Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 9 Edward II

Coram Rege. Mich., 9 E. II.

Staff. Petronilla, daughter of William Broun of Stretton, appeared in propriâ personâ against Robert Bannyng of Stretton, in a plea of rape and breach of the King's peace. Robert did not appear, and the Sheriff returned he could not be found and held nothing by which he could be attached. He was therefore ordered to arrest him; and produce him coram Rege at the Octaves of Hillary. m. 4.

Staff. Joan, formerly wife of Philip de Draycote, sued John Hodinet of Weston and Malcolm Wasteneys in a plea that whereas the marriage of Margaret, one of the heirs of Henry de Salt, who was under age, belonged to her, they had taken and abducted her from Hopton vi et armis.

The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff returned the writ reached him too late. He was therefore ordered to attach them for the Octaves of Hillary, and in the meantime to diligently enquire within his bailiwick for the heir, and if found, to produce her at the same date. m. 21.

Staff. A mandate had been sent to the Bishop to produce Coram Rege John Basset, Parson of the Church of Chedle, to answer the plea of Robert de Dutton that he had broken forcibly into his close at Rounhale, and had destroyed his growing corn to the value of £20 by depasturing within it cows, oxen, and horses. And the Bishop returned that he had enjoined the said John to appear and he did not appear. The Sheriff was therefore ordered to attach the Bishop so that he should appear at the Quindene of Hillary, and produce at the same time, John Basset his Clerk. m. 90.

Staff. William de Mere was attached at the suit of William de Thicknes, for taking him at Norton under Kevermount, on the Wednesday before the Feast of the Purification, 6 E. II., and detaining him a prisoner for eight days, and for which he claimed £60 as damages. William appeared and denied the injury and trespass, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for five weeks from Easter. m. 125.

Staff. The Sheriff had been ordered to attach William de Mere by his body, according to the custom of England, and to produce him coram Rege at this term to answer the appeal of Ralph de Neulond for the death of Thomas his brother, and the Sheriff returned that he could not be found within his bailiwick, and the said William afterwards appeared of his own accord, and Ralph the appellator, being solemnly called on the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth days, did not appear. His sureties are therefore in misericordiâ, and the Sheriff was commanded to arrest the said Ralph, and the said William is quit of the appeal, and as the King was not certified of the day and year and other circumstances, by which the said William could be arraigned, the Sheriff and coroner were ordered to make a scrutiny of their rolls and return the information into Court on the Octaves of Hillary, and the said William de Mere was committed in the meantime to the custody of the Marshal. Upon which Roger de Swynnerton, Robert le Marechal, William de Chauldon, Richard de Verney, William de Weston, and James de Podemore, all of co. Stafford became sureties for the said William to produce him at the above term, etc. A postscript states that at Hillary term, the Sheriff made no return and was ordered as before to inspect his rolls and return the information required at three weeks from Easter. m. 135.

Staff. The King sent a mandate to the Sheriff to attach John de Chetewynde the Abbot of Lilleshull, and John de Ipstones, for assembling a large body of armed men and preventing Nicholas de Audley from arresting Vivian de Staundon, junior, who had been indicted before the Justice of Chester for robbing the King's Clerk, Alexander le Couners, near Dynlegh, of a large sum of the King's money which he was conveying to Ireland on the King's service, the said Nicholas having been assigned by the King to arrest the said Vivian, and orders having been sent to all Sheriffs, Bailiffs, etc., to assist the said Nicholas in making the arrest; and likewise for receiving the said Vivian into their retinue, and maintaining him there with all their might (cum toto posse suo). And the Sheriff returned he had attached the said John de Ipstones by William of the Churcheyard and three others named, and as regarded John de Chetewynde the Abbot of Lilleshull, he could not be found and held nothing within his bailiwick. The Sheriff was therefore ordered to distrain John de Ipstones, and to arrest John de Chetewynde and produce them coram Rege at the Octaves of Hillary. m. 136.

Staff. Robert le Beck was attached at the suit of Richard de Grey, in a plea that whereas the King had granted to the said Richard by his Letters Patent the custody of the manor of Maddeley which was in his hand by reason of the minority of Richard Basset, the said Robert on the Monday before the translation of St. Thomas the Martyr, 7 E. II., had broken into the park of the said manor and had chased and carried away twenty bucks and does and for which he claimed £1,000 as damages. Robert appeared and denied the trespass and appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Hillary. m. 64, dorso.

