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Call number: 820.6 E13 no. 149
Many documents begin with information on the source; this has been rendered as a note. Further contextual material regarding the subject matter of the document is included after this note and is left as separate paragraphs. Indentatation and table of contents have not been preserved; likewise, the forwards, indexes, and textual notes have not been retained.
Lincoln Diocese Documents, 1450-1544
Edited, with notes and indexes, by Andrew Clark M.A. Lincoln College, Oxford; M.A. and LL.D. St Andrews
London Published for The Early English Text Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Ltd. 68-74 Carter Lane, E.C. and by Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press Amen Corner, E.C. 1914
This Dame Buckland was a notable housemistress, and her enumeration of, and division of, her household and personal effects are pleasingly minute and distinct.
One of her phrases invites a note, since it
touches on a point as to bed-linen which occurs in several other of
these wills, but is now practically forgotten. Linen was then woven
in a long narrow web, incapable of providing a sheet of sufficient
width for any ordinary bed. The usual practice was to take three
lengths from such a web and sew them together at their edges so as to
form a sheet of the desired width. This arrangement had the
advantage, from the point of view of household economy, that, when the
middle strip grew thin by use, the long seams could be unpicked, and
one of the less worn side-strips put in the middle, removing the
original middle-strip to the edge. When this fresh middle-strip
became thin in its turn, it changed places with the other side-strip.
Each of these strips was called, in English, a 'leaf', or a 'breadth';
in Latin, Twelfth Night, mentions
the then proverbial 'great bed of Ware', in Hertfordshire, which
required a sheet of twelve feet square.
Dame Bucklands's bequests include four service-books, catalogued, in the way then in universal use, by the first words of the recto of their second leaf. Such books, to begin their first leaf, had generally a more or less elaborate illumination, so that the first words of the second leaf supplied a simpler distinctive mark by which to recognize them.
ffirst, I beqweth to the Churche of oure lady of Ochecote ij.
Chaleys gilte; Item, a encensure, with a Ship therto, bothe of Syluer;
Item, a grene appariell for the Auter, that is for to say, Reredose
& frontell powdred with golde, & ij. Rydelles of
Grenetarteryn; Item, ij. smale peces of the same sewte for the
Sepulcre; Item, ij. Apparell of white for the ij. Auters, with
Ryddelles, for lente, & ij. vestumentes of the same seute; Item,
j. hole sewte of blew, that is to say, a Cope of Damaske, j.
Chesiple, & ij. Tynicles, and all thapparell that longith therto;
Item, to the said Churche, a Masseboke, the first worde of the secund
leeff
Item, xij. of my best bolle peces, to be departed in this wyse: — to sir Robert, Maister of sent Iohn hospitall of Bannebury, a pece & iiij. spones; Sir Richard Wymark, vicar of donkastre, j. pece & j. spone; Sir William Syleby, j. pece & j. spone; Sir Iohn Greyve, vicar of Blaconesley, j. pece iiij. spones; Maister Thomas Vicary, j. pece & j. spone; Agnes Bukland, j. pece; And to Maister William Rede, j. pece iiij. spones.
Item, to Richard kyddington, a Bolle pece new & vj. spones; Item, to the same Richard, my more sawter at Ochecote.
Item, to the house of Chesthonte, xij. smale spones marked with the towche.
Item, I besett to Richard Clarell a apparell for a auter, that is,
a Reredose red of clothe of Sylk with a Crucifix therupon, j.
frontell of the same seute,
Item, to the said Richard, j. rede Syllour and the Testour, three Curteyns & the hylling and all the Costres that longe to the same Chambir of Rede; Item, ij. qwysshyens of Red clothe of Sylk; Item, the best carpett of the twayne grete & j. the best of the litell Carpettes; Item, the best ffetherbed, & the best Matrasse with the best bolster, j. paire of the best ffustyans; Item, ij. of the best pyllows with the Beerys; Item, j. payre of Shetis of Raynes with iij. leues & closse seme; j. hedshete of the same, with ij. leues & dim.; Item, ij. large Bordclothes of knottes of oon sewte, j. longe towell of the same sewte; item, ij. smale towelles of Raynes playne; Item, ij. Surnapes of Raynes wroght, ij. potellers of Syluer of the ffrench Shape; Item, j. longe Settyll & j. Cheyer Coruen; Item, vj. peces Chased with the Coueracle, the Monethes enameled in the Bottom; Item, j. Chafir to hete watir in & my grettest basyn of latyn.
Item, to the said Richard, my litell Sawter; Item, j. paire of Gardeuyance, the best that I haue at london, & a standard that I haue here; Item, to the said Richard, j. paire of Botelles, a superaltare & j. Missall, with Syluer claspes.
Item, I beqweth to Thomas Clarell my grete Bolle pece with the coueracle & j. rounde table, j. litell paire of gardevviance & j. paire of Wynebotellys.
Item, to Pykeringes wyff, j. litell depe Bacyn of Syluer.
Item, I besett to Maister Iohn Trotter, the parson of Ochecote,
Item, I besette to sir Robert Carleton, Maister of seint Iohns of Bannebury, the stayned bed with iij. Courtayns in the Chambre aboue Clarell, and all the Costres for the same Chambir; vj. qwisshens of Tapstre werk wrought with gootys, j. good fetherbed, j. good matrasse, j. good paire of blankettes & j. hillyng of Red & grene, j. good bolster, j. good pyllow, j. paire of Shetes of ij. leuys & dim.; Item, j. table, j. paire of trestilles, thre ioyned stolys, a Copberd; Also, my secunde grete potte & my secunde grete panne and a spitte suche as is necessare for his vse.
