Re. SC 8/126/6267.–Printed in Rot. Parl. IV, pp.468-9 under 1433 (seemingly linking it in error to SC 8/126/6255), but re-dated by the editors of PROME to the 1431 Parliament. The petition explicitly refers to events of the 1426 Leicester Parliament, and that decisions were deferred to the 'next Parliament'. Although there were parliaments held in 1427 and 1429, the inquest was not held until September 1430, and thus the next Parliament after that date was that of 1431. The grant in these terms made on 8 July 1437 (CPR 1436-41, p.74), to last during pleasure, was presumably an extension, and probably granted following the petition at SC 8/128/6371. The earlier petition presented at Leicester in 1426 was not identified by PROME, but would appear to be SC 8/128/6388. (National Archive note)
23. A petition to the commons was presented by the town of Melcombe Regis in the parliament of 1426 noting the damage to the town at the hands of the enemy and their difficulties in paying the fee farm and contribution to the subsidy, and asking for a commission to be set up to survey the state of the town and its defences. This bill was sent to the lords and a commission agreed under the bishop of Bath, William Cheyne and John Juyn.
Source: Noted in SC 8/126/6267, an undated and unenrolled petition which was placed by the editors of RP under 1433 (IV.468-9). It is not, however, the petition relating to item 38 of the roll for that year, which survives at SC 8/126/6255, with reply at C 49/21/6, as it deals with a different matter. The original petition for 1426 has not been identified, and there is no note of the matter on the roll for that year. The case had come before an earlier parliament, that of 1410. (SC 8/126/6256 is likely the petition presented on that occasion.) SC 8/126/6267 also tells us that a petition was presented at the parliament of 1410, as a result of which the town was allowed a reduction in its fee farm to 20s and a reduction in the contribution to the subsidy for ten year. It goes on to say that at the end of 10 years, in May 1419, the Exchequer distrained the town for its arrears. It was as a result that the townsmen petitioned the 1426 parliament for the commission. The text of SC 8/126/6267 tells us that the commission of enquiry took place on 28 September 1430, and confirmed the townsmen's claims of financial difficulties. The petition in SC 8/126/6267 requests the lords of the present parliament to grant the reduction of the fee farm to 20s and a reduction in the contribution to the lay subsidy for 10 years. It is likely that the undated petition SC 8/126/6267 belongs to the parliament of 1431 as being the parliament immediately following the date of commission of enquiry.
See also CPR 1436-41, 74. 8 July 1437, which notes that in the parliament of 1426 held at Leicester a petition was received from the burgesses and tenants of Melcome, Dorset complaining of poverty and of the burden of their fee farm and tax renders; Whereupon with the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and at the request of the whole commonalty of England in the same parliament assembled the bishop of Bath, William Cheyne and John Juyn were appointed as the king's commissioners to survey the town, which they did at Melcombe on Thurs 28 September 1430 and found they should pay lower rate, but they are being distrained by Exchequer of old sum so king here issued new grant allowing them to contribute less to tenth and fifteenth.
{Petition to king by mayor and commonalty of Melcombe Regis, noting that the town has recently been destroyed by the enemy has suffered depopulation. As a result the inhabitants are having difficulties in paying their fee farm of 8 marks per annum, and therefore petition for pardon from their arrears in this respect and relief from future payments as well as remissions from the prise on wine and permission to levy a murage tax.
Source: SC 8/126/6256. {possibly 1410?} (PROME)