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Murderers sheltering in Durham Cathedral: and their victims (1464-1524) Criminals could evade pursuit by claiming sanctuary in Durham Cathedral. Persons who took refuge fled to the north door of the cathedral, and knocked for admission. There were two chambers over the door in which men slept, for the purpose of admitting fugitives at any hour of the night. As soon as anyone was so admitted, the Galilee bell was immediately tolled, to give notice that someone had taken sanctuary. The offender was required to declare before witnesses the nature of his offence, and to toll a bell in token of his demanding the privilege of sanctuary. He was then provided with a gown of black cloth with a yellow cross, called St Cuthbert's Cross, upon the left shoulder. A grate was provided near the south door to sleep upon, and for 37 days sufficient provisions and bedding were provided. But within 40 days he had to appear before the coroner, clothed in sackcloth, and be branded on his right hand with the sign of the letter A. This signified that he was swearing to abjure the realm: he was then free to leave the country unhindered. The petitions for immunity were entered in the diocesan registers, usually with the marginal note 'Peticio Immunitatis': those from 18 June 1464 to 10 September 1524 (the privilege was finally abolished in 1624) were edited and printed by the Surtees Society in 1837 under the title Sanctuarium Dunelmense. Some of the criminals came from a considerable distance: the great majority were murderers or homicides. Each entry usually gives full name, original address, (often) trade, a brief description of the crime, often with date, and usually the name of the victim, as well as the witnesses to the petition. This index covers all the surnames given.	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Liegemen and Traitors, Pirates and Spies (1542-1547) The Privy Council of Henry VIII was responsible for internal security in England and Wales, and dealt with all manner of special and urgent matters	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Militia in Taunton hundred, Somerset (1569) A muster of the ablemen, gunners, light horsemen, pikemen, archers and billmen available from this hundred, compiled by sir Hugh Paulet, sir Maurice Barkeley, sir Ralph Hopton and John Horner in answer to a royal commission of the 11th year of queen Elizabeth. The returns are arranged by tithing. The hundred consisted of the parishes of Angersleigh, Bishops Hull, Bradford on Tone, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Combe Florey, Corfe, Cothelstone, Heathfield, Hillfarrance, Kingston St Mary, Lydeard St Lawrence, Norton Fitzwarren, Nynehead, Oake, Orchard Portman, Otterford, Pitminster, Rimpton, Ruishton, Staplegrove, Stoke St Mary, (the borough of) Taunton, Tolland, Trull, West Bagborough, Wilton and Withiel Flory. (The sample shown is from the return for the borough of Axbridge)	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Militia in Winterstoke hundred, Somerset (1569) A muster of the ablemen, gunners, light horsemen, pikemen, archers and billmen available from this hundred, compiled by sir Hugh Paulet, sir Maurice Barkeley, sir Ralph Hopton and John Horner in answer to a royal commission of the 11th year of queen Elizabeth. The returns are arranged by tithing. The hundred consisted of the parishes of (the town of Axbridge, returned separately), Badgworth, Banwell, Blagdon, Bleadon, Cheddar, Christon, Churchill, Compton Bishop, Congresbury, East Harptree, Hutton, Kenn, Kewstoke, Locking, Loxton, Puxton, Rodney Stoke, Rowberrow, Shipham, Uphill, Wick St Lawrence, Weston super Mare, Winscombe, Worle and Yatton. (The sample shown is from the return for the borough of Axbridge)	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Tenants of the Bishop of Durham (1580) 'A Booke of Surveighe and an Abstract out of the Rentale of all the Landes, Tenementes and Revenews that belonge to the Cathedrall' Churche of Durism' with the perfect and perticuler State therof, mayd anno Reginae Elizabethae vicissimo secundo, 1580' was edited by John Booth and printed by the Surtees Society in 1886. The bishopric had an extensive rental in the city and county of Durham; eight places in Northumberland are mentioned; and then there are glebe rentals from rectories in county Durham and