On 24 February 1462 King Edward IV granted a charter to the Barber’s of London. The Barber’s had been recognised previously, with written evidence dating to 1308. However this grant of a charter marked a…
Trial by Combat is a form of legal process that is typically associated with the earlier parts of the medieval era. It was, however, still an option within the period of the Wars of the…
‘the monks are so molested that the divine cult and other works of piety are withdrawn’ At one of England’s most celebrated religious institutions there was, in 1414, a remarkable case of an Abbot attempting…
The Plumpton letters cover a wide range of issues, from national politics and economic issues to their manors’ day-to-day administration. The estate management aspect of the letters is quite revealing, as they show the family…
On 18 November 1477 William Caxton printed Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers translation of ‘Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers’ Dictes and Sayings of the Philosopher In 1473 Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers was lent a copy…
Medieval Debt recovery One of the tests of any legal system is its ability to efficiently manage issues relating to credit and outstanding debts. In the modern world, we can apply for county court judgements.…
One consequence of the Wars of the Roses was the seizing of lands from those who had lost. In some cases, this was not done through legal channels. This resulted in good (or bad) lordship…
April 1463 parliament introduced Sumptuary Laws that were to come into effect on the feast of the purification of our Lady – which would be February 2nd – possibly 1465 as Parliament was prorogued a…
Alchemy is the science of turning basic objects into gold. It has been viewed as a dark art at times and associated with magic which in the middle ages could be viewed as heresy. The…
On 29th September 1464, the City of London swore in John Tate and John Stone as sheriffs. Tate had been selected by the Lord Mayor of London; Stone had been elected by the commons of…