Item, I besette to Iacob, a spreuer of white, a paire of shetis of ij. leues & dim.; a matrasse, a bolster, j. pillow, a paire of blankettes, a gode qwylt.
Item, I besette to sir Iohn Greue, vicar of Blaconesley, a matrasse, j. bolster, j. paire of shetis, j. paire of Blankettes, j. blew hillyng, & iij. courtaynes sewte of the bed in his Chambir; j. Chist suche as is necessary for him, j. Chayer of beyend the see making, j. Chafir for to heete watir inne, & the grettest bason (sauyng oon) of laton.
Item, al my siluer vessell that I haue not beset neither in this testament nor in my Testament at london I vvol that it be solde.
Item, all my other bedding & napery, which I haue not besett in my testament, I wol that it be departed to suche frendis & seruauntes as be with me and to mewardes, after myn executours discrescion.
Item, I wol that al my pewtir vessell be departed among my seruauntes abyding in this Contre and also amonge my tenauntes.
And all my brasse remanentȝ for to be departed in lyke wyse after the discrescion of myn executours.
Item, all my spittes & Rakkes which I haue not besett in my Testament I wol that thei be leffte in the parsonage to my tenauntȝ ease perpetuell, And that thei be indented betwix the parson & the parishens.
Item, I wol that whosoeuer shall reioyse this Maner of Ochecote after my decesse that ther be leffte in the olde Chaumbir the sellure and the Testure enbrowdred and iij. Curtaynes of the same, and all the Costres of the same sewte, the federbed, & a matrasse, j. bolster, & j. paire of fustyance that lyeth on the same bed, and a hilling of the same sewte, j. grete Carpette (the secunde) and a litell Carpet (next the best), the new mattes that lyen in the same Chaumbir; Item, I wol that the Red wosted qwisshens abyde stille in the same Chaumbir, Also j. copeborde.
Item, in the halle, the Red halling lefte in the same, with all the Costirs and Bancours of the same sewte, xij. qwisshens of Red diapred with grene, j. copborde that standith in the halle; Item, a longe table coloured with grene, j. paire of trestilles longing therto, and the side Table with the Trestilles.
Item, I wol that all the Costeringes that longith to the parlour
And the Bankers and xij. qwysshens that longen to the same parlour
abyde therin; j. table for the high deice (the lenger) with the
Trestilles, j. longe grene table with the trestilles, And j. playne
forme,
Item, all other necessaries as stolys Chistes or formes I wol that myn executours that been in this contre haue that is necessary for hem of the best that is not written afore to theire owne vse and the remenauntȝ to be departed amonge other frendis of myn here in this contree.
Item, as towching my horses that be here at the day of my departing, I wol that Richard Clarell haue the best next my mortuary, Iacob the thirde, Iohn Cook the iiijthe;
as touching my Carthorses, I wol that he that kepith hem at that day haue the best and j. Cowe the best;
the secunde I wol that hertwell haue, & ij. kyne & xij. ewen of thoo that I haue here.
Item, Alyson Swayn ij. kyne & xij. ewen that I haue here at my departyng And that she be well see to of clothing and bedding that is necessary vnto hir and wel rewarded.
Item, j. of the Carthorses to henry Cheyny & j. cowe.
Item, j. Carthorse to Iohn Bole and j. Cowe.
All the remenauntȝ of my kyne and my wedirs that be here in this lordship that thei be spendid amonge my tenauntȝ in mete.
Item, I wol that euery tenaunt of myn in Ochecote haue dim. quarter of wete & dim. quarter of Malt.
All the remenauntȝ of whete and Malt that it be departed in townes here aboute, that is to say, in Wardon, Byfeld, Wardyngton, Croppredy, Culworth, Eydon, Sulgrave, Stotesbury, and other poer townes that be here abowte.
Item, I wol that Iohn Cook haue a matrasse, j. bolster, j. paire of Blankettes, ij. paire of shetis & j. pillow.
Item all the meyny shetis that I haue here for to be departed amonge my seruauntȝ men & wommen.
Item, I wolle that Thomas Clarell haue j. paire of fyne shetis of three levys, with j. hedshete therto of ij. levys & dim.;
Item, to Richard kyddington j. paire of fyne shetis of ij. leuys & dim. with a hedshete of ij. levys.
Item, to my Goddoughter Thomas Clarell doughter j. paire of shetis of ij. levys & dim. & x li. to her mariage & j. bolle pece of Siluer.
Item, to Thomas Bylling j. paire of Gardevyaunce which be here & j. paire of wyne botellys.
Item, to the maister of seint Thomas of Acres my table of yvery that my lord of Bedford yave me.
Item, to Elizabet Richard Clarell wyff, j. violet gowne furred
Item, to Ionet Iacob wyff, j. violet Gowne ffurred with Gray.
Item, to Margarett Wlff, j. blak gowne furred with menyver.
All my other Gownes and kirtilles that thei be departed to my wommen seruauntes with me at my departyng.
Item, to eueryche of the iiij. orders of the freris at Oxford xx s. for to say placebo & dirige with masse of Requiem for my housbondsowle and myn oonys at my departyng and efte at my moneth mynde.
In lyke wyse, to the iiij. ordres at Northampton and the ij. ordres at Coventre.
