1371-03-27, Westminster

To W. archbishop of Canterbury. Order and request, as he loves the king and his honour and desires the safety and defence of the realm and church, in consideration of the difficulty of the business and of the perils likely to happen for lack of such defence, to cause a convocation of his suffragans, the deans and priors of cathedral churches, the abbots, priors and other elective persons, exempt and not exempt, the archdeacons, chapters, convents and colleges and all the clergy of every diocese of that province to appear before him in the church of St. Paul London or elsewhere as he shall think fit at the earliest possible day, to lay before them the business set forth in the last parliament affecting as well the king and the estate of the realm as the needful defence of the same and the charges resting upon the . 287 by reason thereof, and to urge them to grant a competent subsidy of such charges, doing his part to that end, and certifying the of the amount of such subsidy and of the terms of payment ; archbishop is not ignorant of the business and the charges aforewhich the king is not able to bear without aid of his lieges, wherefore said parliament he craved a subsidy of the archbishop and of his diocese and province there present. ' Rep. upon the Dignity of a Peer, iv. p. 649.] J. archbishop of York. Like order and request, mutatis ; as the archbishop is not ignorant of the business and charges before his proctors and the prelates in the last parliament. that on Monday 24 March this year about the third in a privy chamber of the king situate upon the queen's bridge the river Thames called the Redechambre, in presence of Th. of Exeter, Richard earl of Arundell, Humphrey earl of Hereford, Lescrope steward of the king's household, Richard Lescrope, de Pembrigge chamberlain of the king's household and Leget receiver of the king's chamber, William bishop of the chancellor delivered up the great seal enclosed in a of leather and sealed with the said bishop's seal, which seal king took from him as aforesaid ; and after on Wednesday following king made Sir Robert de Thorp knight chancellor, and in the said in presence of William bishop of Winchester, 8. bishop of the said earls of Arundell and Hereford, Henry Lescrope, Leserope, Richard de Pembrugge and Helmyng Leget with own hand delivered the said seal to the said Robert; and he took the oath and received the said seal, and on Thursday in the great hall of Westminster where the court (placea) is held, in presence of the said bishop of Winchester and clerks of chancery, caused the said purse to be opened and the to be drawn out, and letters patent and writs to be sealed there- ; and after the said chancellor, being about to depart home own parts with the king's licence, on Friday following in a of the friars preachers of London called the parlour situate their church left the said seal enclosed in the said purse under his in the custody of Walter Power, William de Burstall, William and Nicholas de Spaigne clerks of the chancery to be kept his return to London, bidding them on the king's behalf upon oath by them made to the king faithfully to do and fulfil those which pertain to the keepers of the seal ; and they received the seal, and on Saturday following before noon in another chamber said friars called the Counseil house beside the lower cloister the purse to be opened and writs of course to be there sealed. that on Friday 28 March this year at Westminster a chamber of the king near the river Thames, in presence of de Bohun earl of Hereford, Robert de Thorp chancellor, Lescrope treasurer, Richard de Pembrugge chamberlain, Leget receiver of the king's chamber, William de Burstall of the rolls of chancery and many others, William bishop of late chancellor delivered to the king two great seals and two privy seals which were lately in the king's use and remained in the custody of the said bishop by his commission, the inscriptions whereupon are as follows, namely upon one of the great seals Hdwardus dei gratia Rex Francie et Anglie et Dominus Hibernie, upon the other Edwardus dei gratia Rex Anglie Dominus Hibernie et Aquitanie, upon one of the privy seals Secretum Edwardi Regis Francie et Anglie et Domini Hibernie, upon the other Secretum Edwardi Regis Anglie dominit Hibernie et Aquitanic ; and the king caused the two great seals to be enclosed in two purses of leather under seals of white wax, and the two privy seals in two linen napkins (panniclis) under seals of red wax, sealed with the king's signet and the said bishop's seal, and the four seals so enclosed he delivered to the said treasurer to be kept in the treasury. [ Lbid.)