Two Reports by Deputy Sheriff Walter de Boynton
Curia Regis Rolls
Translation by Virginia Murphy

Jewish Money Lenders

York. By his sealed letters Walter de Bovinton' signified to the lord king that Peitevinus the Jew sold two bonds of John de Harpham, namely, one for thirty pounds and the other for sixty pounds, for thirty marks which he bound to give to him and that he wished to do this privately; and nevertheless William de Bovinton', Robert Talun and William de Faukenberg' and Walter himself heard this; and he himself then seized Peitevinus himself and the other Jews whom the aforesaid John named to him, and he seized their chattels which he was able to find by view of law-worthy knights and by view of law-worthy citizens of York. [Curia Regis Rolls, p. 389]

1201. m. 9d

York. Walter de Bovinton' and Robert Talun and Richard de Tocwic and Peter, son of Walter, whom John de Harpham summoned to hear certain agreements made between John himself and Peitevinus and Isaac, son of Isaac, concerning one bond for £60 under the [assumed] name of Josceus and Benedict and one bond under the [assumed] name of Benedict concerning the debt of Herbert de Lutton', record that they were going with John himself to the archbishop of York's chamber [or treasury] and there found Peitevinus and the aforesaid Isaac and the same John was bound to give to Peitevinus and Isaac themselves thirty marks for those bonds, on the condition that Thomas, son of Herbert, was bound to draw up for them his chirograph thereupon by pledge of John de Harpeham concerning the thirty marks to be rendered to them at four terms; and since the Jews themselves were afraid that John and Thomas themselves would not pay at the first term as was agreed among them, the same Peitevinus handed over the aforesaid bonds to be held until the first term on the condition that, if John and Thomas themselves had kept the first term, they will surrender those bonds to Thomas himself and John, and, if they shall not have kept the first term, they will surrender those bonds to the Jews themselves; and the chirograph for thirty marks, drawn up and sealed, was exhibited before them, and they say that Peitevinus and Isaac acknowledged the aforesaid agreements before them and for that reason the same Peitevinus handed over the aforesaid bonds to them; and he requested the chirograph but the same John did not wish to give the chirograph to him but showed the writ of the lord king to Walter himself, by which the same Walter caused the Jews themselves to be seized with their chattels. They say also that, when they had been seized, they summoned James de Poterna and the abbot of York and very many others and they showed to him the manner with which he seized those Jews. Hearing this, Peitevinus alleged that he never saw those bonds nor handed them over to him; and he said to Isaac himself that he saw that the same Peitevinus handed those over to him; and Isaac denied this. Peitevinus came and alleged on behalf of himself and Isaac that he did not come before them to sell those bonds nor did he make fine thereupon as was said but, so that he might better carry out by himself the king's business thereupon, in truth he showed those bonds to W[alter] himself as sheriff, and Peitevinus and Isaac, having been questioned whether those bonds which the aforesaid Walter produced are those bonds which he handed over to him or not, say that they do not know but in truth they know they handed two to him, one for £60 and one for £30. [Curia Regis Rolls, pp. 390-391]

1201. m. 13

York. The day was assigned to Peitevinus the Jew and Isaac concerning the plea of hearing their sentence on Sunday next before Pentecost before the king by William de Warenn' . [Curia Regis Rolls, p. 424]

Land Transaction

1201. m. 11

York. The lord king commanded the sheriff to enquire diligently if William de Radeclive was seised in his domain as of fee concerning two carrucates of land with appurtenances in Hertesheved' on the day when he was seized and put in prison at York and if the same William gave the same land to Nicholas de Quercu for as long as he was in prison on pain of prison; and the inquest said that William so gave it to the same Nicholas for as long as he was in prison on pain of prison; and Nicholas came and said that William gave it to him with his daughter in marriage of his own accord but, since it is not pleasing to him to have it, he quitclaimed him before the justices in perpetuity. [Curia Regis Rolls, p. 397]

Curia Regis Rolls of the Reigns of Richard I. and John, vol. I, His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1922.