This is a petition from Maud de Lacy’s cousin, Agnes de Vescy dated between 1272 and 1283, Catalogue ref: SC 8/124/6174.
Transcript
Lady Maud de Lacy prays remedy [asks for justice] against the bailiffs of Agnes de Vescy, who are seeking to recover £24 from her for arrears [money owed] of [knight’s] service. She also requests remedy against the bailiffs of Kildare, who are harassing [threatening] her for 100 shillings as a fine for the escape of felons [criminals]. She requests remedy against the bailiffs of Theobald de Verdon in Kells, who are seeking aids and premises which she never granted. She seeks remedy against William de Londres, who is trying to levy [demand] £39 from the rent of land which he and his brother hold of her in Nobber.
Task 4 – Independent noblewomen
Source 4b
‘Knight’s service’ was a fixed sum of money paid by each county in Ireland for the king’s wars. It was divided up among the inhabitants and collected by the King’s sheriffs [the main royal official in each county]. Aids and premises are also forms of taxation. Today a bailiff takes people’s possessions away for debts, but a medieval bailiff collected rents for the lord or lady of the manor.
- What does this source tell us about the lives and responsibilities of Agnes and Maud?
- What might we find out if we had Agnes’ answer to Maud’s petition?
- Look at both sources 4a & 4b again. How would you describe Agnes de Vescy and her role in society?