Item, that ther be departed to euery Towne here abowte xx s. that is to say Wardon, Byfeld, Wardington, Cropredy, Culworth, Eydon, Sulgrave, Stotesbury, Bodyngton and other smale townes here abowte to euery towne vj s. viij d.
Item, to Issabell knyghtley, a pece of Arasse with the Salutacion.
Item, to Walter Mantell, j. sprever red and grene paled.
Item, to Iohn Chawce the Elder, j. Sprever white with the Courteynys abowte frenged with white Sylke and a fyne qwyllte of thoo that be at london.
Item, to Margarete Wlff v. li.
Item, to the Prioresse of penley, vj s. viij d. and to euery Nonne of the same howse, iij s. iiij d.; Item, to the said howse vj. smale sponys syluer.
Item, to the womman that is next me at my departyng C s., j. bolle pece, & ij. spones, and j. gowne furred with Mynkys.
Item, to Edward leek, C. wedres that be at Sewell and all my yonge hekfares that be at Sewell at my departyng; Item, to Edward leek, j. bolle pece & iiij. spones.
Item, to my Shepard at Sewell xx. wedres and xx s.
Item, to my Skryvener at london a flat pece gilt vncouered which is in a standard at london at seint Thomas of Acres.
Item, all my Syluer wessell (xxvj. platers) that I am serued
Item, ther be iij. depe disshis of Syluer: I wol that pykringes wyff haue oon, Thomas Clarell oon, and Richard Clarell wyff the iijde.
Item, to the poer men of ffyshmonger Craffte in london to be departed after the discrescion of myn Executours xx li.
In the Name of gode and to hys loveyng, Amen. I, Thomas Cumbyrworth, knyght, the xv. day of ffeberȝer the ȝer of ouere lord Mllcccc and .l., in clere mynde & hele of body, blyssed be gode, ordan my last wyll in this wise ffolowyng.
ffurst, I gyff my Sawle to gode my lorde & my redempture, & my wrechid body to be Beryd in a chitte with-owte any kyste in the North yle of the parych kirke of Someretby be my wyfe.
and I will my body ly still, my mowth opyn, vnhild, xxiiij. owrys, & after laid on bere with-owtyn anythyng þeropon to couer it bot a Sheit & a blak cloth with a white crose of cloth of gold: bot I wyl my kyste be made & stande by; &, at my bereall, giff it to hym that ffillis my graue.
Also, I gif my blissid lord gode for my mortuary ther I am bered my best hors with my best Sadill and the hernas þerto, and at Stayn & arghum a mortuary as law will.
Also, I gyff to ouere blissyd lady & hir colage at lincoln, þar to byde, a hole westment of redveluet cloth of gold & blak palid with white cloth of gold etwyne & both copis of the sute & my best cote of armes.
Also, I gif to Sayn kateryn & to hir hous of lincoln a cope-with white veluet with grene Braunches yerin & with myne armes on the hode.
Also, I giff to the hous of thornton a cope of redde veluet opon Satyn orfrade with white damaske enbrouded.
Also, I giff to the chartirhows at hull my best chalis gilte.
Also, I will principaly that my dettys be qwyt & acordid with; and wher that I haue done any wronge or extorsion, & I not acordid yer for that may be knawen resonabily, I wil it be amend in al the hast that it gudle may.
Also, al my howsald seruants, & owt of owsald, & al my tenantes al that þe haue offendyd me & det they owe me wnchnane to any man bot to þame & me.
And of dettes of seruants knoiken & of the rent owyng to me of tenants, I will be for-giffyne to some the to-halfe, to some ye third parte or fourte parte, be discression of my secturis, as thay knowe I am holdyn yer ned & myne affeccion.
I for-giff al maner of men al that ye haue offendid me, prayng All men that I haue offendid to for-giff me, & my secturs to Aske for-gifnys for me for charite when or wher thay think it ned.
Also, I will that my lord Cardenal of yorke haue a pare bedys of gold meynghid with corall, a tabelit of gold enperlid & enameld with emaugde with-in.
Also, I will my lord of santasse haue a pare off bedys of xij. bedys, with the gaudys gilt as I gart make with a litill rounde scalbid ryng of gold to hing yam by with halfe lettre yar-in.
Also, I will my lord Cromwell haue a pare bedys of xij. bedys with the gaudes qwhilke my lord Cardenale gaue me & a ryng with al of a litill valo.
Also, I will that euere man that has fee or cloyng of me haue a pare bedys of pekok fedyrs or of bone or tre whilke I gart make & by thar-for.
& al othir gud frendes, as far as they may strech, in remembrauns to pray for me for charite.
Also, I will my Chauntre prests haue my lityll cros of gold &
ther successours with the peis of the crosse yerin, a peis of the
peler
And I will the kirk of Stayn haue the littill halfe bruche that es with relikys.
Also, I will that the kirke of Someretby & my chauntre prests & ther Successurs haue ye chalis, bokys, vestmentes, copys, Surplys, ij. superaltares, Sensurs, crossys, candilstyks of laton or coper and gilt, as I in my life deuided yam be indenture.
Also, I will that al the onormentes ordend be me for ye auter, for the rode loft, for the crosses, & for obetes, with vestements & chalis & All othir things, be [by] indenture gyfen to my chauntre prest[s] to kepe, be ye awisse & owrsight of myn hayres, yai & it to worschip & serue gode in the qwer of Somerby kirke on heledays after the ordynall & yer poure, yer-to I ordand yer bokys & vestmentes als velle as to serue my chauntre prests dayle.
