A curious story is told to the effect that the corpse of Bolas was taken
down from the gibbet by some of his companions and thrown into the river
Tern, but that it would not sink. Weights were then tied to it, but
still it floated upon the top of the water, and subsequently was again
placed upon the gibbet. The part of the river into which it was thrown
is still called "Bolas's hole."
[Illustration: BREEDS'S GIBBET-IRONS, RYE.]
In the Town Hall, Rye, Sussex, is preserved the ironwork used in 1742
for gibbeting John Breeds, a butcher, who murdered Allen Grebble, the
Mayor of Rye. It appears that Breeds had a dispute about some property
with Thomas Lamb, and learning that he was about to see a friend off by
a ship sailing to France on the night of March 17th planned his murder.
Mr. Lamb, for reasons not stated, changed his mind, and induced his
neighbour Mr. Grebble to take his place. On returning home and passing
the churchyard, Breeds rushed upon him and mortally wounded him with a
knife. The unfortunate man was able to walk home, but shortly expired
while seated in his chair. His servant was suspected of murdering him,
but Breeds's strange conduct soon brought the crime home to him. He was
tried, found guilty, and condemned to death, and to be hung in chains.
The gibbet was set up on a marsh situated at the west end of the town,
now known as "Gibbet Marsh." Here it stood for many years; but when all
the mortal remains had dropped away from the ironwork with the exception
of the upper part of the skull, the Corporation took possession of it,
and it is now in their custody.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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