Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 11 Edward I

Coram Rege Roll, Hillary, 11 E. I.

Headed, "Placita coram locum Domini Regis tenentibus apud Salop in Octavis Sancti Hillarii, 11 E I."

Staff. The Sheriff had been commanded to levy £120 from the lands and chattels of Roes Trussel in his bailiwick, and to bring the money into Court at this term, to pay it over to Magister Thomas de Standon and the other executors of Roes de Standon, and of which £25 ought to have been paid at the Quindene of Michaelmas, 7 E. I., etc.; and the Sheriff returned he had only raised 100s. from the lands and chattels of Roes, and it having been testified that Roes held sufficient lands, etc., within the county, the Sheriff is again commanded to levy the money as before, and bring it into Court at a month from Easter, and to be present himself to show cause why he had not executed the writ of fieri facias. m. 6, dorso.

Coram Rege Roll, Easter, 11 E. I.

Headed, "Placita coram Domino Rege et ejus locum tenentibus a die Paschæ in tres septimanas, etc."

Staff. Adam de Hanchirch appealed Thomas de Mere, John son of Alexander de Mere, Henry le Bedel, Robert de Burton, and Thomas son of John son of Alexander de Mere, of robbery and breach of the peace, and stated that on the Friday after the Feast of the Annunciation, 11 E. I., at the ninth hour, he was standing at the door of the hall of the capital manor of his lord William de Mere in the vill of Mere, which manor house is at the head of the village of Mere towards the north (borealem), when Thomas de Mere and the others named came and feloniously broke open the door of the said manor house and took him and bound him by his hands and feet, and they then broke open the door of a room towards the west, and forced open a chest with an axe which is called a Boleax (sic), and which contained goods and chattels belonging to William de Mere which had been handed to him for safe custody, and Thomas de Mere took feloniously from the chest £10, and John son of Alexander de Mere took 5 marks, and Henry le Bedel took 6 marks for his share, Robert de Burton took twenty gold rings value 60s. and 60s. in money for his share, and they took also from the same chest four girdles of silk (zonas de serico), of which two were of black silk barred with silver, and two of red silk barred with silver (barratæ de argento), and worth 100s.

And after the said felony they took flight, and he followed them and raised the hue and cry after them from vill to vill up to the fourth vill, and had prosecuted them by means of the bailiffs and coroners up to the Curiâ Regis, till they were attached at his suit, and this he is prepared to prove, as man against man (sicut homo versus hominem) (i.e., by wager of battle), or as the Court shall think fit.

And Thomas and the other defendants appeared and denied the felony, and took exception to the writ on two points, first, because in the part relating to hue and cry no mention was made of an appeal in the county court, and secondly because William de Mere was alive (in plenâ vitâ) and could have prosecuted them himself; and being asked if they wished to plead anything else, they said if the appeal was not quashed on these grounds, they put themselves on the country. The Sheriff is therefore ordered to summon a jury for the Octaves of St. John the Baptist. m. 1, dorso.

Banco Roll, Easter, 11 E. I.

Staff. In the suit of Ala widow of William de Handesacre versus Thomas le Harpur for dower, Thomas called to warranty William son of William de Handesacre, who is under age, and in ward to Geoffrey de Greselegh, and one part of his lands is in the custody of Roger the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, and another part in the custody of Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, and another part in the custody of William le Botiller of Wemme. The custodes to be summoned for Trinity Term, and Geoffrey to produce the heir at the same date. m. 1.

Staff. Sarra the widow of Thomas de Coule sued Richard Attetounesende for a third of nineteen acres of land in Coule (Cowley), and another tenant for a third of his holding in the same vill, as her dower; and Richard called to warranty Bertram the son of Bertram de Burgo, who is to be summoned for Michaelmas Term. m. 11.

Staff. John Giffard had been sued by Thomas de la Hyde in the county court to permit him to take reasonable estover in John's wood of Chilington as he used to have, and Thomas had pleaded in the county court that whereas he had been in seisin of the right as appurtenant to his free tenement of La Hyde, viz., the right to take oak for husbote, and the branches of oaks, underwood and old wood for furbote, and hussetum, spinetum, alnetum, and salsetum, for husbote, from Easter, 8 E. I., and for a year following, the said John would not permit him to take it after the latter date, and for which he claimed £20 as damages.