And I will al this ordand to my chauntres & to worschip gode with in the kirke & the quere of Someretby be kend be my chauntre prests as they es deuyded be indenture.
And my said chauntre prests & yer successers be ate Evynsonge Matyns & messe in the said qwhere of heledays to do the for-said seruice with note as I haue ordand. And I will athye answere to myne hayres of the kepyng of yer parte of yer godes gyuyne be me to yer chauntres & to yam & to yer successours deuydid.
Also, I will the parson of Someretby Erghum & stane & yer successorus haue the landes & rentis yat I haue gywyne yam for euere, payng my chauntre prests & yer successorus yer annewite ȝerly, & pray for me & my wiff in yer messe & in the bedes-bedyng on sondays & for al othir as after the will of gode we ar beholdyn to gar pray fore & kep my obit & my wiffs ȝerle with derige & messe & bells ryngyng.
And I wil it be doyn at Someretby with note be the parson & my
chauntre prests if it may & that my said chauntre prests
& I will my chauntre prests, he of the trinite auter haue my boke of grasdaw & he of oure lady auter my boke of gracedew of the sowde (sic) to yam & ther successurs.
And I will the parson of Someretby haue my gret boke of dauid sauter at was the ffrerys.
& ye person of Erghum haue my boke of actif life.
& the person of stayne haue my boke of uesseden Passion [that] thay Ilkone haue me in mynd & in yer meditaciouns.
& Dan willȝam Gaunsted will to haue my boke de vita christi.
Also, I will my lord of wells haue j. hors worth iiij. li. or the walaw; & my Maister Richard his Sone, a hors of iiij. li. or the valo; & Iohn Standrop a hors of xl s. or the valo, & this mony to be paid for this hors if i haue none so gode of my nowne, if the mene that my lord of wells awes me thay to fother & help my last will to be performed of my landys as they promyst me.
Item, I will my chauntre prests haue my hors mylne, & the
thonne of yame [haue] ye [one of my] to almar & the tothir of yam
the thothyr almare whilke er
Also, I will my Nevew Robert Constabull hafe the blak bedys of xxij. yt [I] oft wered be my girdill & ij. old rynges with ij. gret safers in yam & my blak buke yat my wiff withid me & the gret boll of siluar with armys of Stayne in ye cep, he to leue it to ye right hAyres of someretby, & the best and hole armyng harnas yat I hafe & my best axe for werre. And I will he haf the whitte bede with merletes of silke with cousturs yerto for the canibur for the hall for the chapill & the auter & I will he haf on Someretby my best carte and j. of my best carthors & my best plogh and j. of my best plogh horrs & the best borde for the hye dese & all ye side burdes ligyng dessely in the hall & the best potte & pane in the kechyn & all the ledes standyng fast in the furnas so he haske noth[ing] of right, nor travers not with my secturs, bot se & help yam [so that] my will be performede; & I will he [have] in the same [way] in my manere at Stayne of al thynges yar-in, like as I haue hordand hym in ye maner of Someretby and vndyr the same condicion aforsaid.
And I will my nese Annes his wiffe haue a pare bedes of corall gawdid with gold & a ryng with A diademund yerin, & my boke of the talys of cantyrbury. I will my neis Dam Annas Constabull hafe a pare bedys of corall.
& my neysse Elizabeth hir Doughter & red gurdyll of gold & all the perill in the gret clout & All the whit pellur yt I haffe.
& my neysse Janet hir doughter haue a blak girdyll of gold, all thay to pray for me.
And I will that willȝam; Constabull haue j. hole harnas of plate best next the Baslard harnast yt I boght gilt.
Also, I will yt my newew Hugh Percy haue the baslard that his fadir withid me, & the xl s. that he haws me to by with a pare bedes to hym; & A nodyr pare to my nese his wife of gold to pray for me (I wol Sche haue yame or the mony): And I will my newew his sone haue a hole harnas of plate & a naxe of were & my nese his doghter ye perle & the opanges of my wifys knyttyd to gedyr in A cloute.
Also, I will that Hew cresse ye fadyr haue my bor spere & my
Also the abot of thornton hafe a pare bedes & v marcs yt he
Awes me, & I will the abbot of Neusome, of haunby, ye prior of
markeby, of thornholm, of Newstede, & of elsam,
& I will that my nese Dam Elizabet Melton hafe xl s. of the iij. pound that sche ows me to by hir a pare bedes with to pray for me, & sche to giff as my Maude & dam Johan wade & dam Elizabet Thorp to ilkon vj s. viij d. in hall the hast to by yam bedes with to pray for me opon.
Also, I will thar be gyfyn to the v. nones, Iohn of Cumberworth doghtyrs, & to my ij. cosyns nones in Stayn-feld & to dam Alys Bolman & to Ilkon of yam a pare bedys of gete & of mony trebull of almus that schall be gyfyn to odyr nones.
& I will the prior of Bridlington haue the Box for goddes body with the Coueryng ouere hit that hingys in the chapyll.
& ye reclus of ye grese fote at lincoln haf my roll of prayers & vj. ȝerdes of blanket & vj. ȝerdes of lynne cloth & trebull of almus that a prioris schall haue.
