English Economic History: Select Documents. Various

for certain causes yet remains to be assessed in our city of London: We appoint you to assess that tallage in the city aforesaid and the suburb of the same separately by heads or in common, as you shall deem the more expedient for our advantage. And therefore we command you that without delay you go to the city aforesaid and the suburb of the same to assess the said tallage according to the means of the tenants of the same city and suburb, to wit, from their moveables a fifteenth and from their rents a tenth, so that that tallage be assessed as soon as possible, and the rich be not spared nor the poor burdened overmuch in this behalf; and that after that tallage be assessed in the form aforesaid, you deliver estreats thereof under your seals without delay to our sheriffs of London separately for that tallage to be levied without delay and paid to us at our Exchequer; and that you apply such diligence upon the expedition of the premises that we may deservedly commend you thereupon, in no wise omitting to appear at the Exchequer aforesaid as soon as you conveniently can to certify our treasurer and barons of the Exchequer aforesaid of that which you shall have done in the premises; for we have commanded our sheriffs of the city aforesaid that when they be forewarned by you, three or two of you, they cause to come before you, three or two of you, all those of the city and suburb aforesaid whom they shall deem necessary for the said tallage, and that they be aiding and attending to you hereon, as you shall enjoin upon them on our behalf. In witness whereof, etc. Witness the King at Spalding, 24 October, in the eighth year.

      20. A Writ Precipe [Chancery Files], c. 1200.

G. Fitz Peter,[69] earl of Essex, to the sheriff of York, greeting. Command (precipe) Ralph de Nevill justly and without delay to render to Robert, son of Richard de Haverford, Fivelay and Moseton and Sloxton with the appurtenances which the same Robert claims to be his right and inheritance, and whereof he complains that Ralph unjustly deforces him; and if he refuse and Robert give us security to prosecute his claim, summon the same Ralph by good summoners to be before us at Westminster on the quinzaine of Michaelmas to show wherefore he does it not; and have there the summoners and this writ. Witness H. Bard at Shoreham, 21 June.[70]

21. Articles of Enquiry touching Rights and Liberties and the State of the Realm, 2 Edward I.[71] [Patent Roll, 2 Edward I., m. 6], 1274.

      How many and what demesne manors the King has in his hand in every county, as well, to wit, of ancient demesnes of the crown, as of escheats and purchases.

      Also what manors used to be in the hands of Kings, the King's predecessors, and who hold them now and by what warrant and from what time, and by whom and in what manner they were alienated.

      Also touching fees of the lord the King, and his tenants who now hold them of him in chief, and how many fees each of them holds, and what fees used to be holden of the King in chief and are now holden by a mesne lord, and by what mesne, and from what time they have been alienated, and how and by whom.

      Also touching the lands of tenants of the ancient demesne of the crown, as well free sokemen as bond, whether [holden] by bailiffs or by the same tenants, and by what bailiffs and by what tenants, and by whom they have been alienated, how and at what time.

      In like manner let enquiry be made touching the farms of hundreds, wapentakes and ridings, cities, boroughs and other rents whatsoever, and from what time [they have been alienated].

      Also how many hundreds, wapentakes and ridings are now in the hand of the lord the King, and how many and what are in the hands of others, and from what time and by what warrant, and how much each hundred is worth yearly.

      Touching ancient suits, customs, services and other things withdrawn from the lord the King and his ancestors, who have withdrawn them and from what time, and who have appropriated to themselves such suits, customs and other things pertaining to the lord the King and accustomed, and from what time and by what warrant.

Also what other persons claim from the King to have the return and estreats of writs, and who hold pleas of replevin,[72] and who claim to have wreck of sea,[73] by what warrant, and other royal liberties, as gallows, assizes of bread and ale, and other things that pertain to the crown, and from what time.

      Also touching those who have liberties granted to them by Kings of England and have used them otherwise than they ought to have done, how, from what time, and in what manner.

      Again, touching liberties granted which hinder common justice and subvert royal power, and by whom they were granted, and from what time.

      Further, who have newly appropriated to themselves free chaces or warrens without warrant, and likewise who have had such chaces and warrens from of old by grant of the King, and have exceeded the bounds and metes thereof, and from what time.

      Also what lords or their stewards or bailiffs whosoever or also the ministers of the lord the King have not suffered execution of the commands of the lord the King to be made, or also have contemned to do them or in any wise hindered them from being done, from the time of the constitutions made at Marlborough in the 52nd year of the reign of the lord King Henry, father of the King that now is.

Again, touching all purprestures[74] whatsoever made upon the King or the royal dignity, by whom they have been made, how, and from what time.

      Touching knights' fees of every fee soever, and land or tenements given or sold to religious or others to the prejudice of the King, and by whom, and from what time.

      Touching sheriffs taking gifts for consenting to conceal felonies done in their bailiwicks, or who have been negligent in attaching such felons by any favour, as well within liberties as without; and in like manner touching clerks and other bailiffs of sheriffs, touching coroners and their clerks and bailiffs whomsoever, who have so done in the time of the lord King Henry after the battle of Evesham, and in the time of the lord the King that now is.

      Touching sheriffs and bailiffs whomsoever taking gifts for removing recognitors from assizes and juries, and from what time.

      Again, touching sheriffs and bailiffs whomsoever who have amerced for default those who were summoned to inquisitions made by command of the lord the King, when by the same summons sufficient persons came to make such inquisitions, and how much and from whom they have taken for the cause aforesaid, and at what time.

      Again, touching sheriffs who have delivered to bailiffs, extortionate and burdensome to the people beyond measure, hundreds, wapentakes or ridings at high farms, that so they might raise their farms; and who were those bailiffs and on whom such damages were inflicted, and at what time.

      Again, when sheriffs ought not to make their tourn save twice a year, who have made their tourn more often in a year, and from what time.

      Again, when fines for redisseisin or for purprestures made by land or water, for hiding of treasure and for other such things, pertain to the lord the King, and sheriffs ought to attach the same, who have taken such fines, and from whom and how much.

      Again, who by the power of their office have troubled any maliciously and hereby extorted lands, rent or other payments, and from what time.

      Who have received command of the lord the King to pay his debts and have received from the creditors any portion for paying them the residue, and nevertheless have caused the whole to be allowed them in the Exchequer or elsewhere, and from what time.

      Who have received the King's debts or part of his debts and have not acquitted the debtors, as well in the time of the lord King Henry as in the time of the lord the King that now is.

      Who have summoned any to be made knights and have received bribes from them to have respite, and how much and at what time. And if any great men or others without the King's command have distrained any to take up arms, and at what time.