Pleas of the Manors of the Abbey of Bec in the Ninth Year of King Edward (A.D. 1280-1281)

Tooting [Surrey]. Court holden on Saturday next after the feast of S. Martin.

It is presented by unanimous verdict of the whole court that if anyone marries a woman who has right in any land according to the custom of the manor and is seised thereof by the will of the lord, and the said woman surrenders her right and her seisin into the hands of the lord and her husband receives that right and seisin from the hands of the lord, in such case the heirs of the woman are for ever barred from the said land and the said right remains to the husband and his heirs. Therefore let William Wood, whose case falls under this rule, hold his land in manner aforesaid. And ofr the making of this inquest the said William gives the lord 6 s. 8 d.

Ruislip [Middlesex]. Court holden on the Saturday after Quasimodo Sunday

The tenements of Lucy Mill are to be seized into the lord's hands because of the adultery which she has committed and the bailiff is to answer for them.

The chief pledges present that Cristina daughter of Richard Maleville has married at London without the lord's licence; therefore let the said Richard be distrained. He has made fine with 12 d. Also that Alice Berde has done the same; therefore let her be distrained. Also that Robert Fountain has committed a trespass against William Gery; therefore the said Robert is in mercy; pledge, Humfrey; fine, 6 d. Also that Richard Maleville has drawn blood from Stephen Gust; therefore he is in mercy; fine, 2 s.

For the general fine of the vill payable on S. James' day, 40 s.

Bledlow [Buckinghamshire]. Court holden on the feast of SS. Tiburtius and Valerian.

Geoffrey Coterel in mercy for a battery; fine, 12 d.; pledge, Adam Serjeant. Geoffrey Coterel for trespass in the hay; fine, 6 d.; pledge, Alan Reaper. Hugh of Senholt in mercy for trespass in the green wood; fine, 6 d.

Hugh Wiking in mercy for delay in doing his works; fine, 6 d. Hugh Churchyard for trespass in [cutting] thorns; fine, 6 d. Thomas Gold in mercy for trespass in the wood; fine, 3 d.; pledge, Robert Grinder.

William Dun in mercy for subtraction of his works due in autumn; fine, 2 s. Avice Isaac for the same, 6 d.; Hugh Wiking for the same, 6 d.; Agnes Rede in mercy for her daughter's trespass in the corn, 6 d.

Walter Ash in mercy for not making suit to the lord's mill; fine, 6 d. Hugh Pinel in mercy for diverting a watercourse to the nuisance of the neighbours; fine, 6 d.; pledge, Robert Fresel.

John Dun in mercy for carrying off corn in the autumn; pledge, Adam White. Alan Reaper gives the lord 12 d. on account of a sheep which was lost while in his custody.

Adam White in mercy for bad mowing; fine, 6 d. Hugh Harding in mercy for the same; fine, 6 d.

The chief pledges present that Henry Blackstone (fine, 6 d.), Hugh Churchyard (fine, 18 d.), Walter Ash (fine, 6 d.), Henry of Locksbarow (fine, 12 d.), Avice Isaac (fine, 6 d.), Richard Matthew (fine, 6 d.), Hugh Wiking (fine,--), Ralph Dene (fine, 6 d.), John Palmer (fine, 12 d.), John Coterel (fine, 6 d.), John Moor (fine, 6 d.), John Cubbel (fine, 12 d.), Hugh Andrew (fine, 6 d.), Philip Chapman (fine, 6 d.), John Fellow (fine, 12 d.), Robert Bailiff (fine, 6 d.), Alice Squire (fine, 12 d.), John Grately (fine,--), Richard Hull (fine, 6 d.), Osbert Reaper (fine, 6 d.), and Robert Cross (fine, 6 d.), have broken the assize of beer. Also that Henry of Senholt, Henry Brown, Hugh Hayward, Richard Moor, Juliana Woodward, Alice Harding, Peronel Street, Eleanor Mead make default. Also that Walter Ash (fine,--), John Wiking (fine,--), John Smart (fine,--), and Henry Coterel have married themselves without the lord's licence; therefore let them be distrained to do the will of the lord. Alan Reaper for the trespass of his foal; fine, 6 d. Philip Chapman in mercy for refusing his gage to the lord's bailiff; fine, 3 d.

For the general fine of the vill payable at Midsummer, 50 s.

Total 73 s. 6 d.

Wantage [Berkinghamshire]. Court holden on Tuesday next after Hokeday.

William Ash in mercy for trespass in the corn; fine, 6 d. John Iremonger in mercy for contempt; fine, 6 d. The chief pledges present that William of Ripley (fine, 6 d.), Walter Smith (no goods), Maud of Pasmere (fine, 6 d.), have received [strangers] contrary to the assize; therefore they are in mercy.

Maud widow of Reginald of Challow has sufficiently proved that a certain sheep valued at 8 d. is hers, and binds herself to restore it or its price in case it shall be demanded from her within year and day; pledges, John Iremonger and John Robertd; and she gives the lord 3 d. for [his] custody [of it].

This text was taken from:
Maitland, F.W., ed. Select Pleas in Manorial and Other Seignorial Courts: Volume 1--Reigns of Henry III and Edward I. London: Bernard Quaritch, 1889.

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