ROLL A 40
Rolls of Memoranda and Pleas of the time of Drew
Barentyn, mayor, in the 10th year of Henry IV
Membr. 1
15 Nov. 1408
Writ of certiorari to the mayor demanding that a return
be made to Chancery of a confession made by John Luter,
leche
(fn. 1) , Fleming, at the suit of John Clotes of Bemelond, with
regard to certain jewels delivered to him under certain conditions by the said John Clotes. Dated at Westminster
15 Nov. 1408.
Return of Drew Barentyn, mayor, as follows: On 5 Nov.
last, John Clotes and John Luter, leche, appeared before himself and the recorder. John Clotes complained that on 26 Sept.
he had delivered to the defendant fifteen stones called
"serpentyns
(fn. 2) ," of the value of 9 marks, a table
(fn. 3) of gold of
the value of 60s and a sword of the value of 6s 8d, which
the defendant was to retain if he cured him of a disease called
"lepre," but he had not cured him, to his damage £20. To
this the defendant answered that it was true that John Clotes
had come to him, but he had asked him to cure him of a
disease in the face called "salsefleume
(fn. 4) " He agreed to cure
him so long as he was not leprous, and the plaintiff assured
him that he was not leprous. Then the mayor asked the
defendant whether the plaintiff was leprous or not at the
time the goods were handed over. The defendant said he
knew well that the plaintiff was leprous and told him so,
though the plaintiff was willing to swear that he was not.
Then the mayor told the defendant that he had taken the
plaintiff's goods fraudulently, deceptively and injuriously.
And afterwards the defendant said that though he had not
cured the plaintiff of leprosy, he had taught him how to make
balsam and other medicaments, and so he thought he might
justly keep the goods.
19 Nov. 1408
Nicholas Cok, son of Robert Cok, late citizen and glover,
brought a plaint of intrusion against William FitzHughe and
Ellen his wife touching his free tenement in the parish of
All Hallows atte Wall.
Membr. 1 b
13 Nov. 1408
John Monk, carpenter, came before the Mayor and Aldermen and informed them that on 13 Sept. a certain Richard
Byrlyngham, a monk of Westminster, had pledged in his
name to John Fawne of London two silvergilt basins of the
value of £10 and more for the sum of £6 repayable at the
feast of All Hallows, and although he, John Monk, had
offered the money to John Fawne a few days after the said
feast, he refused to accept it or return the basins.
John Fawne, on being summoned and examined, admitted
lending £6 to the monk on the basins, and said that since
the money was not paid on the said feast, the basins became
his own by the terms of the agreement, in witness of which
agreement he had paid the monk one penny. No payment
having been made, he sold them for £8 5s to a certain Walter
Marwe, keeper of the Exchange, who sold them to a certain
William Bysmar. The latter admitted buying them for £8 10s.
And because the said John Fawne [made no] plaint nor
caused the basins to be valued, as he ought to have done by
the custom of the city (fn. 5) , and because a pledging of this kind
with a penny was of no value, according to the custom of
the city and sound conscience, even though the day of payment had passed, the Mayor and Aldermen asked the said
William Bysmar for what he would sell the basins. He
answered, not willingly for less than double their weight.
Thereupon, since he had bought the basins properly and
without fraud, they induced him to agree to accept 20s above
what he had paid for them, and then, after all the circumstances had been weighed, it was considered that John Monk
pay £6 and one penny to John Fawne, and that the latter pay
William Bysmar the 45s which he had himself received in
profit from Walter Marwe, the 5s which the said Walter
received in profit when he sold the basins to William, and
in addition 20s to William in place of his profit. This was
done and the basins were handed back to John Monk.
20 Jan. 1409
Bonds of William Crowmere, draper, and William Parys
of Ludlow to William Staundon, William Symmes and
William Pycard to settle lands and tenements of the value of
400 marks and to pay divers sums of money to William Hyde,
son and heir of William Hyde, grocer, deceased, and Elizabeth
his wife, daughter of William Parys, with remainder to their
children, and failing children, to the heirs of the said William
Hyde.
Membr. 2
18 May 1409
Writ of certiorari, returnable in Chancery, as to whether
Ralph de Mpnthermer (de monte Hermerii) (fn. 6) , in his will enrolled in the Chamber of the Guildhall on 15 July 1325, had
devised a tenement in the parish of St Dunstan to his wife
Isabella de Hastynges for life with remainder to his sons
Edward and Thomas in successive tail. Dated at Westminster 18 May 1409.
Note that a return was made.
