Hartley-Kent

Curia Regis Case 1232

The Curia Regis (King's Court) was originally the only royal court but later it split into Common Pleas, King's Bench etc. The lord of the manor Warin de Monte Caniso (Montchensie) is suing his freehold tenants in Hartley, Swanscombe and Milton for the services he says are owed him. This is important because it gives us for the first time the names of people at Hartley other than the lord of the manor. Where they lived we don't know, but Simon Blundum might be Blodiner, the family we know owned a 50 acre farm at the New Ash Green end of Church Road in the latter half of the century.

Warin de Monte Caniso by his attorney petitions against Jordan de la Gare, Peter Barat, William de Weston and William de Martingny, the customs and owed services, which they ought to do for him from their free tenements, which they hold of him in Swaneschauns, and against Simon Blundum, Walter de Cruce, Henry Favor and John Buchard etc for the free tenement that they hold in Hertelegh, and against William Frere, Richard son of Brictive, Walter le Tanur and Robert Canun etc, for the free tenement that they hold of him in Meleton etc. And wherefore he seeks from them that give reasonable aid to him each year, be it more or less according to his need, and wherefore he said that all his ancestors were in seisin and he himself was always in seisin up to the feast of Michaelmas 15 Henry III

And Jordan and all the others come and defend that they owe no customary service to him in any year, only excepting when the same Warin starts in the service of the lord king by the summons of the lord king; and well defend that the ancestors of the same Warin, nor himself were ever in seisin as from year to year. And they request a jury; and Warin similarly. And therefore let there be a jury. Let let it come by 12 liege knights to acknowledge whether the said Warin and his ancestors ever were in such seisin that they could take reasonable aid from Jordan and the others in any year at the feast of Michaelmas. And wherefor the same Warin daid that he and his ancestors were always in seisin thereof up to the said feast of Michaelmas. And wherefore the same Jordan and the others say the he and his ancestors never were in such seisin etc. And certify they so therefore that the said justiciars etc, could more fully certify thereof 15 days after St Hillary's day.