Deane and secular Canons or Priests,
and was called Saint Martins le graund,
founded by Ingelricus, and Edwardus his
brother, in the yeere of Christ, 1056.
and confirmed by William the Conque∣rour,
as appeareth by his Charter dated
1068. This Colledge claimed great
priviledges of Sanctuary, and other∣wise,
as appeareth in a booke written
by a Notary of that house, about the
yeere 1442. the nineteenth of Henry the
sixth, wherein amongst other things, is
set downe and declared, that on the first
of September, in the yeere aforesaid, a
Souldier, prisoner in Newgate, as hee
was led by an Officer towards the Guild
hall of London, there came out of Panyer
Alley five of his fellowship, and tooke
him from the Officer, brought him into
Sanctuary, at the West doore of Saint
Martins Church, and tooke grithe of
that place. But the same day Philip
Malpas, and Robert Marshall, then She∣riffes
of London, with many other entred
the said Church, and forcibly tooke out
with them the said five men thither
fled; led them fettred to the Compter,
and from thence chained by the neckes
to Newgate: of which violent taking,
the Deane and Chapter in large man∣ner
complained to the King, and requi∣red
him as their Patron, to defend their
priviledges, like as his Predecessors had
done, &c. All which complaint and
sute, the Citizens by their councell,
Markam, Serjeant at the Law, Iohn
Carpenter, late Common Clarke of the
City, and other, learnedly answered,
offering to prove, that the said place of
Saint Martin had no such immunity or
liberty as was pretended; namely, Car∣penter
offered to lose his live-lode, if that
Church had more immunity than the
least Church in London: notwithstanding,
after long debating of this con∣troversie,
by the Kings commande∣ment,
and assent of his Councell in the
Starre-Chamber, the Chancellour and
Treasurer sent a Writ unto the Sheriffs
of London, charging them to bring the
said five persons, with the cause of their
taking, and withholding afore the King
in his Chancery, on the Vigill of All∣hallowes.
On which day, the said She∣riffes,
with the Recorder and Councell
of the City, brought and delivered
them accordingly, afore the said Lords,
whereas the Chancelor, after hee had
declared the Kings commandement,
sent them to Saint Martins, there to a∣bide
freely, as in a place having franchi∣ses,
whiles them liked, &c.
Thus much out of that Booke have I
noted concerning the Priviledge of that
place, challenged in those dayes; since
the which time, to wit, in the yeere
1457. the 36. of the said Henry the sixth,
an Ordinance was made by the King
and his Councell, concerning the said
Sanctuary men in S. Martins le graund,
whereof the Articles are set downe in
the Booke of K. within the Chamber of
the Guild hall, in the leafe 299.