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The Book of Prisoners

Since the Tower of London's early construction by William the Conqueror in 1078 a record of every prisoner held within its grounds has been kept in what is known as The Book of Prisoners. Although referred to as The Book of Prisoners it is actually made up of several books containing prisoners names, date of imprisonment, place of imprisonment and their eventual fate.

The books are kept in the Beauchamp Tower and although they can sometimes be viewed, neither the book or its contents have ever been made public outside the Tower of London.

Below is a small selection of some of the entries in the books of prisoners (those in bold are of special interest.)

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Date Name Reason for imprisonment Details
1100 FLAMBARD Ralph de Extortion under William II. Imprisoned on orders of Henry I on 15 August 1100. Escaped by rope on 2 Feb 1101 from the White Tower and fled to Normandy.
1106 ROBERT Duke of Normandy Prisoner of War. Died in prison at Devizes.
1106 ROBERT Earl of Mortain Prisoner of War Released by a miracle of the Holy Rood. Became a monk of Bermondsey.
1150 CONSTANCE of France On orders of Geoffrey de Mandeville. Released.
1196 FITZOSBERT William Protesting against the taxation levied for the rescue of Richard I. Hanged in chains.
1199 COURCY Sir John de Rebellion in Ireland. Released after serving as English champion in a dispute over Duchy of Normandy.
1214 FITZWALTER Maud or Matilda Repulsing the advances of King John. Held in NE turret of the White Tower and poisoned by an egg sent in to her by the King.
1221 SEVEN CARTLOADS OF PRISONERS Captured at the surrendered castle of Bilham. Killed
1223 ISABELLA Princess Held pending her wedding to Emperor Frederick II. Released to marry. Became Empress in 1235.
1226 HERLISUN John Murder of Lambert Leglis Pardoned by Henry III
1232 BURGH Hubert de Earl of Kent Fell from Royal favour and spent some time bound in chains. Transferred to Castle of Devizes but returned to favour in 1234.
1282 JEWS (600) 'Clipping and adulterating the King's coin'. Some died in the cellar of the White Tower, many were hanged and the rest were banished the realm if they would not accept Christian baptism.
1288 WEILAND or WEYLAND Inciting his esquires to commit murders. Banished the realm at his own choice in preference to perpetual imprisonment.
1289 LITHBURY Robert de Criminal partiality in the discharge of high office. Released on payment of a heavy fine.
1289 HENGHAM Ralph de Corruption. Deprived of office, fined and then released.
1290 BURNETON William de A prisoner on 8 Feb 1290 when granted allowances. Not known.
1291 SHETTISHAM Brother John Trespass of venison Delivered from the Tower to his abbot on 30 Nov 1291.
1296 ATHOL John Earl of Athol Captured at Battle of Dunbar. Freed on giving a hostage and serving with English Army against France.
1296 BALIOL de John King of Scotland Surrendered after Battle of Dunbar. Released after three years on intercession of the Pope. Banished to France.
1296 COMYN John Prisoner of War after Battle of Dunbar. Released.
1296 MENTIETH Sir John de Prisoner of War after Battle of Dunbar. Released. Created Earl of Lennox for help in the capture of Wallace.
1305 BOSGO Thomas de Suspicion of involvement in stealing Crown Jewels. Delivered from Edinburgh 12 April 1305.
1305 RIKEBON Debt of 1,000 marks. Released after a deal had been struck.
1305 WALLACE Sir William Betrayed by Sir John Mentieth. Committed on 22 August, Hanged at Tyburn on 24 August 1305. Disembowelled and quartered. Quarters were displayed at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Berwick, Stirling and Perth. Head on London Bridge.
1306 ATHOL John Earl of Second confinement in Tower. "Hanged cruelly" 7 Nov 1306.
1306 FRASER Sir Simon Captured at St John's Town Hanged, drawn and quartered. Head was displayed on London Bridge alongside that of Wallace 7 Sept 1306.
1306 SETON Sir Christopher Captured at St John's Town. Hanged, cut down and beheaded.
1306 MORHAM Sir Herbert Supporting the Scots Cause. Beheaded 'at the Tower' 7 September 1306.
1306 LE BOYS Thomas Supporting the Scots Cause. Beheaded 'at the Tower' 7 September 1306.
1307 KNIGHTS TEMPLAR Robbery, murder and "shocking habits". Order dissolved. Goods assigned to Knights of St John of Jerusalem. All members sent to other monasteries.
