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James 1 who
was the only son of Mary Queen of Scots became King of
Scotland in July 1567 and then unified
Britain by becoming King of England, Scotland and Ireland in
March 1603 throne following the death of Elizabeth 1.
The times were comparatively
turbulent although for most people there was little
crime.
The below table looks at
people from villages in the East Essex area who appeared
before the Assize Courts at Chelmsford and Brentwood for
the last years of the reign on James 1 from 1606 to
1624 .
The crimes took place in the
home village of the defendant unless otherwise stated.
Family historians are able to use the records to trace
ancestors who were either defendants and aggrieved.
Sentencing was very harsh
especially for poor illiterate people. The standard of
investigation was of dubious quality and often trials
especially murder too the form of murder trial and
inquest and could often find the accused innocent and
name a third party who was not initially accused as
guilty.
Many of the criminals appeared
from crime such as theft, burglary and highway robbery
which are still recognisable today. A few of the reasons
for appearing are more unusual to modern minds hence a
brief explanation about religious offences,
ecclesiastical courts and witchcraft all of which
feature in the case list.
Catholic
Religion
Although a
Protestant James 1 was comparatively tolerant to Catholics but this changed on
5 November 1605 when Guy Fawkes made a botched attempt
to blow up the Houses of Parliament in what became known
at the catholic Plot.
Within a few months an enraged
Parliament has passed an Act which required citizens to
take an oath of allegiance that included denial of the
Popes authority over the King. In some areas this
included the appearance before Assises of people
holding illegal catholic Services. This included several
incidents in Essex especially in the
western part of our area which seemed a hotbed of
Catholicism.
The legal term used for this
offence was recusant.
Allowed
Clergy
Until 1575 the Clergy were not
able to be dealt with by Civil Courts and faced
Ecclesiastical courts if accused of any crime. Due to
lenient sentences and different standards of proof few
Clergy were punished.
There was no formal proof of
membership of the Clergy and so anyone accused before a
civil court could claim the right to be allowed clergy.
The proof of clergy was to be able to read a passage
from the bible. At this time few people could read and
clergymen were drawn from the population who received a
good education.
This quickly became a loophole
for secular people who could read and even some
criminals who could not read memorised whole psalms to
give the impression that they were reading. So popular
was psalm 51 that it became known as the neck verse.
On being allowed clergy the
criminal appeared before an ecclasiatical court where
the sentence even for serious offences would be one of
penance.
In 1575 Elizabeth 1 was
concerned at the number of criminals who were escaping
justice and abolished the right to be referred to an
ecclesiastical court. being allowed clergy was still a
valuable tool as the maximum sentence allowable was one
year or a whipping that was much preferable to hanging
which was given for comparatively minor offences.
Thomas Banckes appeared before the assises for theft
three times in this period . Once in 1610 where he was
whipped, again in 1610 when he claimed Clergy but on his
third appearance in 1616 his luck ran
out as Clergy could only be claimed once and he was
hung.
Witchcraft
Before ascending the English
Throne James 1 attended a trial at North Berwick of
several women accused of trying to create a storm that
would drown James 1 and his wife on a recent trip to
Denmark.
He became so convinced about
the threat that in 1597 he wrote a book called wrote
the Daemonologie which condemned witchcraft..
There were already laws in
place to outlaw witchcraft but in 1604 James 1 passed a
new stronger statute which contained his statement that
witches were loathe to confess without torture.
