ROLL A 13
Membr. 1
Pleas held in the Chamber of the Guildhall before James
Andreu, Mayor, and the Aldermen, A
o 41 Edw. III
[1367-8]
20 Dec. 1367
William Underwode, William Webbe, Nicholas Longe and
John Wyot, masters of the Butchers at the Stocks, were
sworn to regulate the mistery of Butchers and present defects
therein.
John atte Wyre and John Pyk, weavers of Brabant, and
John van Wettre and Paul Stolpard, weavers of Flanders, were
elected bailiffs of the Weavers by the Mayor and Aldermen,
and sworn to regulate their mistery and report any weavers
found obstructing them in their duties.
22 Nov. 1367
Friar John Woderove, Warden of the House of Derteford (fn. 1) ,
recently founded by the King, presented a bill by his attorney,
Friar Walter Durant, complaining that he had lent to John
Chynle, mercer, and his partner Ralph Knyghton the sum of
£55 belonging to the House, to be repaid last Michaelmas.
The borrowers had traded and profited with the money,
which they now refused to pay. He prayed that the said
Ralph be summoned to answer. [French]
The defendant appeared on summons and denied that he
was a partner either at the time of the loan or afterwards.
Thereupon with the consent of the plaintiff's attorney he
made his law to that effect with his single hand (cum sola
manu propria). Judgment that the plaintiff take nothing by
his bill and be in mercy and that the said Ralph go quit.
Membr. 1 b
9 Dec. 1367
An inquest was taken before the Mayor as to evildoers
and disturbers of the peace, through whom discord, dissension and breaches of the peace arose in the City, by oath
of Richard Savage, Thomas Hornere, John Mymmes,
William Koc, William Kyriel, Adam Underwode, Thomas
Welde, John Gromet, John Sexi, Roger Alisaundre, John
Bodesham and John Lyncoln. The jurors said that on Sunday
before the Feast of St Andrew [30 Nov.] in the parish of St
Sepulchre without Newgate, John Depham, ironmonger, and
Simon Macchyng, hosteler, by malicious and contumelious
words assaulted and disparaged John atte Felde, John Rogier
and William Debelyn, saying that they were false procurers
and conspirators in a false inquest taken before the Mayor
as King's Escheator (fn. 2) concerning the tenements of the late
Thomas de Berden. The said John and Simon had also declared that, owing to the conspiracy of the said John, John
and William, John Depham had wrongfully lost the above
tenements. Further the said John had threatened them and
had followed them from the churchyard to the highroad with
the intention of killing them, causing a great affray and disturbance of the King's peace.
On Tuesday after the Epiphany, the said John Depham
and Simon Macchyng were attached to answer the King, on
behalf of whom John Asshwell prosecuted, as regards the
above indictment. Both pleaded not guilty and put themselves
on their country. Next day a jury found them not guilty and
they were acquitted.
Membr. 2
9 Nov. 1367
Mayoral precept issued to William Bathe, John de Idyngham, Simon atte Nax, William Sallowe, William Persshore,
William Debelyn and Adam atte Water, who were sworn this
day as wardens of Fleet Bridge, ordering them to undertake
the cleansing of all streets, lanes and the bank (rive) of the
Fleet, in Fleet Street, and to levy the required moneys from
all the householders, according to their estate, between the
Porch of St Paul's and le Templebarre. If the wardens found
anyone casting rubbish, gravel or dung out of their doors into
the said streets, lanes and Fleet, they were to levy from each
offender the sum of 2s to the use of the Chamber, for
which the present precept should be their warrant. Written
at Guildhall, 9 Nov. [French]
Henry Bosworth, Thomas Cornwaleys, Thomas Gysors,
Robert de la More, Henry Herbury and John Clyvelee were
elected and sworn before the Mayor and Aldermen to regulate the mistery of Vintners and to enforce the proper sale of
wine, both Rhine (de Renya) and Gascony, without deception.
Only sound and incorrupt wine was to be sold, and there was
to be no mixing of wines in the City. All defects in the trade
were to be reported to the Mayor and Aldermen.
16 Nov. 1367
Adam Stable, William Essex, James Jacomyn and Paul
Penyk were chosen arbitrators between Robert Northwold
and James Beal, Lombard, and the Mayor and Recorder as
umpires (inpares).
