1323-07-25, Cowick

to W. bishop of Exeter, treasurer, reciting that the has often before these times appointed in divers counties certain of those counties to choose a certain number of footmen of the and abler men of those counties for the expedition of the of Scotland against the Scots, the king's enemies and rebels, and for the repelling of certain the king's subjects opposing of late, and also to array the men of those counties between the of sixteen and sixty years, and to put them in twenties, hundreds constabularies (constabulariis) so that they should be ready to on the king's service for the repelling of the said enemies, when hereon ; and that the king has now learned, on the complaint prelates and chiefs of the realm, that the men so appointed their deputies have burdened the people of these counties and divers sums of money from them in executing their said and permitted the sufficient and able men for a gift to stay at and chosen the insufficient, weak and poor men, who had nothing to come to the king, and have committed other extortions oppressions in this behalf to the king's peril and in contempt of and his orders and to the delay of the said expedition and to the loss and depression of the people ; and that the said bishop is about to go to divers parts of the realm to speed the king's by the king's order ; and appointing him to make inquisition counties through which he shall pass who have been appointed to execute the premises from the time when the king assumed of the realm, and who have been their deputies, and their behaviour and all such extortions and oppressions justice has not before been done, and to punish all those thereof ; the king having ordered all sheriffs and bailifis to before him on days and at places fixed by him good and men to make such inquisition, and to be intendant to him. By K. & C.