Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 20 Edward II

Pleas of the Crown at Tamworth before John de Stonore etc. (as before), on the Friday before the Feast of St. Margaret, 20 E. II.

John de Boulewas, William son of William de Caynton, Henry de Sogedon, and Richard son of Robert de Onyleye taken for the death of John de Couleye, being asked, etc., stated they were not guilty, and the said Henry put himself on the country, and the others stated they were Clerks and were claimed by the Bishop's deputy as Clerks. A jury found they were not guilty.

John brother of James de Stafford and William his brother, taken for the death of John de Picheford, pleaded they were Clerks and were claimed as such by the Bishop's deputy. They were acquitted by a jury.

William son of Robert de Hatton, taken for the death of Roger de Hatton, stated he was not guilty, and put himself on the country, and was acquitted by a jury. m. 6.

William, son of William le Champioun of Little Sardon, William, son of Adam de Stratton, Roger de Stretton and Robert, son of Simon le Wrughte, of Apeton, taken for the death of Robert, son of William de Draycote, feloniously killed at Stretton about the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 18 E. II., being asked, etc., the said Robert, son of Simon, stated he was not guilty and put himself on the country, and the said William, William, and Roger stated they were Clerks, and could not answer without their Ordinaries, and Ralph, the Bishop's deputy, claimed them as Clerks, and in order that it might be known, etc., the Sheriff was ordered to summon a jury to be at Tamworth on the Saturday before the Feast of St. Margaret. And the prisoners were committed to the custody of William de Erkalewe, the Sheriff. A postscript states that the jury acquitted them all.

Roger, son of Roger de Swynnerton, taken for the death of William Wolf of Herlaston, killed at Hopewas about the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, 18 E. II., being asked, etc., stated that the King had pardoned him for all homicides committed before Christmas Day, 18 E. II., on condition he found sureties for serving him in the Duchy of Aquitaine, before Richard Damory the Steward of the King's Household, and he produced the King's Letters Patent to that effect, dated from Beaulieu, 16th April, 18 E. II. The said Roger also produced the King's close writ addressed to the Justices, stating that the King had heard from the testimony of his beloved and faithful Ralph Basset, of Drayton, that the said Roger, son of Roger, had served in his retinue in the Duchy of Aquitaine from the time that John de Warren, Earl of Surrey, had arrived in those parts until the return of the said Earl. (Dated from Westminster, 30th June, 19 E. II.). And the said Letters and the indictment having been inspected by the Justices, it appeared from the indictment that the said felony had been committed after the Christmas Day named in the King's writ, so that the King's letters of pardon would not avail him, and the said Roger pleaded that notwithstanding the indictment stated that the said felony had been committed about the Feast of St. Peter and Paul, 18 E. II., the said William, for whose death he had been arraigned, was not alive at the date of Christmas named in the King's letters of pardon, and he appealed to a jury on this point, and Philip de Somerville, Hugh de Meynil, Ralph de Grendon, Vivian de Chetewynde, William de Wolseleye, Thomas de Rolleston, William de Boweles, Hugh de Aston, Richard de Delves, John de Okovere, William de Piletenhale, and Robert Flemyng, jurors, stated on their oath that the said William Wolf, for whose death the said Roger had been arraigned, was not alive at the date of the Feast of Christmas named, but died about the Feast of St. Peter ad Vincula, before the Christmas Day named. The said Roger son of Roger was therefore acquitted by the King's grace. m. 6, dorso.

Thomas de Haulton, Knight, taken for sending and abetting the said Roger son of Roger in the commission of the same felony, appeared, etc., and because the said Roger son of Roger has been acquitted as appears above, the said Thomas was released. m. 6, dorso.

William, son of Richard de Burton, and Richard his brother who had been indicted for wounding and beating Nicholas le Barbour the Bailiff of Stafford, pleaded guilty, and were committed to the custody of the Sheriff. They afterwards prayed they might make fine with the King for the said transgression, and they were each fined half a mark, for which Richard de Bylyndon and Vivian de Chetewynde were their sureties. m. 7.

The Sheriff had been ordered to produce on this day Thomas de Pipe and Margaret his wife, John son of Thomas de Stafford, William de Hastang, Roger de Pipe of Lichefeld, and Robert le Slyndon, to answer for various transgressions of which they had been indicted, and the Sheriff had done nothing; he was therefore commanded to produce them at Tamworth on the Feast of Pentecost. m. 7.

William le Champioun, William son of Walter de Stafford, John son of Henry de Heywode and Richard his brother, and John brother of James de Stafford who had been indicted by the juries of Cutheleston and Pyrhull for riding armed in co. Stafford at various times to the terror of the people and against the King's peace, did not deny that they rode armed as stated, but denied they had done so to the terror of the people, and put themselves on the King's grace, and they were committed to the custody of the Sheriff. They were afterwards admitted to bail, Roger Corbet, Hugh de Meignil, Ralph de Grendon, John de Draycote, James de Stafford and Richard de Falde being sureties for John brother of James de Stafford; and William son of Walter de Stafford, and John de Draycote, Henry de Heywode, James de Stafford, Richard de Falde, Roger de Levyngton and Richard de Smalrys being sureties for John son of Henry de Heywode and Richard his brother; and Vivian de Chetewynde, Robert Flemyng, Roger de Somerford, Richard del Bourgh of Halghton, Richard de Bylynton, and Robert de Dodyngton being sureties for William le Champioun, to produce them before the King and Council, on the Monday the Octaves of St. Michael. m. 7.

William de Ipstanes, William de Chetelton, Thomas de Brumpton, William le Waleis of Lichefeld, Thomas de Barynton, Knight, Geoffrey Byroun, Thomas de Grenewaye and William le Smyth of Brumpton did not appear, and the Sheriff returned they could not be found. He was therefore commanded to produce them before the Justices at Tamworth on the Thursday in the week of Pentecost.