Medieval Murder in Southill

Volume XLI of the Bedfordshire Historical Records Society was Bedfordshire Coroner's Rolls translated from rolls at The National Archives by R.F.Hunnisett in 1961. Entry 161 reads: "At twilight on 2nd October [1273] William, son of Richard, was at Henry Clement's sheep-fold in "Pirliemade forlong" in Southill field, when unknown thieves came and took hold of him, robbed him, and then gave him two mortal wounds, one in the head apparently with a knife, so that he immediately died. The next day his mother Lettice searched for him, because he had not come to his lord's house that night, found him dead in the said place…" At the Bedford Eyre William was called son of Roger and it was presented that the felons, still unknown, had fled immediately.