The People of 1381
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Source
| Type | Trespass action |
| Unique Identifying Text | TNA KB 27/487 m. 41d |
| Archive name | The National Archives (London) |
| County | Hertfordshire |
| Text in Original Language | Herts. Iohannes Spicer de Chelmesford attachiatus fuit ad respondendum Radulpho atte Halle persona ecclesie de Thele de placito quare vi et armis aggregatus sibi quamplures aliis malefactorum ibidem armatus clausum et domos ipsius Radulphus apud Thele fregit et in ipsum Radulphum insultum fecit et ipsum verberavit vulneravit et male tractavit et eodem Radulpho ut ipsum decollaret et occideret nisi quandam cartam continentem ipsum Radulphum unum messuagium et quinque acras terre et dimid' cum pertinent' in Chelmesford eidem Iohanni et heredibus suis ad terminum centum annorum dimisisse et quandam litteram de attornato ad seisinam inde prefato Iohanni nomine eiusdem Radulphi liberand' facere vellet graviter et horribiliter comminatus fuit ipsumque Radulphum in prisona ibidem et sub minis huiusmodi quousque cartam et litteram huiusmodi fecisse detinuit et blada et herbam sua ad valenciam decem librarum ibidem nuper crescent' cum quibusdam averiis depastus fuit concultavit et consumpsit et alia enormia ei intuli ad grave dampnum ipsius Radulphi et contra pacem Rege et co. Et unde idem Radulphus per Thomam de Ellerbek attornatum suum queritur quod predictus Iohannes die Sabati proxima post festum Sancte Trinitatis anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi quarto vi et armis scilicet gladiis bacul' arcuibus et sagittis clausum et domos ipsius Radulphi apud Thele fregit in ipsum Radulphum ibidem insultum fecit et ipsum verberavit vulneravit et male tractavit et eodum Radulpho ut ipsum decollaret et occideret nisi quandam cartam continentem ipsum Radulphum unum messuagium et quinque acras terre et dimid' cum pertinent' in Chelmesford eidem Iohanni et heredibus suis ad terminum centum annorum dimisisse et quandam litteram de attornato ad seisinam inde prefato Iohanni nomine eiusdem Radulphi liberand' facere vellet graviter et horribiliter comminatus fuit ipsum Radulphum in prisona ibidem et sub minis huiusmodi quousque cartam et litteram huiusmodi fecisse detinuit et blada et herbam sua videlicet frumentum avenas ordeum et pis' ad valenciam et co. ibidem nuper crescent' cum quibusdam averiis videlicet equis depastus fuit concultavit et consumpsit et alia enormia et co. Et contra pacem et co. Unde dicit quod deteriatus est et dampnum habet ad valenciam centum librarum. Et unde producit sectam et co. Et predictus Iohannes per Thomam May attornatum suum venit et defendit vim et inuriam quando et co. Et dicit quod ipse in nullo est inde culpabilis. Et de hoc ponet se super patriam. Et quod predictus Radulphus similiter. Ideo ven' inde Iur' coram domino Rege a die Pasche in xv dies ubicumque et co. xxiiiior term' milit' et co. per qu' et co. ad recogn' et co. quia tam et co. Idem dies datus est partibus et co. Et continuato inde processu coram domino Rege usque a die Sancti Michaelis tunc proxima sequente in xv dies per jur' ponit in respectum et co. Ad que diem coram Rege apud Westminster venit predictus Radulphus per attornattum suum predictum. Et predictus Iohannes in propria persona sua similiter venit et dicit et dicit quod cum parliamentum tenta apud Westminster die lune in tertia septimana quadragesime anno regni Regis nunc sexto statutum sit quantum ad querelas sive sectas transgression' in insurrectione fact' coram quibuscumque Iustic' Regis inchoatas vel contra quindenam Sancti Iohannis Baptite tunc proxima sequente inchoand' similiter ordinatum sit et concordatum quod si ipsi versus quos huiusmodi secte capte sunt vel capiende ante quindenam predictam ante iudicium redditum venerunt et se inde per tres vel per quatuor bonos homines et idoneos atque non suspectos ad hoc iuratos coram iudicibus ubi placitum inde pendens fuerit se inde purgare vel alias acquietare non voluerint quod ipsi in loco pretenso causa mali voluntarie non venerunt neque dampnum fecerunt nisi solomodo per compulsionem aliorum ad hoc recipiantur per Iustic' et iudices predictos et facta huiusmodi purgacionem per testes predictos extunc inde penitus recederent quieti. Et dicit quod transgressione predicta factam fuit in insurrectionem predicta prout per brevem et narracionem sua predicta constat et ipse paratus est cum quatuor bonis hominibus et idoneis atque non suspectis quos secum adducit presentes in curia se inde purgare vel alias acquietare quod ipse in loco predicto causa mali voluntarie non venit neque dampnum fecit ac omnio se inde acquietare prout in dicti statuto requiritur et venit ante iudicium redditum. Et petit admitti