A study, mainly from royal wardrobe accounts, of the nature and organisation of the king's messenger service from the reign of John to that of Edward III inclusive

Abstract

The object of this thesis is to show that, from the reign of John onwards, English kings maintained a messenger service of nuncii (riding messengers) and cokini or cursores (messengers on foot). Both were professional messengers, in regular employment, who were appointed by the king, carried his badge, and swore fidelity to him. In addition to these and distinct from them were messengers employed by chancery, exchequer, and chamber, or attached to subordinate royal households. The nuncii regis appear to have been controlled by chancery as the main secretariat, until, in 1234, they came under the authority of the wardrobe, the department which paid and dispatched the nuncii and cursores of Edward I. and II. The effects of the ordinances of 1318, 1323, and 1324, and the final subjugation of the wardrobe in 1341 brought the messengers under exchequer control from 1342. But they remained members of the king's household, the nuncii regis fully, and the cursores in a restricted sense. Nuncii regis, therefore, were entitled to clothing, food, stabling, and wages while in court: could be disciplined by the marshal, and were provided for insickness or age with alms, corrodies, or remunerative offices.The duties of messengers were manifold. They carried letters, money, or goods: arrested prisoners; and escortedforeign envoys. Travelling expenses in England were reckoned at 3d. a day for nuncii and 2d. a day for cokini during the thirteenth century, later increasing to 6d. a day for nuncii in war time, and 5d. in peace. Extra was allowed for travel abroad, for channel crossings, and for hire of additional horses. The service chiefly attracted men from royal manors and small-holders. My main sources have been the full and enrolled accounts of the wardrobe; the issue rolls of the exchequer; and the household and exchequer ordinances.