Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Social conditions
Further, in the time of Edmund, the porters of the castle of the town of
Leicester meddled not in the town of Leicester with the making of any
attachments, except with a bailiff of the same town; in the time of
Thomas, by force and might they made attachments and other executions
without any bailiff of the town, and wrought great wrongs in the said
town, whereby the burgesses suffered great grievances.
In the time of Edmund, if any burgess were impleaded in the court of the
castle, the mayor and bailiffs of the same town used to claim their
court and freely have it at the Portmanmoot; in the time of Thomas the
farmers refused to admit their claims or to grant their court, but
compelled burgesses to answer there by various and heavy distraints.
Further, in the time of Edmund, buyers of wool used to hire carts to
carry their wool at their will; in the time of Thomas they were
compelled to give to the farmers 1d. on each sack and could hire carts
only at the will of the said farmers.
Further, in the time of Edmund, the foresters of "le Fruth" used not to
make attachments in the town of Leicester nor meddle there for any
trespasses of dry wood committed; in the time of Thomas, by extortion,
force and might, they made attachments both upon those who bought at
their doors from poor women carrying dry sticks on their heads, and upon
others, and caused the buyers to be amerced at the court of "le
Hethilegh."
In the time of Edmund, the brewers of the same town used to be amerced
once a year according to the measure of their guilt and at the rate of
6d. or 12d. at most; in the time of Thomas, the farmers levied from the
same by extortions and heavy ransoms at their will from one half a mark
and from another 10s., which they call farms of "Cannemol."
Further, in the time of Edmund, the weavers of the same town used to
give nothing to any man for exercising their trade; in the time of
Thomas the said farmers took by extortion from every weaver 40d. for
permission to work in broad cloth.
Further, in the time of Edmund the vendors of salt herrings and fish
could sell such their merchandise by themselves and their servants
(_servos_) with their own hands, giving nothing of their own except
toll; in the time of Thomas they were not permitted to sell their
merchandise, but the ministers of the farmers deputed hereto sold the
same and took great sums of money by extortion.
Further, in the time of Edmund, retailers of cloth selling in their
windows used not to be amerced except by view of jurors of the same town
and once a year at 12d.; in the time of Thomas they were compelled by
heavy extortions to make fines at his will.
In witness whereof the jurors have set their seals to this inquisition.
[Footnote 182: June 11.]
[Footnote 183: The necessities of Earl Thomas, leader of the opposition
to Edward II., had evidently reacted upon his tenants.]
[Footnote 184: And 23 others named.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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