Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 1: From the twelfth to the eighteenth centuryGriffiths, Arthur
History
Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 1: From the twelfth to the eighteenth century
Griffiths, Arthur
Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England); Prisons -- England; Punishment -- Great Britain
Thus Elmer de Multone was attached on indictment as a common
night-walker in the ward of Chepe; in the day, it was charged, he was
wont to entice persons and strangers unknown to a tavern and there
deceive them by using false dice. He was furthermore indicted "in
Tower ward for being a cruiser and night-walker against the peace,
as also for being a common 'roarer.'[18:1] Multone was committed
to prison. Others met with similar treatment. John de Rokeslee was
attached as being held suspected of evil and of beating men coming
into the city;" "Peter le Taverner, called Holer," the same, and for
going with sword and buckler and other arms; John Blome was indicted
"as a common vagabond for committing batteries and other mischiefs
in the ward of Aldresgate and divers other wards." "A chaplain," our
modern curate, Richard Heryng, was attached on similar charges, but
was acquitted. Not only were the "roarers" themselves indicted when
taken in this act, but also those who harboured them, like John Baronu,
mentioned in the same document as attached for keeping open house at
night, and receiving night-walkers and players at dice. The prohibition
against fencing-masters was also rigorously enforced, as appears by
the indictment of "Master Roger le Skirmisour, for keeping a fencing
school for divers men, and for enticing thither the sons of respectable
persons so as to waste and spend the property of their fathers and
mothers upon bad practices, the result being that they themselves
become bad men. Master Roger, upon proof to a jury that he was guilty
of the trespasses aforesaid, was committed to Newgate."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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