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24. On Friday before the feast of St. Dunstan [16 May 1253] in the aldermanry of William Viel [Bread Street ward] in Westchepe a stranger out riding tried to take from Henry de Westhamme a staff which he held in his hand and threw him down onto the pavement. He fell on his head as though half dead and died forthwith. The stranger at once fled. It is not known who he was and no one pursued him or raised the hue and cry. Geoffrey de Hallyngber' and Richard le Tayllur, neighbours, do not come and are not suspected. They were attached by William Viel, William Page, Richard Damyas and Martin de Waldene (obierunt). So they are in *mercy. Because this happened by day and the stranger was not arrested nor pursued, to judgment on the aldermanry. The mayor and aldermen are asked how pursuit should be made through the neighbourhood when a man is killed and whether the men of the neighbourhood should raise the hue and cry in such an event. They say that the neighbourhood need not raise the hue and cry unless they wish but in order to preserve the king's peace the men of the neighbourhood pursue the malefactors to arrest them if they can; though even if they do not pursue them they will not suffer any penalty on that account. So let there be a discussion. Because John le [sic] Gisors chamberlain made no mention in his rolls of the pledges of the neighbours, to judgment on his son John who answers for him. [cf. 628]
Nota 6. Si secta debeat fieri post latrones eut hutesium levari.
14th cent.: Scribatur (With a pointing hand. Cf. 524 no. 6]. |