Under the circumstances we cannot be surprised if the friars sometimes took legal measures to recover the debts due to them. It was no doubt in connexion with this grant, that in 1466 Richard Clyff, ‘custos’ of the Oxford Grey Friars (first in person and afterwards through his attorney) sued John Broghton, late Sheriff of Kent, in the Court of Exchequer, for 100_s._ due to him from the preceding year, and claimed damages to the amount of ten marks[645]. In 1488, in like manner, Richard Salford, Warden of the Friars Minors at Oxford, applied to the Barons of the Exchequer to compel John Paston, Knt., late Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, to pay a debt of £10 18_s._, and put in a claim to £10 damages; he recovered the debt, but the damages were reduced to 26_s._ 8_d._[646] On the same day he sued Edmund Bedyngfeld, Knt., late Sheriff of the same counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, for a debt of ‘seven pounds of silver’ and 100_s._ damages; the amount of the debt and 20_s._ damages were awarded him[647]. The next year he again brought an action against the same Bedyngfeld and recovered the debt (£4 2_s._), while the barons assessed his damages at 10_s._ instead of the £4 which he claimed[648]. We gather from these instances that though the annuity was usually paid and was not often much in arrear, it was not collected without considerable trouble and expense on the part of the friars. These actions involved a journey to London and the employment of an attorney[649]: they were never settled in one day, and weeks or months elapsed between the first hearing and the second. The Grey Friars were also in receipt of annual or weekly alms from others besides the King. Durham College paid them 50_s._ yearly[650]. ‘In ye accompts of S. Ebbs made before 1542, it appears in all, y{t} ye churchwardens of S. Ebbs parish paid to ye warden of ye Grey Freyers Oxon 6_d._ per annum[651].’ The nunnery of Godstow[652] gave every week alternately to the Friars’ Preachers and Minors ‘fourteen loaves of the best wheat’ (_pasto_), worth in money value 8_d._ a week, ‘for the soul of Roger Writtell; and the aforesaid friars shall have the seal of the monastery to the amount of 34_s._ a year.’ The nuns also gave annually to each of the four Orders of friars at Oxford 3_s._ 4_d._ in money, and ‘one peck (_modium_) of oytemell and one of peas (_pisarum_) in Lent.’ Among the ‘perpetual alms’ of Osney Abbey is mentioned a grant of 20_s._ to the four Orders, as the price of one ox, at Christmas, and of 4_d._ a week to each Order ‘according to ancient custom[653].’