Chancery Rolls

13 Oct 1278. Worcester. To Reginald de Grey and William de Hamelton. Whereas the king lately ordered that the passes through the woods in divers places in Wales should be enlarged and widened, so that access might be more open to those travelling through the passes: wishing to be certifiecl concerning the state of the certified concerning the state of the passes, he has appointed them to view the passes and to enlarge and widen such passes as have not been so done, and to execute certain other things that the king has enjoined upon them, and he orders them to go in person to those parts without delay for this purpose. He has ordered all his balifffs and subjects in those parts to aid and counsel them in this matter, as they shall be enjoined by Reginald and William.

Mandate in pursuance to the king's bailiffs and subjects.

10 Jan 1279. The Tower. To Rhys son of Mereduc. As the king wills that the passes through the woods in divers places in Wales shall be enlarged and widened, and that the passage for those traversing them may be safe and open, he orders Rhys to cause the passes in Rhys's woods between Kermerdyn and Breokenew to be enlarged and widened in accordance with the ordnance and provision of Payn de Cadurcis and Master Henry de Bray, so that peril or damage shall not arise to those traversing them through lack of such widening.

The like to Griffin and Kanan sons (fil') of Mereduc, the abbot of Thalaclawayn, Howel son of Griffin ap Edenavet, Rhys Vaghan, John Siffard (sic), Humphrey de Bonn, earl of Hereford and Essex, and the abbot of Strata Florida to enlarge the passes through their woods.

05 Feb 1279. Dover. To Howel son of Griffin, bailliff of the king's cantreds. Order to cause proclamation to be made throughout the towns and other public places in those cantreds prohibiting foresters or others under pain of grievous forfeiture from exacting or taking anything under colour of a fee formerly given or of any custom or by any other reason from any persons for trees felled or to be felled or to be rooted up in Swerdewod and in the woods between Mold (Montem Altum) and it or elsewhere in the four cantreds, and that all who wish may take and have freely at their pleasure of the woods in those passes until the passes be fully cleared, and when the passes shall be thus cleared, then from the woods beyond the passes at their will ; and that all who wish thus to take or carry away from the woods shall have free passage (chiminagium) in going and coming and in removing and carrying away the wood, as shall seem most expedient for them ; and that no one shall hinder them in the premises or any of them until the king shall otherwise order.

10 Jun 1280. Westminster. To Bogo de Knovill, justiciary of West Wales. As the king learns by the testimony of trustworthy men that it is expedient for the keeping of his peace in West Wales and for the security of those passing through it that the thick coverts (denaitates coopertomm) of the woods of Rhys son of Mereduo, Griffin son of Mereduo, Kanon son of Mereduo, Uewdyn son of Owen, the abbot of Strata Florida, and the abbot of Whitland (Alba Landa), where robberies and homicides and other enormities against the king's peace have been wont to be committed, shall be felled and brought into cultivation (assartentur), for which reason the king has ordered each of them to cause their woods to be felled and brought into cultivation in the places that Bogo shall signify to them and by his view and ordinance: the king orders Bogo to warn and induce each of them to cause the king's order directed to them to be executed without delay, and if they do not, Bogo shall cause it to be done at their expence, as he shall deem most convenient for the security and peace of men of those parts and others passing through them.

                    15 Jul 1282. Rhuddlan. To the sheriff of Gloucetster. As the king greatly needs woodcutters (coupiatoribus) to clear (amputandos) the passes in Wales, the king orders the sheriff immediately upon sight of these letters, laying aside all other matters, to cause provision to be made of 100 of the most powerful woodcutters of his balliwick, so that each of them shall have a good, great and strong axe or hatchet (hachiam vel securim) to fell great and little trees, as William de Percy, whom the king is sending specially to the sheriff in this behalf, shall make known to the sheriff on the king's behalf, the woodcutters to be chosen in William's presence. The sheriff is ordered to provide by all means that the woodcutters shall be at Chester on Saturday the octave of St. Peter ad Vincula, ready to set out to the king at Rothelan on the Sunday following to do what shall further be enjoined upon them on the king's behalf. The sheriff shaU cause each of them to have their wages beforehand, to wit 3d. a day from the day of their departure from the sheriff for eight days following. The sheriff shall also provide that he shall have the woodcutters at Rothelan on the said Sunday by one of his men in whom he has confidence, so that he whom he shall thus send to conduct them may answer to the king for their names and persons by the view and counter-roll of the said William. This he is enjoined not to omit on pain of forfeiture of all that he possesses. [Fœedera.]
                
                    The like to the sheriff of Hereford to choose 100 woodcutters, the sheriff of Salop and Stafford to choose 200, and the keeper of the forest of Den, to choose 100, in the presence of the said WiUiam. [Ibid].
                
                    The like to the sheriff of Leicester and Warwick to choose 100 woodcutters, the sheriff of Nottingham and Derby to choose 200, in the presence of Nicholas de Bassingebum. [Ibid.]
                
                    The like to the sheriff of Lancaster for 200 woodcutters. [Ibid.]
                
                    The abbot of Hyde, Winchester, has the king's letter of simple protection to last until Christmas, with clause that the king wills that his corn shall not be taken in the meantime.

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                    27 Jul 1282. Rhuddlan. To Thomas, bishop of St. Davids (age 38). Order to cause the passes through the woods (nemora) in the parts of West Wales in his bishopric and in the fee of his church to be cleared of trees (succindi) and widened by the counsel of William de Valencia, the king's uncle, wherever it shall seem necessary and expedient to the bishop, as it is expedient that the passes in those parts shall be enlarged and widened, so that those traversing the passes may liave a safer and more secure way (accessiis).                

                    Like order to the said William to cause the passe? through the woods in all places in those parts where it shall aoem neoessarv and expedient to be enlarged and widened.
                
                    To Robert Tibbetot, justice of West Wales. Order to be intendent, counselling and aiding to the bishop and William in this matter.