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From: "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>
Subject: [FHSA] Ancient Petitions, Henry III - James I
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:37:54 -0700

[There is a charge but you can get the general idea as to what is available
.. Sally]

Ancient Petitions, Henry III - James I
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/petitions.asp


Search and download over 14,000 images from the series of Ancient Petitions
which draws together petitions addressed to the king, to the king and
council, to the king and council in parliament, to the chancellor, and to
certain other officers of state. The petitions include detailed information
about the circumstances of the parties involved, and the conditions of the
locality. These documents reveal something of the attitude to public
authority in the later Middle Ages and the social conventions and political
culture.

Most of the petitions are in Anglo-Norman French, although some early
examples are in Latin, while English was increasingly used as the fifteenth
century progressed. Most of the petitions came from England, but a
significant minority were from Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Aquitaine, Gascony
and other parts of France.

The majority of petitions were presented by named individuals, men and women
singly or in groups. Although there are examples of petitions presented by
members of the peasantry, it was more usual for petitioners to be members of
the gentry, the nobility, the urban elites or the higher clergy.

In addition to petitions presented by individuals, a significant number of
cases were presented in the name of communities and corporations: many
examples exist of petitions presented by villages, towns, ecclesiastical
institutions and mercantile associations. There are also petitions addressed
from the "commons" or "people".

EXAMPLE:
DescriptionPetitioners: Poor people of Swansea: John Le Marechal (Marshall);
Robert de Weston; Thomas Wrench; Thomas Elyot; Walter Le Wyse; Robert Wrench
Thomas Le Marechal (Marshall); John de ...; Peter Le Cnoyl; Richard Le
Cnoyl; William Le Cnoyl; Henry Le Cnoyl; Robert Le Cnoyl; Robert Dunnyng
(Dunning); John Dunning, son of Robert Dunning; Walter Madok (Madock).

Name(s): Le Marechal (Marshall); de Weston; Wrench; Elyot; Le Wyse; Wrench;
Le Marechal (Marshall); Le Cnoyl; Le Cnoyl; Le Cnoyl; Le Cnoyl; Le Cnoyl;
Dunnyng (Dunning); Dunning; Madok (Madock), John; Robert; Thomas; Thomas;
Walter; Robert; Thomas; John; Peter; Richard; William; Henry; Robert; Robert
John; Walter

Addressees: King and council. Nature of request: The poor people of Swansea
request remedy for their imprisonment, ransom and the seizure of their lands
and chattels into the hand of Hugh Le Despenser, after he falsely accused
them of being in assent and counsel with Mowbray, Iwan and his man to have
the King's goods robbed from the castle of Neath sent outside their
franchise.

Nature of endorsement: Let certain faithful ones in Chancery hear and
determine the trespasses.

Places mentioned: Swansea, [Glamorgan, Wales]; Neath, [Glamorgan, Wales];
Glamorgan, [Wales]; Gower, [Glamorgan, Wales].

People mentioned: Hugh Le Despenser; Reginald de Somerton; John de Moubray
(Mowbray); John Iwan; Philip [Le Keu]; sheriff of Glamorgan.

Date derivation: Dated on the guard to? 1327, with reference to CPR 1327-30,
p. 90, CPR 1317-21, p. 464, and CPR 1321-4, p. 167.

The first reference is to a 1327 oyer and terminer re a complaint by John Le
Mareschal that Peter Le Cnoyl, Richard Le Cnoyl, William Le Cnoyl, Robert Le
Cnoyl, Robert Dunnyng, Walter Madok and others of Swansea imprisoned and
maltreated him. The second is a 1319 oyer and terminer re a claim of John
Iweyn that Robert de Weston, Thomas Eliot, John Le Mareschal, Thomas Le
Mareschal and others took his goods at Gower. The third is a 1322 oyer and
terminer re the robbery and murder of John Iweyn and Philip Le Keu, his
servant, at castle of Neath.

Date1327

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• [FHSA] Ancient Petitions, Henry III - James I by "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>