The Magna Carta Project

Notification of the King’s grant of liberties to the stannaries of Cornwall and Devon

Identity

B87

Title

Notification of the King’s grant of liberties to the stannaries of Cornwall and Devon

Beneficiary

Stannaries of Cornwall and Devon (Institutions)

Date of issue

29 October 1201

Place of issue

Bonneville-sur-Touques (Places)

Sources

B = PRO C 53 (Charter Roll 36 Henry III) m.18, in an inspeximus, 2 April 1252 C = PRO C 52 (Cartae Antiquae Roll K) no.5, s.xiii.

Printed

 (from B) Cal.Chart.R. 1226-57, 380; (from C) Foedera, Conventiones, Litterae etc., or Rymer’s Foedera, 1066-1383, ed. A. Clarke et al., vol. 1, part i (London, 1816), 85.

Comment

Transcription

Iohannes Dei gratia rex Anglie etc archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, baronibus, iusticiariis, vicecomitibus, forestariis et omnibus balliuis et fidelibus suis salutem.  Sciatis nos concessisse quod omnes staminatores in Cornubia et Deuonia sint liberi de placitis natiuorum dum operantur ad comodum firme nostre vel commodum marc’ noui redditus nostri, quia staminarie sunt nostra dominica, et quod possint omni tempore libere et quiete absque alicuius hominis vexatione fodere staminum et turbas ad staminum fundendum ubique in moris et in feodis episcoporum et abbatum et comitum sicut solebant et consueuerunt et emere buscam ad funturam stamini sine vasto in regardis foreste et diuertere aquas ad operationem eorum in staminariis sicut de antiqua consuetudine consueuerunt, et quod non recolant ad operationibus suis pro alicuius summonitione nisi per summonitionem capitalis custodis stamnariarum et balliui eius per eum habeant super predictos producendos, et quod ab eis in carceribus nostris recipiantur si contigerit quod aliquis predictorum staminatorum debeat capi vel incarcerari pro aliquo recto, et si contigerit quod aliquis eorum fuerit fugitiuus vel utlagatus quod catalla eorum nobis reddantur per manus custodis staminariarum nostrarum, quia staminatores firmarii nostri sunt et semper in dominico nostro.  Preterea concessimus thesaurario et ponderatoribus nostris ut sint fideliores et intentiores ad utilitatem nostram in receptione et custodia thesauri nostri per villas marcandas quod sint quieti in villis ubi manent de auxiliis et tallagiis dum fuerint in seruicio nostro thesaurarius et ponderatores nostri, quia nichil aliud habent vel habere possunt per annum pro predicto seruicio nostro.  Hiis testibus: W(illelmo) comite de Sarresberia, Petro de Stokes, Warino filio Geroldi, Roberto de Ros, Petro de Rupibus thesaurario Pictauensi.  Data per manum Simonis Wellensis archidiaconi apud Bonam Villam super Tokam, xxixº. die Octobris anno etc tercio.

Calendar

Notification that the king has granted to the stannaries of Corwall and Devon that they may be free of the pleas of native men as long as their work contributes to the king’s farm or new rent; they may freely dig pits and turfs for casting anywhere; may obtain firewood for working the stannaries without waste in the regard of the forest, and divert water for the same purpose; they will not be taken from from their work by any summons except that of the chief warden of the stannaries and that, if it so happens that someone of the stannaries ought to be taken and imprisoned for any right, he shall be taken into the king’s prisons, and if it so happens that any one of them be a fugitive our outlaw that his chattels shall be taken for the king by the warden of the stannaries. Moreover the king concedes to the treasuer and weighers that they be quit in the vills where they abide of aids and tallages as long as they are in the king’s service.   

Charters not found in surviving rolls