Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 8 Edward III

De Banco. Hillary, 7–8 E. III. Apud Ebor.

Staff. Elena, formerly wife of William de Radewode, recovers one-third of a messuage, 20 acres of land, and an acre of meadow in Cherleton, which she claimed as dower against Rose, formerly wife of Alan, son of Thomas le Wryght, and one-third of 12 acres of land in the same vill, against John, son Adam de Harleye, and a third of three acres and a half from John le Taillour of Swynesheved, the defendants making default. m. 7.

Staff. Stephen le Harpere and Margaret his wife, and Peter de Clifton and Dionisia his wife, sued Alice, daughter of Alice de Depedale, and Margaret, sister of Alice, daughter of Alice, for 4 acres and 4 roods of land, and a rood of meadow in Ernefen, and they sued Henry, son of Adam de Ernefen, and William, his brother, Henry de Horseleye, and Alice, his wife, and Roger le Soutere, and Agnes, his wife, and Benigna and Dionisia, sisters of Agnes for 4 acres of land and a rood of meadow in the same vill as the right of the said Margaret and Dionisia, by a writ of entry. The defendants appeared and prayed a view, and the suit was adjourned to the Quindene of Trinity. m. 125.

Staff. Adam de Shareshulle and Rose, his wife, recover the dower claimed out of tenements in Whiston, Bikeford, and Little Sardon against John, son of John de Whiston, the defendant making default after a day had been given to him by his essoin. m. 210.

Staff. Richard, son of Alan de Leyhes, of Whiston, and Margaret, his wife, recover the land they claimed in Kyngesleye as the right of Margaret, against Robert Suour, of Chedle, and Henry de Lychwode through the default of the defendants. m. 244, dorso.

Assizes taken at Wolvernehampton before William de Shareshull and Roger Hillary, Justices assigned, etc., on the Monday after the Feast of St. Hillary. 8 E. III.

Staff. An assize, etc., if Mary, formerly wife of Adam de Brympton, Thomas, son of Margery Willames, Roger de Bruynton, Richard in le Siche, of Wodeyton, Henry le Prestesmon, and Richard le Tournour, of Chircheyton had unjustly disseised Margaret, formerly wife of Henry de Wollaston of an acre of land in Wollaston. Richard de Eyton appeared for the defendants and for the said Mary, as tenant, and stated that the land in question was in Eyton and not in Wollaston. A jury found that the land was in Wollaston and not in Eyton, and they stated that the said Margaret had been disseised by the said Mary, and they assessed her damages at 13s. 4d., and they stated that the other defendants took no part in the disseisin. m. 11.

Staff. Stephen de Blorton and Alice, his wife, recovered a piece of land in Newcastle-under-Lyme by an assize of novel disseisin against Ralph Licorys, Richard de Chaveldon, and Richard Lyot, of Fulford.

Staff. An assize had been taken at Wolvernehampton on the Vigil of St. Gregory, 8 E. III., to make recognition if John, son of Hugh de Okover, and others named, had unjustly disseised Alice, formerly wife of Simon de Melewych of her freehold in Melewych, viz., of seven marks of rent in the said vill, and Alice had produced a deed of Hugh de Okovere, as her title to the said freehold; and as it appeared to the Justices that the said deed was a sufficient title they had allowed the assize to proceed, and a jury had found a verdict in favor of the said Alice and assessed her damages at 45 marks. A postscript contains a writ of certiorari dated 8 May, 9 E. III., commanding the Justices to return the record of the suit to be heard coram Rege. m. 11.

Essoins taken before the same Justices on the above day and year (Inter alia).

Philip de Somervyle versus William de Vernoun, Chivaler, Richard, son of Richard Vernoun, Walter le Keu, and eleven others named, in a plea of assize of novel disseisin, by Adam Pye.

John de Tettebury versus Hugh de Wrottesleye, Elizabeth, his wife, Richard de Wollemere, and John de Folford in a plea of assize of novel disseisin, by Adam Cat. Joan the wife of the said John de Tettebury by William Hod. m. 11, dorso.

De Banco. Easter, 8 E. III.

