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THE LAWS AND ORDERS OF THE 



MENDIP MINERS. 



BE it known that this is a true copy of the inrolled in the king'?. 

 exchequer in the time of king Edward the Fourth, of a debate that 

 was in the county of Somerset, between the lord Benfield, and the 

 tennants of Chewton, and the prior of Green Oare : the said prior 

 complaining unto the king of great injuries and wrongs that he had 

 upon Mendipp, being the king's forreft, the laid king Edward 

 commanded the lord Chock, the lord chief justice of England, to 

 go down into the county of Somerset to Mendipp, and sit in con- 

 cord and peace in the said county concerning Mendipp, upon pain 

 of high displeasure. The said lord Chock sate upon Mendipp on 

 a place of my lords of Bath, called the Forge: whereas he com- 

 manded all the commoners to appear, and especially the four lordt 

 royals of Mendipp, (that is to say) the bishop of Bath, my lord of 

 Glaston, my lord Benfield, the lord of Chewton, and my lord of 

 Richmond, with all the appearance to the number of ten thousand 

 people. A proclamation was made to enquire of all the company 

 how they would be ordered, then they with one consent made an- 

 swer, that they would be ordered and tryed by the four lords of 

 the royalties ; and then the four lords royals were agreed, that the 

 comminers of Mendipp should turn out their cattle at their out-lets 

 as much the summer as they be able to winter ; without hownding 

 or pounding upon whose grounds soever they went to take their 

 course and recourse. To which the said four lords royals did put 

 their seals, and were also agreed, that whosoever should break the 

 said bonds should forfeit to the king a thousand marks, and all the 

 comminers their bodys and goods to be at the king's pleasure or 

 command that doth cither hound or pound. 



M 2 The 



