The Langbaurgh Charter

Peter de Brus and his tenants agreed to work together after King John ordered a crackdown on unpaid rents.

1209

King John 1199-1216

Introduction

About six years before King John reluctantly signed ‘Magna Carta’ in 1215, some of those who made him sign it had already begun enacting its principles of liberty and honest government up in Yorkshire.

by Clay Lane

THE wapentake of Langbaurgh, an area of modern-day Cleveland south of Middlesbrough, was granted by King John to Peter de Brus, Lord of Skelton, in 1207.* Naturally, Peter was expected to pay rent to the Crown, a burden which was passed on to his tenants.

The following year, John’s exchequer began to squeeze Peter and other barons for every penny due, and Peter, who owed a rising debt of over £1200, found he needed his tenants’ goodwill as never before.* They gathered in the County Court, watched by Robert de Lacy, Sheriff of Yorkshire, and other noblemen, and agreed to help Peter meet the King’s extortionate demands. In exchange, Peter promised swift, even-handed justice in the courts, proportionate sentencing, and government officials who did not abuse their expense accounts.

Many of the high-born witnesses to the Langbaurgh Charter rebelled against the King in 1215, as did Peter himself, and two were among the committee of twenty-five tasked with enforcing Magna Carta.

The Text of the Charter

Read the text at Our Lady of Guisborough.

by Clay Lane

The word ‘wapentake’ was a Danish term used in northern England as an equivalent for the Anglo-Saxon ‘Hundred’, that is, a subdivision of a county. Langbaurgh is pronounced ‘lang-barf’.

** The full tally is given at Skelton in Cleveland: History. The equivalent today might be around £1m. See Measuring Worth.

Précis

In 1207, Peter de Brus became lord of Langbaurgh in Cleveland. Almost immediately, King John demanded full payment of ever-rising rents, and Peter’s tenants agreed to help him in exchange for recognition of basic rights similar to those of Magna Carta in 1215, which some of the witnesses to the Langbaurgh Charter helped to draw up.

Sevens

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

Why did Peter de Brus need his tenants’ help?

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

Peter de Brus owed money to King John. He asked his tenants to help him pay. He promised to respect their rights.