8 July 1409
John Sawtre, prior of the house and church of St Laurence
of Blakemore (fn. 7) co. Essex, brings a plaint of intrusion against
John Tannere, chaplain, touching his free tenement in the
parish of St Mary Vanchirche (fn. 8) , London.
Membr. 2 b
4 March 1409
Bond of John Kelsey, William Bonauntre, Ralph Spayne,
Thomas Wade, Robert Hebbe and William Bullok, tapicers,
and John Port and Philip Tayllour, parishioners of St Denis
Bakchirche, for their good behaviour towards the mistery of
Cordwainers, and that none of them would in future collect.
money for a football (pro pila pedali) (fn. 9) or money called "cok
sylver" for a cock, hen, capon, pullet or other bird or for
any other use, and that they would not thrash (trituret
Anglice thresshe) any hen or capon or any other bird in the
streets and lanes of the city, under penalty of £20.
Note that this bond was annulled by Richard Merlawe
during his mayoralty.
19 Aug. 1409
Thomas Lakenham, master of the hospital of St Bartholomew in Westsmethfeld, demands an assize of nuisance against
John Watteford, prior of the house of St Bartholomew,
touching his free tenement in the parish of St Sepulchre
without Newgate.
Membr. 3 b
13 March. 1409
Memorandum that, in the presence of Drew Barentyn,
Mayor, and the Aldermen in the Chamber of the Guildhall,
Robert Colney, draper, was examined on oath as to the
number of statutes staple of Westminster (fn. 10) in which Richard
Wiltshire of Heydon co. Essex, son of (John) Wiltshire,
grocer, deceased, was bound to him. He answered four, of
which one was executed in Chancery and the other three
remained unexecuted, and that the latter were pledged for
£10 to a certain William Hanyngfeld of co. Essex. When
the mayor charged him on his oath to have the statutes produced in court without delay, he answered that it was impossible, as Hanyngfeld was then in Essex. However, evidence
was given by credible persons that Hanyngfeld was in the
city of London.
Membr. 4
7 May 1409
Richard Jardeville, one of the mayor's serjeants, was
ordered to bring before the Mayor and Aldermen the plaint
levied in the Sheriffs' Court between John Alleslee, draper,
plaintiff, and Nicholas Walssh, draper, defendant, for a debt
of £5 8s 9d.
In his count the plaintiff alleged that this money remained
unpaid on an account made between them relating to certain
woollen cloths. The defendant admitted a debt of 48s 10d,
which he was ready to pay, but denied that he owed the
balance of 59s 11d and offered to defend it by his law as a
freeman of the city, according to the custom of the city. The
plaintiff pleaded that he ought not to be admitted to his law,
because it was immemorial custom in the city that if any
person acknowledged himself to be debtor to another person
in any sum before any alderman (fn. 11) , and the creditor afterwards
sued him for the amount, the debtor ought not to be admitted
to his law, and the defendant had acknowledged that he was
debtor of 59s 11d in the presence of William Crowmere, then
and now alderman, which he was ready to verify.
The defendant denied that he had acknowledged owing
59s 11d and put himself on the record of William Crowmere,
praying the court that the said William might be examined.
The plaintiff did likewise. Thereupon William Crowmere
said that the defendant made no such acknowledgment.
Accordingly it was considered that as regards the sum of
59s 11d the plaintiff take nothing by his plaint, and that he
recover the sum of 48s 10d, but without damages, because
the defendant was ready to pay that amount.
Membr. 4 b
18 March 1409
Robert Steven, son of Laurence Steven of Great Jernmuth (fn. 12) ,
was exonerated from his apprenticeship to William Butte,
mercer, who was then in the Fleet prison and had ceased
to instruct and provide for him. The master was summoned
at his former dwelling-place and made four defaults. The
apprentice was then committed by the court to Richard
Whityngton, mercer, to serve the remainder of his term.
Membr. 5
22 Dec. 1408
Writ of error demanding that the record and process of
a plaint of trespass, levied in the court of Henry Pountfreit,
sheriff, between John Burdon, charietmaker, and Richard
Charlton, pavyer, and removed into the court of the Chamber
of the Guildhall before the mayor, be brought before John
Cokayn, William Haukeford, Robert Huls and Roger Horton,
the king's justices assigned to examine the record and process
and to correct the errors therein, if any, at the church of
St Martin le Grand. Dated at Westminster 22 Dec. 1408.
Precept of the justices demanding the record and process
at St Martin le Grand on 20 June. Dated at Westminster
13 Feb. 1409.
Return of Drew Barentyn, mayor, and Thomas Duke and
William Norton, sheriffs, claiming the city custom of a respite
of 40 days and the right of producing the record and process
oretenus by the recorder.
Membr. 6
17 Aug. 1409
Francis Marini, merchant of Florence, in the name of the
society of Francis, son of Sir Simon de Tornabonis (fn. 13) , merchants
of Florence, came into the Chamber and prayed that two
writs of attorney, and two instruments and three open letters
of the Priors of Florence, sealed with their seals, might be
enrolled in the memoranda rolls of the city. The Mayor and
Aldermen ordered the documents to be entered as follows:
4 March 1408
Writ of attorney testifying that Dominicus Cachynne of
Florence, merchant, who by the king's licence was about to
cross the seas, had appointed as his attorneys Peter Cambyn
of Florence, merchant, and Francis Maryn of Florence,
merchant. Dated at Westminster 4 March 1408.
27 June 1409
On 27 June 1409, according to the second indiction
after the custom of the Florentines, it was certified in the
Chancery of the lords Priors of the Arts and the Standardbearer of Justice of the people and commune of Florence in
the Residency Palace, in the presence of Jandonato Cecchi
de Jandonatis, Gregorio Pieri Corbizini Fracassini, Ser Paulo
Volte, notary, and other citizens of Florence, that Dominicus
Cachynne, merchant of Florence, who during his stay in
England had on 4 March 1407(8) appointed Peter Cambini
and Francis Marini his attorneys in the king's Chancery,
whereof he declared that there was an authentic record in
the said Chancery, now appeared and revoked the above
appointment of attorneys and declared himself not responsible
for any future business carried out by the said Peter and
Francis, and further requested Firenze, son of Pero Teci (fn. 14) of
Florence, judge-ordinary and public notary, to write a public
instrument concerning the said revocation, in accordance
with which the said Firenze had written the present document
and sealed it with his seal.
28 June 1409
Certificate of the Priors of the Arts and the Standardbearer of Justice that Firence Pieri Teci, who wrote the
above instrument, was a public and authentic notary and
that his documents were worthy of credit in public and private,
within courts of justice and without.
18 Oct. 1408
Writ of attorney testifying that Peter Cambini, merchant
of Florence, who by the king's licence was about to cross the
seas, had appointed as his attorneys Francis Marini and Gerard
Daniz, merchants of Florence. Dated at Westminster 18 Oct.
1408.
27 June 1409
Membr. 6 b
On 27 June 1409 it was certified in the Chancery of the
Priors of the Arts and the Standardbearer of Justice of the
people and commune of Florence that Peter Cambini, who
had appointed Francis Marini and Gerard Daniz his attorneys
on 18 Oct. 1407 (fn. 15) , now appeared and revoked the appointment and requested Firenze, son of Piero Teci, to write an
instrument to that effect.
28 June 1409
Open letter of the Priors and Standardbearer of Justice to
the same effect. Dated at Florence 28 June 1409.
Certificate of the same that Dominicus Chaccyni and
Peter Cambini, who had been accustomed to carry on
business in England from the kalends of June 1408 according
to the first indiction after the custom of the Florentines, had
not been since that date and were not now partners of Francis,
son of Sir Simon de Cornabuonis (sic), citizen and merchant
of Florence, and that from the same date there was no
partnership (societas) between them, such partnership as
previously existed having been terminated on that date.
Dated at Florence 28 June 1409.
Membr. 7
6 Feb. 1409
Precept was given by the mayor to Richard Jardeville to
bring before the Mayor and Aldermen a plaint pending in
the Sheriffs' Court between Richard Crowlond, plaintiff, and
Thomas Lamport, goldsmith, defendant.
The plaint set forth a claim of £36 16s 4d, which the
plaintiff in his count declared to be due on an account made
between the parties in the parish of St Mary Colchirche on
22 Feb. 1407 before Robert Upgate and John Cloos, the
plaintiff's auditors, for arrears of a rent-charge (pro censu
domus). To this the defendant had pleaded that on 6 March
1407, by mediation of John St Jermayn, renter, it was agreed
between the parties that he should be exonerated from the
arrears, and on this pleading he put himself on the country.
Afterwards, on 15 July 1409, the defendant appeared before
the Mayor and Aldermen and, being examined on his oath
according to the custom of the city upon the matter contained
in the plaintiff's bill, said that he was in Calais at the time
of the supposed account, and that neither Robert Upgate and
John Cloos nor any others were appointed auditors by the
plaintiff. The plaintiff was also examined and admitted that
his claims were not stated in the account. Accordingly it was
considered that he take nothing by his plaint.
