| Description | From: [unknown]
To: [unknown, possibly the prior of Canterbury Cathedral Priory]
There is talk in Newington [Oxfordshire] about a tenement which was of Laurence de Berewyck, the priory's villein ('vester nativus'). Hugh de Berewyk, son of Simon de Berewyk, who is said to be skilled in law, is coming to Canterbury with Laurence's son, to seek verbal ('viva voce') agreement from the prior and convent to grant the tenement to Laurence's son in villein tenure ('serviliter'). Hugh may bring letters of 'Dominus' Giles de Badlesmere and 'Dominus' Edmund de Bereford, whose servant he is, asking the prior to agree to his petition. The priory should treat Hugh well ('facio ergo sibi solcium... et humanitatem') when he comes, because he could be useful to it elsewhere; in the mean time it should consider how to answer him. Many in the area will willingly help Laurence's son if he claims, as the priory's villeins of Monks Risborough [Buckinghamshire], recently did, that a son, when his father has died, should enter a tenement by heriot and not pay the lord anything else, and this would be to the priory's prejudice. No date. [Date: handwriting. Sheppard, cited below, assigns a date of 1340.]
Endorsed 'Newynton'' in late 15th or early 16th cent hand. |