Information against Robert Ledham

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INFORMATION AGAINST ROBERT LEDHAM¹

THEES be the persons that enformyd the Justicez of the
     Kyngis Benche the last terme of suche ryottis as hath
     be done be Robert Ledham: The Lord Skales, Sir
Thomas Todenham, Sir John Chalers, Edmond Clere, Water
George, John Alyngton, Gilbert Debenham, John Denston,
William Whit, William Alyngton, Reynald Rows, John
Berney, Richard Suthwell, John Paston, John Henyngham,
Raff Shelton, Henry Grey.

     These be the names of the knyghtes and esquyers that
endittyd Robert Ledham:—Thomas Todenham, knyght,
Androw Ogard, knyght, John Henygham, knyght, William
Calthorp, esquyer, Bryan Stapelton, esquyer, Osbert Mond-
ford, esquyer, John Groos, esquyer, William Rokwod, esquyer,
Thomas Morle, esquyer, Thomas Scholdham, esquyer, John
Wyndham, esquyer, John Berney, esquyer, William Narbow,
esquyer, John Chippysby, esquyer, William White, esquyer,
John Bryston, esquyer, John Paston, esquyer.

     These be dyvers of the ryottis and offensis done in the
hundred of Blofeld in the counte of Norffolk, and in other
townys be Robert Lethum, otherwyse callyd Robert Ledham
of Wytton, be Blofeld in the counte of Norffolk, and by his
ryottys men and by other of his affinitez and knowleche, whos
names folowyn, and that they contynually folow and resorte
unto his hous, and ther be supported and maynteynet and
confortid.

     These be the principall menealle men of the sayd
Robert Ledham ys hous be the whiche the sayd ryottys
have be done, that use in substaunce non other occupacion
but ryottys:—In primis, John Cokett, Thomas Bury, Thomas
Cokowe, Cristofer Bradlee, Elys Dukworth, William Don-
mowe, Cristofer Grenesheve, Roger Chirche. Notwyth-
stondyng the sayd Robert Ledham kypith dayly many mo in
his house and chaungeth such as have be oppenly knowyn for
riottis and takith other for hem as evill as they. And these
be the most principale persons comyng and resortyng unto the
house of the sayd Robert Ledham, and ther be supportid and
mayntened in ryottes be whom the sayd ryottes have be don,
that ys to sey: In primis, Robert Taillor, Henry Bang, Robert
Dallyng, John Beston, Charles Navell, John, the sone of
Roger Ratclyff, Robert Berton; notwythstondyng ther be
money moo whos names ben unknowyn. With the which
persons, and many moo unknowyn, the sayd Robert Ledham
kept atte his hous in maner of a forcelet and issith ouute atte
here pleaysour and atte his lust, the sayd Ledham to assigne,
somtyme vj. and sometyme xij., somtyme xxx^ti and moo,
armyd, jakkid, and salettyd, with bowys and arrowys, speris,
billys, and over ryde the countrey and oppressid the Kyngs
peple, and didde mony oryble and abhomynable dedes, like to
have be destruccion of the enhabitantes in the sayd hundred,
in the forme that folowyth, and warse.

     In primis, on the Monday¹ next before Ester day and the
shire daye, the xxx. yere of oure soverayne Lord the Kyng, X.
persons of the sayd riottors, with a brother of the wyff of the
sayd Robert Lethum, laye in awayte in the hyght way under
Thorpe Wode upon Phillip Berney, esquyer, and his man
comyng from the shire, and shette atte hym and smote the
hors of the sayd Phillipp with arowes, and than over rode
hym, and toke hym and bette hym and spoillid hym. And
for thayr excuse of this ryot, they ledde hym to the Bysshopp
of Norwiche, axyng seuerte of the peas wher they hadde never
waraunt hym to areste. Which affray shorttyd the lyffdayes
of the sayd Phillippe, whiche dyed withynne shorte tyme after
the said affray.²

     Item, iij. of the sayd riottys feloshippe the same day, yere,
and place, laye on awayte uppon Edmond Broune, gentilman,
and with naked swerdes and other wepyng faght wyth hym be
the space of on qaurte (sic) of an houre, and toke and spoillyd
hym, and kepte hym as long as them lyst, and after that lette
hym goo.

     Item, xl^ti of the sayd riottys felowshipp, be the comaunde-
ment of the same Robert Lethum, jakket and saletted, with
bowes, arowys, billys, and gleyves, oppon Mauyndy Thurs-
day,³ atte iiij. of the clokke atte after nonne, the same yere,
comyn to the White Freres in Norwyche, and wold have
brokyn theyr yates and dorys, feynyng thaym that they wold
hire thayre evesong. Where they ware aunswered suche
service was non used to be there, nor withyn the sayd citee
atte that tyme of the daye, and prayd them to departe; and
they aunswered and sayd that affore thayre departyng they
wold have somme persons ouute of that place, qwykke or
dede, insomuch the sayd freris were fayn to kype thaire place
with forsse. And the mayr and the sheriffe of the sayd cite
were fayn to arere a power to resyst the sayd riotts, which to
hem on that holy tyme was tediose and heynous, consedryng
the losse and lettyng of the holy service of that holy nyght.
And theroppon the sayd ryotors departid.

