Wateringbury clergyman assaulted (1451)

Post date: Sep 10, 2019 11:55:59 AM

In a Rochester diocese case of 1451 a Wateringbury woman is prosecuted for assault on a Wateringbury clergyman. It was referenced in a talk on 9th September 2019 by Professor Peter Clark of the University of Southampton on violence and the clergy. The record, in Latin, is held on microfiche at Kent Archives under reference Drb/Pa/2, fol 150 and 150 v. My thanks go to Mark Bateson of Kent Archives for his help in reading, translating and interpreting this record.

The wider context set by Prof. Clark's talk is the assertion by the Church throughout Europe from the 12th century of the use of Church courts. Becket's martyrdom established the right in England. Asault on clergy was treated very seriously with excommunication the punishment, only pardonable by a special papal office (the Office of Papal Penitiary). Non-attendance at Church, particularly on feast days, was a frequent issue before the Church courts but sexual offences (adultery and fornication outside marriage) dominated. Frequently the local priest was involved in reporting cases causing local resentment between people who knew each other.

1451 was a year after Jack Cade's rebellion, when an estimated 5,000 assembled on Blackheath, looted in London and fought a battle on London Bridge. Their greviances, related to the poor administration of the king's cronies were expressed in a manifesto The Complaint of the Poor Commons of Kent. This case does not seem to be related to the rebellion but the court was not active in 1450 probably because of the upheaval related to the rebellion.

The clergyman involved, and twice described as from Wateringbury, was a John Gulliard. However he does not appear on the Wateringbury list of vicars published in Christine Byron's guidebook to the church. There was a rapid turnover of vicars in Wateringbury around this time but none being John Guillard. He is called Dominus in the record he could have been a clergyman without being the vicar.

On folio 150 it is recorded that John is under arrest concerning adul[tery]alleged by the other party involved.

On folio 150 verso Agnes Godewin is prosecuted for laying violent hands on a priest that is John Galliard. Her defence is that she acted in self defence. She calls John Chartwey, Thomas Pettle, John Kebbill, Hamo Bardlingley as witnesses. She was also questioned concerning Paul Cuper who she defamed; she denies it and alleges she was defamed by him.

Unfortunately and frustratingly the outcome of the case is not known.