Staff. Magister Peter de Askerne, the parson of the Church of Checkeleye, and Simon le Clerk were attached for the same, and appeared and denied the trespass, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for the same date. m. 64, dorso.

Staff. Margaret, formerly wife of Robert de Esnyngton, by Robert de Wheston her attorney, appeared against John, son of Adam de Whethales, Roger le Personessone of Bysshebury of Esyngton, John Charles, William Eddesone of Shareshulf, Richard de Chelle, John de Bylyngton, Richard Paynel, and eight others, named, in a plea of trespass. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce them at the Quindene of Hillary. m. 32, dorso.

Coram Rege. Hillary, 9 E. II.

Staff. Thomas de Stretton and Alice his wife, Adam de Bradele of Hylton, William de Sharneshulf of Blokeswych, and eight others named, were attached to answer the plea of Margaret, formerly wife of Robert de Esnyngton, that they had broken vi et armis the gates and doors of her house, and six chests at Esnyngton, on the Thursday before the Feast of St. Lucy the Virgin 8 E. II., had cut down her trees, and had taken fish from her fish-ponds, viz., pike, bream, perch, and roach, and had taken linen and woollen cloth, brass vessels, gold buckles, silver cups, mazers and utensils of the house to the value of £200, and for which she claimed £300 as damages. The defendants appeared and denied the trespass and injury, and appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for three weeks from Easter. m. 44.

Staff. The King's attorney, John de Norton, appeared against John de Ipstones and Johnde Chetewynde the Abbot of Lulleshull in a plea that whereas Vivian de Staundon, junior, had robbed the King's clerk, Alexander de Couners, near Dynlegh of a great sum of money belonging to the King which had been sent towards Ireland for the King's service, and of which robbery he had been indicted before the Justice of Chester, and the King had assigned his faithful and beloved Nicholas de Audeleye to arrest the said Vivian wherever he might be found, whether within Liberties or without, and to commit him to the King's prison as we (sic) had enjoined to the said Nicholas by word of mouth, and we had likewise sent to the Sheriffs and bailiffs, and all other ministers and liegemen of the King, strictly enjoining them to assist the said Nicholas in the premises, and if necessary to supply him with sufficient power, etc., the said Abbot and John had nevertheless impeded the said Nicholas vi et armis with a great multitude of armed men, and had received the said Vivian into their retinue, and had prevented the execution of the King's command to the great damage of the King and against his peace. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff had been ordered to distrain the said John de Ipstones, and to arrest the said John de Chetewynde, the Abbot of Lulleshull, and the Sheriff returned Ralph de Fernynghalgh and two others as sureties for John de Ipstones, and that John de Chetewynde could not be found and held nothing within his bailiwick. He was therefore ordered to distrain the said John de Ipstones and to arrest John de Chetewynde, and produce them coram Rege at the Quindene of Easter. m. 89, dorso.

Salop. Philip son and heir of Philip de Chetewynde by Robert de Mousele his custos, appeared against John de Weston, Robert de Hampton, John de St. George, the executors of the will of Hugh de Weston, in a plea of compotus under a recognizance of Statute Merchant. John de Weston and Robert appeared by Attorney, but John de St. George did not appear. The Sheriff was therefore ordered to distrain him, and produce him at a month from Easter. m. 60, dorso.

Staff. William Verney appeared by attorney against William son of Nicholas de Mere, Richard son of John de Mere, William brother of the said Richard, Joan, formerly wife of John de Mere, William Austyn and four others, named, in a plea of trespass. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce them at three weeks from Easter. m. 58, dorso.

Staff. Joan, formerly wife of Philip de Draycote, appeared by attorney against John Hodinet of Weston, and Malcolm Wasteneys in a plea that they had forcibly abducted and carried away from Hopton, Margaret, daughter and one of the heirs of Henry de Salt who was under age and whose marriage belonged to her. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce them at the Quindene of Easter, and to diligently enquire whether the heir was within his bailiwick, and if so, to arrest and produce her at the same term. m. 28, dorso.

Coram Rege. Easter, 9 E. II.

Staff. John de Hughcesdon appeared against Thomas de Aston and Richard and Robert his brothers, Robert son of Thomas de Aston, William Bold, John, son of Robert de Stalynton, and Ralph his brother and two others named, for beating, wounding and ill-treating him at Stafford. None of the defendants appeared and the Sheriff returned they could not be found and held nothing within his bailiwick; he was therefore ordered to put them into the exigend and if they did not appear to outlaw them, and if they appeared to keep them in safe custody and produce them at the Quindene of Hillary. m 88.