Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 21 Edward I

Coram Rege Roll. Easter, 21 Edward I.

Salop. In the suit of William le Botiler of Wemme, against Walter de Hopton for waste and destruction in Wemme, a jury stated that Walter had cut down twenty oak trees, worth 2s. each, after the death of Matilda his wife. William is therefore to recover their treble value according to statute. Damages £6. m. 34.

Salop. William brother and heir of Gawan le Botiler withdrew his writ against Walter de Hopton for waste and destruction in Hynestoke. m. 34.

Staff. The suit of the King versus Thomas Corbet, for free warren and wayf in Kyngesbromlegh, was adjourned to Hillary term, 22 Edward I., to enable Thomas to produce his charter. m. 35.

Staff. The suit of the King versus Richard de Loges, for the manor of Great Wirlegh, was adjourned to the morrow of All Souls, to be heard before the King. A postscript states that Richard de Breteville the King's attorney appeared on that date, and testified that Richard was dead. The writ was therefore discharged, and the King's attorney was ordered to carry on the suit against the existing tenant of the manor. m. 36.

Staff. William brother and heir of Gawan le Botiler withdrew his writ against Walter de Hopton for causing waste and destruction in Alkementon (Amington).

Staff. Hugh de Otteleye sued William son of Robert de Staundon, Magister Thomas and Warine, the brothers of Robert de Staundon, and Maddoc le Waleys for a trespass. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff was ordered to arrest them and produce them at the Quindene of St. John the Baptist. m. 11, dorso.

Coram Rege Roll. Michaelmas, 21 Edward I.

Staff. In the suit of Quo warranto against Hugh le Blund, who claimed pleas of the Crown and other franchises in Penkriz, Hugh stated that he and his ancestors had held the said liberties from time out of memory, and appealed to a jury. The Sheriff is ordered to summon a jury of twentyfour, of which six are to be Knights girt with the sword, to be coram Rege ubicunque, etc., at the Octaves of Trinity next. m. 37.

Staff. In the suit of the King versus Edmund the King's brother, respecting the advowsons of Wolstanton and Stoke, the attorney of Edmund pleaded that the said vills belonged to the manor and Castle of Newcastle-underLyme, and that King Henry the King's father had granted to Edmund and the heirs of his body the said manor of Newcastle, with the vill and castle and all advowsons of churches pertaining to the said manor, and he appealed to the records of the Chancery of 51 H. III. The King's attorney denied that the advowsons formed a part of the gift, and the Sheriff was ordered to summon a jury of twenty-four as in the last suit, for the Quindene of Easter. m. 38.

Staff. In the suit of Quo warranto against the Dean and Chapter of Penkryz, who claimed view of frankpledge, assize of bread and beer, and infongenthef in Penkryz and More, the Dean and Chapter pleaded they had held the said liberties from time out of memory, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Easter. m. 43.

Staff. In the suit of Quo warranto against Hugh de Audeleye and Isolda his wife, who claimed pleas of the Crown and other franchises in Arleye, Hugh and Isolda appeared in Court and stated they held the said manor for the life of Isolda of the inheritance of Edmund de Mortimer, without whom they cannot answer to the writ. The Sheriff was therefore ordered to summon Edmund, who came and stated that one John de Burgo held the said manor with the said liberties, and which were in use during his time, and John gave the manor with the said liberties to Robert Burnel, who conveyed the manor to the present King, and the King had granted it with the same liberties to Letard de Heny, and Letard, with the King's permission, gave it to Roger de Mortimer the father of Edmund, and they stated he and his father and all who had held the manor had held the said liberties with it from time out of memory, and they appealed to a jury. Hugh and Isolda afterwards produced the Charter of King Edward, dated the fourth year of his reign, granting permission to Letard de Heny and heirs to sell the manor to Roger de Mortimer, to be held of the King in capite for the service of one Knight's fee. The King's attorney pleaded that the said liberties pertained to the Crown, and could not be annexed to a manor so as to pass with it, and the case is adjourned to Trinity term, 22 E. I., reference to be made to the King in the interim. m. 43.

