And that it be granted to the wool-merchants that they have a mayor of the staples abovesaid.
And that all merchant strangers may have the greater will to come into our power and may the more safely stay and return, we take them, their persons and goods, into our protection. And we forbid, upon heavy forfeiture, that anyone do them wrong or injury in person or goods, while they be coming, staying or returning, so that if anyone do them injury contrary to this protection and prohibition, those of the town to which the evildoers shall belong shall be bound to answer for the damages or for the persons of the evildoers, and that the mayor or bailiffs of the town where the shipping is take surety for which they will answer at their peril from the sailors of the same shipping every time that they shall go out of the havens, that they will not do evil or misbehave towards any man contrary to these articles.
In witness whereof we have caused these our letters to be sealed with our seal. Given at Kenilworth, 1 May.
[227] The seal used by the customers.
[228] Prince Edward was created duke of Aquitaine on September 10, 1325. Pat. 19 Edward II, p. 1, m. 25.
23. The Election of the Mayor and Constables of A Staple Town [Chancery Files, 582], 1358.
To the reverend father in Christ William by divine permission bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of the illustrious lord the King of England and France, his humble mayor and constables and the whole community of merchants of the staple of the lord the King at Westminster, greeting with all reverence and honour. Let your reverend lordship deign to know that on the feast of the Translation of St. Thomas the Martyr[229] in the 32nd year of the reign of the aforesaid lord the King of England after the Conquest, all the merchants, as well alien as denizen, who frequent the said staple, being assembled for the election of a mayor and constables of the same staple for the coming year, as custom is, beginning at the feast of St. Peter's Chains[230] next coming, with unanimous assent and consent we elected Adam Fraunceys to be mayor, and John Pyel and John Tornegeld to be constables of the staple aforesaid for the coming year. May your lordship fare well through time to come. Given in the said staple of Westminster the last day of July in the 32nd year of the reign of King Edward the Third after the Conquest of England[231].
[229] July 7.
[230] August 1.
[231] Ratified by the Crown on July 16 (Pat. Supp., 22 m. 12).