1336-11-16, Bothwell

To William de Shareshull and his fellows, justices appointed to take _assizes in co. Stafford. Whereas the king has waged almost continual war with the Scots, and yet foreigners in no small number assemble a great fleet to attack the realm, wherefore the king and his lieges are compelled to extend warlike hands against such attacks more widely than was wont to be done by many of his progenitors, and because the king is constrained to provide for the indemnity of the lieges so serving him, and chiefly of those who are staying in the war of Scotland, so that they may not be disquieted and defrauded of their right, chiefly because the king's lieges for that cause depart from the king while he is acting in person in Scotland, and return home for the defence of their rights, the king being often left in the midst of his enemies, not without grave danger of his person, and it has been agreed by the prelates, earls, barons and chief men of the realm and others of the council, whom the king caused to be convoked at Nofyngham to treat upon his affairs, that assizes of novel disseisin arramed against the lieges staying in his service in Scotland should be continued from day to day, so that no disinheriting or prejudice should be done to them while they are in that service; the king therefore orders the justices to continue from day to day in the same state in which it now is the assize of novel disseisin which James de Stafford, knight, arrames before them against John de Membrane Gd Stafford, knight, in the king's service in Scotland, and others contained in the original writ concerning lands in Bromshulf, while John is staying in the said service, or until the king orders otherwise, according to the ordinance aforesaid; it is not, however, the intention of the king and his council that persons making such disseisins and setting out straightway to Scotland so that complaints thereupon may be delayed in the meantime, shall be assisted by the present ordinance. By C.