Also, I will that Roberd girdyk schall haue my litill rede
& I will that Iohn Bulman haue my gret bedes of laumber with a ryng of vnicorn horne by yam & my signet of golde & my furryd mantill & vixixj schepe of ye best at Stayn or lymber or bondby.
& I will that Iohn Broghton hafe x. schepe, halfe wedyrs, halfe yowes, of ye best next, & my ryng with the grene stone for the crampe, & my rede sawter lynyd with welwet, & my best dobull gowne.
Also, I will Stevyn chamberlayn & Iohn hobson, Iohn Grege, harre harde, hafe Ilkyn of yam A Iake & a salad & a bow & xij. Aros of the beste next my Iak, & Ilkyn of yam. xl. schepe.
Also, I will that Richard & hys Brodyr Iohn Thymelby Richard sargant haue Ilkon of yam A Iak & a salad & a Swerde & a baslard or a dagar & xx. schepe.
and I will that all odyr yomen of my howsald & the gromes of the wardrope & of the Bakhows haue Ilkon of yam a bow & xij. Aras & a doblet or A hode or a hat of my weryng & one of my grehondes or Spanells: & hew Bakare my Riding gowne.
& I will my child of the stabull hafe my botys and Spores; & the childe of the hale my hosys; & the child of the kechynne my nethir glofys; & Ilkon of this iij. & a childe in the schipyn a ȝeryng calf; And I will my scheperd hafe vj. wedyr hogges; & my Swynnard iiij. Swynne (schotes of halfe ȝere old); & I will Ilkon of my hynes of mannes Age haf a quye or a strike; & myn runian the day a cowe.
and I will my iij. Bedmen hafe Ilkon of yam a cowe & a pare of Bedes; & I will the parich clarke hafe, and Ilkon of the clarkes that I fynde to the scole, a longe gowne of myn dubull or ffurrid; & to Ilkon of my nowne clerkes x. yow hoges.
Also, I will that wilȝam tebly hafe a nax for wer
& I will Iohn fferrer hafe my girdill with my cnyffes & my pursse with the mony that es yer-in to [buy] a horsse.
Also, I will that Swalow & Richard hornseh haf aythir of yam vj s. viijd. & iiij. schep.
Also, I will the abbot of Neusom bery my body, & do the seruices messe & deryge & hafe xx s.
& if yer come a-nothir abbot than I will he hafe a nobyll to pray for me.
& I will that Ilke prior & priores that comes to my beryall at yt day hafe iij s. iiij d.
& ilke chanon & Nune xij d.
& ilke prest & frere that comes to the Deryge & messe at my bereall hafe iiij d.
& to Ilke clerk ij d that helpys to syng or sais at Dirige.
and Ilke pore man childe & woman hafe iiij d.
& all men that come to my bereall hafe mete & Drynk with slkyke stufe as was ordand for my howsald & with helpe of iij li. of mony that I will be put yer-to at nedys.
Also, I will the prior of thyrnholm, of Elsham, of Neusted Do my Deryge & my messe on my vij. day, & haf a nobull; and Ilke of tham that comes with yam xij d. & Ilke prest & ffrere that comes to Dirige & messe iiij d, and Ilke clerke that Seynges or Says at Dirige ij d, & Ilke pore man ij d, & Ilke man that comes met & drynke with swylke stufe of vetell as was purwad for my howsald & with helpe of iij li. of mony qwylk I will be putte yerto at nedys.
& I will hafe x torchis (Ilkon of yam vij li. wax), & v. serges (Ilkon of iij li. wax at the leste), byrnyng opon me & about me at the said messes & dereges & I will the pore men that hold yam haf Ilkon of yam iiij d. beside dale of almus.
And I will the interment be made at my xxx. day & the abbot of thornton do the messe derege & the exequies, & hafe xx s. & the v marcs that he ows me aforsaide.
& I will the abbot of Neusom & the abbot of Welhow, yf thay both come to my xxx. day, haf athir of tham xiij s. iiij d.
& Ilke prior & priores that comes to the xxx. day hafe vj s. viij d.
& Ilke chanon or none that comes to the said xxx day haf xx d.
& Ilke prest & frere that comes that day to deryge & messe haf iiij d.
& Ilke clark yt helpes to syng or say at my derige haf ij d.
& I will Ilke pore man that comes that day to ye dayll haf j d.
& I will that the prestes haf xiij s. iiij d. & I will the ryngars hafe for yer ryngyng at Ilkon of the iij. days xij d.
Also I will that Ilke chanon of lincoln colage & beuerlay colage haldyng residens & bydyng yer haf xx d, & Ilke prest yt veres Abet haf vij d. to pray for me & do me a messe & a derege for me in the mynstre.
Also, I will that mayster kere, a gray frere at london, haf vij s. viij d.
Also, I will the Charterhows of wittam haf C s. of mony, & the
Chaurterhous of hull C s. of mony,
Also, I will hafe to syng for me a ȝer next after my dede or
Als sone as ya be gettyn x. prestes yat es to say ser william Bekeby,
or on of his ordinance, ser Iohn at hill or on of his ordinance, frere
more or on of his ordinance, frere Richard or on of his ordinance,
frere welby or one of his ordinance, & iiij. prestes seculers
& I will ij. of yam syng at ye auter yer my wife
Also, I will yer be gyfyn to ilke parys of vij. plws, to the prest yt kepys the Cure vij d, to kyrk warke xx d, & to ye pore of ye parys xx d.
& to lytyll parysones of les plows, to ye prest yer-of vij d, & to kyrke [warke] xij d, & to ye pore of ye parys xij d. thorow owte lincoln & lyndesay.