Membr. 2 b
29 Nov. 1367
John Gyle and Richard Halsted, weavers, Richard Dorsete
and William Castel, being sworn to examine defects in a
white cloth made by Richard Webbe, found that Roger
Mordon, skinner, had incurred damage of 40d owing to bad
weaving by the said Richard. Judgment for that amount.
10 Nov. 1367
Richard Wasshelyn, apprentice of John Hatfeld, grocer,
brought a bill of complaint against his master, alleging that,
though he had served faithfully for about ten years, the said
John, without any reasonable cause and in order to damage
him, had turned him out at the Feast of the Nativity B.M.
[8 Sept.], his term being incomplete, and would neither allow
him to serve his full term, nor make a reasonable arrangement
for terminating the apprenticeship, although the complainant,
on his master's demand, had brought his friends from Lincolnshire at considerable expense to them for the purpose of such
an arrangement. Accordingly he prayed that he might either
serve his full term or be exonerated from his apprenticeship
in a proper manner, and further that he might be admitted to
the freedom, and his pledges be discharged, in view of the
fact that his apprenticeship would have been completed at
Christmas. [French]
The master appeared on summons and by his attorney,
Gilbert Melchebourne, declared that he had no claim on the
apprentice and no desire to keep him, but as regards making
him free of the City according to the custom, he pleaded that
he was not bound to do so, because of the apprentice's misconduct, which had damaged him to the extent of 1000 marks.
The apprentice, while not admitting any offences against
his indentures, asked, on the ground that his master made no
claim to him, that his sureties should be discharged and that
he should be admitted to the freedom. The Court, after an
adjournment for consultation, eventually released the apprentice from his indentures and discharged his sureties, and
also exonerated the master from making him a freeman of the
City. The master was in mercy.
Membr. 3
29 Jan. 1368
An inquest was taken before the Mayor as to evildoers and
disturbers of the peace guilty of divers trespasses and other
evil deeds in the Ward of Aldgate, by oath of Richard atte
Seler and fifteen others, who said that on the preceding
Thursday Richard de Daventry, then servant of the Sheriff's
serjeant, broke through a window into the house of John
Myte and afterwards broke open a locked door and took away
a horse belonging to John de Brampton, a pound of pepper,
value 15d, and two pounds of cotoun, value 2s.
1 Feb. 1368
An inquest was taken before the Mayor as to the cause of
an affray in Cheap Ward, by oath of Robert Chesterfeld and
eleven others, who said that on the preceding Sunday Robert
de Salesbury, the beadle, and the constables of the Ward were
keeping watch, when about midnight Henry Plater, saddler,
William Braunceby, saddler, John Saunfayt and William,
servant of William Hardyng, saddler, came into Cheap with
long knives and without lights, contrary to the law, and on
their attempting to arrest them, the said Henry drew a long
knife and wounded the beadle and constables, who nevertheless arrested him and lodged him in the Sheriff's house,
while the rest took flight. The jury further found that the
beadle was doing his duty and that if the said Henry came
by any harm, it was his own fault. The prisoner was released
on mainprise of William Pykerel, and precept was issued to
the Sheriff to attach the other offenders by their bodies and
commit them to prison until etc.
1 March 1368
John, son of Edmund Faukes of Bandon, brought a bill
of complaint to the effect that he had served as apprentice to
Roger de Reygate, joiner, for five years come Easter (vigne la
feste de Pasqy), during which time his master had not enrolled him, taught him his trade or found him in clothing and
necessaries, but had fled as a debtor to St Martin le Grand,
for which reasons the said John prayed to be discharged from
further service. [French]
The master, on being summoned, made default. The Court
thereupon adjudged that the apprentice should be free to seek
instruction elsewhere, without claim of the said Roger or his
executors, and that the indentures should be cancelled.
Membr 3 b
24 April 1368
Richard de Penbrugge, knight, demands an assize of
nuisance (fn. 3) against William la Zouche of Haryngworth, as to
his free tenement in the parish of St Andrew, Cornhill.
8 May 1368
Peter Daudele Ondelye, Simon Cokerel, Baldwyn Marchant
and John Tyto, good men of Amiens, undertook in full court
to pay 50 marks to James Andreu, Mayor, on the Feast of
Corpus Christi [8 June].
