wich yf they wold often do they shuld sone fynde all that is spoken to be les than the trueth / seme hit at the fyrst neuer so sharp or rigourose Nether is euerie sharp woord vncharitable / except S. Iohn baptist were not wel auised when he called the Pharizees Saducees the generacion of vipers Mat. iij. or oure sauioure Christ oute of charitie vsyng the sealf woordes Math. xij And agayne sayyng to them woo be to you Scribes pharizees hipocrites Mat. xxiij Luce. xi in the viij of Iohn calleth he them the sonnes of the deuill Sainct Paule also to one Elimas a socerer was not a ferde to saye O full of sotteltie and deceytfulnes the chyld of the deuill and the enemy of al rightwisnes thou ceasist not to peruert the straightwai se of the lord Acto xiij Men may not liue as blinde as betelles / as ignoraunt as asses / as sottell as foxis / as lecherouse as gootes / moare beastlie than beastes / and loke styll that God wyll suffer them ether to be vnspoken of or vnpunnysshed / but rather shuld think that theire offences be as the trueth is so hanouse that no tong can expresse them no hand endite them no wit coÌ„prehend them sorow and repent them and continuallie praye to they re most mercifull father to geue them some sparkell of grace wherbie the may amende them Leat falshed giue place to the trueth Leat viciouse lyuing be hated / and vertue had in price Leat rancor be torned in to loue vnfayned Leat the lerned beare with the ignoraunt so far as may be suffered / and the ignoraunt be obsequiouse to heare the lerned ye leat the lerned rather studie one to be coÌ„formable to a nother / and one charitablie and indifferentlie heare a nother / and dispute with pacieÌ„ce not with braunlyng and a gree louinglie with oute scholdyng / euery man knowyng that he may erre excludyng sealff wyll and sinistre iugement and than no doute but all sharp monicioÌ„s shall ceasse and in theire steade succede praise to the eternall God / in whose power hit onelye lyeth this thyng to performe and a mongest men greate loue and concorde / and also thankes geuyng for his inestimable goodnes / to whom be all honoure and praise for euer Amen Of theire dyuers and manyfold facions this be sufficient at this tyme / now herken to the enquirie and sentens geuen concernyng the death of the afforsaide Richard Hune Reade Reader and iuge THe .v. and the .vj. daye of DeceÌ„ber / in the .vi. yere of the reygne of oure suffrayne Lord King Henry the .viij. Wylliam Barnwel / Crowner of London / the daye yere aboue saide / with in the warde of Castilbaynerde of London Assembled in a quest whose names afterward do appere / and hath sworne them treuly to enquere of the death of one Richard hune / which latelie was fownde deed in the lolars towre / with in paules church of London wheruppon all we of the inqueste to geather went vp in to the saide towre / where we fownd the bodie of the saide hune hangyng vpon a staple of Iron / in a gyrdel of sylcke / with fayre countinaunce / his heed fayre kemmyd / his bonnet right syttyng a pon his heed / with his eyne and mouth fayre closed / with oute any staryng / gapyng / or frowning Also with oute any dreueling or spurgyng in any place of his bodye Where vpon by one assent all we agreede / to take downe the bodie of the saide hune / and as sone as we began to heue the bodie hit was loose / wherbie by good aduisement we perceyued that the gyrdel had no knot a boue the scaple / but hit was double cast / and lynckes of an Iron chayne which dyd hang on the same staple were leyde apon the same gyrdell wherby he did hang. Also the knot of the gyrdel that went aboute his neck stoode vnder his lefte eare / wich caused his heed to leyne toward his right shoulder Natwithstandyng there came oute of his nose turles .ij. small streames of blode to the quantitie of .iiij. droppes Saue onelie these .iiij. droppes of blode / the face / lippes / chynne / doublet / collar shurte of the saide Hune was cleane from any bloude Also we fynde that the skyn bothe of his necke / throte by nethe the gyrdel of sylcke / was freat fased awaye / with that thyng which the murtherars had broken his necke withall Also the handes