ive surety for the payment of his civil
penalties before he was released by the Fierte from his criminal
sentence.]

In 1420 a still more interesting case arose, which is the first that
suggests to my mind the possibility of the canons' choice being
occasionally influenced by those in authority, and if by them, then it
is only too probable that other suggestions (not strictly religious in
their nature) may have been made in other years when "equity,"
according to our notions, does not explain their triumph over "law."
For in this year the manuscript records, "Pierre Lamequin, de la
paroisse de Vize, en Angleterre, diocese de Salisbery;" an entry which
inevitably suggests to English ears that Peter Lambkin of Devizes was
the lucky prisoner. He killed a merchant at an outlying village, with
a French friend to help him. Other instances occur in which the
foreign army profited by the native privilege. In 1429 the entry
reads: "Thomas Grandon, anglais, de la paroisse de Hanniquem, diocese
d'York," who killed two Scotchmen at Chambroix. In 1434 we find:
"Guillaume Banc, anglais, de la paroisse de Saint-Bin, diocese de
Carlisle," who slew one Saunders in a brawl, helped by a friend named
William Peters. In 1437, "Jehan Hotot, laique, de la paroisse de
Sainte-Marie de Helnyngan, diocese de Norfolk," who killed a pair of
Englishmen in the country. In 1438, "Jennequin Benc ou Bent, anglais,
de la paroisse de Bosc-Chatel, diocese d'Hereford, dans le pays de
Galles," who killed an Englishman. In 1439, "Jehan Helys, anglais, de
la paroisse de Hest-Monceaulz, diocese de Cantorbery," who had stolen
goods in Rouen, in company with one John Johnson and Thomas
"Kneet."[48] In 1447, "Jean Houcton, anglais, de la paroisse de
Langthon, en Clindal, diocese de Dublin," who was charged with
stealing a horse, alleging, in defence, that foraging was a common
privilege of soldiers, and was subsequently convicted of robbing an
innkeeper near the bridge of a silver cup six ounces in weight. Now
that these names are brought to the knowledge of English antiquaries
with more science and leisure at their disposal than are mine, I await
with interest to hear whether any traces of these freebooters exist
in the parish records of their native towns.[49]

[Footnote 48: This Ellis was particularly lucky, for the first
prisoner chosen had been Denisot le Charretier, who was claimed as an
ecclesiastic by the Archbishop, Louis of Luxembourg, who was also
Ch