On Thursday following the festival of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
in the second year of the reign of King John [29 June],
the whole town of the borough of
Ipswich gathered in the churchyard of St.
Mary at Tower to elect two bailiffs and four coroners for the town,
according to the specifications of the charter of the aforesaid lord
King, which that king recently granted to the the borough. On which
day the burgesses, by common assent and with one voice, elected two
upright and law-abiding men of their town, viz., John fitz Norman and
William de Beaumes, who were sworn to the administration of the ballivalty
of the town and that they shall behave well and faithfully to both poor
and rich.
They also unanimously elected on that day four coroners, viz. John fitz
Norman, William de Beaumes, Philip de Porta, and Roger Lew, who were sworn
to the administration of pleas of the crown and to doing other things
which concern the crown in the borough, and to supervise the bailiffs in
the just and legal treatment of poor as well as rich.
On the same day it was ordained by common counsel of the town that
henceforth there ought to be in the borough twelve sworn capital portmen,
such as there are in other free boroughs of England, and that they should
have full power on behalf of themselves and the whole town to govern and
maintain the borough and all its liberties, and to render judgements of
the town; and also to take care of, ordain and do in the borough whatever
may need to be done to maintain the status and reputation of the town.
And on this matter the bailiffs and coroners declared that the whole town
should come to the churchyard on Sunday following the festival of the
Apostles Peter and Paul, to elect 12 capital portmen, according to the
intent of this ordinance.
On Sunday following the festival of the Apostles Peter and Paul
[2 July], the whole town of Ipswich gathered before
the bailiffs and coroners to elect 12 capital portmen for the town,
as was previously decided. By consent of the town, the bailiffs
and coroners elected four upright and law-abiding men from each
parish of the town, who were sworn to elect 12 capital portmen from
the better, wiser and more able townsmen to make ordinances for
the well-being of the town, as was already said. And those sworn
men of the parishes came and elected, on behalf of themselves and
the whole town, these 12 names written below, viz. John fitz Norman,
William de Beaumes, Philip de Porta, Roger Lew, Peter Everard, William
Goscalk, Amise Bolle, John de Saint George, John le Mayster, Sayer fitz
Thurstan, Robert Parys and Andrew Peper. Who took oath before the whole
town that they would govern the borough of Ipswich well and faithfully,
maintain as best they could all the liberties recently granted to the
burgesses of the borough by the charter of the lord King, maintain all
liberties and free customs of the town, render just judgements in the town
court without discrimination towards any individual, and moreover ordain
and do all things touching the status and reputation of the town, and to
deal lawfully and justly with poor as well as rich.
On the same day as the 12 capital portmen were sworn in this fashion,
they required the whole town to raise its hands over the book and in
one voice to solemnly swear that from that hour forth they would obey,
attend, counsel and support the bailiffs, coroners, and each and every
of the 12 capital portmen, with their bodies and their chattels for the
purpose of preserving and maintaining the reputation, liberties and free
customs of the town in whatever
location necessary (excepting against the lord King or his power), with
all their might, insofar as they ought to do within justice and reason.
On the same day it was agreed that the new charter of the King be handed
over to two upright and law-abiding townsmen for safekeeping, viz. John
fitz Norman and Philip de Porta, who were sworn to faithfully keep the
charter and deliver it to the town when it shall be necessary and when
they shall be warned and required to do so by the town. And because as
much had been ordained and done for the status and reputation of the town
as could be that day, it was agreed that the bailiffs, coroners and all
capital portmen should come together on Thursday next after the festival
of the Translation of St. Thomas the Martyr to ordain and do whatever
might be required for the status and reputation of the town.
On Thursday following the festival of the Translation of St. Thomas the
Martyr [13 July], the bailiffs, coroners and all capital
portmen gathered to deal with and ordain for the status of the town of
Ipswich.
- First, they ordain that all custom of the borough henceforth be
collected by the hand of the bailiffs and four upright and law-abiding men
of the borough. And that they pay this annually to the King's Exchequer
for the rightful and traditional farm of
the town.
- Also, they ordain that there be two beadles in the borough, sworn
to make all attachments and distraints,
and carry out all orders from bailiffs, coroners and capital portmen which
ought to be done in the borough. And that one of the beadles be keeper
of all prisoners who shall be arrested by the bailiffs; which keeper is
to find surety for his safekeeping of
all prisoners etc.
- Also, they ordain that,
[it was decided] by common
counsel of the town, there be made a common seal of the borough to be
used in important business concerning the borough
community, and for
sealing letters giving the official opinion of all burgesses of the
borough, and for doing all things that need to be done for the common
reputation and utility of the town. The common seal is to be in the
custody of three or four upright and law-abiding men sworn to that task
before the community of the borough.
Also, they ordain that, [it was decided] by common
counsel of the town, there be in the borough an upright, law-abiding and
suitable man to be alderman of the Merchant
Gild in the borough. And that four upright and law-abiding townsmen
be associated with him. The alderman and those four shall be sworn to
well and faithfully maintain the Gild and all that belongs to it.