Northumberland in the bishop's hands. Greater detail is then given of the tenants of the manors in county Durham held as of the cathedral priory - Aycliffe, Bellasis, (Newton) Bewley, Billingham, Burdun, Chilton, Coupon, Dalton, Edmondbyers, Ferry (Hill, or Ferrycliffe), Fulwell, Harton, Hebburn, Hedworth, Hesledon, Heworth, Jarrow, Kirk Merrington, East Merrington, West Merrington and Mid Merrington, Monkton, Moorsley, Newton Ketton, Nunstanton, North and South Pittington, East and West Rainton, Ravensflat, Shields, Southwick, Spen, Usworth, Wallsend, Wardley, Wearmouth, Westoe, Willington and Wolviston. Finally, there is a list of new leases granted out at lotteries by the late dean of Durham and the prebendaries there; fines received but not yet paid into the cathedral funds; and the names of tenants (of the priory) claiming tenant right and refusing to take leases.	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Liegemen and Traitors, Pirates and Spies (1586-1587) The Privy Council of queen Elizabeth was responsible for internal security in England and Wales, and dealt with all manner of special and urgent matters	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Jurymen in the North Riding of Yorkshire (1605-1612) The Quarter Sessions minute books for the North Riding from April 1605 to July 1612 were edited by the Rev. J. C. Atkinson for the North Riding Record Society and published in 1884. This is a calendar of sessional orders, minutes of criminal cases, memoranda and other entries of record concerning the administration of the riding, for the quarter sessions and special sessions held at Thirsk, Stokesley, Richmond, Malton, Helmsley, Northallerton and Topcliffe. This is the index to the jurors.	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Quarter Sessions for the North Riding of Yorkshire (1605-1612) The Quarter Sessions minute books for the North Riding from April 1605 to July 1612 were edited by the Rev. J. C. Atkinson for the North Riding Record Society and published in 1884. This is a calendar of sessional orders, minutes of criminal cases, memoranda and other entries of record concerning the administration of the riding, for the quarter sessions and special sessions held at Thirsk, Stokesley, Richmond, Malton, Helmsley, Northallerton and Topcliffe. Recusants (persons refusing or neglecting to attend parish church services) are listed in the summary of prosecutions on pages 4-5, 10, 17, 21, 42, 55-56, 61, 65, 69, 72, 79, 82, 95, 99, 113-115, 122, 131, 153-155 and 176.	Sample scan, click to enlarge
PCC Probates and Administrations (1630) The Prerogative Court of Canterbury's main jurisdiction was central and southern England and Wales, as well as over sailors &c dying abroad: these brief abstracts, compiled under the title "Year Books of Probates", and printed in 1902, usually give address, date of probate and name of executor or administrator. They are based on the Probate Act Books, cross-checked with the original wills, from which additional details are, occasionally, added. The original spelling of surnames was retained, but christian and place names have been modernised where necessary.	Sample scan, click to enlarge
Immorality and heresy in Northumberland and Durham (1626-1638) Sexual and religious behaviour, marriage and probate were under the purview of the ecclesiastical courts in England at this period, exercised through the individual dioceses and archdeaconries. The diocese of Durham included the whole of county Durham, Northumberland (except for Hexhamshire) and Alston in Cumberland. The High Commission Court dealt with cases from the whole diocese, and a book of court acts from 1628 to 1639, and another of depositions from 1626 to 1638, survived in the dean and chapter library, were edited by W. Hylton Dyer Longstaffe, and published by the Surtees Society in 1858. This is not a complete abstract of the record: there are hundreds of cases for contempt of the ordinary jurisdiction, of which only a few were selected as examples 'in consequence of the rank of the persons proceeded against or other contents of interest'. However, all cases in which the nature of the offence occurs are traced from start to finish, but omitting much of the proceedings in between. The names and ages of all the deponents are recorded.	Sample scan, click to enlarge

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