xij. persones, ove la partie greve, voillent jurrer sur les Seintz Evaungelies qe tiele leve ou prise fuist fait del dite partie pleignaunt, ou soun attourne al dite citee de Baion, c'est assavoir, ceux qe furent la presentz expressementz, et les autres persones del dit nounbre de .xij. a lour conscience, q'adonqes les ditz mair ou ballives devaunt qelle ou queux tiel [memb. 6] serement est fait, arestent et preisent les ditz beins et marchandises des ditz gentz de Baion', tanqa le double value de la dite prise, et les biens et merchandises, issint prisez, face ou facent deliverer a mesme la dite partie greve, en satisfaccione de la dite prise et ses damages. May it please your most noble lordship, by the advice and assent of the lords spiritual and temporal who are assembled in this present parliament, to grant, ordain and establish that henceforth nothing should be taken or levied from any of your said lieges of the realm of England on their goods and merchandise carried or taken to the said city of Bayonne, nor brought, taken, or carried from that city, by either the mayor or any of the echevins, jurors, hundredmen, community and university of the aforesaid city, or by anyone else for their own use; but that henceforth the said lieges should be entirely quit and discharged from any payments, impositions and levies on their said goods and merchandise entering the said city of Bayonne or leaving it. And if any such sum, imposition or payment is taken or levied in the said city of Bayonne by either the mayor or any of the echevins, jurors, hundredmen, community and university of the said city, from the said lieges, for their goods and merchandise entering the said city or leaving it, after the feast of St John the Baptist next [24 June], then let whoever feels himself aggrieved in this regard have twice the amount of the said sum levied or taken from him. And that henceforth, whenever such a levy or prise as stated above is imposed, if any boats, goods, or merchandise of any people from the said city of Bayonne enter or are brought into any port of England where there is a mayor and bailiffs who have governance of the said port, then let the party who feels himself aggrieved in this regard bring with him twelve persons, people worthy of trust and whose word is not doubted, to the knowledge of the said mayor and bailiffs, some of whom should have been at the said city of Bayonne when the said prise was imposed; and the said twelve persons, together with the aggrieved party, should be willing to swear on the Holy Gospels that the aforesaid levy or prise was imposed on the plaintiff or on his attorney at the said city of Bayonne - that is, those who were present there expressly, and the other persons from the said twelve upon their conscience - and then let the said mayor or bailiffs before whom this [memb. 6] oath is taken arrest and seize the said goods and merchandise of the said people of Bayonne up to twice the value of the said prise; and let the goods and merchandise thus taken be delivered to the same said aggrieved party as payment for the said prise and his damages.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy voet, qe ceux de la cite de Baion soient appellez de monstrer la cause de tieux imposicions, et qe sur ceo droit et reson soient faitz celle partie par le conseil du roy. The king wills that those of the city of Bayonne should be summoned to explain the reason for these impositions, and that justice and right should be done in this matter by the king's council.
[p. iv-78]
[col. a]
V. V. [Extortions in the county of Sussex.]
28. Item, suppliount les communes: qe pleise a nostre tressoverain seignur le roy, de considerer les graundez oppressions, empoverismentz, tortz, et destructions, q'ount avenuz et aveignont de jour en autre en le countee de Sussex, de ceo qe la ou le tresnoble Roy Henry, fitz le Roy Johan, vostre predecessour, graunta, par ses lettres patentz portantz date a Portesmer', le .xxvij. jour de Juylle, l'an de soun regne .xxxvij., a Johan de Wareine adonqes cont de Garreine, et a ses heires, garreine en toutz ses demesnes terres queux il avoit mesme le jour, par tielx paroles: In omnibus dominicis terris suis quas in presenti habet in Anglie et quas adepturus est et que accidere poterunt. Le qelle Johan et ses heirs, par vertue de celle graunte, ount usez la dite garrenne en lour demesnes terres, et nemy aillours, mais par colour de mesme la graunt, le count clayma garrenne et frank chace, sibien en terres de ses fraunkes tenauntz, come en ses demesnes terres, et tanqe les ditz seignuries, terres, et tenementz, rentz, et services, ove les appurteuntz, descenderent a un Richard, adonqes count d'Arondell', pier a Richard count d'Arondell', pier Thomas count d'Arondell' qe darrein morust; les queux countz d'Arondell', par colour de cest graunt et clayme, ount usurpez et encrochez, et de jour en autre usez, lour garrennes, sibien en les demesnes terres de lour fraunk tenauntz mediates et immediates, come en les terres et tenementz de lour veysyns en mesme le countee de Sussex', et nomement en la raap de Lewes deinz mesme le counte, affirmantz eux et lour auncestres avoir usez lour ditz garrennes en tiel manere de temps dount memorie ne coert, a contraire de ceo qe la dite graunt suppose, et encountre la ley. Et auxi les ditz countz d'Arondell' ount usurpez, accrochez, et usez a eux, en les terres de lour ditz frank tenauntz et veysyns en mesme le counte, et especialment en la raap de Lewes, chace et affaire illeoqes lour officers et ministres de forest appellez forsters, en mesme le manere come nostre tresexcellent seignur le roy fait et use, par aillours deins sa forest demesne: par ount les bestes savages, sibien de garrenne come chace, sount entaunt encressez et habundez en toutz les parties de mesme la raap de Lewes, qe au peyne puissent lour ditz fraunk tenauntz et veysyns enjoyer lour terres et tenementz a tielx garrenes adjoignauntz, ou ascun profit ent prendre, ensy qe deins mesme la raap de Lewes sont en poye de temps meultz des charreues, a cause suisdite, anientisez, abesez, et outrement destruitz, et auxi plusours charewes de terre annuelment en mesme la raap de Lewes remaynantz nient cultez, en perpetuel anientisment des plusours lieges nostre soveraigne seignur le roy, et desolation de seint esglise, et perde de tout la pais a tielx garrennes adjoignauntz: par colour des quelles grauntz de garrenne, usurpacions, accrochementz, et surmises de trespasses faitz, sibien en yceux garreines, issint grauntes, come en les terres de lour frank tenauntz et veisyns, les ditz countz avaunt ces heures, par lour ditz ministres et officers appellez forsters, ount pris diverses lieges nostre dit soveraigne seignur le roy, sibien trespassantz come en la pais demurantz, et eux ount emprisonee en fort et dure prisone, et eux horriblement issint enpaynez par lour corps, et lour membres, par diverses horribles tormentz, come par manycles, gyves, stokkes, et des ascuns ardez les pees, issint q'ils sount mahaymez a toutz jours. Et ascun foitz ils ount prisez par mesmes les ministres et officers les avers et autres biens et chateux de tiels tenauntz et veisyns, et eux ount emparkez deinz lour chastelx et forcelettes et parkes, et la les detenuz, encountre commune ley de la terre, tanqe ils ount trove seurtee d'estere a l'ordeignaunce de vi de lour officers appellez forsters, et vi des tenauntes des ditz countes, ou autrement d'estere a l'ordenaunce de mesmes les countz, a final distruction de toutz tiels endamagees, et anientisment et desolacione de seinte esglise, et perde < de > tout la paiis environ. 28. V. Also, the commons pray that it may please our most sovereign lord the king to consider the great oppressions, impoverishments, wrongs and damage which have taken place and occur from day to day in the county of Sussex; because when the most noble King Henry [III], son of King John, your predecessor, granted, by his letters patent dated at Portsmouth on 27 July in the thirty-seventh year of his reign [1253], to John de Warenne then earl of Warenne and to his heirs, warren in all his demesne lands which he held then, in these words: 'In all his demesne lands which he holds at present in England and which he may acquire and which may come to him'; which John and his heirs, by virtue of that grant, have exercised the said warren on their demesne lands and nowhere else; however, by pretext of the same grant, the earl claimed warren and free hunting both on the lands of their free tenants and on their demesne lands, until the time when the said lordships, lands and tenements, rents and services, with their appurtenances, descended to one Richard, then earl of Arundel, father to Richard, earl of Arundel, father of Thomas, earl of Arundel, who died last; which earls of Arundel, by pretext of this grant and claim, have appropriated and seized, and used from day to day, their warrens, both on the demesne lands of their mediate and immediate free tenants, and on the lands and tenements of their neighbours in the same county of Sussex, and particularly in the rape of Lewes within the same county, maintaining that they and their ancestors used to have their said warrens in such a way from time immemorial, contrary to that which the said grant intended, and contrary to the law. And also the said earls of Arundel have appropriated, seized, and used for themselves the chases on the lands of their said free tenants and neighbours in the same county, and particularly in the rape of Lewes, and have appointed there their officers and officials of the forest called foresters, in the same way as our most excellent lord the king appoints and assigns elsewhere within his own forest: because of which wild beasts, both in the warren and the chase, have increased and become more abundant in all areas of the same rape of Lewes, and their said free tenants and neighbours are hardly able to use their lands and tenements adjoining those warrens or take any profit from them, so that within a short time some of the better carucates in the same rape of Lewes have been ruined, diminished and entirely destroyed, because of the aforesaid, and also many carucates of land in the same rape of Lewes remain uncultivated annually, to the perpetual ruin of many of our sovereign lord the king's lieges and the desolation of holy church, and the detriment of all the land adjoining those warrens: by pretext of which grants of warren, usurpations, seizures, and allegations of trespasses have been made, both in those warrens thus granted and on the lands of their free tenants and neighbours, and the said earls in the past, through their said officials and officers called foresters, have seized several of our said sovereign lord the king's lieges, whether trespassing or dwelling on the land, and have imprisoned them in strong and harsh prisons, and torture their bodies and their limbs by various terrible instruments of torture such as manacles, fetters and stocks, and some have been burned on the feet so that they are maimed forever. And sometimes the animals and other goods and chattels of those tenants and neighbours are taken by the same officials and officers, and they impound them in their castles and fortresses and parks, and detain them there, contrary to the common law of the land, until they have found surety to abide by the ordinance of six of their officers called foresters and six of the tenants of the said earls, or otherwise to abide by the ordinance of the same earls; to the total destruction of all those injured, and the ruin and desolation of holy church, and the damage of all the surrounding land.
Et surceo [col. b] ordeiner et establir, par assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en ycest present parlement, qe toutz voz lieges, qe par eux, ou par lour ministres, par colour de tieux grauntes, usurpctions, et accrochementz, ascuns lieges nostre seignur le roy de cea enavaunt preignent ou enprisonent, ou autrement empaynount encountre la fourme de commune ley, par colour de les grauntz, usurpacions, et accrochementz avauntditz, q'ils perdent tiels lour garreines deins mesme la raap de Lewes a toutz jours, forspris les seignuries, rentz, services, et terres, dount nostre dit seignur le roy est seises, par voie de sa enheritance a present. Et en outre q'ils forfacent a nostre soverain seignur le roy chescun foitz c li. Et auxi qe toutz les lieges nostre dit seignur le roy deinz mesme le countee de Sussex veignauntz, qe par eux, ou lour ministres ou officers, emparkent et deteignent les avers et chateux de lour ditz frank tenauntz et veisyns, en ascun chastel, forcelet, ou park, encountre la ley de la terre, saunz suffrer eux estre deliverezpar brief ou maundement nostre dit soverain seignur le roy, q'ils pardent a mesme nostre seignur le roy a chescun foitz cli. Et qe chescun liege nostre dit soveraigne seignur le roy, qe voet suer pur nostre dit seignur le roy, soit a ceo resceu et eit soun regard, solonqe le haut avys et discretion de mesme nostre seignur le roy, en cest present parlement d'estre nome. Et outre ceo qe les parties issint grevez, puissent recoverer lour damages au double. Et en outre qe toutz maners de frank tenauntes et veisyns, eiantz terres ou tenementz deinz le dit raap de Lewes, a tielx garreines adjoignauntz, puissent en ycelx terres et tenementz, franchement et saunz perturbacione de nully, lour terres arere et semere, et les blees ent provenantz scier et amesner, et lour boys illoeqes cressantz couper et emporter, et closer et fosser lour terres et tenementz, et suer et chacer et prendre les bestes sauvages deinz lour ditz terres veignauntz, a lour voluntee; et qe nulls eux desturbe a ceo faire, sur la peine avauntdite. And may you thereupon [col. b] ordain and establish, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal in this present parliament, that all your lieges who, either personally or through their officials, by pretext of those grants, usurpations and seizures, henceforth take or imprison any of our lord the king's lieges, or otherwise injure them contrary to the terms of the common law by pretext of the aforesaid grants, usurpations and seizures, should lose their warrens within the same rape of Lewes forever, except for the lordships, rents, services and lands of which our said lord the king is seised at present by means of his inheritance. And moreover, that they should forfeit £100 to our sovereign lord the king on each occasion. And also that all of our said lord the king's lieges who come into the same county of Sussex who, either personally or through their officials and officers, impound and detain the animals and chattels of their said free tenants and neighbours in any castle, fortress, or park, contrary to the law of the land, without allowing them to be delivered by writ or mandate of our said sovereign lord the king, should lose £100 to our same lord the king on each occasion. And let each liege of our said sovereign lord the king who wishes to sue on behalf of our said lord the king be received thereupon and have his reward, to be determined in accordance with the noble advice and discretion of our same lord the king in this present parliament. And moreover, let the parties thus aggrieved recover double their damages. And in addition, let all manner of free tenants and neighbours who have lands or tenements within the rape of Lewes adjoining those warrens be able to plough and sow their lands in those lands and tenements, freely and without disturbance from anyone, and reap and take away the corn thus grown, and cut and carry off their wood which grows there, and enclose and ditch their lands and tenements, and pursue, hunt and take the wild animals which come onto their said lands, at their will; and that no-one should attempt to disturb them in this, upon the aforesaid penalty.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Eit le chanceller d'Engleterre pur le temps esteant, apres ceo qe livere soit suy hors des mains du roy, de les choses especifiez en la dite peticione, appellez a luy les justices de l'un bank et de l'autre, queux luy semblera et plerra le meultz d'appeller en le cas, plein poair par auctorite de ceste parlement, defaire a ceux qi suer voudrent droit et entier redresse de et en les maters contenuz en mesme la peticione, par tiel proces, agard, et execucione, come par advis de mesmes les justices luy semblera meultz affaire celle partie. Let the chancellor of England at the time - after livery has been sued from the hands of the king concerning the matters specified in the said petition, and having summoned to him the justices of the one bench and the other, whichever of them it seems best to him, or pleases him, to summon for this business - have full power by authority of this parliament to provide justice and complete redress to those who wish to sue concerning and regarding the matters specified in the same petition, by whatever process, award and execution which, with the advice of the same justices, it seems best to him to decide for this matter.
VI. VI. [Sheriffs' farms.]
29. Item, priont les communes: qe come par diverses estatutz, sibien en temps del noble Roy Edward tierce, come en temps le Roy Henry vostre pier, qe Dieu assoille, al request des communes du roialme fuist purveu et ordeine, qe les viscontz d'Engleterre pur le temps esteantz, accompterent en l'eschequer, et aueront allouance et descharge par lour serementz des issues et profitz des ditz contees. Et ceo nient contresteant, les tresorer et barons de l'escheqer nostre seignur le roy ne voillent deschargier les ditz viscontz sur lour accomptes par lour serement en le dit escheqer, solonc la fourme des ditz estatutz, a cause qe l'usagge en le dit escheqer estoit contraire du ditz estatuitz, a tresgraunt anientisment des viscontz des ditz counteez. 29. VI. Also, the commons pray that, whereas by various statutes both in the time of the noble King Edward the third and in the time of King Henry your father, whom God absolve, at the request of the commons of the realm, it was provided and ordained that the sheriffs of England at the time would account in the exchequer and have allowance and discharge by their oaths for the issues and profits of the said counties. Yet notwithstanding this, the treasurer and barons of the exchequer of our lord the king are unwilling to discharge the said sheriffs on their accounts by their oaths in the said exchequer, in accordance with the terms of the said statutes, because the usage in the said exchequer is contrary to the said statutes, to the very great damage of the sheriffs of the said counties.
Qe pleise considerer la meschief suisdit, et sur ce grauntier en cest present parlement, qe les viscountz suisditz, et chescun de eux, soient deschargez sur lour accomptz par lour serementz, ascuns usages ou ordinances en le dit escheqer, a contraire euz, ou ascuns fee fermes, blaunche fermes, ou novelles encresses, appelles de novo incremento, ou ascune autere cause ou chose, nient obstant. May it please you to consider the aforesaid wrong, and thereupon to grant in this present parliament that each of the aforesaid sheriffs should be discharged on their account by their oath, notwithstanding any usages or ordinances followed to the contrary in the said exchequer, or any fee-farms, or novel increases called de novo incremento, or any other cause or reason.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy soi avisera. The king will consider this further.
[p. iv-79]
[col. a]
VII. VII. [Seizures of boats for carriage.]