of the saide Hune were wrong in the wrystes werby we perceyued that his handes hade bene bounde More ouer we fynde that with in the saide prisonne was no meane wherby any man myght hang hym sealfe but onelie a stole / wich stole stode a pon a bolster of a bed / so â—yckel that any man or beest might not touche hit so litell but hit was readie to fall Wherby we perceyued that hit was not possible that Hune myght hang hym sealfe the stole so standyng Also all the gyrdell from the staple to his necke / as well as the part wich weÌ„t aboute his necke was to lytel for his heed to cum oute there at Also hit was not possible that that soft silken gyrdel shuld breake his neck or skynne benethe the gyrdel Also we fynde in a corner / some what be younde the place where he did hang a greate percel of bloude Also we fynde that apon the leafte syde of hunnes Iacket from the breaste dounwarde be greate streames of bloude Also with in the flappe of the leâ—te syde of his Iacket / we fynde a greate clouster of bloude / and the Iacket foolden downe theruppon / wich thyng the saide Hun coude neuer foold nor doo after he was hanged Wherbie hit aperitith playnlie to vs all that the neck of hune was broken / and the greate plentie of bloude was shede before he was hanged Wherfore all we fynd by God all oure consciences / that Richard hune was murthered / also we aquite the saide richard hune of his awne deeth Also an ende of a wax candel wich as Iohn Bellynger saith he left in the presone burnyng with hune that same sondaie at night that Hune was murdered wich wax candel we founde stickyng apon the stockkes faire put oute / aboute vij or viij fote from the place where hune was hangede / wich candel after oure opinion was neuer put oute by him / for many likelihoodes wich we haue perceyued Also at the goyng vp of master ChauÌ„celer in to lolars tower we haue good profe that there laye on the stockkes a gowne ether of murrey or crymson in grayne furred with shaÌ„kes / whose gowne hit was we coulde neuer proue / nether who bare hit waye All we fynde that M. William horsey chauÌ„celer to my lorde of londoÌ„ hath had at his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t bothe the rule gyding of the saide prisonner / by all the tyme of his impresonement Moreouer all we fynde that the
saide master Horsey Chaunceler hath put oute charles Ioseph of his office / as the saide charlis hath confessed by cause he wold not deale and vse the saide prisonner so cruelly / and do to hym as the Chaunceler wolde haue had him to do Notwithstonding the keyys deliueraunce to the Chaunceler by charlis on the satyrday at night before hunnes deeth / such coÌ„ueÌ„tionâ— make tâ—ey man to blynde the syâ—pel and charles ryding oute of the towne on the sondaye in the mornyng ensuyng was but a conuencion made be twyxt Charlis and the Chaunceler / for to coloure the murther / for the same sondaye that Charles rode forthe he cam agayne to towne the same sondaye nyght and kylled richard hune / as in the deposicions of Iulian Lyttel / Thomas Chytcheley / Thomas Symondes / and Peter Torner dothe appere After colouring of the murther be twyxt charles and the Chaunceler conspired / the Chaunceler called to him one Iohn spaldyng bellrynger of Paules / deliuered to the same bellrynger the keyys of the lowlars tower geuyng to the saide belrynger a greate charge / saing I charge the to kepe Hun more straytelie than he hath bene kept / and let him haue but one meale a daye Moreouer I charge the leat no bodie come to him without my licence / nether bryng shurte / kappe / kercheffe / or any other thyng / but that I see hit before hit come to him Also before Hune was caried to fulham the Chaunceler coÌ„maunded to be put apon hunnys necke a greate coller of Iron with a greate chayne wich is to heuy for any beest to were and long to endure More ouer hit is well proued that before Hunnes deeth the saide ChauÌ„celer cam vp in to the saide lolars tower knelyd downe before Hun / holdyng vp his handes to him / prayyng hym of forgyuenes of all that he hath done to hym and must do to hym And on the sondaye folowing the Chaunceler commaunded the peneteÌ„sarie