The People of 1381
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Source
| Type | Indictment by jury |
| Unique Identifying Text | TNA KB 27/488 rex m. 8 |
| Archive name | The National Archives (London) |
| County | Essex |
| Text in Original Language | Essex. Alias coram Roberto Tresilian et sociis suis nuper iusticiis domini Regis ad diversa felonias et prodiciones in comitatu predicto audienda et terminanda assignati extitit presentatum quod Willelmus Roger de Soutwokyndone et Iohannes Smyth de Reynham circa festum Sancte Trinitatis anno regni Ricardi secundi post conquestum quarto et cita cum multis aliis malefactoribus qui iam mortui sunt congregacones et conuenticula proditorie et felonice in comitatu Essexiae in perturbacorem pacis domini Regis fecerunt in preiudicium domini Regis et corone sue et quod predictus Willelmus et Iohannes fuerint apud Londonias cum aliis huiusmodi malefactoribus in huiusmodi congregatores et conuenticulis illicitis in perturbacorem pacis et populi. Item predicti Willelmus et Iohannes equitauerunt de villa in villam infra hundredum predictum et vi armata cogerunt homines earumdem villarum cum eis ire in conuenticulis et congregacionibus huiusmodi ad mala quamplurima in comitatu predicto perpetrandum. Item presentant quod predicti Willelmus et Iohannes fuerunt principales inceptores istarum insurrectorum contra dictam domini Regem et pacem suam in hundredo predicto cum predictis malefactoribus qui iam mortui sunt etc. Per quod preceptum fuit vicecomiti quod caperet eos si etc. Et modo scilicet a die Pasche in vnum mensem isto eodem termino coram domino Rege apud Westmonasterium venit predictus Willelmus Roger et reddidit se prisone marescalli domini Regis occasionibus predictis qui comittitur marescallo. Et statim per marescallam ductus venit et allocutus est qualiter de prodicoribus et feloniis predictis se velit acquietare quiquidem Willelmus protulit quoddam breue domini Regis clausum iusticiariis hic directum in hec verba: Ricardus dei gracia Rex Anglie et Francie et Dominus Hibernie dilecto et fideli suo Roberto Tresilian et socii suis iusticiariis nostris ad placita coram nobis tenenda assignatis salutem. Cum de gracia nostra speciali et ad supplicacionem consortatis regni nostri Anglie de assensu prelatorum, ducum, comitum et baronum eiusdem regni in parliamento nostro apud Westmonasterium die Lune in octabis Sancti Michaelis proximo predictis convocato, perdonauerimus et remiserimus omnibus et singulis ligeis et regnicolis nostris cuiuscumque gradus status seu condicionis fuerint exceptis illis omnibus quorum nomina alias in parliementis nostris annis regnis nostris sexto et quinto, ab omnia gracia per nos tunc facta excipienda liberata fuerunt, tanquam videlicet principalium inceptorum abettatorum et procuratorum insurrectionis nuper infra regnum nostram predictum proditorie suborte vnde rectati sunt nec non tribus aliis personis Civibus Londoni qui in dicto parliamento nostro de certis articulis prodicoris in dicta insurrectione factis in speciali eciam rectati fuerunt ac omnibus aliis in eodem casu dictorum trium civium vel alicuius eorum plene existentibus ac omnibus et singulis personis ville de Bury Sanci Edmundi similiter exceptis sectam pacis nostre et quicquid ad nos pertinet vel pertinere poterit pro omnimodis prodicionibus et feloniis in dicta insurrectione inter videlicet primum diem Maii anno regni nostri quarto et festum Nativitatis Sancti Johannis Baptiste extunc proximum sequens qualitercumque factis sive perpetratis vnde indictati rectati vel appellati fuerint ac eciam vtlagariis si que in ipsos seu eorum aliquem hiis occasionibus fuerint promulgate et firmam pacem nostram eis et eorum cuilibet inde concesserimus Ita tamen quod stent recto in curia nostra si quis vel qui inde versus eos vel eorum aliquem loqui voluerint vel voluerit de premissis seu aliquo premissorum prout in statuto inde edito plenius continetur vobis mandamus quod William Roger de Southwokyngdone si aliquis de personis quarum nomina inparliamentis nostris ab omnia gracia per nos tunc facta excipienda vt predictum est liberata fuerit non existat contra tenorem gracie ac formam remissionis et pardonaconis earumdem non molestetis in aliquo seu gravetis. Teste me ipso apud Westmonasterium viii die Aprilis anno regni nostri sexto. Pretextu quorum breuis de pardonaconis idem Willelmo Roger petit ipsum a prisona domini Regis deliberari etc, et viso breve predicto et necnon pardonacone predicta diligenter examinata consideratum est quod predictus Willelmus Roger virtute pardonaconis predicte eat inde sine die etc. |
