The People of 1381
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Source
| Type | Letter |
| Unique Identifying Text | WCL Liber Albus fol. 316v |
| Archive name | Worcester Cathedral Library |
| County | Worcestershire |
| Published source (may be more than one) | Documents illustrating the activities of the General and Provincial Chapters of the English Black Monks, ed. W. A. Pantin [Camden Third Series, 1931-7], III 204-5; Dobson, p. 299 |
| Text (English translation) | Let it be known to all that we, Walter [de Leigh], prior of the cathedral church of Worcester, make, ordain and constitute our beloved brother in Christ John Grene, fellow of our convent and doctor of theology, our proctor, representative, excuser and special envoy; and he is to appear on our behalf and in our name at the chapter general of the Black Monks to be held in St Andrew's monastery, Northampton, Lincoln diocese, on the next Monday after the feast of the Translation of St Thomas Martyr [8 July] and the following days. We give and grant to the said our proctor both general power and special instructions to offer excuses for our necessary and genuine absence; and to declare and state the reason for our inability to appear personally before the lords presiding at and others celebrating the chapter there, namely the great turbulence of our and our church's tenants, both free men and serfs as well as others who support them in their cause. These tenants, on the pretext of their claim to have a certain manumission, have risen in pride and impudence; and they openly and expressly refuse to do and perform the services they owe us, services on which a large part of our and our chapter's sustenance relies. On these grounds they are preparing to rebel against us and our church in violence and with all their strength. It is therefore necessary that we and our men should remain watchful and vigilant by night and day in order to suppress the malice of these tenants; and, in the meantime, we dare not absent ourselves lest the irreparable harm publicly threatened to us and our church should befall us. . . . In testimony of which things we have caused our seal to be affixed to these letters. Given at our priory of Worcester, 5 July [1381]. |
People
| ID | First name | Last name | Gender | Occupation | Domicile | Role in source | Incidents | Go to participant page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27202 | John | Grene | Male | Master | 4517 | Go to participant page | ||
| 27201 | Walter | de Leigh | Male | Prior | Worcester,Worcestershire | 4517 | Go to participant page |
Incidents
| ID | Summary | Description | Type | Go to incidents page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4517 | Letter from the prior of Worcester referring to the rising of the church's tenants | Letter of proxy from Walter de Leigh, prior of the cathedral church of Worcester, appointing John Grene his envoy at the general chapter of the Black Monks to be held at Northampton on 8 July 1381, for the reason that he is needed in Worcester to suppress the rising up of his tenants, both freemen and serfs. The tenants claim manumission, refuse to do services, and are preparing to rebel against the prior and church in violence and with all their strength. Dated 5 July 1381. | Threats to raise commons | Go to incidents page |
Incidents and People
| Person | Incident | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Grene ( 27202 ) | Letter from the prior of Worcester referring to the rising of the church's tenants (4517) | Mentioned | |
| Walter de Leigh ( 27201 ) | Letter from the prior of Worcester referring to the rising of the church's tenants (4517) | Victim |