Staff. The Abbot of Deulacresse sued Geoffrey de Wolseley for causin waste and destruction in houses and gardens in Felde, which Robert le Burgyloun, formerly Abbot of Deulacresse had demised to him for his life. Geoffrey did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach him for the Quindene of Trinity. m. 10, dorso.

Staff. William, son of John de Whitington, sued John de Freford for wounding, beating, and ill-treating him at Whityngton, so that his life was despaired of. John not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at the Octaves of Trinity. m. 10, dorso.

Derb. Elizabeth, formerly wife of Thomas de Furnyvalle, sued Thomas, son of Thomas de Furnyvall, Chivaler, for the third of sixteen messuages, thirty-six bovates of land, etc., in Brassynton, which she claimed as dower. Thomas appeared by attorney and prayed a view, and Elizabeth pleaded he was not entitled to a view because the said Thomas her husband had died seised of the tenements. Thomas, son of Thomas, denied this, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Trinity. A postscript shews that after several adjournments the cause was heard by writ of nisi prius before William de Shareshull, with whom was associated Adam de Reresbi, Knight, at Easter, 9 E. III., at Chesterfeld, when a jury gave a verdict in favour of Elizabeth with £30 damages. m. 27.

Staff. The record of an assize taken at Wolvernehampton before William de Shareshulle and John de Peyto, senior, on the Vigil of St. Gregory the Pope, 8 E. III., removed by certiorari into Banco.

An assize, etc., if John, son of Hugh de Okover, William de Threfeld, and three others named, had unjustly disseised Alice, formerly wife of Simon de Melewych, of 7 marks of rent in Melewych. John answered as tenant, and stated that the rent claimed was not of the fee or demesne of the said Alice, and he prayed judgment whether the said Alice could have an assize unless she could shew some special title. And Alice stated that one Hugh de Okovere, the father of John, and whose heir he is, was seised of the tenements, as of fee, etc., which tenements were a moiety of the manor of Melewych, and the said Hugh, by his deed had conceded to her and to Simon, son of Thomas de Melewych, formerly her husband, the said rent for their joint lives, and she produced a deed of Hugh de Okovere, dated from York on the Saturday before the Cathedral (sic) of St. Peter, 29 E. I., by which he granted to Simon, son of Thomas de Melewych and to Alice, his wife, a rent of seven marks for their joint lives, to be received from all his lands and tenements in a moiety of the manor of Melewych, and if it should happen that the said Simon should die before the said Alice, then the said Alice should have 40s. for her life of the said rent, and if the said Alice should die before Simon then the said Simon should have five marks of rent, etc.

And John pleaded that under the above deed the said Alice was only entitled to 40s. of rent, as the deed expressly stated that if her husband died before her, she was to have 40s. only of rent. And Alice pleaded that the said Hugh had conceded by the deed to Simon and to her, seven marks of rent for their joint lives, and that no subsequent words in the deed would annul this grant, and the suit was adjourned to this term. And as it appeared to the Court that the said deed gave a sufficient title for the rent of seven marks, it was remitted again to the Justices of Assize. m. 55.

Staff. The assize between Alice, daughter of William Gilbert and Thomas, son and heir of Thomas de Pykestok, who had been admitted to plead after the death of the said Thomas, to defend his right to 3s. of rent in Melewych, and the fourth part of a virgate of land in the same vill, and likewise another fourth part of a virgate of land in the same vill, to make recognition if one William de Pykestok at the date of a fine levied in 9 E. I. between Simon, son of Thomas de Melewych and the said Alice (complainants), and Thomas de Melewych, deforciant, of the said tenements, held a fee in the said tenements by reason of which the said Alice could not have execution of the said fine, as averred by the said Thomas, or whether he held only for a term of three years as stated by Alice, was respited till the Quindene of Trinity through defect of a jury. m. 91.

Staff. John de Knyghteleye sued William de Wolseleye, Adam de Morton, and Henry, son of William de Wolaston for a debt of 12 marks. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce them at the Quindene of Trinity. m. 159.

Staff. Sibil, formerly wife of John de Sogenhull, sued John de Horseleye for a third of four acres of land in Eccleshale, as her dower. John did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to take the dower claimed into the King's hand, and to summon him for the Morrow of St. John the Baptist. m. 167, dorso.

