Responses to the Articles of the Eyre: (nos 295-341)

[m. 15d] RESPONSES TO THE ARTICLES [OF THE EYRE] (fn. 1)

(nos 295-341)

295. Of those who are in the king's mercy and have not been amerced, they say that the dean and chapter of St. Martin's London and Deodatus Gwilam were in the king's mercy for trespasses of purpresture in the last eyre and have not been amerced.

296. Of those who maliciously demolished or burned down the houses of others within the liberty of the City against the peace, (fn. 2) they say that Brian de Gowiz and William de Ferrers, (fn. 3) with others of their men, at the time when the earl of Gloucester and Hertford occupied the City of London, overthrew the houses of Solomon le Blund and Master Elias, Jews; they destroyed part of the timber and carried off the rest to the Tower of London to build barricades there; Brian and William and the Jews have reached agreement without the king's licence, so to judgment on the Jews. (fn. 4) Thomas de Pylewesden, Stephen Bukerel, Michael Tovi the younger (fn. 5) with others overthrew the houses of Thomas de Basingges in Aldermannebury. Richard de Ware draper burned a great part of Cheap the day before the battle of Lewes, and obstructed the men bringing water to put out the fire when the great combustion occurred.

297. Of boys and girls and ladies who are or ought to be in the king's wardship, they say they know nothing.

298. Of abbeys, priories and hospitals which are or ought to be advowsons of the king, they say that the priories of Holy Trinity London and St. Bartholomew London are advowsons of the king.

299. Of churches, (fn. 6) they say that the church of St. Paul's London and the deanery of St. Martin le Grand and the deanery of St. Peter in the Bailey are in the king's gift, and also the chapel of the Blessed Mary in Jewry. They say that the church of St. Magnus the Martyr is worth £15 yearly and Master Geoffrey de la Wade now holds it by the grant of the prior of Bermundeseie and the abbot of Westminster to whom King Henry conferred the advowson by his charter (fn. 7) as appears in the roll of the penultimate eyre. St. Andrew Huberd, worth 50s. yearly, was given to John de Ramesey by John Sperling. All Hallows Fancherche was given to John clerk of Adam de Strattone by the prior of Holy Trinity. (fn. 8) St. Michael in Cheap, worth 40s. yearly, was given to William le Affeite by the dean and chapter of St. Paul's London. St. Audoen, which is worth little, is in the gift of William Giffard. St. Peter upon Thames is worth 50s. yearly and is in the gift of the dean and chapter of St. Paul's London. St. Alphege is worth 40s. yearly and is in the gift of the dean and chapter of St. Martin's. All Hallows upon the Wall is worth £18 yearly and is in the gift of the prior of Holy Trinity London. (fn. 9) St. Augustine upon the Wall, worth 20s. yearly, is held by the same prior. (fn. 10) All these churches, so it seems to them, should be in the king's gift, unless the claimants have a warrant. So the sheriff is ordered to cause them to appear. Because they make no mention of the church of St. Augustine, (fn. 11) the mayor and the whole City are in mercy.

300. Of serjeanties, (fn. 12) they say that Hugh son of Otto holds a rent of 45s. in the City of London by the serjeanty of engraving the die of the king's money. They say also that there is a messuage in Garscherch street held of the king; John Lerenz holds it from the king by the serjeanty of providing the coal for making the king's crown and regalia and receives 60s. 10d. yearly for finding the coal; but they believe that this is enrolled otherwise at the king's exchequer. Fulk Peisorer holds the serjeanty of Fleet gaol with the Porsoke, (fn. 13) which is worth £18 yearly. A messuage in Thames street is in the serjeanty of the king and Walter Hervi now holds it by the serjeanty of rendering to the king yearly a helmet, (fn. 14) and it is not known by what warrant. So the sheriff is ordered to cause them to appear. Afterwards Walter Hervi comes and says that the messuage belonged to William de St. Ermine (fn. 15) by the king's gift, and that William enfeoffed him and his wife Isabel of the messuage to hold for himself and his heirs in perpetuity, rendering to William and his heirs 1d. yearly and to the king's exchequer 1 mark for all services. The king afterwards confirmed the enfeoffment and Walter proffers William's charter and the king's charter which testify to this, so he is without day.

301. Of those who took money from those who entertained strangers contrary to the provision made in the last eyre, they say they know nothing.

302. Of bailiffs who took bribes from anyone so that they could sell cloths contrary to the assize, they know nothing.

303. Of those who took bribes from the wine-sellers so that they could sell mixed or putrid wine and of those who mixed the wine, they know nothing.

