| Description (Repository) |
murder case -- thirty six men need to be appointed -- some chosen in folkmoot -- some chosen from east and west of the walbrook
158. Plegii de lege :1 Willelmus de Haliwelle, Augustinus de Haddestoke, Robertus Herlicun, Johannes Shouke, Jacobus Beaupyne, Rogerus le Demur, Ranulfus de Balesham, Ricardus le Rous, diller, Stephanus le Paumer, Simon le Teinturer, Godefridus le Frutur, Ricardus de la Mare; in crastino fueruiat electi xxxvj apud folkemanmote in forma predicta, versus orientem de Walbroke, scilicet Ricardus le Brayere, Abel de Colecestre, Johannes de Ramesey, Willelmus Cocus, Willelmus de Oystresgate, Benedictus de Waltham, Willelmus Scot, Warinus Vinetarius, Ricardus Rad, Alexander de Waleworthe, Rogerus filius Willelrni, Thomas Pertriche, Walterus de Coggeshale, Galfridus Canele, Willelmus de Lenne, Johannes Souke, Robertus Scot taillur et Galfridus Wysdom; versus occidentem, scilicet Radulfus de Ely, Augustinus de Hadestoke, Jacobus Beaupine, Johannes de Kayo, Willelmus de Cudingtone, Galfridus de Stratford le fauconer.2 Veniat cum lege in octabis istius eleccionis et predicta mulier committatur3 vicecomitibus et habeant ipsam ad predictum diem; ad quern diem venit4 Willelmus cum lege sua et earn fecit coram justiciariis in hunc modum. Primo iuravit Willelmus in hec verba, quod nunquam ipsam Isabellam verberavit unde puerum de quo fecit aborsum propinquior fuit morti et remotior a vita. Postea iuraverunt sex in hune modum quod secundum scientiam suam sacramentum quod fecit fidele est. Et postquam predicti sex iuraverant, iterum iuravit idem Willelmus prius, sacramentum suum repetendo, et post ipsum, iterum iuraverunt5 alii sex et sic sexies iuravit idem Willelmus et sic fecit legem suam. Et ideo consideratur quod Willelmus sit inde quietus imperpetuum. Et Isabella committatur gaole.
1. Margin: Nota quod lex vadiata pro morte hominis facienda sit in crastino eleccionis, as in Liber Albus, i, 74 and 104. Lists of names shortened in both custumals.
2. Caret sign in text; margin (in a 14th-century hand): Hic deficiunt xij nomina de occidentali parte de Walebroke. It is noteworthy that three of the pledges are here named as compurgators, Augustinus de Haddestoke, Jacobus de Beaupine, and Johannes S(h)ouke.
3. Suggested by Liber Albus, i, 104, n. 1, committitur in original.
4. Suggested by Liber Albus, i, 105, veniet in original.
5. iuraverunt, repeated in original.
Pledges of the law: William of Holywell, Austin of Hadstock, Robert Herlicun, John Shouke, James Beaupyne, Roger le Demur, Ranulph of Balsham, Richard le Rous, `diller', Stephen le Paumer, Simon le Teinturer, Godfrey le Fruter, Richard de la Mare. On the morrow there were chosen in the folkmoot thirty-six, according to the form aforesaid, viz, from the east side of the Walbrook, Richard le Brayere, Abel of Colchester, John of Ramsey, William Cook, William of Oystergate, Benet of Waltham, William Scot, Warin the Vintner, Richard Rad, Alexander of Walworth, Roger son of William, Thomas Pertriche, Walter of Coggeshall, Geoffrey Canele, William de Lenne, John Souke, Robert Scot, tailor, and Geoffrey Wysdom; from the west side Ralph of Ely, Austin of Hadstock, James Beaupine, John of the Wharf, William of Cuddington, Geoffrey of Stratford, the falconer. He (William) was to come with his law on the octave of the election, and the woman was to be committed to the sheriffs, who were to produce her on that day. On that day William came with his law and waged it before the justices as follows. First he swore to the following effect—viz, that he had never beaten Isabel so that the child of which she had been prematurely delivered was nearer to death and further from life. After that six of the compurgators swore in this wise, viz, that to the best of their knowledge his oath was a true one. After they had sworn, William swore as before, repeating his oath, and after him another six compurgators ; and thus he swore six times and so waged his law. It was therefore adjudged that he should be quit in perpetuity, and that Isabel should be committed to gaol. |