Tenants of the ancient demesne of the manor of Merton. King and council. The tenants...

Petitioners

Tenants of the ancient demesne of the manor of Merton.

Addressees

King and council.

Nature of request

The tenants request that they are able to recover the wrongs and grievances and make the prior to come before the king and show how he had ousted his tenants from their inheritance, and ordain right and remedy in their tenancy and grant a protection to the tenants during their suit so that no one will harm them or their chattels, and order his letters to the justices of the Common Bench at the hour that the tenants make their case before them be favourable to them. King Harold gave the manor to the prior of Merton and the tenants of the manor hold their lands and tenements by certain customs and services according to the usages of the manor until the prior and Kent came by force and arms to the tenants' houses broke in and took their charters and muniments and carried away their goods and chattels, which is contrary to Domesday Book. The prior has burnt and destroyed the tenements in the vill wrongfully and against the peace.

Nature of endorsement

They should pursue this at the common law.

Places mentioned

Merton, Surrey.

People mentioned

Prior of Merton

William de Kent, Canon of Merton

Harold II, King of England.

For a related document in which this petition was probably enclosed see no. 19425 in C 81/330