The Knights Templar in Berkshire

Debts due to the Templars in Berkshire

The National Archives E 142/119 mem 17

Westminster, 31 December 1308. King Edward II instructs the sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire to inform him of what debts were due to the Templars at Christmas 1307.

Dorse

The sheriff responds that he has investigated the matters in the king's writ and the results of the investigation are attached to the writ.

Per istud breve diligenter feci | Inquisitionem super articul' in eodem | Content'. Et Inquistionem illam | vobis mitto huic brevi consuta.

TNA E 142/119 mem 18

King Edward II instructs the sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire to investigate what money, jewels and other goods and chattels belonging to the Templars have not yet been taken into the king's hands. Westminster 1 March 1309.

Edwardus dei gratia Rex Angl' Dominus Hibernie + Dux Aquit' vic' Oxon' + Berks' salute. Cum nuper certis de causis capi p[re]ce-

p[er]imus in manu[m] nostrum omnes terras + ten[ementa] + omnia bona + catella Magistri + fratrum Milicie Templi in Anglia in Com'

predictis +iam datum sit nobis intelligi quod iidem Magister + fratres habueunt in Balliva tua tam pecuniam jocalia quam alia diversa

bona + catella que pretext precept nostril predicti in manum nostrum nullatenus \erant capta/ de quo miramur plurimum + monemur. Nos

preceptum nostrum predictum executione plenarie demanderi volentes, tibi firmiter iniungendo precepimus quod non mittens propter

aliquam libertatem de balliva tua quin eam ingrediares + per sacramentum proborum + leg[alium] hominum per quos [tex damaged: word of 3 letters lost] v[er]itas melius

sciri pot[er]it de pecunia, iocalibus + aliis bonis huiusmodi inquiratis diligencius veritatem, et ea omnia in quorumcu[m]q'

manibus inventi fu[er]unt sine dilacione capiatis in manum

ostram/ salvo custodiatis donas aliud inde tibi preceperimus. Et

quid inde feceritis, constare faciatis Thes' + Baron[ibus] de scaccario nostro apud Westm' in Crastino Clausi Pasch' super

proffrum suum distincte + aperte. Et habeas ibi tunc hoc breve. T[este] W. Wygorn' Ep[iscop]o + Thes' nostro apud Westm'

primo die Marcj anno regni nostro secundo.

[Pencil]

18

[Dorse]

The sheriff replies that he has investigated this matter and the results are attached to this writ.

P[er] istud breve diligente feci inquistionem super arti- | cul' in eodem content' + inquisitionem illa vobis | mitto huius brevi consut'.

TNA E 142/119 mem 19

{The membrane has been water-damaged on the right hand side and some words are illegible, while others can only be guessed at. The words that have been guessed are in square brackets; question marks indicate where words are unclear or letters are illegible.}

Summary: On the Saturday in Easter week, 1309, Richard Damory, sheriff of Berkshire, holds an investigation at Maidenhead into the debts due to the Templars at Christmas 1307 and their goods and chattels that have not yet been taken into the king's hands. Two of the jurors owe Thomas Wonhope, the commander of Bisham, £7 for horses and sheep they purchased before Christmas 1307; John of Hurley owes 4 shillings for a horse he purchased; Walter and his mother Mabel owe four (more likely pounds than shillings) for the purchase of six oxen and three mares; none of which debts have yet been paid. Ralph of Hurley has in his keeping eleven marks which Brother Thomas entrusted to him before Christmas 1307, and the Prior of the Benedictine Priory of Hurley owes Brother Thomas 9 marks 6 shillings and 4 pence for sheep and other small things that he bought from him, and has in his custody a mazer cup with a silver base worth half a mark and a variety of other objects, including a hauberk, gauntlets, cuisses and gorgets, which were entrusted to the prior by Brother Thomas for safekeeping. (For Hurley Priory in Berkshire, see: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Hurley', in A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 2, ed. P. H. Ditchfield and William Page (London, 1907), pp. 73–77 (online at: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol2/pp73-77 [accessed 2 March 2016].)

Inquisitio capta coram Ric' Damory vic' Berks' apud Maydenehethe die Sabbati in septimana Pasch anno regni Regis Edwardi secondo

auctoritate cuiusdam brevis domini Regis sibi directi ad inquirendum quot + que debita debebantur Magistro + fratribus Milicie Templi in

Anglia vel eorum alicui infra Ballivam suam ad Festum Natalis domini anno regni Regis predicti primo et [word illegible] de [word illegible] diversis bonis + catallis

ipsorum Magistri + fratrum p[re]textu aliorum mandorum domini Regis in manu ipsius nondum captorum per sacramentum Gilb[er]ti Saddok', Joh[ann]is [brz ar', Joh[ann]is atte]

hoo, Willelmi atte Halle, Roberti de Shorteford, Ade de la Garderobe, Joh[ann]is de Babah\u/n', Ade de Bynham, Joh[ann]is [Reg' Rye, Ric']

de Jwhurst, Johannis le Keu + Stephani atte felde. Qui dicunt per sacramentum suum quod Gilbertus Saddok + Stephanus atte felde [tenentur]

fratri Thome de Wohop nuper preceptori de Bustlesham tam pro equis quam pro ovibus ab eodem emptis ante dictum festum

Natalis domini in septum libris sterlingorum de quibus nichil ad huc est solutum. Item Johannes de Hurle tenetur eidem p[ro] uno equo [emp-]

to ab eodem ante dictum Festum in quatuor solidos sterlingorum de quibus nichil ad huc est solutum. Item Walterus [word lost] + mabill'

Mater eiusdem Walteri tenentur eidem pro sex Bobus + tribus Iumentis emptis ab eodem ante dictum Festum in quatuor [ word lost]

Sterlingorum. De quibus nichil ad huc est solutum. Dicunt etiam quod in custodia Radulphi de Hurle sunt undecim marce [words lost – in denariis??]ariis

predicti fratris Thome quas idem frater Thomas eidem Radulpho ante dictum Festum Natalis domini tradidit custodiendas. Dicunt etiam

quod Prior de Hurle qui nu[n]c est tenetur eidem Frater Thome tam pro ovibus quam pro aliis minuties rebus ab eodem ante dictum Festum

emptis in novem Marcas sex solidis + quatuor denar' de quibus nichil ad huc est solutum. Dicunt etiam quod est [in custodia eidem?]

Prioris unus sciphus de mazero cum pode argenteo prec' dj m[a]r\c/. Item in custodia eidem Prioris J [?ol?? prec' ??? + word lost]

Loterio prec' xvj d. Item una Cista Longa prec' ij s. Item in custodia eidem J manuterg' J hauberk' + quisonis J par ciro-

tecarum de Balayne {protective gloves made of whalebone plates} ij Gorgis de plate + ij [?spernirs? – something for beds] pro Lectis que omnia predicta fuerunt predicti fratri Thome + per Priorem [word lost: ante?] Festum

predictum liberata predictis priori custodiand' + in custodia eiusdem ad huc existunt. Et ulterius nichil inquirere possunt.

In cuius rei testimentum predicti Jur[ati] huic inquistion' sigilla sua apposuerunt. Dat' apud Maydenehethe die + anno supradictis.