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Robert hardel alleged to have killed Ralph Chelmsford
76. Eodem anno eisdem etc.1 accidit2 die Dominica proxima post festum Sancti Jacobi Apostoli quod Juliana que fuit uxor Radulfi de Chielmeresford vinetarii venit coram camerario3 et vicecomitibus et appellavit Roberturn Hardel de morte predicti Radulfi vin i sui quod idem Robertus nequiter et in felonia contra pacem domini3 regis in crastino Sancti Jacobi vulneravit ipsum quodam knipulo in sinistra parte corporis. Ita quod ex plaga illa °Nit [m. 2d] in crastino.3 Et ipsa non4 venit. Ideo ipsa et plegii sui de prosequendo in misericordia, scilicet Galfridus filius Ricardi de Broham et Aylwinus de Chelmeresford de comitatu3 Essexie. Et ipsa capiatur. Et Robertus venit et dicit quod alio anno regni regis Henrici filii regis Johannis xvj° coram domino Stephan° de Segrave tunc3 capitali justiciario et aliis justiciariis domini regis de Banco venerunt predicta Juliana et Alicia mater predicti Radulfi et appellaverunt eum de morte predicta3. Ita quod secundum legem et libertatem Civitatis datus fuit eis terminus xla dierum ad appellum illud respondendum quia summonicio sua nimis5 brevis fuit. Ad quem diem venit predictus Robertus et predicte mulieres coram eisdem justiciariis retraxerunt se et cognoverunt quod non fuit culpabilis de morte illa, nec voluerunt sequi versus eum, ita quod dominus rex perdonavit ei sectam suam. Et quod ita sit ponit se super rotulos predictorum justiciariorum. In quibus postea inventum est quod ita fuit. Et ideo consideratum est quod idem Robertus sit inde quietus imperpetuum. Et quia plegii predicte Juliane de prosequendo6 coram predictis justiciariis tune fuerunt amerciati, quia ipsa retraxit se, ideo ad presens inchil de ipsa neque de
plegiis suis.
1. Margin (supplied from Liber Ordinationum, f. 209 r & d and Liber Albus,
95): Nota de termino xl dierum habendo ad appellum. The table of contents in Liber Albus, i, 73 has: De termino quadraginta dierum habendo ad respondendum
et ad appellum.
2. accidit is followed by a redundant quod, omitted in Liber Ordinationum and Liber Albus, i, 95.
3. Italicized words supplied from Liber Ordinationum and Liber Albus.
4. Liber Ordinationum retains non but Liber Albus, i, 95 omits it.
5. Suggested by Liber Albus, i, 96, minus in original and in Liber Ordinationum.
6. Prosequendo , mistaken by Riley as prius, Liber Albus, i, 96.
31
In the same year, the same etc. on Sunday after the feast of St. James the Apostle [1 Aug. 1232], Juliana, relict of Ralph of Chelmsford, vintner, came before the chamberlain and sheriffs and appealed Robert Hardel of the death of Ralph, her husband, alleging that, on the morrow of St. James [26 July] he wickedly and feloniously, against the king's peace, wounded him in the left side of his body with a knife, so that he died next day of the wound. And now she does not come; therefore she and her pledges to prosecute, viz. Geoffrey, son of Richard de Broham and Aylwin of Chelmsford of the county of Essex, are in mercy, and she is to be taken into custody. Robert comes and says that in another year, viz. 16 Henry III [1232-3], Juliana and Alice, Ralph's mother, came and appealed him of the death aforesaid before Stephen of Seagrave, then chiefjustice, and others of the king's justices of the Bench; and, in accordance with the law and liberty of the City, he was granted a period of 40 days in which to answer the appeal, because his summons had been too peremptory. On the appointed day he appeared, and the above named women withdrew their appeal in the presence of the justices, and acknowledged that he was not guilty, nor did they wish to proceed against him so that the king pardoned him his suit. And that this was the case he puts himself upon the rolls of the aforesaid justices, in which it was afterwards found that it was as he said. Therefore it was adjudged that he be quit thereof in perpetuity. And because Juliana's pledges to prosecute were then amerced before the same justices on account of her withdrawal, therefore nothing now from her or her pledges. |