Vol 1: The Bluets - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Bluets 58
As ever there were times when usury was the appropriate name, and
abuses were common. To try an improve things Henry had passed a new
law earlier in 1233 230. The turbulence and violence of the times is
graphically illustrated by the fact that the moneylenders were expressly
forbidden to make an advance henceforth on church plate or on cloths
that are bloodstained or sodden or holed as if by violence
The Close roll entry is also interesting because in it the word that we
have translated as Exchequer was Scaccarium , which is directly
related to the reason why the Exchequer is so called :
The Scaccarium in England was the chequered floor of the
king's financial centre, the taxation and revenue accounting
department. It was due to the chequered floor of this
office that it took on the name, "Scaccarium", which has
since changed in dialect and spelling to become
"Exchequer". 231
William Bluet witnessed a charter of 1235 232 in which
230
Rothwell, H (1996) English Historical Documents 1189 – 1327 p350
In the seventeenth year of the reign of king Henry son of John on the fourth day
of April on the morrow of Easter [12 April 1233], it was ordained by the same king
at Canterbury that no loan may be contracted with Jews by tally, but by
chirograph, whose other part the Jew shall have, with the seal of the Christian
contracting the loan appended, and the other part let the Christian contracting the
loan have, The third part, however, that is called the foot, let that be placed in the
chest to be safely kept by the chirographcrs, Christian and Jew, and a chirograph
whose foot shall not have been found in the chest, as stated, shall not be valid.
No Jew may lend anything by penalty, but let him take interest at twopence per
pound per week and no more*, so that nothing is put to hazard save the sum first
loaned.
No Jew may remain in our kingdom unless he is such that he can be of service
to the king and find good pledges for his loyalty. Other Jews, who have nothing
with which they can be of service to the king, shall leave the kingdom before
Michaelmas of the seventeenth year of the aforesaid king's reign [Michaelmas
1233). If they stay longer let them be cast into prison and not released without
the king's special mandate.
No Jew may make an advance henceforth on church plate or on cloths that are
bloodstained or sodden or holed as if by violence.
this equates to 43.5% per annum. And this was an improvement?!
231
http://www.medievalhistory.net/page0010.htm although other derivations have
been put forward
232
Calendar Patent Rolls Henry III vol 3 1232 – 1247 p125 dated April 29th
1235