of Paules / to go vp to him and saye him a Gospel / make for him holie bred and holie water / and geue hit to him which so did / and after the Chaunceler commaunded that hune shuld haue his dynner / And the same dynner tyme Charlis boye was shut in presonne with Hun / wiche was neuer so before / and after dynner when the belrynger fet oute the boye / the belrynger saide to the same boye / come no moare hither with meate for him vntyll to morow at noone / for master Chaunceler hath commaunded that he shall haue but one meale daye and the same nyght folowing Richard hune was murthered / wich murther conde not have bene done with oute consent and licens of the Chaunceler / and also by the wyttyng and knowlege of Iohn spaldyng belrynger / for there conde no maÌ„ come in to the presone but by the keyys / beyng in Iohn bellryngers keapyng No he â—hought 〈◊〉 he shuâ—d neu eaâ—e moare for he had prepared his dynner agaynst the monâ—aye Also as by my Lorde of Londons booke dothe appere Iohn bellrynger is a poore innocent man / wherfore all we do perceue that this murther conde not be done but by the commaundemeÌ„t of the Chaunceler / and by the wyttyng and knowyng of Iohn belrynger Charles Ioseph with in the tower of London / of his awne frewyl and vnconstreyned saide / the master Chaunceler deuised / and wrote wiâ—h his awne hande / all suche herisies as were layde to hunnes charge Reacord / Iohn god / Iohn truye / Iohn pasmar / Richard Gybson with manie other Also charles Ioseph saith that whan Richard hune was slayne / Iohn belrynger bare vp the steyre in to the lolars tower awar candell / hauyng the keyys of the dores haÌ„gyng on his arme / and I charles went next to him / and master Chaunceler cam vp last / and when all we cam vp / we founde hune lyeng on his bed / and then master Chaunceler saide laye handes on the theffe / and so al we iij. murthered hune / and then I charles put the gyrdell aboute Hunnes neck / and then Iohn bellrynger and I Charles did heue vp Hune and master Chaunceler pulled the gyrdel ouer the staple and so Hune was hanged ¶ The deposicion of Iulian lyttel late seruant to Charles Ioseph / by hyr frewyl on constrayned the xiiij day of Februarie / in the vi yere of oure soueraine lorde Kyng Henrie the viij within the chappel of oure ladie of Bedlem shewyd to thynquest Fyrst Iulian saith that the wennesdaye of night after the deeth of Richard hune that Charles Ioseph her master cam home in to his house at x. of the clocke in the nyght / and set hym downe to his supper / then Iulian saide to hym / master hit was tolde me that ye were in presone / Charles answered / hit is mearie to turne the penie / and after spuper / Charles trussed percell of his goodes / with help of Iulian bare them in to mastres portars house to kepe / and that done Charles saide to Iulian. Iulian if thou wilt be sworne to kepe my councel / I will shew the my mynde IuliaÌ„ answered ye / yf hit be nether felonie nor treason / then Charles toke a boke oute of his pursse / and Iulian sware to hym theruppon / then saide Charles to Iulian. I haue distroyed Richard Hune Alas master saide IuliaÌ„ how / he was called a honest man / Charles answered I put a wyre in hys nose / Alas saide Iulian now be yow cast awaye vndone / than saide Charles / Iulian I trust in the that thou wilt keape my councell / Iulian answered ye / but for gooddes sake master shyft for youre sealffe / than Charles saide / I had leuer thaÌ„ a C. lib. it were not doone / but that is doone can not be vndone / Moreouer Charles saide than to Iulian / vppon sondaye when I rode to my cosynne to baryngtons house / I taried there and made good chere all daye tyll hit was night / and yet before hit was mydnyght I was in London / and had kylled Hune / apon the next daye I rode thither agayne and was there at dynner / and sent for neyghburs made good chere / than Iulian axed Charles / where set yowe youre horsse that night ye cam to towne / wherfore cam you not whome / Charles answered / I cam not whome for feare of bewrayyng / and than Iulian axed Charles / who was with youe at the kyllyng of Hune / Charles answered I wil not tell the / Iulian saith that vppon the thursdaye folowing Charles taryed all daye in his house with greate feare / and appon fridaye folowyng yerlie in the mornyng before daye Charles went forth as he saide he went to paules and at his commyng in agayne he was in greate feare / saynge hastelie geat me my horsse / and with greate feare and hast made him redie to ryde