30. Item, priont les communes: qe come il est ordeine par estatut fait en temps le Roi Edward, fitz le Roi Henry tierce, en la qelle est contenu, qe nulle ne preigne chivalx, boefs, charetz, niefs, ne bateux, pur cariage faire, saunz la bone voluntee de celuy a qi les choses sont. Et si ascuny par la bone voluntee de cely le face, lors meyntenaunt face lour gree, solonc la covenaunt entre eux fait: (fn. iv-70-183-1) la sount plusours niefs et bateux, de routz les parties d'Engleterre, veignauntz en les parties de North', par les officers le roy pris et arestuz, par vertue des lettres patentz nostre dit seignur le roi, pur cariage faire de vitaille et fowelle, as diverses chastelx mesme nostre seignur le roy, saunz covenaunt entre eux fait, ou gree faire pur mesme le cariage, nient paiantz les deniers pur la freght et cariage, mes autre chose a lour pleiser et voluntee demesne, et meynt foitz ils preignent plusours niefs pur tiel cariage faitz, qe bosoigne ou mestier serroit. Et ascuns foitz les vitailles et fowelles, issint cariez et freghtez, retournent a lour oeps demesne, et par eux venduz en groos et a retaille a lour lucour et profit, a graunde perde et empoverissement de voz ditz communes, et anientisment de voz custumes celle partie. 30. VII. Also, the commons pray that, whereas it is ordained by statute made in the time of King Edward [I], son of King Henry the third, in which it is specified that no-one should seize horses, cattle, carts, boats or ships in order to provide carriage, without the permission of those to whom the items belong; and if anyone does this with the owner's permission, then he should immediately compensate them, in accordance with the agreement made between them: (fn. iv-70-183-1) nevertheless there are many boats and ships travelling in various parts of England, taken to the northern parts, which have been seized and arrested by the king's officers by virtue of our said lord the king's letters patent, in order to provide carriage for victuals and fuel for various castles of our same lord the king, without any agreement having been made between them or permission given for the same carriage, and without paying them any money for the freight and carriage, but simply giving them other things at their own pleasure and will; and frequently they take numerous boats in order to provide such carriage, as many as are necessary and required. And sometimes the victuals and fuel thus carried and freighted are turned to their own profit, and sold by them wholesale or at retail for their gain and profit, to the great loss and impoverishment of your said commons and the ruin of your customs in those parts.
Pleise a nostre tressoveraigne seignur le roy, de grauntier, ordeiner, et establir, qe toutz tielx lettres patentz affairez, soient amesnez par voz ditz officers, as mairs ou baillifs des citees ou burghs, ou autres villes, ou lieux, ou tielx arestez serront faitz, et qe mesmes les mairs ou baillifs de ceo en avaunt facent l'arreste, et qe les covenauntz de les freght et cariage, parentre les officers et les meistres de tielx niefs et bateux, soient faitz devaunt les mairs ou baillifs, ou tiel arrest serra fait, et ceo par endenture, et qe les officers paient les ditz maistres lour freght en deniers, mayntenaunt apres lour arrivaille, et droit discharge. Et en cas qe les officers avauntditz vendont a retaille, ou en groos, les vitailles et fowelles issint cariez et freghtez a lour oeps demesne, et ceo recordez par deux credibles hommes, devaunt les ditz mairs ou baillifs, et sur ceo eient les ditz mairs ou baillifs plein poair d'oier chescun, qe par tiel arrest est endamage, et determiner devaunt eux, et d'ajuger damage au treble au partie endamage, en caas qe les officers susditz soient atteintz en ycest poynt, ou ascun poynt suisdit, et d'agarder les officers a prison par xl jours. May it please our most sovereign lord the king to grant, ordain and establish that any such letters patent which are issued should be brought by your said officers to the mayors or bailiffs of the cities or boroughs, or other towns or places, where such seizures are to be made, and that the same mayors or bailiffs henceforth should make the seizures thereupon; and that the agreements concerning the freight and carriage between the officers and the masters of those ships and boats should be made in the presence of the mayors or bailiffs where those seizures are made, and this by indenture; and that the officers should pay the said masters their freight in money, immediately after their arrival and its lawful unloading. And in the event that the aforesaid officers sell the victuals and fuel thus carried and freighted at retail, or at wholesale, for their own profit, and this is reported by two trustworthy men before the said mayors and bailiffs, let the said mayors and bailiffs have full power thereupon to hear anyone who suffers by such seizures, and to determine the case before them, and award triple damages to the injured party in the event that the aforesaid officers should be attainted on this point, or on any of the aforesaid points; and to commit the officers to prison for forty days.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soient l'estatutz faitz par le noble Roy Edward le primer puis le conqueste, et toutz autres estatutz faitz en le cas, gardez et executz solom les contenues d'ycelles. Let the statutes made by the noble King Edward, the first since the conquest, and all other statutes made on the matter, be kept and maintained in accordance with the tenor of them..
VIII. VIII. [Shipowners.]
31. Item, suppliont treshumblement voz poveres communes: qe come en le temps des tresnobles progenitours nostre seignur le roy accustume et ordeine estoit, qe a qelle temps qe les niefs du roialme sesoient a eux service en lour guerres ou autrement, les possessours de mesmes niefs, aueroient lour tonnage de lour ditz niefs, outre les gages des mariners de mesmes niefs; c'estassavoir, a chescun tonneau de qelle portage qe la nief furent iij s. iiij d., pur le quarter d'an, durant le temps q'ils firent service au roy, en ascune manere come desuis est dit, le qelle tonnage ad estee duement et loialment paie, de temps dount memoire ne court tanqe a temps de vostre pier, qe Dieu assoile; puis qelle temps tanqe en cea, le dit tonnage ad este detreie et abatu des possessours du naveye de vostre roialme, a lour tresgraunt anientisment: par qelle encheason ascunes des possessours du dit naveie sount outrement anientisez, et la greindre partie du dit naveye destrutz, et lessez desolate, a tresgraund damage de vous, tressoveraigne seignur, et anientisment de vostre roialme, pur taunt qe la dit naveye est la greindre substance du bien, profit, et prosperitee du vostre dit roialme. 31. VIII. Also, the most humble request of your poor commons: whereas in the time of the most noble progenitors of our lord the king it was customary and ordained that whenever the ships of the realm are seized by them for service in their wars or otherwise, the owners of the same ships should be given the tonnage of their said ships, in addition to the wages of the mariners of the same ships; that is, for every ton of that ship's tonnage, 3 s. 4 d. per quarter year during the time that they provide service to the king in any way such as that mentioned above; which tonnage has been duly and loyally paid from time immemorial until the time of your father, whom God absolve; since which time until now, the said tonnage has been withdrawn and denied to the owners of the navy of your realm, to their very great ruin: because of which some of the owners of the said navy are utterly ruined, and the greater part of the said navy destroyed and left desolate, to your very great damage, most sovereign lord, because the said navy is of the greatest importance for the good, profit and prosperity of your said realm.
Pleise a vostre treshautisme magnifence roial, considerant les premisses, sibien pur le bien et proufit de vous, tressoveraigne seignur, et de vostre dit roialme, come pur l'encrees et le renovellure du dit naveye, [col. b] ordeiner, enacter, et establir en ycest present parlement, qe desore enavaunt les possessours du dit naveye eient et preignent lour tonnage, pur lour ditz niefs et vesselxs, durant le temps q'ils ferrount service a vous, tressoverain seignur le roy, et a voz heirs, en voz guerres ou autrement, come il ad este accustume devaunt ces heures, saunz ent estre forbarrez ou precludez. May it please your most mighty magnificence, considering the foregoing, both for the good and profit of you, most sovereign lord, and that of your said realm, and for the expansion and the rebuilding of the said navy, [col. b] to ordain, enact and establish in this present parliament that henceforth the owners of the said navy should have and receive their tonnage for their said ships and vessels during the time that they provide service to you, most sovereign lord the king, or to your heirs, in your wars or otherwise, as has been customary in the past, without being excluded or prevented from this.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy vorra faire ceo qe droit et reson demandent ceste partie. The king wishes to do that which right and reason require on this matter.
[memb. 5]
IX. IX. [Bretons.]
32. Item, priount les communes: qe come le Roy Henry vostre pier, qe Dieu assoile, a soun parlement tenuz a Westm', l'an du regne vostre dit pier vij e , pur le bien et profit de luy et de soun roialme, par advis et assent de toutz les seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et a la request de ses communes, ordeina et graunta, pur eschuir et descoverer le conseil du roialme, et emporter le monoie et joialx du roialme; qe toutz maners aliens neez hors de ligeance du roy, sibien Bretons come autres, nient faitz denizeins, soient nettement voidez, et voideront hors du roialme, ovesqe lour servauntz, et familers nient neez de la ligeance d'Engleterre, saunz retorner, sur peine de vie et de membre. (fn. iv-70-196-1) Et ore tarde, nient contresteant ceste ordeinance, plusours Bretons, nient eiantz regard a l'ordeinance et peine avauntditz, sount venuz deinz la roialme, et ascunes demurrantz entour la persone du roygne en soun hostiel, et ascunes bien pres le dit hostiel, et aillours deinz la roialme, pur oier, savoir, et entendre les secretes du roialme, et les discoverer as Bretons, qe sount les greindres enemyes de vostre roialme, et pur l'emportier les money et joialx hors du dite roialme, en graund prejudice du roy, et graund damage a tout le roialme. 32. IX. Also, the commons pray that, whereas King Henry, your father, whom God absolve, at his parliament held at Westminster in the seventh year of the reign of your said father [1406], for his good and profit and that of his realm, by the advice and assent of all the lords spiritual and temporal, at the request of his commons, ordained and granted, in order to safeguard and protect the counsel of the realm and to retain the money and treasure of the realm, that all kinds of aliens born outside the allegiance of the king, both Bretons and others, who have not been made denizens, should be completely driven out and banished from the realm, with their servants and familiars who were not born in the allegiance of England, irrevocably, upon pain of life and of limb. (fn. iv-70-196-1) Yet recently, notwithstanding this ordinance, many Bretons, having no regard for the aforesaid ordinance and penalty, have returned to the realm, and some are dwelling about the queen's person in her household, and others very close to the said household and elsewhere within the realm, in order to hear, know and learn the secrets of the realm and reveal them to the Bretons, who are thegreatest enemies of your realm, and in order to remove the money and treasure from the said realm, to the great harm of the king and the great damage of all the realm.
Que please ordeiner en cest present parlement, qe toutz tielx Bretons en l'ostiel du royne, come autres qe demurgent pres mesme l'ostiel, et aillours, nient faitz denizeins, soient voidez hors du roialme; et qe proclamacione soit fait par auctorite de cest present parlement, qe les ditz Bretons voident hors du roialme, parentre sy et le fest de Seint Johan le Baptistre prochein avenir, sur peine de vie et de membre, et en salvation de vostre roialme. May it please you to ordain in this present parliament that all those Bretons in the queen's household, and others who are dwelling near the same household and elsewhere, who have not been made denizens, should be banished from the realm; and that proclamation be made by authority of this present parliament that the said Bretons should be driven from the realm between now and the feast of St John the Baptist next [24 June], upon pain of life and limb, and for the salvation of your realm.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy < le > voet, et < qe > proclamacione soit fait, qe toutz yceux aliens soy departent hors du roialme, parentre cy et le fest de Seint Johan le Baptistre prochein avenir. (fn. iv-70-200-1) The king wills it, and that proclamation be made that all those aliens should leave the realm between now and the feast of St John the Baptist next. (fn. iv-70-200-1)
X. X. [Fishermen. Iceland.]
33. Item, suppliont les communes, sibien pur profit du roy et du roialme: coment en diverses lieux l'ou pesson ad este trove et pris devaunt ces heures, dount la pessoun sale ad estee fait, hors des quelles lieux deinz la mier, la pesson est voide et retraie, et par long temps ad estee, comebien est conuz a tout la paiis. Et soit ensy qe les gentz qe sount pessours de mesmes les costes, ount serchez en diverses autres lieux deinz la mier, et ils ount trovez lieux, l'ou graunt plentie de tiel < maner > pesson est pris sur les costes de Island, les queux pessours ount usez de prendre et pessoner illoeqes par sys ou sept ans darreinz passez, et ore certeins estraungers des parties de Northway, et Denmark, ount pursuez a nostre soverain seignur le roy, pur defendre et ouster toutz yceux, qe issint veignont et preignent pessoun sur les costes du dit Island, ou en autres lieux deinz lour parties, la qelle chose si soit issint defenduz, serra graund damage et arrerisment, sibien a nostre dit seignur le roy, et a toutz les seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, come a les citees et burghs, et a tout la communaltee du roialme, touchant l'estore de tiel manere < de > pessoun pur lour hostielx. 33. X. Also, the request of the commons, both for the profit of the king and that of his realm: considering that, in various places where fish have previously been found and caught, from which salted fish has been made, the fish have gone and disappeared from those places in the sea, and this has been the case for a long time, as is known throughout the land. And so it is that the people who are fishermen on the same coasts have searched in several other areas in the sea, and have found places where a great abundance of this kind of fish is caught along the coasts of Iceland, where these fishermen have been accustomed to catch fish for the past six or seven years; now, however, certain foreigners from parts of Norway and Denmark have sued to our sovereign lord the king in order to prevent and prohibit all those who thus take and catch fish on the said coasts of Iceland, or in other places in their regions; which, if this action is thus upheld, will cause great damage and harm both to our said lord the king and to all the lords spiritual and temporal, as well as to the cities and boroughs and to all the commons of the realm, because of its effect upon the stock of this kind of fish for their households.
Sur quoy, pleise a nostre < dit > seignur le roy ordeiner et establir, qe nulle tiel defence ou restreint soit fait en celle partie, et outre ceo grauntier, q'ils purront fraunchement aler a large, as lieux et parties deinz la mier, l'ou ils purront trover tiel maner de pesson, et [p. iv-80][col. a] pur ycele pessoner et prendre en le manere come lour semblera < le > meulx, sibien pur lour vivre et sustenaunce, come pur le profit du roialme suisdit, saunz destourbance ou impediment de nostre dit seignur le roy, ou de sez ministres ou officers en celle partie affaire, ascun proclamacione ou ordinance fait au contraire nient obstant. Whereupon, may it please our said lord the king to ordain and establish that no such prohibition or restriction should be made on this matter, and moreover to grant that they should be able to go abroad freely to places and regions where they are able to find such kinds of fish in the sea, and [p. iv-80][col. a] fish and catch fish there in whatever way seems best to them, both for their own living and sustenance and for the profit of the aforesaid realm, without disturbance or hindrance to be made by our said lord the king or his ministers or officers on this matter, notwithstanding any proclamation or ordinance made to the contrary.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy soy avisera. The king will consider this further.
XI. XI. [Attorneys.]
34. Item, supplient les communes: qe come avaunt cestes heures nul des justices le roy de l'un bank ne de l'autre, ne le chief baron de l'escheqer, avoient poair de recorder attourneyes ne attourne, si noun en les places ou ils furent mesmes justices ou juge, forspris les chiefs justices de l'un bank et de l'autre; et en plusours countees d'Engleterre, nulls des ditz justices ou chief baron y veignont, et ascuns qe ount este ou sount empledez ou empledantz furont ou sont decrepitz; ascunes si aunciens, ascunes si malades, et ove tielx enfirmitees detenuz, ascunes en service nostre tressoveraine seignur le roy, ou autrement entour tielx bosoignes occupiez, qe eux pur ceux causes, et semblables, bonement as courtes nostre dit seignur le roy en lour propre persone vener y ne purroient; parount plusours ount este mys a graund perde et ascunes disheritez a graund meschief. 34. XI. Also, the commons pray that, whereas in the past none of the king's justices of the one bench or of the other, nor the chief baron of the exchequer, had the power to receive attorneys or to attorn, except in the places where they acted as justices or judge, apart from the chief justices of the one bench and of the other; yet in several counties of England, none of the said justices or chief baron ever came there, and some who were or are plaintiffs or were impleaded were or are so decrepit, some so old, some so ill and incapacitated with such infirmities, and some were in our most sovereign lord the king's service or otherwise occupied on such business, that they, for these or similar reasons, are unable to appear duly in the courts of our lord the king in person; as a result of which many have suffered great loss and others have been dispossessed, to their great hardship.
Que pleise a nostre tressoverain seignur suisdit, ordeiner, par assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en cest present parlement, qe chescun des ditz justices et chief baron suisdit, et chescun des sergeantz le roy, eient poair de recorder attournees ou attourne en quequonqe place ou court nostre seignur le roy, sibien en la chauncellarie, en bank le roy, en le commune bank, et en l'escheqer, come en autres places et courtz nostre dit seignur le roy. Et qe toutz les billes d'attournees ou d'attournee, par eux ou par ascun de eux prisez ou recordez, en qeconqe place ou court nostre dit seignur le roy avaunt ces heures, soient de record, et teignent force, sibien en plees determinez ou pendantz, come en plees qeux serront commencez en temps avenir. May it please our aforesaid most sovereign lord to ordain, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal in this present parliament, that each of the said justices and the aforesaid chief baron, and each of the king's serjeants, should have the power to receive attorneys or to attorn in any place or court of our lord the king, whether in the chancery, in the King's Bench, in the Common Bench, or in the exchequer, or in other places and courts of our said lord the king. And that all the bills of the attorneys or of attornment taken or received by them or by any of them in any place or court of our said lord the king in the past should be recorded, and hold force, both in pleas already determined or pending and in pleas which may be begun in future.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soit il come ad este usee pardevaunt en le cas. Let it be done as it used to be done in the past with regard to this matter.
XII. XII. [Papal Provisors.]
