Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
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142<br />
BEVERLEY SANCTUARY.<br />
another towards NorthBurton; a third [towards Kinwalgraves;<br />
and the last south ofBeverley,on the road which<br />
led to the ferry across the Humber.<br />
Ifa party seized a fugitive whohad contrived to reach<br />
any one of the four crosses, he was obliged to paytwo<br />
hundredth (a hundredth was equalto £8) ;if he took him<br />
within the town, then he forfeited four hundredth; if<br />
within the walls of the churchyard, six hundredth; if<br />
within the church, then twelve hundredth; if within the<br />
doors of the choir, then eighteen hundredth, besides<br />
penance, as in case of sacrilege; but if he presumed to<br />
take the runaway delinquent out of the holy chair of<br />
" Fridstol" itself the offence was irredeemable by money,<br />
and had become sine emendatione " boteless " (bootless),<br />
and called forth not only the utmost severity of the<br />
Church, but the heaviestpunishment of the secular power<br />
also.<br />
In the British Museum, amongst the Harleian MSS.,<br />
is a thin folio volume containing a list of persons who<br />
have obtained sanctuary for different crimes inpart of the<br />
reigns of EdwardIV. and Richard III.,and part of the<br />
reigns of Henry VII. and Henry VIIL, or from about<br />
1478 to 1539. The registeralso contains the oath taken<br />
by those who sought " its peace within its mile," and<br />
affords, perhaps, the only copy of a sanctuary oath now<br />
extant. The bailiffof the Archbishop,by whom the oath<br />
was administered,is directedto inquire ofthe refugee —<br />
"What man he killed, and wherewith, and both ther<br />
names, and then gar him lay his hand uppon the book,<br />
saying on this wyse: ' Sir, take hede on your oth. Ye<br />
shal be trew and feythfull to My Lord Archbishop of<br />
York, Lordoff this towne; to the Provost of the same, to<br />
the Channons of this Chirch, and all other ministers<br />
thereof.<br />
"' Also ye shall bere gude hert to the Baillies and xjj<br />
governarsof this towne,toall burges and comynersofthe<br />
same. Also, ye shall bere no poynted wepen, dagger,<br />
knyfe, and ne nane other wapenagenst the Kyng's pece.