Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Margaret and the Barber Sisters

Summary: Would Alice and Castanea Barber have burned or hanged for the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raid had Queen Margaret not intervened in November 1303?

Edward I expected harsh punishments for those involved in the 1303 Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raid, but his second wife, Margaret (Marguerite) of France, displayed compassion in effecting the release of the two Barber sisters, Alice and Castanea, from fearsome Newgate Prison; Edward I and Margaret, as depicted in Cronica Nuova Figurata (1348) by Italian banker, historian and chronicler Giovanni Villani (1280-1348), Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City (Italian: La Città del Vaticano): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The royal couple appeared to appreciate one another even though the king articulated anger against the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raid suspects and the queen allowed herself to act compassionately toward sisters.

King Edward I (June 17, 1239-July 7, 1307) broached Chapter House Crypt suspects June 16, Aug. 14, Oct. 10, Nov. 10/14, 1303, and March 25, 1304. The king concentrated upon confining "malefactors," advisors, assistants, informants, purchasers, recipients and sellers and collecting the "great part of our treasure," calculated at £100,000, "carried elsewhere." He demanded that "all who are guilty of this deed, or have helped and advised in it, or received the said treasure, be arrested without delay."

Edward's second wife, Queen Margaret (1279-Feb. 14, 1318), from Paris, France, effectuated the extraction on bail of the Barber sisters, Alice and Castanea, from Newgate Prison.

Edward's first four royal writs respectively focused upon facilitating "a hasty remedy," feeling "more certain about the truth," fitting charge to crime and finalizing frightening punishments.

Edward's fourth royal writ Nov. 10/14, 1303, gave his appointed justices the order that "Ad negocium illud audiendum et terminandum secundum legem et consuetudinem nostri regni." William Bereford, Roger Brabazon, Roger de Hegham, Ralph de Sandwich and Walter of Gloucester headed "hearing and terminating that business per our kingdom's law and custom." Paul Doherty, in The Great Crown Jewels Robbery of 1303 for Carroll & Graf Publishers, Sept. 26, 2005, identifies Margaret as influenced by, not influencing, Londoners.

Margaret juggled roles as consort in England and Scotland, diplomat to niece and upcoming daughter-in-law, mother to children and stepchildren and queen of mercy to subjects.

Perhaps Margaret knew "pressure from fellow [London] citizens" while "busy with diplomatic matters" concerning Edward II (April 25, 1284-Sept. 21, 1327) marrying Isabella (1295-Aug. 22, 1358).

Sir Francis Palgrave's edited Kalendars and Inventories of the Exchequer listed, "Postea ad Mandatum Dominae Reginae predict Castanea et Alicia, soror ejus dismissive sunt per Mancaptores." He mentioned that "Afterwards [subsequent to Edward's writ Nov. 10/14, 1303], at the Queen's command, the said Castanea and her sister Alice were released on sureties."

Bread Street jurors July 3, 1303, noted that "Castanea Barber and Alice her sister were receivers [shelterers]" for John of Newmarket, William Palmer and Richard Puddlicott. Goldsmiths likewise observed at the Guildhall inquiry July 4, 1303, that the Barber sisters operated as fences for goldsmith John of Newmarket and merchant Richard Puddlicott.

Twenty-four London aldermen July 29, 1303, put the sisters in London's Fleet Prison precinct and Westminster with Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raid participants May 3-5, 1303. A horseman, four "ribalds," John and William de Kynebaston, John de Uggele and the sisters queued daylong "eating and drinking before advancing with arms towards Westminster. In the morning they returned, they did this for two nights but, after that, they never returned" to "a certain house within" London's Fleet Prison precinct.

Indictments Jan. 9 and 13-14, 1304, showed "a passing reference" since no "proof positive,  hard evidence " suggested the sisters stealing, storing or streaming Edward's treasures. Perhaps Alice and Castanea Barber never turned up burned or hanged for the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raid because life took another tack through Margaret's compassion.

Findings by London's 24 aldermen that placed Alice and Castanea Barber in the vicinity of Fleet Prison and of Westminster with Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raiders sent the two sisters to frightful Newgate Prison, from which Queen Margaret of France, Edward I's second wife, mercifully freed them; Fleet Prison was rebuilt after Peasants' Revolt-caused destruction in 1381 and Gordon Riot-caused destruction in 1780 but was finally torn down in 1846; "Last Remains of the Fleet Prison," in Walter Thornbury's Old and New London, vol. II, page 408 (1878): Not in copyright, via Internet Archive

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Edward I expected harsh punishments for those involved in the 1303 Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raid, but his second wife, Margaret (Marguerite) of France, displayed compassion in effecting the release of the two Barber sisters, Alice and Castanea, from fearsome Newgate Prison; Edward I and Margaret, as depicted in Cronica Nuova Figurata (1348) by Italian banker, historian and chronicler Giovanni Villani (1280-1348), Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City (Italian: La Città del Vaticano): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EDuard_Marketa.jpg

