Robert of Farndale
c 1282 to c 1345
The Medieval
Inhabitants of Farndale
FAR00031
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1282
Robert was the son of Simon the Miller of Farndale (FAR00021), and may have been born
in about 1282.
1332
On 24 September 1332, Robert Farndale (FAR00031) son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), and Robert son of Peter of Farndale, (FAR00008), were caught killing and carrying off a hart in the
forest at a place called Flaskes (Patent Rolls, North Riding
Records, York, The Honour and Forest of Pickering, Volume II, The Coucher Book of the Duchy of Lancaster Records, page
66). Robert was outlawed.
There are full details of this incident at
another webpage.
13 March 1334
Nicholas of Farndale (FAR00022),
gave bail for Roger (FAR00013A) son
of Gilbert of Farndale (FAR00018) who had been caught poaching in 1334
and 1335. Robert (FAR00031) son of Simon the miller of Farndale (FAR00021) and Robert (FAR00012),
son of Peter of Farndale (FAR00008)
were co-offenders (North Riding Records Yorks Volume III, The Honour and Forest of Pickering).
There are full details of
this incident at another webpage.
3 October 1334
A hearing of the itinerant Eyre Court (FAR00015B),
picking up cases from several decades previously, took place at Pickering on 3
October 1334 (The Duchy of Lancaster Records, from the North Riding
Record Society, The Honour and Forest of Pickering, Edited by Robert
Bell Turton, Volume IV, 1897, page xiii).
At a hearing at Pickering before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de
Hambury on 3 October 1334, a long list of offenders
included Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), who were ordered for apprehension by the sheriff by
Easter 1335 (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy
of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 276v to 277v).
Justices of the Common
Pleas were a later judicial position within the Court of Common
Pleas of England and Wales, under the Chief Justice. The Common Pleas
was the primary court of common law within England and Wales, dealing
with common pleas (civil matters between subject and subject).
Sir Richard Willoughby (c 1290 to
1362) was the son of Sir Richard Willoughby of
Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, a lawyer, who served as Chief Justice of the Bench in
Ireland from 1323-1325. Richard attended Parliament in 1324 and inherited the
estate from his father the following year. Richard was a successful lawyer and
increased his wealth greatly by his legal career. He was appointed one of the
justices of Common Pleas in 1328 and served between 6 March 1328 to 22 December
1330; 9 October 1340 to November 1341; and 20 November 1343 to 1357. He was one
of the justices of King's Bench in 1330. He was briefly Chief Justice between
1338-1340, but was demoted and charged with corruption. He threw himself on the
King's mercy and was pardoned on payment of 1200 marks. In 1343 he was
re-appointed as a justice, and served until 1357. Sir Richard was buried at
Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, where there is a monumental effigy.
The monument to
Sir Richard Willoughby, judge in chief over the Farndale poachers
Under medieval forest law, mainpernors
were individuals who acted as guarantors for others, ensuring they appeared in
court to answer for alleged offenses against forest law. These offenses
primarily involved the king's hunting rights and the protection of forest
resources like timber and vegetation. Mainpernors
essentially vouched for the accused's future appearance in court, preventing
them from fleeing justice within the forest jurisdiction.
There are full
details of this hearing at another
webpage.
Pleas were held at Pickering on Monday 13 March 1335, before Richard de Willoughby and John de Hambury. A long list of names including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon de Farndale
(FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), and Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter of Farndale (FAR00008) were convicted before the Justices
on the evidence of the foresters, verderers, and other officers. They did not
appear, and the Sheriff gave evidence that they could not be found and had
nothing in his bailiwick by means of which they could be attached. The sheriff
was therefore ordered to seize and secure them, so that he could produce them
before the Justices on Monday, 15 May 1335. There are records of further
hearings in the matter on 22 September 1337 and 29 March 1338 when they could
still not be found. At a hearing on 15 September 1338 the sheriff was
ordered to search for them from county to county and they were to be outlaws if
they still failed to appear. Were he to find them the sheriff was ordered to
take steps in such a way that he has their bodies here at this day to make
satisfaction to the earl about their redemption for trespasses of hunting
whereof they are convicted before the said justices by the foresters, verderers
and other ministers.
The text translates as on Monday
next after the feast of St. Gregory the Pope in the year of the reign of our
Lord King now and the feats of St Gregory the Great is on
3 September. The National Archives translations suggests hearings occurred on
Tuesday next after the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 12 Edw III
(1338 to 1339). There seem to have been a series of hearings in the same
matter.
I am working
with the North Riding Records series interpretation (North
Riding Records Yorks Volume III, The Honour and Forest of Pickering, 1894, Edited
Robert Bell Turton, page 67).
The Sheriff was ordered to summon the above-named to appear this
day before the Justices, to satisfy the Earl for their fines, for poaching in
the forest, of which they were convicted before the Justices by the evidence of
the foresters, verderers, and other officers. They do not appear, and the
Sheriff returns that they are not to be found and have nothing in his bailiwick
by means of which they can be attached. He is therefore ordered to seize them
and keep them safely, so that he can produce them before the Justices on
Monday, 15 May.
17 October 1335
In the case last heard in April 1335, at a
hearing at Pickering, again before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de Hambury in October 1335, a long list of offenders including
Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger
del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended. As a
follow up, on 10 February 1337, the original judicial panel of Richard
Willoughby and John de Hambury were to be replaced by
the King by a new judicial panel comprising two of Richard de la Pole, Robert
de Hungerford and John de Hambury (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 279 to 280v).
William de la Pole (c.1290-1366) and his
brother Richard (died in 1345) built a wool business in Hull, Yorkshire. From
there they became closely connected with the Royal court, lending large amounts
of money which delivered interest as high as 22%.
13 February 1337
In the case last heard on 17 October 1335, at
a hearing at Pickering, before Justices John de Hambury
and Richard de la Pole in February 1337, the case of Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), and
others was heard again. They had still not been apprehended. The
King ordered at Leicester on 1 October 1337 that a fresh writ be issued by
Monday next after the feast of St Andrew the Apostle (The feast is on 30
November) with an adjourned hearing to Wednesday next after Ascension (39 days
after Easter) 10 Edw. III (The Great Cowcher
of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 280v to 282, North Riding Records Yorks, The
Honour and Forest of Pickering, 1894, Volume II at page 119).
1 December 1337
The same case involving Robert was heard
again on 1 December 1337. They had still not been apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy
of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 282 to 283v).
16 March 1338
The same case was heard again on 16 March
1338. They had still not been
apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 283v to 284v).
21 September 1338
The same case was heard again on 21 or 28
September 1338. They had still not been apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy
of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 284v to 286).
5 April 1339
The same case was heard again on 5 April
1339. They had still not been apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy
of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 286 to 287).
14 or 21 September 1339
The same case was heard again on 14 or 21
September 1339. They had still not been apprehended. Exacerbated at the lack of
progress in apprehending the gang, the sheriff was ordered to hunt for them
from county to county and if they were still not found, they were to be
outlawed (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 287 to 289v).
Simon’s
son Robert, like Robin Hood, seems to have become an outlaw, for his forest
offences.
1345
The outlaw, Robert might have lived until about 1345.