Charter VIII: Pleas of forestall and homesoken to be tried in the Town Court (1397)

VIII.

Charter in the custody of the Town Clerk. 16 February 1397.

Thomas le despenser filius & heres Domini Edwardi le despenser et domine Elizabeth consortis sue Dominus Glamorgancie et Morgancie Omnibus sancte Matris ecclesie filiis ad quos presens scriptum peruenerit salutem. Noueritis nos inspexisse confirmacionem bone memorie domini Edwardi patris nostri nuper domini Glamorgancie & Morgancie quam fecit Burgensibus nostris de kerdyff de libertatibus eorum in hec verba [Hic sequitur prout in carta originali.] Nos vero prefatus Thomas le despenser de gracia nostra speciali concessimus predictis Burgensibus & eorum successoribus quod omnia placita de forstall & homsoken infra libertatem ville nostre predicte aliquo tempore contingencia coram Constabulario nostro qui pro tempore fuerit de cetero placitentur & in hundredo nostro ibidem terminentur. Ratificantes & confirmantes imperpetuum per presentes pro nobis & heredibus nostris omnes predictas libertates tam de nouo per nos concessas quam per predictos antecessores nostros predictis burgensibus nostris de kaerdyf & eorum successoribus prius datas. In cuius rei testimonium huic presenti carte confirmacionis nostre & donacionis nostre predicte sigillum Cancellarie nostre de kaerdyt duximus apponendum. hiis testibus domino Johanne de sancto Johanne tunc vicecomite nostro Glamorgancie domino Willelmo stradylyng militibus Johanne Basset Roberto Walsche armigeris Johanne le Eyr & aliis. datum apud kaerdyf sextodecimo die ffebruarij anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi post conquestum vicesimo.

Endorsed—"Carta dni. Thom. le Spenc^r 2° R. 2." "Dat. hui^s carte XX° Anno Rici. scdi." "Thomas Spencer his confirmation."

Note.—Seal missing. Green silk cords. This Charter, though somewhat stained, is otherwise in fair condition.

[Translation.]

Thomas Le Despenser, son and heir of the Lord Edward Le Despenser and of the Lady Elizabeth his Consort, Lord of Glamorgant and Morgant, to all the sons of holy Mother Church to whom this present writing shall come, greeting. Ye shall know that We have inspected the confirmation of the Lord Edward of good memory, Our father, formerly Lord of Glamorgant and Morgant, which he made to our Burgesses of Kerdyff concerning their liberties, in these words : [Here follows as in the original Charter.] Now We, the beforenamed Thomas Le Despenser, of Our especial favour have granted unto the aforesaid Burgesses and their successors, that all pleas of forestall and homesoken at any time happening within the Liberties of Our aforesaid Vill, shall in future be pleaded before Our Constable for the time being, and shall be determined in Our Hundred there. Ratifying and confirming for ever by these Presents, for Us and Our heirs, all the aforesaid liberties, as well newly granted by Us as formerly given by Our aforesaid ancestors unto Our aforesaid Burgesses of Kerdyf and their successors. In witness whereof to this present Charter of Our confirmation and Our gift aforesaid We have caused the seal of Our Chancery of Kaerdyf to be set. Witness the Lord John de Saint John, Our Sheriff of Glamorgant; the Lord William Stradylying, knights; John Basset, Robert Walsche, esquires; John Le Eyr, and others. Given at Kaerdyf on the sixteenth day of February in the twentieth year of the reign of King Richard the second after the Conquest [1397.]