35. Item, priont les communes, pur le dean, et toutz les chapelleins deins l'ostiel nostre seignur le roy: qe combien en temps le tresgracious seignurHenry nadgairs roy d'Engleterre, pier nostre dit seignur le roy, qe Dieu assoille, l'an de soun regne septisme, en soun parlement tenuz a Westm', pur eschuer plusours discencions, discordes, et debates, et diverses autres meschiefs verisemblables a sourdir et avenir a cause des plusours provisions adonqes faitz et affairez par l'appostoille, et auxi a cause des licences sur ceo grauntez par le dit nadgairs roy, entre autres choses ordeinez estoit et establiz, qe nulle tiel licence ou pardon ensy grauntee devaunt le dit parlement, ne a grauntier en apres, serroit vaillable a ascun benefice plein d'ascun incumbent a jour del date de tiel licence, ou pardoun grauntee; (fn. iv-70-218-1) jalemeyns ensy est, tressages seignures, q'encountre la bone entencione del fesaunce del dit ordeinance et estatuit, et autres diverses ordeignaunces et estatuitz faitz devaunt ces heures envers provisours, diverses persones eiantz provisions del seint pier l'appostoille, des diverses benefices en Engleterre, et aillours, et licences roialx pur executer les ditz provisions, ount par colour d'icelles provisions et licences, et acceptacions des ditz benefices, subtilment ousteez diverses persones de lour benefices en quex ils ount este encumbentz par long temps, del collacione des verraiez patrons espirituelx, a eux faitz duement a lour entent. 35. XII. Also, the request of the commons for the dean and all the chaplains in our lord the king's household: whereas in the time of the most gracious lord Henry late king of England, father of our said lord the king, whom God absolve, in the seventh year of his reign [1406], in his parliament held at Westminster - in order to avoid the various dissensions, discords and disputes, and various other troubles which were likely to arise and ensue on account of the numerous provisions then made or about to be made by the pope, and also because of the licences granted thereupon by the said late king - among other things it was ordained and established that no such licence or dispensation thus granted before the said parliament, or to be granted afterwards, would be valid for any benefice occupied by any incumbent from the date of such licence or pardon thus granted; (fn. iv-70-218-1) nevertheless it is the case, most wise lords, that contrary to the good intention of the enactment of the said ordinance and statute, and various other ordinances and statutes made against provisors previously, several persons who have provisions from the holy father the pope, for various benefices in England and elsewhere, and royal licences in order for the said provisions to be executed, have, by virtue of these provisions and licences duly made to them, and their acceptances of the said benefices, deceitfully ousted various persons from their benefices in which they have been incumbent for a long time by collation of the true spiritual patrons.
Que pleise, par avys et assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, ordeiner par estatuit, qe toutz les encumbentz des qeconqes benefices de seinte esglise, del patronage, collacione, ou presentacione des patrons espirituelx, puissent peisiblement et quietement enjoier, et enjoient lour [col. b] ditz benefices, saunz estre inquietez, molestez, ou grevez ascunement par ascuny, par colour de tielx provisions ou licences et acceptacions qeconqes. Et qe sibien toutz tieux provisions, come toutz les licences et pardons ent faitz [...] en ascun manere, soient voidez et de nulle value. Et si ascuny se sente grevee, molestee, ou enquietee ascunement desore enavaunt par ascuns, ou ascuny, par colour de tieux provisions, licences, pardons, ou acceptations, qe mesmes les grevours, molestours, ou enquietours, et chescuny de ceux, eient et encourgent, et ait et encourge les peynes et punismentz en les estatutz et ordeignances des provisours avaunt ces heures faitz contenuz, et ceo par processe de premunire facias fourme sur le caas, et qe la partie qe pursuera mesme le brief, recovera ses damages < a > treble, sy les defendauntz en mesme le brief nomez, ou ascuny d'icelles soient ou soit convictz ou convict en ceste partie. May it please you, by the advice and assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, to ordain by statute that any incumbents of any benefices of holy church which are of the patronage, collation, or presentation of spiritual patrons should be able to enjoy peacefully and quietly, and have the use of, their [col. b] said benefices, without being disturbed, troubled or aggrieved in any way by anyone by pretext of any such provisions or licences and acceptances. And that all such provisions, as well as all the licences and dispensations made concerning them in any way, should be rendered void and of no value. And if anyone considers himself aggrieved, troubled or disturbed by anyone or anybody in any way hereafter by pretext of such provisions, licences, pardons or acceptances, then let any of the same wrongdoers, molesters, or disturbers have and incur the penalties and punishment specified in the statutes and ordinances previously made concerning provisors, and this by process of praemunire facias formed on the case; and let the party who sues out the same writ recover his damages threefold if any of the defendants named in the same writ are convicted on this matter.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy le voet. (fn. iv-70-222-1) The king wills it. (fn. iv-70-222-1)
XIII. XIII. [Hospitals.]
36. Please a les honurables et sages communes d'ycest present parlement considerer: coment en le parlement nostre seignur < le roi > q'ore est tenuz a Leyc', l'an de soun regne secunde, entre autres choses ordeinez estoit et establiz, qe pur taunt qe plusours hospitalx deins le roialme d'Engleterre, foundez sibien par les nobles roys de mesme le roialme, et seignurs et dames espirituelx et temporelx, come par autres de diverses estats, a l'honour de Dieu, et de sa gloriouse miere, en eide et merite des almes les ditz foundours, as queux hospitalx mesmes les foundours ont donez graundement de lour biens moebles, pur l'edification d'ycelles, et graundement de lour terres et tenementz, pur ent susteigner veigles hommes et femmes, lasers, hommes et femmes hors de lour sennes et memoire, poeverez hommes et femmes ensintez, et autres poveres, et la nurrir, releiver, et refresher,ove ycelles, par diverses persones espirituelx et temporelx retroitz et dispenduz en autre oeps, parount plusours hommes et femmes < ont > murez en graund meschief, pur defaute d'eide, vivre, et socour, al displesance de Dieu, et peril des almes de tieux malveis dispenduz; le roy nostre seignur soveraigne, considerant les meritories et devoutz ententz de les foundours avauntditz, et auxi les malveis et insolentz governances en ycelle eus, del advys et assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et de ses communes, ordeina et establia, qe quant as hospitalx queux sont del patronage ou foundacione le roy, les ordinaries, par vertue des commissions le roy a eux adressez, enquergent del manere de la fundacione des ditz hospitalx, et de la governance et estats d'ycelx, et de toutz autres matiers en cest partie necessaires et bosoignables, et l'enquisicions ent prisez certifient en la chauncellarie le roy. Et qaunt as autres hospitalx qe sount d'autri fundacione et patronage qe de roy, les ordinaires enquergent del manere de fundacione, estat, et governance d'ycelles, et de toutz autres matiers et choses bosoignables celle partie, et sur ceo facent ent correccione et reformacione, solonc les leyes de seinte esglise, come a eux appartient, sicome en le dit estatuit est contenuz pluis au pleyn; (fn. iv-70-225-1) le quel estatuit unqes ne fuist mys en execucione, ne rien fait par les ordinairs n'autres qe serroit en correccione et amendement des governances et estats des hospitalx suisditz. 36. XIII. May it please the honourable and wise commons of this present parliament to consider that: whereas in the parliament of our present lord the king held at Leicester in the second year of his reign [1414], among other things it was ordained and established that because various hospitals within the realm of England, founded either by the noble kings of the same realm or by lords and ladies spiritual or temporal, or by others of various estates, to the honour of God and that of his glorious mother, for the benefit and advantage of the souls of the said founders - to which hospitals the same founders had given a great deal of their moveable goods for their construction, and many of their lands and tenements in order to support blind men and women, lepers, insane men and women, poor men and pregnant women, and other paupers, and for them to be looked after, relieved and helped there - these had been withdrawn and misspent on other purposes by various people spiritual and temporal, as a result of which many men and women were living in great hardship, for want of help, support and succour, to the displeasure of God and the peril of the souls of those wicked people who had thus misappropriated these things; our sovereign lord the king therefore, considering the laudable and devout intentions of the aforesaid founders, and also the evil and wicked governance exercised in these matters, by the advice and assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and that of the commons, ordained and established that, as regards the hospitals which are of the king's patronage or foundation, the ordinaries, by virtue of the king's commissions addressed to them, should enquire as to the manner of the foundation of the said hospitals, and concerning their governance and resources, and concerning all other essential and necessary matters in this case; and that the inquests thus held should be certified in the king's chancery. And as regards the other hospitals which are of other foundation and patronage than that of the king, the ordinaries were to enquire concerning the manner of their foundation, resources and governance, and all other matters and necessary things in this case, and thereupon to provide correction and redress according to the laws of holy church, as seemed best to them; as is more fully specified in the said statute. (fn. iv-70-225-1) Which statute has never been put into effect, nor has anything been done by the ordinaries or others that should have been done as regards the correction and redress of the governance and resources of the aforesaid hospitals.
Et sur ceo supplier a nostre soveraigne seignur le roy, qe luy please, par advys des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et a la request des communes suisditz en cest present parlement assemblez, ordeiner, qe chescun ordinaire parmy sa jurisdiction, par auctoritee de cest parlement tant soulment, saunz autre commission, face duement enquerer, coment toutz les hospitalx deins sa jurisdiccione, et chescun d'ycelles hospitalx, furent fonduz, et par queux patrons, et combien des benefices, terres et tenementz, et autres commoditeez qeconqes, as ditz hospitalx furent donez a lour [p. iv-81][col. a] primer fundacione, ou depuis tanqe en cea; et le verray value annuel d'ycelles benefices, terres, tenementz, et autres commoditees; et de toutz les charges queux pur ycelles deivent estre sustenuz, par les ordinances de lour fundours ou autres, qe lour ount donez benefices, terres, tenementz, ou autres commoditees; et si mesmes les charges soient au present sustenuz < ou nemye; et queux charges sont au present sustenuz > , et queux sount sustretz; et toutz autres choses touchantz lours governances; et qe mesmes les ordinairs facent duez certificatz el chauncellerie nostre seignur le roy, de toutz lour faitz en ceo cas, devaunt le primer jour de Marce prochein avenir, chescun ordinaire sur peine de cli., apaiers a nostre seignur le roy; aufyn qe apres les ditz certificats faitz, nostre seignur le roy purraffaire due redresse de les defautes qe serrount ensy certifiez de les governances de toutz les hospitalx qe sount de soun patronage demesne. Et de les defautz trovez deins les hospitalx qe sont d'autre foundacione ou patronage qe de roy, les ordinairs facent due correccione et reformacione, solonc les leyes de seinte esglise, < deinz > demy an apres le dit primer jour de Marce; sur peine de perdre lour jurisdiction de chescun hospital, nient certifiez, ou nient duement refourmez, deins mesme le terme, en la fourme suisdite. Et qe toutz les abbes, priours, deans, de les esglises cathedrelx et collegielx, et autres persones qeconqes, q'ount privileges et jurisdiccione d'ascuns tielx hospitalx, facent duement enquerer et certifier, et due reformacione d'ycelles hospitalx en la fourme suisdite, sur mesmes les peynes. Et si ascun tiel hospitalle, nient certifiez, ne duement refourmez en la fourme suisdite, soit en la jurisdiccione d'ascun tiel abbe, priour, dean, ou autre persone privilegee, qe la jurisdiccione d'autiel hospitalle soit devolute a l'evesqe d'ycelle diocyse en qelle mesme l'ospitalle est founduz, nient contresteant le privilege suisdite. Et si autiel hospitalle, ensy nient certifiez, ne duement refourmez, soit en jurisdiction d'ascun evesqe, qe mesme l'evesqe perde sa jurisdiction de mesme l'ospitalle et soit devolute a l'ercevesqe de la provynce. Et outre, qe bien lirra a nostre seignur le roy, et a toutz autres seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, lour successours et heires, et a toutz autres persones qeconqes foundours, patrons, ou advowes, ou terre terre [sic] tenauntes d'yceux, qe furent foundourz, patrons, ou advowes d'ascuns hospitalx avauntditz, de mesmes les hospitalx, par brief de scire facias, oustier les incumbentz, et presentier autres persones covenables a lour volunte, c'est assavoir, chescun patron ou advowe, a chescun de les hospitalx suisditz q'est de soun foundacione, patronage, ou advowesone demesne, qe ne serra mye certifiez ne correctez, et duement mys en governance, a l'honoure et plesance de Dieu, en la fourme suisdit, le dit estatut fait a Leycestr' nient contresteant. And may they therefore beseech our sovereign lord the king that it might please him, with the advice of the lords spiritual and temporal and at the request of the aforesaid commons who are assembled in this present parliament, to ordain that every ordinary throughout his jurisdiction, by the authority of this present parliamentonly, without any other commission, should duly cause enquiry to be made as to how all the hospitals in his jurisdiction, and each of those hospitals, were founded, and by which patrons, and how many of the benefices, lands and tenements, and any other resources, were given to the said hospitals at their [p. iv-81][col. a] original foundation, or subsequently until now; and as to the true value of those benefices, lands, tenements and other resources; and all the charges which ought to be supported by them in accordance with the ordinances of their founders and others, in those cases where they have given them benefices, lands, tenements or other resources; and whether the same charges are supported at present or not; and which charges are supported at present, and which are withheld; and all other matters touching their governance; and that the same ordinaries should provide two certificates in our lord the king's chancery concerning all they have done on this matter, before the first day of March next, each ordinary on pain of £100 to be paid to our lord the king; in order that after the said certificates have been drawn up, our lord the king will be able to provide due redress for any defaults which are thus certified concerning the governance of all the hospitals which are of his own patronage. And as to the defaults found in the hospitals which are of other foundation or patronage than that of the king, let the ordinaries provide due correction and redress according to the laws of holy church, within half a year after the said first day of March; on pain of losing their jurisdiction over any uncertified hospital, or any one not corrected within the same term, in the aforesaid manner. And that all the abbots, priors and deans of the cathedral and collegiate churches, and any other persons who have privileges and jurisdiction in any such hospitals, should duly make inquiry and certification, and proper correction in those hospitals in the aforesaid manner, upon the same penalties. And if any such uncertified or not duly corrected hospital, as aforesaid, is under the jurisdiction of any such abbot, prior, dean or other privileged person, then let the jurisdiction of that hospital be devolved to the bishop of that diocese in which the same hospital is established, notwithstanding the aforesaid privilege. And if any such uncertified or not duly corrected hospital is under the jurisdiction of any bishop, then let the same bishop lose his jurisdiction of the same hospital and let it be devolved to the archbishop of the province. And moreover that it should be entirely permitted to our lord the king, and to all the other lords spiritual and temporal, their successors and heirs, and to all other persons whether founders, patrons, or protectors, or their land-tenants who have been founders, patrons, or protectors of any of the aforesaid hospitals, to remove the incumbents from the same hospitals by writ of scire facias, and present other suitable persons at their will - that is, each patron or protector, to each of the aforesaid hospitals which is of his own foundation, patronage, or advowson, and which is not certified or corrected - and to place them under proper governance, to the honour and pleasure of God, in the aforesaid terms, notwithstanding the said statute made at Leicester.
[memb. 4]
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soit l'estatut ent fait garde et mys en deu execucione. Let the statute made on this be kept and duly enforced.
XIV. XIV. [Indictments in King's Bench.]
37. Item, priount les communes: pur ceo qe meultz des gentz des autres countees d'Engleterre, qe del countee ou le bank le roy pur le temps est esteant, sount sovent foitz enditez en mesme le bank des diverses trespasses, et le proces sur tieux enditementz est si hastif, qe les enditees ne poient venir de faire lour attournees a pledre devaunt l'exigent agarde, qar l'enditement est pris en une jour, et mesme le jour le capias agarde retournable demayne procheyn apres, et adonqes l'exigent agarde, apres qelle exigent eux covient < de > tout temps aparir en propre persone, a lour graund disease et perde. 37. XIV. Also, the commons pray that, because numerous people from various counties of England other than the county where the King's Bench is at the time are frequently indicted in the same bench for various trespasses; andthe process on such indictments is so speedy that those who are indicted are unable to come to appoint their attorneys to plead before exigent is awarded, because the indictment is held on one day, and on the same day the capias is awarded, to be returned the following day, and then the exigent is awarded, after which exigent it is always necessary for them to appear in person, to their great detriment and loss.
Que pleise a nostre tresexcellent seignur le roy, d'ordeiner en cest present parlement, [qe si mencion] soit fait en tieux enditementz, qe les gentz ensi enditez soient des autres countees qe del countee ou le dit bank pur le temps est esteant, q'adonqes troys capias soient agardez vers les ditz enditees devaunt l'exigent agarde, et qe [col. b] chescun de les capias conteigne l'espace de xv jours devaunt le retourne. May it please our most excellent lord the king to ordain in this present parliament that if it is specified in such indictments that the people thus indicted are from counties other than from the county where the said bench is at the time, then three capias should be awarded against those who are indicted before exigent is awarded, and that [col. b] each capias should specify a period of fifteen days before it is to be returned.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy soi avisera. The king will consider this further.
XV. XV. [Purveyors.]