Findings by London's 24 aldermen that placed Alice and Castanea Barber in the vicinity of Fleet Prison and of Westminster with Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury raiders sent the two sisters to frightful Newgate Prison, from which Queen Margaret of France, Edward I's second wife, mercifully freed them; Fleet Prison was rebuilt after Peasants' Revolt-caused destruction in 1381 and Gordon Riot-caused destruction in 1780 but was finally torn down in 1846; "Last Remains of the Fleet Prison," in Walter Thornbury's Old and New London, vol. II, page 408 (1878): Not in copyright, via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/stream/oldnewlondonnarr02thor#page/408/mode/1up

For further information:

Boutell, Charles. 1864. Heraldry, Historical and Popular. Third edition, revised and enlarged. London, England: Richard Bentley.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/heraldryhistoric01bout

Doherty, Paul. 2005. The Great Crown Jewels Robbery of 1303. New York NY: Carroll & Graf Publisher.

Harvey, Barbara F., ed. 1965. Documents Illustrating the Rule of Walter de Wenlok, Abbot of Westminster 1283-1307. Vol. II. Camden Fourth Series. London, England: Offices of the Royal Historical Society.

Keay, Anna. 2011. The Crown Jewels. London UK: Thames & Hudson Ltd.

Marriner, Derdriu. 20 April 2018. "Richard Puddlicott and the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/richard-puddlicott-and-westminster.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 4 May 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid in April and May 1303 in England." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/05/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 11 May 2018. "Mysteries of the April-May 1303 Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/05/mysteries-of-april-may-1303-westminster.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 June 2018. "King Edward I's Letter on the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/king-edward-is-letter-on-westminster.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 8 June 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Royal Proclamation June 16, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_8.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 15 June 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Palmer Confession June 17, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 22 June 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Arrests June 18-19, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_22.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 29 June 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Indenture June 22, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_29.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 6 July 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Palmer Confession July 6, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/07/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 13 July 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Goldsmiths Talk July 4, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/07/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_13.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 27 July 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Aldermen Interviews July 29, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/07/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_27.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 3 August 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Westminster Jurors Aug. 6, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/08/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 10 August 2018. "Edward I's Second Letter on the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/08/edward-is-second-letter-on-westminster.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 28 September 2018. "Westminster Abbey Refectory Raid and London Sheriff Hugh Pourte." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/09/westminster-abbey-refectory-raid-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 5 October 2018. "Edward I's Third Letter on the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/10/edward-is-third-letter-on-westminster.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 12 October 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: "Falsely Indicted" Monks?" Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/10/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 19 October 2018. "Appellants Not Involved in the Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/10/appellants-not-involved-in-westminster.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 26 October 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid Commission Oct. 26, 1303." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/10/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_26.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 2 November 2018. "Queen of Mercy to Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid Female Suspects." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/11/queen-of-mercy-to-westminster-abbey.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 9 November 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Female Suspects Left Behind." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/11/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_9.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 16 November 2018. "Westminster Abbey Royal Treasury Raid: Two Freed Female Suspects." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/11/westminster-abbey-royal-treasury-raid_16.html

Palgrave, Sir Francis, ed. 1836. "Appendix: Records Relating to the Robbery at the Treasury, 31 Edw. I." The Antient Kalendars and Inventories of His Majesty's Exchequer Together with Other Documents Illustrating the History of That Repository. Vol. I: 251-299. London England: Commissioners of the Public Records of The Kingdom.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/stream/antientkalendars01grea_0#page/251/mode/1up

Rothwell, Harry, ed. 1957. The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. Previously Edited as the Chronicle of Walter of Hemingford or Hemingburgh. Camden Series Volume LXXXIX. London, England: Royal Historical Society.

Thornbury, Walter. 1878. "Chapter XXXIII: The Fleet Prison." Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places. Vol. II: 404-416. London, England; Paris, France; New York NY: Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co.
Available via British History Online (BHO) @ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol2/pp404-416
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/stream/oldnewlondonnarr02thor#page/404/mode/1up

Villani, Giovani. 1348. "Come il conte d'Artese isconfisse i Fiamminghi a Fornes, e come il re d'Inghilterra passò in Fiandra." Nuova Cronica, Tomo Secondo, Libro Nono, Capitolo XX: 237-238. Parma, Italy: Ugo Guanda Editore, 1991.
Available @ https://www.liberliber.it/mediateca/libri/v/villani/nuova_cronica/pdf/nuova__p.pdf

Villani, Giovanni. 1348. "Come il conte d'Artese isconfisse i Fiamminghi a Fornes, e come il re d'Inghilterra passò in Fiandra." Giovanni Villani Cronica Nova Figurata, folio 159R, page 142. BAV (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana) Chigiano L VIII 296. Available via Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana @ https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Chig.L.VIII.296