ad purgacionem suam inde faciend' et co. Et predictus Radulphus dicit quod predictus Iohannes ad purgacionem suam faciend' admitti non debet quia dicit quod alias scilicet isto eadem termino idem Iohannes ad sectam predicti Galfridi [recte Radulphi?] gratis se posuit in Iuramentum patrie videlicet quod ipse in nullo fuit culpabilis de transgressione predicta et sic continuat' inde processu inter eas per Iur' ponitas in pespectum coram domino Rege usque in octabis Sancti Iohannis Bapitiste tunc proxima sequente ad quem diem Iur' predicta cons' fuit capi per defaltum predicti Iohannis sic quod dictus Iohannes plures dies in placito predicta cum eadem Radulpho habere non potuit. Et petit iudicium exquo predictus Iohannes posuit se in Iuramentum predictam diu ante confectionem statuti predicti et postea fecit defaltum per quam defalt' ipse amisit privilegium iuris quod sibi in hoc casu accidere potuit et petit inde Iuramentum et co. Et predictus Iohannes dicit quod tempore quo ipse placitavit ad brevem predictum statutum predictam non fuit editum set postea pendente inde placito factum fuit ut per recordum placiti predicti et datam eiusdem statuti plene patet. Et quod die predicto quo supponitur ipsum defaltum fecisse statutum predictum non fuit si cognitum nec aliquod breve de proclamacione inde faciend eodem tempore vic' com' predicti liberatum seu proclamacione eiusdem statuti ibidem facta extitit quod paratus est verificare et probare prout cur' consideraverit ac eciam in eodem statuto continentur qui ipsi qui ante iudicium predictum venerunt ad purgacionem suam et probacionem modo predicto faciend' recipiantur quare exquo idem Radulphus non dedicit materiam predictam et purgacionem ipsius Iohannis sine probacionem modo predicto recipere omnio recusat petit iudicium et co. Et quod secundum formam statuti predicti modo recedat quietus et quod processus versus Iuramentum predictam omnio cesset ulterius faciend' et co. Et predictus Radulphus petit iudicum ut supra similter. Et super hoc dies datus est partibus predictus coram domino Rege usque a die Sancti Hillarii in xv dies ubicumque et co. ad aud' inde iudicium suum et co. Ad quem diem coram domino Rege veniunt partes predicte per attornatos suos et co. Et quia cur' nondum avisatur ad iudicium inde reddend'. Ideo dies datus est partibus predictis coram domino Rege a die Pasch' in xv dies ubicumque et co. ad aud' inde iudicium et co. |
| Text (English translation) | Hertfordshire. John Spicer of Chelmsford was attached to answer Ralph atte Halle, parson of Thele on a plea that with force and arms he gathered together very many armed evildoers and broke the close and the houses of the same Ralph at Thele, and he assaulted him and he beat, wounded and evilly handled him and he violently and horribly threatened the same Ralph that he would decapitate and kill him if he would not give him a certain deed by which the same Ralph would surrender a messuage and five and a half acres of land with appurtenance in Chelmsford to the same John and his heirs for 100 years, and he wanted the said Ralph to hand over a certain power of attorney to receive seisin in the name of the said John, and he kept him imprisoned until he would draw up the deed and power of attorney; and he [John] trampled down and destroyed his [Ralph's] corn and grass worth £10 lately growing there and on which his cattle pastured, and he committed other enormities to the grave damage of the said Ralph and against the peace of the king etc. And therefore the same Ralph by Thomas de Ellerbek, his attorney, impleaded that the said John on Saturday after Trinity 4 Richard II (15 June 1381) that with force and arms namely with namely swords, clubs, bows and arrows he broke the close and the houses of the same Ralph at Thele and assaulted the same Ralph there and beat, wounded and evilly handled him and he violently and horribly threatened the same Ralph that he would decapitate and kill him if he would not give him a certain deed by which the same Ralph would surrender a messuage and five and a half acres of land with appurtenance in Chelmsford to the same John and his heirs for 100 years, and he wanted the said Ralph to hand over a certain power of attorney to receive seisin in the name of the said John, and he kept him imprisoned until he would draw up the deed and power of attorney; and he [John] trampled down and destroyed his [Ralph's] corn and grass, namely wheat, oats, barley and peas worth £10 lately growing there and on which his cattle pastured, and he committed other enormities etc. And against the peace etc. Whereof he says that he suffers damage. And the damage he has is worth £100 and therefore he brings this suit etc. And the aforesaid John by Thomas May, his