38. Item, priount les communes: qe toutz les bones ordeignances et estatuitz faitz sibien en temps de vostre noble regne, come en temps de voz nobles progenitours, des purveiours et achatours, nient repellez, soient affermez par auctoritee de ycest present parlement, et mys en due execucione; adjoustant a ycelles, qe si ascun purveiour ou achatour preigne ascunes brees, frument, aveynes, pises, ou bacouns, a vostre hostiel, ou autrement a vostre oeps, par auctorite de vostre commission, q'il ne preigne pur le quarter si noun .viij. busselx tantsoulement, racez et nient cumblez, et ceo par pris affaire, par assent de celuy qe les vendra, ou autrement, par deux ou quatre prodes hommes de mesme la ville ou tiel prise soit fait, et q'il face prest paiement en mayn a celuy qe ferra la cariage; et q'il ne preigne nulle brees, frument, aveynes, pises, ou bacouns, desoutz la somme de c souldz, si ne paie prestment en mayn; et q'il face ou delivere tailles ou endentures a les parties accordant al prise de tieux vitailles, si eux exedent l'avauntdite somme; et si l'ein face le contraire de cest ordeignaunce, encourge la peyne contenuz en les ditz estatuitz faitz des purveiours et achatours pur vostre hostiel, et ceo sibien a vostre suyte, come al suyte del partie; et eient voz justices du pees de chescun countee d'Engleterre poair d'oier et terminer toutz choses faitz au contraire d'ycest ordeignance, sibien a vostre suyt, come al suyt del partie; et qe nully tielle purveiour ne achatour preigne ascuns brees, frument, aveynes, pises, bacouns, pullaile, ne nulle autre manere vitailles, en pleyn marchet, si non par assent de partie, et saunz prest paiement faire al vendour, sur mesme la peine; et qe cest ordeignaunce soit mys en lour commissions. 38. XV. Also, the commons pray that all the good ordinances and statutes made both during your gracious reign and in the time of your noble progenitors concerning purveyors and buyers which are not repealed, should be confirmed by the authority of this present parliament, and put into due effect; adding to them, that if any purveyor or buyer takes any malt, wheat, oats, peas, or bacon to your household, or elsewhere for your use, by authority of your commission, that they should not take more than eight bushels per quarter, razed and not heaped; and this in accordance with the price agreed with those who sell them, or otherwise by two or four worthy men of the same town where this prise is taken; and that they should make prompt payment into the hands of those who provide the carriage; and that they should not take any malt, wheat, oats, peas or bacon worth more than 100 shillings unless prompt payment is made; and that they should issue or deliver tallies or indentures to the parties according to the price of such victuals if they exceed the aforesaid sum; and if anyone acts contrary to this ordinance, let him incur the penalty specified in the said statutes made concerning purveyors and buyers for your household, whether this is at your suit or at the suit of a party; and let your justices of the peace in every county in England have the power to hear and determine all actions undertaken contrary to this ordinance, whether at your suit or at the suit of a party; and that no such purveyor or buyer should take any malt, wheat, oats, peas, bacon, poultry, or any other kind of victuals in an open market without the assent of the party, and without prompt payment being made to the vendor, upon the same penalty; and that this ordinance should be included in their commissions.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soient les estatutz faitz en le caas avaunt ces hures gardez et mys en execucione. Let the statutes made previously on the matter be kept and enforced.
XVI. XVI. [Provisions. Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.]
39. Item, suppliount treshumblement voz communes: qe come jadys la clergie de la roialme fuist cressant et flourant et profitant en voz universitees d'Oxenford' et Cantebregge, par doctours en divinitee, en les leyes canon et civille, et par autres de meyndre degree, a graund confort, consolacione, et haut profit de toute seinte esglise, et vostre poeple Cristian d'Engleterre environ, a ore en contraire d'einsy, qe l'estatuit de provision et encountre provisours fuit fait par parlement, le clergie en les ditz universitees lamentablement est extincte, et en plusours parties despise, a graunt anientisment de seinte esglise, et sur ceo pur defaut qe les ditz clerkes studiantz en les voz ditz universitees, ne sount pas avaunciez, promotz, et nuricez, en lour emprise honeste et vertue, et si pur taunt qe la dite clergie n'est comforte et nuricee, grauntz et intollerables errours et heresyes envers Dieu, et homme, et rebellion et obstinacie encountre vous, tressoverain seignur, entre les commune poeple de vostre roialme sount nadgairs ensurdez, encountre auncien doctrine de noz seintz piers, et determinacione a tout seint esglise; et si l'avauntditz universitees ount mys en hautz lamentacione, desolacione, et disheritaunce de sez espirituelx fitz et profitables studiantz, a graunt descomfort et prejudice de toute seinte esglise suisdite, et extinccione de foie Cristien, et male exemple a toutz autres Cristians roialmes, si hasty remedie ne soit fait en ceste matere si bosoinable. 39. XVI. Also, the most humble request of your commons: whereas in the past the clergy of the realm were increasing, flourishing and prospering in your universities of Oxford and Cambridge - some as doctors of divinity or in the canon and civil laws, and others in lesser degrees - to the great comfort, consolation and outstanding profit of all holy church and your Christian people all over England; now, on the contrary, since the statute concerning provisions and against provisors was enacted by parliament, lamentably the clergy in the said universities have left, and are despised in many regions, to the great damage of holy church; whereupon, because of the shortage of the said clerks studying in your said universities, they are not being preferred, promoted or supported in their honourable and virtuous undertaking; and moreover, because the said clergy is not being encouraged and supported, great and intolerable sins and heresies against God and man, and rebellion and defiance against you, most sovereign lord, among the common people of your realm have recently arisen, against the ancient doctrine of our holy fathers and the teaching of all holy church; and so the aforesaid universities are placed in total despair and desolation at the loss of their spiritual sons and fruitful students, to the great distress and prejudice of all the aforesaid holy church and the extinction of the Christian faith, and a bad example to all other Christian realms, unless a speedy remedy is provided on this most urgent matter.
Que pleise atant vostre tresexcellent seignurie, q'est ore, et ad estee toutz jours treshabundante de grace, noblesse, et debounte, aver pite, compassion, et mercy, sur vostre poevere et humble clergie suisdite, q'est si lamentablement mys en taunt de poverte, discomfort, et desolacione; et par [p. iv-82][col. a] vostre haute discrecion, et circumspecte seignurie, et par advys de vostre tressage conseil des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en cest present parlement, ascune gracious remedie en cest cas et matere faire, qe vostre sovent dite clergie si humble et poevere, a l'honour de Dieu, et de seinte esglise, a profait de vostre roialme, poait encrecier et estre promoter et aver substaunce a viver honestment, chescun solonc soun estate, deserte, et degree, par seignurs espirituelx et religious; sur queux provisions courgier soloient deins vostre roialme. May it now please your most excellent lordship - which is now and has always been most abundant in its grace, nobility and goodness - to have pity, compassion and mercy on your aforesaid poor and humble clergy who are so lamentably placed in such poverty, distress and desolation; and by [p. iv-82][col. a] your most exalted discretion and circumspect lordship, and with the advice of your most wise council of lords spiritual and temporal in this present parliament, to provide, together with the lords spiritual and religious, some gracious remedy on this case and matter by which your said clergy, so humble and poor, to the honour of God and of holy church, and to the profit of your realm, may be able to advance and be promoted and have the means to live honourably, each one according to his estate, merits and rank; concerning which, provisions used to take their course in your realm.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Sur la demostrance le roy fait a les seignurs espirituelx cypresentz en parlement, de la mater contenue en la peticione, mesmes les seignurs ount promis a roy de la remedier. Following the statement which the king made to the lords spititual who are present here in parliament concerning the matter specified in this petition, the same lords have promised the king to provide a remedy on this.
XVII. XVII. [Sweating and clipping of coin.]
40. Item, priont les communes: qe come devaunt ces heures graunte doute et awerestee ad estee, le quelle le tonsure, loture, fylinge, et autre fauxisne de vostre moneye, duissent estre adjuggez tresoun, ou nient, a cause qe nulle mencione ent est fait en la declaracione des articles de treson, faitz en le parlement de vostre tresnoble besaiel, l'an de soun regne xxv. (fn. iv-70-252-1) Pleise a vostre roial magestee, d'ordeiner, declarer, et determiner en cest present parlement, par auctorite d'ycelle, qe ceux qe tondent, loient, filent, ou ascun autre fauxisme facent de vostre moneye, soient adjuggez traitours, et encourgent la peyne de tresoun; sibien come ceux qe apportent faux moneye en Engleterre, sachantz le estre faux. Et qe cest declaracione sibien soy exstende as tielx tonsure, loyeure, et fauxisme faitz avaunt ces heures, come affairez en temps avenir. 40. XVII. Also, the commons pray that, whereas in the past there has been great doubt and uncertainty as to whether clipping, sweating, filing and other counterfeiting of your currency ought to be adjudged treason or not, because no mention of this is made in the declaration of the articles of treason made in the parliament of your most noble great-grandfather in the twenty-fifth year of his reign. (fn. iv-70-252-1) May it please your royal majesty to ordain, declare and determine in this present parliament, by its authority, that those who clip, sweat, file or practice any other falshood against your currency should be adjudged traitors and incur the penalty of treason; as well as those who bring counterfeit currency into England, knowing it to be counterfeit. And that this proclamation should extend both to such clipping, sweating, and counterfeiting practised in the past, as well as any which is done in the future.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Qaunt a les loture, tonsure, et fylyng, soit il declare pur traisoun. (fn. iv-70-255-1) As regards sweating, clipping and filing, let them be declared treason. (fn. iv-70-255-1)
XVIII. XVIII. [Escapes from prison.]
41. Item, priont ses communes: pur ceo qe plusours eschapes aveignont, qe ne soleient devaunt ces heures, des persones esteantz en prisone et garde, pur la controfaiture, tonsure, loture, et autre fauxisme de vostre monoye, a cause des negligences de lour gardeyns; pleise a vostre roial mageste, d'ordeiner, par auctorite de cest present parlement, qe la peyn de chescun tiel eschape en temps avenir, soit adjugge a cli. au meyns. 41. XVIII. Also, the commons pray that, because there have recently been many more escapes than was usual in the past of persons who were in prison and custody for counterfeiting, clipping, sweating and other crimes relating to your currency, because of the negligence of their guards; may it please your royal majesty to ordain, by the authority of this present parliament, that the penalty for each escape in future should be adjudged at £100 at least.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soient les peynes des eschapes arbitraries come [ount] esteez avaunt ces heures. Let the penalties for escapes be decided as they have been in the past.
XIX. XIX. [Counterfeiting of coin.]
42. Item, priont les communes: qe come le contrefaiture, tonsure, et loture, et autre fauxisme de vostre moneye, est le pluis usee et pluis habounde de jour en jour, qe ne soleit, a cause qe le punisment d'ycelles n'appartient a ascun juge de vostre roialme, si noun a voz justices devaunt vous mesmes, ou devaunt justices par especialx commissions a ceo assignez, et verraysemblable destruction de vostre dit moneye, si non qe pluis hasty executione ou remedie soit ordeine. Pleise a nostre soverain seignur le roy, d'ordeiner, par auctorite de cest present parlement, qe voz justices des assises prendre en lour sessions, et voz justices de pees en toutz voz countees d'Engleterre, eient poair d'oier et terminer sibien de contrefaiture et de l'apport de tieux faux moneye en vostre roialme, come de tonsure, loture, et chescun autre fauxisme du dit moneye. Et auxi, qe commissions soient grauntez as persones qe les voillent suer en vostre chauncellerie, ataunt de foitz come il busoinera, d'oier et terminer toutz les articles suisditz, as queux commissions soient assignez persones suffisantement apprisez de la ley des parties ou tielx caas aveignont. 42. XIX. Also, the commons pray that, whereas counterfeiting, clipping and sweating, and other crimes relating to your currency are more frequent and more common day by day than they used to be, because their punishment does not pertain to any judge of your realm except to your justices in your presence, or to those justices appointed by special commissions for this, which is likely to result in the destruction of your said currency unless a more speedy punishment or remedy is ordained. May it please our sovereign lord the king to ordain, by the authority of this present parliament, that your justices of assizes when holding their sessions, and your justices of the peace in all your counties of England, should have the power to hear and determine both cases concerning counterfeiting and those concerning the bringing of false money into your realm, as well as those concerning clipping, sweating and any other cases of counterfeiting of the said currency. And also that commissions should be granted to the persons who wish to sue in your chancery, as often as necessary, to hear and determine all the aforesaid articles, to which commissions persons should be assigned who have a competent knowledge of the law, whenever such cases arise.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Eient les justices des assises des countees parmy le roialme poair, par commissione de roy, d'oier et terminer en le caas, et qe les justices de la pees eient poair, par commission le roy, d'enquerer d'ycelles, et sur ceo faire proces par capias tant soulement. (fn. iv-70-267-1) Let the justices of assizes of the counties throughout the realm have the power, by the king's commission, to hear and determine these cases; and the justices of the peace should have the power, by the king's commission, to enquire concerning them, and thereupon make process by capias only. (fn. iv-70-267-1)
[memb. 3]
[col. b]
XX. XX. [On behalf of the prior of Tortington.]
43. Item, suppliont les ditz communes, pur les priour et covent de l'esglise de Seinte Marie Magdalene de Tortyngton', juxte Arondell' en le counte de Sussex': qe come le dite esglise estoit founduz et endowe a l'honour de Dieu et de seinte esglise, en perpetuel almoigne, de diverses terres et tenementz, rentes, services, prees, pastures, boys, pescheries, eaus, et communes, et autres possessions, ove lour appurtenauntz, en les countees de Sussex' et Surr', et Loundres; des queux terres, tenementz, rentes, services, prees, pastures, boys, pescheries, eaus, et communes, ove lour appurtenauntz, les < priour et covent illoeqes, et lours > predecessours, ount estee peisiblement seisez en perpetuel almoigne, < de temps > dount memorie ne court, tanqe Richard nadgairs count d'Arondell', aiel a Thomas darrein counte d'Arondell', en temps Edward tierce nadgairs roy d'Engleterre, par oppression et colour de soun grande seignurie, acrocha a luy la possession de diverses parcelles en le counte de Sussex' avauntdit des ditz terres, tenementz, rentes, services, prees, pastures, boys, pescheries, eaus, et communes, et possessions, ove lour appurtenauntz; c'estassavoir, de la manoir de Clay ove les appurtenauntz; de cent et cynk acres de terre en Huberden' en le paroche de Madeherst; de cent et vynt et un acres de terre, et cent et trent acres de boys en Bowerch', Rokes, Sone, Wortheham, Bekeden', et Arondell'; de vynt et deux acres de pree, sept acres de pasture en Arondell'; et de pawenage et pasture en Estden' et Walderton' pur les tenauntz des ditz priour et covent en mesmes les villes de Estden' et Walderton' resceauntz; et de les eaues et pescheries appurteuntz a mesmes les terres, boys, prees, et pastures en mesme le countee de Sussex, ove les appurtenances; saunz droit ou verray title, et encountre la voluntee de Dieu et de fundacione et endowement avauntditz: parount les ditz priour et convent ont este par long temps enpoverez, et sont en poynt d'estre anientisez et destruitz, s'ils n'eient remedie en cest present parlement. 43. XX. Also, the request of the said commons on behalf of the prior and convent of the church of St Mary Magdalene of Tortington, near Arundel in the county of Sussex: whereas the said church was founded and endowed to the honour of God and holy church, in perpetual alms, with various lands and tenements, rents, services, meadows, pastures, woods, fisheries, ponds, commons and other possessions, with their appurtenances, in the counties of Sussex and Surrey and London; of which lands, tenements, rents, services, meadows, pastures, woods, fisheries, ponds and commons, with their appurtenances, the prior and convent there, and their predecessors, have been peacefully seised in perpetual alms from time immemorial, until Richard, the late earl of Arundel, in the time of Edward the third late king of England, by oppression and under colour of his great lordship, seized for himself the possession of various parcels in the aforesaid county of Sussex out of the said lands, tenements, rents, services, meadows, pastures, woods, fisheries, ponds, commons and possessions, with their appurtenances; that is, of the manor of Clay with its appurtenances; of 105 acres of land in Heberden in the parish of Madehurst; of 121 acres of land and 130 acres of woodland in Bowerch , Rokes , Sone , Wortheham , Bekeden and Arundel; of 22 acres of meadow and seven acres of pasture in Arundel; and of pannage and pasturage in Eastdean and Walderton by the tenants of the said prior and convent residing in the same towns of Eastdean and Walderton; and of the ponds and fisheries pertaining to the same lands, woods, meadows and pastures in the same county of Sussex, with their appurtenances; without right or title, and contrary to the will of God and the aforesaid foundation and endowment: because of which the said prior and convent have been impoverished for a long time, and are on the point of being ruined and destroyed unless they have redress in this present parliament.
