Charter of 1 Edward II for Piers de Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall, 1307

The King to the Archbishops, bishops, abbotts, priors, earls barons, justices, reeves, ministers, and all his bailiffs, and faithful people, greeting. Know ye that we have granted and by this our charter have confirmed to our dear and faithful Piers de Gaveston, knight, our whole County of Cornwall, with the castles, towns, manors, hundreds, demesnes, homages and service of free tenants, rents, villenages, villiens, their chattels, and sequels, knights’ fees, advowsons of churches, abbies, priories, hospitals, chapels, fairs, markets, warrens, wrecks of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and all other things whatsoever to the aforesaid county belonging, and also the office of sheriff of the said county, the Stannary and all mines of tin and lead which were of Edmund, late Early of Cornwall in the county aforesaid. We have also given and granted to the aforesaid Peter our castle of Lideford with the appurtenances, the whole moor and free chase of Dartmoor with the appurtenances, the town of Exeter with the appurtenances, the castle town, and honour of Knaresborough, with the free chase of Knaresborough and all other appurtenances, the manors of Rontheclive and Aldburgh, with the members and all other appurtenances, the castle, town and honour of Wallingford with the appurtenances, the manor of Wathyngton with the appurtenances, the manor of Bensignton with the appurtenances, four hundreds and a half of Chiltern with the appurtenances, the hundred of Saint Waleric with the appurtenances, the manor of Beckley with the members and other appurtenances, the castle and manor of Mere with the members and other its appurtenances, the town of Chichester with the appurtenances, the manor of Newport juxta Walden with members and its appurtenances, the town of Wilton with the appurtenances, the manor of Cosham with its appurtenances and one hundred pounds rent of the manor of Lychelade to be annually taken by the hands of the abbot of Hayles and his successors, with all services of the same abbot and his successors aforesaid due; and also all other castles, towns, manors, lands, and tenements which the aforesaid Edmund had and held on the day of his death of his acquiring or his ancestors as well by gifts and grants of our progenitors, heretofore kings of England, as of others whomsoever in whatsoever counties of England they may be, with demesnes, homages, services of free tenants, tents villenages, villiens, and their sequels and chattels, knights fees, advowsons of churches, abbies,, priories, hospitals, and chapels, together with fairs, markets, warrens, wrecks of the sea and all other liberties of the aforesaid castles, towns, manors, honors, hundreds, lands, and tenements to anywise belonging.

