In the Middle Ages life was not all work and no play, there were many holidays on Saints Days,
and on the feast of St Matthew (21st September) in 1374 there was a disturbance which led to an
official enquiry.
In January 1375 Edward III set up a Commission to enquire into "dissensions and debates" which
had arisen between the King's tenants of Oakham and Langham and Sir Thomas le Despenser's
tenants of Burley. It appears that on St Matthews Day 1374 five Langham men named
Robert Noris, Henry and Thomas Dykeman, John Bernewell and John Bythebroke carried a pot full
of ale towards the mansion at Burley to drink it there.
Sir Thomas le Despenser's steward Robert Parker asked them what they were
doing and told them to drink the ale where they were, and laid hands on
Robert Noris. There was a dispute, and a cook from Oakham struck Parker
with a staff, three of the Langham men had their heads broken and took
sanctuary in Burley Church.
They sent a message to Oakham and Langham for help, and many people
came. A man called William Wolverton shot two arrows at Parker; he missed,
but Parker shot back and hit Wolverton. William Chamberlayn from Oakham
and many others beat up a number of Burley men and drove them into the
manor house and "called for fire to burn it but no fire could be found".
A man called John de Multon who was "Constable of the Peace" managed to
pacify the mob and everyone retired to the inn for a drink. The
Commissioners referred the matter to the King for a decision, and nothing
more is known of the outcome of the enquiry.
Langham Village History Group ~ © 1996 - 2022
A Mediaeval Dispute - 1374