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70 sued by the bailiff, who caught and decapitated four of their number. This victory achieved, that officer took the stolen chattels into his custody and rode with his company towards Lichfield; but in the interim Rideware, having rallied his band, and being reinforced by Sir Walter de Rideware and others, came up with the bailiff between Blithebury and Ridware Parva, and recovered his plunder by a sudden onslaught.

These conflicts seem to have occurred on Sunday. The bailiff having thus failed to obtain redress for the petitioners, they went on the following Thursday to Stafford to shew their grievance, but there, posted at the gates, were followers of the robbers, who would not suffer them to enter the town, and from whom they scarcely escaped without grievous harm. In conclusion William Drakelowe and Richard Hormiglowe represent, that they and many of the Lichfield folk are so menaced by the said robbers and their maintainers that they dare not venture out of the town. Into all which matters they pray the earl of Arundel to cause enquiry to be made at his first session at Lichfield, the felony having been committed within the franchise of the bishop of Chester.

This interesting document is preserved among the miscellaneous petitions in the Tower of London. 2em

A treshonurable seguur si ly pleise counte Darundel justice nostre segneur le Roy moustrent William de Drakelowe e Richart de Hormiglowe marchauns de Lichefeld qe le vendredy in la feste de la Purification nostre dame lan du regne nostre segneur le Rey [E.] tierce puys le Conquest quinzisime les avantditz William et Richart manderent lur garsuns ove deus chivals ove deus fardels de especerie et mercerie pris de xl. liveres dancresce au marche Destafford le samady proschein suaunt. E sire come les avantditz garsuns ove lur chivals e fardels vindrent desout le boys del Canoke entre le dit boys e lewe de Trente parentre Wolseleye e Hoywode de dens la franchise nostre segneur levesqe de Cestre illeqes vint sire Robert de Rideware chivaler e deus valletz ove ly e les ditz garsuns chivals e fardels felonessement encountre la pees pristrent e les amienerent tantqe a la priorie de Lappeleye, mes lun garsun eschapa. E en la dite priorie troverent sire Johan de Oddyngeseles, Esmon de Oddyngeseles e pluseurs autres auxi bien chivalers come autres gentz desconus de lur cumpanye e de lur covyne, e entre eux tons departirent les avantditz mercerie e especerie, chescun de sa porcion solump sun estat. E sire le sammady proschein suant tote la