& I will yer be gyfyne to Ilke abbot xx d. to Ilke prior & priorys & wardans xij d, & to Ilke chanon monke none & frere & prest in lincoln & lyndesay & to hilke frere in yorke hull beuerlay & boston vij d, & to Ilke syster & novys iij d, and I pray hilke prest in the colyge of lincoln to say [iij] messys of ouere lady & Ilke prest in the Cite to say iij. messys of ye trinite & Ilke prest in ye Cuntre iij. messys of requiem & Ilke chanon & monke iij. messys of ye natiuite of Ihesu, & Ilke frere iij. messys of ye holy gost, & Ilke prest in beuerlay Colage iij. messes of Al halows & Ilke ffrere of ȝorke iij. messes of saynt Iohn Baptist & sayn kateryn, & Ilke noues of sautre of dauid & Ilke lude frere & syster ye sauter of ouere lorde & yis pray yam in ȝorke schire alswele as in lincoln schire.
Also, I will the mynster warke of lincoln haf xiij s. iiij d.
Also, I will ye kirke of someretby, Erghum, & Stayne hafe Ilkon
of yam xx s. & say for me a messe & Derige; Also I will ye
Townys
Also, I ordan at my xxx. day to haf vij. serges of v li. byrnyng ouere my body at derege & messe & Also ij. cheregis Ilkon of x li. to bryn at derege & messe & afterwarde to be gyvyn to ye pore kirkes as was at my wiff xxx. day.
Also I ordan xxij li. of mony with helpe of ordanyng of housalde to fede yam with at come to my xxx. day.
Also I ordan xx. marcs of mony to clothing of sectures, my seruantes, my pore men yat schal hold the torchis.
Also, I will my nevew Robert Constabull haf fifty li. of relage of tenantes in yorkschire & of odyr dettes whar it suffys not.
& my nese Elizabet his sister 1. marcs of mony to hir helpyng.
Also, I will Sir christofre Cresse and hugh Cresse haf x li. of mony & Elizabeth yer eldyst sister xx. marcs of mony to hir helpyng warde.
And I will my nevew hir Eldist son haf C s.
Also, I will Robert Girdyk haf C li. al of mony to do ye rerecharges yt I haf charchid hym.
Also, I will Iohn Bulman haf of mony xx li.
Also, I will Iohn Broghton haf of mony x li.
Also, I will my prestes haf xl s.
Also, I will Stevyn Chambyrlayn, Iohn hovson, Iohn Grege, & harre harde, haf Ilkon of yam iiij. marcs.
Also I will at wilȝam Coke & Richard his Brothir, & Iohn of Thymolby, haf Ilkon of yam ij marcs.
Also, I will Wilȝam Telby, Iohn hardy, Richard sergant, hugh bakar, […] prentoft haf Ilkon of yam xx s.
Also, I will Emond Sikirton, George […], Iohn Warderope, alan andrew, ilkon of yis haf vj s. viij d.
Also, I will yt my iij. pore clarkes, my iij. pore men, litill thom of ye hale, litill will oft stabull, my schepard, my runian ye Carter & iij. of the best plomen haf Ilkon of yam iij s. iij d.
Also, I will ye tothir iij. hynys yt dryfys the plogh, the Swynnarde, ye childe of ye kechyn, & my scepard of Stane haf Ilkon of yam xx d.
Also, I wil yt Iohn Tailbusse haf v. marcs.
Also, I will yt Roberd Schefeld haf v. marcs
so yt yai & Al that Aske ogth of my wittword be firtheras to my last will & pray for me.
Also, I will my tenauntes yt aw me rente haf forgyn yer of to
And I wold my howsald wer holdyn forth a half yer after my dede with the revenus of my lyvelade a half ȝer & with the resedew of my dettes & relage if it may.
My executurs of my last will make I Robert Gyrdyk, Iohn Bulman, & Iohn Broghton, & yer protectures & suppowellorse my Neweu Robert Constabull, My cosyn Iohn Taylbusse, & Roberd Schefeld, prayng yam all for charite to tak yis deid opon yam.
Also, I wil yt Roberd girdik haf Ale of myne with-in the maner of someretby, al my othir godes excepte ye plate & whilk arnot vthirwisse disposid in this testament.
Also, I wil yt Iohn Bulman haf Al my gudes with-in the maner oft (sic) Stayn except plate or woll, & gudes not vthir wise disposid in yis testament.
And I wil Iohn Broghton haf Al the gudes in ye maner of Erghum
except plate
ilkone fre to helpe yam selfe with-all & do for me as yam shelf thynke yam be holdyn.
Also, I will my newew Robert constabull hafe the gouernance of Thomas withirwike & ye profet of ye rent & landes yat I haf of his modyrs to fynde hym with & to fynde a prest to syng for hir Saule as far as it may suffys beside & to pay to Robert Girdyk vj. marcs ȝerly of Annewete.
Also, I will yat Steven Chambyrlayn, Iohn howson, Iohn Grege, harre hardy, Richard of kichyn, & Iohn Thymolbe haf Al the stuf yt es in my place at london except plate or harnas platyd to skift euyne emong yam to pray for me.
Also, I will that Elizabeth bulman haf al my lynne clothis & kerchifs & lynnyn yt es in my paynar in my cloth seke excepte lawne.