Que pleise a nostre dit seignur le roy, considerer la povertee des ditz priour et convent, et q'ils sont soutz la dominacione du dit chastelle d'Arondell', et qe le darrein volunte du dit < Thomas > nadgairs counte en sa lite moriant, fuist qe droit et restitucione soit fait a chescuny, sibien des terres, tenementz, et autres possessions qeconqes attortz accrochez, et occupiez par luy et ses auncestres, come des biens et chateux par eux a tort prisez. Et sur ceo, par assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en cest present parlement assemblez, d'ordeiner et establir, qe le chaunceller d'Engleterre q'ore est, ou qe pur le temps serra, appellant a luy un ou deux justices de l'un bank et de l'autre, eit suffisant poair et auctoritee de cest present parlement, d'examiner le title et le droit del ditz priour et covent par lour evidences des terres, tenementz, rents, services, prees, pastures, boys, pescheries, eaus, < comunes > , et possessions avaunditz, dount les ditz priour et convent ore pleignont, ove les appurtenantz, en le dit counte de Sussex', et de faire venir devaunt le roy en sa chauncellarie, par tiel proces come il semble a luy solonc sa discrecione expedient, les heirs ou terre tenauntz del chastelle d'Arondell' avaundit, ou les heirs ou terre tenauntz des ditz terres, tenementz, rentes, services, prees, pastures, boys, pescheries, eaus, comunes, et autres possessions, dount les ditz priour et convent ore pleinont, en le counte de Sussex' avaundit, ove lour appurtenances, pur respondre al ditz priour et convent en ceste matier; et sur ceo, solonqe la discrecion du dit chaunceller, et solonqe verray examinacione de droit et title issint trovee ou monstree, de restorer as ditz priour et convent, saunz delay, les ditz terres, tenementz, rentes, services, prees, pastures, boys, pescheries, et autres possessions, dount les ditz priour et convent ore pleinont, en le dit counte de Sussex', ove les appurteuntz suisdites. May it please our said lord the king to consider the poverty of the said prior and convent, and that they are under the domination of the said castle of Arundel, and that the last wish of the said Thomas, the late earl, on his death-bed, was that justice and restitution should be provided to everyone, both concerning the lands, tenements and any other possessions wrongfully taken, seized and occupied by him and his ancestors, and concerning the goods and chattels wrongfully taken by them. And thereupon, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal who are assembled in this present parliament, to ordain and establish that the present chancellor of England, or whoever shall be in the future, having summoned to him one or two justices of the one bench or the other, should have sufficient power and authority from this present parliament to examine the title and the right of the said prior and convent through their documents concerning the aforesaid lands, tenements, rents, services, meadows, pastures, woods, fisheries, ponds, commons and possessions, with their appurtenances, about which the said prior and convent now complain, in the said county of Sussex, and to cause to come before the king in his chancery, by such process as seems expedient to him according to his discretion, the heirs or land-tenants of the aforesaid castle of Arundel, or the heirs or land-tenants of the said lands, tenements, rents, services, meadows, pastures, woods, fisheries, ponds, commons and other possessions, with their appurtenances, about which the said prior and convent now complain, in the aforesaid county of Sussex, in order to reply to the said prior and convent on this matter; and thereupon, according to the discretion of the said chancellor, and in accordance with a just examination of the right and title thus found or shown, to restore to the said prior and convent, without delay, the said lands, tenements, rents, services, meadows, pastures, woods, fisheries and other possessions, with their aforesaid appurtenances, about which the said prior and convent now complain, in the said county of Sussex.
[p. iv-83]
[col. a]
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Eit le chaunceller d'Engleterre pur le temps esteant, apres ceo qe liveree soit suy hors des mayns de roy, de les choses especifiez en la dite peticione, appellez a luy les justices de l'un bank et de l'autre, queux luy semblera < et plerra le meultz > d'appeller en le caas, plein poair par auctorite de cest parlement, de faire droit et entier redresce de et en la matier contenue en mesme la peticione, par tiel proces, agarde, et execution, come par advys de mesmes les justices luy semblera meultz affaire celle partie. Let the chancellor of England at the time - after livery has been sued from the king's hands concerning the matters specified in the said petition, and having summoned to him whichever justices of the one bench or the other seem the best to him or whom it pleases him to summon in this case - have full power, by the authority of parliament, to provide justice and complete redress concerning and on the matter specified in the same petition, by such process, award and execution as will seem best to him, to be decided with the advice of the same justices on this matter. (fn. iv-70-274-1)
XXI. XXI. [On behalf of Robert Penny.]
44. Item, supplient les ditz communes, pur Robert Peny, et Johanne sa femme: que come un Gyles Norman jadys fuist seisi de les manoirs de Westuderlegh', et Shirlee, et Coulesfeld' loueras ove lours appurtenaunces, ensemblement ovesqe autres terres et tenementz en les countees de Sutht' et Wiltes', et morust seisi en soun demesne come de fee; apres quy mort, une Johanne sa femme, apres femme a Thomas Skelton chivaler, mesmes les manoirs tenoit pur terme de sa vie, come del dowement du dit Giles soun primer baron. Et de les queux la dite Johanne morust seisi; apres quy mort, les ditz Robert Peny, et Johanne sa femme, come cosyn et procheyn heire < au > dit Giles, en mesmes les manoirs, ove lour appurtenauntz, peisiblement et loialment entrerount, come en le droit enheritaunce la dite Johanne, a luy appurtenaunt apres la mort du dit Gyles soun auncestre; et sur ceo levauntdit Thomas Skelton', soy pretendaunt d'avoir title a les ditz manoirs, par haut ymagination de subtiltee, et par torcenous suggestione fait en la chauncellarie, south colour de soun title nient loial ne veritable, avoit deux especialx assises envers les ditz suppliantz de les manoirs suisdites. Et nostre tressoverein seignur le roy, de sa habundante grace, commanda le chaunceller d'Engleterre, de chargier le juge assigne en les ditz especialx assises, q'il ne prendroit les ditz assises en nulle manere eins qe les ditz parties pursuerent lour communes assises, si lour plerroit; et issint le dit jugge fuist commande par le dit chaunceller; apres qelle commandement, les ditz suppliantz veignont al dit jugge pur saver coment en ycelle soy voudroit demesner: le qelle eux promist, q'il ne voilloit seier par le commission q'il avoit, ne pluis terminer en le dite matier, encountre le commaundement et charge q'il avoit par le dit chaunceller en la fourme avaundite, pur la value des ditz manoirs en fee. Et les ditz Robert, et Johanne sa femme, eiauntz confiance sibien en le dit commandement de nostre dit soverain seignur le roy, par le dit chaunceller au dit justice fait, come en la promys du dit justice, qe nulle especiale assise en ycest caas duisset estre pris, ne riens pluis serroit fait a ycelle, alerount en le counte de Somerset, et aillours, pur lour busoignes affaire, et ne pluis attenderount a ycelle: le qelle jugge, saunz ascun conisance des ditz Robert et Johanne sa femme, prist l'une des ditz assises a Andevere en le countee de Sutht', c'estassavoir pur les manoirs de Westuderlegh' et Shirlee,deins les ditz dys jours apres le commaundement et charge issint fait al dit jugge; et illoeqes l'assise, graundment procure et enpanelle al denominatione du dit Thomas, passa encountre les ditz Robert et Johanne sa femme, en lour absence; et eux, et un Johan Aylesbury lour servaunt, condempneront en iij c li. de damages, la ou ils n'avoient unqes des issues des avauntditz manoirs, forsqe vi s. viij d., et sur ceo les ditz Robert et Johanne sa femme, et lour dit servaunt, sont utlagez al quel suyte du dit Thomas Skelton' sur la dite matere a l'entent q'ils serront disablez et noun suffisauntz a toutz jours pur recoverer lour droit, issint qe les ditz suppliantz sont saunz recoverer, s'ils n'eient vostre gracious eide et socour en cest present parlement. 44. XXI. Also, the request of the commons on behalf of Robert Penny and Joan his wife: whereas one Giles Norman was recently seised of the manors of Westuderleigh, Shirley and Lower Coulsfield, with their appurtenances, together with other lands and tenements in the counties of Hampshire and Wiltshire, and died seised in his demesne as of fee; after whose death, one Joan his wife, later the wife of Thomas Skelton, knight, held the same manors for her lifetime, by dower of the said Giles, her first husband; and of which the said Joan died seised; after whose death, the said Robert Penny and Joan his wife, as cousin and the next heir of the said Giles, peacefully and lawfully entered the same manors, with their appurtenances, by lawful inheritance of the said Joan appertaining to her after the death of the said Giles, her ancestor; and thereupon the aforesaid Thomas Skelton, claiming himself to have title to the said manors, by endless subtle scheming and by an unlawful submission made in the chancery, under pretext of his unlawful and false title, had two special assizes against the said supplicants concerning the aforesaid manors. And our most sovereign lord the king, from his abundant grace, ordered the chancellor of England to charge the justice appointed to the said special assizes that he should not hold the said assizes in any way unless the said parties sued their common assizes, if it pleased them to do so; and the said justice was so ordered by the said chancellor. Following this order, the said supplicants came before the said justice in order to discover how he intended to proceed on this, and he assured them that he would be unable to act on the commission which he had received, let alone determine the said matter, contrary to the order and charge which he had received from the said chancellor in the abovesaid terms, because of the value of the said manors in fee. And the said Robert and his wife Joan, having confidence both in the said order of our said sovereign lord the king, given by the said chancellor to the said justice, and in the assurance of the said justice that no special assize would be held on this case, and that nothing more would be done on this, went to the county of Somerset and elsewhere in order to do their business, and paid no further attention to it: which justice, without the knowledge of the said Robert and Joan his wife, held one of the said assizes at Andover in the county of Hampshire, that is for the manors of Westuderleigh and Shirley, within ten days after the order and charge were thus given to the said justice; and there the assize, which was manifestly procured and empanelled at the nomination of the said Thomas, passed judgment against the said Robert and Joan his wife in their absence, and condemned them, together with one John Aylesbury, their servant, to £300 damages, despite the fact that they have not yet received the issues of the aforesaid manors, except for 6 s. 8 d.; as a result of which the said Robert and Joan his wife and their said servant are outlawed at the suit of the said Thomas Skelton on the said matter, with the result that they will be disabled and incapable at law of ever recovering their right, so that the said supplicants can have no recovery unless they have your gracious help and assistance in this present parliament.
Que pleise a nostre dit soveraine seignur le roy, < de > considerer l'entier affiance en les commandementz de nostre < dit > seignur le roy, charge de chaunceller, et promys du justice suisdit, qe nulls des ditz assises [col. b] especialx en cest partie duisset estre pris, a cause de quel les ditz Robert et Johanne sa femme, pur lour ent nient conisance, ne furent illoeqes pur nulle defens y faire, ne evidence monstrier touchant lour droit; paront ils sont finalment disheritez, destrutz, et anientisez a toutz jours: et qe vous pleise de vostre grace especiale ent remembrier, et sur ceo, par l'avys des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, d'ordeiner as ditz suppliantz especiale remedie, par auctorite de cest present parlement. May it please our said sovereign lord the king - considering the complete trust which ought to be placed in the orders of our said lord the king (which were given to the chancellor and promised by the aforesaid justice) to the effect that none of the said special assizes [col. b] ought to be held on this matter (because of which the said Robert and Joan his wife, on account of their ignorance of it, were not present in order to offer any defence there, nor to give evidence concerning their right, whereby they are totally disinherited, destroyed and ruined forever) - that it might please you from your special grace to recall this, and thereupon, with the advice of the lords spiritual and temporal, to ordain a special remedy for the said supplicants by authority of this present parliament.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soit la partie suppliant remedie par le roy et ceux de soun conseil queux il voudra a ceo nomer et assigner, solonc lour hautz discrecions, appellez en la matier ceux qe lour plerra, et ceo par auctorite de cest parlement. Let the supplicants have redress through the king and those of his council whom he wishes to name and assign for this, according to their mighty discretions, having summoned those whom it may please them to summon for this case; and this by the authority of parliament.
XXII. XXII. [On behalf of John Brompton of Beverley.]
45. Item, suppliont les communes, pur Johan Brompton' de Beverley marchant: qe come un Johan de Hayton, fitz Richard Hayton', et Elene sa femme, sueront avant ces heures une assise de novelle disseisin en le counte d'Everwyk envers le dit Johan Brompton' et Elene sa femme, de lour fraunk tenement en Beverley, a cause de qelle assise le dit suppliant chivacha a Everwyk pur defendre soun droit title et estat en le dit tenement, et en retournaunt de la dite ville de Everwyk, le dit Johan Hayton' ovesqe autres persones de soun assent et covyn, c'estassavoir un Johan Clifton' de Hayton' en mesme le countee vadlet, et William Clyfton de Hayton en mesme le counte vadlet, Johan Briswode servaunt a dit Johan Hayton' et autres malfeisours, de lour assent et covyn, al noumbre de vingt et quatre persones, giseront en Hayton' en mesme le countee en agayte du dit suppliant, pur luy tuer, murdrer, et maheymer, et en le dit suppliant et ses servauntz ovesqe luy asiaut fieront ove dusze archers, les queux archers furent disgisez issint q'ils ne serront conuz, et la a dit suppliant et ses servauntz les archers segitteront toutz ensemblez, et un des servauntz du dit suppliant ount maheymez, et le dit suppliant et autres ses servauntz malement blesseront, issint qe le dit suppliant et ses ditz servauntz furent toutoutrement en despoir de lour vies; et le dit Johan Hayton' mesmes les maffesours de jour en autre retient et maintient ovesqe luy, pur tuer et murdrer le dit suppliant, et ount fait lour avowes, qe pur nulle seurtee de pees qe purroit estre trove par eux, ne pur nulle duresse qe purroit estre fait a eux par luy, ils ne lesseront de tuer le dit suppliant; issint q'il ne osa soy occupier entour la collecte del quinsizme, dount il est collectour de record, et noun pas pleinement accompte en l'escheqer, en mesmele temps le dit suppliant avoit un graund somme de deniers le roy de soun dite collecte, q'il avoit collectee en mesme le temps, la qelle a cause de les graund et horrible trespas suisdite fuist perduz par le dit suppliant, ne soy occupier entour ses marchandises, et autres bosoignes affairez, si noun q'il ait vostre gracious aide et socour en ycestes. 45. XXII. Also, the request of the commons for John Brompton of Beverley, merchant: whereas one John de Hayton, son of Richard Hayton, and Helen his wife, formerly sued an assize of novel disseisin in the county of York against the said John Brompton and Helen his wife concerning their free tenement in Beverley, because of which assize the said supplicant rode to York to defend his true title and estate in the said tenement; and on returning from the said town of York, the said John Hayton, with other people of his accord and following - that is, one John Clifton of Hayton, gentleman of the same county, William Clifton of Hayton, gentleman of the same county, and John Briswood, servant of the said John Hayton, and other malefactors of their accord and following, numbering twenty-four people - lay in wait for the said supplicant in Hayton in the same county in order to kill, murder or injure him, and made an assault on the said supplicant and his servants who were with him with twelve archers, which archers were disguised so that they would not be recognized, and there all the archers fired arrows together at the said supplicant and his servants, and one of the said supplicant's servants was injured, and the said supplicant and his other servants were badly wounded, so that the said supplicant and his said servants were in mortal fear of their lives; moreover, the said John Hayton still retains and maintains the same malefactors with him from day to day, in order to kill and murder the said supplicant; and they have made their vows that, notwithstanding any peace-bond which might apply to them or any constraint which might be placed on them by him, they will not fail to kill the said supplicant; so that he does not dare to be employed in connection with the collection of the fifteenth, of which he is a designated collector, and will be unable to account fully in the exchequer; moreover, the said supplicant had a large amount of the king's money from his said collection which he had collected in the meantime, which, because of the aforesaid great and terrifying trespass, was lost by the said supplicant; nor is he able to engage in his trade or his other business, unless he has your gracious help and protection in this.
Pleise a tresgracious seignur le roy, de grauntier, qe le chaunceller d'Engleterre pur le temps esteant, par auctorite de cest present parlement, eit poair de maunder un brief au viscount de mesme le countee, pur faire proclamation au prochein countee, estre tenuz en mesme le countee, apres la liveree de dit brief, qe les ditz Johan Hayton', Johan Clyfton', William, et Johan Briswode, sur lour ligeances veignent devaunt le dit chaunceller au certeyn jour par < luy > a limiter, pur trover suffisant seurtee de pees a dit suppliant, par la discrecione du dit chaunceller, et q'ils ne gisent en agaite, ne riens facent ne attemptent envers le dit suppliant, ne ses servantz, en mesme le temps, encountre le pees nostre seignur le roy; et s'ils veignent au dit jour, qe le dit chaunceller par auctorite de mesme le parlement eit poair d'oier et terminer la matere suisdite; et s'ils ne veignent al dit jour issint limite par le dit chaunceller, et la dite proclamacione < soit > tesmoigne par le dit viscount, q'ils et chescun de eux perde au roy cent marcz. May it please the most gracious lord the king to grant that the chancellor of England at the time, by the authority of this present parliament, should have the power to issue a writ to the sheriff of the same county in order to make proclamation in the neighbouring counties, to be observed in the same county, after delivery of the said writ, that the said John Hayton, John Clifton, William, and John Briswood, on their oaths, which should be made before the said chancellor on a certain day to be specified by him, should provide pledges to keep the peace with regard to the said supplicant according to the discretion of the said chancellor; and that they should not lie in wait, nor do or attempt anything against the said supplicant or his servants in the meantime, contrary to the peace of our lord the king; and if they appear on the said day, then let the said chancellor have the power by authority of the same parliament to hear and determine the aforesaid matter; and if they do not appear on the said day thus specified by the said chancellor, and the said proclamation is attested by the said sheriff, then let them and each of them lose 100 marks to the king.
[p. iv-84]
[col. a]
