Norwich in the Thirteenth Century.
KING JOHN ascended the throne in 1193, and in a few years afterwards the
barons rebelled against him. In 1215, Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk,
joined the insurgent barons. The king seized the castle, expelled the
earl, and appointed the Earl of Pembroke and John Fitz-Herbert Constables
of the Castle. Lewis, the Dauphin of France, having obtained a grant of
the kingdom from the pope, brought over a large force, ravaged the
counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, took the castle, and reduced the city.
He made William de Bellomonte his marshal and constable, and placed him
with a garrison within the castle walls.
King John granted two charters to the citizens, bestowing certain
privileges; and he came to the city in 1256, as is evident from the
Charter of Liberties granted to the port of Yarmouth, it being dated
March 25, 1256, by the king at Norwich. On the same day he likewise
granted his third Charter to the city, bestowing certain commercial
privileges. In 1265 Simon Montfort and his adherents seized all the
king’s castles and committed the custody of them to their own friends,
and having also gotten the king’s person into their power, they obliged
him to send letters to the sheriffs of counties, including Norfolk,
commanding them to oppose all attempts in favour of the king. But the
king having routed the barons at Eversham, removed all the constables
which the confederates had appointed, and amongst the rest Roger Bigod;
in whose stead, John de Vallibus, or Vaux, was made Constable of this
Castle, and Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, and soon afterwards, in
consequence of great disturbances in the city, he was ordered to enter
it, and did so, notwithstanding its liberties. In December, 1266, the
displaced barons, headed by Sir John de Evile, entered the city and
killed many persons, imprisoned more, plundered the town, and carried
away the wealthiest of the inhabitants.
According to Blomefield, about this time, on a Good Friday, the Jews were
accused of having crucified a boy, twelve years of age, named William;
and the date of his alleged death, March 24th, was marked as a holiday.
No evidence is adduced that the crime was committed, and no motive is
assigned for it. The date of the year is not given, and the boy’s name
besides William is not stated. The Jews denied the charge, but it was
generally believed, and they were terribly persecuted. The people then
seized upon every pretence for robbing and plundering the poor Jews. It
is said that the crime was discovered by Erlward, a burgess, as they were
going to bury the body in Thorpe Wood. On this the Jews applied to the
sheriff, and promised him 100 marks if he would free them from this
charge. The sheriff sending for Erlward obliged him to swear that so
long as he lived he would never accuse the Jews nor discover the fact.
About five years afterwards, Erlward, on his deathbed, made known the
whole affair, and the body, it is said, having been found in the wood,
was taken and buried in the churchyard of the monks. They alleged that
many miracles were there wrought by it which occasioned its being removed
into the church and enshrined in the year 1150.
Edward I. succeeded to the throne in 1272, and in the next year the king
appointed Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, to be Constable of the Castle.
The interdict, which was removed on Christmas eve, was renewed on the day
after Epiphany, but was taken off till Easter, when it was renewed the
third time. In 1274, the affair between the monks and citizens
continuing unsettled, it was referred to the pope, who left it to the
decision of the king, who adjudged the citizens to pay 500 marks yearly
for six years, and to give the church a cup of the value of £100, and
weighing 10 lbs. in gold. The monks were to repair their gates and to
have access to all parts of the city, and some of the chief citizens were
to go to Rome to beg the pope’s pardon. These conditions being agreed
to, the king restored to the city all its ancient privileges on payment
of a fine of 40s. yearly, besides the old fee farm. The interdict was
also removed on November 1st, 1275. The king kept his Easter in the city
in 1277, and he granted a new charter in 1285. In 1289 the liberties
were seized, but were restored again at the end of the year. Soon
afterwards the king, while on a pilgrimage to Walsingham, granted a new
charter. In 1296, the city first sent representatives to parliament,
originally four in number, who were paid for their services, but on
account of the expense the number was reduced to two members.