Staff. Joan, formerly wife of John de Jarpounville, sued John de Longedon and Joan, formerly wife of John, son of William de Jarpounville, custodes of the land and heir of John de Jarpounville, for one-third of a messuage, two carucates of land, and of twenty-four acres of meadow, a mill, and six marks of rent in Draycote-under-Nedwode, which she claimed as dower. The defendants did not appear, and had made default at Hillary term and the tenements had been taken into the King's hand. Joan is therefore to recover seisin. m. 167, dorso.

Derb. Henry, Earl of Lancaster, sued Roger de Swyneverton in a plea that he should render up to him John, son and heir of Geoffrey de Greseleye, the wardship of whom belonged to him, inasmuch as the said Geoffrey held his lands of him by Knight's service. Roger did not appear, and the Sheriff had been ordered to distrain, and returned that the said Roger held nothing within his bailiwick, and it was shewn that be held sufficient in the county. The Sheriff was therefore or lered as before to distrain, and to produce the said Roger at the Quindene of St. Michael, and to publicly proclaim in three full County Courts that the said Roger was to appear at the said term. m. 179, dorso.

Staff. Robert atte Wode, of Kyderminstre, sued William Wolrich, William Bold, Thomas atte Mulne, and William de Perton, the executors of the will of John de Perton, for a debt of 63s., and he sued William de Perton, together with Margery de Perton, his co-executrix, for a debt of five marks. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff returned certain sums into Court as the proceeds of a distress levied against them. He was therefore ordered again to distrain and produce them at the Quindene of Michaelmas. m. 182, dorso.

Glouc. Fulk, son of Fulk de Penebrugge, had acknowledged that he owed to Matilda, formerly wife of Fulk de Penebrugge, who is now wife of Robert Corbet, of Hadleye, £19 8s. 10d., to be paid at certain dates named, and the repayments being in arrear, the said Matilda now applied for a writ of "elegit," which was granted. m. 199.

Staff. Margaret, formerly wife of Geoffrey de Greseleye, sued Ralph de Stafford, Chivaler, to render up to her the custody of the land and heir of John Bagot. of Bromleye Bagot, which belonged to her, inasmuch as the said John held his land of her by Knight's service. Ralph did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at a month from Michaelmas. m. 212, dorso.

Staff. Nicholas Teynterel, of Lychefeld, sued John, son of John de Pyrie, of Ambrighton, for a messuage and ten acres of land, and four acres of meadow in Ambrighton, which Henry le Baxtere, of Ambrighton, had given to Nicholas, his son, and Joan, his wife, and the heirs of their bodies, and which after the death of the said Nicholas and Joan should descend to him as their son and heir. John denied that the tenements had been given as stated and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for three weeks from Michaelmas. m. 264.

Assizes taken at Wolvernehampton before William de Shareshull and John de Peyto, senior, Justices assigned, etc,, on the Friday, the Vigil of St. Gregory, 11 March. 8 E. III.

Staff. An assize, if etc., Richard, son of Adam de Coven, of Wolvernehampton, and Juliana, his wife, and John, son of the said Juliana, Rogor, son of Walter de Overton, and another named, had unjustly disseised John, son of William de Benteleye of a messuage in Wolvernehampton. Richard answered for all the defendants and as tenant, and stated that the said John, son of William, had remitted and quit claimed all his right in the said messuage to Adam de Coven, and Agnes his wife, and he now held their status in it, and he produced the deed. John, son of William, denied the validity of the deed, because when it was executed he was under age. Richard denied this, and stated that John was of full age when he made the deed, and he appealed to a jury, and the assize is therefore to be taken. m. 14.

Staff. An assize, etc., if William de Stafford, Chivaler, and William, son of William de Stafford, junior, had unjustly disseised William, son of William de Stafford, senior (seniorem) (fn. 1) of the manor of Amelcote. The defendants appeared by one Roger Lutegrey, and stated nothing against the assize. A jury stated that William de Stafford, Chivaler, and William, son of William de Stafford, junior, had disseised the said William de Stafford, senior, and assessed his damages at £40. m. 14.

