To the worshipful and wyse syres and wyse Communes that to this present parlement ben assembled
Besecheth mekely &y;oure pore Bedeman Thomas Paunfeld oon of the fre tenent&y; of oure liege
lord the kyng of his maner and tounshipe of Chestreton in the Shyre of Cambrigg: that &y;e wole considere how
that I pursuede diuerse billes by fore oure liege lord kyng henry the four the fader to oure liege lord the
kyng that now is and hise worchepeful lordes and comunes in his parlement holden at Westminstre
that x day of ffeuer the xiiij &y;er of his regne: To the whiche billes myne aduersaries replieden by mouthe
and enformeden the kyng and the worshepeful lordes spirituelx and temporelx in that parlement: how
that I was outelawed by heye record of trespace wherethurgh that I ne oughte not to ben herd nor answered of no maner
compleynt in my billes writen but &y;if (it) so were that I hadde brought my Chartre in myn hond wherby that
I myghte haue answered in lawe to alle maner of persones that ony replicacions wolden haue maked a&y; eyns
ony article of my billes: And worchepeful and discrete sires that myghte I not done that tyme: for ( I wi)ste not how I
was endited and outelawed of what maner trespace: but as Iohan Cokayn the Iustice recordede byfore
the kyng and made mencion at that tyme. whiche I trustede to god to haue proued by lawe by fore the kyng and the
worchepeful lordes and comunes in that parlement that the processe of myn outelawerye was vnlawefully
made and al that longeth ther to: &y;if Iohan Cokayn the Iustice wolde haue brought in that record by fore the kyng
in the parlement and there to haue ben determyned byfore hym and hise lordes and Comunes afore seyde
(&y;o)r&t;hey hadde departed thennes ffor byfore hene of the persones that weren and ben
Commissioners vp on myn enditement wherby that I was outelawed: I myghte not haue ben remedied ne myne
neyghebores nother so sone at that tyme lyk as we oughten to haue ben of right and as me thoughte we shulde ben here:
and that was for cause of meyntenance that was a&y;eyns vs and &y;it is. and that made me cause to come to that
heye Court of rightwisnesse: (t)heder&t;o pleyne for to han declared thilke record a&y;eyns my neighboures and me
vnlawefully mad and there sounere to han ben remedied of the wronges that we haue had by the Priour and Chanons
of Bernewelle and her meyntenors these .x. &y;er (and) more vnduely and vngoodly: And now thanked be god
and the rightwisnesse of the discrete and trewe Iuges Sire william hankford and hise felawes: han after the laws of
the lond made me able for to &y;eue myne answeres in lawe as my symple wittes wole seruen me to alle maner
persones that ony replicacions wolde maken a&y;eyns ony of the articles of my billes after the
forme that sueth &y;if it like to the kyng: with swich conseil as he hath a(ss)igned&t;o
me and shal by the grace of god: for to declaren the entente of my billes for the kynges auantage and for
fortherynge of his trewe lieges better than I can in this heye Court of rightwisnesse: And by cause that I am
of no power to pursue these materes in any other Court saue in this heye Court of rightwisnesse where as
most truste and hope to haue rightwisnesse and lawe rather than I shulde in ony other Court byfore ony of tho
persones that weren and aren Commissioner es vp on myn enditement: for the heye meyntenance that I
knowe wel shuld be made a&y;eyns me: Also worchepeful sires: we beseche &y;ow at the
reuerence of god: that &y;e wole praye to oure liege lord the kyng: that he wole fouche saf
of his special grace and his Ryal prerogatyf in this heye Court: to graunte me durynge my
pursuyte by the auctorite of his parlement to walken at large to pursue these materes that
ben folwynge in my bille: lyk as his gracious graunt was by the autorite of his parlement
and of his Rial prerogatif on good fryday at langeley the ferste &y;er of his regne at the
reuerence of oure lord god that deyede for vs alle as that day fil not withstondynge the
statut made vp on bonde bore men: which was holy pursued a&y;eyns me whan I
was byfore the kyng the second day of march whan I was remitted to the prison of flete at the instance of
some of the Iuges til I hadde founde surete to pursue myn erroures and to reuerse myn outelawerye byfore
