Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 9 Edward III

De Banco. Hillary, 8–9 E. III.

Staff. Humfrey de Hastang, Parson of the Church of Bradelegh, appeared by attorney, against Ralph de Stafford, Chivaler, in a plea that he should warrant to him three messuages and a carucate of land, and six acres of meadow, half an acre of pasture, and 14s. of rent in Trentham, which Roger, son of John de Cokenage, claimed against him. Ralph did not appear, and the Sheriff returned that the writ reached him too late. He was therefore ordered to summon him for the Quindene of Trinity. m. 67.

Staff. Roger, son of William Hillary, sued Rese ap Griffyn, Henry de Longeford, Chaplain, and William Bendiste, for a debt of 25 marks. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce them at the Quindene of Easter. m. 95.

Warw., Leyc., Staff. Isabella de Northwych, of Grendon, appeared by attorney, against Robert, son of Ralph de Grendon. in a plea that he should warrant to her a messuage in Grendon in co. Warwick, which Philip de Chetewynde and Alice, his wife, John de Freford and Margaret, his wife, and Roger de Chetwynde and Joan, his wife, claimed as the right of the said Alice, Margaret, and Joan. Robert did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to take into the King's hand, land belonging to him to the value of the tenements claimed, and to summon him for the Octaves of Trinity; and the Sheriff was also commanded to return by inquisition at the same date the value of the messuage in dispute. A postscript states that at Trinity term the Sheriff made no return and the suit was adjourned to Michaelmas term, on which day the Sheriff returned the value of the messuage at 6s. 8d. m. 124.

Salop. William de Perton (fn. 1) sued William de Morton, Clerk, for causing waste and destruction in the houses, woods, and gardens, in Styrchesleye and Malynleye, which the said William held for the life of William de Leversete by a demise of the said William de Leversete, to whom John de Perton, the father of the said William de Perton, and whose heir he is, had demised it for the said term. The defendant did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach him for three weeks from Easter. m. 139.

Derb. Stephen de Curzon, by his custos Roger de Croxton, sued Geoffrey le Baker and Agnes, his wife, for a messuage and three acres of land, and an acre of meadow in Breideshale, and recovered the tenements through default of the defendant. m. 194.

Staff. Hugh de Wrottesleye, Chivaler, by Thomas de Cheny, his attorney, sued John de Tettebury, in a plea that he should render to him a reasonable account for the time that he was the receiver of the moneys of the said Hugh. John did not appear, and had been distrained by his chattels to the amount of 40d., and bailed by Simon Ailwyn and others. They are therefore in misericordiâ, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain again and produce the said John at a month from Easter. A postscript states that on that day the Sheriff made no return to the writ, and he was ordered to distrain and produce the defendant at three weeks from Michaelmas. m. 229, dorso.

Staff. The same Hugh, by his attorney, sued John de Tettebury, and Joan, his wife for causing waste and destruction in the woods which they held in dower of his inheritance in Wrottesleye; and they did not appear, and had been distrained to the value of 20d., and bailed by Simon Ailwyn and others who were therefore in misericordiâ. And the Sheriff was ordered to proceed according to Statute, in his own person and make enquiry upon oath into the extent of the waste and destruction which the said John and Joan had made in the woods, viz., by cutting down and selling a hundred oak trees each worth half a mark, and to return the inquisition into Court at the same term. m. 229, dorso.

Staff. William, son of William de Allerwych, sued Ralph de Fouleye, and Matilda, his wife, for causing waste and destruction in the lands, houses, woods, gardens, etc., which they held as dower of the said Matilda of the inheritance of the said William in Allerwych (Aldridge). The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce them at the Quindene of Trinity. m. 263.

