Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 5 Edward II

Coram Rege. Mich., 5 E. II.

Staff. Henry de Harecourt, Robert le Brune, John de Erberton, William son of Jordan de Halghton, Richard Pachet, and six others named, were attached to answer the plea of Richard de Dockeseye, that they had broken into his close at Bylynton vi et armis on the Monday after the Feast of St. Luke, 3 E. II., had cut down his trees to the value of 100s., and done other damage for which he claimed £20 as damages.

The defendants stated they were tenants in Bylynton, and had rights of common in a place called Hughesfeld during the open season and in every third year throughout the whole year, and that the said Richard had enclosed the place and they had broken down the fences as was lawful. Richard stated the place in question was his severalty and had been so from time out of memory, and he appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Easter. m. 62, dorso.

Staff. Ralph Bassett of Chedle, Robert de Tylyngton, and two others were attached to answer the plea of the Prior of Ware, that they had come vi et armis by night and taken fish from his pool at Merston (Marston), and he stated that on the Wednesday before the Feast of the Purification, 3 E. II., they had taken perch, roach, pyke, tench, and bream to the value of £20, and had done other damage, and for which he claimed 100 marks. The defendants denied the trespass and appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Hillary. m. 17, dorso.

Staff. William Underhull of Wednesbury sued John de Herunville and Juliana his wife, John Cosyn and two others named, in a plea of trespass and the Sheriff had been ordered to distrain John and Juliana and to arrest the others, and he now returned 5s. into Court. He was ordered to distrain again, and produce the defendants at the Octaves of Hillary. m. 9, dorso.

Coram Rege. Hillary, 5 E. II.

Staff. William de la Breche of Cublesdon, by his essoin appeared against Geoffrey son of Agnes Cloudy, Robert son of Henry de Swynurton, John Broun del Bech, and six others named in a plea of trespass. (fn. 1) None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach them, and he returned that the said Robert son of Henry was dead, and that the others could not be found and held nothing, &c. He was therefore ordered to arrest and produce them at three weeks from Easter. m. 14.

Staff. John the Prior of Stone appeared by essoin against Richard de Warilowe of Fotesbrok, William son of Simon Pare, John son of John Abel, and Hugh Note, in a plea of trespass, and they did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach them, and he returned that the said Richard had been attached by Richard de Dukeseye and Hugh his brother. They are therefore in misericordiâ, and as regards the others the Sheriff returned they could not be found, and held nothing, etc. He was therefore ordered to distrain the said Richard and to arrest the others and produce them at three weeks from Easter. m. 53.

Staff. Adam le Smythessone of Covene and Sibil his wife were attached to answer the plea of John de Aldenham, that they had come, together with Roger son of Ralph de Wyverstone, Emma, formerly wife of William atte Wode, Peter son of Ralph de Wyverstone, and Susan his wife, Joan daughter of Susan, and Juliana daughter of Susan, and had forcibly broken into his close at Covene, on the Tuesday after the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, 4 E. II., and had taken his goods and chattels, viz., linen and woollen cloth, and utensils of the house and other goods to the value of 60s., and for which he claimed £10 as damages.

Adam and Sibil appeared and denied the trespass, and stated that the said John had made a fence which crossed the common road leading to the common of pasture at Covene Wode, where they had a right of way for all their animals, and that they with the others had thrown down the fence as was lawful, and they appealed to a jury. And the said John stated that the close was on his several soil and that the defendants had broken into it as above stated, and he appeared to a jury, which is to be summoned for a month from Easter. m. 62.

Leye. Whereas Peter de Gresleye acknowledged in the Curia Regis in 22 E. I., that he owed for himself and his heirs to Robert de Brantingthorp, junior, 20s. annually for the life of the said Robert, to be received annually by the said Robert at Xmas from the manor of the said Peter of Norton, as was shewn by the rolls of the said Court, and that 40s. of the said recognisance was in arrear for the two last years, as stated ex parte the said Robert, the Sheriff had been ordered to summon the said Peter at the octaves of the Purification, to shew cause why the said 40s. should not be raised from his goods and chattels to the use of the said Robert, and the Sheriff now returned that the said Peter was dead, and that Joan formerly wife of the said Peter held the Manor of Norton. The Sheriff was therefore ordered to summon the said Joan to appear coram Rege at the Quindene of Easter, etc. m. 77, dorso.

Staff. Vivian de Staundon appeared against Richard, the Parson of the Church of Swynurton, in a plea that he had broken vi et armis into his park at Fenton, and had chased and taken away his game from it. Richard did not appear, and a mandate had been sent to the Bishop to produce him at this term, and the Bishop had done nothing. Another mandate was therefore sent to the Bishop to produce the said Richard at the Quindene of Easter. m. 73.

Coram Rege. Easter, 5 E. II.

Staff. John de Swyneverton sued Robert de Esyngton, Ralph and Hugh his brothers, Thomas de Stretton, Robert de Bukyngham, and four others named in a plea of trespass. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain those who had found sureties, and to arrest the others and produce them at the Quindene of Trinity. m. 46.

Staff. Constance formerly wife of William de Audeleye appeared against Robert, son of Simon de Acouve and William son of William Ormessone of Brunaston, for taking by force two of her oxen worth 50s., from Blore.

The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff returned they could not be found; he was therefore ordered to arrest them and produce them, coram Rege, at the Octaves of St Martin. m. 70.

Staff. Robert de Wyston, John le Tailleur of Pencrich, John son of Robert de Wyston, and Thomas, Edmund, and Richard his brothers and nine others named, were attached to answer the plea of John de Hyntes, that they had beaten, wounded, and ill-treated him at Pencrich on the day of St. Michael the Archangel, 4 E. II., for which he claimed £100 as damages. The defendants denied the injury and trespass, and stated that the said John de Hyntes with others unknown, on the day in question had beaten and wounded the said Robert de Wyston and Edmund his son, and Richard le Frankelyn, so that their lives were despaired of, and that they had raised the hue and cry, and that they together with one Robert Campyoun, the Bailiff of the town had come to the hue and cry and had tried to attach the said John de Hyntes and the other malefactors, and if they had suffered any injury it was owing to their own deed, and was not against the King's peace.

And John de Hyntes stated that the said Robert de Hyntes (sic) (Wyston) and the other defendants had inflicted the injury upon him and against the King's peace, and no hue and cry had been raised, and he appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Trinity. m. 33, dorso.

Staff. William Malclerk of Leycestre, Ralph de Sowe, John Vincent and eight others named, were attached to answer the plea of Robert de Elmhurst, Chaplain, that thay had come with others on the Friday, the morrow of St. Edith, 5 E. II., and had cut down his trees at Elmhurst and had wounded and ill-treated him, and detained him in prison for a day, and they had afterwards erected gallows and having brought him before them, pretending they held a commission from the King, had sentenced him to be hanged, so that he barely escaped from death, and for which he claimed £500 as damages. The defendants denied the injury and trespass, and appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for the morrow of St. John the Baptist. m. 21, dorso.