| Description (Repository) |
256. Richard de Lamenesse bailiff with his servant Richard, William le Bret, Geoffrey le Taverner, John de Horsepol, Walter le Taverner, John le Taverner and William Shepesheved went to the house of Emma Louel in the ward of Nicholas de Winton' [Langbourn ward], to arrest some thieves who were being harboured there, as they thought. They entered the house
71
The Plea Roll
and found no one there except Emma and her maid-servants, but John de Horsepol and William le Bret went out of the house and in the courtyard they found Richard de Veer, chaplain, hiding in a gutter (stillicidio); they at once assaulted and wounded him, so that he died in the third week after. So the sheriff is ordered to arrest them. Afterwards Richard de Laymenes, his servant Richard, William le Bret, John de Horsepol and William Shepesheved were arrested and they come now. Asked how they wish to clear themselves, John de Horsepol says that he was previously arrested for the death and delivered by men from the three wards (wardis) nearest to the place where the incident occurred before John de Cobham at Neugate. John de Cobham is present and puts this on record from his rolls, so let him be quit. Richard and the others, except William le Bret, deny the charge and for good or ill put themselves upon the verdict of forty-two men from the three aldermanries nearest to the place; sworn before the justices, they say on their oath that they are not guilty of the death, so they are quit. William le Bret says that he is a clerk and is not bound to answer here. Thereupon Richard de Berwes, proctor of the bishop of London, comes and claims him as a clerk; but that it may be known [for what he is to be handed over], let the truth be ascertained by the forty-two men; they say he is not guilty of the death, so he is quit. Asked who killed Richard, they say it was Geoffrey le Taverner, who has now absconded and is suspected, so let him be exacted and outlawed according to the custom of the City.' No chattels.
Nota 82. De quodam ballivo Civitatis et al/is acquietatis per xlii homines trium wardarum [cf. 524 no. 821.
1. See 238 n. 2. |