And John had appeared in the county court and stated that Thomas had never been in seisin of the said estover as appurtenant to his free tenement, but had taken it by the gift and grace of the said John, and he appealed to a jury in the said court, and Thomas likewise. Afterwards, at the petition of the said John, the cause was moved by the King's precept into this court, and the said Thomas and John now appeared, and they agreed that the cause might proceed in the above form. (fn. 1) The Sheriff was therefore ordered to summon a jury for the Octaves of St. Martin, 12 E. I., and Thomas and John now appeared by attorney and conceded before J. de Lovetot that the issue might be tried in the county before the Sheriff and the custodians of the Peace of the Crown (i.e., the coroners). The Sheriff was therefore ordered to summon a jury before him in full county, and to return their inquisition into the Court on the morrow of the Purification. A postscript adds that a concord was afterwards made, by which the said John acknowledged that Thomas de la Hyde and his heirs should take annually from his woods of Chilinton fifty-two cart loads (carectatas) of wood fit for burning, and eight cartloads for fencing (clausturæ) in the said wood as appurtenant to his free tenement of La Hyde, and he might seek for and cart away the said wood at any time of year excepting during five weeks in each year, viz., during three weeks before the Feast of St. John the Baptist, and for two weeks after the same Feast, and he might take one oak tree fit for timber (mueremium) annually in the same wood. And the said Thomas and his heirs or their bailiffs shall come the night before to the house of the said John at Chylinton, but whether the bailiff of the said John came or not, the said Thomas and his heirs might take the said wood and the oak tree, as appurtenant to his free tenement of La Hyde, and for this concession Thomas remitted his right to the residue of his estovers in the said wood. m. 26.

Hunts and Staff. In the suit of Matilda widow of John de Litelbyri for her dower in Sandon, the tenants sued had called to warranty Roger son of John de Litelbyri, and he had been summoned and had not appeared, and the Sheriff had been ordered to take the dower claimed into the King's hands, but as Roger held no land in Staffordshire, the Sheriff was commanded to cause an extent to be made of the value of the dower claimed, and he returned that the claim against William de Stafford amounted to 53s. 4d., and that against William de Hodynet to 5s. 4d., and that against Robert de Vernay and Isolda his wife to 13s., and against Roger son of Roger de Vernay 4s. 5d., etc. (fn. 2) The Sheriff of Hunts is therefore ordered to take land of Roger to the total value as described above into the King's hands. m. 52.

Oxon. The Abbot of Oseneye was sued by Nicholas de Stafford to give up to him Otvel the son and heir of Otvel Purcel, whose wardship belongs to him, inasmuch as the said Otvel held his land of him by knight's service, and he stated that he had held of him the manors of Sarnesho (Shareshull) and Covene in co. Stafford by the service of two knight's fees, and that by the detention of the heir he had been damaged to the extent of 100s.

And the Abbot appeared and stated the wardship belonged to him, because one Ralph Purcel the ancestor of the said Otvel formerly held a messuage and two carucates of land in Newenton, co. Oxon, of the Honor of St. Walery, by the service of half a knight's fee, and his Church was now seised of the said service. And the said Ralph had a son and heir Ralph Purcel, who married the sister of one Robert Burnel, who formerly held the manors of Sarnesho (Shareshill) and Covene in co. Stafford, and which manors descended afterwards to the heirs of the said Ralph and the sister of Robert, and he prayed for judgment whether, as the male line had always held the messuages and two carucates of land in Newenton of the said Honor, and the status of which the Abbot now held, and the said manors of Sarnesho and Covene had come to the said Ralph by marriage, the said Nicholas could claim the wardship of the heir.

Nicholas acknowledged the facts as stated above, and that the said manors had come to Ralph by the marriage in question, but he stated that the ancestors of the sister of Robert Burnel had held the said manors of his ancestors before the ancestors of the said Ralph had held of the Honor of St. Walery. A postscript adds that the parties appeared again at Michaelmas, 13 E. I., when the Abbot pleaded that the ancestors of Otvel had held the tenement in Neuton in co. Oxon of the Honor of St. Waleri before his ancestors had held of the ancestors of Nicholas in co. Stafford, and appealed to a jury. The Sheriffs were therefore ordered to summon a jury of twelve from co. Oxon and twelve from co. Stafford for the Quindene of Hillary. (Here the Record stops.) (fn. 3) m. 57, dorso.

Staff. Margaret the widow of Richard le Barbur withdrew her suit for dower out of a messuage and a virgate of land held by John Carbunel and Milicent his wife, and from fifteen acres of land held by William Meverel in Brocton. m. 33, dorso.

Staff. Juliana de Tene sued William de Merkynton for a messuage and three acres of land in Tene. William called to warranty Edmund Trussel, who appeared and asked why he should be called, and William produced a deed by which Edmund gave him the said tenement. He therefore warranted the land to him, and gave it up to the said Juliana; and William is to be recompensed from land of Edmund in co. Warwick, Edmund holding no land in co. Stafford, and the tenement was valued at 9s. 6d. annually. m. 26, dorso.

Staff. Peter the Master of the Hospital of St. John of Stafford sued Nicholas Baron of Stafford to carry out the terms of a fine levied in the Court of King Henry the King's father before Roger de Turkelby and other Justices Itinerant at Lychefeld between William formerly Master of the Hospital and Robert de Stafford the father of the said Nicholas, whose heir he is, respecting suit and service at the Court of Bradeleye, etc. And Nicholas did not appear, and had made frequent default, and the Sheriff had been ordered to distrain and produce him at Michaelmas Term. Nicholas now produced the King's letters of protection by which he was quit of all manner of suits excepting four specified, to last till the Feast of St. John the Baptist, (fn. 4) and dated from Rothelane, 26th February, 11 E. I.

Coram Rege Roll, Trinity Term, 11 E. I., apud Salop.

Staff. Noverint universi nos Johannem Paynel dominum de Caldecote juxta Wetinton et Margeriam uxorem ejus concessisse, etc., Magistro Simoni de Balidene Canonico Ecclesiæ Lichfeldiæ Mapetrehirst in manerio de Waleshale cum edificiis, vesturis bladi, etc., incipiente termino ad festum Inventionis Sanctæ Crucis anno r. r. Edwardi filii Regis Henrici undecimo usque ad finem quinque annorum, etc., pro viginti marcis quas nos, etc., per manibus recipimus, etc. Hiis testibus: Domino Johanne de Herowile, Milite, Roberto de Barre, Willelmo de Allerwis, Willielmo Hillari de Bermundescote, Ricardo Diriday de Waleshale, et aliis. m. 2, dorso.

Coram Rege Roll, Michaelmas, 11 E. I., apud Salop.

Staff. Thomas de Mere sued William de Mere, Adam le Provost, and five others, for taking his goods and chattels at Mere (Maer) to the value of 100s. and for beating and illtreating his men there. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff is ordered to produce at Hillary Term those who had found pledges, and to arrest and keep in safe custody the others. m. 2.

Staff. William de Rye appeared against Ralph de Alleshache, William his son, Richard son of Nicholas de Alleshathe, John the groom of Edmund de Stafford, and eight others, for breaking into his park at Enedon (Endon) and taking from it wild animals, viz., a certain eyry of hawks (quandam æream spervariorum), and the Sheriff had been ordered to attach them for this term, and returned they could not be found. He is therefore ordered to arrest and produce them at the Octaves of St. Martin. m. 4.

Staff. Richard de Thyckebrom acknowledged his deed in these words:—

"Sciant presentes, etc., ego Ricardus de Thyckebrom dedi, etc., Willelmo filio Roberti de Wyrle et heredibus suis, etc., totum jus et clamium quod habui, etc., in duabus virgatis terræ, sex acris prati, et tribus acris vasti regalibus cum pertinentiis in Thyckebrom quas idem Willielmus recuperavit versus me in curiâ Domini Regis, etc. H. T.: Roberto de Pipa, Roberto de Hulton, Thoma fratre suo, Reginaldo de Kynton, Johanne de Aula, et multis aliis." m. 1, dorso.

Staff. Richard son of Henry de Piria (Perry) acknowledged his deed in these words:—

"Sciant presentes, etc., quod ego Ricardus filius Henrici de Piria concessi, etc., Willielmo de Wyrle et heredibus suis, etc., totum jus, etc., quod habui vel habere potui in duabus partibus manerii de Piria (Perry Barr) cum pertinentiis, et in tertiâ parte quando acciderit, etc. H. T.: Domino Willelmo de Hondesacre, Roberto de Pipa, Willielmo de Alrewych, Ricardo le Freman de Barra, Willielmo de Wilnhalle in Parva Barra, Gilberto de Oscote, Willelmo filio Galfridi de Norton, Nicholao de Corscote in Wyreley mul tis aliis." m. 1, dorso.

Banco Roll, Michaelmas, 11—12 E. I.

Staff. Margaret the widow of Hugh de Hampton sued Ralph son of Hugh de Hampton for a third of a messuage and a carucate of land in Hampton near Blythefeud, and she sued Richard Parson of the Church of Gretewyz for a third of five acres, and Robert de Hampton for a third of two acres in the same vill as her dower. And the defendants had been summoned to be at Salop at fifteen days from St. John the Baptist, and they made default, and the dower claimed was taken into the King's hands, and they were summoned for this day, and they now came, and Margaret claimed the dower by their default.

And Ralph and Robert denied they were ever summoned to be at Salop at the Quindene of St. John the Baptist, and they are prepared to defend it by their testimony as the court should think fit. It is therefore considered that they should wage their law against her (vadiarent ei legem duodecimâ manu), (fn. 5) and they are to come with their compurgators (legibus) at the Quindene of St. Martin. m. 31.