Warw. John, son of Nicholas de Warrewyk was summoned by Magister Stephen de Bromleye, Clerk, to carry out a covenant made between them respecting the manor of Chesterton, and John appeared by attorney, and the said Magister Stephen gave two marks for license of concord, and the said John produced Letter's Patent from the King, by which the King gave permission to the said John to grant the said manor, which is held of the King in capite, and which John de Saundrestede holds for the life of Nicholas de Warrewyk by the demise of the said Nicholas, who held it by the courtesy of England (fn. 2), of the inheritance of the said John, son of Nicholas, and which, after the death of the said Nicholas, should revert to the said John and his heirs, should, after the death of the said Nicholas, remain to the said Magister Stephen, to be held by him and his heirs, etc.; and permission to the said Magister Stephen, that he, after the attornement of the said manor to him by John de Saundrestede, might grant and concede that the said manor, after the death of the said Nicholas, should remain to John de Saundrestede, of Rodbaston, and Elizabeth, his wife, for their lives, and, after the death of the said John and Elizabeth, that the said manor should remain to the said John, son of Nicholas, and Margaret, his wife, and their issue, and if the said John and Margaret should die without leaving any issue, then to remain to the right heirs of the said John de Saundrestede, of Rodbaston, and a fine was engrossed in the above terms before William de Shareshulle. m. 266.

Staff. Reginald de Leghe sued Robert de Tene for causing waste and destruction in the woods and gardens in Leghe, which he had demised to him for the life of the said Robert. The defendant did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at the Quindene of Trinity. A postscript states that on that day the Sheriff made no return to the writ, and he was ordered to produce the defendant on the Morrow of St. Martin. m. 278.

Staff. In the suit of Robert, son of Robert de Gresbrok, against Alice, formerly wife of William atte Rudynge, for land in Shenstone, and in which the tenements had been taken in the King's hand through default of appearance of the said Alice. Robert now appeared in propriâ personâ, and claimed the tenements by her default, and Alice appeared by Richard de Mortimer, her attorney, and denied the summons, and offered to wage her law. She was therefore ordered to appear with her compurgators at the Quindene of Holy Trinity. A postscript states that on that day Alice essoigned herself against the said Robert, and a day was given to her by her essoin on the morrow of St. Martin, on which day the parties appeared, and the said Alice waged her law "inde fecit legem suam," and the suit was dismissed. m. 304, dorso.

Staff. John de Wythmore sued John, son of Philip de Tockenhale, of Rouleye, for nine acres of land and four acres of wood in Rouleye, as his right and inheritance, and the defendant did not appear, and had previously made default, and the tenements had been taken into the King's hand. The defendant again made default, and John de Wythmore therefore recovered seisin of them. m. 312.

Staff. Richard, son of Alan de Leghes, of Whiston, and Margaret, his wife, sued John Galpyn, of Chedle, for two acres of land in Kyngesleye, and they sued William Galpyn, of Chedle, for thirteen and a half acres, and Robert de la Shawe, of Thornbury, for one acre in the same vill, as the right of the said Margaret. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff was ordered to take the tenements into the King's hand, and to summon them for the Quindene of Holy Trinity. m. 338.

De Banco. Easter, 9 E. III.

Staff. Richard de Freford, chaplain, was summoned by Thomas de Thomenhorn and Isabella, his wife, in a plea, that he should carry out a covenant made between them respecting thirty acres of land, nine acres of meadow, and 10s. of rent in Whytyngton, Tymmore, and Wyginton, and they stated that it had been agreed between them at Lychfeld in 8 E. III, that the said Richard should appear in Court at this term and acknowledge the said tenements to be the right of the said Thomas, and should render them to him, to be held by them and the heirs of their bodies, and, failing such, to remain to the right heirs of the said Thomas, and the said Thomas had hitherto refused to carry out the covenant, (fn. 3) for which they claimed 100s. as damages. Richard appeared and stated that the covenant excepted four acres of meadow in Wygyngton, and he was prepared to carry it out with this exception. A concord was made. m. 40, dorso.

Salop. The Sheriff was ordered to distrain Richard de Ovyoteshay and Joan, his wife, and produced them at this Term to acknowledge what right they claimed in a messuage in Salop, which Richard Borrey, of Salop, had conceded to William le Butiller, of Wemme, and Emma, his wife, by a fine levied in the King's Court, and the Sheriff returned they held nothing by which they could be attached, and it was testified they held sufficient in the county. The Sheriff was therefore ordered to distrain and produce them at the Octaves of St. Michael, and, upon this, James de Podymor, the attorney of William and Emma, stated that the said William had died. m. 45.

