Folios: 303v-305. County of Yorkshire. Pleas of claims of liberties and quittances...

Folios: 303v-305. County of Yorkshire. Pleas of claims of liberties and quittances at Pikeryng [Pickering] before Richard de Wylughby [Willoughby], Robert de Hungerford and John de Hambury, justices itinerant assigned for pleas of the forest in the forest of Henry, earl of Lancaster, of Pikeryng [Pickering]:

Robert, prior of Bridlyngton [Bridlington]: The prior claims to have his pigs in Scalbia [Scalby] within the metes of the forest of Pikeryng [Pickering] quit from all pannage, to him and his successors. And he says that Henry III, grandfather of the present king, and before that Henry, late king of England, the king's ancestor, gave the honor of Pickering, Scalby and the forest to Edmund, father of the now earl, by his charter, which he produces here in court and bears witness to this, and he granted and gave to the canons of Bridlyngton [Bridlington] that they should be quit of pannage of their pigs in the forest of Scalby. And he prohibited anyone from troubling or disturbing them for that pannage. Whereupon he says that he and all the priors of the said place, his predecessors, always from the time of the completion of the said charter, by virtue of the same charter, are seised of the said quittance without any interruption, and this he is ready to verify, etc.

The dean and chapter of the church of St Peter, York [York Minster]: The dean and chapter claim to be quit from herbage for themselves and their men of Pikeryng [Pickering], nanely from the ford called Ferwath to Alruif and then to Holla, and then to Mirchesik, and then to Weledalebek [Welldale Beck], and then to Westblawath, and then to Estshouerhou, and then between Rotemur and Grunstanwath on the west side of Keshou as far as the extremity of the way called Aldgate, and from there to Middelheued in Suterlund, and so to Rouclif, and so to Westguneldburges, and so as far as Bereuhou, and so to Westlidyate of Pickering, and from there to Standand Stan next to the hospital of St Nicholas, and then to Costa {Costa Beck], and so as fas as Alda, and so to the boundary of Kirkeby Misperton [Kirby Misperton], and so as far as Freredik, and so to Midsyk, and so along Midsyk as far as the boundary between Thorntona [Thornton] and Pickering, and then to the bottom of Langowedale, and then as far as Outbryggate, and then to the river of Pickering, and then to Ferwath. And also for himself and his men of Pickering to be quit of pannage in all moors and woods within the said boundaries. And for himself and his men of Pickering to be quit of the food allowance of all ministers of the forest of Pickering. And for himself and his men of Pickering [to have] housebote and haybote in all woods and moors within the said boundaries from the ford of Ferwath to the north by view of the foresters. And similarly to take windfallen wood and dry wood fallen to the ground without view of the foresters, when it falls in, sufficient for housebote and haybote. And for himself and his men of Pickering from the said ford within the said boundaries in all woods towards the south outside the hay of Blandeby [Blansby] [to have] underwood to enclose their fields and curtilages in Pickering. And for himself and his men of Pickering in all woods within the said boundaries from the said ford to the south to collect nuts for their estovers. And for himself and his men of Pickering in all woods within the said boundaries to the south to take twigs for utensils of their ploughs in Pickering. And they say, as regards their claim to be quit of herbage, pannage, fines for dogs not being hambled and the food allowance of all ministers of the forest of Pickering, that Henry, late king of England, progenitor of the present king, gave and granted to St Peter and G., archbishop of York, the churches of Poclyntona [Pocklington], Dryffeld [Driffield], Kilum [KIlham], Pickering, Burgh and Snayd [Snaith] with all their chapels and soke and 'sak' and customs pertaining to the same. And he ordered that the said churches be quit and free in all things and customs, so that St Peter may forever hold the same churches quit and free from all service by his charter, which he prodcues here and it bears witness to this. By virtue of which gift, the archbishop is quit of herbage for himself and his men of Pickering in the said forest by the said boundaries and also from fines for dogs not being hambled, and also from the food allowance of all the ministers of the forest of Pickering. And they say that, after an exchange had been made between the said archbishop and then dean and chapter of York about the said church for other lands and tenements, the current dean and chapter and their successors were quit by virtue of the said charter from these kinds of quittances, contained in their claims, and this they are ready to verify, etc. And as regards having housebote and haybote for themselves and their men of Pickering in all the moors and woods by the said boundaries, they say that they are the parsons of the church of Pickering, and they hold one carucate of land, which was formerly the ancient demesne of the crown of England, but now of frank fee, to which there pertained housebote and haybote in their said moors and woods within the said boundaries, and so, as if pertaining to the said land from ancient times, they and all their predecessors and all parsons there received this kind of housebote and haybote, and similarly windfallen wood and dry wood as if pertaining to them, and this they are ready to verify, etc. And as regards having underwood for themselves and their men of Pickering outside the hay of Blandeby [Blansby] for enclosing their fields and curtilages, and similarly collecting nuts for their estovers and taking twigs for the utensils of their ploughs, they say that they and all their predecessors, from time out of mind, took this underwood and collected nuts and took twigs for utensils, etc, as is pertaining to their free tenement, which is the endowment of their said church, and this they are ready to verify, etc.

Held on: Monday next after Michaelmas 8 Edw III.