Staff. William de Epwell the custos of William le Botiler sued Walter de Hopton for causing waste and destruction in the inheritance of William in Alkementon and Blore, by cutting down one hundred oaks worth 40d. each, between the 15th year of the King's reign and the date of the writ, viz., 15th July, 21 E. I. Walter denied the waste, and appealed to a jury, and the Sheriff was ordered to make inquisition on the spot. A postscript states that the Sheriff returned the inquisition at Easter, 22 E. I., by which it appeared that Walter within the term specified had cut down one hundred and forty oaks, each worth 12d., in the woods of Alkementon and Blore, viz., in Le Rowenhey and Knolles, and throughout the wood in various places as far as Colebrok, and he had also given four oaks to the men of the country and the King's bailiffs, each worth 18d. It is therefore considered that William should recover triple damages according to statute, viz., £32 8s. m. 45.

Salop. The same William recovered £18 8s. 6d. for waste and destruction caused by Walter de Hopton at Hynstoke. m. 45.

Staff. The Sheriff had been ordered to raise 10 marks from the goods and chattels of John son of John fitz Philip, for a debt owing to the estate of Robert, lately Bishop of Bath and Wells, and he returned that he held the sum penes se. He is therefore ordered to pay it into Court at the Quindene of Hillary. m. 48.

Banco Roll. Michaelmas, 21 E. I.

Staff. Magister Elyas de Napton, parson of the Church of Eccleshale, sued Peter son of Reginald de Stapeleye for half a carucate of land in Eccleshale as the right of his Church, and of which his predecessor Andrew de Derby was seised as of fee and in right of his Church in the time of King Richard. Peter appeared by attorney and took exception to the writ, because the land was in Joniston (Johnstone) and not in Eccleshale, and because Cecilia formerly wife to Reginald de Stapeleye, held a third part of the tenement in dower, and held it on the day the writ was sued out, viz., 6th May, 21 E. I. It afterwards appeared that Peter was under age, and the suit is to remain till his full age m. 120.

Staff. Ralph de Kersewelle and Margaret his wife sued William Germayn of Fenton-Culverd for a third of two parts of two messuages and of two parts of two bovates of land in Fenton-Culverd, which they claimed as dower of Margaret. William did not appear, and had previously made default at Trinity term. Ralph and Margaret are therefore to recover seisin. m. 130.

Staff. Margaret formerly wife of John de Acovere sued Henry son of William fitz Herbert for a third of a messuage, three carucates of land, a water mill, thirty acres of meadow, one hundred and fifty acres of wood, and £10 of rent in Acovere (Okeover) as her dower. Henry called to warranty Roger son and heir of John de Acovere, who is under age and in ward to Margaret, and whose land is in the custody of William de Monte Gomery; and he produced a deed of the said John the father which testified that John the father had given the said tenements to the said Henry with a clause of warranty. The custodians are therefore to be summoned for the Quindene of Hillary, on which day Margaret is to produce the heir in Court. m. 152.

Staff. Roger de Levynton and Petronilla his wife not appearing to prosecute their writ against the Prior of St. Thomas near Stafford for a rent of 2s. 11d. in Cherleton, the suit is dismissed. Their sureties John fitz Elias of Cherleton, and Robert Tunny of Stafford are in misericordiâ.

Staff. John de Arderne sued Magister Adam de Walton, Canon of the Church of St. Cedde of Lychefeld, for four and a half acres of meadow in Elleford. Adam took exception to the writ, because he held a certain dignity in the Church, viz., that of precentor, and which ought to have been stated in it. John obtained permission to withdraw his writ. m. 199.

