1446-05-21, Westminster

Commission to Master John Norton, John Lounde, clerk, Robert Claxton, esquire, Roland Tempest, esquire, Thomas Mareschall and the sheriff of Northumberland, setting forth that, whereas a ship called Mariknyght of Scotland, whereof Anthony Henryson was master, laden with divers goods of David Clerk, merchant of Aberdene in Scotland, and other merchants of that town at a port called Swyn in Flanders, coming to the port of Tymmouth near the town of Newcastle upon Tyne, was there lost and broken, and some of the goods were afterwards recovered and came to the hands of divers the king's subjects, wherefore David, who escaped death, while all the merchants of the ship were drowned, has made petition, that though in the truces between the king and them of Scotland it is concluded that if any ship of one of the king's said realms laden with persons or merchandise suffer shipwreck in any part of the sea or land near any of the said realms, and any persons survive the same, all merchandise recovered shall be given up for the use of the said survivors, who may sue for restitution within a year, the said commissioners are to make inquisition in the county into whose hands the merchandise has come and arrest and restore the same or the value thereof to the said David or others having a claim thereto, and commit to prison all who refuse such restitution. 20.