Memorials: 1359

Inquisition as to a murderous attack upon certain Lombards, in the Old Jewry.

33 Edward III. A.D. 1359. Letter-Book G. fol. lxxix. (Latin.)

"Inquisition taken before John Lovekyn, Mayor of the City of London, and John de Chichestre and Simon de Benyngtone, Sheriffs of the same city, on the 8th day of the month of October, in the 33rd year etc., to enquire what malefactors and disturbers of the peace of our Lord the King, with envious insolence and rancour, maliciously did perpetrate a certain dreadful affray, in an attack made by certain mercers of the City aforesaid upon some merchants of Lombardy in the same city dwelling; and with force and arms did beat, wound, and dreadfully maltreat, one Francisco Bochel and other Lombards in the said city, under the protection of our Lord the King being; and as to other articles and matters, as in a certain writ of our Lord the King, to the aforesaid Mayor and Sheriffs thereon directed, and to this Inquisition sewn, is more fully contained; upon the oath of Geoffrey Lovekyn and eleven others.

"Who say upon their oath, that on the Monday next after the Feast (fn. 1) of St. John the Baptist, in the 31st year etc., Henry Forester, mercer, Thomas de Meldone, mercer, and John Meleward, mercer, made a certain dreadful affray in the Old Jewry, in the Ward of Colemanstret, in London; and of malice aforethought by force and arms did make assault on certain persons, namely, Francisco Bochel and Reymund Flamy, Lombards, and did wound, beat, and maltreat them, and, against the peace of our Lord the King, commit other enormities against them. They say also, that Richard Phelip, mercer, abetted the said persons in making the affray and trespass aforesaid; and that the aforesaid Richard Phelip was present when the deeds aforesaid were committed; but that the same Richard did not strike Francisco and Reymund aforesaid. It was enquired of the said jurors, if any other persons had committed or perpetrated the offences and excesses aforesaid, or were present thereat, or gave aid or abettal to the same, or gave any cause for the same. They said that to their knowledge, they did not. In witness whereof, the jurors aforesaid have to this inquisition set their seals. Given at London, the 8th day of the month of October, in the 33rd year of the reign of King Edward, after the Conquest the Third."

Royal mandate for Inquisition as to a theft at the House of the Crutched Friars; and Inquisition held thereon.

33 Edward III. A.D. 1359. Letter-Book G.fol. lxxviii. (Latin.)

"Edward, by the grace of God etc., to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London, greeting. We do command you that, upon the oath of good and lawful men of the city aforesaid, by whom the truth of the matter may be best known, you make diligent inquisition what malefactors and disturbers of our peace have taken vestments, books, and other muniments belonging to the Prior and Brethren of the Order of the Holy Cross at London, (fn. 2) as also, the Common Seal of the same house, and the Bulls Apostolic touching the Order aforesaid, in the mansion of the said Prior and Brethren by them found, by force of arms, and carried away the same; and other enormities have there committed, to the damage of the house aforesaid, and against our peace. And the Inquisition thereupon, distinctly and openly made, you are to send without delay unto us in our Chancery, under your seals, and under the seals of those by whom the same shall have been made, and this writ. Witness myself, at Westminster, the 3rd day of October in the 33rd year of our reign in England, and in France the 20th."—

"Inquisition taken before John Lovekyn, Mayor of the City of London, John de Chichestre and Simon de Benyngtone, Sheriff of the same city, on the Saturday next after the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist [18 October] in the 33rd year of the reign of King Edward the Third etc., to enquire as to all and singular the articles contained in a writ of our Lord the King, to this Inquisition sewn; upon the oath of John Bretoun and eleven others.

"Who say upon their oath, that Brother Robert de Stannowe, Brother John de Dunmowe, and Brother Richard de Evesham, belonging to the Order of the House of the Church of the Holy Cross, near to the Tower of London, are three malefactors and disturbers of the peace of our Lord the King.

