CRIME DURING THE REIGN OF JAMES 1
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.
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.
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 ecclesiastical 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 assizes 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.
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 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 loath to
confess without torture.
ALTHORNE
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Pigeon |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1615 |
Stole 2 pair of
stockings, a silver whistle and 5 shillings from Robert
Tiffin |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Claimed Clergy but
unable to read and Hung |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Hugh Baker |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
Stole a brewing
lead and a kettle at Gt Baddow |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Warrant Issued -
Still at large |
|
ASHELDHAM
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Warren |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1618 |
Burgled home of
William Wale and stole a firkin and butter, a petticoat
and a kettle |
|
1618 |
Burgled home of
Thomas Collis and stole 5 flitches of bacon and 4 loins
of pork |
|
1618 |
Stole brown
gelding from Edmund Kinge at Southminster |
|
1619 |
Stole bay gelding
and bay mare from William Walle |
|
1619 |
Burgled parish
Church and stole a silver communion cup, a surplice, a
carpet and a communion tablecloth |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
BRADWELL ON SEA
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Ellis |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1607 |
Stole 6 sheep and
6 lambs at North Fambridge the property of Peter Osborne |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Trappes |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1608 |
Burgled home of
John Powlter and stole a pair of sheets |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Tailor |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1614 |
Stole a sheep from
Abraham Bridge |
|
1614 |
Stole a sheep from
Andrew White |
|
1614 |
Stole a sheep from
Abraham Bridge |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Walter Rayner and
Henry Abbott |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1615 |
Stole £4 . 11
shillings from William Thurgood |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
BURNHAM ON CROUCH
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Bright |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Stole 20 pounds of
butter from Richard Wistocke |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Whipped |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Banckes |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1616 |
Grand Larceny -
Stole one sheep and one bushel of rye from William Eley |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Hockett and
Helen Bone |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
Stole £3. 5
shillings from Ralph Rushden |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Margaret Asher |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1620 |
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 |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
COLD NORTON
|
Defendant |
|
|
Richard Denham |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
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. |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Fined £2 |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Margaret Harris ,
Rachel Clarke and Anne Wilson |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1618 |
Recusancy |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Proclaimed
according to statute |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Smythe and
Richard Sigg |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1623 |
Stole 10 cheeses
and a posnett from William Walker |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
HAZELEIGH
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Mott |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Stole 4 sheep from
John Lovedale |
|
1610 |
Stole 3 sheep from
John Boilard |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Laie and
Henry Cason |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Stole 5 sheep from
Thomas Free |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Free |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1620 |
Stole 30 Quarters
of wheat from Thomas Free ( Father) |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
LATCHINGDON
|
Defendant |
|
|
William Wright |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1614 |
Stole 4 cows |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Broke Gaol |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Parris |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1607 |
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. |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed clergy |
|
MAYLAND
|
Defendant |
|
|
Robert King |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1615 |
Burgled house of
Richard Fuller and stole 4 cheeses , 2 cheesecloth's and
4 aprons. |
|
1615 |
Highway Robbery -
Assaulted Thomas Cowper and stole £3 in money at
Colchester |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
MUNDON
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Trappes |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1605 |
Burgled House of
Thomas Safford and stole a silver thimble and £30 in
money |
|
1609 |
Burgled House of
Thomas Safford and stole a silver thimble , 2 pairs of
knives, a boardcloth and 12 silk points |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Samuel Edwards |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1609 |
Burgled house of
Thomas Vincent |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
? Wright ( Mrs) |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1615 |
The wife of Henry
Wright of White Notley has seduced Anne Eve wife of
Richard Eve of Mundon away from an established religion |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Proclaimed
according to statute |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
William King |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1622 |
Stole 4 sheepskins
from Edward Harslott |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
PURLEIGH
|
Defendant |
|
|
Edward Offyn ,
William Secres and Anthony Browne |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1608 |
Stole 3 lbs of
beef from John Brett |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Whipped |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Graves |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1608 |
Erected a cottage
without the 4 acres of land stipulated in statute and
for enclosing part of Westmer Lane leading to Gallows
Common , Purleigh |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Process to indict
was judged sufficient punishment |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
William Frost |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1606 |
Keeping an
alehouse as an unfit place without the approval of
parishioners at Purleigh |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not recorded |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Matthew Chapman |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Highway robbery -
Assaulted Thomas Hullman and stole 3 shillings and a hat |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Clarefaunce |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
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 |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not recorded |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
William Frost |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Kept a disorderly
alehouse |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not recorded |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Stebbinge |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1611 |
Stole 2 pecks of
oats from Robert Perry |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Whipped |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Loer Arnold - Wife
of Edward Arnold |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
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 |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Zachary Jones and
John Lay |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1620 |
Stole a gelding
from Richard Pollard |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not guilty |
|
SOUTHMINSTER
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Last |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Broke into the
home of Agnes Evans and stole 8 shillings 6 pence , a
silver ring and a pair of stockings |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Banckes |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Stole a cauldron ,
a pair of stockings and a hat from Agnes Dobson |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Whipped |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Banckes -
second appearance that year |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Stole
an iron coulter and a pair of birlinges from Bartholemew
Reynold |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Christopher Kynge |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1605 |
Murder - Attacked
Thomas Cole with a dagger and stabbed him to death |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
STEEPLE
|
Defendant |
|
|
Henry Gage |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1606 |
Stole coverlet , a
blanket and 2 sheets from Henry Wall |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
STOW MARIES
|
Defendant |
|
|
Edward Meade |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1610 |
Felonious Killing
- On 3 February 1610 at Stow Maries attached Abraham
Seawell and struck him causing death |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not guilty - John
Astille killed him |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Thomas Scott |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1612 |
Broke into the
home of Robert Spillman and stole a pair of hose, a
coverlet and 3 neckchiefs. |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Hung |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Grace Tabor |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1614 |
Witchcraft -
Bewitched 2 cows belong to Edward Meade causing their
death |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Edward Hills |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
Broke into the
house of Joan Coache and stole a pair of buskins, a
kerchief, 2 aprons and 8 pence on money. |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John White |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1619 |
Broke into the
house of William Wikeman and stole a jerkin and a pair
of sheets |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not guilty |
|
TILLINGHAM
|
Defendant |
|
|
Henry Pennell |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1611 |
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. |
|
Sentence |
|
|
To hang in chains
as near to the scene of the crime as possible |
|
WOODHAM MORTIMER
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Chapman |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1608 |
Felonious Killing-
Attacked Richard Sexton with a shovel bound by iron and
struck him a blow to the head that killed him |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty - John
Anokes killed him |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Marryam |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1608 |
Stole 2 sheepskins
from John Wright and William Archer |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Whipped |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
John Dodd and
Johan Milles |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1609 |
Coining -
Manafactured King James shillings from base metal and
uttered them to John Launcy , Oliver Higham and John
Moncke |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Guilty |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Richard Turner |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1613 |
Theft of brown nag |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not guilty |
|
WOODHAM WALTER
|
Defendant |
|
|
William Halt |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1614 |
Stole 15 sheep and
2 rams from Richard Garrett |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Allowed Clergy |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Richard Haddon |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
Assaulted William
Albert |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Fined 10 shillings |
|
|
Defendant |
|
|
Elizabeth Wager |
|
|
Date |
Offence |
|
1617 |
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. |
|
Sentence |
|
|
Not Recorded |
|
