Insignificant as this record appears, it is really of great interest. As the present annals show, ordinary crimes and their punishment received little or rather no attention from the chroniclers. We have now traversed two and a half centuries since the first recorded execution that we can put to the account of Tyburn. We have found but one case, that of the terrible tragedy of the murdered cook of Chepe, and the judicial error resulting in the execution of four or five innocent persons, in which the actors or sufferers were of humble rank. Gregory’s Chronicle is supposed to have been written by William Gregory, skinner, mayor of London. It is certain that the author was a citizen of London. Being this, the phases of daily life in London would naturally have for him a greater interest than for the monk who looked on the world from the scriptorium of his monastery. To the fact that Gregory was a citizen of London we doubtless owe this notice—too brief—of Wille Wawe. The hanging of thieves was too common to attract attention. We shall admit the probability that Wille was distinguished from the rest of his tribe by superior daring or success: had he, perhaps, robbed the author of the Chronicle? =1437.= Also the same yere on William Goodgrom, of London, corsour, for scleynge of a man of court in Hosyere Lane be syde Smythfeld, was hangen at Tybourne (Chronicle of London, 1827, p. 123.) A coursour, or courser, was a dealer in horses. (Riley, “Memorials of London and London Life,” p. 366 and note.) =1441.= Roger Bolinbrooke, a great Astronomer, with Thomas Southwell, a Chanon of Saynt Stephens Chappell at Westminster, were taken as conspiratours of the Kings death, for it was said, that the same Roger shoulde labour to consume the kings person by way of Negromancie, & the said Thomas should say Masses in the lodge of Harnesey park beside London, upon certaine instruments, with the which the said Roger should vse his craft of Negromancie, against the faith, and was assenting to the said Roger, in all his workes. And the 5. and twentith day of July being Sun-day, Roger Bolinbrooke, with all his instruments of Negromancie, that is to say, a chayre paynted wherein he was wont to sit, vppon the 4. corners of which chayre stoode foure swords, and vppon euery sword an image of copper hanging, with many other instruments: hee stoode on a high Scaffolde in Paules Churchyard, before yᵉ crosse, holding a sword in his right hand, and a scepter in his left, arrayed in a maruellous attire, and after the Sermon was ended by maister Low Byshop of Rochester, he abiured all articles longing to the crafte of Negromancie or missowning to the faith, in presence of the Archb. of Canterbury, the Cardinall of Winchester, the byshop of London, Salisbury and many other.