seyde: And sithe the tyme that I was resseyued to meynprise by cause that I was endited of tre space
as an accessorie and not endited as a principal and delyuered out of prison at large by the
kynges commaundement in strengthyng and enhaunsyng of his Rial prerogatif that he grauntede to me by
the auctorite of his parlement: &G;it myne aduersaries han pursued
me nowe and holden me in prison sithen seynt katerynes day twelve monthes last passed in to this
tyme. a&y;eyns (the kynges graunt &) ordinaunce no consideracion ne tendernesse hauynge in
my pore persone that am goddes cristene creature of my longe contynuance in prison (for these materes that ben)
folwynge vij. &y;er and more to destroye me to the uttereste that I shulde
no more haue come to the kynges presence to pursue my right but for to kepe (me stille in prison til I hadde)
deyed for defaute of socour and helpe. and as it semeth to my
symple wittes there is litel charite of priestes whiche shulden cherice goddes christene
crature as the kynges trewe liege man: And therfore I beseche &y;ow that &y;e wole prayen to oure liege
lord the kyng of his special grace that swich remedie may be mad at this present parlement by the
auys of hise wise lordes spirituelx and temporelx in sauynge and encresynge of the kynges prerogatif in
tyme comynge and in fertherynge of hise trewe lieges after that he hath graunted hise graciouse
grauntes to ony of hise lieges: that fro hennes forward no persone of his Rewme deferre ony of hise
lieges fro hise graciouse grauntes that he hath graunted in esement and in fortheryng of hise
trewe lieges: and that vp on a suff(is)ant peyne payinge to the kyng and a nother peyne payinge to
the partie so defferred fro the kynges gra unt: And also that &y;e wole praye the kyng
to &y;eue in charge to myne aduersaries whanne they comen to his worchopful presence to asken a
copie of my bille: that they wryten her replicaci ons a&y;ens the articles of myne billes by a day
assigned by oure liege lord the kyng vp on forfeture of her ferme: wherby that I may haue a copie ther of to my conseill
which that the kyng hath assigned me and shal by the grace of god to make trewe relacion vnto the kyng
of her replicacions And than to prayen oure graciouse liege lord by the auys of hise lordes
spirtuelx and temporelx &y;if it lyke hym by a day assigned that &y;e discrete and wyse comons mowen
comen to his heye presence: whan that he is avised vp on her replicacions makyng and thanne after his
heye discrecion to &y;eue rightful Iugement vp on these same materes in sauynge of his owne right and in fortherynge
of hise trewe lieges for the loue of god and of seynt charite: And also to praye oure liege lord of
his special grace that the peticions afore rehersed and alle othere peticions that ben folwynge after hise
graciouse (grauntes) mowe ben enacted in the parlement rolle: and also to &y;eue in charge to
the Clerk of the parlement: that I may haue (a copye) of the same for the loue of god and of
seynt Charite:Also to &y;ow worechepeful and wyse Comunes greuouseliche compleynen alle the kynges
tenent&y; of the Ryal lordshipe and tounshipe of Chestreton in the Shyre of Cambrigge: the
whiche holden of the tenure of anxien demeyn of the Rial Coroune longynge to oure souereyn lord the kyng as it
sheweth by oure euydence of old record in the book called Domesday thus begynnynge. Dom inica villa regis E &c
in the kynges eschekker at Westminstre: Also we greuouseliche
compleyne vs vp on the Priour and Chanons of Bernewell in the Shyre of Cambrigg byfore seyd and vp
her predecessour that was the kynges fermour how that they han
cleymed and &y;it cleymen the regalite and the frehold of the kynges lordshype and tounshipe of Chestreton in
the Shyre byfore seyd as for her owne with oute ony excepcion wher it is wel knowen by alle manere of
euydences that the konne shewen for hem self or ony man for hem. that they were but fermours to
the kyng: and now they are not as it sheweth by her chartres of king henry the thridde: And vnder
colour of the regalite and of the frehold whiche they presumen wilfully to haue: they haue cleymed and
&y;it cleymen the kynges trewe lieges that ben hise fre tenent&y; annexed to his coroune: as for her
