Transcript

[fol. 109r] A brife note of the troble and vexacon of three or fower thowsand of the poreste sorte of people of the County of Cardigan which are trobled by the meanes of William Hearle an unkinde and Combersome man to his owne Contry people, who procureth them to be sewed in the Exchequor for a supposed Custome or seasse of otes, which upon necessity hath ben used by the Constables of Certaine Castles upon their discrecon when rebellion was used in that Contry, from the tyme of Edward the firste untill the reigne of Kinge Henry the fourthe at which tyme hit seassed/ And a rente of xxs by the yere hath ben paide in lue thereof//

• Imprimis that when Kinge Edward the firste sawe he colde not bringe the Brittons or Welshemen into Conformitye from spoylinge eache other and the Marches he buylded the Castles of Aberustowthe, Cardigan, and suche like to set garisons therin alwaies to be at hande to suppresse those people which lyved in woods and marisshes and spoyled those good men which were come to obedyence/ And the Constables of those Castles when they had served upon the disordred sorte of welshemen / wold when they had travyled farr from their garrisons / put upon the poore tennants / (and not upon the gentlemen or freeholders) their horses for a nighte / and take meate of them as hit is used in Irelande by way of seasse / which poore men to be defended gave of goodwill onlelie (for the tyme) the foresaid otes and meate / and not to have Contynewaunce / nether was ther ever any Certenty of hit lymited.///
• Item that this was sometyme used upon necessity from the Reigne of Edward the firste / untill the reigne of Kinge Henry the fourthe at which tyme the Cause of the trobles beinge taken awaye, that Custome seassed./ yet upon surveyes that kinde of placing of horse and takinge of meate was charged as Avena pro uno equo in sundry places in the shere pro una nocte / not namynge as before howe many nights in the yere that should be had nor what should be geven to eache horse and so a rente of xxs by the yere was reserved./
• Item that the poore Inhabitance fearinge that some suche / as is happened into the cause) wolde troble them made sewte unto King Phillipe and Q. Mary, to be incorporated and made able to recyve graunts / And made like sewte to have a fee farme of that seasse for xxs per Annum, which was graunted them by the said kinge Phillipe and Q mary, with a provison in that graunte that yf the rente of xxs were demanded of those that were incorporat of that County of Cardigan / in that Contry of Cardigan / and it not paid within vj wekes That ^then^ the same graunte to be voyd./
• Item that they the said Contrymen not beinge demaunded of the said rente of xxs in the Contry / neither the Receyvor of Southwales sithens Cominge into that shere paid not that xxs by yere / alwaies lokinge for some to demaunde that rente./
• Item that the said William Hearle lienge in waighte to make gayne / not passinge whome or howe many he did troble to proffitt him selfe / procured an office to be founde in Middelsex / that the said rente of xxs was behinde and unpaid / and therupon toke a newe lease for vjli xiijs iiijd per Annum of the Q majestie for that demaunde of otes./ upon the which he hath caused a sewte to be comenced in the Exchequor in her Majesties name against those number of poore men / to their greate Costs / and in the ende to their spoyle / yf helpe be not had againste his subtell devises./

Wherefore in humble sorte may it please your honorable lordshippe to have Consideracon and Compassion to the number of poore people to be undon and hurte to the uncertenty of the demaunde / to the length of the tyme sithens it was used / what sorte of men that are to be charged / of the man that trobleth them / And to Consider howe in reson and lawe her Majestie is tyed to her graunte / which saieth that Si dobito modo petatur infra Com Cardigan the same xxs per Annum / And thereupon for charities sake to be as a patron and meane to the Q. Majestie for their helpe / and they will and shall have cause to pray for your honors prosperus estate from defendinge of them from the wolfe.///