And I will yt all ye lawne in the said paynar & Al Curtynys
& trawers of lawne with a pare schetes of Smal lyncloth yat es
and ye blak Curtyns of lawne be Cut in vailes & gyfyn to pore nones.
And if my thynge fal in trawers or in contrare consaytes of this my last will be-twen my sectures I wil it be expounid & performed after the consait of my nevew Robert Constabull.
Also, I wil my nevew Robert constabull haf Al my qwhite Swannes if so be he may reioys the maner of Stayne his live & els at yai be solde be my sectures.
Also, I will Al my Aras be solde & my bede of silke with Curtyns be solde & lede boght yer with to hill the qwere of Someretby & ye body of stayn kyrke And the surples of any lede to by vestementes & gar make to pore kyrkes aboute in ye cuntre.
Also, I wil that Al my horsys be kepid to my xxx. day be past for occupacion of myn interment to it be vtterly done.
& Also, to Ilkon of my seruantes haf yer fee for that quarter yat I dye in [and] for a quarter after, if so be at yai will bide & will be rewlid be my executurs.
Memorandum that this is the last Wule of Robert Sutton, the son of hamond Sutton of lincoln, Esquyer, made the xxiij. day of ffebruare the yere of oure lord a Ml cccclj.
In primis, I, Robert, by-witte my saule to almyghty god and to his moder saint Marie and my body for to be buryed in the kyrke of saint Andrew in Wykford in lincoln.
Item I be-witte vnto my wiff all my stuff of howswold; Item, my
shippe.
Item, I wille that alle my corne be solde (except x. quartiers of whete and malte) to pay my dettes, and that x. quartiers for to be devided for my saule to the pover people.
Item, I be-witte to Elizabet tolton xx s. and her lyuerey and her hire.
Item, to Thomas Roo his lyuerey and his hire and x s.
Item, to Richard Bolcesby vj s. viij d. and my dowbelet of blak clothe.
Item, to my Sister Babyngton my yong gray Aumbelyng stagg at Grysby.
Item, to my Brother Iohn Sutton v. marcs.
Item, to my Brother hamond x. marcs.
Item, a hyndde calf skynne tewed and xl d. to William Ostiler.
Item, to my broþer Hamond a payre of blak hoses that Saxton hathe.
Item, to Thomas Rothley my wodknyffe.
Item, to Iohn ffairefax a sawre skynne tewed.
Item, to Iohn hennoure my furred iaket and my blak hode.
Item, I will that sir Iohn Sparow haue vj s. viij d.
Item, I will that Robert Cooke have vj s. viij d.
Item, my white mantelle to my fader.
Item, to my broþer hamond my bille.
Item, to litell Thomas, my man, vj s. viij d.
Item, to ayther of my sistres a plite of laune.
Item, to my ffader my hawke.
Item, to Alisone Barley, the seruaunt of my sister Babyngton, vj s. viii d.
Item, to Robert lincoln vj s. viij d. and his hire that is be-hynde and his liverey.
Item, to the other v. seruauntes beyng at Grysby theyre hyre and theire lyuerey and to ilkone of them xx d.
Item, I will that my fader and my wiff and my broþer Iohn and my broþer hamond be myn executours for to dispose alle my godes for the heale of my saule as thei wold I dyd for theym and thei where in like case.
Made the day and the yere afore said.
I, Robert, lord willoughby, wol and pray my feoffes and executours that Iohn Oumfray, Thomas halbertoft, herry Botermouthe, Simon Iohnson, and Richard Walker, be saued harmelesse of the summe of money that thei be bownden in to thomas kyme for the matier betwix my nevev William Wylloughby and other my seruauntȝ and him as for the dethe of william kyme and other matiers that wer betwene hem.
Also, I wol that all maner of wommen to whome I haue granted any fees, annuetes, yerely rentis, or fermes, either for terme of lyve or terme of yeeris, haue and reiose the same fees, annuetes, yerely rentys, and fermes, after the fourme and tenour of theire grauntes, withouten any interupcion of myn heires in any wise.
Also, I wol that Iohan lowe, Robert Parys, william Wyte, and Thomas
walsoken, haue and reioyse theire bargayn of the
Also, I wol that al those persones to whom I haue graunted any manumyssion, thei reioyse theire fraunchese a[n]d fredom for euermore, like as I haue graunted hem, withouten any interrupcion of my said heires in any wise.
Also, I wol that all those persones the which be bounden for me in
any summes of mony to any persone be saved harmelesse And that the
said summes be payed by myn Executours with owte any Interupcion and
hurt of the
Also, I wolle and pray my Cosyn, Iohn Wylloughby, Esquier, to be oon of myn Executours with other that be lymyted in my testament, for to execute my said wille and testament.
Also, I wol that a bed of Ermynes and a nother Bed with Buckingham Armys and the Almysdisch of Syluer be leffte at Eresby and a-bide stylle theere to thaym that shall haue the same place.
Also, I wolle that the manoyers of fulstowe, Arsyk, Burgh, Parteney, ffodrynghey, and all other landis and tenementȝ that I haue purchased, be solde by my feoffies, and the mony therof commyng to be delyuered to myn executours to pay my dettes and to performe my wille and testament, that is to say, as wel in Northfolk, Southfolk, lincolnshire, and all other places within england.