bonde bore men and her bonde lond holderes: wher it is wel knowen by alle manere of euydences that
they konne shewe for hem self or any man for hem that they ben fre tenent&y; and fre holderes to the
kyng in chief and the chiefte resert and principalite of the same lordshipe and tounshipe shal retourne to
the kyng and to his forseide Coroune as for oure chief and perpetuel lord of the fee: And &y;it algates
the forseide Priour and Chanons han seid and &y;it seyn that they ben chief lordes of the fee and that the kyng
ne none of hise heires han nought to entremete of hem for no trespace ne for no forfait that euere they
diden or is possible by hem to be done: which is an heye preiudice to the kyng as vs semeth and and heye
destruction to hise trewe lieges that ben hise fre tenent&y; annexed to his worthy coroune:
And also the forseid Priour and Chanons han cleymed and &y;it cleymen of hem vnduely and vntrewely
bonde seruages and customes for her singuler profyt and non auantage to the kyng ne to hise heires in
tyme comynge but in perpetuel destruction of the kynges fre tenent&y; afore seid and othere
seruages and custumes than euere we or oure auncestres diden to any kyng. whan the same lordshipe and
tounshipe was in othere kynges handes by old tyme and sithe tyme of mynde: And for cause that we haue pursued
to oure liege lord the kyng / as for oure chief lord of the fee for to haue remedie and socour of the grete wronges mischiefs
and diseses the whiche we haue suffred these .x. &y;er and more vnduely and vngoodly: The forseide Priour
and Chanons han pursued a&y;eyns vs a Commission of oyer and termyner after the forme of a
statut mad vp on bond bore men and bond lond holderes: which statut was made the ferste &y;er of kyng
Richard the seconde in his tendre age with oute mencion excepcion or declaracion made of the same fre
tenent&y; of the fre tenure of the ryal coroune byfore seid: And by strengthe and colour of the forseide
statut so generaly mad vp on bonde bore men and bonde londe holderes: the forseide Priour and Chanons
han vs endited by men of her owne clothyng and also by enquestes enbraced as for her bonde bore men:
to the which statut we fre tenent&y; of the coroune owe not obeye: for we be not in the cas of the
statut and ne oughte not to answere lyk as bonde men of byrthe shulde: for the whiche the forseide statut was made:
ffor we be fre tenent&y; and fre lond holderes annexed to the worthy coroune of oure most souereyn lord.
the kyng and that we wele proue and declare by oure euydence wreten in the kynges eschekker at Westminstre: wherfore
we wole answere as fre men oughte to done and proue that the suyte of the commission byfore seide which is mad vp on bonde
bore men and bonde lond holderes: was wrongfully taken a&y;eyns vs and al the proces that longeth ther to with
oute auctorite and power and that shal we proue by the grace of god: Neuertheles the
forsaide Priour and Chanons of Bernewell han vs enpri soned as for her bonde bore men and oppressed vs by
duresce of prison to be bounde to hem and to othere persones in singuler obligacions in .ml.ml. li
that we shulde not pursue oure right ne the kynges right a&y;eyns hem: but onely to &y;olden vs to ben
her bonde cherles and oure heires for euermore to oure vttereste perpetuel destruction and disheritance
to the kyng and to his heires for euere but we haue the sounere remedie by &y;ouer most gracious socour
and helpe at this present parlement And thus worchepeful sires &y;if this be suff(red): the
freest knyght or Squyre of the Rewme &y;if they be dwellynge tenent&y; vnder ony of the
religious that haue swiche lordshipes of the kynges to ferme may be put in prison by swych cohercion and
compulsse as (ye) mischeuouse statut byfore seid sheweth and declareth: for to ben the moste bonde tenen t&y;
of al the Rewme: also in the contre they shullen ben endited by enquestes enbraced by these dede religiouse
fermours: and that for cause of the grete profites and the grete extorcions that the Sherreues of the Shyres
resceyuen and done: they mowe haue no remedie of the lawe but onely enprisonned manaced and oppressed:
and &y;if ony consaill of the lawe hem wolde helpe after the cours and fourme of lawe: they shulle ben
