1324-09-19, Porchester

Commission to Stephen de Cobham, Ralph Sauvage, Henry de Cobham Henry de Goshale, in the county of Kent, setting forth that whereas king by commission of 6 August p. 10] appointed them to select 1,040 in the county of Kent, he is now given to understand that they have the powers of their commission by levying a great sum of money be expended by themselves in providing armour, assessing the clergy to men at arms, and in other ways, and that to remedy this grievance has been ordained by the king and council that the purveyance of and plate armour shall cease for the present and the whole of 1,040 men be armed with haketons, bacinets, gauntlets of steel or and other arms fitting for foot soldiers. The array is to be by the commissioners associating with themselves two sufficient men every hundred, by whom the number of men is to be apportioned the hundreds, and then every town is to be assessed according to size and means. Substantial persons are to be chosen in every town are to be sworn to assess the inhabitants thereof and make the purof arms and armour so as to be ready by Martinmas. Any money commissioners haye received for the purchase of armour is to be to the men of the towns. Persons have been appointed to enquire their conduct under the first commission and to hear and determine complaints preferred against them. French. [Parl.