1431-06-28, Westminster

Grant to Thomas Comberworth, knight, with the assent of the council and by mainprise of John Cerff and Richard Duffeld, of the county of Lincoln, of the keeping of the county oa with all issues and profits belonging to two farms, the called post terras datas and the other called firma comitatus annuatim, and to the profits of the county ; to hold the same from 5 November last during the king's pleasure, rendering 2011. yearly at the Exchequer by equal portions at Easter and without any payment or allowance being made to him for his fee ; notwithstanding (1) that the king on 5 November [p. 16, above] committed the keeping of the county to him during pleasure ; on condition that he render yearly the farms due to the king and answer at the Exchequer for the king's debts with all other things pertaining to the said keeping, and (2) that Edward ITI, on learning that all sheriffs of the county since 18 Edward I [recte II] had accounted as agents and not as farmers, so that thereby the king sustained no small damage formerly through the decrease of the farms by the deduction of allowances, order to the treasurer and barons of the Exchequer by the advice of his council that answer should be made to him [in full] for the two farms aforesaid, and also for as much as could be levied . 45 yearly of the profits of the county, no sheriffs being charged for more than they could levy. By p.s. [2403].