Prior and convent of King's Langley. King. The Prior and convent of King's Langley...

Petitioners

Prior and convent of King's Langley.

Addressees

King.

Nature of request

The Prior and convent of King's Langley state that they were founded by the king's ancestors and have hitherto received large sums of money annually in the Exchequer for their support. Edward III, to provide for their sustenance, purchased certain manors, lands and tenements, and enfeoffed, John of Gaunt and others, with them, to provide for their support. After his death they leased these lands to them for the term of forty years, until they could be amortized. Simon de Burley occupied these manors for a certain farm, then had them as his free tenement of Richard II's grant, so that a great part of the farm is in arrears. They request that these manors be granted to them and their successors forever, as fully as Juliana de Leybourne, Countess of Huntingdon, held them, notwithstanding the provisions of the Statute of Mortmain.

Nature of endorsement

They are to sue to the Council; and the king wishes that the Council should have power to do, and should do, justice to the supplicants on the matter comprised in the petition.

Places mentioned

Langeleye (King's Langley) [Hertfordshire]

Preston, [Kent]

Overlonde (Oversland), [Kent]

Wodlynge (Wadling), [Kent]

Packmanstone, [Kent]

Beaurepere (Beaurepair), [Kent]

Walderslade, [Kent]

Harrietsham, [Kent]

Ham, [Kent]

Elmstone, [Kent]

Goodnestone, [Kent]

Westgate (Westgate on Sea), [Kent]

Isle of Thanet, [Kent].

People mentioned

Edward [III], King of England

John [of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster]

Simon de Burley

Juliana de Leybourne, Countess of Huntingdon.

For transcript, see no.63 of PRO 31/7/109

A similar petition from the Abbot and convent of St Mary Graces is SC 8/20/989

• Calendar of Patent Rolls, Ric II, vol. III, 1385-1389, (Public Record Office, 1900), p.539 (restitution to petitioners of the lands held by Simon de Burley)
• Rotuli Parliamentorum; ut et Petitiones, et Placita in Parliamento, vol. III, Ric II and Hen IV, (Record Commission, 1783), p.180b (no.19) (full edition of original petition)