XLII.
16 April 1396.
Know all present and future that we, John Benelt and Thomas Coumbe, clerks, Henry Petham, and John Petham, of Dover, have given, granted, and, by this our present indented charter, have confirmed to John Wille, shoemaker, of Dover, and Alice, his wife, a certain tenement of ours with its appurtenances situated within the Liberty of the Port of Dover in Halvendel Ward, viz., between the King's highway to the south-east, and a certain lane to the north east, and the tenement of William Knotte to the south-west and north-west : to have and to hold the aforesaid tenement with its appurtenances to the aforesaid John Wille and Alice, the heirs and assigns of the said John Wille, for ever : he performing therefor the service of the Lord King when it shall hap, according to the custom of the port aforesaid : and paying therefor annually to the aforesaid John Beneit, Thomas, Henry, and John, son of the said Henry, their heirs and assigns, at the Feast of Christmas, 40-^. sterling : and if it shall happen that the aforesaid rent shall be in arrear in any year in part or in whole at the said term, it shall then be lawful for the said John Beneit, Thomas, Henry, and John, the son of the said Henry, their heirs and assigns, to distrain on the aforesaid tenement with its appur tenances, and to carry off the distresses taken, and to retain them in their hands until the rent aforesaid being in arrear, together with the damages caused by the detention of the said rent, be fully paid : and if it occurs that the said rent be in arrear in part or in whole for one year and one day, then it is lawful for the said John Beneit, Thomas, Henry, and John, the son of the said Henry, their heirs and assigns, to re-enter the aforesaid tenement with its appurtenances, and to have and peacefully possess it in its pristine estate for ever for themselves and their assigns : and we, the aforesaid John Beneit, Thomas, Henry, and John Petham, and our heirs, will for ever warrant the aforesaid tenement with all other its appurtenances to the said John Wille and Alice, his wife, the heirs and assigns of the said John in the form aforesaid, against all men.
In witness whereof the parties aforesaid have alternately affixed their seals to these present indented charters.
Given at Dover the sixteenth day of April in the nine teenth year of the reign of King Richard the Second.
Witnesses : John Monin, then Mayor of Dover ; John Ceroid ; William Spisour ; Thomas Lord ; Thomas Lulk ; William Knotte ; Richard Sedenor ; and others.