Petition of Joyncyn Gascogne and Nicholas Sardouche,
merchants of Lucca, that Canalke Passe, merchant of Lucca,
attorney of Bartholomew Spefham, may be summoned to
court to acknowledge receipt of 300 old crowns (escuz veilles),
the residue of a sum of 1100 old crowns, for which the said
Canalke had sued them about the Feast of the Nativity of
St John the Baptist last past, and which they had now paid.
They pray that the acknowledgment may be entered on the
Records and a copy be delivered to them. [French]
Afterwards on 30 June the said Canalke came and acknowledged receipt.
Membr. 4
20 June 1368
William Gyffard, William Crounthorp and Ralph de
Shakeden, of the mistery of Skinners, were mainprised by
Thomas de Irland, skinner, Nicholas de Exton, skinner, John
Aston, fishmonger, and Edmund de zernemuth, tailor, for
their good behaviour towards the King and his people, and
that they would not form congregations, unions (alligaciones)
and covins in taverns or other places, whereby the King's peace
might be hindered, and that they would be ready to stand
their trial whenever summoned by the Mayor and Sheriffs
and their officers. Bartholomew Myne, spicer, entered into
a separate mainprise for the above William Gyifard.
Robert Godrych, John de Romeseye and William Payn of
the mistery of Skinners were similarly mainprised by Nicholas
Bosebury, cordwainer, John Keleshull, carpenter, Adam le
Chaundeler, Peter de Mildenhale, skinner, John Conynton,
brewer, and John Lyt, brewer.
3 July 1368
William Wyng, cook, was committed to Newgate for selling
three pullets at the excessive price of 15d, contrary to the
statute of the City (fn. 4) , and also for threatening Thomas Neel,
taverner. Three days later he was released on mainprise of
Thomas Felmyle, taverner, to keep the peace and not to sell
his victuals at too high a price.
8 July 1368
William Ludryngton, tailor, and John Oliver were brought
before the Mayor and Aldermen for playing at dice and
merels (ad mirella) (fn. 5) and other fraudulent games. The said
William and John forswore such games in future and informed
the Court that William atte Wode and Cok atte Wode of
Greenwich were hasardours
(fn. 6) like themselves and had been
associated with them in deceiving the people. Order was
given to arrest them.
The same day Thomas Andreu, draper, acknowledged
himself bound to William Lameleye, skinner, in £23 17s, to
Robert Clerk, butcher, in 190s and to Gilbert Mokkyng in 44s,
which he promised to pay as soon as he received the sum of
£54 10s 5d due. on a tally given to him by Sir John de
Cobham, son of the Countess Marshal (fn. 7) . This tally related to
an assignment for that sum made by the King in favour of Sir
John upon the custom-collectors of the town of St Botolph's
(Boston, co. Lines.). In order to give greater security to
William Lameleye and the others, James Andreu entered
into mainprise for Thomas Andreu that he would fulfil the
conditions.
Membr. 4 b
17 April 1368
John Fisshe, dighere, brought a bill of complaint alleging
that John Haliwell, his journeyman, on Sunday after the
Feast of All Saints [1 Nov.] 1365, ran off with his (the
plaintiff's) wife Elizabeth, taking with him cloth, linen, wool
and other goods and chattels to the value of £200. [French]
Both parties having been summoned, the defendant appeared next day and confessed that he had lain with Elizabeth,
the complainant's wife, but pleaded not guilty as to taking
away his goods, and thereon he put himself on the country.
He was committed to prison for lack of mainprise. On
20 April a jury of Richard Yonge and others found a verdict
for the plaintiff with 40 marks damages. Judgment accordingly, and the defendant was committed to prison until etc.
21 Oct. 1368
Thomas Blankowe and Alice Breton, who had been sued
by Emma Saltere in a plea of debt of 52s, made four defaults,
whereupon the plaintiff prayed that the foreign attachment
made upon them might be valued and delivered to her under
security according to the custom of the City. The goods were
valued by oath of Simon Maching, John Gildeford and John
Duston as follows: a coat (tunica) of bluet
(fn. 8) furred, 8s; an old
materaz, 16d; a coverlet with a tester of blue, 5s; a pair of
sheets, 2s; a pair of old sheets, 6d; 2 tuaills
(fn. 9) and 2 naperouns
(fn. 10) ,
12d; a pair of hose and a pair of old shoes, 8d; a faldyng
(fn. 11) ,
12d; an unlined (non dupplicata) cloak with two women's
hoods, 2s; a pelewe, 4d; 2 cichar'
(fn. 12) , 12d; a bowl, a tankard and
a lynset
(fn. 13) , 6d; a banner of carde
(fn. 14) , 6d; a male
(fn. 15) with divers small
objects necessary for women's occupations valued together,
6d; a chest, 2s; a canvas, 8d; a coverlet, 2s; a tester, 4d;
1 quylte devel
(fn. 16) , 8d; a forcer with 2 keverchefs and other
pynchers
(fn. 17) and 3 cordouns
(fn. 18) for a woman's head together with
other small instruments belonging to women and one pair of
tablets, valued altogether at 2s; a large old tablet (tabula), 6d;
total 32s 6d. The above goods were delivered to the plaintiff
under pledge of John Squier and Walter atte Ravene to
answer therefor if the debtors appeared to plead within a year
and a day.
Membr. 5
5 Oct. 1368
John Blockele came into the Chamber and delivered to
John Prentiz, cutler, and Gilbert de Meldebourne, attorney
of John, son of John de Bristowe, the will of the said John de
Bristowe, together with a writing obligatory of £20 made by
John de Derby, clerk, to John de Bristowe, clerk, an indenture
of defeasance of the same, and a writing obligatory of 10
marks made by Thomas Cassy, Thomas de Stoke and others
to John de Kirketon.
Membr. 6
14 Aug. 1368
Thomas Kynebell, rector of St Martin Pomeroy, came before the Mayor and Aldermen and asked to be admitted to
prove as his own certain goods and chattels which had been
attached as being the property of Margery, late wife and administratrix of Geoffrey de Dytton, at the suit of John Manner,
attorney of John Croys of Amiens, for a debt of £40. The
goods were as follows:
In The Hall: 2 dosers, 4 costers, 6 banquers, 3 douseyns
quyssyns
(fn. 19) , 2 tables, one countour, 2 forms, one skren with a
cupboard, one basin, one lavour, one schekker, 12 chairs, one
large gaioll with birds, 2 chaundelers pendaunz, one chaundeler
esteant, 3 tristells, one iron bar standing behind the fire, one
pair of tongs, 2 furches.
In The Chamber: 20 coverlytes, 2 testers, 2 pairs of curteyns,
19 pairs of sheets (lyntheux), 15 feather-beds with the
travesyns, 11 oralers, 22 closours of linen for beds, 3 large
huches, 5 small huches, one long chayer, 2 countours, 2 aundirnes for the chimney, one standing chandelier, 50 dressed
rabbit-skins, 2 pairs of trestles, 2 basins, 4 lavours, 2 complete robes, 2 cotes with the chaperons.
In The Pantry: 4 bordclothes, 4 towaills, 6 savenaps, 4 salers,
2 pieces of silver, 5 mazers whole and broken, 6 chandeliers
of laton, 10 pewter pottle-pots, 4 pewter quartpots and one
pint (pot), 2 gistes, 2 almaries, one small aunser, one pair of
irons for waffres, one sarce, one pair of leather quart-bottles.
In The Parlour: one doser, 3 banquers, one huche, one knife
for trenchours.
In The Kitchen: six brass (erresme) pots, one posnet, 4 large
payelz and one small, 4 caudrouns, 3 brandirens, 2 gridils, 3 iron
gromes, one iron frying-pan, 2 iron slyce, one fleschoke,
one scomour, one iron ladel, one large iron broche rounde and
3 small, 2 large knives for the cosyne, 3 morteres de marbil,
2 wooden pestels, one myrour, 2 iron hokes, 2 coloundours of
latoun, one large hache, 2 stones of mustard, two long iron pails,
2 tables for the dressour, one portion of fowaill, 6 fother of
carbouns, one vache, one pewter pot for vyneker, 5 large fatez,
4 kymlyns, 3 tubs, one cuve, 2 troghes, one fan, one quarter of
malt, one bultyngton, 4 barrels for verjouce, 6 sacks for wheat,
six barrels for ale, 3 barrels of white salt, one quarter of large
salt in a piece, one portion of glas, 3 tuns of noys, 5 pipes
descors de noys, 10 aumes of Rhine wine in 3 pipes.
