RETIREMENT | |
Subject: | Disputes over maintenance contracts |
Original source: | Documents in the Public Record Office, including the eyre roll, m.35. |
Transcription in: | William Craddock Bolland, ed. Select Bills in Eyre, A.D. 1292-1333, Selden Society, vol.30, (1914), 6, 22-23. |
Original language: | French and Latin |
Location: | Shrewsbury |
Date: | 1292 |
TRANSLATION
[1. Petition to the Shropshire Eyre of 1292, with court record of defendant's response]
To the king's justices, Robert comes and fully acknowledges that he is bound to provide Thomas with the necessaries stated. He is ready to provide him with those necessaries and says firmly that it was in fact never his fault that he [i.e. Thomas] could not have the necessaries. Thomas admits this. Therefore Thomas is told that he should reside with Robert if he wants to receive the necessaries. [2. Complaint to the Shropshire Eyre of 1292]Dear sir, I appeal to the mercy of you who represent the king in doing justice to both rich and poor. I, John Feyrewyn lay a complaint before God and before you, Your Honour, that Richard le Carpenter, clerk of the bailiff of Shrewsbury, withholds from me £4 that I paid him under a written agreement to the effect that Richard was obligated to provide me, John, with sustenance in return for the money received from me. But he has not acted towards me as specified in the contract; as soon as he had the money, he ignored my needs, restricted my movements, and fed me scraps of bread as though I were a pauper begging bread in God's name, so that I almost starved to death. Because of this, dear sir, I appeal in God's name for your mercy in ensuring my money is returned to me before you leave this town. Otherwise I shall never get my money back for you should know that the rich people stick together to ensure that the poor people can get no justice in this town. As soon as I have my money, my lord, I shall go to the Holy Land, where I shall pray for the king of England and, particularly, for you Sir John de Berrewyke. You should know that I have not a penny nor a halfpenny for [hiring] a lawyer. And so, dear sir, have pity on me so that I may get my money back. [Endorsed:] He admitted [the charge] and they have permission to settle [their disagreement]. |
Created: August 18, 2001. Last update: January 7, 2019 | © Stephen Alsford, 2001-2019 |