/ bad mastres portars lad leade his horsse in to the fyld by the back syde / and than charles put in to his sleue his mase or masor with other plate / and borowed of mastres portar bothe gold syluer but howe much I am not sure / and Charles went in to the feld after his horsse I brought his boget after hym Also vppon fridaye in christeÌ„n as weke folowyng Charles cam whome late in the nyght / and brought with him iij. bakars and a smyth of streat ford / and the same â—ight they caried oute of Charles house all his gooâ—es by the fylde syde to the bell at shordiche / and yerâ—y on the morowe conueyyd hit with cartes to streat forde Moreouer Iulian saith that the saturdaye at night before the death of Hune Charles cam whome / and brought with hym a Gurnard sayyng hit was for Hune and charles boye telled to Iulian that there was also ordened for Hune a pece of freassh salmone wich Iohn bellynger had Also Charles saide to the saide Iulian / war not this an vngraciouse trouble / I conde bryng my lorde of London to the dores of heritiques in London booth of men and wemen that bene woorth M. lib. But I am ferd that the vngraciouse mydwyfe shall be wraye vs all Also charles saide vnto mastres porter in like wise / and more larger sayyng of the best in London / wherto mastres porter answered / the best in London is my lord maire / than Charles saide / I wyll not skyll hym quite / for he taketh this matter whotte Where as Charles ioseph saith he laye at neck hyll with a harlot a mannes wife in baryngtons house the same night / there abode vntyll the morow at .xi. of the clock that Richard hune was morthered / wher vpon he brought before the kynges councell for his purgacion that forsaide baude baringtonnes wyse / also thafforsaide Harlot / wich purgation we haue proued all vntrew as right larglie maye appere as well by the deposicyon of IuliaÌ„ littell / as of thomas chitcheley taylor / of IohnÌ„ symons stacioner / with other / as of Robert iohnson Peter torner ¶ The deposicioÌ„ of Thomas chitcheley taylor The saide Thomas saith / the same monday that richard hune was founde deed with in a quarter of an houre after vij a clocke in the morning / he met with Charles ioseph coÌ„myng oute of Paules at the nether north dore / going toward pater nost rew / saing good morow M. Charles / the saide charles answered / good morowe / turned backe whan he was with oute the church doore / loked a pon the saide Chitcheley The deposicion of thomas symondes stacioner He saith the same morning that Hune was founde deed / that within a quarter of an houre after vij a clocke in the mornyng Charles Ioseph cam before hym at his stalle / and saide good morowe gossep Simons / and the same Symons saide good morowe to hym agayne / and the wiffe of the same Simons was by hym / and be cause of the deedly countenaunce hastie goyng of Charles the saide Thomas bad his wiffe looke whither Charles gooyth / and as she conde perceyue Charles went in to an ale house standyng in Pater noster rewe by the aley leydyng in to the roode of northdorne / or in to the aley / whither she conde not well tell ¶ The deposicion of Robert iohnson his wiffe dwellyng at the bell in shordiche / where Charles ioseph set his horsse that night that he cam to towne to murther Richard Hune The saide Robert saith that Charles ioseph sent his horsse to his house a pon a holiedaye at night aboute .iij wekes before christeÌ„mas by a boye / which horsse was albe sweet / albe myred the saide boy saide / laet my fathers horsse stond sadelled / for I cannot tell whether my father wyll ryde agayne to nyght or not / the sayde horsse stode saddelled all night / in the morning folowing Charles came booted sporred aboute .viij. of the clocke / and axed if his horsse was sadelled / the seruant answered yee / and the