The said Thomas Kynebell declared that all the above
chattels were his own before, at the time of, and after the said
arrest, and that no other person had any property in them to
the value of 4d, and that if they were lost, the loss would fall
upon himself alone, and his present claim was not by any
colour of fraud (aliquo colore fraudis) or collusion to exclude
any one from his action, but merely to prove that the goods
were his own. He was admitted to probate, after which the
Court awarded him delivery of the goods.
26 July 1368
An inquest of office was taken before the Mayor and Aldermen to discover what persons were in the habit of throwing
the offal of beasts, and other filthy and putrid matter from the
slaughtering of beasts, into the Thames at the bridges and
other places contiguous to the river, and likewise of carrying
such offal through the lanes and streets to the aforesaid river,
whereby the water was rendered corrupt and generated fetid
smells, becoming an abominable sight and nuisance to all
dwelling near or crossing the river; further, as to whether the
practice of slaughtering beasts within the City, as then carried
on, was a nuisance to the commonalty of the City or not.
A jury of Stephen Verder, Richard Freman, John Abbot,
Richard Botiller, William Austyn, Stephen Standard, John
de Shene, Geoffrey Sutton, William Wotton, Richard Marchaunt, Richard Taillour and Robert at Welle of Castle
Baynard Ward found that the butchers of St Nicholas
Shambles and their servants were in the habit of carrying the
said offal and filth to the bridge called "Bochersbregge" near
Castle Baynard and there casting it into the Thames, making
the water foul, that in its passage through the streets some of
the offal fell from the vessels in which it was carried, and that
the blood of the animals slaughtered in the Shambles aforesaid found its way down the streets and lanes to the Thames,
making a foul corruption and abominable sight and nuisance
to all dwelling near or using those streets and lanes. They said
further that it would be more proper and decent that the
butchers should slaughter their cattle outside the City.
Similar inquests were held and verdicts given by jurors of
the Wards of Farringdon Without, Vintry and Queenhithe.
Membr. 6 b
3 July 1368
A Congregation of the Mayor and Aldermen in the
Chamber of the Guildhall on Monday after the Feast of
the Apostles Peter and Paul [29 June]
On which day the King sent his writ under the Great Seal
enjoining upon the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs to take
into consideration and find a remedy for the complaints contained in a petition against the butchers of the City, which
certain magnates and others of the commonalty of the City
had sent to him. Witness the King at Westminster, 24 June
Ao 42 Edw. III [1368].
Enclosure: Petition from the Bishop of London, the Earls
of Warwick (fn. 20) and Salisbury, Mary de St Pol, Countess of
Pembroke (fn. 21) , and other dwellers in the lane called "Oldedeneslane
(fn. 22) ," complaining that the butchers between St Martin's
Church and the Friars Minors, who used to slaughter their
cattle and leave their offal and refuse outside the City, had
recently taken to slaughtering their cattle, sheep, pigs and
poultry within the City, carrying the offal and offensive refuse
by day and night through Oldedeneslane and by the King's
Wardrobe to a small plot by the Thames close to the Friars
Preachers, to the grievous corruption of the water and to the
great damage and annoyance of the petitioners, and against
ancient custom, wherefore the petitioners pray that the Mayor
and Sheriffs may be ordered to examine the matter diligently
and find a suitable remedy. [French]
1 July 1368
Further letter under the Privy Seal, ordering the Mayor etc.
to provide such a remedy as would relieve the petitioners and
preserve the good name of the City. Dated at Westminster,
1 July.
26 July 1368
Inquests taken pursuant to the above writs and petition
(see above, p. 93).
28 Aug. 1368
A portas (fn. 23) , valued at 2 marks by oath of Robert Baroun,
scrivener, and William Rydale, which had been attached in an
action of debt brought by William de Rothewell, chaplain,
against Hugh Marlebergh, parson of Silverton, was delivered
to the plaintiff under pledge of William Barker and John
Norwych, tailor, to answer therefor if etc.