1354-03-24, Westminster

To Wiliam de Thorp and his fellows, justices of assize in co. Lincoln. Whereas the king lately committed to John son and heir of Edmund Peverell, the custody of all the lands which belonged to his father at his death, in Sealleby, and which Edmund held of the heirs of John Paynell, of Rasen, tenant in chief, lately in the king's wardship, by knight's service, and which are in the king's hand by reason of Kdmund s death and John's minority, to hold until the heir should come of age for rendering the extent thereof at the exchequer yearly, and now the king has learned that divers men of those parts have arramed assizes of novel disseisin before the justices against the said heir and others contained in the original writs, for the lands so committed to the heir, so that they may defraud the king of his right: the king therefore orders the justices not to proceed to take such assizes without consulting him, during the said custody. By C. To William Basset, Thomas de Fencotes, Hugh de Louthre, John de Moubray and Peter de Richemond. Whereas the king lately appointed them to be justices to hear and determine a contempt upon him and a trespass upon Ralph de Bethum, knight, and Richard son of Henry de Caplesheved, Ralph's serjeant, by Thomas de Roos of Kendale, Robert his brother, Robert Dikmansone of Caplesheved, Adam de la Chaumbre, Roger de Siggeswyk and Patrick Johannesservant de Whassyngton and others at Haverbrok in Kendale, and although Thomas, Robert, Robert, Adam, Roger and Patrick have not been in garrison at Berwick upon Tweed in the king's service before these times, or stayed there, but scheming cunningly to impede the process against them, they have obtained letters patent containing that they were with Thomas de Musgrave, keeper of that town, in garrison there, and therefore they ought to be quit of all pleas and suits with certain exceptions, until Whitsuntide next, as the king is informed, and having ascertained that they have never been in garrison as aforesaid, the king orders the justices to proceed in the said suit and to hear and determine the contempt and trespass aforesaid in accordance with the tenor of their commission, notwithstanding the said letters of protection. By C. Enrolment of indenture made between the king, of the one part, and John Donati du Chastel of Florence, Philip John de Neir of Florence and Benet Isbare of Lucca, moneyers, of the other part, testifying that the king has ordained by advice of the council that the said John Philip and Benet shall be masters and workers of his money in the Tower of London in the following form, to wit: to make three kinds of gold money, one current for 6s. 8d. to be called the gold noble, 42 pieces to the pound weight of the Tower of London ; the second to weigh one half of the first, current for 40d., 84 pieces to the pound weight of the Tower, and the third weighing a quarter of the first, current for 20d., 168 pieces to the pound weight of the Tower; and every pound of the said money shall be worth 141. sterling of all the aforesaid pieces, which shall be of fine gold, to wit, of 23 carats, 34 grains in the pound; of which moneys the king shall have 10s. 6d. of every pound made, and the masters, for their work, coining, damage of gold, cutting the irons, loss of weight, expenses and all other costs save the wages of the wardens, changers and clerks, shall have ld, of each pound, and the merchants shall have the remainder, amounting to 131. 8s. 4d.; and the masters shall have a sixteenth part of a carat for remedy in each pound, which extends to the mail and half ferleng, and if the money is found less either in weight or feebleness than 28 carats 84 grains, beyond the said sixteenth of a carat, it shall be challengeable 238 EDWARD III. Parr 1. 63 less than good; also the masters have undertaken to make sterlings of of the alloy of the old sterlings, and they shall be of the weight of 6d. of sterling to each pound weight of the Tower, and the king 14d. pound thus made, and the masters, for the work of coining, scales, of weight, cutting the irons and all other costs, 54. and the merchants have the remainder; and the masters shall have 2d. for remedy of pound, to wit: if the pound have 2d. more or less of alloy, the king's shall deliver them as good, without having them refounded, and is ordained so that the masters may make the money loyally; they also undertaken to make mailles of silver of the alloy of the old to be of the weight of 23s. 3d. for each pound of Tower weight, king having 17d. a pound, the masters, for costs etc., as aforesaid 814. ; they will make silver farthings of the same alloy, 28s. 5d. to the pound, king having 19d. in the pound and the masters 101d. for costs etc., and shall have remedy as for the sterlings ; and the king will set wardens him in each place where the said moneys are made, who shall keep and the money that it be of the alloy and weight as the masters have to wit, that as soon as the money is coined the wardens and masters shall receive it from the moneyers and put it in a hutch under keys, one to remain with the wardens and the other with the masters ; before the money is delivered to the merchants the wardens, at the of the masters, shall cause it to be assayed, and if it be not so good have undertaken, it shall be given back to them to be refounded made good at their own cost, and when the money has been delivered proved good, the wardens and masters shall take 2s. sterling of every pounds weight, and a piece of every 5 pounds of gold, which shall be in a box under two keys under two seals, one key to remain with the and the other with the masters, and the box shall be kept in the and shall be opened every three months before the council or their and before the said wardens and masters, and the money shall be before them, and if it be found good, the masters shall have letters under the great seal, to be quit of all challenge touching that money ; the masters shall not be challenged for any mouey found in any part king's power, except for the assay of what is found in the said box, whenever the wardens are requested by the masters to make delivery of or silver, they shall be bound to do so, that the merchants may be the ready to bring gold and silver to the said money; and the warden render account to the king so that the masters be not charged to render to the king but only to the wardens; and if the masters and merchants agree to make the said money by a covenant between them, then changer for the time being shall have power by the king's commission the truth of the matter, and if the masters will not assent thereto to the said money in their default, and the king will cause proclamation made throughout the realm that no one shall take any money out of realm, except the new gold money, upon pain of losing all his gold and and his body at the king's will, and no one shall bring into England manner of false money upon the same penalty, and no one shall spend of any coinage except that of the king, and that the good money current shall remain so, and no one shall refuse the king's money price aforesaid, and intormers shall receive a third part of the ; and the king confirms by this indenture the ancient charters granted to the moneyers, and if the masters fail in the weight to the standard and covenant aforesaid or if they fail in the alloy money, John de Stodeye, vintner of London, John de Colewell, of London, William de Caueston, goldsmith of London, William goldsmith of London, Robert de Shordissh, le puisne, of London, goldsmith, and John de Enefeld of London, mercer, came before the treasurer and barons of the exchequer and others of the council on 7 January and undertook for the masters and workers to satisfy the king and people for the weight of the said money, and the said mainpernors will have the masters and workers before the king and his couneil as soon as fraud or deceit is found in the alloy or weight of the money, to receive what shall be determined and the king grants that all the agreements aforesaid shall be kept to the masters, and the masters have taken oath before the council on the said 27 January to loyally perform the said office. Dated at Westminster on 27 January, 23 Edward DI. French. Enrolment of grant by William de Prestone of co. Sussex, brother and heir of Richard de Prestone of that county, to Henry Williett, Walter de Mereseye and John Carevill of a messuage with curtilage, all those shops and all those tenements which formerly belonged to the said Richard and Agnes his wife, in Suthwerk and the parish of Newynton. Witnesses: Alan Ferthyng, Robert de Staunford, Elias de Braughyng, Robert Haumund, John de Miccham. Dated at Suthwerk on Thursday in the first week of Lent, 23 Edward III.