1360-07-16, Westminster

John Blaunchard and Thomas de Eston to the king. and several recognisance for 40/., to be levied etc. in Bedthat this recognisance was made as security for payof 401. which Warin Bassyngbourn and Mary his wife, (alleging John, son and heir of John Avenell deceased, died in Normandy, that Mary was daughter and next heir of John Avenell,) granted they would pay the king to have the lands of John Avenell, taken the king's hand for debts of his, as by the writ of livery to Warin Mary made may appear ; which Warin and Mary after delivered lands as his right and heritage to the said John the son, who reto England from parts over sea where he was a prisoner of war ; because Warin and Mary could not by that grant charge the said or John the son, nor is it found that John Avenell ought to be charged any debts to the king, as is declared by a writ of the treasurer and barons of the exchequer dated 6 May in the 25th year of the reign, recognisance is cancelled by command of the king and council. by command of the king and council, as in the above memoris expressed. that at Westminster, on 13 July, Peter de Salford of Bukyngham, being examined before the council for that, by the king's command charged on oath before the council to before the justices of the Bench on the octaves of Trinity twelve lawful and true men of the county of affinity neither with prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England nor John de Grey of Rotherfeld, between whom is to be taken an or jury of 24 knights which the prior has arrained against before those justices concerning the manor of Shobyndon, that that Richard Gregory the younger his under sheriff suspect therein) should meddle in the return, the said sheriff that return, and upon a fresh oath before the council said that he, himself (as he alleged) occupied about the king's business delivered to the said under sheriff twelve good and true of the county specified in a schedule indented (whereof one part with him, the other with the under sheriff) to be returned the justices, and produced the part remaining with him; and that Robert de Thorp chief justice of the Bench and Henry Grene justice (being there present) said that the names therein were not returned before them, speech was had with the under sheriff (being also present) whether the sheriff delivered to him to be returned or no, who said upon oath and acknowthat the sheriff did so, and that he, having in his keeping the of the sherifi s office, for that it seemed to him that the persons in indenture contained were insufficient in so great a business, for the of his master and for no other cause by his own discretion returned of knights and others more sufficient. And because the contrary to his oath delivered the panel for return to the sheriff, who for the cause aforesaid ought to have known nothing he was committed to the Flete prison, there to abide until king should command his will of him, and thereupon dismissed the quinzaine of Michaelmas next by mainprise of William Wykeham clerk and John de Bray usher of the exchequer. And for his false return insdeceit of the king's court, was comto the same prison, and dismissed by mainprise of William of Bedfordshire, Richard Gregory the elder, Geoffrey de Aston Buckinghamshire and William de Lambhithe of Surrey, which mainperned to have the bodies of the said Peter and respectively before the justices on the quinzaine aforesaid ; on behalf of the king the sheriff was commanded, under a pain to be at Westminster on that day in person before the justices, to have the under sheriff with him, to do and receive what the should decide.