1309 ACTON Roger de Not known. Died a prisoner.
1378 HAULEY Robert & SHAKELL John Having captured the Count of Dene at the Battle of Najara, they were given the son of the Count as a hostage while he returned to collect the ransom money. The Count died in his errand but the two men holding the son still expected a handsome reward for his safe return and raised objections against handing over their hostage, for which they were cast into the Tower. Both managed to escape from the Tower on 11 August 1378 and fled to sanctuary in Westminster Abbey. They were besieged by soldiers and, in the fray which ensured, Hauley was killed. Hauley was buried in the Abbey and Shakell returned to the Tower. Soon afterwards, Shakell was paid 500 marks as ransom by the King and granted 100 marks per annum for life. He died in 1396 and was buried near Hauley in the Abbey.
1380 BORDES Sir William de A French prisoner. Arrangements negotiated on 30 August for payment of 30,000 francs ransom.
1381 APPLETON William The King's Confessor who was in the Tower at the time of the Peasants' Revolt for his own safety. Seized from safe refuge by the Rebels of Kent on 14th June 1381 and dragged out to face mock trial before being beheaded and hacked to pieces by the mob.
1381 LEGG John The King's Sergeant who was in the Tower at the time of the Peasants' Revolt for this own safety. Seized from safe refuge by the Rebels of Kent on 14th June 1381 and dragged out to face mock trial before being beheaded and hacked to pieces by the mob.
1381 HALES Sir Robert The King's Treasurer who was in the Tower at the time of the Peasants' Revolt for this own safety. Seized from safe refuge by the Rebels of Kent on 14th June 1381 and dragged out to face mock trial before being beheaded and hacked to pieces by the mob.
1381 SUDBURY Simon Archbishop of Canterbury Chancellor who was in the Tower at the time of the Peasants' Revolt for his own safety. Seized from safe refuge by the Rebels of Kent on 14th June 1381 and dragged out to face mock trial before being beheaded and hacked to pieces by the mob.
1381 SOMENOUR Richard Unknown Was also dealt the same rough justice on Tower Hill on 14 June 1381 but it has not been possible to ascertain whether he had been in safe refuge in the Tower beforehand.
1415 DOUGALE Lord Randolph Norman Prisoner of War after the Battle of Agincourt. Held 18 December 1415 to 26 June 1417.
1415 DERNEVILLE Lord Guy Norman Prisoner of War after the Battle of Agincourt. Held 18 December 1415 to 26 June 1417.
1415 DESQUENES Lord Gardoci Norman Prisoner of War after the Battle of Agincourt. Held 18 December 1415 to 14 December 1415.
1415 TURGEVILLE Lord John Norman Prisoner of War after the Battle of Agincourt. Held 18 December 1415 to 30 September 1418.
1417 COBHAM Lady Joan Committed to the Tower (wife of Lord Cobham - Oldcastle). Released after her husband's death.
1417 OLDCASTLE Sir John On recapture, charged with same heresy and treasonable offences and sentence. Taken to St. Giles Field hanged by a chain around his waist, fire kindled beneath him and burned to death on 14 or 15 December 1417.
1419 RANDULPH Friar John Compassing the death of Henry V. Slain by the parson of St Peter ad Vincula.
1422 CESSE Guycharde de Captured by Henry V at surrender of Meaux. Spent many years confined to the Tower.
1422 JAMES Prince For the fourth time, brought to the Tower on the death of Henry V. Release negotiated, he married a cousin of Henry 'VI in 1424 and was crowned King of Scotland.
1422 MAUNE Oliver de Surrender at Falaise. Not known.
1422 FLISCO Marcellimus de Prisoner of War. Escaped but recaptured.
1470 TIPTOFT John Earl of Worcester Past constable of the Tower Extreme cruelty in Ireland. Beheaded on Tower Hill at three strokes of the axe at his own request on 18 October 1470
1471 HENRY VI King In 1470 Edward IV was deposed and Henry VI became King again. In 1471 Edward returned, deposed Henry and recommitted him to the Tower. Committed to Wakefield Tower on 1 April and murdered therein on 21 May 1471. The Ceremony of Lilies and Roses is in commemoration of this tragedy.
1471 NEVILLE George Archbishop of York Sent to the Tower on Edward IV's recovery of the throne. Released after 2 months but was secretly arrested, his lands forfeited and he was sent to the Castle of Guynes. He died there in 1476.