attorney, comes and defends the force and injury whenever etc. And he says that he is not guilty. And he puts himself upon the country. And the said Ralph does the same. Therefore, a jury should come before the King's Bench in the quindene of Easter wherever etc. ... Also, a day is given to the parties etc. Thence the proceedings continued before the King's Bench until 15 days after the following feast of Michaelmas to which day it was postponed. And on the same day before the King's Bench at Westminster comes the aforesaid Ralph by his aforesaid attorney. And the aforesaid John comes in a similar way in his own person and says that in the parliament held at Westminster on Monday in the third week of Lent (23 February 1383) a Statute was enacted as to the quarrels or suits of trespass done in the insurrection, commenced before any of the king's justices or before the 15 days period of St John the Baptiste next coming (24 June 1383) to be commenced; it is likewise ordained and accorded, that if they, against whom such suits be taken, or before the said period of 15 days shall be taken, come before judgement and and will thereof purge or acquit themselves, by three or four good and suitable men and not suspect, thereupon sworn before the justices where the plea shall be thereof pending, namely, that they came not willingly in the place alleged for the cause of any evil, nor did no harm, but solely by the compulsion of others; they shall be therefore received by the aforesaid justices and judges, and the purgation of this kind shall be made by the aforesaid witnesses; then they shall depart thereafter wholly quit. [paraphrase] John Spicer, whose deeds during the rising have been established, declares himself to be ready to be purged by four good men in this way. And he asks to be admitted to purgation. Ralph argues that John does not need to be admitted to purgation because be put himself on the country and pleaded not guilty in an earlier court session and defaulted when he did not appear at the week in the week following St John the Baptist (24 June 1382); he therefore lost his 'priveligium juris' (the benefit of the law). Ralph asks for judgement to be given. [paraphrase] John declares that at the time he pleaded the Statute did not exist and that on the day he defaulted he did not know about the Statute. He again pleads to be released after purgation according to the Statute. Ralph again pleads for a judgement. A day is given to the parties to come before the king's justices 15 days after Hilary. At which day the parties come, but because the justices have not been advised about how to proceed in such a case, the case was adjourned again until Easter. |
| General Information | Part of the case quotes verbatim from The Statutes of the Realm, vol. ii, p. 31. The attack happened on the Collegiate House of Thele (or Stanstead St Margaret's): VCH Hertfordshire, vol. iv, pp. 454-455. |
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People
| ID | First name | Last name | Gender | Occupation | Domicile | Role in source | Incidents | Go to participant page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20178 | Thomas | de Ellerbek | Male | Attorney | Attorney | Go to participant page | ||
| 20177 | Ralph | atte Halle | Male | Parson | Thele (Stanstead St Margarets),Hertfordshire | 3883 | Go to participant page | |
| 20179 | Thomas | May | Male | Attorney | Attorney | Go to participant page | ||
| 20176 | John | Spicer | Male | Chelmsford,Essex | 3883 | Go to participant page |
Incidents
| ID | Summary | Description | Type | Go to incidents page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3883 | Attack by John Spicer of Chelmsford (Essex) on Ralph atte Halle, parson of the collegiate house of Thele (Herts). | Attack by John Spicer of Chelmsford (Essex) on Ralph atte Halle, parson of the collegiate house of Thele (Herts). Ralph is beaten wounded and threatened with beheading if he would not release a messuage and land in Chelmsford to John. | Trespass to person: assault,Trespass to person: wounding,Trespass to chattels: extortion and forcible fine ,Trespass to person: threats,Trespass to land: forcible entry of close and houses,Warlike array and insurrection,Trespass to land: cutting down crops or trees,Raising the commons: other | Go to incidents page |
Incidents and People
| Person | Incident | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ralph atte Halle ( 20177 ) | Attack by John Spicer of Chelmsford (Essex) on Ralph atte Halle, parson of the collegiate house of Thele (Herts). (3883) | Victim | |
| John Spicer ( 20176 ) | Attack by John Spicer of Chelmsford (Essex) on Ralph atte Halle, parson of the collegiate house of Thele (Herts). (3883) | Accused |
