Men of Dunwich. King and council. The men of Dunwich request remedy because:1) Edmund...

Petitioners

Men of Dunwich.

Addressees

King and council.

Nature of request

The men of Dunwich request remedy because:1) Edmund and his men of Walberswick disturb the bailiffs of Dunwich from making distresses and attachments, as they have always done, from the water of the harbour of Dunwich to the high sea;2) although boats and men have always come into the King's harbour and town of Dunwich, Edmund and his men of Walberswick will not allow their boats and men in the harbour, but seize their boats and drag them to Blyborough and badly beat and wound the men found in the same;3) although all ships entering the harbour have always lodged in Dunwich, the men of Walberswick meet them with their boats and make them lodge at Walberswick;4) Edmund distrains each ship that anchors in the harbour for its anchor, when previously nothing has ever been demanded or paid, so that merchants and others refuse to come to the harbour;5) John de Clavering has recently started holding a market at Blyborough which is less than 2 miles from Dunwich. And because John de Clavering has brought a bill in Parliament to make them lose their franchises, they request that they not be deprived of them without answering and a reasonable explanation.

Nature of endorsement

Because the men of Dunwich hold the town of the King at a great farm, and can only answer to the King in matters concerning the said town or themselves, they should have writs of oyer and terminer without fine.

Places mentioned

Dunwich, [Suffolk]

Walberswick, [Suffolk]

Blyborough, [Suffolk].

People mentioned

Edmund [Clavering]

John de Claveryng (Clavering).

For a related petition from the burgesses of Dunwich see SC 8/107/5342

This petition is part of SC 8/257/12844

For a related document see SC 8/258/12864

For a related petition from the same petitioners see SC 8/11/519