Westminster Chronicle. And on the Thursday [12th March 1388] then next following, the said Constable of the Tower brought into parliament Simon de Burley, John Beauchamp, knight, John Salisbury, knight, and James Berners, knight, Richard Mitford, clerk, Nicholas Slake, clerk, Richard Clifford, clerk, and John Lincoln, clerk, by command of the king. And there, before the said Duke of York, the king’s lieutenant in the king’s absence, in the presence of all the temporal lords, the commons of the realm first impeached the said Simon upon several high points of treason. To these the said Simon answered point by point, most wisely, and offered himself chivalrously to defend with his body that he had never been a traitor, as he was impeached by the commons. And he was not received to this, but was compelled by parliament to answer guilty or not guilty, and he answered, not guilty of anything. And then the said Simon was commanded to remain in the Tower. And then John Beauchamp, John Salisbury, and James Berners were there, in the same manner, impeached by the said commons upon several high points of treason. The remainder of the passage as pasted appears to break off and then repeats the earlier material about the Archbishop of Canterbury, the prelates, and the respite of execution for the justices.
Et le Joefdy lors proschein ensuant le dit conestable de la tour mesna en parlement Simond de Burley, Johan Beauchamp chevalier, Johan Salesbury chevalier et James Berneres chevalier, Richard Metford clerke Nichol, Slake, clerke, Richard Clyfford clerke, et Johan Lyncoln clerke, de comandement du roy et illoeges devant le dit duc d’Everwyk, lieutenant de le roy en absence du roy, en presence de toutz les seignurs temporelx les comunes du roiaume enpescherent primerement le dit Simond de plusours hautez pointz de treson, as queux le dit Simond respoundy de poyns en point pluis sagement et luy profra chivalrousement de defendre ovesque son corps qil unges ne fuist traitour come il est enpesche par les comunes, et a ceo ne fuist resceumes chace par parlement a respoundre coupable ou noun coupable et il respondy de rien coupable. Et puis le dit Simond fuist comande a remayn a la Tour.
Westminster Chronicle. Also, on the 13th day of February, Master Adam Houghton1, Bishop of St Davids, died. To that see, by favour of the lord king, Lord Richard Metford was elected; but the Pope quashed the election and caused Brother Gilbert, Bishop of Hereford, to be translated to the aforesaid church, and confirmed Master John Trevenant as Bishop of Hereford.
Item xiii die Februarii obiit magister Adam Houton, episcopus Menevensis, ad quam favore domini regis electus est dominus Ricardus Metford, sed papa electionem cassavit et fratrem Gilbertum episcopum Herefordensem ad ecclesam præfatam transferre curavit, ac magistrum Johannem Trevenant in Herefordensem episcopum confirmavit.
Note 1. Bishop Adam de Houghton.
In 1390 Bishop Richard Metford was appointed Bishop of Chichester.
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.
In 1395 Bishop Richard Metford was appointed Bishop of Salisbury.
On 3rd May 1407 Bishop Richard Metford died.
Westminster Chronicle. Also, that no person who has been about the person of the king, nor any other person whatsoever, shall be impeached, molested or grieved by appeal, accusation or in any other manner, by reason of evil governance or evil counsel about the person of the king at any time before this present parliament, or by reason of any other thing that has been declared in this present parliament, for treason or misprision, except those who are attainted and adjudged in this present parliament, and except John Rypon, clerk, Henry Bowet, clerk, William Mounkton, clerk, John Lancaster, knight, Henry Ferrers, knight, Richard Clifford, clerk, Richard Mitford, clerk, Nicholas Slake, clerk, John Lincoln, clerk, John Holcotes, Nicholas Southwell, James Lustrak, Henry Clerk of Thaxted, Simon Shiringham, John Fitz Martin, William Chesterton, parson of Rattlesden, Brother Richard Boughton of the Order of Friars Minor and Thomas his brother, and all those who are beyond the sea with the traitors, or who wish to go to them hereafter. Also, that no one who has been of the retinue, company, force, aid, counsel, assent or adherence of those who are attainted or adjudged in this present parliament, or of any of them who are excepted above, shall be impeached, molested or grieved at the suit of the king, nor of any party, nor in any other manner, by reason of assembly, riding, combat, raising of pennons or banners, defeats, death of a man, imprisonment of any person, taking, leading away or detaining of horses or other beasts, taking and carrying away of goods, harness, armour, chattels or any other movables whatsoever, burning of houses and other possessions or goods whatsoever, assault, battery, robberies, thefts, coming or remaining with force and arms, or armed, in the presence of the king in parliament, councils or elsewhere, raising people, or inciting people to rise forcibly against the peace by letters, commissions or any other deed whatsoever, against the intent or pursuit of the aforesaid Duke of Gloucester, Earls of Arundel, Derby, Warwick and Marshal, which intent and pursuit are declared by their appeal in this present parliament, or by reason of any other thing that may be alleged that they, or any of them, ought to have done, or should have done, or purposed to have done since the beginning of the world, touching any of the matters against the intent or pursuit aforesaid declared in the aforesaid appeal, etc.
Item que null persone qad este entour la persone le roy nautre persone quiconge soit empesche, moleste ne greve par appell, accusement ou en autre manere a cause de mal governance ou mal conseill entour la persone le roy en ascune temps devant en ceste present parlement, ou a cause dascun autre chose qad est declarre en ceste present parlement, pur treison ou mesprison, forpris ceux qui sont atteintz et ajuggez en ceste present parlement, et forspris Johan Rypon clerk, Henry Bowet clerke, William Mounkton clerke, Johan Lancastre chevalier, Henry Ferrers chevalier, Richard Clifford clerk, Richard Metford clerk, Nichol Slake clerk, John Lyncoln clerk, Johan Holcotes, Nichol Southwell, James Lustrak, Henry Clerk de Thakstede, Simond Shiryngham, Johan Fitz Martyn, William Chestreton person de Ratelsden, frere Richard Boughton del ordre de Freres Menours et Thomas son frere, et toutz ceux qui sont dela la meer avesque les traitours ou voillent aler a eux en apres. Item que null qad este de retenue, compaignie fors, eide, counseill, assent, ou adherent de ceux qui sont atteintz ou ajuggez en ceste present parlement ou dascun de eux qui sont forspris devant soit enpesche, moleste, ne greve al suite de roy, ne de partie, ne en autre manere par cause dassemble, chivache, combatement, leve de penons ou des baneres, desconfitures, mort de homme, enprisonement dascun persone pur prise amesner ou deteneir des chivalx ou dautres bestez pris et enportez des biens, harnoys, armurez, chateux, ou autres moebles quiconges, arsures des maisons et autres possessions ou biens quiconges, assaut, baterie, robberyes, lareyns, vener ou demurer ade force et armes ou arme en presence du roy en parlement counseils ou aillours lever des gentz ou exciter les gentz a lever foreiblement encountre la pees par lettres commissions ou autre fait quiconge encountre lentent ou pursuit des avantditz due de Gloucestre, countes d’Arundell, Derby, Warrewyk, et marschall, quell entent et pursuit sont declarre pur lour appell en ceste present parlement, ou dascune autre chose qui poet estre surmys que eux, ou ascune de eux, duissent au duist avoir fait ou purpose daver fait puis comencement du mounde touchant ascun des matieres encountre lentent ou pursuite suisditz declarrez en lappell suisditz, etc.