1297-10-08, St. Paul's

To Reginald de Grey, justice of Chester. Whereas the king granted by his letters patent to the prioress and nuns of Chester 24 marks yearly from the ferm of the town of Middlewich (de Medio Vichio), until such time as he should cause this yearly sum to be assigned to them to be received in a certain place for ever, for certain fixed alms granted to them by the king's predecessors, formerly lords of Cheshire (Cestresirye), and he also granted to them by the same letters 4/. 17s. Od. yearly from the said i ferm in recompence for the damages that the prioress and nuns sustain yearly to that amount by the withdrawal from them by the abbot and convent of Vale Royal of the tithes pertaining to the prioress and nuns church of Ovre, as in the tithes of hay, fishponds, gardens, cows, calves, servants in Lent and other small tithes, until the king should similarly provide them with that sum elsewhere for ever; and 931. 16s. 67. are in arrear to the prioress and nuns for Michaelmas term in the twenty-first year of the reign and for the four following years: the king orders the justice to cause them to have this sum, unless they have been previously satisfied for it, in accordance with the king's grant aforesaid and as they have been wont to have and receive it in times past. Witness : Edward, the king's son. To John de Lythegr[eynes], escheator beyond Trent. Order not to intermeddle with the lands that Ralph de Goushull at his death held of other lords than the king, as the king learns by inquisition taken by the escheator that Ralph at his death held nothing of the king in chief as of the crown, but that he held certain lands in Coldon of the honour of Albemarle, which is in the king's hands, by knight service. . 67 sheriff of Gloucester.