The herald., 1911-12-28
BY THE KINGS
EDICT
By MARTHA l.. WRIGHT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911


woman, who was sentenced to be
hanged In the county of Kent, In the
reign of King EdRard ~, this Is the
story:
Koyle had Just come OF age. and
there was a celebration in honor or the
event on his fathers farm. The young
men and maidens danced on the green,
and II was noticed that Edmond hoyle
and Margaret Manning, a comely lass
Of nineteen years, danced many times
together. Moreover. some who were
there saw old Simon Winter standing
by himself looking on at the couple
scowling and tapping his foot angrily
on the floor. for be had that day ap-
piled to Farmer Manning for Margaret
to wife, and now he saw that her heart
was going out 10 koyle.
That night the church was robbed
Of the silver service plate, and, search
being made. 1t was found hid In the
barn on the farm to which young
Koyle had the day before come TO an
Inheritance. his father having died two
year agone And there were those
who averred that they had seen Ed
mond carrying plumber from the
church at dead Of night
So the young man was tried before
the Judge. and those persons who
claimed that they had seen him carry
ing a load from the church swore to
the fact. and Edmond was sentenced
to be hanged by the neck till he was
dead.
Edmond was defended before the
Judge by Montgomery, his advocate, in
this wise:
Most worshipful sir. there be con-
spiracy on the part Of Simon Winter to
ruin my client. that the said Winter
may put away a rival This man,
who has a farm and much cattle and
sheep, did propose to Farmer Manning
for his daughter, a comely wench. and
the proposal was accepted by Farmer
Manning.
Then came the prisoner and on
the day be was Of age danced merrily
with Margaret Manning, and Simon
Winter, being jealous, did hire men for
pay to rob the church and place the
plate in Edmond Koyle's barn, that he
might make it appear that the sacri-
lege had been done by Koyle. Winter
having the intent to injure koyle
that he should cease to be rival for
the hand of Margaret Manning.
Therefore. | pray you, most wor-
shipful sir. to let my client go free.
or II you are not satisfied Of his in
nocence he will willingly decide wheth-
er he or Winter is guilty Of this sacri-
lege by deadly combat"
But Winter. being no match for a
young man. declined the combat, and
the Judge was constrained to pro-
nounce the accused guilty and pass
sentence uron him.
Then die Margaret who was in the
court. fall down In a swoon and was
carried to her fathers house.
When the day came that Edmond
Koyle was to be executed the people
N those parts came to see, some in
wagons, some on foot and some on
horseback. the women riding on pill
| lions behind the men. so that a great
| crowd was collected. And there were
present many friends Of Koyle. who
knew him to be innocent Of the crime
charged against him. and they muir
INJURED that be should be hanged for
| crime he had not committed. Among
the spectators sat Farmer Manning
and his wife and between them Mar
garet. their daughter And the people
marveled greatly to see maiden sit
ting by the scaffold on which the man
she loved was to suffer death. But
near her sat Montgomery. who had
spoken in Koyle's behalf before the
magistrate. All looked for Simon
Winter. wondering mayhap II he
would venture to attend the execution.
But be dare not come. fearing the
people
Then came forth Edmond Koyle. be-
ing pale of countenance. but walking
with a firm step and head erect Be-
fore the cap was put over his face he
stepped to the front Of the scaffold
and spoke the words which all who
are condemned to die may at the last
mopent say to the people. But all he
spoke was that be was innocent
Then when the executioner was
about to make ready for the hanging
Montgomery looked a: Margaret, and
she. rising in her seat. said to the
sheriff
II claim this man in marriage"
The people marveled. and the sher-
III. paying no heed TO Margaret's de-
mand. told the executioner to proceed.
But up stands Montgomery and cries
out with a loud voice:
81 protest against the execution as
Illegal"
''ln what respect?" asks the sheriff.
''There is an edict of our sovereign
King Edward ~. commanding that
If a woman shall demand in marriage
any man condemned 20 death he shall
60 free and be given to the woman"
And Montgomery took parchment to
the sheriff and showed him the edict
and the sheriff read and ordered that
the prisoner he given to Margaret.
Then all rose up and went to the
church. consoled for not seeing q
hanging by being given view of q
wedding. But they were after all not
c. A.