Catalogue description Royal letters patent

Inspeximus at request of Mayor and Commonalty of Faversham of letters patent dated at Westminster, 15 March, 11 Richard II [1387/8] directed to Arnold Savage, William de Septevance, William de Horne of Apuldre, Thomas de Brokhull, Nicholas atte Crouche, Stephen Betenham, Thomas Chiche of Balnerle and Thomas de Holt, and returned to Chancery and remaining on the files there, as follows:

Recital of letters patent of [30] Edward [I], which were confirmed by charter of [38] Edward [III] with an extra clause, concerning annual ship-service to be performed by the Barons of Faversham; and of petition by the Mayor and Commonalty of Faversham in which they state that disputes have arisen with the Abbot of Faversham because of the obtaining of this liberty, and the Mayor and Commonalty have given as presents to Stephen de Pencestre, Constable of Dover and Warden of the Cinque Ports for his favour against the Abbot sometimes a thousand herrings and sometimes a quarter of a hundred of ling, and so to other Constables and Wardens a hundred ling, then worth at least thirty shillings, and that subsequently a Constable and Warden in the time of Edward III claimed a hundred salt fish from the Mayor and Commonalty as belonging to his office and compelled them to pay, on which pretext other Constables and Wardens afterwards claimed a hundred greyling, worth ten or eleven marks, each year from them. Appointment of Arnold Savage, etc. or any three or more of them to inquire concerning the truth of these matters, and certify their findings into Chancery.

Inspeximus of inquisition taken at Chilham on Monday before Annunciation, 11 Richard II [23 March 1388] before William Septevance, Nicholas atte Crooche and Thomas Chicche of Balnerse, sewn to the said letters patent, returned into Chancery, and remaining on the files there, as follows:

Recital of above letters patent. Thomas atte Tonne, William Bernefeld, Laurence de Breule, Reginald de Kyngeslond, John Okenfold, John de Stopisdon, Henry Hemmyng, Stephen de Levetonne, Robert Dreylond, Thomas atte Donne, Semeine atte Sole, and Thomas Sonke say upon their oath that Edward [I] in his thirtieth year [1302] by letters patent granted to the Barons of the town of Faversham inter alia all the liberties and immunities that the Barons of the Cinque Ports then had, provided that they gave annual ship-service with the Barons of the Cinque Ports at their own cost for fifteen days, upon the summons of the King; and that, upon obtaining these liberties and letters patent, the Barons, that is the Mayor and Commonalty, appropriated to themselves all the customs and liberties anciently belonging to the Abbot of Faversham, as lord of the town, so that disputes arose between the Abbot and the Mayor and Commonalty, and Roger Urre, then Mayor, and the Commonalty in 33 Edward [I, 1304-5] gave two thousand herrings, then worth ten shillings, to Robert de Burgherssh, then Constable and Warden, by way of a present for his aid and favour against the Abbot, and the following year, as the dispute remained unsettled they gave to the said Robert three quarterns of fish called mellewel, worth 35s., and from that time until 1 Edward III [1327-8] they gave no presents of fish or anything else, except bread and wine of little value to Henry de Cobham and Nicholas de Kyroll when they were Constables and Wardens; and in I Edward III of their own will they gave a hundred fish called greylyng, worth 30s, to master Ralph de Burgherssh, then Constable and Warden, for a similar service. And afterwards William de Clynton, Earl of Huntingdon, Constable and Warden, because of this gift, unlawfully claimed a hundred salt fish from the Mayor and Commonalty, as belonging to his office, and compelled them to pay the fish to him; and on this pretext hundred salt fish called greylyng, worth eleven, twelve or thirteen marks, be paid to them annually on St. Peter ad Vincula [1 August] at the time of the fair of this kind of fish then held in the town, and they have so demanded until now.

At Westminster, 5 July, 32 Henry [VI, 1454].

At foot of charter: "Examinatum per Thomam Kirkeby et Ricardum Wetton, clericos."

Endorsed in 19th century hand "Matth. Denham."