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Robberies: John

It appears that the sacrist of Westminster having found certain cups, etc., spoke to some of the monks, and asked their advice thereon. They advised him to consult John de Foxle, and he, not knowing of the robbery, advised that the abbot should maintain his right to them as being found within the liberty of the church. Other proceedings of the sacrist, if truly reported, leave no doubt of his guilt. William the Palmer, the keeper of the king's palace, said he often saw the sacrist, the sub-prior, and other monks, go in and out, early and late, about the time of the burglary, and they often carried many things towards the church-he knew not what. John Albon was the designer of certain tools for breaking open the Treasury-Alexander de Pershore threatened to kill him if he revealed the design-and on a certain day he saw the same Alexander and certain monks enter a certain boat of the Abbey at the King's bridge, and take with them two large panniers covered with black leather, in which there was a great weight-he knew not what. The same persons returned late in another boat, and landed at the Abbey Mill. John de Ramage was suspected, because he was often going in and coming out of the Abbey, and on a sudden he dressed himself very richly, bought horses and arms, and boasted he was able to buy a town if he pleased. John de Linton scattered dirt on the ground near the Treasury, and destroyed all traces of the robbers. It was he who sowed hemp in the cloister garth. Many persons, especially goldsmiths and dealers, appear to have been implicated through the agency of the sacrist, and the other robbers. Richard de Podelicote went to Northampton and Colchester to get rid of some of the jewels there, and several worthy citizens of London are recorded as having purchased some "cheap" lots of precious stones and plate. Just before the robbery, some friends of William de Palais "met in a certain house within the close of the prison of the Fleet, together with a horseman and four ribald persons unknown, and there stayed two nights eating and drinking, and in the middle of the third night they went armed towards Westminster, and returned in the morning. This they did for two nights, and then came no more. And as the treasury was broken into about that time-say the jurors-they were suspected of the felony. Much of the treasure seems to have been hid in the immediate neighbourhood of the Abbey, to be carried off at the convenience of the thieves. A linendraper at St. Giles's had a large pannier full of broken vessels of gold and silver sent to him by certain monks of Westminster, about which he became so alarmed when the royal proclamation was published, that he gave it to a shepherd-boy to hide in Kentish Town, where it was found. Some of the treasure found its way across the water, but was not traced, although the boatmen of the river from Lambeth to Kingston were examined. The case against the sacrist and the monks appears to be that the robbery could not have been committed without their knowledge, the gates of the Close must have been opened to admit some of the thieves, and they had the keys of them, while they refused admittance to a man who had bought the herbage of the cemetery, as they knew what was hid there, and that afterwards much treasure was known to have been taken to the sacrist's house, and claimed by him. Their antecedents were brought forward to strengthen the case against them, for it is said, "there was a great suspicion against the monks, because four years ago an attempt was made to break open the treasury in the cloister, which was inquired into, and the Abbot made peace with the King respecting it."