The People of 1381
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Source
| Type | Indictment by jury |
| Unique Identifying Text | TNA KB 145/3/6/1 m. 1 |
| Archive name | The National Archives (London) |
| County | Essex |
| Text (English translation) | At a session held at Chelmsford on Tuesday after the feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist in the fifth year of king Richard the Second [25th June 1381] before Thomas, earl of Buckingham and constable of England, Walter Fitzwalter, Thomas Maundeville, John Haleston, John de Sutton and Robert de Swynebourne justices of the lord king assigned to chastise and punish felons, traitors and rebels of the said lord king existing in the county of Essex, a certain John Preston of Hadleigh in Suffolk came and delivered to the said earl a certain schedule [cedula] in these words: We the commons [Nos communes] beseech the special grace of our lord the king that no one whatsoever should pay more than 4d. a year for all services and demands for an acre of customary land [terrae nativae], 2d. for half an acre, 1d. for one rod and ½d. for half a rod, whether there are buildings or not. We also beseech that, if less was paid, labour should stay the same as now, and that all severalties shall be separate and single as it was before this time. And also, we beseech that no other court shall be held in any village apart from the leet of the lord king annually in perpetuity. And also, we beseech that if any thief, traitor or malefactor against the peace be captured in any village, that you will give us a law by which he will be punished. Whereupon John Preston was arraigned that day in the presence of the said justices in the said session and examined as to who made and assented to the said schedule. In the presence of the said justices on the same day he confessed that he made the said schedule himself and that he assented to it, and that he delivered the said schedule with his own hands to the said earl and likewise he confessed to him that he made it himself and with his assent as aforesaid. Judgement is therefore given by the said justices that the said John Preston should be beheaded, and he was beheaded since the justices had not then been advised of any other judgement to be administered. Also on that day [25th June 1381] it was testified to the said justices by trustworthy people [fidedignos] that a certain John le Reve of Boreham was a chief leader of the evil conventicles of divers felons who lately treasonably arose against the lord king in this rumour and that the same John le Reve on Tuesday after the feast of the Holy Trinity in the fourth year of the present king [11th June 1381] with other evil conventicles treasonably burnt the writs and other evidences of the lord king in the custody of the sheriff of the said county at Chelmsford and that the said John on the same Tuesday feloniously there sought to behead Robert Rikdon and Thomas Brid of Borham. John le Reve was arrested because of this testimony and in the presence of the said justices was arraigned at the said session concerning the aforesaid treasons and felonies and was examined. In the presence of the said justices and in their said full session he confessed that all the aforesaid felonies and treasons were done by him and he denied nothing. Judgement is therefore given by the said justices that the said John le Reve should be beheaded, and he was beheaded since the justices had not then been advised of any other judgement to be administered. Also on that day [25th June 1381] it was testified to the said justices by trustworthy people that a certain John Torpirlee was the chief leader of evil conventicles and divers felons who lately treasonably arose against the lord king in this rumour and that John himself came with his evil conventicles to the house of Thomas Bataill of Matching in the time of the said rumour in order to kill the said Thomas if he could be found and that the same John from thence went to the Tower of London with his said evil conventicle in order to treasonably kill the lord Archbishop of Canterbury and other lieges of the lord king staying there. John Torpirlee was arrested because of this said testimony and was arraigned in the presence of the said justices was arraigned at the said session concerning the said treasons and felonies and was examined. In the presence of the said justices and in their said full session he confessed that all the said felonies and treasons were done by him and he denied nothing. Judgement is therefore given by the said justices that John Torpirlee should be beheaded, and he was beheaded since the justices had not then been advised of any other judgement to be administered. |
People
| ID | First name | Last name | Gender | Occupation | Domicile | Role in source | Incidents | Go to participant page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12244 | Thomas | Batail | Male | Matching,Essex | 3298 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12241 | Thomas | Brid | Male | Boreham,Chelmsford Hundred,Essex | 3297 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12227 | Walter | Fitzwalter | Male | Justice | 3296 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12235 | John | Haleston | Male | Justice | 3296 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12234 | Thomas | Maundeville | Male | Justice | 3296 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12238 | John | Preston | Male | Hadleigh,Cosford Hundred,Suffolk | 3296 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12239 | John | le Reve | Male | Boreham,Chelmsford Hundred,Essex | 3297 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12240 | Robert | Rikdon | Male | 3297 | Go to participant page | |||
| 12236 | John | de Sutton | Male | Justice | 3296 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12237 | Robert | de Swynbourne | Male | Justice | 3296 | Go to participant page | ||
| 12268 | John | Torpirlee | Male | 3298 | Go to participant page | |||
| 12233 | Thomas | of Woodstock | Male | Earl of Buckingham | Justice | 3296,3740 | Go to participant page |
Incidents
| ID | Summary | Description | Type | Go to incidents page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3297 | John le Reeve destroyed documents and tried to kill Robert Rikdon and Thomas Brid. | John le Reeve took part in the destruction of writs and other documents of the sheriff of Essex in Chelmsford and tried to kill Robdert Rikdon and Thomas Brid. | Arson: burning of documents,Trespass to person: threats | Go to incidents page |
| 3296 | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. | John Preston demanded before the justices in Chelmsford fixed rents for customary land, the abolition of all courts apart from that of the king and proper punishment of all thieves and traitors. | Treason: plotting against the King and his subjects | Go to incidents page |
| 3298 | John Torpirlee tried to kill Thomas Batail in Matching and took part in the killing of Simon Sudbury in London. | John Torpirlee came with others to Matching to the house of Thomas Batail with intend to kill and joined rebels going to London where he took part in the killing of Simon Sudbury at the Tower. | Trespass to person: threats,Homicide: accomplice | Go to incidents page |
Incidents and People
| Person | Incident | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Brid ( 12241 ) | John le Reeve destroyed documents and tried to kill Robert Rikdon and Thomas Brid. (3297) | Victim | |
| John le Reve ( 12239 ) | John le Reeve destroyed documents and tried to kill Robert Rikdon and Thomas Brid. (3297) | Accused | |
| Robert Rikdon ( 12240 ) | John le Reeve destroyed documents and tried to kill Robert Rikdon and Thomas Brid. (3297) | Victim | |
| Walter Fitzwalter ( 12227 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Justice | |
| John Haleston ( 12235 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Justice | |
| Thomas Maundeville ( 12234 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Justice | |
| John Preston ( 12238 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Accused | |
| John de Sutton ( 12236 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Justice | |
| Robert de Swynbourne ( 12237 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Justice | |
| Thomas of Woodstock ( 12233 ) | John Preston made seditious demands in front of king's justices. (3296) | Justice | |
| Thomas Batail ( 12244 ) | John Torpirlee tried to kill Thomas Batail in Matching and took part in the killing of Simon Sudbury in London. (3298) | Victim | |
| Simon Sudbury ( 6098 ) | John Torpirlee tried to kill Thomas Batail in Matching and took part in the killing of Simon Sudbury in London. (3298) | Victim | |
| John Torpirlee ( 12268 ) | John Torpirlee tried to kill Thomas Batail in Matching and took part in the killing of Simon Sudbury in London. (3298) | Accused |
