BARLEY, John

To add to the earlier biography, The Commons 1386-21, ii. 131-2. it might be noted that during his career Barley must have accumulated considerable legal experience, since he served as a justice of gaol delivery as well as a j.p. and in 1435 he was one of those whom the Chancery appointed to take an assize of novel disseisin.

Exchequer records show that in mid 1429 Barley, John Kirkby I* and William Rokesburgh† entered a recognizance with John Fray†, one of the barons. By means of this security, they acknowledged that they owed Fray £100 (which they undertook to repay in ten annual instalments of £10) although not recorded are the circumstances in which the debt arose. E159/205, recogniciones Trin.

Barley had already begun lending money to the Crown before the government approached him for a loan of £40 in 1436, since in 1430 the Exchequer arranged to repay him and others a previous loan of just under £50. E403/695, m. 12.