Staff. The Sheriff had been ordered to deliver to Roes, formerly wife of Nicholas de Cryell, all the goods and chattels of Thomas de Hastang, custos of the land and heir of Nicholas de Cryel, excepting the oxen and horses of his plough, and likewise half his lands and tenements within his bailiwick, to be held by her and her assigns, according to the Statute, until she had levied a sum of £21 from them, the damages she had recovered in Court against the said Thomas for the detention of her dower. And the Sheriff made no return to the writ. He was therefore ordered as before to make the return at the Quindene of Trinity. m. 134.

Assizes taken at Wolvernehampton, before William de Shareshull and Roger Hillary, Justices assigned, etc., on the Thursday after the Close of Easter, 9 E. III.

Staff. An assize, etc., if John Shirart, and Margaret, daughter of Robert de Thornteleye, and Henry, son of the said Margaret, had unjustly disseised William Aleyn, of Bradnop, of two parts of two messuages and two carucates of land in Bradnop. None of the defendants appeared, and the assize was taken in their absence. The jury found in favour of William Aleyn, and assessed his damages at 13s. 4d. He is therefore to recover seisin. m. 10.

Staff. Thomas le Rous recovers a messuage and a rood of land in Waleshale against Roger le Forester, William in the Lane, and others by an assize of novel disseisin. m. 10.

Staff. An assize, etc., if Adam, son of Ralph de Longesdon, and Thomas de Fernyhalgh had unjustly disseised John, son of Margery de Bagenolt, of a messuage and a bovate of land in Bagenolt. Richard le Sergeant answered for the defendants, and pleaded that Adam was jointly enfeoffed of the tenement with one Lettice, his wife, who was not named in the writ. As John could not deny this, the suit was dismissed. m. 10, dorso.

De Banco. Trinity, 9 E. III. Apud Ebor.

Derb. Stephen, son of Henry de Curzon, of Breydeshale, by Roger de Croxton, his attorney, appeared against Roger, son of Robert de Breydeshale, in a plea of nativity. Roger did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at the Quindene of St. Michael. m. 70.

Staff. Reginald, son of William Anneys, of Overton, sued Richard, son of William Nicoles, of Seysedon, for a messuage, eleven acres of land, and five acres of meadow in Tresele, and he sued Agnes, formerly wife of William Nicoles, for eight acres of land and three acres of meadow, and the third part of a messuage in the same vill. And he sued Alice, formerly wife of William (sic) Nicholes, for five acres and a half of land, two acres of meadow, and the third of two parts of a messuage in the same vill, as his right, by a writ of entry. The defendants appeared by attorney, and prayed a view, and the suit was adjourned to the Morrow of St. Martin. m. 85.

Staff. In the suit of Robert de Pype of Alrewych, versus William de Alrewych for illegally taking his cattle, Robert did not appear and was plaintiff. The suit was therefore dismissed, and the Sheriff was ordered to give up the cattle to the said William. A postscript states that afterwards, on the Quindene of Easter, one Hugh de Aston appeared on the part of the said Robert, and prayed that the cattle might be delivered to him according to Statute. A writ was therefore made out to that effect returnable on the Morrow of the Ascension. m. 182, dorso.

Hertford. Staff. Henry de Burghersh, Bishop of Lincoln, appeared by attorney in a plea that he should carry out a covenant made with Bartholomew de Burghersshe and Elizabeth, his wife, respecting the Castle of Ewyas Lacy and the manor of Walterston, and the advowson of the Priory of Lanton Prime and Cressewalle in co. Hertford, and sixteen messuages, 300 acres of land, sixteen acres of meadow, and £11 6s. 4¼d. of rent in Bukenhale and Fenton. And the parties now appeared, and a fine was levied by which the said Bishop, after being enfeoffed of the said manor and advowson, granted them to the said Bartholomew and Elizabeth, and their issue, and if they should die s.p., then to remain to the right heirs of Elizabeth, to be held of the King and his heirs for ever, and the said messuages, rents, etc., were granted to the said Bartholomew and Elizabeth for life, with remainder to Thomas, son of the said Bartholomew and Elizabeth, and his issue, and if he should die s.p., to remain to the right heirs of the said Elizabeth. (fn. 4) m. 184.

Staff. John, son of John de Loutteleye sued Alexander de Bykenore, the Archbishop of Dublin, for a debt of £24. The Archbishop did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to attach him and made no return to the writ. He was therefore ordered to attach him for the Morrow of St. Martin. m. 196.

