County: Cambridgeshire
Code: L0282
Reference: London, PRO SC 8/23/114 A
Function: Petition




To the worshıpeful and wyse syres and wyse Cōmunes that to thıs psent ꝑlement ben assembled  
Besecheth mekely ȝoure pore Bedeman Thomᷓs Paunfeld oon of the fre tenᷓntȝ of oure lıege lord the kyng of hıs maner and tounshıpe of Chesterto ın the shyre
of Cambrıgg  that ȝe wole consıdere how that J pursuede dıuse bılles by fore oure lıege lord kyng henry the fourthe fader to oure lıege lord the kyng that now
ıs and hıse worchepeful lordes and Cōes ın hıs ꝑlement holden at west the x day of Feuer the xıııȷ ȝer of hıs regne  
To the whıche bılles myne adusarıes replıeden by mouthe and enfo᷑meden the kyng and the worchepeful lordes spırıtuelx and temꝑelx ın that ꝑlement  how that
J was outelawed by here record of trespace wherthurgh that J ne oughte not to ben herd nor answered of no man compleynt ın my bılles wrıten but ȝıf
ıt so were that J hadde brought my Chartre ın myn hond wherby that J myghte haue answered ın lawe to alle mane of ꝑsones that ony replıcacıons wolden
haue maked aȝeyns ony artıcle of my bılles  
And worchepeful and dıscrete sıres that myghte ȷ not done that tyme  for ȷ wıste not how ȷ was endıted and outelawed of what maner trespace  but as Johan
Cokayn the Justıce recordede by fore the kyng and made mencıon at that tyme · whıche J trustede to god to haue pued by lawe byfore the kyng and the
worchepeful lordes and cōes ın that ꝑlement that the ꝓcesse of myn outelawerye was vnlawefully made and al that longeth ther to  ȝıf John̄ Cokayn the Justıce wolde
haue brought ın that record by fore the kyng ın the ꝑlement and there to haue ben detmyned byfore hym and hıse lordes and Cōes a fore seyde they hadde deꝑted thennes 
For byfore none of the ꝑsones that weren and ben Cōmıssıons vp on myn endıtement wherby that J was outelawed  J myghte not haue ben remedıed ne myne neyghebores
nother so sone at that tyme lyk as we oughten to haue ben of rıght and as me thoughte we shulde ben here  and that was for cause of meyntenance that was aȝeyns
vs and ȝıt ıs / and that made me cause to come to that heye Court of rıghtwısnesse · theder to pleyne for to han declared thılke record aȝeyns my neıghebores and me
vnlawefully mad and there sounere to han ben remedıed of the wronges that we haue had by the Pour and Chanōns of Bernewelle and her meynteno᷑s these · x· ȝer
and more vnduely and vngoodly  
And now thanked be god and the rıghtwısnesse of the dıscrete and trewe ȷuges sıre wıllıam hankford and hıse felawes  han after the lawes of the lond made me able for
to ȝeue myne answeres ın lawe as my symple wıttes wole seruen me to alle man ꝑsones that ony replıcacoūs wolde maken aȝeyns ony of the artıcles of my bılles
after the fo᷑me that sueth ȝıf ıt lıke to the kyng  wıth swıch conseıll as he hath assıgned to me and shal by the gᷓce of god : for to declaren the entente of my bılles for
the kynges auᷓntage and for fortherynge of hıs trewe lıeges · better than ȷ can ín thıs heye Court of rıghtwısnesse  
And by cause that J am of no power to p᷑sue these materes ín any other Court saue ın thıs heye Court of rıghtwısnesse where as ‸ ȷ most truste and hope to haue rıghtwısnesse and
lawe  rather than J shulde ín ony other Court byfore ony of tho ꝑsones that weren and aren Cōmíssıones vp on myn endıtement  for the heye meyntenance that ȷ knowe wel
shuld be made aȝeyns me  
Also worchepeful sıres we beseche ȝow at the reuence of god  that ȝe wole pᷓye to oure lıege lord the kyng  that he wole fouche saf of hıs specıal gᷓce and hıs Ryal progatyf ın
thıs heye Court  to gᷓunte me durynge my p᷑suyte by the auctorıte of hıs ꝑlement to walken at large to p᷑sue these materes that ben folwynge ín my bılle  lyk as hıs gᷓcıous
gᷓunt was by the autorıte of hıs ꝑlement and of hıs Rıal prerogatıf on good fryday at langeley the ferste ȝer of hıs regne at the reuence of oure lord god that deyede for
vs alle as that day fıl not wıthstondynge the statut made vp on bonde bore men whıch was holy p᷑sued aȝeyns me whan J was byfore the kyng the second day of March
