1327-12-28, Worcester

To the sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. The burgomasters, échevins, consules, and community of the town of Bruges have signified to the king by their letters that certain burgesses of that town lately loaded two ships of Flanders, the master of one being John de Turnay of Sluys (Escluse) and of the other John Babbard, with their goods and wares, for the purpose of carrying them to divers parts to trade therewith, and that certain men of Great Yarmouth, pretending that the goods in the ship belonged to men of Scotland, which they did not, entered the ships by armed force as they were sailing by the sea coast near Great Yarmouth, and took and carried away the goods and wares aforesaid, which they detain, contrary to the truce between the king and the men of Flanders, which goods and wares and ships are still under arrest within the sheriff's bailiwick, as the king is given to understand, wherefore the burgomasters, échevins, consules, and community have prayed the king to cause the goods to be delivered to Nicholas de Leek, their fellow-burgess, whom they have sent to the king in this behalf: the king therefore orders the sheriff to cause all the goods and wares aforesaid arrested in his bailiwick that Nicholas can prove to belong to the burgesses of the said town to be released together with the said ships, and to cause them to be delivered to Nicholas, notwithstanding that men of Scotland or their goods and wares were then in the same ships. If any of the said goods have been eloigned, the sheriff is to cause inquisition to be made concerning them, and to cause them or their price to be delivered to Nicholas, so far'as he can prove that they belonged to the said burgesses, certifying the king of his proceedings. It is provided that the goods and chattels belonging to men of Scotland that were arrested on this occasion shall be kept safely without diminution until further orders. By K. & C. [Feedera.] To the treasurer and barons of the exchequer. Master William de Weston has shewn the king that whereas the late king sent him to parts beyond sea for the expedition of his affairs there, and he received 50 marks in the late king's court before the barons of the exchequer, in the 19th year of the reign, from the late king's treasurer by way of imprest made to him by the treasurer and chamberlains, to be paid by him at a certain term now past, and the treasurer and barons have now ordered this sum to be levied from his goods and ecclesiastical benefices in the diocese of Lincoln by the bishop for the king's use, and he expended more than this sum in the aforesaid affairs, as will appear by his account, which he is prepared to render before the treasurer and barons, and he has prayed the king to cause the levy of the said 50 marks to be superseded until he have accounted before the treasurer and barons for the expenses aforesaid: the king therefore orders them to audit William's account, and if, after the rendering of the account, they find that this sum or any part thereof is due to the king from William, to cause to be done concerning the arrears what they shall see fit, superseding until Easter next the levy of the aforesaid 50 marks, unless William account therefore in the meantime. By K. To Robert de Clypston, keeper of the manor and peel of Clypston. Order io cause all the houses at the peel aforesaid built by the late king, except the great gate of the peel and the house over it, to be removed, and to cause certain of them to be re-erected in the manor according to his discretion.