“To have and to hold the same Peter and his heirs, of us and our heirs, with all things to the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honours, lands, tenements, hundreds, office of sheriff, Stannary mines, and chases pertaining, as is aforesaid for ever, as entirely as the aforesaid Edmund held the day of his death, and as to the lands of the Lord Edward of celebrated memory late King of England, our father, they came” doing to us and to our heirs, the service of three knights-fees for all services therefore belonging to us and our heirs therefore pertaining. Moreover we have granted the same Peter that all castles, manors, towns, honours, lands tenements, rents, and hundreds, and the office of sheriff in the county of Rutland, with knights fees, advowsons of churches, abbies, priories, hospitals, chapels, services of free tenants, villieneges, villiens, their chattels and sequels, fairs, markets, warrens, wrecks of the sea and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and other their appurtenances whatsoever, which Margaret, who was the wife of the aforesaid Edmund, holds dower of our inheritance, and which after the death of the same Margaret to us or our heirs ought to revert, after the decease of the same Margaret, to the aforenamed Peter shall remain for ever. And moreover, we have granted to time same Peter that one hundred shillings rent which William le Ken receives for his life, and one hundred shillings rent which Philip de Kent receives for his life, and ten marks rent which Henry of Chichester receives for his life by the hands of the mayor and commonalty of London by gift and grant of the aforesaid Edmund, out of a certain rent of 50l. due for Queenhithe, London ; and which after the death of the aforesaid William, Philip, and Henry, to us and our heirs likewise ought to revert after the decease of the aforesaid William, Philip, and Henry, shall remain to time same Peter and his heirs for ever. To have and to hold to the same Peter and his heirs of us and our heirs, together with the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honors, hundreds, rents, offices of sheriffs, stannaries, and mines, and all other things whatsoever before-named by the service aforesaid. We will also and grant for us and our heirs that the aforesaid Peter and his heirs for ever shall have, in the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honors, hundreds, rents, lordships, offices of sheriffs, chases, stannaries, mines, and other things abovesaid whatsoever, all liberties and free customs which the aforenamed Edmund had on the day of his death, and which he used in the same, and shall freely enjoy and use all the liberties and free customs aforesaid. Wherefore we will and firmly command for us and our heirs, that the aforesaid Peter shall have and hold of us and our heirs to him and his heirs the aforesaid County of Cornwall, with the castles, towns, manors, hundreds, demesnes, homages, and services of free tenants, rents, villenages, villeins, their chattels and sequels, knights’-fees, advowsons of churches, abbies, priories; hospitals and chapels, fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and other things whatsoever, to the aforesaid county belonging: and also the office of sheriff of the said county, the stannary and all mines of tin and lead, which were of Edmund, late Earl of Cornwall, in the county aforesaid, and also the aforesaid castle and manor of Lideford with the appurtenances, the whole moor and free chase of Dartmore with the appurtenances, the town of Exeter with the appurtenances, the castle, town, and honour of Knaresburgh with the free chase of Knaresburgh, and all other its appurtenances, the manors of Reuthecliff and Aldburgh with the members and other their appurtenances, the castle, town, and honour of Wallingford with the appurtenances, the manor of Watlington with the appurtenances, the manor of Bensington with the appurtenances, four hundreds and a half of Chiltern with the appurtenances, the honour of Saint Waleric with the appurtenances, the manor of Beckley with the members and other its appurtenances, the castle and honour of Mere with the members and others their appurtenances, the town of Chichester with the appurtenances, the manor of Newport juxta Walden with the members and other its appurtenances, the town Wilton with the appurtenances, the manor of Cosham with the appurtenances, and the aforesaid one hundred pounds rent out of the manor of Lychlade, to be received annually by the hands of the abbott of Hayles, and his successors, with all service of the same abbott and of his successors aforesaid, therefore due and also all other castles manors, lands, and tenements which the aforenamed Edmund had and held on the day of his death, of his acquiring, or of his ancestors, as well by the gifts and grants of our progenitors, heretofore Kings of England, as of others whomsoever, in whatsoever counties of England they may he, with all things to the same as is aforesaid in any wise belonging, for ever, doing to us and to our heirs the service of three knights’-fees for all service to us and to our heirs therefore pertaining. And also that all the castles, manors, towns, honours, lands, tenements, rents, and hundreds, and the office of she riff in the county of Rutland, with the knights’-fees, advowsons of churches, abbies, priories, hospitals, chapels, services of free tenants, villenages, villeins, and their chattels and sequels, together with fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and other their appurtenances whatsoever, which the aforesaid Margaret holds in dower of our inheritance, and which, after the death of the said Margaret, to us and our heirs ought to revert, shall remain after the decease of the same Margaret to the aforenamed Peter, and to his heirs for ever. And that the hundred shillings rent which William le Ken, for his life, and the hundred shillings rent which Philip of Kent, for his life, and ten marks rent which Henry of Chichester, for his life, receive by the hands of the mayor and commonalty of London, of our gift and grant, as is aforesaid, and which, after the death of the aforesaid William, Philip, and Henry, to us and to our heirs likewise ought to revert, shall remain after the decease of the aforesaid William, Philip, and Henry, to the same Peter and to his heirs for ever, together with the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honours, hundreds, rents, offices of sheriffs, stannaries, and mines, and other things above said whatsoever, by the service above said. Moreover, we will and firmly command, for us and our heirs, that the afore said Peter, and his heirs for ever, shall have in the aforesaid castles, manors, towns, honours, hundreds; rents, lordships, offices of sheriffs chases, stannaries, mines, and other things whatsoever aforenamed, all liberties and free customs which the aforesaid Edmund had on the day of his death, and which he used in the same as is aforesaid

These being witness Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster; John de Warren etc.

Given by our hand at Dumfries, the sixth day of August in the first year of our reign.