Staff. Cecilia formerly wife of Henry de Wyvereston sued Magister Richard Crambel and Pavia his wife, and Roes sister of Pavia, for a third of five messuages, two carucates and a half of land, six acres of meadow, fifty acres of wood, eight acres of pasture, and 47s. of rent in Befcote; and she sued Henry de Wyvereston for a third of five messuages, a carucate of land, a mill, and 22s. 4d. of rent in Wyvereston (Worston) as her dower. The defendants appeared, and Henry called to warranty for the dower claimed against him, Richard Crambel, Pavia, and Roes, who are to be summoned for the Quindene of Hillary; and Magister Richard, Pavia, and Roes pleaded that Cecilia was not entitled to dower, because she had not been lawfully married to Henry. A mandate was therefore sent to the Bishop to make inquisition into the facts, and return it at the same date. A postscript states that the Bishop returned that the said Henry and Cecilia had been lawfully married. Cecilia is therefore to recover dower.

The same Cecilia sued Joan the daughter of Roger de Assheley for a third of a toft and thirty acres of land in Befcote, and she sued William son of Adam de Cotes and Margaret his wife for a third of 5s. of rent in the same vill. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff is ordered to take the dower claimed into the King's hands, and re-summon them for the Quindene of Hillary.

Staff. The Abbot of St. Ebrulph, John Asser, and two others, were summoned by William Iracle of Stafford for an illegal distress; and he stated they had taken two horses and two oxen belonging to him, and driven them to the Abbot's manor of Onne, and for which he claimed 40s. damages. The Abbot answered for all the defendants, and stated that William held of him a tenement in Forthyate by fealty and the service of 40d. and suit at his Court of Forthyate and Merston (Marston) every three weeks, and because 4d. of his rent was in arrear, he had taken a horse, and because he had made default at the Court of Merston, he had taken another horse, and as regards the oxen, that William had been elected in Court to collect the rent of Forthyate, and of which service the Abbot was in seisin by the hands of Geoffrey Iracle the father of William; and as the rent was in arrear through the default of William, he had taken two oxen as was lawful. William stated he held his tenement of the Abbot by the service of 40d. and fealty and three appearances annually in the Abbot's Court of Merston, and no service was in arrear at the date of the distress. A jury is to be summoned at five weeks from Easter. m. 230.

Derb. The Sheriff had been ordered to take Richard de Draycote, Knight, and detain him in the King's prison till he had satisfied a debt of £11 16s. 8d. which he had acknowledged to owe to Ralph de Croppil before Michael the jeweller, Mayor of Nottingham, and John de Rempeston, the King's Clerk, deputed to take recognizances of merchants; and he returned that Richard resided in co. Stafford, and held land there sufficient to satisfy the claim. The Sheriff of Stafford is therefore commanded, etc. (as before). m. 235.

Staff. Robert Bek sued Richard son of Philip de Draycote for causing waste and destruction in lands of his inheritance in Tene and Hopton, and which Richard held by the courtesy of England. The Sheriff was ordered to attach Richard for the morrow of the Purification. (A postscript shows successive adjournments of the suit up to Michaelmas, 22 E. I.). m. 228, dorso.

Staff. The King sued Hugh le Blund for a messuage and two carucates of land, excepting sixty acres of land and six of meadow in Penkeryz (Penkridge), by writ of right, and of which Henry the King's great-grandfather had been seised, etc.; and Hugh le Blund stated that Walter Huse had granted all his land in Pencryz to Andrew le Blund his father, and he called to warranty John son and heir of John Husee, the heir of the said Walter, who was under age. Hugh le Louther the King's attorney stated John was of full age, and the Sheriff had been ordered to produce him at this term; and John son of John Husee now appeared, and was of full age, and warranted the tenements to Hugh le Blund and defended his right, and put himself on a jury in the place of the King's great assize (et ponit se in juratam patriœ loco magnœ assisœ domini Regis). Adjourned to the morrow of the Purification. m. 208, dorso.

Warw. The Prior of St. Thomas near Stafford and Thomas de Standon the executors of the will of Roes de Standon, sued John de Montefort for 70 marks. John appeared, and the Prior had permission to withdraw his suit, because Thomas his co-executor had died. m. 136, dorso.

Staff. Matilda, formerly wife of John son of Adam de Norton sued William son of Juliana de Homerwich and Alice his wife for a third of half a virgate of land in Homerwich (Hammerwich) as her dower. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff is ordered to take the dower claimed into the King's hands. m. 101, dorso.