Staff. Sarra the widow of Thomas de Coueleye recovers dower against Bertram de Burgo, viz., one-third of four acres in Coueleye, by default of Bertram. m. 37.

Staff. Avice the widow of Richard de Holney sued the Abbot of Byldewas for a third of six acres of land, four acres of meadow, and ten acres of heath, and ten acres of wood in Wilbrithon as her dower. The Abbot called to warranty Roger son of Jordan de Pyvelesdon, who is to be summoned in co. Salop for the Octaves of Hillary. m. 99, dorso.

Staff. Robert de Someresford (Somerford) appeared against Roger the Bishop of Coventry and Lychfeld, Gilbert de Kirkeby, John de Kynton, William le Bedel, and thirteen others named, in a plea that whereas he had impounded lawfully the cattle of the Bishop at Somerford, the said Bishop and the others named had broken into the pound vi et armis and carried away the cattle to the damage of the said Robert of £10. The defendants did not appear, and the Sheriff is ordered to distrain and to produce them at Easter. m. 94, dorso.

Staff. Idonea the widow of Hugh de Wrotthesleye sued John le Botiller for a messuage and half a virgate of land in Perton, and she sued William del Hull of Lappeley for half a messuage and one-fourth of a virgate in the same vill, and she sued Robert Loweles for half a messuage and one-fourth of a virgate in the same vill. The defendants appeared and prayed a view. A day is given to them at five weeks from Easter, a view to be made in the interim. m. 78, dorso.

Staff. Roger Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield has license of concord with William de Peshale and Doreia (Dorothy ?) his wife in a plea of warranty of charter. m. 75, dorso.

Staff. John Savage sued Isabella the widow of Adam de Aldithelegh for a messuage and a virgate and a half of land in Hyntes. Isabella appeared and stated she only held a messuage and a virgate and a half of land less half an acre, and John acknowledged this to be true. Isabella called to warranty William de Meynille, who is to be summoned in co. Derby to be in court at Easter. m. 72, dorso.

Staff. William de la More appeared against William Trumwyne, William Ingge, and Ralph le Mouner (the miller) of Wyrley for cutting down his trees at Great Wyrley to the value of 40s. And he sued the same William Trumwyne for services and customs due to him for the free tenement he held of him in Great Wyrley. m. 70, dorso.

Staff. The same William appeared against William Trumwyne and Richard his son and three others named, in a plea that whereas he had caused to be taken by his bailiff Nicholas de Gersicote the cattle of the said William at Great Wyrley for services due to the said William de la More, and wished to impound them, William Trumwyne and the other defendants had rescued them by force. None of the defendants appeared, and the Sheriff is ordered to distrain and produce them at Easter. m. 70, dorso.

Staff. Margaret the widow of William del Lee sued Richard son of William del Lee for a third of a virgate of land in Hanberyate (Hanyard), and of two virgates and a half in Berliston (Barlaston), and a noke of land in Folford (Fulford); and she sued William de Caverswell for a third of twelve acres in Folford, and John de Brock for a third of a virgate of land in Codewalton, and Hugh de Draycote for a third of twelve acres, and twenty-nine lesser tenants holding from two to eight acres each for a third of their holdings in the same vill; and she sued Richard son of Richard de Cressewelle for a third of two acres in Fuleford, and nine other tenants holding each two acres of land in the same vill, for a third of their respective holdings, as her dower The defendants all appeared and prayed a view, and a day is given to them at Hillary Term. m. 50, dorso.

Staff. In the suit of Sarra widow of Thomas de Coule for dower in nineteen acres of land in Coule (Cowley) held by Richard atte touneshende, and in which Richard had called to warranty Bertram son of Bertram de Burgo, Bertram now appeared and stated that Thomas never was seised as of fee of the tenement, and appealed to a jury. The Sheriff is ordered to summon a jury for Hillary Term. m. 38, dorso.

Staff. Margaret the widow of Hugh de Hampton recovers her dower in five acres of land in Hampton near Blythefeud held by Richard the Parson of Gretewyz by default of the latter. m. 31, dorso.

Staff. William de Kaureswell appeared against John Byroun, the custos of the body and lands of John son and heir of Oliver de Longeford, in a plea that he should warrant to him the third part of 13 marks of rent in Athelaxton (Ellaston), which Agnes the widow of Oliver claimed in dower. And he did not appear. The Sheriff is ordered to summon him again for the Octaves of St. Martin. m. 27, dorso.

Staff. Felicia the widow of William de Couelegh sued Richard de Couelegh for a third part of thirteen acres of land and an acre of moor in Wodeyton (Wood-Eaton) as her dower. Richard called to warranty John de Couelegh, who appeared and called to warranty Adam de Bromton, who is to be summoned for the morrow of All Souls. m. 2, dorso.