Staff. Alice, formerly wife of William de Frome, sued Thomas de Rolveston and Reina his wife, for a third of a messuage, ten acres of land, two acres of meadow, two acres of pasture and £4 of rent in Horecros and Thornhull and Neuburgh, as her dower. Thomas and Reina called to warranty William, son of William de Frome, who had been summoned in co. Hereford, and who appeared to his summons, and as heir of blood of the said William warranted the tenements, but stated he held nothing by hereditary descent from his father, and the sheriff of co. Stafford had been therefore ordered to appraise the value of the dower claimed and to make the return on the last Octaves of St. Michael, and the Sheriff of co. Hereford had been ordered to enquire upon oath, what lands and tenements the said William, son of William, held by hereditary right from his father, and to make the return at three weeks from Easter last. (fn. 5) And both the Sheriffs had returned the writs reached them too late, and they were ordered to make the returns on the Octaves of Hillary, and the Sheriff of Staffordshire now returned that the said William de Frome, the husband of Alice, never held a messuage or any land or pasture in the said vills, but that he held in them 60s. of rent only, and the Sheriff of co. Hereford returned that having made diligent enquiry as to the lands which descended to the said William, son of William, by hereditary descent from his father, he had found that he held two acres and a half of land by hereditary descent, and each acre was worth 6d. annually. m. 198, dorso.

Derb. Stephen de Curzon by his custos sued Thomas de Cottehale for a messuage and three bovates of land in Breydeshale, and he sued Margaret, formerly wife of Geoffrey de Orton, for eight acres in the same vill, and he sued Robert de Overton for two messuages and four bovates of land, and Roger de Weston for a messuage and three bovates of land in the same vill which Richard, son of Richard de Curzon, had given to Richard de Curzon and Alianora his wife, for term of their lives, with remainder after their death to Henry, son of Richard de Curzon, and his issue, and which, after the death of the said Richard, Alianora, and Henry should descend to him as son and heir of the said Henry. Thomas and Margaret pleaded they only held their tenements at the will of one William atte Barre, and Robert and Roger stated that Henry de Curzon the father of Stephen had enfeoffed them in the tenements claimed from them, and they produced the deeds of Henry to that effect; and as it was testified that the plaintiff, Stephen was under age, and could not, therefore, contest the validity of the deeds, the suit is to remain over till his full age. m. 201.

Derb. William de Muston and Robert de Souky were summoned by Roger de Okovere, Knight, for illegally taking and detaining his cattle, and Roger stated that on the Monday before the Feast of St. Dunstan, in 6 E. III, they had taken in the vill of Morle, in a place called le Hay, two horses, two oxen, and two cows, for which he claimed £100 as damages. William for himself and the other defendants, justified the distraint, and stated that one Richard de Bredon held of him, and Lucy his wife, as of the right of Lucy, a messuage and a carucate of land in Morleby homage and fealty and the service of 9s. 8d. per annum; and the said Richard had enfeoffed in the tenements one William de Okovere and Laurence his brother, and the said William and Laurence had attorned themselves to him and the said Lucy, so that they had been seised of the above rent by the hands of the said William and Laurence, all the lifetime of William, and after his death, by the hands of the said Laurence, until two years before; and because the homage of the said Laurence due after the death of the said William de Okovere was in arrear, they had taken the cattle which were within their fee, as was lawful. Roger pleaded that the place where the cattle were taken was outside the fee of the said William de Muston and Lucy, and appealed to a jury which is to be summoned for the Octaves of Michaelmas. m. 215.

Staff. Richard de la Laone (Lane), of Wolvernehampton, sued Robert le Say and William de Pulton in a suit that they should render to him a reasonable account for the time that each of them was receiver of his money. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain the said Robert, and to arrest the said William, and to produce them at the Octaves of St. Michael. m. 232.

De Banco. Mich., 9 E. III. Apud Ebor.

Staff. Isabella, formerly wife of Robert de Stepelton sued William Colesone of Waleshale, Thomas de Bulkeleye and others for forcibly breaking into her park at Great Barr, and taking her goods and chattels to the value of £40. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce those who had found bail at the Octaves of Hillary, and to arrest the others and produce them at the same date. m. 3 dorso.

Staff. William de Stafford, senior, sued James de Stafford, Chivaler, for the manor of London (Sandon), as his right and inheritance, and of which the said James had unjustly disseised William de Stafford, his father, whose heir he is.

