STAC 5/R35/13

Court of Star Chamber:

John Reymes, son of Robte Reymes of Shortflatt v Edward Shaftowe, Willm Shaftowe gent, Cutbert Shaftowe, Raynold Shaftowe, Richard Pryddy, Reynould Rowlle, Thomas Rowlle, George Willson, Randall Foster, Clement Smarte, John Shaftowe, Garrard Newam, Lanncellott Shaftowe, John Davison, Andrewe Smythe, Grace Ainsley, Willm Phenicke, Marke Shaftowe, Gawyn Aynsley, Jerard Shafto, Cuthberte Shafto and Willm Charleton

Transcript: Dave King

Bill of Complaint:

dated on reverse: Oct Hillary 1579

To the Quenes moste excellente Ma[jestie]/

Humbly Complayninge shewethe unto your heighnes your true and faythefull Subiecte John Reymes Sonne of Robte Raymes of Shortflatt in your Ma[jesties] Countie of Northumberland, That wheras your said Subiecte beinge in quiet and peaceble possession of and in certeine grounde scituate and beinge in Easte Shaftowe in your said Countie of Northumberland/ Now so it is and maye please your moste exelente Maiestie That one Edward Shaftowe and Willm Shaftowe gent intendinge and meanynge to int[er]upte the quiet possessyon of your sayd Subiecte whiche he had in the said p[re]misses, Abowte the syx and Twentithe daye of August now last past very unlawfully and ryotusly assembled and gathered unto them selfes one Cutberd Shaftowe Reignold Shaftowe Richard Pryddey Reynold Rowle Thomas Rowle George Willson Randall Foster Clement Smart John Shaftowe Gerrard Newam Lanncellot Shaftowe John [Davison] Andrewe Smythe Willm Charleton Grace Ainsley Willm Phenicke: Marke Shaftowe Gawyn Aynsley Jerard Shafto Cuthbert Shafto and dyvers and sundrye other very leawde and disordered p[er]sons in all to the number of threscore p[er]sons as yet the most parte of them unknowne to your said Subiecte, beinge verye des... and ....ked p[er]sonns and gathered and assembled together at Easte Shaftowe by the meanes and unlawfull procurement of the said Edward Shaftowe and Willm Shaftowe did then and there Arme and arraye themselfes in Warlike and ryotuse mannor withe Swordes daggers bucklers Pryvie Cootes Cotes of defence stele Cappes skulles Speares, staves, Lannces Pykes Pytcheforkes and dyvers and sundrye other verye unlawfull and unsemely weapons bothe defensyve and invasyve And beinge voyde of all godlye Feare or dewtifull obedyence to your maiestie and in manifest contempt of your heighnes Lawes and Statutes provided against Ryottes Rowtes and suche ryotus and unlawfull assemblyes did the daye and tyme aforesaid withe force and armes verye Ryotusly forcible and unlawfully breake and enter into the said premisses and then and there fyndinge your said Subiecte and one Martyne Spurr[er] and Marke Edley servanntes to your said Subiecte in gods peace and your ma[jesties] abowte your sayd subiectes busynes) did not only verye despretly and fearely Assaulte beate and evell intreat your said Subiectes servantes but also them in greate feare and p[er]ill of their lyfes and then and there withe thear Lannces and Speares charged did sodenly and despretlye runn the sayd Martyn Spurr[er] throughe the theighe into the bodye withe suche great vyolence and force that he presently fell upon the grounde and then did not only force dyvers and sundrye sore and grevous blowes upon his heade bodye and armes but also did in suche fowle and shamefull mannor bruse crushe and evill intreat the bodye and other partes of the said Martyne Spurr[er] that the bludd did verye pittifully gushe owte of his mouthe and nose and was so evell handled by them that they lefte him for dead/ And did besyd[es] in lyke shamefull sorte and Ryotus mannor beate and wounde the said Marke Edley upon the heade armes and other partes of his bodye that he hathe utterly loste the use of his lymmes and not like to recover the same agayne, And also did p[ur]sue and followe your said Subiect to have used like force and vyolence against him, had he not happely throughe good helpe excaped ther handes/ And then havinge put their outragious and furyous mannor of dealynges in ure and practise against your sayd Subiect and his sayd servanntes and contynued the same their unlawfull assemblye Rowtes Ryotes and other their boulde and unlawfull offences and misdemeanors for the space of one whole daye/ And did also in like Ryotus and unlawfull manner take and carye awaye owte of the said grounde Twentye Loodes of haye, and did dryve awaye also from thens, syx and Fortye Oxen and other Beastes beinge the goodes & Cattells of your said Subiectes, which they did in very Ryotus mannor dryve and carye to the howse of the said Edward Shaftowe, And the sayd Oxen and beastes did verye shamefully put and shutt up in dyvers and sundrye secrett and close places, and then and there did kepe withowte meate or drink untill suche tyme as some of them famished and the resydewe verye unlikely to escape it to the greate hurt harme and hinderance of your sayd Subiect./. In Tender consyderacon wherof and for that the sayd Ryotuse and disordered p[er]sons maye resceave suche punishmente for their sayd severall offences and misdemenors as the quantitye and qualytie of the same do require to the Terror and feare of suche other ryotus p[er]sons as shall attempte to putt the like shamefull and unlawfull practices in ure/ It maye theirfore please your most exellente Ma[jestie] to grante unto your said Subiecte your ma[jesties] most gracious severall writtes of Subpena to be directed unto the said Edward Shaftowe Willm Shaftowe Cutbert Shaftowe Raynold Shaftowe Richard Pryddey Reynould Rowlle Thomas Rowll George Willson Randall Foster Clemente Smart John Shaftowe Garrard Newam Lanncelott Shaftowe John Davison Andrewe Smythe Grace Ainsley Willm Phenicke Marke Shaftowe Gawyn Aynsley Jerard Shafto Cuthberte Shafto and Willm Charleton comandinge them and everye of them by the same at a Certeyne daye and under a certeyne payne there to be lymitted p[er]sonally to appeare before your heighnes most honorable Counsell in your heighe Courte of Starr Chamber then and there to Answere unto the p[re]misses and to abyde suche further order and direccon therin as to your heighnes said Counsell shalbe thought to be most agreable to Right equitye & good consyence and your said Subiecte shall daylye praye for your ma[jestie] longe to Rule and happely to Reigne over us/

Danyell ......