1.

On 14 Jan. 1515 Richard Screvener late of West Horndon in Essex, ' laborer,' took sanctuary in Salehurst parish church and asked for the coroner of Hastings rape. Thereupon Nicholas Tufton, coroner of George Hastynges, knight, lord of Hastings, of his rape of Hastings, went to him and on 16 Jan, Richard voluntarily confessed before him that on 30 Dec. 1514, he, with William Joynkelyn late of Farningham in Kent, ' laborer,' assaulted John a Wode with a staff worth 1d. at West Thurrock in Essex, beat, wounded and ill-treated him so that his life was despaired of, and stole a ' blewe ' coat worth 5s., a red cap worth 2d., a sword worth l6d., a shield worth 20d., a dagger worth 8d., a shirt worth 12d., and 3s. in money belonging to him there; for this felony he sought to abjure the realm and thereupon did so, never to return without the special licence and forgiveness of the present king.

 

The port of Rye was assigned to him for leaving the kingdom and a cross was placed in his right hand according to the law and custom of England.

 

[Delivered by the coroner to John Butler and John More, gaol delivery justices, at East Grinstead on 17 July and by Simon Fitz in John Butler's name to King's Bench on Wednesday after Michaelmas three weeks].

 

2.

On 29 May 1520 John Malpas late of Tonbridge in Kent, ' laborer,' took sanctuary in the church of Battle abbey within the abbot of Battle's liberty and asked for a coroner. Thereupon Edward Feld, coroner within the liberty, went to him and on 1 June, John voluntarily confessed before him that on 20 Sept, 1509 he and three other men slew a man whom they did not know with swords and bills at Berwick upon Tweed; for this murder he sought to abjure the realm and thereupon did so, never to return without the king's special licence and forgiveness.

 

 

The port of Rye was assigned to him for leaving the kingdom and a cross was placed in his right hand. John Wylegose, John Adams, John Kyngeswell, John Berde and others were present at the abjuration.

 

[Delivered by the coroner (called one of the coroners of the liberty) to John Fyneux and John More, knights, justices in Sussex, and by John More to King's Bench on Monday after Michaelmas three weeks.]

 

3.

Letter of 5 Jan. 1527 from Philip Cooper, county coroner, to the king's justices. On 5 Jan. Thomas Wulvyn the younger, late of Ferring, ' laborer,' who was in sanctuary in the chapel of St. John the Baptist at Poling, confessed before the coroner that he was a felon and thief in that on 28 Dec 1526, he assaulted Thomas Grenehill at Ferring, striking him on the head with a staff so that he immediately died; for this and many other offences he sought to abjure the realm and to be assigned a port.

 

The coroner granted this request, received his oath according to the law of England, assigned him the port of Hastings for his voyage, gave him a cross in his right hand and committed him to the tithingman and tithing of Poling to lead him from town to town by the right road towards the port.

 

[Delivered to King's Bench by John More, knight, gaol delivery justice, on Wednesday, Michaelmas three weeks.]

 

4.

On 28 March 1527 Thomas Goffe late of Chichester, ' capper,' fled to the church of the Friars Preacher in Chichester for sanctuary and asked for a coroner to record what he wished to confess. Thereupon William Royse and John Cressewellor the younger, Chichester city coroners, went to him and of his own free will Thomas confessed that he was a felon and murderer in that between 8 and 9 p.m. on that day he assaulted Richard Barbor at Chichester with a knife worth 1d. which he held in his right hand, striking him on the left side of his stomach and giving him a wound of which he died within two days.

 

For this reason he took sanctuary and on 5 April abjured the realm before the said coroners, never to return without the king's licence and special forgiveness. The port of Portsmouth was assigned to him for leaving the kingdom and a cross was put in his right hand according to the law and custom of England.

 

 

[Delivered to King's Bench with No. 3. On 30 March the same two coroners held an inquest on the body of Richard Barbor of Chichester, ' capper,' when it was found that he was assaulted as above by Thomas, who had come to his house in the parish of the Sub-deanery, and died about 9 a.m. on 30 March. Thomas was ultimately outlawed on a writ of exigent in the county court held at Chichester on 17 Dec. 1528.]

 

5.

On 9 Aug. 1529 Thomas Bauxere late of Robertsbridge, 'laborer, ' took sanctuary in the church of the abbey of St. Mary at Robertsbridge within the liberty of Thomas earl of Wiltshire and Ormond of his rape of Hastings and asked for a coroner.

 

Thereupon Nicholas Tufton, coroner within the liberty, went to him and on 9 Aug, Thomas voluntarily confessed before him that on 10 Oct. 1527 he assaulted Richard Bauxere at Greystead in Northumberland (Craysted in Cumberland), striking him on the head with a sword worth 20d, which he held in both hands and giving him a wound of which he immediately died; for this reason he sought to abjure the realm and thereupon did so, never to return without the special licence and forgiveness of the present king.

