1301-12-18, Linlithgow

To Roger le Bygod, earl of Norfolk and marshal of England. Request that he will aid and counsel Master Richard de Abyndon and Walter de - Gloucestr[ia] in this matter in such way as they shall desire. Jbid.] To John de Thorp. Request that he will confer with Richard and Walter and counsel them in this matter. [Tbid.] Enrolment of the form of the letters of credence (la forme de la creance) sent to John de Kirkeby, John de Batesford and John Randolf, to be explained to the knights and men of co. Southampton, setting forth the need of victuals for the maintenance of the king and his army in Scotland, and that last year divers counties in the north aided him with corn (b[Zjedz) and other victuals, for which the king satisfied them, and that the men of those counties have nevertheless charged themselves with rendering as much or more aid to the king as they did last year, and that it is necessary for the king to have greater provision than he had last year, wherefore he prays the knights and men to advise and ordain how they can aid the king with 1,000 quarters of wheat, for which he will cause payment to be made to them at Midsummer out of the fifteenth of that county, for which he will cause his open letters to be made to the taxors and collectors of the fifteenth before any of the corn be taken or removed out of the county to make payment at the said term. French. [Ibid.] The like in favour of the following : The said John, John and John in cos. Surrey and Sussex, for 1,000 quarters of wheat and 500 quarters of oats. Nicholas Fermbaud and Richard Talebot in co. Gloucester for 500 quarters of wheat. Walter de Pavely and John Gerberd in cos, Somerset and Dorset, for 2,000 quarters of wheat. Ralph de Sandwyz and Henry de Cobeham in co. Kent, for 500 quarters of wheat. John de Sandale and William de Harpeden in cos. Essex and Hertford, for 500 quarters of wheat and 500 quarters of oats. [ [bid] Enrolment of the form of the letters of credence sent to those who are assigned in cos. Lincoln, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Nottingham and Derby, reminding the knights and men of those counties of how they granted to the king last year certain corn for his maintenance in Scotland, and that the king has willed that they shall be paid therefor out of the fifteenth in the respective counties, and stating that he is obliged to remain in Scotland, for which purpose he will need to have as ereat provision as he had last year or greater, and that as he cannot, owing to the great charges he is at, undertake to make payment for the provision of last year and for this without their aid; wherefore he prays that they will again aid him by granting that the payment that ought to be now made for the corn from the fifteenth shall be respited until Midsummer, to be paid then from the fifteenth, to which end he has sent his open letters to the taxors to make payment then. The king will pay for the corn that he has ordained to take or that he shall take in the respective counties readily to every one without making prise of corn by any of his ministers. If they wish that this payment shall be made now for the said corn of last year, they are desired to advise and ordain how the king may be best served with the corn that he needs now for his maintenance henceforth, and he will cause his open letters to be made to the taxors to make payment at Midsummer from the fifteenth. He prays . 575 to consider which of the two ways will be most feasible (/fesable) his honour and for them and to the least grievance of his people.