304. Of treasure-trove, they know nothing.

305. Of sheriffs and other bailiffs who held pleas of the crown within the boundaries of the City without warrant, they know nothing.

306. Of Christian usurers alive and dead, who they were and what chattels they had, both moveable and immoveable, they say that Nicholas le Convers and Hugh de Gysorz, living Christians, were indicted before Brother Stephen de Fuleburne who was appointed for this purpose on the order of the king. They come and Nicholas proffers a charter (fn. 16) of the king pardoning of his special grace Nicholas le Convers citizen of London the trespass of extortion, usury and communication with usurers imputed to him and granting him firm peace; he is given authority henceforth to trade in (negociandi) goods and chattels in the realm, so that he is not to be oppressed by the king, his justices or bailiffs on account of this trespass, provided that he conducts himself well and faithfully henceforth. So he is quit. Hugh for good or ill puts himself upon the verdict of the mayor and aldermen who say in the faith in which they are bound to the king that he is not guilty. So he is quit.

307. Of Christians who receive the goods of Jews either in charters or in money, pledges and otherwise, they know nothing.

308. Of Jews who have inflicted cruelty on Christian boys they say that two boys were found killed by Jews, as appears in the roll of the chamberlain and sheriffs, [cf. 551]

309. Of coiners and clippers of coin, they say that William Fot goldsmith was arrested for clipping coin and was hanged. (fn. 17) Chattels 27 marks which Hugh son of Otto received. He had a house, year and waste worth 40s. [blank]; issues of the intervening period [blank]. Afterwards the king ordered that Hugh pay the money into King Henry's wardrobe (fn. 18) as by his writ. So nothing. (Inquiratur.)

310. Of the chattels of aliens, [and] who has them, they say that at present they know nothing. So they are told to enquire further. Afterwards they know nothing.

311. Of the king's mint and exchange, who made exchange or mintage without [leave of] the king or his bailiifs, they say they know nothing.

312. Of fugitive malefactors or burglars who are outlawed and their harbourers and those who fled and returned without warrant and their chattels, they say that Robert le Petit (fn. 19) who lived in St. Clement's Lane harboured an unknown thief who was hanged at Canterbury and now Robert himself is dead. (Inquiratur.)

313. Of bribes taken for sending away corn and other chattels lest they be taken, they say they know nothing.

314. Of new customs levied in the City, they say they know nothing.

315. Of those who are harboured in the City and go out with bows and arrows, greyhounds or other dogs to commit trespasses in forests, parks and fishponds belonging to the king or others and of their harbourers, they know nothing.

316. Of the escape of thieves, they say that John de Frome, (fn. 20) during the shrievalty of Robert de Linton and William Essewy mercer, escaped from the prison of Neugate. So to judgment on the sheriffs for the escape. Likewise Roger de Clere was convicted before the justices and handed over to the bishop of Lincoln and by licence of the sheriffs he was imprisoned at Neugate, during the shrievalty of John de Norhamton and Richard Picard; he broke out of prison and escaped with four others whose names are unknown and who were imprisoned there by the sheriffs. So to judgment on the sheriffs for the escape, but because Roger was not imprisoned in the custody of the sheriffs, they are quit of his escape. Likewise Roger Drinkwater and another twelve whose names are unknown, during the shrievalty of Henry de Frouwyk and Luke de Batencurt, escaped from the prison of Neugate. Henry Walemund sheriff imprisoned Roger Lythfot in his house on suspicion of theft and he escaped from his custody. So to judgment on them for the escapes. John Frome, Roger Drinkwater and [Roger] Lythfot have absconded and are suspected, so let them be exacted and outlawed according to the custom of the City. Nothing is known of chattels. So to judgment on the sheriffs for the amercements and chattels. Of the names of those who escaped . . . Arnald Petri, during the shrievalty of Henry de Coventre and Adam de Bruning, broke out of the prison of Neugate and took sanctuary in the church of the Friars Minor and abjured the realm. No chattels. So to judgment for. . . Likewise Thomas de Barton during the same shrievalty was being pursued by some men and took sanctuary in the church of Aldermannechirche and he afterwards absconded from the church and is suspected, so let him be exacted and outlawed according to the custom of the City. Chattels £4 10s. 8d. for which the sheriffs are to answer; since they concealed the chattels in their roll they are in mercy, [cf. 591]

317. [m. 16] Of gaols delivered without warrant of the king or his justices in time of peace, they know nothing.

