Fine Rolls
(1246-1272) The fine rolls of the 31st to 57th years of the reign of king Henry III record part of the government administration in England. These excerpts from the rolls list in transcript applications by plaintiffs for various writs (such as 'ad terminum' and 'pone') and for assizes to be held by the justices in eyre to look into their grievances. A fine of half a mark (6s 8d) or a mark (13s 4d) was usually levied; the cases are normally identified by county, and record that the appropriate sheriff had been notified. There are also more extensive records, in which more detail is given. The excerpts were made by the Record Commission and printed in 1836.GALEWEY. Cost: £4.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Northumberland Assize Rolls for the General Eyre
(1256-1279) The royal justices made periodic general eyres through all the shires of England, hearing civil and criminal cases that had accrued from the lower courts. Here we have the assize rolls of three Northumberland eyres, 24 April to 7 May 1256; 25 June to 15 July 1269; and 20 January to 9 February 1279. The bulk of the text relates to civil pleas from the county of Northumberland and the town of Newcastle upon Tyne; finishing with abstracts of the pedes finium, or feet of fines (lawsuits or pretended lawsuits establishing the ownership of land) arising at the three eyres. But there are also criminal cases (as in the scan here), lists of bailiffs, &c.GALEWEY. Cost: £4.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Cheshire Court Rolls
(1259-1290) Civil and criminal cases for most of Cheshire were handled by the county courts. Here we have the county court rolls for November 1259 to August 1260, December 1281 to September 1282, and December 1286 to September 1289. The city of Chester exercised its own jurisdiction, and here we have crown pleas and presentments from 1287 to 1297. The royal manor of Macclesfield in the east of the county had three independent jurisdictions - the hundred, forest and borough. Royal justices in eyre dealt with civil and criminal cases from the hundred and forest during their yearly visits, and here we have records from 1284 to 1290. Also covered by this index is an Inquest of Service in Time of War in Wales of 1288, listing knight's fees in the county. GALEWEY. Cost: £4.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Cheshire Pleas
(1293) Civil pleas for Cheshire were recorded in abbreviated Latin on parchment and sewn together in annual rolls, preserved at Chester castle until the 19th century, when they were removed to London. The great majority of these are unpublished: this is a transcript by David Bethell of the court's proceedings on Tuesday 26 May 1293. CHES 29/7GALEWEY. Cost: £8.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Close Rolls
(1302-1307) The close rolls of the 31st to 35th years of the reign of king Edward I, that is to the day of his death (7 July 1307), record the main artery of government administration in England, the orders sent out day by day to individual officers, especially sheriffs of shires: they are an exceptionally rich source for so early a period. In amongst this official material, the rolls were also used as a way of recording many acknowledgments of private debts and contracts between individuals. Most of the contents relate to England, but there are also entries concerning Wales, Scotland, Ireland and the English possessions in France.GALEWEY. Cost: £4.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Grantees of offices, commissions and pardons
(1317-1321) The Patent Rolls are the Chancery enrolments of royal letters patent. Those for the 11th to the 14th years of the reign of king Edward II (8 July 1317 to 7 July 1321) were edited for the Public Record Office by G. F. Handcock, and published in 1903. The main contents are royal commissions and grants; ratifications of ecclesiastical estates; writs of aid to royal servants and purveyors; and pardons. Most extensive are the commissions of oyer and terminer to justices to investigate complaints about specific crimes and wrongs in particular counties.GALEWEY. Cost: £2.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Clerks and Clergy in Cornwall and Devon
(1307-1326) The register of bishop Walter de Stapeldon of Exeter, containing general diocesan business, but in particular including ordination lists for monks and clergy. Only a small proportion of the clerks went on to acquire benefices and remained celibate. LatinGALEWEY. Cost: £6.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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Close Rolls
(1343-1346) The close rolls of the 17th, 18th and 19th years of the reign of king Edward III record the main artery of government administration in England, the orders sent out day by day to individual officers, especially sheriffs of shires: they are an exceptionally rich source for so early a period. There is also some material relating to Wales, Scotland, Ireland and the English possessions in France.GALEWEY. Cost: £4.00. | Sample scan, click to enlarge
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