whan J was remıtted to the Prıson̄ of flete at the ınstānce of som̄e of the Juges tıl J hadde founde surete to p᷑sue myn erroures and to reuse myn outelawerye byfore seyde  
And sıthe the tyme that J was resseyued to meynpse by cause that J was endıted of tspace as an accessorıe and not endıted as a pncıpal and delyued out of pso at
large by the kynges cōmaundement ín strengthyng and enhaunsyng of hıs Rıal progatıf that he gᷓuntede to me by the auctorıte of hıs ꝑlement  
Ȝıt myne adusarıes han p᷑sued me nowe and holden me ın pson sıthen seynt katynes day twelue monthes last passed ín to thys tyme · aȝeyns the kynges gᷓunt  ordınance
no consıderacıon̄ ne tendernesse hauynge ín my pore ꝑsone that am goddes crıstene creature of my longe contynuance ın ꝑsent for these mattres that ben folwynge
[...] more to destroye me to the vttereste that J shulde no more haue [...] to the kynges psence to p᷑sue my rıght that for to kepe [...] tıl J hadde
[...] · and helpe · and as ıt semeth to my symple wıttes . there ıs lıtel charıte of pstes whıch shulden cherıce goddes crıstene crature ad the
kynges trewe lıege man  
And therfore J beseche ȝow that ȝe wole pᷓyen to oure lıege lord the kyng of hıs specıal gᷓce that swıch remedıe may be mad at thıs psent ꝑlement by the auys of
hıse wıse lordes spırıtuelx and temꝑelx ın sauynge and encresynge of the kynges progatıf ín tyme comynge and ín fortherynge of hıse trewe lıeges after that he
hath gᷓunted hıse gᷓcıouse gᷓuntes to ony of hıse lıeges  that fro hennes forward no ꝑsone of hıs Rewme deferre ony of hıse lıeges fro hıse gᷓcıouse gᷓuntes that
he hath gᷓunted ın esement and ın fortheryng of hıse trewe lıeges  and that vp on a suffısant peyne payınge to the kyng and a nother peyne payınge to the ꝑtıe
so defferred fro the kynges gᷓunt 
And also that ȝe wole pᷓye the kyng to ȝeue ın charge to myne adusarıes whanne they comen to hıs worchepeful psence to asken a copıe of my bılle  that they wryten her replıcacoūs aȝens
the artıcles of myne bılles by aday assıgned by oure lıege lord the kyng vp on forfeture of her ferme  wherby that J may haue a copıe ther of to my consell whıch that the kyng
hath assıgned me and shal by the gᷓce of god to make trewe relacıoū vn to the kyng of her replıcacoūs 
And than to pᷓyen oure gᷓcıouse lıege lord by the auys of hıse lordes spırıtuelx and temꝑelx ȝıf ıt lyke hym by a day assıgned that ȝe dıscrete and wyse com̄ons mowen comen to hıs
heye psence  whan that he ıs avısed vp on her replıcacons makyng and thanne after hıs heye dıscretıon to ȝeue rıghtful ȷugement vp on these same materes ın sauynge of hıs
own̄e rıght and ín fortherynge of hıse trowe lıeges for the loue of god and of seynt Charıte  
And also to pᷓye oure lıege lord of hıs specıal gᷓce that the petıcıons a fore rehersed and alle othere petıcıons that ben folwynge after hıse gᷓcıouse gᷓuntes  mowe ben enacted ín
the ꝑlement rolle · / and also to ȝeue ın charge to the clerk of the ꝑlement that ȷ may haue  copye of the same for the loue of god and of seynt Charıte  
Also to ȝow worchepeful and wyse Cōes · greuouselıche compleynen alle the kynges tenᷓntȝ of the Ryal lordshıpe and tounshıpe of Chestreton ín the shyre of Cambrıgge  the
whıche holden of the tenure of anxıen demeyn of the Rıal Coroune longynge to oure souyn lord the kyng as ıt sheweth by oure euydences of old record ín the book
called Domesday thus bygynnynge · [Latin: ] ın the kynges eschewer at west  
Also we greuouselıche compleyne vs vp on the Pour and Chanons of Bernewell ín the shyre of Cambrıgg byfore seyd and vp her pdecessour that was the kynges fermour 
how that they han cleymed and ȝıt cleymen the regalıte and the frehold of the kynges lordshype and tounshıpe of Chestretōn ın the shyre byfore seyd as for her owne
wıth oute ony excepcıon wher ıt ıs wel knowen by alle mane of euydences that the konne shewen for hem self or ony man for hem · that they were but fermo᷑s to the
kyng  and now they are not as ıt sheweth by her chartres of kyng henry the thrıdde  
And vnder colour of the regalıte and of the frehold whıche they psumen wılfully to haue  they haue cleymed and ȝıt cleymen the kynges trewe lıeges that ben hıse fre