26 June 1409
Writ to the mayor to proceed without delay in an assize
of freshforce
(fn. 16) without writ which he had summoned before
himself in the Chamber of the Guildhall, the assize having
previously been before Thomas Duke and William Norton,
sheriffs, in the king's court of the city, between John Bodelee
and Elizabeth, widow of Thomas Welford, concerning three
parts of a messuage in the parish of St Mary Somerset, which
assize was being grievously delayed. Dated at Westminster
26 June 1409.
Return of the mayor that he had not taken the said assize
before himself out of the Sheriffs' Court, but that it was still
pending before the sheriffs.
Membr. 7 b
8 Feb. 1409
William Crane, haberdasher, formerly servant in the art
of Haberdashery to John Frenssh, goldsmith, came before the
Mayor and Aldermen in the Chamber of the Guildhall and
was examined on his oath on certain matters relating to an
action of debt of £42 12s brought by William Yrby and John
Corner, merchants, against the said John Frenssh and his
wife Katherine, trading sole as a merchant, which action
after being levied in the Sheriffs' Court was then pending
before the Mayor and Aldermen. In answer to questions by
the recorder he said that the goods mentioned in the action
had not been bought by him for the use of John and Katherine,
but for his own use, that those goods never came to the use
of John and Katherine, that the latter knew nothing about
the purchase, and that he had converted to his own use the
goods and the money received for the same goods and had
used them to pay his own debts.
22 Oct. 1409
Writ to the mayor that whereas William Tiryngton, clerk,
had surrendered at the Fleet prison after being put in exigent
in the Husting and outlawed in an action before the justices
at Westminster at the suit of Laurence Markeys, fusycyan,
for having broken into the latter's house and carried away
goods to the value of £40, with force and arms and against
the peace, and whereas the king had pardoned the outlawry
on condition that he submitted to justice, and whereas precept
had been given to the sheriffs to summon the prosecutor and
the said William had been mainprised for his appearance,
certain malevolent persons had caused him to be arrested and
detained in prison, as the king was informed, wherefore the
mayor was commanded to bring him before the justices on
23 Oct. that he might keep his day and save his mainpernors
harmless. Witness W. Thirnyng, 22 Oct. 1409.
Return of Drew Barantyn, mayor, that before the arrival of the
writ the said William Tiryngton had been taken and detained
in the king's prison at the suit of Laurence Markeys on a bill
of trespass, which was pending in the king's court before the
mayor; nevertheless the mayor would bring him as required.
Membr. 8
30 March 1409
Memorandum that on Saturday in Ramispalmarum
(fn. 17) 1409
Salamon Oxney, John Palyng, Robert Halle and William
Adys, then wardens of the art of the Goldsmiths, came before
the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs (fn. 18) , and after reciting letters
patent granted by assent of parliament, following on a petition
made to King Edward III and his council in parliament in
the first year of his reign, whereby it was granted that the
Goldsmiths might choose from themselves good, lawful
and sufficient men to inquire as to false work, to correct.
defects in the mistery and to set punishments upon offenders
with the help of the mayor and sheriffs, and also letters patent
of the sixteenth year of King Richard II, whereby it was
granted that the Goldsmiths should be one perpetual commonalty, and that yearly they might choose four wardens to
govern the mistery, and further letters patent of the present
king given with the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal
in his parliament in the fifth year of his reign, whereby he
confirmed the grants of King Edward III, even though it
might be that the concessions thus made had not been used,
and granted that the Goldsmiths should have the scrutiny,
survey, assay and government of all kinds of gold and
silver work within the city and suburbs and in common fairs
throughout the realm and might punish defects found there
in—the said wardens informed the Mayor, Aldermen and
Sheriffs that divers persons of divers misteries of the city
were working in gold and silver in shops and in private
chambers in an evil and undue manner, in contempt of the
king, to the intolerable damage of the whole people and
to the shame and scandal of the art aforesaid, wherefore in
accordance with the charters they prayed the mayor and
sheriffs to assign two of their serjeants to accompany the
wardens on their scrutiny and survey and to preserve the
king's peace.