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Eit cely Johan Brompton' brief d'oier et terminer sur sa matere, et qant a la seurte de la paix avoir des ceux des queux il ad compleint, pur tant qe les justices des assises en le counte d'Everwyk prendre ount recordee qe pur Richard Hayton', et Johan soun fitz, nomez en la peticione, est seurte resonable et sufficiaunt devaunt eux trove a le dit Johan Brompton, come la ley demaunde, issint la peticione servy envers eux, mes quant envers les autres soient les briefs du roy grauntez, de les faire venir en la chauncellerie pur y trover autiel seurte, et ceo par auctorite < du ceste parlement > . Let the same John Brompton have a writ of oyer and terminer on this matter; and as regards the pledges to keep the peace from those about whom he has complained, since the justices of assizes held in the county of York have recorded that for Richard Hayton and his son John, named in the petition, suitable and adequate pledges have been provided before them in relation to the said John Brompton, as the law requires, so the petition against them is unnecessary; but the king's writs are granted against the others, ordering them to come into the chancery in order to provide such pledges, and this by the authority of this parliament.
[memb. 2]
XXIII. XXIII. [Writs of Sub poena and Certis de causis.]
46. Item, priont les communes: qe come plusours gentz de vostre roialme soy sentent graundment grevez, de ceo qe voz briefs appelles briefs sub pena, et certis de causis, faitz et suez hors de vostre chauncelerie et escheqer, des matiers determinables par vostre commune ley, qe unqes ne furent grauntez ne usez devaunt le temps le darrein Roy Richard; qe Johan Waltham nadgairs evesqe de Salesbirs, de sa subtiltee fist trover et commencier tiel novelrie, encountre la fourme de la commune ley de vostre roialme, sibien a tresgraunde perde et arrerisment des profitz qe duissent sourder a vous, soveraigne seignur, en voz courtes, come en fees et profitz de voz sealx, fines, issues, et amercimentz, et autres diverses profitz aprendrez au voz autres courtes, en caas qe mesmes les matiers fuissent suez et terminez par la commune ley, entaunt qe nulle profit a vous sourde d'ycelles briefs, forsqe taunt soulment vi d. pur le seal. Et auxint, < a cause > qe voz justices de l'un bank et de l'autre, qant ils duissent entendre a lour places entour plees, et prendre des enquestes pur la deliverance de vostre poeple, sont occupiez sur examinations sur tieux briefs, come a tresgraunt vexacione, perde, et costages de voz lieges, queux sont delaiez par long temps de l'ensealure de lour briefs suez en vostre chauncellerie, a cause de la graund occupacione entour les ditz examinacions, qe rien ne prositont a vous, tressoverain seignur, ne a voz lieges, es queux examinacions est graunt clamour et noise par diverses gentz, nient apprisez de la ley, saunz ascun recorde ent entree en voz ditz places. Et les queux plees ne purront prendre fyn, synoun par examination et serement des parties, solonc la fourme de ley cyvyle et ley de seinte esglise, en subvercione de vostre commune ley. Et en caas qe mesmes les parties ne purront estre convictz par lour examinacione, adonqes ils sont mys a trover seurte de vostre pees, qelle ils purront avoir trove en lour paiis, saunz venir a voz ditz courtes, ou autrement ils sont excitez a treter et accorder ove lour adversaries qe pursuent tieux briefs, ou autrement illoeqes tariez en garde ou en baille, tanqe ils aient ceo fait. 46. XXIII. Also, the commons pray that, whereas many people of your realm feel themselves greatly aggrieved because your writs called writs of sub poena and certis de causis are issued and sued out of your chancery and exchequer on matters which can be determined by your common law, which writs were never granted or issued before the time of the last King Richard; yet John Waltham, late bishop of Salisbury, began deceitfully to introduce and initiate this innovation, contrary to the terms of the common law of your realm, to the very great loss and reduction both of the profits which used to accrue to you, sovereign lord, in your courts, and of the fees and profits of your seals, fines, issues and amercements, and the various other profits received in your other courts, when such cases were sued and determined by the common law, so that no profit accrues to you from those writs, except only 6 d. for the seal. And also, because your justices of the one bench and the other, when they ought to be hearing other pleas in their courts and holding inquests for the deliverance of your people, instead spend their time examining these writs, to the very great irritation, loss and expense of your lieges, who are kept waiting a long time for their writs sued in your chancery to be sealed, because of the time taken up by these examinations, which bring you no profit, most sovereign lord, nor to your lieges; and there is great clamour and noise concerning these examinations made by various people, who are unaquainted with the law, without any record being entered on this in your said courts. Yet these pleas are unable to be concluded except by means of examination and the sworn testimony of the parties, according to the terms of the civil law and the law of holy church, which is to the subversion of your common law. And in cases where the same parties are unable to be convicted by their examination, they are then compelled to find security to keep your peace, which they should have been able to find in their counties, without having to come to your said courts; or alternatively they are urged to negotiate and treat with their adversaries who sue such writs, or otherwise they are kept there in custody or on bail until they have done this.
Que pleise a vostre tressoveraine seignurie, d'ordeiner en ycest present parlement, qe chescun, qe suera tieux briefs, mettera tout la cause et matier de sa suite en mesmes les briefs, et qe toutz yceux briefs en les courtz de queux ils isseront, enrollez en mesmes les courtz, et faitz patentz, et demurrantz envers les defendantz en ycelle, saunz estre retournez en les ditz courtz, et en caas qe ascun soy sente grevee ou vexe par tieux maners briefs, d'ascun matere determinable par la commune ley, eit la persone issint grevee ou vexe action de dette de xlli. vers celuy qe pursuyt mesmes les briefs, encountant sur mesme le brief la cause de sa actione, par taunt q'il fuit vexe par til brief, del matere qe fuist terminable par la commune ley, et en caas q'il apperge al court ou tiel brief de dette est sue, qe la matier contenue en tiel brief patent soit terminable par la commune ley, qe mayntenaunt le pursuant de tiel brief patent soit condempne envers tiel persone issint vexe, en la dite somme de xlli. Et en outre d'ordeiner, par auctorite de mesme le parlement, qe en briefs appellez quia datum est nobis intelligi, queux isseront de vostre escheqer, les nouns de ceux, a quy suggestione ou enformacione [col. b] tielx briefs isseront, soient misez en mesmes les briefs. Et qe toutz yceux briefs issint issantz a vostre suyte, ou a suyte de partie, soient enrollez, et faitz patentz, et demurrantz envers les defendantz en ycelle, saunz estre retournez en vostre escheqer, si come il est suisdeclare des briefs appellez sub pena, et certis de causis. Et en caas qe apres ceux qe sont faitz venir en vostre escheqer, par force de tieux briefs, soy poient sufficiantment excuser, acquiter, ou descharger des suggestions et matiers, a eux a surmetters sur tieux briefs, qe adonqes ils aient accione de dette de xlli. devers mesmes les suggestours et enfourmours, countant divers eux sur mesmes les briefs patentz, la cause de lour actione, partaunt qe les ditz suggestions ou enformaciouns sont de record provee nient verray, et puisse apparir par record al court, ou tieux briefs de dette serront suez, qe les pleintifs en mesmes les briefs furent acquitez, excusez, ou deschargez des matiers et suggestions issint a eux surmisez, qe adonqes les ditz enfourmours et suggestours soient condempnez a les pursuantz les ditz briefs de dette, en la dite somme de xlli. Et en outre, qe sibien la peyne contenue en tieux briefs patentz, come tout la proces d'ycelles, soient voidez et tenuz pur nulle; et si ascuns tieux briefs appellez sub pena, et certis de causis, et quia datum est < nobis > intelligi, soient suez hors de voz ditz courtz, encountre cest ordinance en temps avenir, qe mesmes les briefs et tout la proces dependantz sur ycelles, soient tout outrement voidez et tenuz pur nulls. May it please your most sovereign lordship to ordain in this present parliament that anyonewho sues out such writs should set out all the reasons and circumstances of his suit in the same writs, and that all those writs, in the courts where they were issued, should be enrolled in those same courts, and made patent, and stand against the defendants in them, without being returned in the same courts; and in case anyone feels himself aggrieved or harassed by these kinds of writ in any matter which can be determined by the common law, let the person thus aggrieved or harassed have the right to bring an action of debt for £40 against whoever sued the same writs, stating in the same writ the reason for his action, the extent to which he was harassed by that writ, and the matter which was able to be determined by the common law; and in the event that it appears to the court where this writ of debt is sued that the matter specified in this writ patent is determinable by the common law, then whoever sues this writ patent should be condemned immediately in the presence of that person who was harassed, to pay the sum of £40. And moreover, may you ordain, by the authority of the same parliament, that in writs called quia datum est nobis intelligi, which are issued from your exchequer, the names of those at whose instigation or information [col. b] such writs are issued should be put on the same writs. And that all those writs thus issued at your suit, or at the suit of a party, should be enrolled and made patent, and stand against the defendants named in them, without being returned to your exchequer, as is stated above in the writs called sub poena and certis de causis. And afterwards, in the event that those who are made to appear in your exchequer by force of such writs are able to excuse, acquit or discharge themselves adequately concerning the accusations and matters put to them by reason of such writs, that they should then have an action of debt for £40 against the same instigators and informers, alleging against them on the same writs patent the reason for their action, inasmuch as the said accusations or information are proved false by the record and are evidently so by the record of the court where those writs of debt may be sued, and that the plaintiffs in the same writs were acquitted, excused, or discharged concerning the matters and accusations thus put to them; whereupon the said informers and accusers should then be condemned for suing the said writs of debt in the said sum of £40. And moreover that both the penalty specified in such writs patent, and all their process, should be cancelled and considered null and void; and if any such writs called sub poena, certis de causis, or quia datum est nobis intelligi are sued from your said courts contrary to this ordinance in future, that the same writs and all the process following from them should be completely annulled and considered null and void.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy soy avisera. The king will consider this further.
XXIV. XXIV. [Fees for probate of wills.]
47. Item, suppliont les communes: qe come les ditz communes sovent foitz ount monstrez a lour graund compleint faitz sibien a vous, tressoverain seignur, come a lour treshonure seignur le roy vostre pier, quel Dieux assoille, en plusours parlementz avaunt ses heures, coment en temps le Roy Edward vostre besaiel, < les > ordinaries de seinte esglise de droit de tout temps advenaunt en vostre roialme usee, ne prendroient pur la probacione de un testament et autres fees a ycelle regardantz, outre ij s. vi d. ou v s. a pluis haut; issint en caas q'ascun ordinarie ou lour ministres alors avoit ou avoient pris pur la probacione d'ascun testament, outre tieux sommes avaunt expressez a pluis haut, q'adonqes mesme l'ordinarie estoit endite d'extorcione en celle partie, pris des lieges le roy, encountre la ley, et sur ceo firent graundes fines devaunt les justices del pees en les countees ou ils furent ensy enditez. Et ceo nient obstant, les ditz ordinaries ore preignont, pur la probacion d'un testament, et autres choses a les offices en ycelle partie regardant, ascun foitz xl s., ou lx s., et ascun foitz pluis, encountre droit et la bone ley alors en cest roialme usee, par colour d'un constitucione ore tarde fait, par le reverent pier en Dieu Thomas, ore tarde l'archevesqe de Canterbirs, del assent d'autres evesqes en lour convocacione, pur qelle cause la testament del testatour ne poet estre execuit en celle partie, solonc la darrein voluntee de mesme le testatour, a graund arrerisment de les communes suisditz; si due remedie en celle partie ne soit purveue a present. 47. XXIV. Also, the commons pray that, whereas the said commons have often complained both to you, most sovereign lord, and to their most honourable lord the king your father, whom God absolve, in many parliaments in the past, how in the time of King Edward [III], your great-grandfather, the ordinaries of holy church by the law always used in your realm in the past took no more for the probate of a will and other fees pertaining to this than 2 s. 6 d. or 5 s. at the most; so that if any ordinary or their officers then took more than this aforesaid amount at the most for the probate of any will, that the same ordinary would then be indicted of extortion for these sums thus taken from the king's lieges contrary to the law, and wouldthereupon pay large fines before the justices of the peace in the counties where they were thus indicted. But notwithstanding this, the said ordinaries now take, for the probate of a will, and other things concerning their offices in this regard, sometimes 40 s. or 60 s., and sometimes more, contrary to justice and the good law which was customary in this realm, by virtue of a constitution which was recently made by the holy father in God Thomas, the late archbishop of Canterbury, by the assent of the other bishops in their convocation; for which reason the wills of some testators cannot be executed in accordance with the last wishes of these testators, to the great damage of the aforesaid commons, unless a suitable remedy is provided on this matter now.
Pleise a vostre tresnoble seignurie, de vostre benigne grace, par consideration suisdite, graciousment ordeiner en cest present < parlement > , qe nulle ordinarie preigne desore enavaunt, pur la probacione d'un testament, ovesqe le inventarie, et pur les autres choses a ycelle regardantz, nient pluis qe ne fuist accustumee et usee en celle partie en temps de vostre dit besaiel; sur peyn de rendre a celuy qe soi sente estre grevee, la treble issint rescieu, s'il voille suer par cours de commune ley. May it please your most noble lordship, from your benign grace, having considered the aforesaid, graciously to ordain in this present parliament that henceforth no ordinary should take, for the probate of a will together with the inventory and the other things pertaining to this, more than was customary and usual in this regard in the time of your said great-grandfather; on pain of paying to him who feels himself to be aggrieved three times the amount thus received, if he wishes to sue by means of the common law.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy < le > voet, tanqe a fyn de l'an prochein avenir, et outre ceo tanqe al parlement mesme l'an procheinement ensuant, par ainsy qe les executours rendent lour accomptes as ordinaries des biens les testatours. (fn. iv-70-302-1) The king wills it, until the end of the following year, and moreover until the parliament following in the same year, so that the executors may render their accounts to the ordinaries for the goods of the testators. (fn. iv-70-302-1)
[p. iv-85]
[col. a]
XXV. Pur l'ercevesqe d'Everwyk. XXV. [Petition from the archbishop of York].
48. Item, supplient les communes, pur Henry archiveqe d'Everwyk: qe come le Roy Adelston jadys roy d'Engleterre, devaunt le conquest, quaunt il prist une voiage vers Escoce pur conquerer la droit de sa corone d'Engleterre, illoeqes promyst et avowa a Dieu, et Seint Johan de Beverley, predecessour a dit suppliant, qe si Dieu luy durroit bone esploit en soun dit voiage, la victorie de sez enemys d'Escoce, q'il voudroit endower l'esglises d'Everwyk, Beverley et Rypon' des libertees et fraunchises profitables pur toutz jours adurers; le qelle Roy Adelston, par la grace de Dieu eu la victorie de sez ditz enemys d'Escoce, et bone esploite solonqe soun desire demesne, apres sa revenue en Engleterre, en accomplissement de soun dit avowe, graunta a Dieu et Seint Johan de Beverley, entre autres la fraunchise et libertee q'ensuyt en cestes paroles: As free mak I the, as hert may thynk, or eygh may see. Et auxi entre autres libertees et fraunchises sibien par les roys d'Engleterre devaunt le conquest, come par les tresnobles progenitours nostre dit seignur le roy jadys roys d'Engleterre puis le conquest, grauntez as predecessours du dit suppliant, il y a tielle libertee et fraunchise: c'estassavoir, qe l'ercheveqe d'Everwyk duyst avoir sez terres en Beverley si fraunchement, qe nulle ministre d'ascun roy d'Engleterre mesmes les terres duist entrer a ascun office a roy appartenant excercer, et qe l'esglise de Seint Johan de Beverley averoit sa pees deins les boundes de soun seignurie illoeqes nome sa leuge, et de mesme la pees defoule l'amendement. Et qe toutz les archevesqes d'Everwyk serroient illoeqes desoutz le roy, mayntenours et protectours, issint qe nully ascune poaire illoeqes excerceroit forsqe les ditz archevesqes; par force des quelles articles, les predecessours du dit suppliant, de temps dount memorie ne court et devaunt, ount eu a Beverley et Rypon', tourne de viscount, et tout ceo qe a celle appartient, et ount faitz, et usez defaire lour baillifs et officers deins mesmes les fraunchises, pur garder la pees, et avoir correccione et punissement de toutz maners felonies, maffaitz, mesprisions, trespasses, et extorsions, et toutz autres causes deins les ditz fraunchises emergeantz. < Ont eu les amercementz > , et issues, et profitz, fynes, chateux de futyves, et de felons, a lour oeps demesne, et toutz maners profitz de tiele correction et punisment emergeantz en la fraunchise suisdit. Et ore tarde nostre dit seignur le roy, par sez lettres patentz, ad graunte, as certeins persones, lour nominantz, .xij. governours ou gardeins de la dite ville de Beverley, et a les burgeys et communaltee de mesme le ville, par suggestione faite a soun hautesse, sur lour subtilitee et ymagination pensez, pur desheriter sa esglise d'Everwyk, q'ils et lour heirs et successours pur le temps esteantz, ou quatre, trois, ou deux de les pluis discretes et sufficiantz persones d'iceux, deussent avoir pur toutz jours plein correccione, punisment, poaire, et auctorite, a conostre, enquerrer, oier et terminer toutz choses et matiers, sibien de toutz felonies, trespasses, mesprisions, et extorcions, come de toutz autres choses et quereles qeconqes deins la dite ville de Beverley, et la purcinct de la libertee d'icelle, en qeconqe manere emergeantz, auxi pleinement et entierment come les gardeins de la pees, et les justices as felonies, trespasses, et autres maffaitz, oier et terminer, assignez ou assigners, et les justices des laborers, servauntz, et artificers, en l'estrythyng en le counte d'Everwyk, hors de ville, purcinct, et libertee avauntditz, lors avoient, ou en temps adonqes avenir averoient, et q'ils, lour heirs et successours, eient a toutz jours, a lour oeps demesne, toutz maners fynes, amercementz, issues, et autres profitz queconqes ent provenantz, a lever et receyver par lour officers; si come en les ditz lettres patentz est contenuz pluis au pleyn: par force de quelles lettres patentz issint faitz as ditz governours ou gardeyns, burgeys, et communaltee, le dit suppliant est destourbe issint q'il ne poet user et rejoier sez libertees et fraunchisez [col. b] grauntez a sez ditz predecessours come desuis est dit. 48. XXV. On behalf of the archbishop of York. Also, the request of the commons on behalf of Henry archbishop of York: whereas King Athelstan, late king of England before the conquest, when he undertook a campaign to Scotland in order to secure the right of his crown of England, promised and avowed to God there and to St John of Beverley, the supplicant's