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Northfleet Riot c.1586

Submitted by Ruiha Smalley on 5 October 2021

The Transcription Interest Group has transcribed a Kentish related document held at the Kent History & Library Centre (with permission of South Staffordshire County Council). Doc.ref: D593/S/4/6/7a.  The document is an instruction to the High Sheriff of the County of Kent to investigate a riot at Northfleet, c.1586.

 

Northfleet riot

 

To her Maj[est]ys Highe Shirife of the said/ Countie, and to his under shirife theare/

 

For as much as latelie theare was a great Riott againste her/ Maj[est]ys peace com[m]itted by sundrie eveldoers (as we are in/ formed) at Norfleete within the Hundred Of Toltingtrough/ in the said Countie, whearof we are bounde not onlie by/ our office, but also under a great paine, to make enquirie/ within the tyme appointed by the Lawe: Theise shalbe in her Maj[est]ys name to requier and charge yow, That/ yow cause to come before us, at Mepham streete in the said Hundrede, xxiiij good, and lawfull men, of the said/ Countie upon Saturdaye (being the xxvth day of this/ present moneth of Februarie, Then and theare to enquire/ of the same (or any other) Riott, Route, or unlawfull assemblie,/ against her Maj[est]ys peace, and further to doe, and execute as/ on her Maj[est]ys behalfe in that parte shalbe lawfullie enioyned. 

 

And forasmuche as it may fallout that eyther by some/ misdeameanor in the Jurors or by embracerie in others, the/ Surety of the facte will not be founde, and thearby, and/ thearby we shall <have> not neede of the aide of the one of yow,/ for making the Certificate thearof, according to the/ statute sett foorthe in the xiij<th> yeare of the reigne of/ King Henry the fourthe, we thought it convenient to/ put yow in mynde of the same also, requyring yow, or the one of yow to be then theare, bringing this p[re]cept w[i]th yow