Thomas Percy 1st Earl of Worcester 1343-1403

Westminster Chronicle. Also in this Parliament they raised many matters concerning craftsmen, labourers, and various servants: namely, that all and each of these should henceforth serve anyone who offered the better wage for their crafts and services than they had previously provided, as was touched upon above in the Parliament held at Cambridge. But because they did not at the same time fairly regulate the prices of the goods by which those men lived, they did not in the least achieve their intended effect. Also, shortly before the end of the month of February, Lord Richard Metford received papal letters concerning the bishopric of Chichester, and soon afterwards he was consecrated bishop. Also, in this Parliament, Lord John Holland [aged 38], Earl of Huntingdon, was made chamberlain of the lord king, and Lord Thomas Percy [aged 47] was made his sub-chamberlain. Also, at the end of this Parliament, the Duke of Lancaster, by the lord king and with the assent of the whole Parliament, was raised to be Duke of Aquitaine, rendering nothing for it. And Lord Edward [aged 17], son and heir of the Duke of York, was made Earl of Rutland; the king also granted him the castle of Oakham [Map], with all its appurtenances.

Item in isto parliamento plura his moverunt, seilicet de artificibus, de operariis et de diversis servientibus quatinus ut omnes isti et singuli meliori foro cuicunque servirent de eorum artificiis et servitiis deinceps quam antea impenderunt, ut tactum est supra in parliamento tento apud Cantebrigiam ; sed quia positiones rerum venalium quibus ipsi viverent minus æque taxarunt ad suum effectum minime pervenerunt. Item parum ante finem mensis Februarii dominus Ricardus Meteford recepit litteras papales super episcopatum Cicestrensem et cito post in episcopum consecratus est. Item in isto parliamento dominus Johannes Holand, comes Huntyngdon, factus est camerarius domini regis et ejus subcamerarius dominus Thomas Percy effectus est. Item in fine istius parliamenti dux Lancastriæ per dominum regem et assensu totius parliamenti in ducem Aquitaniæ nihil inde reddendo erectus est. Et dominus [Edwardus] filius et heres ducis Eboraci factus est comes Rotelandiæ cui etiam rex contulit castellum de Okeham cum suis pertinentiis universis.

After 7th January 1400. The names of the lords who were present at the said declaration are as follows:

Henry, prince of Wales [aged 13].

Edmund, duke of York [aged 58].

Edward, earl of Rutland [aged 27].

Thomas, earl of Arundel [aged 18].

John, earl of Somerset [aged 27].

Edmund, earl of Stafford [aged 21].

[his brother] Henry, earl of Northumberland [aged 58].

Ralph, earl of Westmorland [aged 36].

Thomas, earl of Worcester [aged 57].

Michael, earl of Suffolk [aged 39].

Richard, Lord Grey of Codnor [aged 29].

Thomas, Lord Berkeley [aged 48].

John, Lord Charlton.

Reginald, Lord Grey of Ruthin [aged 38].

Thomas, Lord Camoys [aged 49].

Thomas, Lord Furnivall [aged 38].

Robert, Lord Scales [aged 28].

John, Lord Beaumont.

William, Lord Willoughby [aged 30].

Hugh, Lord Burnell [aged 53].

William, Lord Ferrers of Groby [aged 27].

William, Lord Bergavenny [aged 57].

John, Lord Lovell [aged 59].

Robert, Lord Harrington [aged 44].

Richard Lescrope [aged 73].

Parliament Rolls Richard II. 33. Also, on the same Saturday [10 February 1397], a charter of the king made to the earl marshal touching his office of marshal of England, and the gold staff adorned with the emblem of the king's arms which he will carry in his office, was read and delivered to the said earl. The tenor of which charter follows:

The king to the same, greeting. Know that whereas recently by our letters patent of our special grace we granted to our beloved kinsman Thomas, Earl of Nottingham, the office of marshal of England, together with the name and honour of earl marshal, to have to him and his male heirs issuing from his body, with all the fees, profits, and appurtenances whatsoever pertaining in any way to the said office, in perpetuity; as is fully contained in the same letters. We, mindful of the gracious and laudable services often performed by the aforementioned earl, on either side of the sea, for the benefit and honour of us and our kingdom, at no small effort, cost, and charge to him; and wishing therefore to provide for the estate and honour of that earl, of our special grace have granted in our present parliament for us and our heirs to the same earl the said office, and the name, title, and honour of earl marshal of England, to have to him and his male heirs issuing from his body, together with all offices, commodities, profits and other appurtenances whatsoever, both in our courts and elsewhere, relating or pertaining in any way to the same office, in the same manner and as fully, freely, wholly, and peacefully as Thomas Brotherton, lately Earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, father of our beloved kinswoman Margaret Countess of Norfolk, [widow] of the aforesaid late earl, or Roger Bigod sometime Earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, or any other after the death of the same former earl, or the same present earl, had or held the said office of marshal of England in their time.

Willing further and granting for us and our heirs, that the office of marshal of our Bench before us, which John Wicks holds for the term of his life by our grant, and the office of marshal in our treasury which Richard Gascoigne holds for his life by grant of our beloved brother Thomas Earl of Kent, lately marshal of England, by our confirmation; and also the office of herald of the marshal before the steward and marshal of our household, which Guy Allesley holds for his life by grant of the lord Edward [III], late king of England, our grandfather, and by our confirmation; which offices after the death of the aforesaid John, Richard and Guy should revert to us and our heirs, after the death of the same John, Richard, and Guy shall remain to the aforementioned earl marshal, to have to him and his male heirs in perpetuity. And that the same offices, and all other offices in any of our courts and elsewhere, which pertained, and used to pertain to the said office of marshal of England in times past, shall be fully restored, annexed, and reunited to the said office of marshal of England in perpetuity. And that the same earl and his male heirs may give, grant, or confer those offices on any suitable persons freely and without hindrance as soon as they shall have fallen vacant by death, demise, resignation, surrender, or in any other way, notwithstanding any of our letters patent made to the contrary.

Considering also the vigour and nobility of that earl, and that he may in future the more fittingly and honourably perform and exercise the aforesaid office, we have granted for us and our heirs to the same present earl that he and his said male heirs, marshals of England, by virtue of their aforesaid office should have, carry, and bear, as well in the presence as in the absence of us and our heirs, a certain gold staff, with both ends enamelled in black, and with the emblem of our arms decorating the top of the said staff, and with the emblem of the arms of that earl decorating the bottom of the said staff; notwithstanding that the same present earl in his time, or the aforementioned former earls, or any other who had the said office of marshal of England before this time, used to carry or bear a wooden staff. Witnessed by these, the venerable fathers Thomas archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, Robert of London, William of Winchester, John of Ely, Edmund of Exeter, our chancellor, bishops; John of Aquitaine and Lancaster, Edmund of York, dukes, our beloved uncles; Henry of Derby, Edward of Rutland, Henry of Northumberland, earls; Reginald Grey of Ruthin, Ralph Neville, John Lovell, knights; Roger Walden, dean of York, our treasurer, Thomas Percy, steward of our household, and others. Given by our hand at Westminster on 10 February 1397.