predecessor, that if God granted him a good outcome from his said campaign - that is, a victory over his enemies of Scotland - that he would endow the churches of York, Beverley and Ripon with everlasting lucrative liberties and franchises forever; which King Athelstan, having won his victory over his said enemies of Scotland by God's grace, and secured a good outcome in accordance with his own desire, after his return to England, in fulfilment of his said vow, granted to God and St John of Beverley, besides other things, the franchise and liberty which follows in these words: 'As free make I thee, as heart may wish, or eye may see'. Moreover, besides other liberties and franchises granted both by the kings of England before the conquest, and by the most noble progenitors of our said lord the king, the late kings of England since the conquest, to the predecessors of the said supplicant, there are these liberties and franchises: namely, that the archbishop of York is entitled to hold his lands in Beverley so freely that no officer of any king of England has the right to enter the same lands to exercise any office pertaining to the king; and that the church of St John of Beverley should have its peace within the bounds of its lordship there called its lowy, and that no amendment of this same peace should be allowed; and that all the archbishops of York there should be maintainers and protectors under the king, so that no-one should exercise authority there except the said archbishops. By virtue of which articles, the predecessors of the said supplicant from time immemorial have held the sheriff's tourn at Beverley and Ripon, and all that appertains to this, and have appointed and are accustomed to appoint their bailiffs and officers in the same franchises, in order to keep the peace and have the correction and punishment of all kinds of felonies, wrongs, crimes, trespasses and extortions, and all other causes arising in the said franchises. And they have had the amercements, issues, profits, fines and chattels of fugitives and felons for their own profit, and all kinds of profits arising from such correction and punishment in the aforesaid franchise. Yet recently our said lord the king, by his letters patent, has granted to certain persons calling themselves the twelve governors or keepers of the said town of Beverley, and to the burgesses and community of the same town - following a submission made to his highness which was based upon trickery and scheming, in order to disinherit his church of York - that they and their heirs and successors at the time, or four, three, or two of the most wise and competent persons among them, should have forever full correction, punishment, power and authority to have cognizance, enquire, hear and determine all things and matters both concerning all felonies, trespasses, crimes and extortions, and concerning all other things and suits whatsoever arising in any way whatsoever in the said town of Beverley, and in the precinct of its liberty, as fully and completely as the keepers of the peace and the justices assigned or those who will be assigned to hear and determine felonies, trespasses and other crimes, and the justices of labourers, servants and craftsmen, in the East Riding in the county of York, outside the aforesaid town, precinct and liberty, have now, or may have in future; and that they, their heirs and successors, should have forever, for their own profit, all kinds of fines, amercements, issues, and any other profits arising from them, to be levied and received by their officers; as is more fully specified in the said letters patent: by virtue of which letters patent thus issued to the said governors or keepers, burgesses and community, the said supplicant is so obstructed that he is unable to use and enjoy his liberties and franchises [col. b] granted to his said predecessors as stated above.
Que pleise a soun treshaut et tresgracious seignurie, par l'assent des seignurs espirituelx et temporelx en cest present parlement, de confermer et ratifier, ove clause de licet, a dit suppliant, et sez successours, lour ditz privileges, fraunchises, et libertees, ensemblement ove toutz autres priveleges, libertees, et fraunchises grauntez par sez progenitours et predecessours roys d'Engleterre as predecessours de dit suppliant; non obstantz ascunes interrupcions faitz par les ministres roialx, ou autres, encountre les priveleges, libertees, et fraunchises suisnomez, en especial ou general, ou ascun d'iceux; combien qe le dit suppliant, ou ascun de ses predecessours, les ditz privileges, libertees, et franchises, ou ascun d'icelles, ad mesusez ou non usez devaunt ces heures: et outre ceo, de sa treshabondant grace, par auctorite de cest present parlement, de repeller et adnuller les ditz lettres patentz, as ceux governours ou gardeins, burgeys, et communalte , quant a toutz les articles suisnomez; et de graunter auxi, qe les ditz lettres patentz, par maundement du roy, soient apportez en sa chauncellarie, pur y estre, ovesqe l'enrollement d'icelles, dampnez et cancellez quaunt a toutz les articles suisditz. Considerant, tresgracious seignur, qe vostre graciouse victorie et gracious escomfiture par la grace de Dieu ore tarde a vous, tressoverain seignur, sur voz enemys de Fraunce estoient faitz, le jour de la translacione du dit glorious confessour Seint Johan. May it please his most mighty and most gracious lordship, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal in this present parliament, to confirm and ratify, with clause licet, to the said supplicant and his successors, their said privileges, franchises and liberties granted by his progenitors and predecessors the kings of England to the predecessors of the said supplicant; notwithstanding any interruptions made by any royal officers or others in respect of any of the aforenamed privileges, liberties and franchises, in particular or in general; regardless of whether or not the said supplicant or any of his predecessors has customarily used any of the said privileges, liberties and franchises in the past: and moreover, from his most abundant grace, by the authority of this present parliament, to repeal and annul the said letters patent issued to those governors or keepers, burgesses and community, as regards all the aforenamed articles; and to grant also that the said letters patent should, by order of the king, be taken to his chancery in order to be anulled and cancelled there, along with their enrolment, with regard to the aforesaid articles. Bearing in mind, most gracious lord, that your recent gracious victory and splendid triumph over your enemies of France was achieved by you with God's grace on the day of the translation of the said glorious confessor St John.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Le roy voet, del assent des seignurs espirituels et temporels en cest present parlement esteantz, et a l'especiale request de la communalte de soun roialme en mesme le parlement, qe Henry arcevesqe d'Everwyk, par auctorite de mesme le parlement, eit confirmacione, ove clause de licet, sibien de les privileges, fraunchises, et libertees comprisez deinz ceste supplication, come de toutz autres privileges, franchises, et libertees grauntez par les progenitours et predecessours de nostre dit seignur le roy, jadys roys d'Engleterre, as predecessours du dit archevesqe, nonobstantz ascunes interrupcions faitz par les ministres roialx, ou autres, encontre les privileges, franchises, et libertees du dit archevesqe, en especiale ou generale, ou ascun d'iceux; combien qe le dit archevesqe ou ascun de ses predecessours, les ditz privileges, franchises, et libertees, ou ascun d'ycelles, ont mesusez ou non usez devant ces heures; et qe les lettres patentes as ditz governours ou gardeins de la ville de Beverley, burgeys et communalte de mesme la ville, lour heirs et successours, governours ou gardeins, burgeys et communalte du dite ville, dont cest supplicacione fait mencione, par auctoritee de mesme le parlement, qant a touz les articles nomez en mesme la supplicacione, soient repellez et adnullez pur touz jours; et qe mesmes les lettres patentes, par mandement du roy, soient apportez en sa chauncellerie, pur y estre, ovesqe l'enrollement d'icelles, dampnez et cancellez qant a touz les articles suisditz. (fn. iv-70-309-1) The king wills, by the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal who are assembled in this present parliament, and at the special request of the commons of his realm in the same parliament, that Henry archbishop of York, by the authority of the same parliament, should have confirmation, with clause licet, both of the privileges, franchises and liberties specified in this petition, and of all other privileges, franchises and liberties granted by the progenitors and predecessors of our said lord the king, late kings of England, to the predecessors of the said archbishop; notwithstanding any interruptions made by any royal officers or others in respect of any of the privileges, franchises and liberties of the said archbishop, in particular or in general; and regardless of whether or not the said archbishop or any of his predecessors has customarily used any of the said privileges, franchises and liberties in the past; and that the letters patent to the said governors or keepers of the town of Beverley, and to the burgesses and community of the same town, and their heirs and successors, governors or keepers, burgesses and community of the said town, which this petition mentions, by the authority of parliament, with regards to all the articles specified in the same petition, should be repealed and anulled forever; and that, by order of the king, the same letters patent should be taken to his chancery in order to be anulled and cancelled there along with their enrolment, as regards all the aforesaid articles. (fn. iv-70-309-1)
[memb. 1]
49. Item, supplient les ditz communes, pur Johan Tutbery, Robert Sharp', et plusours autres merchantz et mariners de Hull': qe come la nief le dit Johan appelle Cristofre de Hull', cest present an puis le fest de Pasqe, fuist a Burdeux et la charge ovesqe cclx tonelx de vyn, et autres merchandises, envers ycest parties d'Engleterre, et par election de toutz merchantz, maistres, et mariners d'Engleterre, adonqes la esteantz, le dit Cristofre fuist esluz d'estre un des armiralx de tout la flete d'Engleterre la a Burdeux esteant, de Burdeux tanqe en Engleterre, pur salvacione et saufgarde de tout le dit flete; a temps de qelle eleccione, les chiefs merchantz, maistres, et mariners suisditz, devaunt constable de Burdeux, solonc l'auncien custume de tout temps la usee, furent jurez, qe nulle departeroit de lour admiralx tanqe a lour rivalle en Engleterre, et en venaunt la dite flete de [p. iv-86][col. a] Burdeux vers Engleterre, certeins vesselx appellez carrekes,encontrerount le dit flete, et entre autres vesselx del dit flete, asseillerount le dit nief appelle Cristofre, et combateront ovesqe luy, et toutz les ditz niefs del dite flete la adonqes esteantz s'enfeurent del dit Cristofre, par issint qe la retreer, departir, et non defence del dite flete, le dit Cristofre fuist pris par les enemys en les carrekkes suisditz; et si la dite flete ust demure ovesqe le dit Cristofre, solonc le serement des merchantz, ministres, et mariners suisditz, le dit Cristofre ust eschape hors des mayns des ditz enemyes. XXV. [On behalf of various merchants and mariners of Hull.].
49. XXVI. Also, the request of the commons on behalf of John Tutbury, Robert Sharp, and various other merchants and mariners of Hull: whereas a ship belonging to the said John called Christopher of Hull, this present year, after the feast of Easter [19 April], was at Bordeaux and loaded there with 260 tuns of wine and other merchandise to be taken to this region of England; and, by the election of all the merchants, masters and mariners of England who were then present there, the said Christopher was chosen to be one of the admiral ships of the English fleet which was present there at Bordeaux when it returned from Bordeaux to England, for the protection and safeguard of the whole of the said fleet; at the time of which election, the aforesaid chief merchants, masters and mariners were sworn before the constable of Bordeaux, according to the ancient custom always used there, that no-one would become separated from their admiral until their arrival in England; then, when the said fleet was sailing from [p. iv-86][col. a] Bordeaux towards England, certain vessels called carracks encountered the said fleet, and, among other vessels of the said fleet, attacked the said ship called Christopher, and fought with it, and all the said ships of the said fleet then present there deserted the said Christopher, so that as a result of their withdrawal, departure and failure to defend the said fleet there, the said Christopher was seized by the enemies in the aforesaid carracks; whereas if the said fleet had remained there with the said Christopher in accordance with the oath of the aforesaid merchants, masters and mariners, the said Christopher would have escaped from the hands of the said enemies.
Pleise a vous, tressoverain seignur, considerer coment le dit Cristofre, par defaut del dite flete, a cause de lour retreer et departir encountre lour promys et serement avauntditz, le dit Cristofre, ove les vynes, biens, et merchandises avauntditz, fuist pris par les enemyes suisditz, a graunt anientisment des ditz suppliantz, et velany a tout la naveye d'Engleterre; et sur ceo de vostre haboundant grace grauntier, par auctorite de cest present parlement, qe les possessours et aweneours des ditz niefs de la dite flete, soient chargez devers les ditz suppliantz del value de la dite nief appelle Cristofre, et de la value de toutz les vynes, biens, et merchaundises, deins la dite nief appelle Cristofre adonqes pris; et qe le dit Johan Tutbery eit execucione del value del dit nief appelle Cristofre, et del value des ditz vyns, biens, et merchandises deins la dite Cristofre adonqes prises, pur luy, et pur toutz les merchantz et marchantz, eiantz merchandises, biens, et vynes, deins la dite nief appelle Cristofre, a temps de la pris del dite nief appelle Cristofre, devers les possessours et aweneours de les niefs del dite flete d'Engleterre: issint qe chescun possessour et aweneour de chescuny nief del dite flete soit chargee solonc la quantite et value de sa nief, des biens, et merchandises a mesme le temps de la pris dedeins; et qe chescun possessour et aweneour eit execucione [col. b] devers les merchantz eiantz biens, vynes, et merchandises, deins lour niefs suisditz; issint qe chescun merchant, solonc la quantite de ses biens, vynes, et merchandises < deins > les ditz niefs, soit charge devers les possessours et aweneours suisditz. Et qe le chaunceller d'Engleterre q'ore est, ou qe pur le temps serra, eit poair, par auctorite de cest present parlement, de faire et de agarder execucione al dit Johan Tutbery, pur luy, et pur les ditz suppliantz, devers les ditz possessours et aweneours, de lour biens et chateux, solonc la value del dit nief appelle Cristofre, et biens et merchandises deins ycelle, et solonc les damages qe les ditz suppliantz ount ewez et sustenuz en ascun manere, a cause del prise del dite nief appelle Cristofore, et des biens et merchandises suisditz. XXV. [On behalf of various merchants and mariners of Hull.].
May it please you, most sovereign lord, to consider how, by the desertion of the said fleet, because of their withdrawal and departure contrary to their aforesaid promise and oath, the said Christopher, with the aforesaid wine, goods and merchandise was seized by the aforesaid enemies, to the great loss of the said supplicants and to the disgrace of all the English navy; and thereupon to grant from your abundant grace, by the authority of this present parliament, that the possessors and owners of the said ships of the said fleet should be charged before the said supplicants for the value of the saidship called Christopher, and for the value of all the wine, goods and merchandise in the said ship called Christopher when it was seized; and moreover, to allow the said John Tutbury to have the administration of the value of the said ship called Christopher, and of the value of the said wine, goods and merchandise on the said Christopher when it was seized, for himself and for all the merchants and traders who had merchandise, goods and wine on the said ship called Christopher at the time when the said ship called Christopher was taken there; and this award should be made against these possessors and owners of the ships of the said English fleet, so that each possessor and owner of each ship of the said fleet should be charged, according to the value of his ship, for the amount of goods and merchandise therein taken there at that time; and that each possessor or owner be granted administration [col. b] against the merchants who had goods, wine and merchandise on their aforesaid ships; on condition that each merchant, according to the amount of his goods, wine and merchandise on the said ships, is charged against the aforesaid possessors and owners. And let the present or future chancellor of England at the time have the power, by the authority of this present parliament, to grant and award administration to the said John Tutbury, for himself and for the said supplicants, against the said possessors and owners, from their goods and chattels, according to the value of the said ship called Christopher and the goods and merchandise in it, and in accordance with the damages which the said supplicants have suffered and sustained in any way because of the taking of the said ship called Christopher and the aforesaid goods and merchandise.
[editorial note: Responsio.] [editorial note: Answer.]
Soient ceux qe furent presentz en le fleete appellez devaunt le chaunceller d'Engleterre pur le temps esteant, par auctorite de cest parlement, par tiel processe affaire come a luy meultz semblera de sa sage discretion, et par advys des trois ou quatre justices le roy, et qe mesme le chaunceller auxi pur le temps esteant, par lour advys, de et sur la matere contenuz en la dite peticione, ceo devaunt luy, par tiel resonable voie come luy semblera de pluis expedient en le cas de sa sage discrecione, et par le dit advys trove pur [voir] , eit plein poair par auctorite de mesme le parlement, de ajugger et compeller les merchantz, et les mestres des niefs, presentz en le dit fleete a temps de tiel assaut des carrekkes fait, et issint departantz, de faire aide et contribucione a Johan Tutbery et ses compaignons, des queux mesme la peticione fait mencione, touchant lour perde ceste partie, et qe mesme le chaunceller eit auxi poair, par l'auctorite suisdite, de punir par sa sage discretion, et par l'advys suisdite, toutz ceux par emprisonement de leur corps, qi au temps du dit assaut furent presentz et ensy departantz, qe riens n'ount dount affaire autiel aide et contribucione. Let those who were present in the fleet be summoned before the chancellor of England at the time, by the authority of this parliament, by whatever process seems best to him according to his wise discretion, and on the advice of three or four of the king's justices; and let the same chancellor at the time also, on their advice concerning the matter specified in the said petition here before him, by whatever suitable means seem to him the most appropriate for this matter according to his wise discretion, and once the said advice has been considered, have full power by authority of the same parliament to adjudge and compel the merchants and the masters of the ships who were present in the said fleet at the time this attack was made by the carracks, and who thus fled, to make compensation and payment to John Tutbury and his companions, whom the same petition mentions, for their loss in this regard; and let the same chancellor have the power, by the aforesaid authority, to punish by his wise discretion, and by the aforesaid advice, all those who were present at the time of the said attack and thus fled, by imprisonment of their bodies, unless they provide something for this by way of compensation.