Thereupon the mayor and sheriffs assigned William Est,
the mayor's serjeant, and Henry Roberd, the sheriffs' serjeant,
and ordered them to arrest and lead to prison all those they
should find by testimony of the wardens to be rebellious,
contrariant or resisting in that part, and to report to the mayor
and sheriffs what they had done and found. And the same
day the serjeants and wardens entered the shop of a certain
William Multon, cutler, in Fletestrete, and the wardens
found there certain articles of silver, to wit, one buckle and
one pendant, newly-worked, which they took for assay. And
upon this William Multon with his servants left the shop and
with force and arms and in contempt of the king rebelliously
compelled the wardens to lay down the said articles, whereupon the serjeants by command of the wardens arrested
William Multon and brought him before the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs in the Guildhall, who after due consideration committed him to prison until etc.
Afterwards on 9 March the said William Multon, on the
request of the good men of the art of Cutlers, was handed
over under bail to Richard Pulle, cutler, to bring him before
the Mayor and Aldermen where and when etc. Later, on
Thursday 24 Oct. 1409, Richard Pulle was ordered to bring
the said William on the Monday following to answer, and
he, being charged and examined on oath, could not deny the
record, nor the evidence of the wardens and the report
of the serjeants that he had forced them to put back the
silver articles. Accordingly it was considered that he be
committed to prison to remain there until the Mayor and
Aldermen should be better advised.
Membr. 9
11 Oct. 1409
Precept was given to bring before the Mayor and Aldermen
a plaint pending in the Sheriffs' Court between Simon Copshep, draper, plaintiff, and Nicholas Plurio, galeyman, defendant, in a plea of debt of £90, in obedience to which the
plaint was brought into court, together with a record of the
proceedings, wherein it was contained that as the defendant
was not free of the city nor to be found within it, order had
been given to William Traynell, sheriffs' serjeant, to attach
him by cloths of divers colours in the custody of John Dys,
and that after the attachment the defendant had made three
defaults at Foreign Courts before the sheriffs.
Afterwards on 12 Oct. the plaintiff made his declaration
before the Mayor and Aldermen, in which he claimed £90
for woollen cloth sold to the defendant. The defendant made
default on 16 Oct. Therefore it was considered that the
plaintiff recover his debt and that the goods belonging to the
defendant be appraised by good and lawful men of the city
and delivered to the plaintiff. On 16 Oct. a valuation was
made by John Claveryng, Thomas Symond, John Goldehauke
and John Cake, drapers, and John Dryver and Godfrey
Reynold, upholders, as follows:
145 duszeins of narrow cloth (panni estreit), viz. 56 of
blanket, 32 of red, 14 of black, 15 of blod, 16 of russet, 5 of
green, 4 of medle, 3 of murree, at us 6d the dozen; 2 chests,
2s and 20d; one chest called a "cofyn" 6d; one pair of gloves
of platys and one bokeler, 12d; one stantys
(fn. 19) , one glasse and
one calamar
(fn. 20) , 6d; one pair of tables (fn. 21) , 6d; one garnement of
Gascoign shappe
(fn. 22) of striped frise, 2s; one garnement of motle
frise doubled with black, 5s; 3 doublets, 2s; 3 caps (capucia)
of divers colours, 12d; 3 pairs of old hosyn, 12d; 4 shertys
and six pairs of drawers (bracce), 2s; 5 sacks and one sarpuler,
2s; one arblast
(fn. 23) , one gyrdill, 12 arrows and one vice
(fn. 24) , 4s;
cos' puddynges
(fn. 25) and one barell, 4d; total, 25s 6d. Sum total,
£84 13s.
The above goods were delivered to the plaintiff under
mainprise to answer therefor if the defendant should come
within a year and a day etc. Further it was agreed by the
court on conscientious grounds (fn. 26) that the plaintiff should pay
back to the defendant the sum of £10 received from him
when the latter bought the cloth. Immediately afterwards
the serjeant arrested that sum in the plaintiff's hands at the
suit of Robert Twyer, draper, in a plea of debt of £26 19s 4d
pending before the court.
Membr. 9 b
Afterwards on 6 Nov. the said Simon Copshep produced
in court a writ of supersedeatis directed to the Mayor and
Aldermen reciting that, since the king had precedence of
other creditors, the said Simon, who had in his hands £10
of the goods of Nicholas Plureo, had been ordered in the
court of Exchequer to pay to the king's collectors of custom
and subsidy the sum of 115s 3d, which were due from the
said Nicholas Plureo, merchant of Venice, for the parva
custuma
(fn. 27) and subsidy on goods brought into the port of
London. The mayor was ordered to suspend all claims as
regards that amount. Witness J. Cokayn at Westminster,
5 Nov. 1409.
Accordingly, since the said Simon had paid the king
115s 3d, it was. considered that he pay the balance of the £10,
viz. £4 4s 9d, to Robert Twyer.