James appeared by attorney and stated that the said William could make no claim to the manor by the seisin of his father, William, because the said William, his father, had granted the manor by deed to him and to Margaret, formerly his wife, to be held by them and the heirs of their bodies, and he produced the deed which contained a clause of warranty, and he pleaded that the said William being bound to warrant the manor to him, could not maintain the present action. A day was given to the parties to hear judgment on this plea at the Quindene of Hillary. A postscript shows repeated adjournments of the cause up to Trinity term, 10 E. III, when the Sheriff was ordered to summon a jury for the Morrow of St. Martin following, to make recognition whether the said James had entered by the deed and feoffment of William de Stafford or by a disseisin. m. 80, dorso.

Surr. Geoffrey de Walcote and Agnes, his wife, sued Hugh de Audele and Margaret, his wife, for a messuage, two carucates of land, thirty acres of wood, and 60s. of rent in Tythesheye as the right and inheritance of the said Agnes, and in which Hugh and Margaret had no entry except by a disseisin which John de Valoignes had unjustly made of Gunnora de Valoignes, the grandmother of Agnes, whose heir she is, and they stated that the said Gunnora was seised of the tenements in demesne as of fee in the time of King Edward, the King's grandfather, and from Gunnora the right descended to John, her son and heir, and from John to Agnes who now sues as his daughter and heir.

Hugh and Margaret appeared by attorney and stated that the said tenements, with others, were formerly in the seisin of one Gilbert de Clare, the Earl of Gloucester, and who died seised of them, and after his death they descended to Elizabeth de Burgo, Alianora, wife of William la Zouche, and to Margaret, the defendant, as his daughters and heirs, and the tenements in question, with others, were assigned to Margaret as her purparty of the inheritance, and they pleaded they could not answer the plea without their coparceners. The cause was therefore adjourned to the Quindene of Hillary, when the coparceners were to be summoned. A postscript shews that the process was continued up to Michaelmas, 12 E. III, when the Sheriff of Norfolk returned that the said William and Alianora were dead, and the cause was adjourned to the following Easter term, at which date Hugh and Margaret prayed the help of the Court to enforce the attendance of the said Elizabeth and of Hugh le Despencer, the son of the said Alianora who were to be summoned for the Quindene of St. Michael following. m. 84, dorso.

Staff. John, son of John Baldwyn, of Salop, sued Roger de Swynnerton, and Robert, son of Roger de Swynnerton, for the manor of Adbaston, which he claimed as his right. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff returned that he had summoned them by Robert de Shareshull, the bailiff of the Liberty of the Bishop of Chester. He was therefore ordered by writ of "non omittas propter libertatem" to summon them again for the Quindene of Hillary. m. 87, dorso.

Staff. Derb. Philip de Strellay and Nichola, his wife, and Robert de Beek, and Robert, son of Matilda, formerly wife of Robert de Beek, appeared by attorney against Henry, Earl of Lancastre, son and heir of Edmund, formerly Earl of Lancastre, in a plea that he should warrant to them 60 acres of land, 12 acres of meadow, and 8s. of rent in Repynden, in co. Derby, which Roger de Eyncourt and Matilda, his wife, and Robert de Paveley and Agnes, his wife, claimed against them, as the right of the said Matilda, wife of Roger, and of Agnes. The Earl did not appear, and the Sheriff returned the writ reached him too late. He was therefore ordered to summon the Earl for the Quindene of Hillary. A postscript states that at Hillary term the Sheriff made no return to the writ, and the case was adjourned to the Quindene of Trinity. m. 171.

Staff., Derb. Geoffrey de Skeftyngton appeared by attorney against James, son of Nicholas de Audele, in a plea that he should warrant to him four messuages, four and a half acres of land, two acres of meadow, and twenty acres of wood in Breydeshale, co. Derby, which Richard de Curzoun the Parson of the church of Breydeshale, claimed against him. James did not appear and had previously made default, and the Sheriff was ordered to take into the King's hand land belonging to the said James to the value of the tenements in question, and to summon him for the Quindene of Hillary. m. 190.

Staff. John Bryd, of Rossynton, and Lettice, his wife sued John de Prestwode for a third of a messuage and ten acres of land in Ethelaxton (Ellaston) and Prestwode, which they claimed as dower of Lettice. John de Prestwode did not appear, and had previously made default and the dower claimed had been taken into the King's hand. John Bryd and Lettice are therefore to recover seisin of it. m. 207.

