Moreouer, they were in like manner constreined to seale thrée seuerall obligations, in which the abbat and conuent were bound to the said inhabitants, as to a communaltie of a corporation, in seauen thousand pounds, as in two thousand by one obligation, and in two thousand by an other, and in thrée thousand by the third obligation: and further they were driuen to seale a letter of release of all trespasses, and other things that might be demanded against the said inhabitants, with a generall acquittance of all debts. Beside this, the said riotous persons tooke at the same time foorth of the abbie great riches, as well in plate, armor, books, & apparell, as in other things. They also brake downe two houses or messuages, that belonged to the abbeie, and situate within the towne of Burie: they also destroied his fish-ponds, and tooke out such store of fish as they found in the same: they cut downe also thréescore ashes there growing on the soile that belonged to the said abbat, and did manie other great outrages and enormities, so that it was found by the inquest, that the abbat was damnified to the value of other fortie thousand pounds.
The third riot.
These riots may séeme gréeuous and verie strange, but yet the same were not so heinouslie taken, as an other which the said inhabitants of Burie attempted against the said abbeie in manner of a plaine commotion, vpon saint Lukes day in the same yeare, at what time (as by the records of that abbeie it should appeare) both the abbat and his house were in the kings speciall protection, and the said inhabitants prohibited by his letters to attempt anie iniurie against him or his conuent. But neuerthelesse we find that not onelie the inhabitants of Burie, but also a great number of other misgouerned persons, that resorted to them from places there about, arraied and furnished with horsse, armor and weapons, after the manner of warre, came and assaulted the abbeie gates, set fire on them, and burned them with diuerse other houses néere adioining, that belonged to the abbeie, and continued in that their riotous enterprise all that day and the night following.
The manour of Holdernesse barne.
The manour of Westlie burnt.
The same night also they burnt a manor of the abbats called Holdernesse barne, with two other manors called the Almoners barne, and Haberdone, also the granges that stood without the south gate, and the manour of Westlie, in which places they burned in corne & graine, to the value of a thousand pounds. The next daie they entered into the abbeie court, and burnt all the houses on the north side, as stables, brewhouses, bakehouses, garners, and other such necessarie houses and conuenient roomes of offices; and on the other side the court, they burnt certeine houses belonging to the Almonrie. On the next daie they burned the mote hall, and Bradford hall, with the new hall, and diuerse chambers and sollers to the same halles annexed, with the chapell of saint Laurence at the end of the hospitall hall. Also the manor of Eldhall, the manor of Horninger, with all the corne and graine within and about the same.
The manour of Fornham burnt.
The next day they burnt the soller of the Sollerer, with a chapell there: also the kitchin, the larder, and a part of the farmarie. On the thursdaie they burnt the residue of the farmarie, and the lodging called the blacke lodging, with a chapell of S. Andrew therein. In executing of all these riotous disorders, one Geffrie Moreman was an aider, who with diuerse other persons vnknowne, departed foorth of the towne of Burie, and by the assent of the other his complices he burnt the manor of Fornham. The same day also other of their companie, as William the sonne of Iames Neketon, Rafe Grubbe, Richard Kerie, and a great number of other persons vnknowne, by the assent and abbetment of the other that committed the said disorders, burnt two manors belonging also to the said abbeie in great Berton, with all the corne and graine there found.
Vpon knowledge had of these great riots, and perillous commotions, there was a commission directed from the king, vnto Thomas earle of Northfolke high marshall of England, to Thomas Bardulfe, Robert Morlie, Peter Wedall, Iohn Howard, and Iohn Walkfare, authorising them with the power of the countesse of Suffolke and Northfolke, to apprehend, trie and punish such lewd disordered persons, and rebellious malefactors, which had committed such felonious enterprises, to the breach of the kings peace, and dangerous disquieting of his subiects: but the said commissioners procéeded not according to the effect of their commission in triall of anie felonies by the same persons committed and doone, but onelie caused them to be indicted of trespasse: albeit Robert Walkfare, and Iohn Clauer, with their associats iustices of peace, in their sessions holden at Elueden the tuesdaie next after the feast of the apostles Simon and Iude, in the said first yeare of this K. Edward the third procéeded in such wise against the said malefactors, that Iohn de Berton cordwainer, Robert Foxton, and a great number of other were indicted of felonie, for the misdemenours afore mentioned, and the indictements so found were after sent and presented vnto Iohn Stonore, Walter de Friskenie, Robert Malberthorpe, and Iohn Bousser, who by vertue of the kings commission of oier and determiner to them directed, sat at S. Edmundsburie the wednesdaie next after the feast of saint Lucie the virgine; and then and there sent foorth precepts to the shiriffe, commanding him to apprehend the said Berton, Foxton, and others, that were indicted of the foresaid felonies, and also to returne a sufficient iurie to trie vpon their arreignment the said malefactors by order of law, the fridaie next after the said feast of S. Lucie. Herevpon Alane de Latoner, and Robert Dalling, with seauentéene others, being arreigned, were found guiltie, and suffered death according to the order appointed for felons.
One Adam Miniot stood mute, and refused to be tried by his countrie, and so was pressed to death, as the law in such case appointeth. Diuerse other were saued by their bookes, according vnto the order of clerkes conuict, as Alexander Brid person of Hogeset, Iohn Rugham person of little Welnetham, Iohn Burton cordwainer, and diuerse other. Some were repriued, as one woman named Iulian Barbor, who being big bellied was respited, till she were deliuered of child. Benedict Sio and Robert Russell were repriued, and committed to the safe kéeping of the shiriffe, as triers or appeachers (as we tearme them) of other offenders: and bicause there was not anie as yet attached by their appeales, they were commanded againe to person. One Robert de Creswell was saued by the kings letters of speciall pardon, which he had there readie to shew. As for Robert Foxton, Adam Cokefield, and a great number of other, whome the shiriffe was commanded to apprehend, he returned that he could not heare of them within the precinct of his bailiffewéeke, wherevpon exigents were awarded against them, and the shiriffe was commanded, that if he might come to attach them, he should not faile but so to doo, and to haue their bodies there at Burie before the said iustices, the thursdaie in Whitsunwéeke, next insuing.