y violently seized
Robert de Sunley at Calvecote and led him to Pickering Castle until he
paid L2. On the 30th July Thomas Oliver of Sawdon was taken in the same
manner and detained for five days. After all this David was summoned and
he pleaded guilty. By trustworthy witnesses, however, it was proved that
he was penniless and had nothing wherewith to satisfy the king for his
offences, and "having regard to the state of his health and condition he
was let off." We wonder what the Vicar of Ebberston thought of this
lenient treatment of such a Barabbas. Geoffrey de Wrightington, a late
bailiff of Pickering, seems to have taken part in these offences, and he
was also responsible for having seized Hugh de Neville in Pickering
Church, and for having imprisoned him "in the depths of the gaol in iron
fetters for seven weeks, though Hugh had never been indicted." John Scott
of Pickering also spent nine weeks in prison at the pleasure of this
desperate fellow. On the 30th August 1346 he took L4 by force from Henry
de Acaster, the vicar of Pickering, when he was journeying between
Coneysthorpe and Appleton le Street. His methods are well shown by the
following. "Geoffrey also on Sunday, 17th September 1346, seized Adam de
Selley Bridge by force at Pickering and imprisoned him until he had
compounded with him for 6 [? L] and when Adam paid the fine Geoffrey made
him swear on the Book that he would tell no one how he came to pay the
fine or to be imprisoned." After all this Geoffrey was let off with a fine
when called to account three years later.

In the minister's accounts for 1322 appear the "wages of a forester to
keep Pickering Forest, a door-keeper and a watchman in the castle, each 2d
a day for 34 weeks." There are references to thatch for the porter's
lodge, the brewhouse, the kitchen, and small upper apartment within the
castle. This thatching took a man three days with two women to help him
all the time; the man received 9d and the women 2d each for the work.

The chaplain of the castle chapel received a yearly salary of L3; repairs
by contract to the seven glass windows in the chapel cost 10d, and wine
and lights 2s. Under the heading of Small Expenses comes "making 14
hurdles to lie on the draw bridge and other bridges to preserve them from
the cart-wheels 1s; making a hedge round the fishpond, cutting and
carrying boughs, wages of the hedger--4s 6d; making a long cord of hemp 20
ells long weighing 6 stone of hemp for t