Protocols and Formulae

Opening and closing protocols

The opening protocols of letters patent are formulaic and universal:

Edwardus, Dei gracia rex Anglie, dominus Hibernie et dux Aquitanie omnibus ad quos presentes littere pervenerint, salutem.

These are normally omitted from CIRCLE.

The opening protocols of letters close are rather extended. Most of our sources, including the best transcripts, abbreviate the formula, although it is found in full in the few engrossed letters that are extant. For the sake of brevity, CIRCLE follows the practice of other calendars of chancery rolls and condenses the clause as follows:

• Edwardus, dei gracia rex Anglie et Francie et dominus Hibernie venerabili in Christo patri M. eadem gracia archiepiscopo Ardmacano […], salutem.
  = To M[ilo Sweteman], abp Armagh.

• Rex [etc.], superiori et ballivis ville de X, salutem.
  = To the sovereign and bailiffs of the town of X.

• Rex [etc.], thesaurio et baronibus suis de scaccario Dublinie, salutem.
  = To the T. and barons of the Ex.

• Rex [etc.], thesaurario et camerariis de scaccario suo Hibernie, salutem.
  = To the T. and chamberlains of the Ex.

• Rex [etc.], dilectis armigeris suis Thome filio Simonis Cruys […], comitatus Dublin, salutem.
  = To the K.’s beloved esquires, Thomas s. of Simon Cruys […] of co. Dublin

Attestation clauses

• Teste X ,custode terre nostre Hibernie
  = X, keeper of Ire[not ‘keeper of the K’s land of Ire’]
• Teste X, justiciario nostro Hibernie
  = X, Jcr [not, ‘the K’s Jcr of Ireland’]
• Teste X, locum tenente nostri Hibernie
  = X, Lt of Ire
• Teste X, tenente locum justiciarii nostri Hibernie
  = X, deputy of the Jcr

Letters issued by the king himself are normally witnessed, Teste me ipso, which CIRCLE renders simply as ‘The K.’. In the case of English chancery letters enrolled in the Irish chancery, CIRCLE uses the fullest text available (drawing, for instance, on CPR, CCR, Foedera, and where appropriate the original Mss), and will note the fact that the letter was issued under the great seal of England in the attestation clause, as follows: ‘[English g.s.]’.

Authorization clauses

• Per billam ipsius justiciarii
  = By bill of the Jcr [omit ‘himself’]
• Per billam ipsius locum tenentis
  = By bill of the Lt
• Per ipsum justiciarium et consilium
  = By the Jcr and council
• Per ipsum locum tenentem et consilium
  = By the Lt and council
• Per manus Y
  = By the hands of Y.
• Per peticionem de consilio
  = By petition of council.
• Per peticionem de parliamento
  = By petition of parliament.
• Per peticionem de consilio sigillo ipsius locum tenentis consignatam
  = By petition of council sealed with the seal of the Lt

Other formulae

• Rex assignavit  = APPOINTMENT of  
• Rex commisit   = COMMISSION to
• Rex concessit  = GRANT to 
• Rex concessit [to X & Y] … ut valeant  = LICENCE to X and Y to 
• Rex dedit [to X] potestatem  = GRANT to X of power 
• Rex ei in diversis summis de feodo suo tenetur  = The K. owes him various sums of his fee 
• Rex inspexit et confirmavit  = INSPEXIMUS and CONFIRMATION 
• Rex intellexit  = The K. has learned 
• Rex pardonavit X  = PARDON to X 
• Rex scire facit X  = NOTIFICATION to X 
• Rex statum X ratificat  = RATIFICATION of the estate of X 
• quis propinquus heres ipsius sit  = who is his next heir 
• se accepisse per inquisitionem  = the K. has learned by inquisition 
• se querelam X accepisse de eo quod  = the K. has heard the complaint of X that because 
• suggessisse sibi =  the K. has been informed 
• X habet litteras Regis de presentatione ad ecclesiam de Y  = PRESENTATION of X to the church of Y 
• X habet litteras de gen’ attorn’ sub nominibus Y et Z  = X has letters nominating Y and Z as his general attorneys 
• X, profecturus ad Angliam, habet protectionem  = X, going to England, has protection 
• X cognovit se debere Y  = X acknowledges that he owes Y 

Mentions of service

In addition to the authorization or warranty clause, engrossed letters patent often include a 'mention' of the clerk or clerks who oversaw the engrossment. These 'mentions of service' were not normally enrolled in the chancery rolls (although when letters issued under the g.s. of Eng. were transmitted to Ireland and transcribed onto the Irish chancery rolls, the 'mentions of service' was sometimes enrolled with the text of the letters). In CIRCLE the 'mention' of the clerk is recorded in the footnotes, signaled by the words 'Mention of service'.

Other Conventions

Titles and designations of status

• armiger = esquire
• capitaneus sue nationis = chieftain of his lineage
• comes = ‘earl’ in Britain and Ireland, but ‘count’ in France, so comes Mertonie becomes ‘count of Mortain’ [women are always ‘countess’]
• dominus = ‘Sir’ in reference to knighted individuals; otherwise ‘lord’
• dux = duke
• generosus = gentleman
• marchio = marquis [not ‘marquess’]
• vicecomes = sheriff
• senescallus = seneschal [not ‘steward’] of liberties in Ireland; but ‘steward of England’
• valettus = yeoman

Offices

• (capitalis) justiciarius ad placita  = chief justice at pleas
• (capitalis) justiciarius de banco Dublin’  = (chief) justice of the Dublin bench 
• custos magni sigilli domini regis in Hibernia  = keeper of the great seal (g.s.) of Ire.
• custos brevium et rotulorum  = keeper of the writs and rolls 
• custos pacis  = keeper of the peace 
• gaugarius vinorum  = gauger of wines 
• justiciarius = justiciar (Jcr) 
• locum tenens = lieutenant (Lt) 
• narrator Regis = K’s pleader 
• supervisores custodes pacis  = supervisors of keepers of the peace 

Family names

Spellings are regularized for the following names of families and individuals (especially royal ministers) who are prominent in the records:

Dioceses

Spellings are standardized for dioceses and archdioceses, as follows:

Monastic houses

Spellings are standardized for monastic institutions, as follows: