Folios: 428-428v. Charters of privileges. Grant of liberties by the king to John,...

Folios: 428-428v. Charters of privileges. Grant of liberties by the king to John, his son, earl of Richmond.

First party: Edward III.

Second Party: John, earl of Richmond, the king's son [John of Gaunt].

Place or Subject: The king has considered how the county of Lancaster and several castles, vills, manors, lands and tenements both in Lincolnshire and Derbyshire, and also in diverse other counties of the realm, which were of Henry, late duke of Lancaster and earl of Lincoln and Derby, after the death of the duke, passed to John, earl of Richmond, his son, and Blanche, his wife, one of the duke's daughters and heirs, according to a partition made between them and Maud, another of his daughters and heirs, by hereditary descent, and aso the lands which are to remain to the earl and Blanche according to the order and grant of the duke, while he was alive, under a certain form. The king, wishing to show to his son special favour, has granted to John, now earl of Lancaster and Richmond, that he and his heirs in tail by Blanche are to have forever the return of all the king's writs and those of his heirs, and all pleas of prevention of distress in the lands and fees of inheritance of the duke, which were then in the hands of the earl and Blanche, and which in the future are about to remain to them according to the said order and grant, when they pass into their hands. And also all fines and amercements of all his men and tenants, whenever it happens these men and tenants are amerced or make fines in the king's courts or those of his heirs, and also all chattels of all his men and tenants, felons and fugitives and condemned men. And now all the lands and tenements, which Maud held as her share of all the lands and tenements, which were of the duke, and also certain other lands and tenements in Norfolk and Suffolk, which Maud held of the inheritance of the duke from the gift and feoffment of John, bishop of Lincoln [John Gynewell], Richard [fitz Alan], earl of Arundel, Robert de la Mare, John de Buklond, John Charnels, Walter Power, Simon Symeon and John Neumarche, by Maud's death, descended to the earl and Blanche as sister and heir of Maud by right of inheritance. The king grants to the earl that he and the heirs of his body by Blanche, are to have forever the returns of all writs of the king and his heirs and all pleas of prevention of distress, both in the lands and fees, which the earl has of Blanche as her share, and also in the lands and fees which were of Maud and which the earl and Blanche, as sister and heir of Maud, now hold of that inheritance, and also in the lands and fees which are to remain or revert to the earl and Blanche in the future from the same inheritance, when they pass into their hands; and also all fines and amercements of all their men and tenenants, whenever it happens these men and tenants to be amerced or make fines in the king's courts and those of his heirs; and also all chattels of all their men and tenants, felons, fugitives and condemned men.

Additional people: (witnesses) S. archbishop of Canterbury [Simon Islip]; W. bishop of Winchester, chancellor [William of Edington]; S. bishop of Ely, treasurer [Simon Langham]; Edward, prince of Wales, the king's first born son [Edward of Woodstock]; Richard [fitz Alan], earl of Arundel; Thomas [de Beauchamp], earl of Warwick; and William [Montagu], earl of Salisbury.

Dated at Westminster.

12 May 36 Edw III.