Appendix March 1416

16 March 1416

Westminster

1

Petitions from Robert de Swynnerton of Peynton, esquire, of Shropshire, Thomas Marshall of Hurst in Shropshire, and Roger Lynye of Newport in Shropshire, who were appointed collectors in Shropshire of the tenth and fifteenth granted at the parliament of 1413 but were assaulted and maimed in the course of their duties by Robert Corbet, esquire, and various of his servants, because they had seized various distraints from Corbet; he also threatened them when they petitioned the king for redress at the Leicester and Westminster parliaments of 1414; for which they ask for redress.

Each petition endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent into the King's Bench, and let the justices of the same bench at the time, by authority of this parliament held at Westminster on Monday 16 March in the third year of the reign of King Henry the fifth since the conquest, hear and determine all the business contained in this petition according to their good advice and discretion.'

Source : SC 8/23/1146, 1147, 1148. Printed in full in RP , IV.87-8.

2

Petition from the commons of Cornwall, and particularly the commons of the hundreds of Penwith and Kerrier, complaining that although Henry IV pardoned them payment of the half fifteenth granted to Richard II in 1398, nevertheless John Trewoef, one of the collectors in Cornwall, levied the tax in these two hundreds, which amounted to £100 for the two hundreds, plus a fee of two shillings from each of the sixty parishes which no previous collector had levied; and he kept this money for his own use. They ask that Trewoef be summoned before the council and ordered to repay the money.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time have full power, by authority of this parliament, to provide whatever redress to the aforesaid plaintiffs on the matters contained in this petition seems best to those lords in this case.'

Source : SC 8/104/5161. Printed in full in RP , IV.88.

3

Petition from Henry Lakensuyder, merchant of the city of York, who has had goods of his worth £413 8s. 8d. seized by subjects of the duke of Brittany in various Breton ports in time of truce, and has long sued for redress both to the present king and to his father; he has also tried to secure redress through the ambassadors whom the present king sent to Brittany for this purpose, but without success, and he now asks either for letters of marque and reprisal, or for redress to be made to him from the goods of Bretons currently held in England.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time ordain, by authority of this parliament, whatever shall seem most reasonable to them for the aforesaid plaintiff concerning the matter contained in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/122/6090. Printed in full in RP , IV.88-9.

4

Petition from Richard Skyres and John Bury, merchants of King's Lynn, who, with fifteen of their fellow merchants, while they were going peaceably about their business in Brittany during time of truce in March 1414, were arrested, imprisoned and ransomed for 200 marks in gold by one Henry Castelle, esquire, who also robbed them of various goods; and although the duke of Brittany has agreed to compensate them, they have only received sixty one and a half marks by way of compensation; they thus ask for letters of marque to enable them to secure the residue.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time ordain, by authority of this parliament, whatever seems most reasonable to them for the aforesaid plaintiff concerning the matter contained in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/24/1152. Printed in full in RP , IV.89.

5

Petition from John Sampson of Dartmouth, complaining that one of his ships called the Katherine Benet, loaded with merchandise from the Algarve in Portugal, was seized while sailing past the coast of Brittany in time of truce in December 1415 by certain armed Bretons who imprisoned Sampson and his fellows and demanded outrageous ransoms from them; he asks for redress against the Bretons for the sum of 2000 marks, being the value of the ship and its merchandise, their ransoms, and their costs and damages.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time ordain, by authority of this parliament, whatever seems most reasonable to them for the aforesaid plaintiff concerning the matter contained in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/23/1149. Printed in full in RP , IV.89.

6

Petition from John Fisher, John Droys, Thomas Fisshe, and their fellow merchants of Bristol, complaining that a ship of theirs called the Christopher of Bristol, sailing from Harfleur to Bordeaux, was seized in time of truce off the coast of Brittany by certain Bretons who imprisoned them and detained the ship and the goods it was carrying; they ask for compensation to be ordered amounting to 1200 marks for the value of the ship and its goods, and 300 marks for their costs and damages.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time ordain, by authority of this parliament, whatever seems most reasonable to them for the aforesaid plaintiffs concerning the matter contained in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/23/1150. Printed in full in RP , IV.89.

7

Petition from John Atwood and Robert Hitheger of Devonshire, who were seized off La Rochelle, together with goods worth 640 marks, while sailing in a balinger during time of truce, by John Guyen, knight, and other Bretons in his company; for which they ask that restitution be ordered during this parliament.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time ordain, by authority of this parliament, whatever seems most reasonable to them for the aforesaid plaintiffs concerning the matter contained in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/24/1151. Printed in full in RP , IV.89-90.

8

Petition from Laurence de Platea, merchant of Piedmont, complaining that while under safe-conduct from the king he was wrongly committed to the Fleet prison by the earl of Arundel, former treasurer of England, and then bailed on security of 1000 marks on condition that he would come into the chancery to respond to certain matters whenever he was asked to do so. However, while he was in prison certain of his goods worth £260 or more were seized by the treasurer, who thought that they belonged to Richard Garner, and although he has been promised restitution of these goods, he has still not received them. He therefore asks that they be restored to him.

Endorsed: 'Let this petition be sent to the king's council, and let the lords of the same council at the time ordain, by authority of this parliament, whatever seems most reasonable to them for the aforesaid plaintiffs concerning the matter contained in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/24/1153. Printed in full in RP , IV.90.

9

Petition concerning the holders of Welsh lands in the county of Carmarthen which were formerly seized into the king's hands as escheat because the holders of them died without issue of their body, which was contrary to the Welsh laws applying in those parts, because by those laws the lands should not be escheatable; on 12 November last, therefore, in return for a payment of £1000, the king granted by his letters patent, on behalf of himself and his heirs, that the aforesaid lands should never again be seized as escheat into the king's hands. However, there is some doubt as to whether this also applies to the lands in Carmarthen currently separated from the crown and held of Humphrey duke of Gloucester, and the king is asked to confirm, for the greater security of the duke and his officers, that this grant does not apply to his tenants there.

Endorsed: 'Let it be as requested in this petition'.

Source : SC 8/150/7491. Printed in full in RP , IV.90. See also item 10.

10

Petition reciting the same circumstances as item 9 above, and asking the king, for the greater security of his officers of his duchy of Lancaster, to confirm that his grant does not apply to the tenants of the duchy, currently severed from the crown, in Carmarthen.

Endorsed: 'Let it be as requested in this petition'. 'The commons have given their assent'.

Source : SC 8/150/7489. Printed in full in RP , IV.91.

11

Petition reciting the grant to the king by the commons of tunnage and poundage for life, made in the parliament of 1415; and asking that the terms of this grant be confirmed in all their points by the king, especially that specifying that if any merchant is found concealing imported or exported goods which ought to be customable, he should pay double the value of the subsidy on them, and no more.

Endorsed: 'Let the grant formerly made to the king in this regard be kept and enforced in its entirety, according to the tenor of the same grant'.

Source : SC 8/23/1144. Printed in full in RP , IV.91.

12

Petition from the people of the town of Sandwich concerning a writ issued to the warden of the Cinque Ports ordering him to raise £80 from them to be given to Katherine Kalewartes, a widow from Flanders, as compensation for various goods of hers seized at sea in time of truce which were brought to Sandwich. The people of Sandwich claim that these are worth no more than forty shillings, and have already petitioned to this effect at the parliament of 1415. They now ask that a commission be issued to the duke of Gloucester, warden of the Cinque Ports, to enquire as to the value of the goods and who holds them now, so that the matter can be settled in accordance with the terms of the truces.

Endorsed: 'The king, with the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and at the request of the commons assembled at this parliament held on 16 March in the third year of the reign of King Henry the fifth since the conquest, wishes that, by authority of the same parliament, execution be done on the commission from the king granted to the aforementioned Katherine concerning the aforesaid matter, in accordance with the tenor of the truces formerly arranged between the kingdom of England and the people of Flanders'.

Source : SC 8/23/1145. Printed in full in RP , IV.91-2.

13

Petition from the mayor, bailiffs and citizens of Carlisle - who hold the said city, the river Eden, a fishery in that river, and a stank (gorce) in that river, in fee-farm from the king, paying £80 annually for these, with various rights concerning the fishery and stank - complaining that on 15 March last Thomas Lord Dacre, with a large number of armed followers, came and broke down the stank and destroyed their nets, as a result of which they have lost the profit which they had from the fishery. They request therefore that Dacre be ordered to repair and rebuild the stank and allow them to use it once more, and in future to conduct any business he has with the citizens in a peaceable manner.

Endorsed: 'Let them sue to the common law'.

Source : SC 8/24/1154. Printed in full in RP , IV.92.

14

Petition from Eleanor St-Amand complaining that Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin, by colour of his office of justice of the peace, together with various of his followers and servants, has on several occasions since the death (in June 1405) of Amaury St-Amand, late husband of Eleanor, assaulted and broken into Eleanor's parks at Ampthill and Millbrook (Bedfordshire) and entered her free warren and hunted there without her licence; and they have also assaulted the houses of some of her servants there and robbed and beaten them, and broken down various of her other buildings, and attacked, robbed, seized, imprisoned and otherwise maltreated other servants of hers in Bedfordshire and Berkshire on several occasions between 1405 and 1416, whereby she has incurred damages amounting to £1000. Bearing in mind Eleanor's age and infirmity, and the fact that since Grey is a justice of the peace she cannot secure redress against him while he remains in office, she asks that he be discharged from office and ordered to give pledges to keep the peace towards Eleanor and her servants. She also asks that commissions be issued to justices nominated by the king to certify the truth of these matters.

Endorsed: 'Let the aforesaid Eleanor have commissions of oyer and terminer; and let pledges of peace be taken as requested in this petition, if sufficient pledges of peace cannot already be found on record from the persons alleged to have done these things'.

Source : SC 8/24/1155. Printed in full in RP , IV.92-3. See CPR 1416-22 , 78-9.

Footnotes

  • m1416int-1. Wylie, Henry the Fifth , II.295.
  • m1416int-2. None of them were new creations, however, and this figure was still considerably lower than the norm. Several peers had died in 1415 (e.g. the duke of York, the earls of Arundel, Suffolk and Cambridge, John Lovell and Henry Lescrope), while others were still abroad on active service (e.g. the earls of Dorset and Warwick, and John Talbot).
  • m1416int-3. The confusion arises from the fact that it is not clear whether the returns of the six members from Bodmin, Helston and Dartmouth (two each) refer to this parliament or that of November 1415.
  • m1416int-4. Gesta Henrici Quinti , 122-6. See also the summary given in Thomas Elmham's Elmhami Liber Metricus ,131-2.
  • m1416int-5. Hebrews. x.20.
  • m1416int-6. 'misera et dure cervicis'.
  • m1416int-7. For his career, see HOC , II.158-60. He later became treasurer of the royal household and an executor of Henry V's will.
  • m1416int-8. The chroniclers Adam Usk and John Strecche were however both convinced that Henry had been granted further taxes, but they were confusing this parliament with, respectively, the subsequent and previous one: Chronicle of Adam Usk , 262; Taylor, 'Chronicle of John Strecche', 154.
  • m1416int-9. This is stated explicitly in the Gesta Henrici Quinti (p. 128).
  • m1416int-10. For his visit, see Allmand, Henry V ,105-9.
  • m1416int-11. Not 10 May, as in HOC , I.162. Cf. GestaHenrici Quinti , 130, and Elmhami Liber Metricus , 133, which both say that it reconvened on 4 May.
  • m1416int-12. CPR 1416-22 , 31. HOC , I.162, suggests that it might have ended on 4 June, though no evidence is cited for this.
  • m1416int-13. Historia Anglicana , II.316.
  • m1416int-14. Sigismund was made a Knight of the Garter there, and in return presented Henry with the heart of St George: Allmand, Henry V , 106.
  • m1416int-15. Historia Anglicana , II.317.
  • m1416int-16. Pope John XXIII had been deposed by the Council of Constance in May 1415, and a successor not yet chosen.
  • m1416int-17. This must have been on the first day, 16 March,for that is the date of his restoration to the earldom of Northumberland( CP , IX.175). He had spent the past ten years in Scotland.
  • m1416int-18. St Albans Chronicle , 100; cf. also Elmhami Liber Metricus , 133, where it is said that Henry and Sigismund cemented their accord in parliament.
  • m1416int-19. Wylie, Henry the Fifth , II.323-4.
  • iv-70-11-1. Hebrews x.20
  • iv-70-11-2. Horace, Epistles I.ii.40
  • iv-70-42-1. CCR 1413-19 , 302-3
  • iv-70-56-1. Parliament of November 1414, item 30
  • iv-70-69-1. CPR 1416-22 , 56
  • iv-70-81-1. CPR 1327-30 , 40
  • iv-70-107-1. SR , II.66-7 (c. xviii)
  • iv-70-113-1. SR , II.194-5 (c. v)
  • iv-70-146-1. SR , II.192 (c. i)
  • iv-70-153-1. SR , II.59 (c. xii)
  • iv-70-160-1. SR , II.192-3 (c. ii)
  • iv-70-183-1. SR , I.137-8 (c. ii)
  • iv-70-196-1. Parliament of 1406, items 15, 50
  • iv-70-200-1. SR , II.193 (c. iii)
  • iv-70-218-1. SR , II.153 (c. viii)
  • iv-70-222-1. SR , II.193-4 (c. iv)
  • iv-70-225-1. SR , II.175 (c. i)
  • iv-70-252-1. SR , I.319-20 (c. ii)
  • iv-70-255-1. SR , II.195 (c. vi)
  • iv-70-267-1. SR , II.195 (c. vii)
  • iv-70-274-1. CCR 1419-22 , 33-4
  • iv-70-302-1. SR , II.195-6 (c. viii)
  • iv-70-309-1. CPR 1416-22 , 31