A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 



There had been ill-feeling between the citizens and monks as to their 

 relative rights under the charter from the time of John. One as to the 

 ' commoning ' in some of the outskirts of the city indeed began in that reign 

 and did not end till the reign of Henry VIII. Blood had been drawn in a 

 quarrel between the priory baker and a citizen in 1256—7, in which the 

 former was killed.^ Disputes were frequent as to the respective rights to 

 hold inquests on debateable land, and in 1258 there was a forcible entry 

 into the city by ten of the monks and their servants, who beat, wounded, and 

 ill-treated the bailiffs, because they endeavoured to preserve the city liberties.' 

 At last, in 1272, a spark set fire to the smouldering material. A standard or 

 quintain had been erected on Tombland, just outside the priory gates. There 

 were plenty of other places where it could have been placed, and it looks as 

 if the intention was to annoy the monks. A dispute arose, nominally about 

 the broken truncheons of the spears, and the citizens drove the prior's retainers 

 back to the priory. 



During this assault one William le Messer from within shot a bolt from 

 his crossbow and killed Adam de Newenton, one of the citizens.^ On this 

 the city coroners held an inquest, found the prior's men guilty of murder, and 

 not long after arrested two men, whom they caught within the city liberties. 

 Thereupon the prior procured the citizens to be excommunicated and laid 

 under an interdict. 



In August the prior's men closed their gates, and shooting over the 

 walls wounded many. Overtures for peace were made on behalf of the 

 citizens, who sent certain friars, preachers, and nuns, to the priory. The 

 negotiations went so far that by arrangement both parties chose arbitrators, 

 who drew up an agreement, which was sealed by the citizens with their 

 common seal, but the prior refused to affix the seal of his chapter, only 

 offering to put his private seal to it. 



The prior next, on the Sunday before St. Lawrence, brought up from 

 Yarmouth and elsewhere three barges full of men armed with ' guns,' bows 

 and arrows, and other weapons, who came into the city beating drums and 

 sounding trumpets as though in war. Thus reinforced the prior's men sallied 

 out at night, killed and robbed a merchant called Alfred Cutler of _^20 and 

 more, and broke open Hugh de Bromholm's tavern, drinking what wine they 

 pleased and wasting the rest. They are also said to have set on fire three 

 houses near the Grey Friars, and to have burned them down. 



The city authorities are said to have immediately sent letters of complaint 

 to the king, and to have summoned the citizens to meet in the market-place 

 the next day at ten, according to the Norwich Liber Albus^ to bring to justice 

 those who had made ' an illegal castle ' in their city — a view borne out by the 

 fact that their chief officers were among the so-called rioters. That it was a 

 general muster there can be little doubt, and according to the statement in 

 Pope Gregory's buU,^ the voice of the crier and the sound of the bell called 

 up in the city all over twelve years of age. Accordingly on the next day, 

 which was the Monday next before the feast of St. Lawrence, viz. 9 August, 



' Placita Corone, 41 Hen. Ill, m. 36. 



• ' Placita de Juratis et Assisis ' (Divers Counties, 42 Hen. Ill), Tower Records, 26. 

 ' Crown Pleas R. 14 Edw. I, m. 72. 



• Liber de Antiquis legibuj (Camden Soc), 145. 



• Barth. de Cotton Hist. Angl. (Rolls Ser.), 421. 



474 



