1319-01-24, York

To the justices of the Bench. It has been shewn to the king on behalt of Robert de Sandale, dean of the king's free chapel of Stafford, that the prior of Stone impleaded the dean and chapter of that chapel, Louis, now bishop of Durham, was dean of the chapel, concerning a of land and 4 acres of meadow in the town of (sic) the castle of Stafand the dean in pleading before the said justices asserted that he held the of the king's collation, and that the land and meadow pertained to deanery, and that Master John de Cadamo, his predecessor, dean of It. 53 chapel, was seized on the day of his death of the aforesaid land and and that the atoresaid Louis found his deanery seised thereof, by whereof the dean could not answer the prior without the king; on account the plea was delayed by consideration of the court until the should order his will to be done concerning the same ; and afterwards king, at the suit of the prior, ordered the justices to proceed to do justice the parties notwithstanding the above allegation, provided that if any arose by reason whereof they could not do so without consulting king, they should certify the king ; and the proceedings in the matter until the taking of the inquisition, and the justices, after Louis been made bishop of Durham, in the octaves of Michaelmas last, proto put the dean in default, although Master Thomas de Cherleton, dean of the chapel aforesaid, being in the king's service in the parts Scotland, caused the king's letters of protection to be produced, whereby king willed that he should be acquitted of all pleas up to a certain except pleas of dower unde nichil habet and of quare impedit and of novel disseisin, darrein presentment, and suits summoned before in eyre, which letters the justices did not allow because Thomas not named dean of the aforesaid chapel therein, although he is that and same person; by reason of which default the aforesaid tenements were into the king's hands; and because Thomas, believing the aforesaid to have been allowed (locum tenuisse), did not replevy the tenements due form, but afterwards resigned the deanery ; and the aforesaid Robert, dean, has prayed the king to cause a remedy to be provided for the default: wherefore the king orders them to admit Robert to defend the of himself and of his chapel in the aforesaid plea, and to cause justice be done to the parties, the king acceding to his petition because the is founded of the demesnes of his progenitors, formerly kings of and because it appears that Master Thomas was engaged in his on the aforesaid day. By K.