Memorials: 1354

Letter Testimonial from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, to the Pope, in behalf of Cesario, Bishop of Sancta Maria de Rosis.

28 Edward III. A.D. 1354. Letter-Book G. fol. xvii. (Latin.)

Letter sent to our Lord the Pope, (fn. 1) by Adam Fraunceys, Mayor, the Aldermen, Sheriffs, and all the Commonalty, of the City of London, in behalf of Cesario, Bishop of Sancta Maria de Rosis, under Seal of the Mayoralty.—

"Most holy and most excellent Father and Lord. Be it known unto your Holiness, that whereas the Reverend Father in Christ, and Lord, the Lord Cesario, by the grace of God, Bishop of Sancta Maria de Rosis, is a prelate sufficiently well learned in the pursuits of letters, descended of noble blood, devout, humble, virtuous, and exemplary in words and in manners, as unto all of us is truthfully known, and as from long experience we have learned: hence it is that, most devoutly recommending him to your most excellent Holiness, we do most humbly implore and entreat your Highness, that of your especial favour you will translate him to some other bishopric, and a more wealthy, seeing that from his own he cannot now obtain a sufficient maintenance, by reason of the poverty thereof; or else that, for God's pity, it will please you to provide him with some benefice from which he may have a competent subsistence, and to grant, of your especial favour, that if any persons, moved by piety, for the love of God, shall wish to confer the same upon him, he may accept of benefice and duties, both with cure and without cure, to the amount of 200 pounds sterling. Most holy and most excellent Father and Lord, may Almighty God, of His most excelling pity, give you gracious and long life, and may He preserve you for the rule of His Holy Church, and of all people in Christendom. Amen."

Inquisition by Surgeons as to the treatment of a wound.

28 Edward III. A.D. 1354. Letter-Book G. fol. xviii. (Latin.)

Be it remembered, that on the Monday next after the Feast of St. Matthias the Apostle [24 February], in the 28th year etc., the Prior of Hogges, (fn. 2) Master Paschal, Master Adam de la Poletrie, and Master David de Westmerland, surgeons, were sworn before the Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs, to certify them as to a certain enormous and horrible hurt, on the right side of the jaw of Thomas de Shene appearing; whether or not such injury was curable at the time when John le Spicer of Cornhulle took the same Thomas under his care, to heal the wound aforesaid.

Who say, upon their oath, that if the aforesaid John le Spicer, at the time when he took the said Thomas under his care, had been expert in his craft or art, or had called in counsel and assistance to his aid, he might have cured the injury aforesaid; and they further say that, through want of skill on part of the said John le Spicer, the said injury under his care has become apparently incurable.

Enactment that the Aldermen and other Citizens shall be fined, if not punctual in their attendance at the Guildhall.

28 Edward III. A.D. 1354. Letter-Book G. fol. xix. (Latin.)

A Congregation of the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and an immense multitude of the Commonalty, on the Saturday next after the Feast of St. Dunstan [19 May], in the 28th year etc.; at which congregation were present the wiser and wealthier men of all the Wards of the city aforesaid.—

At this congregation it was ordered and granted, that when in future the Aldermen and other citizens of the City of London should be summoned to be at the Guildhall of London, on arduous business touching the Commonalty of the city aforesaid, and should not be there at the time of Prime (fn. 3) being rung at St. Paul's, they should be amerced in the sum of two shillings; the same to be levied to the use of the Commonalty.

Request by King Edward that the name of Robert de Thame, an offender, may be removed from a tablet in the Guildhall.

28 Edward III. A.D. 1354. Letter-Book G. fol. xix. (Latin and Norman French.)

(fn. 4) Our Lord the King sent his writ, under his Privy Seal, to the Mayor and Aldermen, in these words.—

(fn. 5) "Edward, by the grace of God etc., to our well-beloved the Mayor and Aldermen of our city of London, greeting. Robert de Thame, citizen and mercer of our said city, has shown unto us, that whereas the said Robert and other four of his fellows were lately impeached in our said city for a certain offence (fn. 6) imputed to them, and the said Robert was punished for the same offence by fine and imprisonment of his body, and in other manner, so far as the law allowed; nevertheless, over and above the punishment aforesaid, you have caused the name of the said Robert to be hung up in your Guildhall, upon a tablet there, together with the names of his four fellows aforesaid; to the everlasting scandal and undoing of his estate, and otherwise than has been done or accustomed heretofore in such a case; as to the which he has entreated of us, as a work of charity, our aid and redress. And we, having compassion for his state, and, more especially, at the request of Isabel, (fn. 7) our most dear daughter, who has entreated us most urgently in his behalf, do dearly pray you, as you at other times do pray, that, holding deliberation and counsel on this matter among yourselves, you will cause the name of the said Robert to be removed from the tablet before-mentioned, and will kindly order that he be restored to the freedom of the said city, in such manner as he was before the impeachment aforesaid. Upon doing the which, we will greatly thank you for the same. Given under our Privy Seal, at Westminster, the 7th day of June, in the 28th year of our reign in England, and in France the 15th."

(fn. 8) And be it known, that this letter was delivered unto Adam Fraunceys, Mayor, Roger de Depham, William de Welde, William de Todenham, Symon de Worstede, Symon Dolsely, Aldermen, and John Little, Sheriff, on the Wednesday next after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June] in the 28th year.