Confession of John Cote re. night of 30 September 1381
(Flaherty, 1861, item III). John Cote confessed that on night of 30 September 1381 he and Hardyng and 25 others, with other unknown malefactors congregated at Boughton Hegh near Melkhous and made insurrection, in that they plotted to force the king to confirm all liberties and pardons lately demanded at Mile End, on pain of death. He acknowledged that strangers from the north had related that John Duke of Lancaster had made all his natives free, and this being so, the aforesaid malefactors plotted to make him king. Cote became approver, and appealed the aforesaid malefactors of this felony and treason.
