As exemplified in the Manor of Castle Combe. 153 
of felony, and remitting him for trial at the County Sessions, 
always had his goods appraised by the Tything-man, and impounded 
for the Lords’ use, in case of his conviction by the Court which 
tried him. And the same process took place when any accused 
person fled from justice, or did not abide judgement. Many such 
instances occurred; so many, indeed, that the goods of felons appear 
to have been a perquisite of some value to the Lord. 
On one occasion, in 1524, a criminal who had committed homicide, 
took shelter or Sanctuary, in the Parish Church, on which the 
Coroner was sent for, to whom he abjured his fealty to the Sovereign, 
and elected to leave the kingdom by the Port of Dover, and so was 
indicted of murder, and his goods forfeited as above to the Lord. 
This seems to have been the process by which alone even a murderer 
who had taken sanctuary could be got rid of. 
At another time, one Thomas Hassell was presented by the Jury 
as “having feloniously broken into the Parish Church, by force of 
arms, to wit, a dagger, and stolen therefrom a Missal, worth 15 
marks, (probably richly illuminated, to be worth that sum), a silver- 
gilt cup worth 8 marks, a silver cup worth 5 marks, and a pav- 
brede of the value of 15 shillings, of the Goods and Chattels of the 
said Church.” 
Though instances occur of the infliction of personal punishments, 
but generally for a second offence, or on the non-payment of 
fines, such as whipping, the stocks, and the pillory, the usual 
penalties awarded were pecuniary fines, to be levied, if need be, by 
the Constable, by distress on the goods of the offender. These fines 
seem to have been practically unlimited in amount at the discretion 
of the Court, since I find very considerable sums occasionally taken ; 
as for instance, in the year 1438, when Sir John Grene, parson of 
the Parish, was fined in 40 marks, (£26 13s. 4d.), for cutting down 
an ash tree and some thorns in the Lords’ park; which fine he 
being totally unable to pay, ten marks were taken from him at the 
time, and a bond for the remaining £20 at his death; on the 
occurrence of which event his goods were sold, and it is stated 
in an abstract of the Roll, that the fines actually levied for this 
offence, were worth to the Lord more than £40,—probably one 
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