| Text (English translation) | Essex. At another time, before Robert Tresilian and his associates, lately justices of the lord King assigned to hear and terminate divers felonies and treasons in the aforesaid county, it stood presented that, around Trinity 1381, William Roger of South Ockendon and John Smyth of Rainham, roused with many other evildoers who are now dead, made associations and assemblies of treason and felony in the county of Essex in disturbance of the peace of the lord King, in prejudice of the lord King and his crown, and that the aforesaid William and John were in London with other such evildoers, in illicit associations and assemblies of this kind, in disturbance of the peace and the people. Moreover, the aforesaid William and John rode from vill to vill within the aforesaid hundred and, with armed force, they compelled the men of the same vills to go with them in such assemblies and associations to perpetrate a great many wrongs in the county aforesaid. Also, they present that the aforesaid William and John were the foremost inciters of those rebels against the said lord King and his peace, in the hundred aforesaid, with the aforesaid evildoers who are now dead. Whereby the sheriff was ordered to arrest them etc. And lately, namely at one month after Easter this same term 1383, the aforesaid William Roger appeared before the lord King at Westminster and surrendered himself to the prison of the marshal of the lord king, who is committed to the marshal, for the aforesaid causes. And immediately he appears led by the marshal and being asked how he wishes to acquit himself as regards the treasons and felonies aforesaid, he presented a certain writ close of the lord King directed to the justices here in these words: Richard, by the grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, to his beloved and faithful Robert Tresilian and his associates, our justices assigned to hold pleas before ourselves, greetings. Since from our special grace and at the supplication of the consort of our kingdom of England, by the assent of the prelates, dukes, earls and barons of the same kingdom in our parliament assembled at Westminster on Monday 6 October 1382, we pardoned and remised all and every liege and subject of ours of whichsoever rank, state or condition they might have been ‒ except those others named in our parliaments of 6 Rich. II and 5 Rich. II, they were exempted from all grace then made by us, such as namely the principal instigators, abettors and agents of the insurrection lately within our aforesaid kingdom, whereof they are charged with treason, and nor three other persons of the city of London who were likewise specially charged in our said parliament with certain articles of treason committed in said uprising, and all others in the same case of the said three citizens or of any arising of the same, and all and every person of the town of Bury Saint Edmunds likewise are exempt ‒ the suit of our peace and also whatever pertains or is able to pertain to us for all treasons and felonies committed or perpetrated in whatever manner in said uprising, namely between 1 May and 24 June 1381, whereof they might have been indicted arraigned or addressed, and also likewise outlawries, if any have been proclaimed from these causes, and thence we will grant to them and any of them our firm peace, provided that they stand right in our court, lest anyone thence might wish to speak against them regarding the premises or any of the premises, just as is contained in the statute as since more fully enacted. To you we order that you not molest William Roger of South Ockendon in any way, or burden the aforesaid, contrary to the tenor of the grace and the form of the remission and pardon of the same. Witnessed by myself at Westminster 8 April 1383. On the pretext of which writ of pardon, the same William Roger begs he be delivered from the prison of the lord King etc., and, with the aforesaid writ having been viewed and likewise the aforesaid pardon having been carefully examined, it is considered that, by virtue of the aforesaid pardon, the aforesaid Roger may go thenceforth without day etc. |
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People
| ID | First name | Last name | Gender | Occupation | Domicile | Role in source | Incidents | Go to participant page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22912 | William | Roger | Male | South Ockendon,Essex | 4089 | Go to participant page | ||
| 22913 | John | Smyth | Male | Rainham,Chafford Hundred,Essex | 4089 | Go to participant page |
Incidents
| ID | Summary | Description | Type | Go to incidents page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4089 | William Roger and John Smyth rise up in Essex and London | William Roger of South Ockendon and John Smyth of Rainham made treasonous assemblies in Essex and were with these assemblies in London, and rode from vill to vill to compel people to rise up in that county. Order to arrest them; William Roger produces a writ detailing the king's pardon; he goes free. | Joining rebel company,Raising the commons: forcing others to join company,Raising the commons: riding | Go to incidents page |
Incidents and People
| Person | Incident | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Roger ( 22912 ) | William Roger and John Smyth rise up in Essex and London (4089) | Accused | |
| John Smyth ( 22913 ) | William Roger and John Smyth rise up in Essex and London (4089) | Accused | |
| Robert Tresilian ( 12573 ) | William Roger and John Smyth rise up in Essex and London (4089) | Justice |
