GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH. 1OJ 



of Lollardism were supposed to stimulate outrages against 

 the established faith. The following is a translation of an 

 inquisition bearing date Trinity Term, 1433. A copy of this 

 process was forwarded to Merton College, as lords of the 

 manor of Maldon, and thereupon as interested in the finding. 

 It is remarkable that no legal action had been taken on the 

 facts for seven years. The finding is by Sir John Kyghley, 

 John Corf, Thomas Haseley, and Robert Fitz,-Robert, justices 

 of the peace for the county of Surrey, and appointed as 

 judges of oyer and terminer in cases of felonies, transgres- 

 sions, and misdeeds; and they report on oath as follows: 



" There is a place called Sparrowfield in the parish of West- 

 " cheam, and in the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 

 " which the Catholic public of the neighbourhood have, time out 

 " of mind, been accustomed to use for Processions and Litanies 

 " on Rogation-days, and where a new wooden cross had been but 

 " lately put up, of the same height as the Holy Cross. At mid- 

 " night on the ipth of May, 1426, the following persons, John 

 " Saunders of Kingston-on-Thames, Robert Goldman \ Richard 

 " Pigot, Thomas Dritt, alias Thomas Taylor, Thomas Vincent, 

 " husbandmen, William Studleigh, ostler, Henry Butcher, butcher, 

 " John Castle, baker, with many other enemies, as appears, of the 

 " cross of Christ, came thither, when they thought their crime 

 " could not be detected, according to the adage, ' He who does 

 " the deed hates the light,' and with false covin and malice afore- 

 " thought armed with swords, staves, bows and arrows, &c., came 

 " to the spot, tore down the cross, and in scorn of the wor- 

 " ship of Holy Cross, and tying it, as it were traitor convict, to 

 " the tails of their horses, dragged it to Kingston-on-Thames, and 

 " then threw it into a base and disgraceful place, against God's 

 " and the Church's peace and honour, and the peace and dignity 

 " of the King, and in evil precedent to those who dishonour the 

 " cross, and to the joy and increase of heretics of this way of 

 " thinking. And so the oath convicts them of Lollardism and 

 " heresy." 



This is probably but one among many similar acts of insub- 



