Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & SocialBesant, Walter
History
Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & Social
Besant, Walter
London (England) -- History -- To 1500; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- To 1500
5. “Item, the king’s menial servantes of householde and other persons,
asken dayly goods and lands, of impeached or indited of treason, the
which the king graunteth anon, ere they so endangered be convict.
The which causeth the receyvers thereof to enforge labours and means
applyed to the death of such people, so apeached or indited, by subtyl
means, for covetyse of the said grauntes: and the people so impeached
or indited, though it be untrue, may not be committed to the Lawe
for their deliverance, but helde still in prison, to their uttermost
undoing and destruction, for covetyse of goods.
6. “Item, though divers of the poore people and Commons of the Realme,
have never so great right, trueth, and perfect tytle to these landes,
yet by untrue clayme of enesessment made unto divers States, Gentles,
and the king’s meniall Servauntes in maintenaunces againste the ryght,
the true owners dare not holde, clayme, nor pursue their right.
7. “Item, it is noysed by common voices, that the king’s landes in
Fraunce been aliened and put awaye from the Crown, and his Lordes and
people there destroyed with untrue means of treason, of which it is
desyred, enquiries through all the realme to be made howe and by whom,
and if such traytors may be found guiltie, them to have execution of
Lawe without any pardon in example of other.
8. “Item, Collectors of the 3rd pennie in Kent be greatly vexed and
hurte in paying great summes of money, in the Eqchequere to sue out
a Writ called Quorum nomina for the allowance of the Barons of the
ports, which nowe is desyred, that hereafter in the lieu of the
Collectors the Barons aforesaide may sue it out for their ease at
their own costes.
9. “Item, the Sheriffs and undersheriffs, let to farme their offices
and Bayliwikes, taking great suertie therefore, the which causeth
extortions done by them and by their Bailiffs to the people.
10. “Item, simple and poore people that use not hunting be greatly
oppressed by inditments sained and done by the said sheriffs,
undersheriffs, Baylifs, and oter of their assent, to cause their
increase for paying of their said farme.
11. “Item, they returne in names of conquests in writing into divers
courtes of the kinges not summoned nor warned, where though the people
dayly leese great sumes of money, welny to the uttermost of their
undoing: make levie of amercementes called the Greene Ware, more in
summes of money than can be founde due of recorde in the kinges bookes.
12. “Item, the ministers of the courte of Dover in Kent bere and arest
diver people through all the Shire out of Castle warde passing their
bands and libertie bred of oldde time, by divers subtile and untrue
meanes and actions falsely sained, taking great fee at their lust in
great hurt of the people on all the Shire of Kent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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