De Banco. Mich., 8 E. III.

Staff. William le Fraunkeleyn sued John de Whetales, the custos of the person of John, son and heir of John de Whiston, and Adam de Shareshull and Rose, his wife, custodes of the lands of the said heir, in a plea that the said custos should produce the heir at this term to warrant to him the third of a messuage and 30 acres of land, and 3 acres of meadow in Whiston, which Adam de Shareshull and Rose, his wife, claimed as the dower of Rose. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to take land belonging to the heir, to the value of the dower claimed, into the King's hand, to summon them for the Octaves of Michaelmas. m. 2.

Staff. Cecilia, formerly wife of Adam de Swynesheved, not appearing to prosecute her claim for dower in Cherleton (Chorlton) against William de Croxton, the suit was dismissed. m. 170, dorso.

Staff. Thomas, son of Ralph de Rolleston, and Reina, his wife, sued John, son of John le Parkere, of Rolleston, for a messuage in Rolleston, which he held of them by fixed services, and which should revert to them by Statute, the said John not having performed his service for two years, and they stated that he held of them, in right of the said Reina, the said messuage by fealty and the service of 4s. yearly, and he had ceased to perform any service for it since 8th May, 6 E. III. John denied he held the said tenements of them, as they stated, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for the Quindene of St. Martin. m. 253, dorso.

De Banco. Trinity, 8 E. III.

Derb. The Sheriff had been ordered to distrain Isolda, formerly wife of Urian de St. Pierre, and to produce her at this term to acknowledge what right she claimed in the Manor of Eyton, and the fourth part of the Manor of Walton, which John, son of Urian de St. Pierre, had conceded by fine to William, son of William Trussel, of Cubblesdon. Isolda did not appear, and the Sheriff returned into Court 20d., proceeds of a distress. He was therefore ordered to distrain again and produce her at the Quindene of Hillary. m. 48, dorso.

Chester. An assize had been arranged in co. Chester to make recognition if James, son of Hugh de Audelegh, the brother of Hugh, son of Hugh de Audelegh, had died seised in demesne as of fee of a messuage, a mill and 20 acres of land in Alsacher, and if he died after Ralph, formerly Earl of Chester, had been "cruce signatus," (fn. 2) and if the said Hugh, son of Hugh, was his nearest heir, and which tenements were held by John, son of Geoffrey Byroun, who had called to warranty John, son of Richard de Alsacher, who was to be summoned in co. Stafford, and in consequence of the said John having called a foreigner to warranty, the King had sent a writ to the Earl of Chester to send the record and process of the suit and all relating to it into this Court on this day, so that the Justices having completed the plea of warranty in this Court might remit the case again to be heard according to the law and custom of the county of Chester, and Hugh, son of Hugh appeared, but John, son of Geoffrey, did not appear, and the assize is therefore to be taken in his absence, but was remitted into the county of Chester. m. 57, dorso.

Staff. William, son of William de Allerwych, sued Richard, son of Thomas atte Cros, in a plea that he had broken forcibly into the houses of the said William at Allerwych and cut down his trees and carried away timber from his houses to the value of 100s. Richard did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at the Quindene of Hillary. m. 58, dorso.

Staff. Philip de Chetewynde sued Peter, son of Philip de Brerdon, for cutting down his trees at Brerdon (Brereton) to the value of 60s. Peter did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at the Octaves of Hillary. m. 88, dorso.

Staff. William, son of John de Whitington, appeared against John de Freford in a plea that he had beaten, wounded, and illtreated him at Whitington, so that his life was despaired of. John did not appear, and the Sheriff had distrained and returned 20d. as proceeds. He was therefore ordered to distrain again and produce the said John at the Octaves of Hillary. A postscript states that on that day the Sheriff made no return, and the suit was adjourned to three weeks from Easter. m. 134, dorso.

Staff. Margaret, formerly wife of Henry, son of William atte Wode, of Balterdeleye, sued Hugh, son of Thomas, son of Robert de Thickenesse, for a third of a messuage and a carucate of land in Balterdeleye as her dower. Hugh appeared by John de Delves, his attorney, and prayed a view, and the suit was adjourned to the Quindene of Hillary. m. 179, dorso.

