| Description | Recites Edward I's writ to Stephen of Penshurst, constable of Dover Castle, dated 1 Mar 1291 at Bruern ('la Bruere') [Oxfordshire]. The prior of Canterbury Cathedral Priory has complained that Roger de Shamelesford, to whom the king granted custody of the warren of Dover for life, has prevented him from enjoying his rights of free warren in his demesnes of Eastry and Lydden [in Worth]. Stephen is to ordered to investigate and put the situation right.
The prior and Roger appeared before Stephen at Canterbury on 5 May. Roger said that he understood that his predecessors had always prevented the prior's predecessors from hunting in the warren without permission from the warrener or the constable, but the prior denied this and said that Roger was the first to act in this way. In support of his claim, the prior offered a charter of Henry II (recited), which forbade anyone to hunt in the woods or lands of the priory and Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, without permission from the priory or the archbishop. Stephen held an inquisition (knights in whose presence this was done and jurors named), which established that the prior's predecessors had exercised their hunting rights without needing permission from the warrener or constable of Dover until Roger took office. Roger was therefore ordered not to infringe the prior's hunting rights in future.
No date. [Date: handwriting.] |