 

The port of Rye was assigned to him for leaving the kingdom and a cross was put in his right hand according to the law and custom of England.

[Delivered by the coroner to John More, knight, and Thomas Inglefeld, Lewes gaol delivery justices, at Horsham on 21 July 1530 and in their name by Richard Lyndesell, clerk of assize in Sussex, to King's Bench on Monday after the morrow of All Souls.]

 

6.

On 16 May 1530 Henry Danby late of London, ' baker,' took sanctuary in Chichester cathedral and asked for a coroner before whom he wished to confess.

 

Thereupon William Royse and John Cresseweller, Chichester city coroners, went to him on 18 May and of his own free will he confessed before them that he was a felon and murderer in that on 24 Aug. 1529, he assaulted a Friar Minor whom he did not know at Gadshill in the parish of Higham in Kent with a staff worth 2d. which he held in both hands, striking him on the left side of his head and giving him a wound to the brain of which he immediately died; also on 15 May 1530 he broke William Jupe's house and close near Horsham and broke and entered the house and close of John Colyn of Washington, stealing ' coottes,' ' dublettes,' ' gerkyns,' ' kerchers,' ' gyrdelles,' ' taches ' (sc. buckles or straps), ' nycettes ' (sc. nycettes, neck-cloths), ' apruns ' and other things worth 40s.

 

For these reasons he sought to abjure the realm and thereupon did so before the coroners at the cathedral gate, never to return without the king's licence and special pardon. In witness of this abjuration Henry was marked with the letter A on the inside of his right hand under the thumb according to the statute enacted in the parliament held at Westminster in the year 21 Henry VIII.

 

The port of Portsmouth in Hampshire was assigned to him for leaving the kingdom and a cross was put in his right hand by the coroners according to the law and custom of England.

[Delivered to King's Bench by John Creseweller on Saturday after the Quindene of Easter 1532. Henry was later arrested and hanged in Michaelmas term 1532.]

 

 

7.

Letter of 14 Nov. 1531 from Philip Cooper, county coroner, to the Lewes castle gaol delivery justices.

 

John Flexston late of the parish of St. Margaret the Virgin in ' le Oldbayly ' outside Ludgate in the city of London alias John Flexston late of London, ' taylour,' who was in sanctuary in the parish church of St. Nicholas in Itchingfield, confessed before the coroner on 14 Nov. that he was a felon and thief in that about 11 p.m. on 14 Feb. 1530 he, together with Thomas Fowle late of ? in Kent, ' servyngman,' and Randal Platte late of Greenwich in Kent, ' barbour,' broke and entered William Wylkynson's close and dwelling-house at Burley in Rutland and assaulted John Digge late of Burley, ' laborer,' so beating and wounding him that he died at Burley within six days; also on the same day and in the same company he stole £32 in money belonging to William Wylkynson which they found in a chest in his chamber in the house.

John refused to come before the justices for these felonies but asked to be abjured by the coroner from all the liberties of the realm and for the sanctuary of Beaulieu in Hampshire to be assigned to him by his own choice according to the recent statute. On John's taking the oath according to the statute and when he had been marked with the letter A on his right hand, the coroner committed him to Richard Hill, one of the constables of Singlecross (Shyngilcrosse) hundred, to lead him to the sanctuary where he was to stay according to the statute. John had no goods or chattels.

[Delivered by the coroner to Thomas Inglefeld, knight, and Christopher Hales, attorney-general, Lewes gaol delivery justices, at Horsham on 17 July 1532 and by [Richard?] Lyncell, clerk of assize, in their name to King's Bench on Tuesday after Michaelmas three weeks.]

 

8.

On 30 Nov. 1531 John Sawer of Playden, 'carpenter,' took sanctuary in Ninfield parish church and asked for the coroner within Hastings rape.

 

Thereupon on 1 Dec. Nicholas Tufton, coroner within the said liberty, went to him and John in the legally appointed form voluntarily confessed before him that he was a felon and that on 30 May 1529 he assaulted Thomas Boode at East Dereham in Norfolk with a dagger worth 1d. which he held in his right hand, striking him on his right arm and giving him a wound of which he died within two days; for this he sought to abjure the realm and thereupon did so at the gate of the church, never to return without the king's licence and special pardon.

 

In witness of this abjuration he was marked with the letter A on the inside of his right hand under the thumb according to the statute enacted in the parliament held at Westminster in the year 21 Henry VIII. He chose the sanctuary at Beaulieu monastery in Hampshire, which was assigned to him by the coroner, to stay there for life according to the statute.

 

[Delivered by the coroner to Horsham and then to King's Bench with No. 7.]

