Stow, in his “Survey” (ed. Thomas, p. 96), says that Longbeard was hanged at “the Elms in Smithfield,” but there is no authority for this.
The evidence that “The Elms” of Tyburn was the place of execution is full: “Ad furcas prope Tyburnam,” Chronicle of Ralph de Diceto, ed. Stubbs, ii. 143; “ad furcas prope Tiburcinam,” Roger of Wendover, ed. Coxe, iii. 95, ed. Hewlett, i. 244; Gervase of Canterbury has “ad Ulmos,” ed. Stubbs, i. 533-4; “ad Ulmetum,” Matthew Paris, Chron. Maj., ed. Luard, ii. 419; Hist. Anglor., ed. Madden, ii. 57-8.
Diceto, Dean of St. Paul’s, is believed to have died about 1202; Roger of Wendover died in 1236: their evidence is, therefore, first-hand.
1177. From the accounts of the execution of Longbeard it is quite clear that in 1196 Tyburn was established as the place of execution; in the detailed accounts given there is no hint that this was the first execution carried out here. It has been shown that gallows existed here as early, probably, as 1170. When, therefore, we find mention of an execution of a date earlier than that of Longbeard, taking place at London, for a crime of which the royal court would necessarily have cognisance, it is at least highly probable that Tyburn, though not expressly mentioned, was the place of execution.
The crime of 1177 is one of those few social crimes, as distinguished from political offences, of which the chroniclers make mention; the story reveals a strange picture of the manners of the time.
During a council held at London the brother of the Earl of Ferrers was murdered in his inn, the body being afterwards thrown into the mud of the street. When the king heard of this he was greatly moved, and swore that he would visit the crime heavily upon the citizens of London. For it was said that a hundred and more of the sons and relatives of the nobles of the City were in the habit of breaking into the houses of wealthy men for the purpose of robbery. And if they found any one going by night about the streets they forthwith murdered him without pity, so that for fear of them few dared to go about the City by night. So it came about that in the third year before this, the sons and nephews of certain nobles of the City, meeting together by night, for the sake of plunder broke into the stone house of a certain rich man of London, using iron wedges for the purpose of making an opening, by which they entered. But the head of the house had been warned beforehand of their intent, wherefore he put on a leather cuirass, and had with him several nobles and trusty servants also protected by armour, sitting with him in a corner of the house. And when he saw one of those thieves, by name Andrew Bucquinte, pressing on in front of the others with glowing face, he brought forward a pot full of live coals, and hurriedly kindled some wax tapers which he carried in his hand, and rushed upon him. Which beholding, the said Andrew Bucquinte drew his knife from its sheath and struck the master of the house; but he failed to wound him because the blow fell upon the cuirass. And the master of the house quickly drawing his sword from its sheath, returned the blow, and lopped off the right hand of the said Andrew Bucquinte, crying with a loud voice, “Thieves, thieves!” and hearing this all fled except him who had lost his hand, he being held by the master of the house. And when day broke he took him to Richard de Lucy, the king’s justice, who threw him into prison. And the thief, on promise of life and limb, gave up the names of his companions, many of whom were taken, though many also escaped. Among those taken was a certain very noble and very rich citizen of London, by name John Senex, who being unable to clear himself by the ordeal of water, offered to the king five hundred marks of silver for his life. But as he was condemned by the ordeal of water, the king refused to accept the money, and ordered that judgment should be done upon him, and he was hanged.[113]
1222. In one of the ancient records of the City of London, the “Liber de Antiquis Legibus,” there occur two short notices:—
A.D. 1197, Constantine Fitz-Athulf and Robert le Bel (as Sheriffs).
A.D. 1221. In this year Constantine Fitz-Athulf was hanged, and that without trial.
The story of the execution without trial of one who had been sheriff of the great and powerful City compels attention. It is thus told by the chroniclers, the date assigned being 1222 or 1223:—