Petition from Richard del See accusing Simon Whixley and others of false accusation, imprisonment and taking of bonds
The petitioner complains that Whixley, Agland, Pomifreit, Golding, Cotingham, and the most part of the commons of the city of York, after the rising of the commons of Kent and Essex, accused the petitioner that he was assistant to John de Guisborough in the prosecution made to the king of various insults made to them in the time that he was mayor of the city. By colour of this and without cause or due process of the law, and though the petitioner had letters of protection for the voyage of the king and Thomas de Felton to Gascony, which he showed to Whixley in the city tollbooth, they imprisoned the petitioner on Wednesday 10th April 1381 for ten weeks, along with other worthy men of the city, until they agreed to pay great sums of money, and forced them to make bonds of statute merchant against their will. He asks that these bonds be cancelled, and that he be able to return to the city without fearing for his life.
