Scope and Content
James by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Kings defender of the Faith
etc. to all and singular maiors sheriffes eschestors Bayliffs and other officers
and ministers within our realme of England Constituted, and to everie of them
greatinge, Whereas Lord Henrie, sometime King of England the first of that name bye
his deed, did geve to the Church of Sainct Peter od Dunstable (and the erased)
which he founded and the Cannons regular there serving god, a Free and perpetuall
Almes That is, all the manner and borough of Dunstable, with the landes to the
said village perteyninge, That is to saye, fowre Furlongs, about the towne of
Dunstable, and the markett of the same village, and the schooles of the same
village, with all liberties and Free Costomes, to the said village apertayninge,
so well in peace, and honorablye and whollye, even as the said kinge in his owne
Service held the same, reservinge nevertheles into his owne Service his howses
of the village, and gardeyne, where he was wont to Lodge, And that the might have
suyte of men in their court, and plea and correction of the menne in their Cort
accordinge to the Costome of the realme of England, And Tolle of the markett And
that they might have the generation of their villaines with their suites and
Cattaile, wheresoever in England they were to be found, except that yf anye
bondman shall quietlye remayne for a yeare and a daye in anye privileidged place,
he is freed from the said villenage And that theeves taken within their Lordshipp
or Fee, and Convicted of thefte, should bee iudged in their Court And that they
should have the breach of the kings peace, And that the showld be acquitted of
amerciamentes for enteringe into howses violentlie and without Lycence and
against the Kings peace that the should hold the pleas of such trespasse in
their Court, And that they should (?) quitt of a Amerciamentes for Bloodshedd,
and they should hold such pleas in their Court and the amerciamentes from thence
Comeinge, And that they should be quitt amerciamentes and Cattailes arrested
within their land, And that the showld have the goods Cattailes of their menne
fugitives And Common in Houghton wood and Common of pasture in Houghton Canendon
Kensworth and Totternho And the Quadrarie of the said village he Commaunded alsoe,
that the menne which Came to the markett of Dunstable, should have their firme
peace in goinge and returninge, and that none should disturb them under the payne
of Forfayting tenne poundes likewise the said kinge graunted whatsoever the
said Cannons could reasonably desire And that they and their menne should be quitt
of such as gather taxes for shires and hundredes and murders and tallages and
pleas and suites (and Suytes crossed through) and guiltes and Danegiltes and
hidages And tolle and passage and goinge over bridges and for Stalls and all
Costoms and secular exactions and terreine services throwout his whole realme
And even as god beinge the Author, he held the said manner freely and quietly from
god, soe in like manner he hath graunted and Confyrmed by his kinglye Auctoritie
the said manner freelye and quietlye to the Church of Saynct Peter and the Cannons
regular there serving god for ever to be possessed And alsoe therein and in all
their possessions they might have for ever, whatsoever his kingly power might
grant, as in the same Deede more att larg appeareth WHICH said borowe and manner
of Dunstable with their appurtenances and Francheses aforesaid in our handes now
remayne as our Inheritance by reason of the dissolucion of the late Priorye of
Dunstable aforesaid, And whereas accordinge to the Costome of the realme of
England hitherto approved the Menne and Tennantes of the manners which are of
auncyent Service of our Crowne of England showld not Contribute in expence to the
Knighte Comeinge to the parliament, neither owght to be put into the Assizes to be
sworne neither in recognizance for any Landes or Tenementes that they howld in
the same seruice excepte in theis which in the Court of our manners of such sorte
ought to be done and time out of mynde hath bene And alsoe that they should be
acquited from paying Tolle Pontage murage passage stallage and picage throughout
the roalme of England Taxes and tallages graunted by the parliament excepte the
king tax auncient demeane as he maye for great Cause The Sheriffe ought not to
distreyne them to paye to the knightes Comeinge to the parlyament And if he have
he maye deliver them their distresse and from being inpannelled uppon iuryes in
the Cuntry for Landes they hould exceept they have landes att the Common lawe
for which they owght to be Chardged And yf the sheriff doe returne them in
pannells, then they may have a wrytt directed to him de non ponendes in assissis
?ut??urst and if he doe the Contrarye, then lyeth an attachment uppon that against
him. And soe ytt is still , with the Bayliffs of Franchises that have returne
of wryttes will returne anye of the tennantes which hold in auncient demeasne
in Assisse or in (?) res and also to be exepmted from leets and the sheriffs
turne and many other liberties And because the said Manner of Dunstable somtime
was percell of our manner of Houghton als Kinges Houghton which is of auncient
Service of our Crowne as bye the certificatt of the treasurer and Chamberlaines
of the Chequer late of Ladye Elizabeth late Queene of England into her Chauncerie
heretofore bye her Commaundement sent more att large appeareth, Wee geve
Commaundement to you and everie of you firmelye enioyning you to permitt and Suffer
the menne and Tennantes of the manner of Dunstable aforesaid to enjoy hold have
take profytt and use of all and singular liberties privileiges quietances and
Costomes aforsaid according to the tenure Forme and effectas well of the said
Deedes as the Costoms aforesaid they ought to have hold enjoy or were accostomed
bye anye means nott greeving nor molesting them nor anye of them Contrary to the
tenure of the said deed or Costome abovesaid, wytnes my self att Westminster the
eleventh day of Februarye in the yeare of our raigne of England France and
Ireland the fowrth and of Scotland the Fortieth
Richard Cartwright
endorsed:
JAMES by the grace of god of England France and Ireland King defender of the Faith
etc to the Sheriff of the Countie of Bedd. greting, forasmuch as the men and
tenantes of the manner of Dunstable, which somtime was percell of our menner of
Houghton alias Kings Houghton which is of Auncient service of our Crowne of
England hetherto .....used and approved, by deedes of our Auncestores somtime
kings of England they Clayme to have Diverse liberties, which they and their
predecessors the menne and Tenauntes of the same manner, from the time of the
grante of the said Deedes Allwaies they have used and enioyed allwais hetherto,
as they saie, We Commaund you, that all and singuler men and tennantes of the manner
of Dunstable aforsaid, you permitt and suffer before you to enioye the liberties
aforesaid According to the costome aforesaid and tenure of the said Deeds as they
ought to use and enioye them and as they and their predecessores were accostomed
allwaies hetherto to enioy and use the liberties aforesaid from the time aforsaid
wytnes my self att Westminster the eleventh daye of June in the yeere of our
Raigne of England France and Ireland the Fowrth and of Scotland the Fortith
English Copy of the Charter
of Dunstable