 

9.

Letter of 18 May 1532 from Philip Cooper, county coroner, to the Lewes castle gaol delivery justices.

 

Clemence Smyth late of Broadwater, ' spynster,' who was in sanctuary in the church of the Assumption of St. Mary in Broadwater, confessed before the coroner on 18 May that she was a thief and felon in that about noon on 30 April she killed her baby girl, a child which had no father, in a remote (secreto) place called ' Calowsgarden ' in Broadwater by crushing its body under her feet.

 

She refused to come before the justices for this murder, but sought to abjure all the liberties of the realm and to be assigned by her own choice the sanctuary of Beaulieu in Hampshire according to the recent statute. On her taking the oath according to the statute and being marked on her right hand with the letter A, the coroner committed her to the constable of Brightford (Byrtford) hundred to lead her to the sanctuary where she was to stay according to the statute. She had no goods or chattels'

 

[Delivered by the coroner to Horsham and then to King's Bench with No. 7.]

 

10.

Letter of 12 Aug. 1532 from the same coroner to the same justices.

 

On 12 Aug. William More late of Bristol, ' maryner,' who was in sanctuary in the church of the Nativity of St. Mary at Lancing, confessed before the coroner that he was a felon and thief in that on 18 July he assaulted an unknown man at Great Yarmouth in Norfolk with a ' botehoke,' striking him on the top of his head and giving him a wound of which he immediately died; also on 3 Aug. he broke and entered the close and house of Simon Combes at Lancing and stole a ' violet ' coat worth 6s. 8d. and a knife called ' an hanger ' worth 8d. belonging to Simon.

 

William refused to come before the justices for these felonies and asked the coroner to be abjured from the realm and all its liberties and to be assigned by his own choice the sanctuary of Beaulieu in Hampshire according to the recent statute. On William's taking the oath and being marked on his right hand with the letter A, the coroner committed him to Walter Barbour, one of the constables of Brightford (Birtford) hundred, to lead him to the sanctuary where he was to stay according to the statute.

 

[Delivered by the coroner to Thomas Inglefeld, knight, and Christopher Hales, attorney-general, Lewes gaol delivery justices. at Horsham on 16 July 1533 and in their name by Richard Lyndesell, clerk of assize, to King's Bench on Monday, the Quindene of Michaelmas.]

 

11.

On 7 Sept. 1533 Edward Holand late of Chichester, ' taylor,' took sanctuary in the church of the Friars Preacher in Chichester and asked for a coroner because he wished to confess.

 

Thereupon on 10 Sept. William Royse and John Creseweller, Chichester city coroners, went to him and he voluntarily confessed before them that he was a felon and murderer in that before midnight on 5 Sept. he assaulted William Skynner in South Street, Chichester, with a large stone which he held in his right hand, striking him on the top of his head and giving him a wound to the brain of which he died within two days.

 

Because of this Edward took sanctuary and on 10 Sept. sought to abjure all his liberties, possessions and free habitations within the realm. He voluntarily chose to go to the sanctuary of Beaulieu (Bewdeley) there to stay and never to leave it without the king's licence and pardon according to the recent statute. There-upon Edward voluntarily abjured in the church. He was marked on his right hand with the letter A according to the statute and committed to the constable of the said (sic) parish to lead him from constable to constable to the sanctuary without injury or danger to his life, and a wooden cross was put in his right hand according to the law and custom of England.

 

Witness..?.... constable. . ?. . . . "

 

[Delivered by the coroners to William Shelley, knight, and Christopher Hales, attorney-general, Lewes gaol delivery justices, at Horsham on 3 Aug. 1534 and by Richard Lyndesey in their name to King's Bench on Thursday after Michaelmas three weeks.

 

On 10 Sept. 1533 Richard Awdeby, one of the coroners of the liberty of Robert bishop of Chichester, William the dean and the cathedral chapter, held an inquest at ' le Canon Gate ' in Chichester on the body of William Skynner alias Hobbyns, late the servant of the said bishop and keeper of his palace at Chichester. It was found that on 7 Sept. William had been drinking and making trouble with Edward and others in a Chichester inn called ' le White Horse.'

 

About 1a.m. Edward left the inn and went to the city square. William followed him, drew his sword and tried to kill him. Edward fled until cornered and then in legitimate self-defence crushed William's head with ' a flynt stone ' on the king's highway in the upper ward of ' lie Southestrate.' Edward immediately fled to the said church.

 

William died of his wound in the palace of Chichester about 7 a.m, on 10 Sept. The jurors knew nothing of Edward's goods or lands. This inquest was delivered to King's Bench on Wednesday after Midsummer 1534 by John Pace in the coroner's name on a writ dated 12 May 1534. Edward was arrested and then received a charter of pardon.]

 

 

 

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