tenᷓntȝ annexed to hıs coroune · / as for her bonde bore men and her bonde lond holderes  wher ıt ıs wel knowen by alle mane of euydences that they konne shewe for
hem self or any man for hem that they ben fre tenᷓntȝ and fre holderes to the kyng ın chıef and the chıefto resort and pncıpalıte of the same lordshıpe and
tounshıpe shal reto᷑ne to the kyng and to hıs forseıde Coroune as for oure chıef and ꝑpetuel lord of the fee  
And ȝıt algates the forseıde Pour and Chanons han seıd and ȝıt seyn that they ben chıef lordes of the fee and that the kyng ne none of hıse heıres han nought
to entmete of hem for no trespace ne for no forfaıt that eue they dıden or ıs possıble by hem to be done   whıch ıs an heye pıudıce to the kyng as vs semeth and
and heye destructıon to hıse trewe lıeges that ben hıse fre tenᷓntȝ annexed to hıs worthy coroune  
And also the forseıde Pour and Chanons han cleymed and ȝıt cleymen of hem vnduely and vntrewely bonde uages and custumes for her sınguler ꝓfyt and non auᷓntage
to the kyng ne to hıse heıres ın tyme comynge but ın ꝑpetuel destructıon of the kynges fre tenᷓntȝ afore seıd and othere uages and custumes than eue we or oure
auncestres dıden to any kyng · whan the same lordshıpe and tounshıpe was ín othere kynges handes by olde tyme and sıche tyme of mynde  
And for cause that we haue p᷑sued to oure lıege lord the kyng as for oure chıef lord of the fee for to haue remedıe and socour of the grete wronges míschıefs and
dıseses the whıche we haue suffred these · x · ȝer and more vnduely and vngoodly  the forseıde Pour and Chanons han p᷑sued aȝeyns vs a Cōmíssıon of oyer and
tmyner after the fo᷑me of a statut mad vp on bonde bore men and bonde lond holderes  whıch statut was made the ferste ȝer of kyng Rıchard the seconde ín hıs tendre
age wıth oute mencıo excepcıo or declaracıon made of the same fre tenᷓntȝ of the fre tenure of the ryal coroune byfore seıd  
And by strengthe and colour of the forseıde statut so genaly mad vp on bonde bore men and bonde lond holderes : the forseıd Pour and chanon̄s han vs endıted by men of
her owne clothyng and also by enquestes enbraced as for her bonde bore men  to the whıch statut we fre tenᷓntȝ of the coroune owe not obeye  for we be not ın the cas of
the statut and ne oughte not to answere lyk as bonde men of byrthe shulde  for the whıche the forseıde statut was made  
For we be fre tenᷓntȝ and fre lond holderes annexed to the worthy coroune of oure most soueyn lord the kyng and that we wele pue and declare by oure euydence
wreten ın the kynges eschekker at west  wherfore we wole answere as fre men oughte to done and pue that the suyce of the cōmıssıo byfore seıd whıch ıs mad
vp on bonde bore men and bonde lond holderes · was wrongfully taken aȝeyns vs and al the ꝑtes that longeth ther to wıth oute auctorıte and power and that shal
we pue by the grace of god  
Neutheles the forseıde Pour and Chanon̄s of Bernewell han vs enpsoned as for her bonde bore men and oppssed vs by duresce of pson to be bounde to hem and to othere
ꝑsones ın sınguler oblıgacons ín · Ml · Ml · lı that we shulde not p᷑sue oure rıght ne the kynges rıght aȝeyns hem  but onely to ȝelden vs to ben her bonde cherles and oure
heıres for eumore to oure vttereste ꝑpetuel destructıon and dısherıtance to the kyng and to hıs heıres for eue but we haue the sounere remedıe by ȝoure most gᷓcıous
socour and helpe at thıs psent ꝑlement 
And thus worchepeful sıres ȝıf thıs be suffred  the freest knyght or squyer of the Rewme ȝıf they be dwellynge tenᷓntȝ vnder ony of the relıgıons that haue swıche
lordshıpes of the kynges to ferme may be put ın pson̄ by swych cohercıon̄ and colpsse as ‸ ye mıscheuouse statut byfore seıd sheweth and declareth  for to ben the moste bonde tenᷓntȝ of al the
Rewme  also ín the contre they shullen ben endıted by enquestes enbraced by these dede relıgıouse fermo᷑s  and that for cause of the grete ꝓfıtes and the grete extorcıons that the
sherreues of the shyres resceyuen and done  they mowe haue no remedıe of the lawe but onely empsouned manaced and oppssed  and yf ony consell of the lawe hem wolde helpe
