for ten shillings, one surplice and one rochet of Aylsham for ten shillings, in the hands of Benedict, vicar of the church of St. Mary de Castro in Leicester; one laver and one basin for 5 shillings, in the hands of Henry Dowell, and two cushions for 312d.; one coffer and one table for 2S. and 6d., one chair and one couse for 412d., and one pair of cymbals for one shilling and one penny; two small seats for 3d., in the keeping of Robert the coverletmaker of Hallaton, at that time of the household of the said William the vicar. They say also on their oath that John Smith and his wife, dwelling near the North Gate, sold the chattels of the said William the vicar after the said felony was done to the value of four shillings and six pence. Total, £2 11s. 4d." Cases of violence done to clerks were very prevalent at that period, but there is no record' of the vicar's punishment.
Nichols gives a few particulars relating to this Church and its vicars, but little is recorded of it before the 16th century, when it began to fall into decay. In 1389 an anchoress named Maud or Matilda, who lived in St. Peter's churchyard, came under the notice of the ecclesiastical authorities, as an exponent of Wycliffe's teaching. She was summoned to appear before the Archbishop of Canterbury himself on a charge of heresy; but, when the poor creature came up for so formidable an examination, on November 1st, 1389, she must have recanted, for she was reconciled and absolved at St. James' Abbey, Northampton, on the following Thursday. At the visitation of the Bishop of Lincoln, held in St. Mary's church, Leicester, on September 20th, 1510, William Alcock was Vicar of St. Peter's, and presentations were then made for immorality in that parish. In 1526 John Ward was vicar, and Robert Green and John Pare were Church-wardens. It is not known in what year its religious use was discontinued, but it must have been shortly after the middle of the 16th century. In 1548 there were three churchwardens,
who contributed 8s. 4d. towards a levy of horse-soldiers, raised for service in the Scotch wars. But the fabric must have been in a ruinous state, when, in 1555, the community purchased from the church-wardens some stone to be used in repairing the townhall. Two years afterwards, the Corporation negotiated for a
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