     Item, the sayd Robert Lethum, on the Monday¹ nest after
Esterne day, the same yere, toke from on John Wilton iiij.
neet for rent arere, as he said, and killed hem and layd them
in salte, and afterward ete hem.

     Item, the sayd Robert Lethum, with vj. of his sayd ryottes,
the same yere made assaute uppon John Wilton in Plumstede
churche yerde, and theer so bete hym that he was in doute
of his lyff; and also dede to hym many grete wronggys and
oppressioun, unto the undoyng of the sayd John Wilton.

     Item, in lyke wyse the sayd Robert Lethum and his men
assauted on John Coke of Witton, in brekyng uppe his dorys
atte a xi. of the cloke in the nyght, and wyth thaire swerdys
maymed hym and gaff hym vij. grete wondys, and toke from
hym certayn goodys and catalls, of the whiche he hadde, nor
yitte hath, no remedy nor restitution.

     Item, the same day and yere they bete the moder of the
same John Coke, she beyng iiij^xx. [four score] vere of age and
more, and smote hure uppon the crowne of here hed with a
swerd; of the whiche hurte she myght never be helyd into
the day of hure deth.

     Item, John, the sone of Hodge Ratleffe, and other of the
sayd felowshipp, toke on Thomas Baret of Byrlygham out
of his house, and bete hym and wondid hym that he kept
his bedde a month, and toke from hym certayn goodes and
catells.

     Item, the sayd Robert Taillor, because the sayd Thomas
Baret complayned of the same betyng, lay in awayte oppon
hym, with other of his feloushippe, and bete hym agayn.

     Item, John Beston and the sayd Robert Taillor, and other
of the sayd riottes felowshipp, toke on Thomas Byrden of
Lyngewod and bete hym and prisoned hym till unto such
tyme that he was delyvered by the mene of my Lord of
Norwych; and for that sorow, distres, and grete payne and
betyng, the sayd Thomas Byrden toke suche kynesse that he
dyed.

     Item, the sayd Robert Dallyng and Herry Bange, and
other of the sayd felowshippe, toke and bete on Nicholas
Chirche atte Strumpeshawe, beyng in the church of the same
towne, that he was [in] dout of his lyff.

     Item, the sayd Robert Dallyng lay on awayt uppon on
Thomas Dallyng, and hym grevously bete.

     Item, on Middleynt Sunday,¹ the xxx^ti yere of oure sove-
raigne Lorde the Kynge that now ys, Robert Dallyng, Robert
Churche, Robert Taillor, Herry Bang, Adam atte More, with
other unknowyn, be the comaundement and assent of the
sayd Robert Ledham, made affray uppon Herry Smyth
and Thomas Chambre atte Suthbirlyngham, the sayd Herry
and Thomas and that tyme knelyng to see the usyng of
the masse, and than and ther wold have kyllyd the sayd
Herry and Thomas atte the prestys bakke, ne had they be
lettyd.

     Item, the sayd Robert Lethum, with his sayd ryottis felaw-
shipp, the same yere dide and made so many ryottes in the
hundred where he dwellyth that dyvers and many gentilmen,
frankeleyns, and good men, durst not abyde in here mansyon
place, ne ryde, nother walke aboute thaire occupacions without
mo persons, arrayd in maner and forme of werre attendyng
and waytyng uppon them than thayr lyvelode wold extende
to fynde hem. And so, for savacion of thaire lyves, and in
eschewyng of suche inordinat costys as never was seen in that
countrey befor, many of them forsoke and leffte thaire owyn
habitacion, wyff and childe, and drewe to fortresses and good
townes as for that tyme.

     In primis, Phillipp Berney, esquyer, Edmond Broom to
Castre; Thomas Holler, John Wylton to Norwych; Oliver
Kubyte to Seynt Benetts; Robert Spany to Aylesham; Thomas
Baret, with many others, to Meche Yermouth and to other
placys of strenght.