Derb. Margery, formerly wife of Serlo de Monjoye had sued Thomas de Baryngton, Chivaler, and Margaret, his wife, for a third of three messuages, four carucates of land, 100 acres of meadow, 100 acres of pasture, forty acres of wood, £10 of rent, and half a mill, in Meldresleye, Hundrewode, Wrighterichfelde, Morneshale, and Longesdon, as dower, and Thomas and Margaret had made default, and the Sheriff had taken the dower claimed into the King's hand; and Margery now appeared and claimed seisin of it by the default of the defendants. Thomas and Margaret denied the summons and offered to wage their law. They are therefore to appear with their compurgators on the Morrow of St. Martin. m. 233.

Staff. William de Boweles, of Russhale, senior, sued John Giffard, of Chillinton, Chivaler, for a debt of £100. John did not appear and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at the Quindene of Hillary. (fn. 6) m. 259, dorso.

Staff. Henry de Bishbury and Amice his wife, executors of the will of Hugh, lately Parson of the church of Bishbury, sued Simon de Coungreve to render to the said Amice, and to Magister Robert Prymme, John de Prestwode, and Hugh de Prestwode her co-executors, 26 marks which he unjustly detained. Simon did not appear and the Sheriff was ordered to distrain and produce him at three weeks from Easter. m. 288.

Staff. Robert, son of Robert de Gresbrok is in misericordiâ for a false claim against Alice, formerly wife of William atte Rudyng in a plea of land respecting tenements in Shenstone as appears on roll 304 of Hillary term. m. 334.

Staff. Humfrey de Hastang, Parson of the church of Bradelegh, sued Ralph de Stafford, Chivaler, in a plea that he should warrant to him three messuages, a carucate of land, six acres of meadow, twelve acres of pasture, and 14s. of rent in Trentham which Roger, son of John de Cokenage, claimed against him. Ralph did not appear and the Sheriff was ordered to take land belonging to the said Ralph to the value of the tenements claimed into the King's hand, and to summon him for three weeks from Easter. m. 347.

Salop. Stephen de Lee sued Roger Trumwyn and Matilda, his wife, for the third part of the manor of Preston, near le Were, which Petronilla, formerly wife of Thomas de Lee, had given to Oliver, her son, and his issue, with remainder in default of such issue, to Stephen his brother, the plaintiff. And he stated that the said Oliver had been seised of the tenements in the time of King Edward, the King's father, and had left no issue. Roger and Matilda denied that Petronilla had granted the third part of the manor as stated by Stephen, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for three weeks from Easter. A postscript states that the process was continued till Michaelmas term, 15 E. III, when the parties appeared in Court, and the said Matilda relinquishing her plea, stated she could not deny that Petronilla had given the third part of the manor as stated by Stephen. He is therefore to recover seisin of it. m. 355, dorso.

Salop. In the suit of William de Perton against William de Morton, Clerk, for causing waste and destruction in Stircheleye and Malynleye. William de Perton stated that the defendant had pulled down and sold a room (unam aulam) worth 100s., and two chambers, each worth £10, a kitchen worth 10 marks, a stable worth 10 marks, a grange worth 10 marks, an ox-stall worth 100s., and had cut down and sold 40 oaks, each worth 3s. 60 ash trees, each worth 2s., 20 pear trees, each worth 2s., and 12 apple trees, each worth 12d., and for which he claimed £60 as damages. William de Morton denied the waste and destruction, and appealed to a jury, which is to be summoned for the Octaves of Hillary. A postscript states that the process was continued till 13 E. III, when a writ of nisi prius. was issued, and it was heard before William de Shareshull, with whom was associated Henry de Mortimer, when a verdict was given in favour of William de Perton for £36 7s. 6d.

Staff. Nicholas de Swyndon recovers an acre of land in Swyndon from Thomas, son of William de la Lee, of Swyndon, by the default of the defendant. m. 436.

