89.

Merchants to Use English Ships Only. Charters Granted the Peasants Annulled

(May, 1382. French text and translation, 2 S. R. 17. 2 Stubbs, 482.)

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3. ITEM, to increase the navy of England, which is now greatly diminished: it is assented and accorded, that none of the king’s liege people do from henceforth ship any merchandise in going out or coming within the realm of England, anywhere, but only in ships of the king’s liegeance; and every person of the said liegeance, which * * * do ship and merchandise in any other ships * * * shall forfeit to the king all his merchandises shipped in other vessels, wheresoever they be found hereafter, or the value of the same; * * *

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6. Item, it is ordained, that all manner manumissions, obligations, releases, and other bonds made by compulsion, duress, and menace, in the time of this last rumor and riot against the laws of the land, and good faith, shall be wholly quashed, annulled and holden for void; and they that have done to be made, or do yet withhold such manumissions, obligations, releases, bonds, and other deeds so made by duress, shall be sent before the king and his council, thereof to answer there of their deed, and further shall be constrained to make delivery and restitution of the said deeds to them that made the same against their good will, with the copies of the same, if perchance they have thereof made any before, another time to use or renew the effect of the same if they may. And likewise it is accorded, that all entries made in lands or tenements, and also all feoffments made in the time of the same rumor by compulsion and menace, or otherwise with force of people, against the law, shall be void, and holden for none. And the king straitly defendeth to all manner of people, upon pain of as much as they may forfeit against him in body and goods, that none from henceforth make nor begin again, in any way, such riot and rumor, nor other like. And if any the same do, and that duly proved, it shall be done of him as of a traitor to the king and to his said realm.

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8. Item, touching the charters, releases, obligations, and other deeds and muniments, burnt, destroyed, or otherwise eloined in the same rumor, it is assented, that they which thereof feel them grieved, shall put their petitions distinctly made upon their matters specially before the king and his council, betwixt this and the Nativity of Saint John Baptist next coming at the furthest, and there make sufficient proof of the said muniments so lost, and of the form and tenor of the same; and that done, such remedy shall thereof be provided for them at every man’s complaint, as best shall seem in the case, saving the law.

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