STAC 5/A52/12

From Waalt

STAC 5/A52/12 - B - - Staffordshire - AG (Gerrarde) v George Uttinge alias Nunttinge, Roberte Plommer, John Burye, Nicholas Atwell, Thomas Shipton, John Wethers, [blank] Wheledon the bailiffs of Litchfield, John Hill see STAC Nunting

Transcribed by Helen Good

To the Queens most excellent Majesty

Gilbert Gerard attorney general to our sovereign Lady the Queen for and on the behalf of our said sovereign lady giveth information to this honourable court for that one George Uttinge alias Nunttinge of the city of Litchfield in the county of Stafford capper, Robert Plommer of the same city barber, John Bury of the same city smith, Nicholas Atwell upholsterer, Thomas Shypton glover, John Wytheis, [blank] Whelson and divers other rebellious and evil disposed persons of the said city of Litchfield and of other towns and villages and places near adjoining to the said city within the said county of Stafford. About the third day of May last past and at divers other days and times before the same day, did very secretly maliciously, and seditiously against the peace of our said sovereign lady, conspire amongst themselves unlawfully to raise and stir up a great number of the Queens majesties subjects To the intent to cause them unlawfully and of their own authority to assemble together and to pull and cast down certain hedges and ditches made about certain ground lying in place called Aldershawe in the said county of Stafford which ground about five years past was enclosed by one John Hill, and in the said secret practice and conspiracy the said persons before named did appoint the said [blank] Wheledon being bellman of the said city by ringing of one hand bell, and open proclamation by him to be made in the said city of Litchfield at a certain time by them appointed to give warning to all persons that would to rise and go to do the said unlawful enterprise And after this conspiracy thus had the said [blank] Wheledon the fifth day of May last past did ring his said hand bell in all the streets of the said city of Litchfield, and then and there made open proclamation that all men which would claim any common in the said enclosed ground should incontinently repair with their weapons to the said place called Aldershaw for the pulling and casting down of the said enclosures Whereupon this said rioters and rebellious persons before names with diverse others as well of the said city as of other towns and villages thereunto near adjoining to the number of three hundreth persons and above did most riotously and in very rebellious manner rise and assemble themselves together at the said place called Aldershawe, and there in very riotous manner did with great force against the Queen’s majesty’s peace cast down and overthrow the hedges and ditches made about the said enclosed ground, At which time the said John Hill was there present with them and did not any thing stay against them but seemed willingly to consent to their unlawful doings and did rather encourage them so to do than otherwise, And after the said riotous and evil disposed persons had so finished and done their said unlawful enterprise they and every of them did repair again to the said city of Litchfield and other villages and towns where their dwelling was, and yet hitherto were never punished nor any inquiry had or made of their said rebellious and unlawful doings either by the bailiff and head officers of the said city of Litchfield who have the authority of Justice of Peace within the said city nor by any the Justices of Peace of the said county of Stafford not yet the said John Hill who received great wrong at their hands by pulling down of the said hedges and ditches hitherto hath not complained nor showed their said unlawful and forcible assemble and doings to any Justice of Peace or other officer to have had the said offenders punished according to their deserts Whereby it seemeth that the said John Hill and bailiff of the said city did willingly consent to the said disorder. By reason whereof the said offender by greatly encouraged, and the due order and execution of justice much hindered to the perilous and evil example of all the Queen’s majesty’s subjects in those parts wherefore the said Attorney prayeth that as well the said George Uttinge alias Nunttinge, Roberte Plommer, John Burye, Nicholas Atwell, Thomas Shipton, John Wethers and [blank] Wheledon as also the bailiffs of the said city of Litchfield and the said John Hill may be called by due process into this honourable Court to make answer to all the premises &c.