Salop. (sic). Reginald de Leghe sued Robert de Tene for causing waste and destruction in lands of his inheritance in Leghe, which he had demised to the said Robert for his life. Robert did not appear and the Sheriff had distrained and returned 20d. as proceeds of a distress, and his sureties Thomas de Tene and three others are in misericordiâ. The Sheriff was ordered to go in person and make inquiries on oath into the amount of the waste, and to return the said inquisition into Court at the Quindene of Hillary. m. 436, dorso.

Assizes taken at Stafford, before William de Shareshulle and his Fellow Justices assigned, etc., on the Monday after the Feast of St. Lucey the Virgin, 9 E. III. (18 Dec., 1335.)

Staff. An assize, &c., if John, son of William Lyeyn, of Arlegh, and John Jones, of Arlegh, and Henry, his brother, had unjustly disseised Thomas, son of John de Wyntenhulle, of four acres of land in Arlegh.

John, son of William, answered as tenant of the land and pleaded he entered by a feoffment made to him by John de Wyntenhulle and appealed to a jury. The assize is therefore to be taken, but was respited to be heard at Lychfeld on the Friday after the close of Easter, through the defect of Ralph de Evenefeld, Thomas de Overton, Thomas Conand, Philip de Evenefeld, John, the Clerk of Kynefare, Thomas Benet, Richard de Holbache, Roger atte Forde, Thomas de Morf, Henry le Fremon of Oken, Robert Oliver, William de Mollesleye, Clement de Bilston, Richard de Togeford, and other recognitors, who never appeared. m. 9.

Staff. An assize, &c., if John de Feyrford and Richard Harding had unjustly disseised Robert de Whitfeld of a rood of land in Adgarsleye. John answered as tenant and stated he had entered by a feoffment made to him by John, son of John de Stonhill, and appealed to a jury. The assize is therefore to be taken but was respited to the date named above, through the default of Stephen de Corsoun, William de Rydeware, Robert le Chamberlyn, William de Stretton, Roger de Somerville, Gilbert Henry of Yoxhale, Richard de Holond, William Davy, Henry de Okleye, Robert de Mere, Henry de Knyveton, John Gobard, Ralph Carles, John de Rolleston, and other recognitors who never appeared. m. 9.

Staff. An assize, &c., if Robert le Clerk, of Legh, Richard Shavaldour, Robert atte More, of Neuton, and Henry de Asshewell, of Felde, had unjustly disseised Robert de Legh, junior, of four bovates of land in Legh. Robert le Clerk appeared by one Richard Fynch, and as tenant of the land stated that as regarded five acres of the land in dispute the plaintiff was in possession, holding it of him at will, and he denied that he had disseised him of the remainder. The jury found in favour of Robert le Clerk. m. 9.

Staff. An assize, &c., if Robert, son of Richard de Burton, Robert Godefrey, and four others named, had unjustly disseised Juliana, formerly wife of Hugh le Bachiler, of a messuage and a virgate of land in Levedale. Robert son of Richard, answered for all the defendants, and denied the disseisin, and stated that one William de Burton, his uncle, and whose heir he is, died seised of the tenements, and he had entered into them as his son and heir. The jury found that Henry de Erlyde and Adam le Prestemon, two of the defendants, had disseised the said Juliana, vi et armis, and that the others had no hand in it, and they assessed her damages at 40s. Juliana is therefore to recover seisin, and the Sheriff was ordered to arrest the said Henry and Adam. m. 9.

Staff. John de Tettebury, and Joan his wife, who had brought a writ of assize of novel disseisin against Hugh de Wrottesley and others respecting tenements in Boterdon, Waterfal, Grendon, Stafford, and Wrottesleye did not appear to prosecute it, and they and their sureties are in misericordiâ. m. 9, dorso.

Staff. Eva de Audeleye, and James, son of James de Audeleye, who had brought a writ of assize of novel disseisin against Hugh, son of Hugh de Audeleye and others, respecting tenements in Audeleye, Chesterton, Bradewalle, and Holedych, did not appear to prosecnte it, and they and their sureties, viz., Richard de Venables and Richard de Boughay are in misericordiâ. m. 9, dorso.

Staff. Richard, Jurdan of Engelton and Elena his wife, who had brought a writ of assize of novel disseisin against Robert son of William Reynald, of Norton, and Elizabeth his wife, respecting tenements in Norton near Cannockbury did not appear to prosecute it, and they and their sureties viz., Adam le Ropere and Jordan de Engelton are in misericordiâ. m. 9, dorso.