1345-11-26, Rockingham

To the justices of the Bench. Whereas it was found by divers inquisitions William de Monte Acuto, earl of Salesbury, at his death, held in his as of fee in chief divers lands, by knight's service and that William son is his next heir and aged fifteen years on the morrow of Midsummer the 17th year of the reign, wherefore the said heir and all his lands are in king's hand, and now the king has learned that John Lotterell, knight, whom Katherine late the earl's wife seeks a third part of the isle of and of a messuage, a mill, a carucate of land and 20 acres of meadow Estcoker, and John Inge, knight, against whom Katherine, by another seeks a third part of the manor of Dunheved, with appurtenances in near Melles, as her dower of the earl's gift, have called the said to warranty in pleading before the justices: the king, considering that may suffer prejudice, orders the justices, if they have so proceeded in affair, to behave so circumspectly that the king shall suffer no prejudice his being consulted. Enrolment of acknowledgment by Ralph de Bardes, knight, Gerard and Dinus Forset, for themselves and their fellows, merchants the society of the Bardi, that they are bound to the king in 18,000/. ; be paid to him at Martinmas next, for which they bind themselves and their goods on either side the sea. Dated at London on 12 November, Edward III. Enrolment of indenture made between the king and Ralph de Bardes, Gerard Bonenseigne and Dinus Forset, for themselves and their merchants of the society of the Bardi, testifying that whereas the are bound to the king in 18,000/. to be paid at Martinmas next, king grants that if they pay him 9,000/. at Martinmas or before, 10,0001. which they received as a prest from him, with which they are at the receipt of the exchequer, the bond for 18,0002. shall be null, otherwise it shall remain in force, and the 18,0002. shall be rebated in debt which the king clearly owes to them, and if they fail in part in the then the triple of what is lacking shall be rebated in that debt. at Westminster on 14 November, 19 Edward III. French. 3058 20