after the cours and fo᷑me of lawe  they shulle ben put ın pson̄ as her conseılloures fauto᷑s and abetto᷑s and as they were bonde men to these relıgıous byfore seıd ın so moche that they shulle
non other mcy haue no non other remedıe but only for to ȝelden hem to ben her bond · cherles for eue more and her heyres ‸ alle the dayes of her lyues to these dede relıgıous fermo᷑s  
Wherfore we beseche ȝow mekely dıscrete and wyse Cōes of thıs psent ꝑlement  that ȝe pᷓye for vs to oure lıege lord the kyng and to hıse worchepeful lordes of thys psent
ꝑlement ın sauynge of the rıght of the coroune of yngelond and of the fredam and the fᷓunchıse that was endowed ther to ín the tyme of oure worthy kynges ꝓgenıtour
seínt Edward  that he wole haue compassıon̄ and pıte of these grete míschıefs and falsetes so done to hıse to hıse fre tenᷓntȝ of hıs coroune byfore seyd  And to
ordeyne at ȝoure pᷓyere resonable and mıtorıe remedıe ín thıs ꝑtıe for goddes loue and for seynt charıte after the fo᷑me that sueth ȝıf ıt be lykyng to ȝow  
That ıs to seyn that he wole at ȝoure ınstance and pᷓyer ın sauynge of hıs owne rıght and ín fortherynge of ‸ hıs trewe lıeges  ordeyne at thıs tyme or ȝe depᷓten hennes fro
thıs psent ꝑlement wıth auys of hıse wıse lordes and also by the assent of ȝow wyse and worchepeful comon̄s  such remedıe that fro hennes forward none
swıche cōmıssıoūs be take nor pursued aȝeyns the kynges fre tenᷓntȝ annexed to hıs worthy coroune by no relıgıous fermo᷑s that han [...] mans and tounshıpes
of the kynges to ferme  tıl that ıt be pleynly detmyned byfore hıse ȷustıces of that on benche or of that other by comon̄ lawe  whether the forseıde tenᷓntȝ ben
fre or bonde and whether they ben worthy to ben punysshed by that forseıde statut or non and that vp on a suffısant peyne payınge to the kyng and a
nother peyne payınge to the ꝑtıe p᷑sued and greued for such sute  
Also we beseche ȝow that ȝe pᷓyen to oure lıege lord the kyng ın fortheryng of hıs trewe lıeges that alle othercōmıssıoūs brought or p᷑sued aȝeyns any of hıse fre tenᷓntȝ ın mane byfore
seıde by the strengthe and colour of the forseıde statut at thıs psent ꝑlement  that they wıth alle the ꝓcessꝭ cırcumstance and dependance mowen alle vtterly ben repeled
and adnulled for hono᷑ and ꝓfyt of the kyng and for ese and remedıe to hıse forseıd fre tenᷓntȝ  ȝıf ony so be ın thıs cas of meschıef at [...] wıth ȷnne the Reme  
And also worchepeful sıres · ‸ that they no cleyme ne haue none othere uages ne custumes of the kynges fre tenᷓntȝ for her owne [...] auᷓntage to the kyng ne to
none of hıse heıres other than the kyng chıef lord hadde ın hıs tyme whanne the same lordshıpes weren ín hıs owne [...] suffısant peyne payınge to
the kyng  a nother peyne to paıe to the ꝑtyes that ben p᷑sued and greued for swıche wrongful cleymes and also [...] of the same manes for eue
for schewynge of grete meschıefs that myghten by swıche wrongeful cleymes falle and turne to gret ꝑıudıce to the kyng [...] Reume 
For manye of tho Relıgıous that han swıche fermes of the kyng ın gounance  by strengthe of the forseıde statut dısesen and [...] of the kynges tenᷓntȝ of the same lord [...]
and maken hem to voyde and gon out of hıse lordshıpes · by cause that they wolde hıse lordshıpes so destroyen that the kyng nor none of hıse heıres shulden neue haue [...]
wılle to cleyme tho lordshıpes í to her owne handes aȝeyn  ne that non other lord of hıs rewme shulde desıre to ferme the lordshıpes of the kyng no of hıs tresorer to [...]
encres ȝerly · / and that ıs the cause that they ben so abated so desolat of housyng and so destroyed and voyde of peple whıch ıs gret doel to alle the kynges trewe [...]
and to weten of swıche meschıefs done and vsed wıth ȷnne the Rewme  
Besechınge also ‸ to oure lıege lord that he wole haue compassıon and pyte vp on vs that eue haue ben trewe lıeges and trewe fre tenᷓntȝ to hıs worthy coroune of hıs [...]
and touneshıpe of Chestreton byfore seıd that these greuouse Meschıefs that ben done to vs mowen ben amended now at thıs tyme or ȝe deꝑten hennes and thıs cōmıssıoū mowe be [...]
and the oblıgacoūs to ben adnulled and to ben delyued to ech man hıs owne oblıgacon for the loue of god and of seynt charıte 