Click here to visit a page on witchcraft in
the Dengie Hundred
ALTHORNE
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Defendant
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John Pigeon
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Date
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Offence
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1615
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Stole 2 pair of
stockings, a silver whistle and 5 shillings
from Robert Tiffin
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Sentence
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Claimed Clergy but
unable to read and Hung
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Defendant
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Hugh Baker
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Stole a brewing lead
and a kettle at Gt Baddow
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Sentence
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Warrant Issued -
Still at large
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ASHELDHAM
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Defendant
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John Warren
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Date
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Offence
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1618
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Burgled home of
William Wale and stole a firkin and butter,
a petticoat and a kettle
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1618
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Burgled home of
Thomas Collis and stole 5 flitches of bacon
and 4 loins of pork
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1618
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Stole brown gelding
from Edmund Kinge at Southminster
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1619
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Stole bay gelding
and bay mare from William Walle
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1619
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Burgled parish
Church and stole a silver communion cup, a
surplice, a carpet and a communion
tablecloth
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Sentence
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Hung
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BRADWELL ON SEA
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Defendant
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John Ellis
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Date
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Offence
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1607
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Stole 6 sheep and 6
lambs at North Fambridge the property of
Peter Osborne
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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Defendant
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John Trappes
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Date
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Offence
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1608
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Burgled home of John
Powlter and stole a pair of sheets
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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Defendant
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Thomas Tailor
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Date
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Offence
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1614
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Stole a sheep from
Abraham Bridge
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1614
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Stole a sheep from
Andrew White
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1614
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Stole a sheep from
Abraham Bridge
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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Defendant
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Walter Rayner and
Henry Abbott
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Date
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Offence
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1615
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Stole £4 . 11
shillings from William Thurgood
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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BURNHAM ON CROUCH
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Defendant
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Thomas Bright
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Stole 20 pounds of
butter from Richard Wistocke
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Sentence
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Whipped
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Defendant
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Thomas Banckes
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Date
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Offence
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1616
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Grand Larceny -
Stole one sheep and one bushel of rye from
William Eley
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Sentence
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Hung
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Defendant
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John Hockett and
Helen Bone
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Stole £3. 5
shillings from Ralph Rushden
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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Defendant
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Margaret Asher
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Date
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Offence
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1620
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Infanticide - In the
house of John Duckett , her master, she gave
birth to a male child which she killed by
knocking it's head against a post
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Sentence
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Hung
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COLD NORTON
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Defendant
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Richard Denham
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Cozening - gave Joan
Ely for payment of goods a King Edward
shilling which he fraudulently represented
as a King James half piece of gold worth 11
shillings.
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Sentence
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Fined £2
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Defendant
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Margaret Harris ,
Rachel Clarke and Anne Wilson
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Date
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Offence
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1618
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Recusancy
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Sentence
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Proclaimed according
to statute
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Defendant
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John Smythe and
Richard Sigg
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Date
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Offence
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1623
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Stole 10 cheeses and
a posnett from William Walker
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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HAZELEIGH
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Defendant
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John Mott
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Stole 4 sheep from
John Lovedale
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1610
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Stole 3 sheep from
John Boilard
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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Defendant
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John Laie and Henry
Cason
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Stole 5 sheep from
Thomas Free
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Sentence
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Not guilty
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Defendant
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Thomas Free
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Date
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Offence
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1620
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Stole 30 Quarters of
wheat from Thomas Free ( Father)
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Sentence
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Hung
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LATCHINGDON
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Defendant
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William Wright
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Date
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Offence
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1614
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Stole 4 cows
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Sentence
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Broke Gaol
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Defendant
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John Parris
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Date
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Offence
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1607
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Burgled house of
John Hatchman and stole a cloth jerkin, 2
pieces of canvas, 2 shirtbands, a doublet, a
pair of breeches, a hat and a jerkin.
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Sentence
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Allowed clergy
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MAYLAND
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Defendant
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Robert King
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Date
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Offence
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1615
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Burgled house of
Richard Fuller and stole 4 cheeses , 2
cheesecloth's and 4 aprons.
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1615
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Highway Robbery -
Assaulted Thomas Cowper and stole £3 in
money at Colchester
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Sentence
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Hung
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MUNDON
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Defendant
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John Trappes
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Date
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Offence
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1605
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Burgled House of
Thomas Safford and stole a silver thimble
and £30 in money
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1609
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Burgled House of
Thomas Safford and stole a silver thimble ,
2 pairs of knives, a boardcloth and 12 silk
points
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Sentence
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Hung
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Defendant
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Samuel Edwards
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Date
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Offence
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1609
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Burgled house of
Thomas Vincent
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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Defendant
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? Wright ( Mrs)
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Date
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Offence
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1615
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The wife of Henry
Wright of White Notley has seduced Anne Eve
wife of Richard Eve of Mundon away from an
established religion
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Sentence
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Proclaimed according
to statute
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Defendant
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William King
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Date
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Offence
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1622
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Stole 4 sheepskins
from Edward Harslott
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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PURLEIGH
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Defendant
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Edward Offyn ,
