During a recent study, a nearly 700 -year -old murder case was reopened. And scientists found shocking details.
In 1337, a priest named John Ford was stabbed to death near the church by a group of men in London. Only one attacker was imprisoned. A strong woman named Ela Fitzpayne, who may have planned murder, has never been punished.
Medieval England was violent. In Oxford, the murder rate reached 60-75 deaths per lakh, which is almost 50 times today’s average. The records show that students fight swords and slingshots, while Tavern Brawls has turned into a street battle.
New research shows that Forde was once her lover and perhaps part of her gang that robbed the French priority. After Ford had betrayed her, the Archbishop of Canterbury accused Fitzpayne of serial adultery “with knights and other, free and married and even clergy in the holy order”, according to CNN.
Fitzpayne was punished by the “shame” of the Church. She was asked to walk barefoot in the Salisbury Cathedral, which was carrying for seven years with the fall of heavy candles Evey.
She was also asked to donate large amounts to the poor. She was not allowed to wear gold or rare gems.
Although there was not much of other punishments, experts think that her public shame may have made her revenge. A few years later she probably took revenge by killing Ford.
New findings on the murder of John Ford in London 14. Century reveal how public killing was sometimes used to manifest power. The case is part of the Maps Maps Maps project at Cambridge University.
This project led by Professor Manuel Eisner translates old Latin records written by Coroners. The records give details of suspicious deaths after the jury’s discussions.
In the case of Forde, records say that Fitzpayne convinced four men, her brother, two servants and chaplain to murder Ford. When the chaplain scattered him on the street, the others attacked.
Ford’s throat was cut and he was stabbed. Only one attacker, servant Hugh Colne, was imprisoned.
A priest involved in theft of cattle
Eisner found a second clue in the royal report of 1322. It was ten years older than the murder of priest John Ford. He described how Forde and Sir Robert and Lady Fitzpayne attacked the French Benedictine priority near Fitzpayne Castle.
They broke the gates, damaged buildings and stole livestock, including sheep, pigs and oxen. Then they held them for the ransom. Eisner was shocked when he found Ford’s name in the case of theft of cattle associated with increasing tension with France.
(Tagstotranslate) case of murder
