Biography of Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh 1287-1355

Rymer's Fœdera Volume 2. Concerning the Pardon for John Mautravers (age 39)

The King, to all his bailiffs and faithful subjects to whom, etc., greeting.

Know that whereas, in our parliament held at Westminster in the first year of our reign, taking into account the pleasing and praiseworthy services rendered in many ways by our beloved and faithful John Mautravers to Queen Isabella of England, our most dear mother, and to ourselves, both in the cause of our said mother and of ourselves against Hugh le Despenser the Younger and others, then our enemies and rebels, as well as in other places, by the assent of the prelates, earls, barons, and magnates of our realm, we granted pardon to the same John for the suit of our peace which belonged to us, for all homicides, felonies, robberies, burglaries, larcenies, and whatsoever other transgressions committed by him against the peace of Lord Edward, late King of England, our father, and against our own peace, within our realm, for which he had been indicted, arraigned, or appealed;

And we also pardoned to the same John all manner of actions, obligations, complaints, accusations, and demands which we then had or could have had against him, because he, by armed force, had entered the castles, towns, and manors which belonged to the said Hughs [i.e. Hugh le Despenser the Elder and Younger], or to their adherents, or to our other enemies both in England and in Wales; and had caused those castles to be besieged, had taken and imprisoned men, and had carried away the goods and chattels of the said Hughs and of the said enemies found in those castles, towns, and manors, or elsewhere; and also any outlawries that might have been promulgated against him on account of these things, and we granted him our firm peace therein:

Willing that he should not, on account of the premises or any of them, by us or by our heirs, or by any of our officers whatsoever, be troubled, molested, or burdened in any way.

And since the said John did not at that time sue out our letters of such pardon, we, taking into consideration the good and laudable conduct of the same John, and also the acceptable service which he rendered us in the second year of our reign, when lately, to restrain the rebellion of certain men then opposing us, he rode with our army, wishing to provide for his security, we have pardoned to him the suit of our peace, which belongs to us, for all homicides, felonies, robberies, burglaries, and whatsoever other transgressions committed by him against our peace within our realm up to the making of these presents, for which he stands indicted, arraigned, or appealed;

And also all manner of actions, obligations, complaints, accusations, and demands which we have or may have against him, because he by armed force entered the castles, towns, and manors which belonged to the said Hughs or their adherents, or to any others lately opposing us in our said campaign, and caused those castles to be besieged, took and imprisoned men, and carried off goods and chattels found in those castles, towns, and manors, or elsewhere within our land of England and Wales; and also any outlawries that may have been promulgated against him on account of these matters, and we grant him our firm peace therein:

Willing that the aforesaid John, on account of the premises or any of them, shall not be molested or burdened in any way by us or our heirs, or by any of our officers whatsoever.

In witness whereof, etc.

Given at Wallingford, the 14th day of April [1329].

By writ of the privy seal.

He has similar letters: Bartholomew de Burghersh (age 42) likewise.

Witness as above.

By the King himself.

De pardonatione pro Johanne de Mautravers.

Rex, omnibus ballivis & fidelibus suis, ad quos, &c. salutem.

Sciatis quod cum in parliamento nostro apud Westm' tento, anno regni nostri primo, attendentes grata & laudabilia obsequia per dilectum & fidelem nostrum Johannem Mautravers, Isabellæ Reginæ Angl', matri nostræ carissimæ, & nobis, tam in querelâ ipsius matris nostræ, & nostrâ, versus Hugonem le Despenser juniorem, ac alios, tunc inimicos & rebelles nostros, quam alibi, multipliciter impensa, de assensu prelatorum, comitum, baronum, & procerum regni nostri, pardonâssemus eidem Johanni sectam pacis nostræ, quæ ad nos pertinuit, pro homicidiis, feloniis, roberiis, burgariis, latrociniis, & aliis transgressionibus quibuscumque, per ipsum contra pacem domini E. nuper Regis Angl', patris nostri, & nostram, in regno nostro perpetratis: unde indictatus, rectatus, seu appellatus extitit;

Pardonâssemus eciam eidem Johanni omnimodas actiones, obligaciones, querelas, accusaciones, & demandas, si quas erga ipsum tunc habuimus vel habere potuimus, pro eo quod castra, villas, & maneria, quæ fuerunt predictorum Hugonis & Hugonis, seu eis adherentium, aut aliorum inimicorum nostrorum tam in Angliâ quam in Walliâ, armatâ potenciâ ingressus fuit, & eadem castra obsideri fecit, homines cepit & imprisonavit, bona & catalla, quæ fuerunt predictorum Hugonis & Hugonis, ac aliorum inimicorum nostrorum predictorum in eisdem castris, villis & maneriis, seu alibi inventa, asportavit; & utlagarias, si quæ in ipsum hiis occasionibus fuissent promulgatæ, & firmam pacem nostram ei indè concesserimus:

Nolentes quod ipse, occasione premissorum, vel alicujus eorum, per nos vel heredes nostros, seu ministros nostros quoscumque, occasionaretur, molestaretur in aliquo, seu gravaretur:

Et idem Johannes litteras nostras de hujusmodi pardonacione tunc non fuit prosecutus:

Nos, ad bonum & laudabilem gestum ipsius Johannis, necnon ad gratum servicium quod nobis fecit, anno regni nostri secundo, dum nuper ad refrenandum rebellionem quorumdam nobis tunc contrariantium, cum excercitu nostro equitabamus, consideracionem habentes; ac volentes securitati ejusdem Johannis providere, pardonavimus ei sectam pacis nostræ, quæ ad nos pertinet pro homicidiis, feloniis, roberiis, burgariis, & aliis transgressionibus quibuscumque per ipsum contra pacem nostram, usque ad confectionem presencium, in regno nostro perpetratis, unde indictatus, rectatus, seu appellatus existit;

Necnon omnimodas actiones, obligaciones, querelas, accusaciones & demandas, si quas erga ipsum habemus vel habere poterimus, pro eo quod castra, villas, maneria, quæ fuerunt predictorum Hugonis & Hugonis, seu eis adherencium, aut aliorum quorumcumque nuper contrariancium in equitatu nostro predicto, armata potenciâ ingressus fuit, & eadem castra obsideri fecit, homines cepit & imprisonavit, bona & catalla in eisdem castris, villis & maneriis, seu alibi infra terram nostram Angl' & Wallie inventa, asportavit; & utlagarias, si quæ in ipsum hiis occasionibus fuerint promulgatæ, & firmam pacem nostram ei indè concedimus:

Nolentes quod predictus Johannes occasione premissorum, vel alicujus eorum, per nos & heredes nostros, seu ministros nostros, quoscumque molestetur in aliquo, seu gravetur.

T. R. apud Walyngford, xiiii. die Aprilis.

Per breve de privato sigillo.

Consimiles litteras habet Bartholomeus de Burghersh'.

T. ut supra.

Per ipsum Regem.