put in prison as her conseilloures fa(c)tours and abettouers and as they were bonde men to these
religious byfore seide in so moche that they shulle non other mercy haue ne non other remedie but only for
to &y;olden hem to ben her bond cherles for euere more and her heyres (alle the dayes) of her lyues to these
dede religious fermours: Wherfore we beseche &y;ow mekely discrete and wyse Comunes of this
present parlement: that &y;e praye for (vs to ouer liege lord)&t;he kyng and to hise worchepeful
lordes of (this present) parlement in sauynge of the right of the coroune of yngelond and of the fredam
(and the fraunchise that was) endowed ther to in the tyme of oure worthy kynges progenitour
seint edward: that he wole haue compassion and pite of these grete mischiefs and (falsetes so done)&t;o hise
to hise fre tenent&y; of his coroune byfore seyd: and to ordeyne at &y;oure
prayere resonable and intierie remedie in this partie for (goddes) loue and for seynt charite after
the (forme)&t;hat sueth &y;if it be lykynge to &y;ow: That is to seyn that he wole
at &y;oure instance and prayer in sauynge of his owne right and in fortherynge of (his)&t;rewe lieges: ordeyne
at this tyme or &y;e departen hennes fro this present parlement with auys of hise wise
lordes and also by the assent of (&y;ow wyse) and worchepeful comons: such remedie that fro hennes forward
none swiche commissions be take nor pursued a&y;eyns the kynges fre tenent&y; annexed
to his worthy coroune by no religious fermours that (han such manors) and tounshipes
of the kynges to ferme: til that it be pleynly determy ned byfore hise Iustices of that on benche or of that
other by comon lawe: whether the forseid tenent&y; ben fre or bonde and whether they
ben worthy to ben punysshed by that forseide statut or non and that vp on a suffisant peyne payinge to the kyng
and a nother peyne payinge to the partie pur sued and greued for such sute: Also we
beseche &y;ow that &y;e prayen to oure liege lord the kyng in fortheryng of (his trewe lieges)
that alle other commissions brought or pursued a&y;eyns any of hise fre tenent&y; in
manere byfore seide by the strengthe and colour of the forseide statut at this present par lement:
that they with alle the (pro cesse circumstance) and dependance mowen alle
vtterly ben (repeled) and adnulled for honor and profyt of the kyng and for ese and
remedie to hise forseid fre tenent&y;: &y;if ony so be (in this cas of mesch)ief at this tyme
withinne the Reme: And also worchopeful sires: (that)&t;hey ne cleyme ne haue none othere seruages
ne custumes of the kynges fre tenent&y; for her owne singuler profyt and none
auntage to the (kyng ne to) none of hise heires othor than the kyng chief lord hadde in his tyme whanne
the same lordshipes weren in his owne hondes withoute another (suffisant peyne payinge to)&t;he
kyng: a nother peyne to paie to the partyes that ben pursued and greued for swiche wrongful
cleymes and also vpon peyne of forfaiture of the same maneres (for euere) for eschewynge of grete
meschiefs that mighten by swiche wrongful cleymes: falle and turne to gret preiudice to the kyng and
noiancie to al the Reume: ffor manye of tho Religious that han swiche fermes of the kynges in gouer naunce:
by strengthe of the forseide statut disesen and destreyen manye of the kynges tenent&y; of the
same lordshipes and maken hem to voyde and gon out of hise lordshipes. by cause that they wolde hise lordshipes so destroyen that the kyng
nor none of hise heires (shulden) neuer haue lust ne wille to cleyme tho lordshipes in to her
owne handes a&y;eyn: ne that non other lord of his rewme shulde desire to ferme tho lordshipes of the
kyng ne (of) his tresorer to the kynges encres &y;erly: and that is the cause that they ben so
abated: so desolat of housyng and so destroyed and voyde of peple which is gret doel to alle the
kynges trewe lieges to knowe and to weten of swiche meschiefs done and vsed
with jnne the Rewme: Besechinge also (to) oure liege lord that he wole haue compassion and pyte
vp on vs that euere haue ben trewe lieges and trewe fre tenent&y; to his worthy coroune of his worthi
maner and tounshipe of Chestreton byfore seide that these greuouse meschiefs that ben done to vs mowen
ben amended now at this tyme or &y;e departen hennes and this commission mowe be
