Memorials: 1275-76

EDWARD I. A.D. 1272–1307.

Coroner's Roll of our Lord the King, in the time of Ralph le Blound and John Horn, Sheriffs of the City of London, in the fourth year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Henry (A.D. 1275, 6); Sir Gregory de Rckesle being then Chamberlain in that city. (fn. 1)

Letter-Book B. fol. iii. old numeration. (fn. 2) (Latin.)

Ward of Thomas de Basinge. (fn. 3) —On Thursday, the morrow of St. Edward the King and Martyr, in March [18], in the fourth year of the reign of King Edward, Gregory de Rokesle, the Chamberlain, and the Sheriffs of the City of London were given to understand that one John Fuatard was lying dead, by another death than his rightful death, in the house of John de Blecchinggele, in the Parish of St. Michael Candelwykestrete, in the Ward of Thomas de Basinge. Upon hearing which, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs went there, and calling together the good men of that Ward, and of the Ward of John Horn, (fn. 4) made diligent inquisition how this happened.

Who say, on the fealty in which they are bound to our Lord the King, that on the Sunday next before the Feast of St. Gregory [12 March] in this year, while the said John Fuatard and one John le Clerk were playing together with their tiles (fn. 5) in the Churchyard of St. Mary in Suthwerk, the aforesaid John, who was clerk of St. Mary Magdalen in Suthwerk, when throwing the tile in his turn, and quite against his own will, struck the said John Fuatard with his tile on the right side of the head, making a wound two inches in length, and penetrating to the brain: languishing from the effects whereof, he lived from the Sunday aforesaid until St. Edward's Day [18 March], when, by reason of the said wound, he died. And the body was viewed, upon which no other wound, hurt, or bruise, appeared. Being asked what became of the said John after so doing, they say that he went forthwith to the Church of St. Mary Magdalen in Suthwerk, but has never since been seen in the City. Being asked as to his chattels, they say that goods or chattels he had none.

And John de Blecchingele was attached, (fn. 6) by two sureties, and Sarria, his wife, by two sureties; and John de Langmeuede, who dwelt in the same house, by two sureties. And the first neighbour, Henry de Lyre, fishmonger, the second, Robert le Long, fishmonger, the third, Roger de Bedewelle, pelterer, (fn. 7) and the fourth, Alan de Enefeud Welle, (fn. 8) were attached, each by two sureties.

Ward of Castle Baynard.—On Monday next before the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary [25 March] in the year aforesaid, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs were given to understand that one Henry de Flegge was lying dead, by another death than his rightful death, in the dock (fn. 9) of the Ward of Castle Baynard, in the Parish of St. Andrew. Upon hearing which, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs went there, and calling together the good men of that Ward, and of the Ward of Simon de Hadestok, (fn. 10) made diligent inquisition how this happened.

Who say that as the aforesaid Henry on the preceding Sunday, at about the hour of Prime, (fn. 11) was going to water a horse in the dock aforesaid, the same horse, being filled with exceeding viciousness and strength, by reason of being punished with a spur which the said Henry had on his foot, carried him out into deep water; so that, by reason of the cold and the force of the tide, he was carried off from the back of the horse, and by misadventure drowned. Being asked if they hold any one suspected of that death, they say they do not, but that it was solely owing to the mischance aforesaid. And the body was viewed; upon which no wound, hurt, or bruise, appeared.

And because it was presented by the jurors that the said Henry de Flegge was first found, after the misadventure, near the quay of Baldwin le Buscher, (fn. 12) and was removed therefrom, and taken by Henry Lapewater and Roger le Folur (fn. 13) to the quay aforesaid, without leave of the Chamberlain, the same Henry was attached, by John Wyther, carpenter, and Adam Apsolon, girdler, and the said Roger by Henry Smith and Robert de Everesham, dyer. And the four nearest neighbours were attached; the two neighbours nearest to the spot where the body was first found, and the two neighbours nearest to the spot where the body was viewed by the Coroner. And the said horse was appraised at one mark. (fn. 14)

Ward of William de Hadestoke. (fn. 15) —On Monday next after Our Lord's Ascension in the year aforesaid, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs were given to understand that one Gervase le Noreys was lying dead in the King's highway in the Parish of Berkyngecherche, in the Ward of William de Hadestoke. Upon hearing which, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs went there, and by good and lawful men diligent inquisition was made how this happened.

Who say that on the Sunday before, at the hour of Vespers, (fn. 16) there arose a dispute between the said Gervase and one William de Lindeseye; whereupon, the said William feloniously assaulted Gervase with a knife, giving him a wound in the left side of the back, two inches in length and one inch deep, and penetrating to the heart; and another wound, under the right breast, two inches long, one inch wide, and two inches deep; from the effect of which wounds he immediately died. After which, the said William forthwith fled to the Church, that is to say, the Chapel of St. Mary Berkingecherche. Being asked if they understand that any one else is guilty of causing that death, they say they do not. Being asked as to the goods and chattels of the said William, they say that for goods, he had one tabard, (fn. 17) of the value of ten pence, one hatchet, one bow with three arrows, value two pence, and one sheet, valued at four pence; beyond which, he had no goods or chattels, as they understand.

And the four nearest neighbours were attached, by sureties.