saide Charles leapt vppon his horsse / prayed the hoste to let hym oute at his backe gate / that he might ryde oute by the fyld syde / wich hoste so did / and by cause he was vncertaine of the daye / we asked him if he had herd speake of the death of Hune at tyme or not / he answered nay but shortlye after he did Neuertheles Peter torner Charles sonne in lawe wich brought the horsse by nyght in to the bell Robert iohnsons house / confessed hit was the same night before that Hune was founde deed in the mornyng Moreouer the frydaie before Hunes death Peter torner saide to an honest woomaÌ„ a waxchaundelers wife dwellyng before saint Maries spittel gate / that before this daye seueÌ„ nyght Hune shuld haue a mischeuouse deeth And the same day at after none that Hune was founde deede the saide Peter cam to the same wife and tolde hir that Hune was hanged / sayng what tolde I youe Also Iames the Chauncelers koke the friday before Hunes death saide to v. honest men that Hune shuld die or christmas / or elles he wolde die for hym and on the monday that Hune was founde deede the saide Iames came to the same wemen / saide / what toolde I you / is he not now hanged And we of thynquest axed both of Peter torner and of Iames kooke where they had knowlege that Hune shuld so shortlie die / and they saide in master Chauncelers place by euerie man ¶ The deposicion of Iohn spaldyng belrynger Fyrst the saide deponent saith that on saturdaye the second daye of December Anno. 1514. he toke the charge of the presone at .iiij. of the clocke at after noone / by the commaundement of M. Chaunceler / so toke the keyys / wher vppon he gaue commaundement to the saide deponent that he shuld let no manner of persone speake with the presoner / except he had knowlege of them / so at v. of the clocke the same daye / the saide deponent went to the presonner him sealff a loone / se him and cherisht him / where he gaue the saide deponent a pece of freashe salmone for his wiffe And after that the saide deponeÌ„t saith that he weÌ„t to master CoÌ„mensaries to supper with his felowe / where he remeÌ„bred that he had lefte his knyfe with the saide presonner / where vppon by the councel of master Commensarie he went to the presonner / and featched his kniffe / where he founde the presonner / sayng of his beades / so the saide deponeÌ„t required his kniffe of the saide presonner / the saide presonner deliuered the kniffe to the saide deponent gladlie / so departed for that night And after that on the sondaye next folowyng the saide deponeÌ„t
onelie accusacioÌ„ of Charles Ioseph made by paine duraunce that by youre intercessioÌ„ it may please the kynges grace to haue the matter dewlie sufficieÌ„tlie examined by indiffereÌ„t personnes of his discrete couÌ„cell / in yepÌ„sence of the parties or there be any more done in the cause / that a pon the innoceÌ„cie of my saide chauÌ„celer declared / it may further please the kinges grace / to award a plackard vnto his attourney to confesse the saide endite ment to be vntrewe / when the tyme shall requere hit / for assured am I if my Chaunceler be tryed by any xij men in LondoÌ„ they be so maliciouslie set in fauoreÌ„ hereticae prauitatis / that is ar so set apon the fauoure of heresie / that they will cast and condemne my clarcke / thowght he war as innocent as Abel 〈◊〉 that fore â—keth yeâ—gment 〈◊〉 al the â—en in 〈◊〉 greaâ— a citie â— with 〈◊〉 sealffe â—utie Quare si potes beate pater adiuua infirmitates nostras et tibi in perpetuum deuincti erimus / that is Wherfore if you can / blessed father healp one infirmities and weaknes / we shal be bounde to you for euer / Ouer this in moste humble wife I beseche youe that I may haue the kynges graciouse fauoure / whome I neuer offended wyllinglie and that by youre good meanes I mought speke with his grace / be fauorablie heerde / at any tyme it may so please his grace youe / and I with all myne shall praye for youre ê“sperouse estate loÌ„g to coÌ„tinewe your moost humble oratour R. L. ¶ The woordes that my lorde of London spake before the lordes in the parlement chaumber MemoranduÌ„ that the busshop of LondoÌ„ saide in the parlameÌ„t chaumber