William Secres and Anthony Browne
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Date
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Offence
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1608
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Stole 3 lbs of beef
from John Brett
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Sentence
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Whipped
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Defendant
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Thomas Graves
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Date
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Offence
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1608
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Erected a cottage
without the 4 acres of land stipulated in
statute and for enclosing part of Westmer
Lane leading to Gallows Common , Purleigh
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Sentence
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Process to indict
was judged sufficient punishment
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Defendant
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William Frost
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Date
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Offence
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1606
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Keeping an alehouse
as an unfit place without the approval of
parishioners at Purleigh
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Sentence
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Not recorded
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Defendant
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Matthew Chapman
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Highway robbery -
Assaulted Thomas Hullman and stole 3
shillings and a hat
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Sentence
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Hung
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Defendant
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Clarefaunce
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Alehousekeeper and
Constable of Purleigh was drunk in his house
on 1 July 1610 and allowed John Allen to be
so drunk that he died upon the surfeit of
his drunkenness
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Sentence
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Not recorded
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Defendant
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William Frost
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Kept a disorderly
alehouse
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Sentence
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Not recorded
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Defendant
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Thomas Stebbinge
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Date
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Offence
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1611
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Stole 2 pecks of
oats from Robert Perry
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Sentence
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Whipped
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Defendant
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Loer Arnold - Wife
of Edward Arnold
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Murder- Loer
assaulted Mercy Arnold, her servant, by
throwing her to the ground and while she way
lying there kicked and punched her on the
head until she was dead
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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Defendant
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Zachary Jones and
John Lay
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Date
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Offence
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1620
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Stole a gelding from
Richard Pollard
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Sentence
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Not guilty
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SOUTHMINSTER
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Defendant
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Thomas Last
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Broke into the home
of Agnes Evans and stole 8 shillings 6 pence
, a silver ring and a pair of stockings
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Sentence
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Hung
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Defendant
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Thomas Banckes
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Stole a cauldron , a
pair of stockings and a hat from Agnes
Dobson
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Sentence
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Whipped
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Defendant
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Thomas Banckes -
second appearance that year
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Stole
an iron coulter and a pair of birlinges from
Bartholemew Reynold
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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Defendant
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Christopher Kynge
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Date
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Offence
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1605
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Murder - Attacked
Thomas Cole with a dagger and stabbed him to
death
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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STEEPLE
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Defendant
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Henry Gage
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Date
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Offence
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1606
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Stole coverlet , a
blanket and 2 sheets from Henry Wall
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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STOW MARIES
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Defendant
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Edward Meade
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Date
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Offence
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1610
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Felonious Killing -
On 3 February 1610 at Stow Maries attached
Abraham Seawell and struck him causing death
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Sentence
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Not guilty - John
Astille killed him
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Defendant
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Thomas Scott
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Date
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Offence
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1612
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Broke into the home
of Robert Spillman and stole a pair of hose,
a coverlet and 3 neckchiefs.
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Sentence
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Hung
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Defendant
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Grace Tabor
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Date
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Offence
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1614
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Witchcraft -
Bewitched 2 cows belong to Edward Meade
causing their death
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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Defendant
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Edward Hills
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Broke into the house
of Joan Coache and stole a pair of buskins,
a kerchief, 2 aprons and 8 pence on money.
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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Defendant
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John White
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Date
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Offence
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1619
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Broke into the house
of William Wikeman and stole a jerkin and a
pair of sheets
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Sentence
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Not guilty
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TILLINGHAM
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Defendant
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Henry Pennell
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Date
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Offence
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1611
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Murder of John
Savage - Pennell attacked savage with a mole
spade and knocked him to the ground. As he
lay there Pennell cut his throat with a
knife.
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Sentence
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To hang in chains as
near to the scene of the crime as possible
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WOODHAM MORTIMER
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Defendant
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John Chapman
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Date
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Offence
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1608
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Felonious Killing-
Attacked Richard Sexton with a shovel bound
by iron and struck him a blow to the head
that killed him
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Sentence
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Not Guilty - John
Anokes killed him
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Defendant
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John Marryam
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Date
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Offence
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1608
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Stole 2 sheepskins
from John Wright and William Archer
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Sentence
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Whipped
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Defendant
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John Dodd and Johan
Milles
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Date
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Offence
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1609
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Coining -
Manafactured King James shillings from base
metal and uttered them to John Launcy ,
Oliver Higham and John Moncke
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Sentence
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Not Guilty
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Defendant
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Richard Turner
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Date
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Offence
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1613
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Theft of brown nag
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Sentence
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Not guilty
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WOODHAM WALTER
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Defendant
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William Halt
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Date
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Offence
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1614
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Stole 15 sheep and 2
rams from Richard Garrett
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Sentence
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Allowed Clergy
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Defendant
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Richard Haddon
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Assaulted William
Albert
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Sentence
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Fined 10 shillings
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Defendant
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Elizabeth Wager
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Date
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Offence
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1617
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Harbours recusants
who have been seen going to her house at
night to the intent to infect and poison
minds of His Majesties subjects with the
dregs of popery.
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Sentence
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Not Recorded
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