wounded, and someone struck Slanning from behind, whereupon he staggered forwards and Fitz ran him through the body. Local tradition, and Prince in his Worthies, will have it that the affray took place at Fitzford Gate.
Nicolas Slanning was buried in Bickleigh Church, which, when "restored" and made desperately un-interesting, lost the great feature of Slanning's monument, which was fine, though of plaster. Now the inscription alone remains:
"Great was the lamentation that the country side made for the death of so beloved a Gentleman as Maister Slanning was."
John Fitz, then aged twenty-four, fled to France, where he remained until, by his wife's exertions, a pardon was procured for him, December 16th, 1599.
He returned home, and for a year or two led a blameless life—at least he did not murder any more of his friends—and at the coronation of King James I. was knighted.
Whether the honour conferred on him was too much for him, or whether there was a mad strain in his blood, cannot be said, but on his return from London he broke out into wild ways again. Finding the presence of his wife and only child a restraint on him, he turned them out of the house, and surrounded himself with dissolute companions, chief among whom was "Lusty Jacke, one whose deedes were indeed meane, whose good qualities altogether none."
In the summer of 1605 he received a summons to London to appear before the courts, in answer to