that there was a byll brought to the parlameÌ„t to make the iurie that was charged vppoÌ„ the deeth of Hune trewmen / saide toke a pon his coÌ„science that they were falsse periured caytiffes / saide furthermore to all the lordes there then beyng For the loue of god loke apon this matter / for if ye do not I dare not kepe myne awne house for heretiques / saide that the saide Richard Hune hanged him sealffe / the hit was his awne dede / no maÌ„nes elles Hit 〈◊〉 woon 〈◊〉 that he toke ther not boâ—th maÌ„ 〈◊〉 wiffe 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 manneâ— of busshoppes to leat such esâ— kaepe 〈◊〉 it ys to be thought thaâ— he said not trueth in a moche as he pÌ„â—soned â—em no And furthermore saide that there came a maÌ„ to his house whose wiffe was apeched of heresie to speke with hym / he saide that he had no mynde to speake with the same maÌ„ / which maÌ„ spake reported to the seruaÌ„tes of the same busshoppe that if his wife woold not holde styll her opinion / he woold cutte her throte with his awne handes / with other woordes moare ¶ The sentence of the quest subscribed by the Crowner The inquisicioÌ„ intendend takeÌ„ at the citie of LondoÌ„ in the parishe of sainte Gregorie in the warde of baynerd castell in London the vi daye of DeceÌ„ber in the yere and raigne of Kyng Henry the viij the vi yere / afore Thomas Barnwell crowner of oure sofferaine lord the Kyng with in the citie of London aforsaide Also afore Iames yarforde and Iohn mundie shriues of the saide citie / apon the sight of the bodie of Richard hune late of London tayliour wich was founde hanged in lolars tower / and by the othe and prose of lawfull men of the same warde / and of other iij. wardes next adioyning as hit ought to be after the custome in the citie aforsaide to enquere how and in what manner wise the saide Richard hune came vnto his deeth / apon the othe of Iohn barnarde / Thomas sterre / William warren / Henry Abraham / Iohn aborowe / Iohn turner / Robert alen / William marler / Iohn button / Iames page / Thomas pickhill / William burton / Robart brigewater / Thomas busted / Gilbart howel / Richard Gybson / Christopher crofton / Iohn god / Richard holt / Iohn pasmere / Edmond hudsoÌ„ / Iohn awncell / Richard couper / Iohn tynie / the wich saye vpon there othe that where the saide Richard hune by the commaundemeÌ„t of Richard and Busshop of LoÌ„don was enprisoned and brought to holde in a prisone of the saide Busshoppes called lolars tower lyyng in the cathedral church of S. Paule in London / in the parisshe of S. Gregorie in the warde of baynerd castell affore saide William horsey of London clarcke / otherwise called William hersie ChauÌ„celer to Richard busshop of LoÌ„doÌ„ / one Charles ioseph late of LondonÌ„ somner Iohn spalding of LoÌ„doÌ„ otherwise called Iohn belringer felonouslie as felones to oure lord the Kyng with force and armes against the peace of oure sofferaine Lord the Kyng / dignitie of his crowne / the .iiij. of daye December the yere of the raigne of oure sofferaine Lord the .vi. afforsaide / of theire greate malice at the parishe of sainte Gregorie afforsaide apon the saide Richard Hune made a fraye / the same Richard Hune felonouslie straÌ„gelde smorderde / also the neck they did breake of the saide Richarde Hune there felonouslie slewe hym and morthered hym / also the bodie of the saide Richard Hune afterward the same .iiij. daye / yere / place / parish warde afforsaide with the proper gyrdell of the same Richard Hune of sylcke / blacke of coloure / of the value of .xij peÌ„ce after his deeth apon a hoke dryueÌ„ in to apece of tymber in the wal of the presonne afforsaide made fast / so haÌ„ged hym againste the peace of oure sofferaine Lorde the Kyng / the dignitie of his crowne / and so the saide iurie hathe sworne apon the holie Euangeliste that they saide Wylliam Horsey clerck / Charles Ioseph / Iohn Spaldyng of they re set malice / then there felonouslie kylled murthered the saide Richard Hune in Maner forme aboue saide against the peace of oure sofferaine Lord the Kyng / his crowne dignitie Subscribed in this maner Thomas Barnewell Crowner of the Citie of London