Master and scholars of University College, Oxford. King and lords in parliament....

Petitioners

Master and scholars of University College, Oxford.

Addressees

King and lords in parliament.

Nature of request

The Master and scholars of University College, Oxford state that Edmund Fraunceys and Idonia his wife sued them by a writ of formedon, demanding from them seventeen acres of meadow with appurtenances in Grandpont [in St Aldate's, Oxford], although they had no right, as can be seen from their evidences. The petitioners sued to the king and council in the last parliament at Westminster, and it was adjudged there that a writ should be sent to the justices of Common Bench, where the plea was pending, not to proceed on the writ until it was otherwise ordained by the king's council. And now Edmund and Idonia have purchased another writ of formedon against Robert Westby, who holds the meadow for term of life from the Master and scholars, to their perpetual disinheritance if no remedy is ordained; and as yet there has been no decision or ordinance from the council on this. They request that the king grant a writ to the justices in this parliament, not to proceed in the plea until whether Edmund and Idonia have a right to demand that meadow has been examined before the council.

Nature of endorsement

Because it is well known to the king and to the lords that the supplicants are so poor that they will not be able to pursue or defend their right in the reversion of the meadow mentioned in the petition by course of common law, it is agreed and assented by the king and lords in parliament that the right and claim of one party and the other concerning the said meadow should be made clear and determined before the king's council, and that such writs of supersedeas should be made for the tenant as were made for the supplicants concerning the same meadow.

Places mentioned

Oxford, [Oxfordshire]

Graunt Pount (Grandpont), [Oxfordshire].

People mentioned

Edmund Fraunceys (Franceys, Francis)

Idonia [Fraunceys (Franceys, Francis)]

Robert Westby.

An earlier petition by the same petitioners is SC 8/19/915A

For transcript, see no.74 of PRO 31/7/109

Another petition by the same petitioners is SC 8/340/16034

A writ occasioned by this petition is SC 8/19/915B

• Calendar of Close Rolls, Ric II, vol. II, 1381-1385, (Public Record Office, 1920), p.379 (order to justices of the Bench to stay proceedings in an inquisition between Edmund Franceys and University College)
• Parliamentary Petitions Relating to Oxford, Oxford Historical Society, vol. XXXII, Ed. L. Toulmin Smith, (Oxford Historical Society, 1896), p.145 (no. 103) (calendar of petition)
• Rotuli Parliamentorum; ut et Petitiones, et Placita in Parliamento, vol. III, Ric II and Hen IV, (Record Commission, 1783), p.176b (no.7) (full edition of original petition)