1477 BURDETT Thomas Making an incautious jest against the king whilst on a hunting expedition. Hanged at Tyburn on 20 May 1477.
1477 STACEY John A dependant of the Duke of Clarence. Charged with the imputation of necromancy. Put to death at Tyburn on 20 May 1477.
1478 GEORGE Duke of Clarence Compassing the death of the King by necromancy. Sentenced to be executed but murdered by drowning in a butt of Malmsey wine in the Bowyer Tower before the sentence could be carried out.
1483 BROWNE Sir George Favouring the Earl of Richmond's cause. Beheaded on Tower Hill 4 December 1484.
1483 CLIFFORD Sir Robert Favouring the Earl of Richmond's cause. Beheaded on Tower Hill 4 December 1484.
1532 FRITH John A Protestant Martyr accused of heresy. Burned at the stake at Smithfield on 4 July 1533.
1533 BOCKING Dr Edward Compassing the King's death. Hanged and beheaded 21 April 1534.
1533 BARKER Father Concealing knowledge of Elizabeth BARTON. Not known.
1533 DALYVELL Robert Sedition. Racked on suspicion of being a spy. both ears cut off and then released.
1534 LAWRENCE Robert Prior of Belval Refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII's Supremacy. Hanged, beheaded and quartered at Tyburn on 4 May 1534. Canonised 1970.
1534 WEBSTER Augustine Prior of Axholme Refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII's Supremacy. Hanged, beheaded and quartered at Tyburn on 4 May 1534. Canonised 1970.
1534 REYNOLDS Richard Prior of Sion Hospital Refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII's Supremacy. Hanged, beheaded and quartered at Tyburn on 4 May 1534. Canonised 1970.
1534 HALE John Vicar of Isleworth Refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII's Supremacy. Hanged, beheaded and quartered at Tyburn on 4 May 1534. Canonised 1970.
1534 HOUGHTON John Prior of Charterhouse Refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII's Supremacy. Hanged, beheaded and quartered at Tyburn on 4 May 1534. Canonised 1970.
1534 FISHER John Bishop of Rochester Refusing the Oath of Supremacy. Beheaded on Tower Hill 22 June 1535; canonised 1935.
1540 GREY Lord Leonard Viscount Grane High treason in Ireland. Beheaded on Tower Hill in 1541.
1540 HUNGERFORD Walter 1st Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury Procuring a person to conjure how long the King would live. Executed with Thomas Cromwell on Tower Hill 28 June 1540.
1540 PLANTAGENET Arthur Viscount Lisle Suspicion of favour to a design to betray Calais to the French. Died of joy on hearing verdict of innocent.
1540 WYATT Sir Thomas Engaging in negotiations with Charles V of France. Released 1541.
1541 CULPEPPER Thomas Accused of staying all night with his cousin, queen Catherine Howard. Hanged at Tyburn 10 December 1541.
1541 BRIDGEWATER Countess of Concealing the Queen's offences. Pardoned and released.
1541 DEREHAM Francis Having a friendship with Catherine Howard before she wed Henry VIII. Hanged on Tower Hill 10 December 1541.
1541 HOWARD Lord William Catherine's uncle, accused of misprision of Treason for concealing knowledge of Catherine's pre-marital affairs. Pardoned.
1541 LASELS or LASCELLES John* Told Cranmer all details of Queen's levity. Committed to the Tower to keep him silent until her execution. Was then possibly released. *A man of this name was executed with Anne ASKEW in 1545.
1586 BABINGTON Anthony Involvement in the Plot to murder the Queen and proclaim May, Queen of Scots. Hanged, drawn and quartered at Lincoln's Inn Fields on 20 Sept 1586.
1586 TUCHINER or TUCHINOR Anthony Suspected of implication in the Babington Plot (see Beauchamp Tower inscription nos 13, 50). Tortured 25 December. Released 1589. Left the country and was ordained by the Pope's authority.
