According to Cuyler Reynolds, Nicholas de Ludelawe, a merchant, was the son of Matthew de Ludelawe, castellan of Ludelawe Castle in 1229, and Petronilla, daughter of Norman de Swineton and Matilda de Misec. 1
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On 5 Mar 1265 at Westminster Nicholas de Ludelawe was a witness to a confirmation of a charter whereby Simon de Wycumbia, dean of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury, with the assent of the king and his fellow canons of the said church, gave to the friars preachers of Shrewsbury all the garden sometime belonging to the prebend of the dean of the said church, which lies without the wall of the town, which bounds the said dean's house on one side and on the other is surrounded by the site (area) of the said friars, to be held from the said donor and his successors in frank almoin...
Calendar of the Charter Rolls, 49 Hen. III, pp. 53-4
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9 Apr 1274, St. Martin's-le-Grand, London
Mandate to sheriffs and others not to prevent Roger Pride, merchant of Shrewsbury, or his men, from bringing wool or other goods to London or elsewhere in the realm to cities, boroughs, fairs, or markets, as it appears that some sheriffs and bailiffs, under pretext of the king's late prohibition against taking wool out of the realm, prevent merchants of the land from carrying goods to London or elsewhere within the realm.
The like for ... Nicholas de Ludelawe.
Calendar of the Patent Rolls, 2 Edw. I, pp. 46-7
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10 Jul 1275, Kempton
To the sheriff of Salop. Order to take surety (ponas per vad' el salvos plegios) R. bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and Master Simon de Ballingden, his official, that they shall be before the king in fifteen days from Michaelmas to show why, after the king had inhibited their holding any plea in Court Christian concerning the goods and chattels in the hands of Nicholas de Lodelawe, the king's merchant, because Nicholas complained that they drew him in a plea in Court Christian, they afterwards presumed to hold that plea in contempt of the king's orders and contrary to the prohibitions aforesaid. [Prynne, Records, iii. 159.]
Calendar of the Close Rolls, 3 Edw. I, p. 243
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12 Dec 1276, Windsor
Whereas contentions arose between Henry III. and the king and Margaret, countess of Flanders, because of the injuries inflicted upon one another by land and sea by her merchants and the merchants of England, Ireland, and the march of Wales, whereby Henry III. and the king caused arrests to be made, and Guy son of the countess and count of Flanders, for himself and her, promised that all goods plundered by their men should be restored according to a form provided by the king, to wit, that if, after inquisition, the amount of the said arrests in England should not suffice to cover the losses on the English side, the count should give security to pay the residue a fortnight after Easter, 1270. The count accepted this for himself and the countess, bound himself in all liis lands to fulfil the same, and found sureties, to wit, Baldwin de Aveynes, William de Flandre, Gerard de Rodes, Hugh, castellan of Ghent, John de Giscel, Oliver de Assone, Michael de Auchy and Roger Mortaingne, on pain of surrendering themselves as hostages at Mustreyl-super-Mare within eight days of their citation, and notwithstanding such surrender, under further pain of all their possessions and 1,000 marks each, and sentences of excommunication and interdict by the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishop of London. Inquisition was then made in the presence of eight merchants elected with the consent of both parties, and it was found that a balance of £4,755 17s. sterling was due to the merchants on the English side, whereof payment has again and again deferred at the instance of the said count and sureties. The king being determined to endure it no longer, has appointed Nicholas de Ludelowe and Thomas de Basingges as his special proctors to demand and receive the said sum.
Calendar of the Patent Rolls, 5 Edw. I, p. 187
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26 Jan 1277, Worcester
Mandate to Luke de Luka and his fellows, merchants of Lucca, to pay to Nicholas de Lodelowe £60 5s. 4d. and £90 5s., in which suras Henry de Alemannia, deceased, the king's kinsman, was bound to the said Nicholas on the day of his death for cloths and skins, an equivalent deduction to be made from certain debts in which the king was bound to the said Henry, and which were not satisfied in his lifetime.
28 Nov 1277, Montgomery
Request to Baldwin de Aveneys to take himself to Munstroyll sur Mer, on the morrow of the feast of SS. Philip and James, apostles, there to be detained as a hostage for the payment of £2,733 17s., part of £4,755 17s. due as compensation to the merchants of England, Ireland and the Marches of Wales from the merchants of Flanders for arrest of their goods before Easter, 1274, in pursuance of the form of peace entered into by Guy, count of Flanders, with the king, a sum of £2,022 having been already paid by the hands of Nicholas de Lodelawe by the merchants of Ypre, Doway, Popering and Dykemue as their contingent of the debt to the English merchants.
Calendar of the Patent Rolls, 5 Edw. I, p. 191, 6 Edw. I, p. 247
30 May 1277, Windsor
To the mayor and sheriffs of London and to all bailiffs and faithful men to whom these letters shall come. The king has granted to Nicholas de Lodelawe, his merchant, licence to take 250 sacks of wool to parts beyond sea, by himself or his men, to make his advantage thereof, notwithstanding his late inhibition of any one taking any wool to Flanders or elsewhere outside the realm until further orders, provided that Nicholas pay the due and usual customs in the realm : the king orders them to permit Nicholas and his men appointed for this purpose to take the 250 sacks thither without impediment. These letters are to endure until Michaelmas next...
Like letters to the mayor and sheriffs of London in favour of Laurence son of Nicholas de Lodelawe for 200 sacks.
Calendar of the Close Rolls (Supplementary), supplementary close roll no. 4, 5 Edw. I, pp. 1-2
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4 Feb 1278, Dover
Licence for the burgesses and merchants of Guy, count of Flanders, Ypres, Douay, Dixmude, and Poperinghe, and the merchants and men of the same, to come into the realm under the king's safe-conduct to trade with their goods and merchandise as they were wont to do before the seizure and sale by Margaret, countess of Flanders, of the goods of the merchants of Henry III. and Edward I. of England, Ireland, and the marches of Wales, and the consequent seizure by Edward I. of the goods of Flemish merchants in the realm until satisfaction was made according to a form between the king and the count; and the said burgesses and merchants are not to be molested touching a sum of £2,022 for their contingent of the said money which they are to pay by the hands of Nicholas de Lodelowe, king's merchant, one of the attorneys of the English merchants.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, 6 Edw. I, p. 256
Orthographic variations: LUDELAWE, LUDELOWE, LODELAWE