Leyc. William de Harecourt was sued by Robert de Sadyngton and Joyce, his wife, in a plea that he should acquit them of the service which Thomas de Beauchamp exacted from them for the freehold they held of the said William in Gildenemorton, and they stated they held of the said William the Manor of Gildenemorton, and two virgates of land in the same vill, and the advowson of the Church by homage and fealty and scutage to the amount of 15s., when the King levied 40s., and the said Thomas had exacted from them £25 for a relief after the death of Richard de Harecourt, the father of the said William, and had distrained them for it. William appeared by attorney and could not deny that he ought to acquit the plaintiffs of the service in question, but denied that they had been distrained for it as they stated, and he appealed to a jury, which found in favor of Robert and Joyce, and assessed their damages at £10. m. 241.

Staff. In the suit of Robert, son of Robert de Gresbrok, against Alice, formerly wife of William atte Rudyng, for land in Shenstone; Alice did not appear to her summons, and the Sheriff was ordered to take the tenements into the King's hand, and to summon her for the Quindene of Hillary. m. 293, dorso.

Staff. The suit of Margaret, formerly wife of Geoffrey de Greseleye, against Ralph de Stafford, Chivaler, for the custody of the land and heir of John Bagot, of Bromley Bagot, "remanet sine die," the said Ralph having set out for Scotland in the King's service, and holding King's letters of protection from the 3rd November, 8 E. III, up to the following Easter. (fn. 3) m. 293, dorso.

Staff. Dionisia, formerly wife of Richard de Childerplawe, sued Roger, son of Richard de Childerplawe, and Elena, his wife, for a third of two messuages and two carucates of land in Bydolf as her dower.

Roger and Elena appeared by attorney, and pleaded that the said Dionisia had no right to dower, because she had left Richard, formerly her husband, and lived in adultery with one Roger Byroun, and had never been reconciled to her husband, Richard, during his lifetime.

Dionisia denied that she had left her husband or lived in adultery with the said Roger, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for the Quindene of Hillary. A postscript states that at Hillary term, the Sheriff made no return to the writ, and the suit was adjourned to three weeks from Easter. m. 356.

Staff. The essoin of John, son of Simon le Goldsmyth, appeared against Simon Rondulf in a plea that he should render an account of the receipts from the lands in Stafford, Burton, Tylyngton, and Oldynton, which he held as custos of the inheritance of the said John whilst he was under age. Simon did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach him for the Octaves of the Purification. m. 384, dorso.

Staff. Henry de Bisshebury, by his essoin, sued Edith, formerly wife of Richard Levesone, in a plea that she should give up to him, Richard, the son and heir of Richard Levesone, the wardship of whom belonged to him, inasmuch as the said Richard held his land of him by military service. Edith did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach her for the Quindene of Hillary. m. 390, dorso.

Staff. John de Myners sued Robert de Ferrars, kinsman and heir of Robert de Ferrars, for a debt of 100 marks. Robert did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at three weeks from Easter. m. 452, dorso.

Hereford. Joan, formerly wife of Roger Tromwyne, Roger Tromwyne, and Robert, his brother, executors of the will of Roger Tromwyne, sued William le Shereman, of Leominstre, and the other executors of John de Bromfeld in a plea that they should deliver up to them a certain deed which they unjustly detained. William did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at three weeks from Easter. m. 481.

Staff. Joan de Greseleye sued John de Swynnerton, William, son and heir of Robert Champioun, Robert le Mareschal, and Roger de Tydnesovere for a debt of £200. The defendants did not appear, and had been distrained, and the Sheriff returned 10d. proceeds as the issue from the lands and chattels of each of them, and as it was testified that he had raised 100s. by distress from each defendant. A mandate was therefore sent to the Justices taking assizes in the County, to make inquisition on oath, and in the presence of the Sheriff, as to the amount which he had raised from the lands and chattels of each defendant from the date that the King's writ of distraint reached him up to the present time, and to return the inquisition into Court at three weeks from Easter. m. 481.