Mayor, constables and community of the Merchants of the Staple of Calais. King and...

Petitioners

Mayor, constables and community of the Merchants of the Staple of Calais.

Addressees

King and Council.

Nature of request

The mayor, constables and community of the Merchants of the Staple of Calais state that, by virtue of franchises granted to them by the king's predecessors, they have the right to send to the keeper of the gaol of Calais any prisoners arrested by them under merchant law, and that the keeper ought to keep them safe and provide security for them. However, Pernant has refused to provide such security, and they therefore request that a writ be sent ordering Pernant to do so, under pain of forfeiture of his office.

Nature of endorsement

On 27 April in the first year at Westminster, before the Duke of Gloucester, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the bishops of London, Winchester, Norwich and Worcester, the Earl of Warwick, Cromwell, Tiptoft and Hungerford, is was granted that a writ be snet under the great seal to Pernant, ordering him to answer for all the prisoners sent to him by the mayor etc. under the terms of the king's charter, finding sufficient security for them, or to appear before the council wherever they may be on 4 May next to answer for this, under pain of £100.

Places mentioned

Calais, [France].

People mentioned

John Pernant, keeper of the gaol of Calais

[Henry V], King of England

[Humphrey of Lancaster], Duke of Gloucester

[Henry Chichele], Archbishop of Canterbury

[John Kempe], Bishop of London

[Henry Beaufort], Bishop of Winchester

[John Wakeryng], Bishop of Norwich

[Philip Morgan], Bishop of Worcester

[Richard Beauchamp], Earl of Warwick

Ralph Cromwell, Lord Cromwell

John Tiptoft

Walter Hungerford.

For a schedule formerly attached to this petition see SC 8/217/10828