The common people often deceiued by lewd informations.
Diuerse also were arreigned at the same time of the said felonies, and thereof acquited, as Michaell Scabaille, Rafe Smeremonger, and others. Indéed those that were found guiltie, and suffered, were the chéefe authors and procurers of the commotion, bearing others in hand that the abbat had in his custodie a certeine charter, wherein the king should grant to the inhabitants of the towne of Burie, certeine liberties, whereby it might appeare that they were frée, and discharged from the paiment of diuerse customes and exactions, wherevpon the ignorant multitude easilie giuing credit to such surmised tales, were the sooner induced to attempt such disorders as before are mentioned. ¶ Thus haue yée heard all in effect that was doone in this first yeare of king Edward the third his reigne, by and against those offendors. But bicause we will not interrupt matters of other yeares with that which followed further of this businesse, we haue thought good to put the whole that we intend to write thereof here in this place.
Rob. Foxton pardoned.
A priuilege.
Portman mote.
The abbats officers blamed.
Yée shall therefore vnderstand, that diuerse of those, against whome exigents were awarded, came in, and yéelded their bodies to the shiriffes prison, before they were called on the fift countie daie. Albeit a great manie there were that came not, and so were outlawed. Robert Foxton got the kings pardon, and so purchasing foorth a supersedeas, the suit therevpon against him was staied. The shiriffe therefore in Whitsunwéeke, in the second yeare of this kings reigne, made his returne touching Benedict Sio, Robert Russell, & Iulian Barbor, so that he deliuered them vnto the bailiffes of the libertie of the abbat of Burie, by reason of an ancient priuilege, which the abbat claimed to belong to his house. The bailiffes confessed they had receiued the said prisoners, but forsomuch as they had béene arreigned at a Portman mote, which was vsed to be kept euerie thrée wéeks, and vpon their arreignment were found guiltie of certeine other felonies by them committed within the towne of Burie, and therevpon were put to execution, Adam Finchman the kings attornie there tooke it verie euill, & laid it gréeuouslie to the charge of the abbats officers, for their hastie and presumptuous procéeding against the said prisoners, namelie, bicause the said Sio and Russell were repriued, to the end that by their vtterance, many heinous offenses might haue béene brought to light.
A condemnation.