Our Legal Heritage: King AEthelbert - King George III, 600 A.D. - 1776Reilly, S. A.
History
Our Legal Heritage: King AEthelbert - King George III, 600 A.D. - 1776
Reilly, S. A.
Law -- England -- History
"Tour (John de La) - To Robert his eldest son his capital
messuage and wharf in the parish of Berchingechurch near the land
called 'Berewardesland`. To Agnes his wife his house called
'Wyvelattestone', together with rents, reversions, etc. in the parish
of S. Dunstan towards the Tower, for life; remainder to Stephen his
son. To Peter and Edmund his sons lands and rents in the parish of All
Hallows de Berhyngechurch; remainders over in default of heirs. To
Agnes, wife of John le Keu, fishmonger, a house situate in the same
parish of Berhyng, at a peppercorn [nominal] rent."
The Court of the Mayor of London heard diverse cases, including
disputes over goods, faulty or substandard goods, adulteration, selling
food unfit for human consumption, enhancing the price of goods, using
unlawful weighing beams, debts, theft, distraints, forgery, tavern
brawling, bullying, and gambling. Insulting or assaulting a city
dignitary was a very serious crime; an attack on the mayor was once
capitally punished. Sacrilege, rape, and burglary were punished by
death. Apart from the death penalty, the punishment meted out the most
was public exposure in the pillory, with some mark of ignominy slung
round the neck. If the crime was selling bad food, it was burnt under
the offender's nose. If it was sour wine, the offender was drenched in
it. Standing in the pillory for even one hour was very humiliating, and
by the end of the day, it was known throughout the city. The offender's
reputation was ruined. Some men died in the pillory of shame and
distress. A variation of the pillory was being dragged through the
streets on a hurdle. Prostitutes were carted through the streets in
coarse rough cloth hoods, with penitential crosses in their hands.
Scolds were exposed in a "thewe" for women. In more serious cases,
imprisonment for up to a year was added to the pillory. Mutilation was
rare, but there are cases of men losing their right hands for rescuing
prisoners. The death penalty was usually by hanging. The following four
London cases pertain to customs, bad grain, surgery, and
apprenticeship, respectively.
This is a lawsuit: "John le Paumer was summoned to answer Richer de
Refham, Sheriff, in a plea that, whereas the defendant and his Society
of Bermen [carriers] in the City were sworn not to carry any wine, by
land or water, for the use of citizens or others, without the Sheriff's
mark, nor lead nor cause it to be led, whereby the Sheriff might be
defrauded of his customs, nevertheless he caused four casks of wine
belonging to Ralph le Mazun of Westminster to be carried from the City
of Westminster without the Sheriff's mark, thus defrauding the latter
of his customs in contempt of the king etc. The defendant acknowledged
the trespass. Judgment that he remain in the custody of the Sheriff
till he satisfy the King and the Court for offense."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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