318. Of those imprisoned at the will of bailiffs without reasonable cause, they know nothing.

319. Of damages and prises taken from strangers by whom it was done and when and where and by whose authority (in cuius potestate) and of what things, they know nothing.

320. Of bailiffs and others who took prises in the name of the king for the use of themselves or others which did not come into the king's hand, they know nothing.

321. As to whether the provisions made by the justices of the last eyre (fn. 21) at the Tower of London concerning the making of attachments both in pleas of the crown and in assizes of novel disseisin and others are well kept, they say that the chamberlain and sheriffs answer for this and they know nothing further.

322. As to whether any large sum of money was collected at the entrances and exits of the gates of the City of London, for the repair of the walls of the City and other operations in the City and whether any money was collected as tax in the City by the mayor, sheriffs and aldermen or others who took money and what became of the money, they say they know nothing.

323. As to whether any tallage was levied whereby the poor were burdened and the rich exempt, they know nothing.

324. Of sheriffs and other bailiffs who have taken money from those accused of homicide that they might be released by pledges, when they should not have been released without the king's command, they say that the sheriffs can release by pledges all those who are of the liberty of the City until the arrival of the justices, of whatever felony (latrocinio) they are accused; on condition that each pledge is able to answer to the king for 100s. (fn. 23)

Nota 96 [no text; cf. 524 no. 96].

325. Of bailiffs who take fees from both sides (ambidextris), they know nothing.

326. Of sheriffs and other bailiffs who have imprisoned those who were accused of theft by indictment and detained them until they received payment from them, they know nothing.

327. Of sheriffs and other bailiffs who took money twice for one amercement, they know nothing.

328. Of those who distrain a man to pay more than the sum in which he was amerced, they know nothing.

329. Of those who distrain several people having one name, they know nothing.

330. Of those who undertook to have a man before the justices and did not have him on the first day, they say that at present they know nothing but will inquire further.

331. Of those who made extracts (extraxerunt) of the king's writs, they know nothing.

332. Of money taken for the default of those who do not come on the sheriffs' summons, who took it and how much, they know nothing.

333. Of money taken from those who have been excommunicated, they know nothing.

334. Of broken bridges, they know nothing.

335. Of felons hanged and condemned elsewhere than before the justices in eyre (ad omnia placita), nothing.

336. Of the chattels of Jews who have been killed, nothing.

337. Of those who do not permit the king's bailiffs to enter their lands to serve summonses, nothing.

338. Of bailiffs who have taken money for removing recognitors (recognicionibus), nothing.

339. Of those who fish with keddles and fishtraps, nothing.

340. Of those who were summoned and did not come (fn. 24) on the first day, they say that the following did not come on the first day: the abbot of Newenham, Robert earl of Ferar, the prior of Simplingham, the dean and chapter of Cycestre, the abbot of Kirkestede, Henry de Audeley, John de Colecestre chaplain, the abbot of Westminster, Eudes la Zouche, Reginald de Grey, Roger de Clifford the elder, Master William de la Corner, the prior of Coventre, Maud widow of Robert Walraund, William de Valence, the abbot of St. Edmunds, the prior of Thefford, Philip Marmion, Roger Loveday, the prior of Ware, the master of the Knights Templar in England, Ralph Dongon, the dean of St. Martin's London, Juliana widow of Thomas de la Forde, Robert [? son of] Fulk, Bartholomew de Brianzon, James de St. Victor, the abbot of Stratford, John de Vallibus, the abbot of Shrewsbury. So they are in *mercy. [cf. 526, 528]

341. Of escheats, they say that John le Cofrer holds a messuage in the ward of Cheap which belonged to William le Fot goldsmith, who was convicted and hanged for felony, (fn. 25) worth 40s. yearly; John de Mundene holds a tenement in Aledemannebury which belonged to Robert de Cambridge who was convicted of felony at Canterbury, (fn. 26) worth 20s. yearly. Thereupon John le Cofrer comes and says that he holds the messuage of William de Faukeham (fn. 27) to whom it was given by King Henry. He proffers a royal charter testifying that the king gave him all the houses with appurtenances in the City of London which belonged to William and which were his escheat by reason of the felony which William committed and for which he was hanged, to have and to hold for himself and his heirs in perpetuity, saving the right of anyone in performing the due and accustomed services. Likewise John de Mundene comes and says that he holds the tenement from Henry de Otington clerk, to whom it was given by King Henry as his escheat, for Henry and his heirs to have and hold in perpetuity from the chief lords of the fee, and rendering the due and accustomed services. So they are to have their seisin.