1586 ABINGTON Thomas Babington conspirator. Released.
1586 ABINGTON Edward Babington conspirator. Hanged, drawn and quartered on 20 Sept 1586.
1586 BALLARD John Babington conspirator. Hanged, drawn and quartered on 20 Sept 1586.
1586 BARNWALL Robert Babington conspirator Hanged, drawn and quartered on 20 Sept 1586.
1586 SAVAGE John Babington conspirator. hanged, drawn and quartered on 20 Sept 1586.
1586 TICHBURNE Chidiock Babington conspirator Hanged, drawn and quartered on 20 Sept 1586.
1586 TILNEY Charles Babington conspirator. Hanged, drawn and quartered on 20 Sept 1586. (There was so much public outcry about the barbarity of the above seven executions at Lincoln's Inn Fields that, when seven others were due for the same punishment next day, it was agreed that they would only be hanged; no further mutilations followed).
1586 BELLAMIE Jerome Babington conspirator. Hanged on 21 Sept 1586.
1586 CHARNOCK John Babington conspirator. Hanged on 21 Sept 1586.
1603 WATSON William Complicity in the Lady Arabella Stuart conspiracy. Hanged at Winchester in November 1603.
1603 KEMYS Lawrence Complicity in the Lady Arabella Stuart conspiracy. Committed with Raleigh and released with him in 1616. Committed suicide on failure of expedition 1617.
1604 CONSTABLE Henry A poet who embraced Roman Catholicism. Released, went to Liege where he died in 1613.
1605 ABINGTON Thomas (3rd imprisonment). Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Released. (The letter warning of the Plot is said to be written by his wife).
1605 BATES Thomas Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Hanged, drawn and quartered at the West Side of St Paul's churchyard on 30 January 1606.
1605 DIGBY Sir Everard Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Hanged, drawn and quartered at the West Side of St Paul's churchyard on 30 January 1606.
1605 FAWKES Guy Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Hanged, disembowelled, beheaded and quartered at Old Palace Yard, Westminster on 31 January 1606.
1605 GARNETT Henry Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Hanged, St Paul's churchyard 3 May 1606.
1605 GARNETT Thomas Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Banished for life in 1606. Returned in 1608, so was hanged at Worcester. Canonised 1970.
1605 KEYES Robert Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Hanged at Old Palace Yard with Guy Fawkes.
1615 TURNER Mrs Anne Supplying poison to those responsible for Overbury's death. As she had invented yellow-starch for ruffs, she was hanged at Tyburn in November 1615 wearing a yellow ruff and cuffs. The hangman was also wearing yellow-starched clothing and as a result, yellow starch then went out of fashion.
1615 WESTON Richard Administering poison to Overbury. Made a full confession and was hanged at Tyburn.
1616 CARR Robert Earl of Somerset A favourite of James I, he married the Countess of Essex. The King accused him of complicity in the murder of Overbury. Remained a prisoner until his release in January 1622. Died in poverty 1645.
1616 HOWARD Frances Countess of Somerset The instigator of Overbury's committal to the Tower, she had objected to his interference to her affair with Robert Carr. Released 1622. Died in poverty 1632. (NB. The release of this couple caused public outrage - some even implying that the King was involved in Overbury's murder).
1617 CLIFTON Lord Gervase Threatening to kill the Lord Keeper. Committed suicide 1618 by plunging two knives into his body.
1618 RALEIGH Sir Walter Failure of his Ghanian expedition and insistence of Spain for entering their territorial waters, caused his third confinement to the Tower. Without sufficient evidence, he was arraigned on the former charge of High Treason. Beheaded in Old Palace Yard, Westminster on 29 October 1618. On the scaffold he felt the edge of the axe and exclaimed, "Tis a sharp remedy, but a sure cure for all ills". Held in Wardrobe Tower before trial and Brick Tower afterwards.
1669 SAVILE Henry The messenger who carried Coventry's challenge to Buckingham. He was committed to the Gatehouse Prison, Westminster. From the Gatehouse, he petitioned for transfer to the Tower and was granted his request. Probably released with Coventry.
1670 FARRINGTON William Not known. Released 29 December 1670.
1670 HARTLIBB Samuel Not known. Allowed the use of pen, ink and paper in order to write his petition to the King and not otherwise.
1671 OVERSKELDT Daniel van Suspected Dutch Spy. An exchange prisoner in 1674.
1671 ROGERS Robert Servant of Overskeldt
1671 PERROT Robert Not known. Not known but a man of this name was executed at Taunton as a rebel in 1685.
1671 BLOOD Colonel Thomas Attempting to steal the Crown Jewels from the Martin Tower. Discharged.
1671 PARROT Edward Attempting to steal the Crown Jewels from the Martin Tower. Discharged.
1671 HUNT Thomas Attempting to steal the Crown Jewels from the Martin Tower. Discharged.



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