London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Sources; London (England) -- Surveys
to kindle with the brand, he flew upon him, and smote off his right
hand, and then with a loud voice cried ‘Thieves!’ at the hearing whereof
the thieves took their flight, all saving he that had lost his hand,
whom the good man in the next morning delivered to Richard de Lucie,
the king’s justice. This thief, upon warrant of his life, appeached his
confederates, of whom many were taken, and many were fled. Among the
rest that were apprehended, a certain citizen of great countenance,
credit, and wealth, named John Senex,[116] who forasmuch as he could not
acquit himself by the water dome, as that law was then, he offered to
the king five hundred pounds of silver for his life; but forasmuch as
he was condemned by judgment of the water, the king would not take the
offer, but commanded him to be hanged on the gallows, which was done,
and then the city became more quiet for a long time after.” But for a
full remedy of enormities in the night I read, that in the year 1253,
Henry III. commanded watches in the cities and borough towns to be kept,
for the better observing of peace and quietness amongst his people.
And further, by the advice of them of Savoy, he ordained, that if any
man chanced to be robbed, or by any means damnified by any thief or
robber, he to whom the charge of keeping that country, city, or borough,
chiefly appertained, where the robbery was done, should competently
restore the loss. And this was after the use of Savoy, but yet thought
more hard to be observed here than in those parts; and, therefore,
leaving those laborious watches, I will speak of our pleasures and
pastimes in watching by night.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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