"They say also, that between the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June], in the 33rd year etc., and the end of St. Michael [29 September] then next ensuing, by force of arms they took, and, against the peace of our Lord the King, carried off, one chalice, two sets of vestments, four Portifories, (fn. 3) two Psalters, one book called 'Legends of the Saints,' one Epistolar, one set of Institutes, (fn. 4) the Common Seal of the house aforesaid, fifteen Bulls Apostolic concerning the Order of the Prior and Convent of the Church aforesaid, and many other remembrances and muniments touching such Order; as also, other goods and chattels, namely, linen and woollen cloths, to the value of 87l. 13s. 4d., found at the mansion of the said Prior and Convent, the goods of the Church aforesaid, against the will and assent of the said Prior and Brethren; and other enormities did there perpetrate; to the damage of the same house, and to the injury of the liberty of Holy Church dedicated unto God, and the subtraction of divine worship in the Church aforesaid. In witness whereof, the jurors aforesaid have hereto set their seals. Given at London, the day and year above-mentioned."

Proclamation made against Vagrants within the City.

33 Edward III. A.D. 1359. Letter-Book G. fol. lxxviii. (Norman French.)

"FORASMUCH as many men and women, and others, of divers Counties, who might work, to the help of the common people, have betaken themselves from out of their own country to the City of London, and do go about begging there, so as to have their own ease and repose, not wishing to labour or work for their sustenance, to the great damage of such the common people; and also, do waste divers alms, which would otherwise be given to many poor folks, such as lepers, blind, halt, and persons oppressed with old age and divers other maladies, to the destruction of the support of the same:—we do therefore command, on behalf of our Lord the King, whom may God preserve and bless, that all those who go about begging in the said city, and who are able to labour and work, for the profit of the common people, shall quit the said city between now and Monday next ensuing. And if any such shall be found begging after the day aforesaid, the same shall be taken and put in the stocks on Cornhulle, for half a day the first time; and the second time, he shall remain in the stocks one whole day; and the third time, he shall be taken, and shall remain in prison for 40 days, and shall then forswear the said city for ever. And every constable, and the bedel of every Ward of the said city, shall be empowered to arrest such manner of folks, and to put them in the stocks in manner aforesaid."

Account of William Sunnyngge, Carpenter, as to moneys expended by him, as Trustee, on the repairs of a house in the Parish of St. Michael, Cornhulle.

33 Edward III. A.D. 1359. Letter-Book G. fol. lxxxiii. (Latin.)

Paid to a tiler for two days' wages, for tiling the rooms of the said tenement, (fn. 5) at 7d. per day, 14d.; for his man, the same time, 10d.; for their drink, 2d. Also, for 500 tiles, 4s.; for a cart-load of sand, 4d.; for 6 sacks of lime, 12d.; for two small wedges, 12d.; for 2 plates for a gutter, 2s.; for 4 cart-loads of stone for the pavement, 10s.; for 24 cart-loads of gravel, 8s.; for paviers' work, 6s.; for timber and ponchouns (fn. 6) to mend the walls, 3s. Also, for 1500 lathes, (fn. 7) 2s. 3½d.; for 1500 trasonnail, (fn. 8) 18d.; for 1500 sprigges, (fn. 9) 15d.; for nails, 4d.

Also,—for a carpenter's wages for two days, 14d.; for 12 cartloads of lom, (fn. 10) 4s.; for 9 sacks of lime, 18d.; for 3 cart-loads of sand, 12d.; for one workman's wages for daubing, (fn. 11) 9 days, at 7d. per day, 5s. 3d.; for his man the same time, at 5d. per day, 3s. 9d.

Also,— another time, for timber bought for repairing the rooms of the house, 12s.; for a carpenter's wages for four days, at 8½d. per day, 2s. 10d.; for soldering a gutter, 12d.; for candles used in doing it, one penny; paid a tiler and his man, for one day, 13½d.; for heightening a room of the said tenement, and for two engines hired for the same, for 2½ days, 2s.; paid three men for setting piles, and fo ramming the same,r (fn. 12) 2s.; paid a carpenter for 2½ days, 20d.; paid two carpenters for 2½ days, at 7½d. per day, 3s. 1½d.; for their drink, the same time, 2d.; for 6 piles and 4 bases, 5s.