On the Wednesday following, the said William, acknowledging before the Chamberlain and Sheriffs, and other good and trusty men, within the church aforesaid, that he had committed the felony before-mentioned, in their presence abjured the realm. And the port of Dover was assigned him, to set sail within three days therefrom. He had no chattels, save only those above-mentioned.

Ward of Castle Baynard.—On Sunday next before the Feast of St. Botolph [17 June] in the year aforesaid, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs were given to understand that one Henry Grene, water-carrier, was lying drowned in the river Thames, in the Ward of Castle Baynard, in the Parish of St. Andrew, and at the hythe of Castle Baynard. Upon hearing which, they went there, and having called together the good men of that Ward, and of the Ward of Simon de Hadestok, (fn. 18) diligent inquisition was made how this happened.

Who say that on the preceding Thursday, the said Henry, having come to St. Paul's Wharf with a tankard, (fn. 19) and intending to take up water with the tankard, entered a certain boat there, and, after filling the tankard, attempted to place it upon the wharf; upon which, it so happened that, from the weight of the water in the tankard, as he was standing upon the board of the boat aforesaid, the boat moved away from the wharf, and he fell between it and the quay into the water, and so by mischance was drowned. Being asked if they believe any one else to be guilty or suspected of that death, or otherwise, they say that it was no other than a misadventure, as before stated. And the body was viewed; upon which no wound, hurt, or bruise, appeared. And the boat was appraised, with the whole of its tackle, and the tankard, at 5s. 6d.

And the two neighbours nearest to the place where the mischance took place were attached; and the two nearest neighbours to the place where the body was found.

Ward of Portsoken.—On Thursday, the morrow of St. John the Baptist [24 June] in the year aforesaid, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs were given to understand that a certain man, as to whose name they are ignorant, was lying drowned in the Foss under the City wall, near the Tower, in Portsoken. Upon hearing which, they went there, and calling together the good men of that Ward, and of the Ward of William de Hadestok, (fn. 20) diligent inquisition was made how this happened.

Who say that on the Eve of St. John aforesaid, at midday, the said man unknown came to the Foss aforesaid, and, intending to bathe there, took off the coat of russet which he wore, and in a naked state entered the Foss; whereupon, being unaware of the depth of the water, he sank to the bottom, and so by mischance was drowned. Being asked if they hold any other person guilty or suspected of that death, they say they do not. And the body was viewed; upon which no wound, hurt, or bruise, appeared.

And the two neighbours nearest to the spot were attached; the first neighbour, Richard Fuatard, by Osbert de Hapeneye, waterlader, (fn. 21) and William de Colecestre, carter; the second neighbour, Alexander le Trye, by Hamon le Tewler and William Brodbrok. (fn. 22)

Ward of Henry de Coventre. (fn. 23) —On Sunday next before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross [14 September], the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs were given to understand that one Adam Schot, a servant of Ponce de More, was lying dead in the house of the same Ponce, in the Ward of Henry de Coventre, in the Parish of St. James Garlecheythe. On hearing which, they went there, and calling together the men of that Ward, diligent inquisition was made how this happened.

Who say that on the Wednesday next after the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin [8 September] in this year, as the said Adam after dinner was trying to climb a pear-tree in the garden of one Laurence, in the Parish of St. Michael Paternosterchirche, (fn. 24) for the purpose of gathering pears, by mischance a branch broke upon which he was standing, and he fell to the ground. By reason of which fall his whole body was almost burst asunder; and so, languishing from the effects thereof, he lived from the day and hour before-named until the Saturday following, when he died through the misadventure aforesaid. They hold no one suspected of that death. And the body was viewed; upon which no wound appeared. And the said pear-tree was appraised (fn. 25) at five shillings; for which sum John Horn, the Sheriff, was to answer.

And the two nearest neighbours (fn. 26) were attached, by sureties. And Ponce de More was attached, the master of the house where he was lying dead; and all the persons were attached, who were then dwelling therein.

Ward of Anketin de Auvergne. (fn. 27) —On Wednesday next after the Feast of St. Michael in the year aforesaid, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs were given to understand that one John le Hancrete was lying dead, by another death than his rightful death, in the house of William le Cuver, (fn. 28) in the Ward of Anketil de Auvergne, in the Parish of St. Brigid. (fn. 29) Upon hearing which, the said Chamberlain and Sheriffs went there, and upon the oath of the good men of that Ward diligent inquisition was made thereon.

Who say that the said John came from a certain feast that had been held in the City of London to the house of William beforenamed, being very drunk, that is to say, on the Monday before, at the hour of Vespers, where he had hired his bed by the day; and that then, intending to lie down upon it, he took a lighted candle for the purpose of making his bed; which done, he left the candle burning, and fell asleep thereon. And the candle being thus left without any one to look after it, the flame of it caught the straw (fn. 30) of the bed upon which the said John was lying; and accordingly, he, as well as the bed and the straw aforesaid, was burnt, through the flame of the candle so communicating, at about the hour of midnight. And so, languishing from the effects thereof, he lived until the Tuesday following, at the hour of Matins, (fn. 31) on which day and hour he died from the burning aforesaid. Being asked if they hold any one suspected of the death of the said John, they say they do not. And the body was viewed; upon which no wound or hurt appeared, save only the burning aforesaid.

And the two nearest neighbours were attached, by sureties. And William le Cuver was attached, in whose house he was burnt; and Fynea, the wife of the same William, was attached; as also, Remund, the son of William.