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