repeled and the oblgacions to ben adnulled and to ben delyuered to ech man his owne obligaci on
for (the loue) of god and of seynt charite:
(End of first parchment. There is a second in the same hand and language.) [Printed RP IV.57-61.] [rubbed] [superior insert] [to his cancelled]
To the worschipful and wyse syres and wyse Communes that to this present parlement ben assembled /
Besecheth mekely &y;oure pore Bedeman Thomas Paunfeld oon of the fre tenentz of oure liege lord the kyng of his maner and tounshipe of Chestreton in the Shyre / of Cambrigg: that &y;e wole considere how that I pursuede uerse billes by fore oure liege lord kyng henry the fourthe fader to oure liege lord the kyng that now / is and hise worchepefull lordes and comunes in his parlement holden at Westminster that x day of Feuer the xiij &y;er of his regne:/
To the whiche billes myne aduersaries replieden by mouthe and enformeden the kyng and the worchepeful lordes spirituelx and temperelx in that parlement: how that / I was outelawed by heye record of trespace wherethurgh that I ne oughte not to be herd nor answered of no maner compleynt in my billes writen but &y;if / it So were that I hadde brought my chartre in myn hond wherby that I myghte haue answered in lawe to alle maner of persones that ony replicacions wolden haue maked a&y;eyns ony article of my billes: /
And worchepful and discrete sires that myghte I not done that tyme: for I wiste not how I was endited and outelawed of what manqer trespace: but as Iohan / Cokayn the Iustice recordede byfore the kyng and made mencion at that tyme: whiche I trustede to god to haue proued by lawe byfore the kyng and the / worchepeful lordes and comunes in that parlement that the processe of myn outelawerye was vnlawefully made and al that longeth therto: &y;if Iohn Cokayn the Iustice wolde / haue brought in that record by fore the kyng in the parlement and there to haue ben determyned byfore hym and hise lordes and ComunF1es afore seyde gor they hadde departed thennes/
For byfore here of the persones that weren and ben Commissioners vpon myn enditement wherby that I was outelawed: I myghte not haue ben remedied ne myne neyghebores / nother so sone at that tyme lyk as oughten to haue ben of right and as me thoughte we shulde ben here: and that was for cause of meyntenance that was a&y;eyns / vs and &y;it is. and that made me cause to come to that heye Court of rightwisnesse: theder to pleyne for to han declared thilke record a&y;eyns my neighboures and me / vnlawefully mad and there sounere to han ben remedied of the wronges that we haue had by the priour and Chanons of Bernewelle and her meyntenors these .x.&y;er / and more vnduely and vngoodly:/
And now thanked be god and the rightwisnesse of the discrete and trewe Iuges Sire william hankford and hise felawes: han after the laws of the lond made me able for / to &y;eue myne answeres in lawe as my symple wittes wole seruen me to alle maner persones that ony replicacions wolde maken a&y;eyns ony of the articles of my billes after the forme that sueth &y;if it like to the kyng: with swich conseil as he hath assigned to me and shal by the grace of god: for to declaren the entente of my billes / for the kynges auantage and for fortherynge of his trewe lieges better than I can in this heye Court of rightwisnesse:/
And by cause that I am of no power to pursue these materes in any other Court saue in this heye Court of rightwisnesse where as most truste and hope to haue rightwisnesse and / lawe rather than I shulde in ony other Court byfore ony of tho persones that weren and aren Commissioneres vpon myn enditement: for the heye meyntenance that I knowe wol shuld be made a&y;eyns me:/
Also worchepeful sires. we beseche &y;ow at the reuerence of god: that &y;e wole praye to oure liege lord the kyng: that he wole souche saf of his special grace and his Ryal prerogatyf in / this heye Court: to graunte me durynge my pursuyte by the auctorite of his par lement to walken at large to pursue these materes that ben folwynge in my bille: lyk as his gracious / graunt was by the autorite of his parlement and of his Rial prerogatif on good fryday at langeley the ferste &y;er of his regne at the reuerence of oure lord god that deyede for / vs alle as