     Item, the sayd Robert Ledham, contynuyng in this wyse,
callyd unto hym his sayd mysgoverned felowshipp, consydryng
the absence of many of the well-rewlyd people of the sayd
hundred of affere cast malice, and congected, purposed and
labored to the sheriff of the shire that the sayd Roger Chirche,
on of the sayd riottous felawshipp, was made bailly of the
hundred; and after causid the same Roger to be begynner of
arysyng and to take oppon hym to be a captayn and to excite
the peple of the countrey therto. And ther oppon, be covyne
of the sayd Robert Ledhaum; to appeche all these sayd well
rewlyd persones, and as well other divers substanciall men of
good fame and good governaunce that were hated be the sayd
Robert Ledhaum, and promittyng the sayd Roger harmeles
and to sew his pardon be the mene of Danyell; to the which
promyse the sayd Rogger aggreed, and was arested and take
be the sayd Ledham be covyne betwixt hem, and appeched
suche persons as they lust, to the entente that the sayd sub-
stanciall men of the countre shuld be by that mene so trowblyd
and indaungered that they shuld not be of power to lette and
resist the mys rewle of the sayd Ledham and his mysgoverned
felawshipp, the whiche mater ys confessid by the sayd Roger
Chirch.

     Item, William Breton and John Berton, and other of the
sayd ryottes, come into the place of on Robert Spany of
Poswyke and serched his housez, hous be hous, for to have
bete hym yf they myght have founde hym.

     Item, William Donmowe, servaunt of the sayd Robert
Ledham, and by his comaundement, the same yere bete the
parson of Hashyngham, and brake his hede in his owyn
chauncell.

     Item, the sayd Thomas Bery, Elys Dukworth, Thomas
Cokowe, George of Chamer, the V. day of Novembre last
past, with divers other onknowyn men, onto the nombre of
xx. persons, and noman of reputacion among hem, comen,
under color of huntyng, and brake uppe gatys and closys of
Osburne Monford atte Brayston; and xij. persons of the same
felowshipp, with bowys bent and arowys redy in thair handys,
abode alone betwixt the maner of Brayston and the chirche,
and there kept hem from vij. of the clokke on the mornyng
unto iij. of the clokk after none, lyyng in awayte oppon the
servauntez of the sayd Osburne Monford, lorde of the sayd
maner, so that nonne durst comen ouut for doute of thair
lyves.

     Item, viij. of the sayd felowshipp, on the Wennesday
next after, prevely in an hole layn in awayte oppon William
Edworth and Robert Camplyon, servauntz to the sayd Osburn
Montford, comyng from Okill¹ market, till that tyme that the
said William Owell and Robert come uppon hem onwarre,
and theruppon chasid hem so that yf they had not be well
horssyd and well askapped, they had ben dede and slayne.

     Item, vj. or vij. of the sayd Ledamys men dayly, boyth
werkeday and haly day, use to goo aboute in the countrey
with bowys and arowys, shotyng and playng in mennys closis
among men catall, goyng from alhous to alhousez and manass-
yng suche as they hated, and soght occasion and quarels and
debate.

     Item, notwithstandyng that all the lyvelod that the sayd
Ledham hath passith not xxli. [£20], be sydes the reparacion
and outcharges, and that he hath no connyng ne trew mene of
getyng of any good in this countre, as for as any man may
conceyve, and yette xypith in his house dayly xx. men, besydes
women and gret multitude of such mysgoverned peple as ben
resortyng to hym, as ys above sayd, to the whiche he yevith
clothyng, and yitte bysyde that he yevith to other men that be
not dwellyng in his household; and of the sayd xx. men ther
passith not viij. that use occupacion of husbondrye; and all
they that use husbondrye, as well as other, be jakked and
salettid redy for to werre, which yn this countrey ys thoght
ryght straunge, and ys verely so conceyved that he may not
kepe this countenance be no good menes.

     Item, the sayd Ledham hath a supersedias oute of the
chauncerie for hym and divers of hys men, that no warant of
justice of pees may be served agayn hem.

     Item, please unto your Lordshipp to remembre that the
sayd Ledham and his sayd mysgoverned feloushipp be endited
of many of these articles and of many moo not comprehendit
here, and in especiall of the sayd rysyng agayn the Kyng.
Wherfore, though the sayd Ledham can prove the sayd
enditement of treson voyde in the lawe for symplenesse of
them that gaffe the verdit, that it lyke you, for the Kyngs
availl, not redely to suffre the sayd Ledham to departe atte
large unto the tyme that the mater of the sayd enditement be
better enquered of for the Kyngs avayll, and that the sayd
Ledham fynde surte of his good aberyng; and the inhabi-
tauntz of the sayd hundred of Blofeld shall pray for you.
And els they be lyke to be destruyd for ever.

     ¹ [From Add. Charter 16,545, B.M.] This paper refers mainly to events of
1452 and 1453, but was probably drawn up in 1454, after the Duke of York had
come into power.

     ¹ 3rd April 1452.

     ² Philip Berney died, as we have seen, on the 2nd July 1453, fifteen months after
the date assigned to the outrage.

     ³ 6th April 1452.

¹ 10th April 1452.

¹ 19th March 1452.

¹ Acle.

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