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Liege Commons of Ireland. King and Council. The Commons of Ireland make various requests.1)...

Catalogue reference: SC 8/118/5896

What’s it about?

This record is about the Liege Commons of Ireland. King and Council. The Commons of Ireland make various requests.1)... dating from [c.1350-c. 1377] in the series Special Collections: Ancient Petitions. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

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Full description and record details

Reference
SC 8/118/5896
Date
[c.1350-c. 1377]
Description
Petitioners
Liege Commons of Ireland.
Addressees
King and Council.
Nature of request
The Commons of Ireland make various requests.1) Since they have been heavily taxed due to the various wars, they ask that ecclesiastical temporalities be taxed at the same rate as lay fees.2) They ask that, for the safety of the country, the king order the holders of the numerous ruinous castles in Ireland to repair them, or to take them into his own hands or grant them to other lords.3) They ask that an ordinance that the sheriffs of Ireland should also act as escheators in their counties without taking a fee be upheld, since an escheator has been appointed who oppresses the people to no profit of the king.4) They complain about interference with juries, and ask that anyone guilty of this be punished.5) They ask for an investigation into illegal purveyances taken by various justiciars since the time of John Darcy, which has been to the great impoverishment of the commons.6) They ask that the lands of debtors no longer be seized on the debtor's death and let out at farm, since the heirs and sub-tenants suffer greatly from exploitation by the farmers, who often lay waste to the land.
Nature of endorsement
Bill of Ireland.
Places mentioned
Ireland.
People mentioned
John Darcy.
Note
Darcy was justiciar of Ireland for various periods between 1323 and 1344, and the tone of the petition suggests that it was written a few years after he left office. However, there are no references to 'the late king' in connection with these matters, which would suggest that it was compiled before Edward III's death in 1377. Dated by Connolly to c. 1336-1350, but the handwriting appears to be from a later date.
Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference
Parliamentary Petition 4527
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
French
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Publication note(s)
Irish Material in the Class of Ancient Petitions (SC 8) in the Public Record Office, Analecta Hibernica, vol. XXIV, P. Connolly, (Stationery Office of Ireland, 1987), p.42 (brief calendar of petition)
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C9150577/

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Series information

SC 8

Special Collections: Ancient Petitions

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Liege Commons of Ireland. King and Council. The Commons of Ireland make various requests.1)...

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