June 30.
Westminster. |
To the treasurer and the barons of the exchequer. Writ of supersedeas in respect of their demand upon Giles Bysshop of Salle, one of the
executors of William Bele of Salle now deceased, to answer for the said
William, and upon Thomas Rose of Salle to answer for himself or the
said William, and content the king of 340l. in coined money, a mazer
price 10s. and twelve silver spoons price 10s., or to account for the
same, and order to discharge the said Giles and the other executors,
the said Thomas, the late and present escheators in Norffolk and others
whatsoever; as it was found by inquisition, of his office taken before
John atte Crosse of Depham then escheator there on Tuesday before
Christmas 20 Richard II, that William Bele and Thomas Rose on
Tuesday before Michaelmas that year found the said money, mazer
and spoons at Botone within the ground, and that the same remain in
their hands, wherefore they were to answer to the late king for them;
and of their own accord they appeared in person in chancery, craving
to be discharged, because the said William for himself said that long
before the date aforesaid, namely on the night of Thursday before the
Nativity of the Virgin that year, Robert Smyth of Botone 'taylour,'
John son of the said Robert, Avice daughter of the said Robert, John
Child of Botone, Geoffrey de Vynes of Botone 'Frensshman' and
John Smyth of Botone feloniously broke the close and houses of the
said William at Salle, and there stole 22 silver spoons of his price
22s., six dozen kerchiefs called 'Salle keverches' price 40s., a mazer
price 10s., a piece of silver price 10s., a pair of beads (precum) with two
silver rings and one silver brooch price 10s., and a heft (manubrium)
of mazer with a hanaper price 12d., and likewise 40l. (sic) of gold, in
coined money there found in bags, and he immediately pursued them
and caused them to be taken with the manner, taking from them the
stolen money and goods as his own, as lawful was, and on Friday after
St. Andrew in that year he appealed the said Robert and the others
for that felony before Thomas Skelton and his fellows justices appointed for delivery of Norwich castle, and they were convicted by
a jury of the country, wherefore it was by the justices determined
that the said John, Avice, John, Geoffrey and John should severally
be hanged, and the said Robert should as a clerk attainted be delivered
to the custody of the ordinary, for that he is a clerk and craved the
jurisdiction of the church, and that the said William should have
again the said goods, and said that of the 400l. and goods for which
the said Robert and the others were convicted the money, mazer and
spoons mentioned in the said inquisition are parcel, without that
that he found any other within the ground as supposed, and that
this he was ready to prove, craving judgment whether the late king
would trouble, impeach or charge him for the same; and Thomas
Rose for himself said that as servant of the said William he came to
his aid in taking and arresting the said Robert and the others with the
manner aforesaid, whereof the said money, mazer and spoons are
parcel, and that this he is ready to prove, craving judgment (likewise);
and by the tenor of the record and process of the appeal, sent after
before the king in chancery by his command, it was found that the
said Robert and the others were so convicted, and that judgment was
given that the said William should have his goods again; and the
serjeants at law and John de Pokelyngton who sued for the late king,
being then present in chancery, could say nought to the purpose
against the said William and Thomas Rose contrary to the answers,
allegations etc, by them produced or touching the contents of the said
inquisition wherefore they ought to be chargeable toward the late
king, and proclamation being made divers times in chancery for any
who would give the king or council information touching the matter,
when no man appeared, by advice of the justices, and others of the
council learned in the law it was determined that the said William and
Thomas Rose should be discharged and acquitted toward the late
king of the money and goods mentioned in the inquisition, and should
have and keep the same. |
