1424. The Parliament sitting in this year “ordained that what prysoner for grand or petty treason was committed to ward, & after wilfully brake or made an escape from the same, it should bee deemed pettie treason.” Sir John Mortimer lay in the Tower, accused of divers points of treason. “Which John Mortimer, after the statute aforesaid escaped out of the tower, and was taken againe vpon the tower wharfe sore beaten and wounded, and on the morrowe brought to Westminster, and by the authoritie of the said parliament, hee was drawne to Tyburne, hanged & headed.” (Stow, Annals, p. 365.) Stow refers to Hall, who says: “In the tyme of which Parliament also, whether it were, either for deserte or malice, or to auoyde thynges that might chaunce, accordyng to a prouerbe, whiche saith, a dead man doth no harme: Sir Iohn Mortimer … was attainted of treason and put to execution: of whose death no small slaunder arose emongest the common people.”[141]
1427. Ande that same yere a theffe that was i-callyd Wille Wawe was hangyd at Tyborne (Gregory’s Chronicle, p. 161).
Insignificant as this record appears, it is really of great interest. As the present annals show, ordinary crimes and their punishment received little or rather no attention from the chroniclers. We have now traversed two and a half centuries since the first recorded execution that we can put to the account of Tyburn. We have found but one case, that of the terrible tragedy of the murdered cook of Chepe, and the judicial error resulting in the execution of four or five innocent persons, in which the actors or sufferers were of humble rank. Gregory’s Chronicle is supposed to have been written by William Gregory, skinner, mayor of London. It is certain that the author was a citizen of London. Being this, the phases of daily life in London would naturally have for him a greater interest than for the monk who looked on the world from the scriptorium of his monastery. To the fact that Gregory was a citizen of London we doubtless owe this notice—too brief—of Wille Wawe. The hanging of thieves was too common to attract attention. We shall admit the probability that Wille was distinguished from the rest of his tribe by superior daring or success: had he, perhaps, robbed the author of the Chronicle?
1437. Also the same yere on William Goodgrom, of London, corsour, for scleynge of a man of court in Hosyere Lane be syde Smythfeld, was hangen at Tybourne (Chronicle of London, 1827, p. 123.)
A coursour, or courser, was a dealer in horses. (Riley, “Memorials of London and London Life,” p. 366 and note.)
1441. Roger Bolinbrooke, a great Astronomer, with Thomas Southwell, a Chanon of Saynt Stephens Chappell at Westminster, were taken as conspiratours of the Kings death, for it was said, that the same Roger shoulde labour to consume the kings person by way of Negromancie, & the said Thomas should say Masses in the lodge of Harnesey park beside London, upon certaine instruments, with the which the said Roger should vse his craft of Negromancie, against the faith, and was assenting to the said Roger, in all his workes. And the 5. and twentith day of July being Sun-day, Roger Bolinbrooke, with all his instruments of Negromancie, that is to say, a chayre paynted wherein he was wont to sit, vppon the 4. corners of which chayre stoode foure swords, and vppon euery sword an image of copper hanging, with many other instruments: hee stoode on a high Scaffolde in Paules Churchyard, before yᵉ crosse, holding a sword in his right hand, and a scepter in his left, arrayed in a maruellous attire, and after the Sermon was ended by maister Low Byshop of Rochester, he abiured all articles longing to the crafte of Negromancie or missowning to the faith, in presence of the Archb. of Canterbury, the Cardinall of Winchester, the byshop of London, Salisbury and many other.
On the Tuesday next following, dame Elianor Cobham, daughter to Reginald Cobham Lord of Stirbrough: Dutchesse of Glocester fledde by night into the Sanctuary at Westminster, which caused her to be suspected of treason.
In the meane time Roger Bolinbrooke, was examined before the Kings Counsaile, where he confessed that he wrought the saide Negromancie at the stirring and procurement of the said Dame Elianor, to know what should befall of her, and to what estate she should come, whereuppon shee was cited to appeare before Henry Chicheley, Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry Beaufort bishoppe of Winchester Cardinall: Iohn Kempe Archb. of Yorke Cardinall: William Ascothe bishop of Salisburie, & other in Saynt Stephens Chappell at Westminster, there to answere to certaine Articles in number 28. of Negromancie, witch-crafte, sorcerie, heresie, and treason, where when shee appeared, the foresaide Roger was brought forth to witnes against her, and said, that shee was cause and first stirred him to labour in the sayd Art. Then on the 11. of August, shee was committed to the ward of Sir John Steward, Sir William Wolfe Knights, Iohn Stanley Esquier, and other, to be conueyed to the Castle of Leedes, there to remaine till 3. weekes after Michaelmas.
Shortly after a commission was directed to the Earles of Huntington, Stafford, Suffolke and Northumberland, the treasurer sir Ralph Cromwall, Iohn Cornwall, Lord Fanhope, sir Walter Hungerforde, and to certaine Judges of both Benches, to enquire of all manner of treasons, sorceries, & other things that might be hurtfull to the Kings person, before whome the sayde Roger, and Thomas Southwell, as principals, and Dame Elianor as accessary, were indicted of treason in the Guilde Hall of London.
There was taken also Margery Gurdemaine a witch of Eye besides Westminster, whose sorcerie and witchcrafte the said Elianor hadde long time vsed, and by her medicines & drinkes enforced the Duke of Glocester to loue her, and after to wedde her, wherefore, and for cause of relapse, the same Witch was brent in Smithfield, on the twentie-seauen day of October.