Also, they ordain that the new charter be conveyed into open session
of the county court of Suffolk and to Norwich into open session of the
county court of Norfolk. And that the charter be manifestly read out in
those courts, so that the liberties contained therein be publicly known
and disseminated in locations throughout the counties.
Also, they ordain that no burgess of the town may be exempt from
customs [collected] in the town on his merchandise, if
he be a merchant, unless he be at lot and
scot in the common aids and business of the town.
On Sunday following the festival of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary
[10 September], the community of Ipswich gathered before
the bailiffs, the coroners, and the other capital portmen of the town to
hear all the above ordinances, which were read out before the people in the
churchyard of St. Mary at Tower. After the reading, the whole community
unanimously consented to the ordinances. Afterwards they elected
bailiffs to hold office during the coming year, viz. John fitz Norman
and William de Beaumes. On the same day they elected four men to join
with the bailiffs in collecting town customs, viz. Peter Peper, Norman
Halynoth, Clement le Palmer, and Leman de Ponte. On the same day they
elected two beadles, viz. John Prikehert and John Hawe, who were sworn
to well and faithfully collect attachments and distraints and to
carry out all orders given by bailiffs, coroners and portmen that pertain
to their official duties. John Prikehert was elected to be keeper of
the prisoners of the town, and he found sureties for answering for any
escapes by prisoners, should that happen (which God forbid), viz. Edmund
de Marisco, Peter Peper, John Hawe and Thomas de Horner. And because
no more could be accomplished on that day, it was agreed that bailiffs
and community would be here on Thursday following the festival of St.
Faith to elect an alderman and do other things not possible now. The
bailiffs were asked, in the interim, to have a common seal made, as
ordained above.
On Thursday following the festival of St. Faith [12
October], the bailiffs, coroners, and other capital portmen,
and the whole community assembled in the church of St. Mary at Tower.
The bailiffs showed the common seal of the town which had recently been
made. Then there were elected three of the more law-abiding and capable
men of the borough to have safekeeping of the seal, viz. John fitz
Norman, William de Beaumes, and Philip de Porta, who were sworn before
the community to well and faithfully take care of the seal, and not
allow it to be applied to any letter or other [written]
instrument, unless it shall be to the common honour and utility of the
town or the burgesses of the town, and that by agreement of their peers.
And furthermore it was agreed that the town charter remain in their custody.
On the same day was elected, by common counsel of the town, an
alderman, viz. William Goscalk. And four were elected to be his
associates, viz. Peter Everard, John le Mayster, Roger Lew and John de
Saint George, who were sworn together with the alderman to well and
faithfully govern the Merchant Gild of the borough of Ipswich and all
articles belonging to the Gild; and that they treat all brethren of
the Gild well and lawfully. Afterwards the alderman and his four
associates, in the presence of the townspeople, said that all who are
of the liberty of the town shall come before them on a certain day,
time and place to be announced, to place themselves in the Gild and
contribute to the hanse of the Gild.
[The following section is found
only in the 16th century copy of the Ipswich Domesday. Other factual
evidence (e.g. custumal, cap.75), along
with spelling of certain words, make it unlikely this is a post-medieval
insertion, yet it is not clear why this section, if part of thirteenth
century source records from which medieval copies of the Domesday were
made, is not in those earlier copies. Possibly it was omitted because
recorded separately in the Merchant Gild's own records and not considered
relevant to the daily work of borough administration, for which the
Domesday was a reference tool (rather than being an historical
record).]
On the same day the bailiffs, coroners and other portmen, and the whole
community discussed together how and by what means it would be best to
provide for the maintenance of the Merchant Gild and all that belongs
to it. The bailiffs, coroners, and other portmen, and the whole community
with one voice agreed and ordained that the alderman who had now been
elected and all aldermen who should be elected in the future might have
and control for the profit of the Gild the buying and selling of all the
merchandise listed below, viz. millstones, rubstones, dogstones,
quernstones, grindstones, gravestones, mortars of marble, and
pavingstones of marble. The alderman, by his oath, ought to render a
correct and just account each year, before the bailiffs and coroners,
of all profits made and interest acquired from the year passed as a
result of the buying and selling of the aforementioned merchandise.
Furthermore they unanimously agreed that henceforth no resident of the
town not anyone, denizen or alien may be involved in the buying
or selling of the said merchandise within the town or within its
liberties and precinct, except only the alderman of the Gild for the
use and profit of the Gild. And this under penalty of forfeiture of all
such merchandise bought or sold.
The same day it was permitted by the whole community, at request of the
12 capital portmen, that for the labour they undertake for the community,
they may have Odenholm meadow for feeding
their horses.
Also, it was ordained and agreed by the whole community that the laws
and free customs of the town should be set down in a particular roll,
which shall be called the Domesday. This roll shall always be
kept in the custody of those who shall at the time be bailiffs of the
town, so that they may know how to carry out their office. All statutes
of the Merchant Gild shall be placed in another roll, just as is done
in other cities and boroughs where there is a Merchant Gild. The
alderman may always have this roll in his possession, so that he know
how to carry out his office.
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