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John Spenser (Spencer), mercer of London. Spenser (Spencer) John King and council....

Catalogue reference: SC 8/287/14309

What’s it about?

This record is about the John Spenser (Spencer), mercer of London. Spenser (Spencer) John King and council.... dating from [c. 1373] 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 8/287/14309
Date
[c. 1373]
Description
Petitioners
John Spenser (Spencer), mercer of London.
Name(s)
Spenser (Spencer), John
Addressees
King and council.
Occupation
mercer of London
Nature of request
[This petition is badly damaged] John Spenser states that in 1371, when the Duke of Brittany was at Vannes with his barons, he ordered a proclamation to be made that all manner of people could come and go to trade in his duchy in safety in the following year; but when John travelled to Brittany to trade, he was captured near la Roche-Maurice, four leagues from Brest, by people from Morlaix and from Saint-Pol-de-Leon, and was imprisoned for fifty weeks and more and had to pay a ransom of 600 franks, and was robbed of his merchandise to the value of over £100. He requests that the king ordain restitution of his losses and damages, or letters of marque sealed with his great seal against the people of Morlaix and Saint-Pol-de-Leon, so that he may recover his damages.
Nature of endorsement
[None]
Places mentioned
London
Vannes, [Brittany, France]
Brittany, [France]
la Roche-Maurice, [Britanny, France]
Brest, [Brittany, France]
Morlaix, [Brittany, France]
Saint-Pol-de-Leon, [Brittany, France].
People mentioned
[John], Duke of Brittany.
Note
Datable to c. 1373, with reference to the Duke of Brittany's proclamation in 1371, the petitioner's trading venture to Brittany in the following year, and his imprisonment for fifty weeks or more.
Related material

For a duplicate of this petition, see SC 8/163/8133

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
French
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C9735469/

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Series information

SC 8

Special Collections: Ancient Petitions

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This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

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John Spenser (Spencer), mercer of London. Spenser (Spencer) John King and council....

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