1324-09-18, Porchester

To James, king of Aragon, Valencia, Sardinia, and Corsica, count of Barcelona (Barehin ), and standard-bearer, admiral, and captain-general of the Roman church. The letters of James presented to the king by the bearer of the presents contained that James had written to the king upon another occasion requesting restitution and satisfaction te be made to his subjects and to the subjects of Sancho, king of Majorca, for the taking and robbery of two galleys of Majorca, and of the goods in the same, upon the sea by men of the king's power, and that no restitution had been made, as James was given to understand, although the king had been requested to make restitution by the envoys of the king of Majorca sent to him for this purpose; wherefore James has requested the king to cause restitution to be made of the goods thus stolen, as the goods were taken without legitimate reason. Certain other letters of James were exhibited to the king, containing that he had received the king's letters in answer to his concerning the making of restitution of stolen goods to Berengar Letonis, his subject, which were taken with the said galleys, in which letters the king stated that he would have caused justice to be done to Berengar if he had expounded his complaint before the king concerning the premises, and James asserts that such an answer would suffice in other questions or affairs, but that the use of his court was otherwise observed with other kings and communities, and hy the said kings and communities with James on the other side, to wit . 312 that if robberies or other wrongs be inflicted upon his subjects on the sea, James causes a certificate to be received, at the complaint of those who have suffered damage, in his court concerning the robbery, and when the robbery has been proved, he considers that the value of the goods stolen has been proved sufficiently by the oath of those who have suffered the damages, after his taxation thereof, and then he causes the lord of the robbers to be required to make satisfaction for the stolen goods, and if the lord do not do so, he then grants his subjects licence to impound (pignorandi), and he acquires other aids whereby his subjects who have been robbed may be satisfied. The king, after consideration of the premises and the other things contained in James's letters, intimates to him how he offered himself, as he wrote to James upon another occasion, to the envoys of James and to the envoys of the king of Majorca as ready to cause justice to be done concerning the premises, according to the laws and customs of the realm, [etc., as in preceding letter.) The king wishes him to know that, whatever may be the use observed in James's court between him and the neighbouring kings and communities as to granting letters of marque (licenciam mercandi) concerning goods stolen on the sea, the king does not use, and has not heretofore used, any such custom against his neighbours, kings and powers, and their subjects, and they do not use, and have not used heretofore, any such custom against him and his subjects, but that licences to impound (pignorationes) are made and observed only upon default of justice upon the part of the lords when they have been required sufficiently to do so, aud when they do not take care to exhibit justice to the men of their neighbouring lords who have been robbed, and other princes in like cases have been wont to use and do use [such custom] against the king's subjects, and the king against their subjects, and the king cannot change any thing against the laws and customs of his realm to the prejudice of his subjects, and the other princes cannot. The king requests James not be aggrieved hereat, as the king is, and always will be, ready to exhibit full and speedy justice to all and singular of James's subjects coming into his realm, and to comfort and support them with opportune favours. [ Feedera. Joan, late the wife of John de Carru, tenant in chief, puts in her place John de Evesham, clerk, to sue for and receive her dower in chancery. ld.