Also, I wol that Mawde my wyffe haue ij. standing coppes couered,
iiij. bolles with a coueryng, ij. small pottes and a grete potte, and
xvj. peces of Syluer vessell in the kychyn, and a basyn and j. Ewer of
syluer, A Red bed of Tapestrye and a grene Bed of worsted,
iij. federbeddes (that is to say oon of the best and ij. meners), a
twnne of Wyne, a grete salt seler couered, and a nother salt saler
playne couered, and a yong palfray white.
And I wol that maistier Iohn depyng haue a bayed palfrey that I bought late.
Also, I wol that Iohn dillewe, styward of my household, be saved harmelesse as for al maner of vitayle that he hath taken for my houshold, that he be not Charged with more to pay to my creditours than he hath receyved.
Also, I wol that the ij. lordys myn executours haue for theire labours eyther of hem a Courser. Also, I wol that iche of myn Executours haue for their labours x li, so that thei take the charge; And thei that wol not take the Charge, that theire parte remayne to them that wol take the Charge; Also, I wol that if any of myn executours wol bye any of my goodes withoute any deceyt that they bye hit.
Also, I wol that euery yoman of my Chambre haue for theire reward xl s.; Also, Iohn prestbury xx s., And Richard legbourne x s.
[There is also a Latin will of Lord Willoughby, on lf. 42 bk. of bishop John Chedworth's register, dated January 9, 1448. He says he has already made a will, and requires his executors to act justly. He says the bishop of Lincoln, Viscount Beaumont, Lord Fitzhugh, Lord Cromwell, Iohn Portyngton, and others, are feoffed in various manors and tenements belonging to him. His wife is to have her dowry immediately on his death, from these manors, on condition that she makes Lord Cromwell stay any actions that he may have against his executors, on account of any writing, or cause, touching himself. And, if his feoffees in the manors he mentions refuse to perform his wishes, his wife is to have her dowry from other manors. He says also that Lord Leo de Wells might possibly bring actions against his executors on account of writings, or agreements.]
In the name of god so be it, the xij. day of the moneth of Marche
the yere of oure lord M1 CCCC liij, the Reyne of king henry the sext
after the conquest xxxij., I, Richard Archer,
ffirst, I bewethe my sowle vnto almyghty god, to oure blessed lady his moder, and to alle the seintes of hevyne and my body to be buried in the Churcheyerd of saint Andrew.
Also, I wol first and principally above alle thinges that my dettys the which I owe be satisfied after my power.
Also, I beqwethe to the boke of the same Church xijd. & j. shep: Also, I beqweth to the sustentacion of all the lightes beyng in the same churche, iij s.
Also, I beqwethe vnto Alson Qwenehawe my doughter a shipchist.
The residew of alle my goodes not above beqwethen (after my sepulture honestly doon, my dettis payed, and my beqwestis fulfilled) I giff and beqwethe to Iohn Archier, Citezin of london, for to dispose it betwene my childern as him semeth best to plese god and to the profute of my sowle.
Of this my presente testament I make my principall Executour Iohn Archier my sonne.
In the wyttenesse of which I haue putto my seale; yeven the day and the yere foresaid, theis wittenesse Richard Archier the yonger, Iohn thressher, William Archier, Robert Archier and other moo.
From bishop John Chedworth's Register at Lincoln, lf. 20 bk. The letter was no doubt enrolled in respect of some matrimonial suit. The following notes taken from the official minute-book of the Archdeacon of Essex may serve, although of much later date, to suggest the nature and the frequency of such suits.
2 May, 1592: before the Official of the Archdeacon of Essex, in a Court held in Romford chapel, Essex, Susan Clarke of Barking, Essex, accused of bigamy, produced a certificate from householders of Tattershall, Lincolnshire, that her pretended husband … Bowlt, and also her pretended husband … Gryse, had both of them wyves lyving when they maryed with Susan: and afterwards, and by due order of lawe, she was separated from them both. She produced also a certificate that her husband, William Clarke, was recently deceased. The charge was withdrawn.
3 May, 1592: before the Official of the Archdeacon of Essex, in a Court held in Ingatestone church, Essex, John Wylson of Laindon Hills, was ordered to bring a certificate of his marriage with Joan Streates; and to answer the charge that, at the time of that marriage, he had another wif lyvinge.
5 May, 1592, Richard Weston, of Sutton, Essex, was brought into the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, held at Maldon, because suspected to have two wives alive, and not lawfully maryed to her that he now kepeth. His defence was that his first wife (Ellen Browne) had died at Fulham beyond London.
24 April, 1593, Jaspar Harman, of Grays Thurrock, Essex, was prosecuted in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex held in Romford chapel, on the charge that he hath ii. wyves. His plea was: about xvi. yeres agone he was married in Eastwood church, Essex, to Margaret Battell, with whom he continued about 10 or 12 yeares; and since that time, about a yeare last past, he was married in Rushmore parish church, neare vnto Ipswich in Suffock, to Agnes Ive, with whome he continueth; and that both the same women are yet living, and he not deforced from any of them.
He was ordered to stand in Romford market, next market-day, in a white sheet, with a writing on his head setting forth his offence. The Bailiff of the market was to see and certify that this was done.
This lettre, made at Cristchurche in the shire of Southampton, the
laste day of December the yere of oure lord king herry vjt
xxxiij. yere, berith wittenesse that Iohn Simon, ffuller, otherwise
called Iohn Grice, in the towne of vvycombe
Wite all maner men me Iohane Raleghe, that it is my laste wille
that all my maner of Ilvendon, with his appurtenaunce, in the shires
of Oxenford & Barkes (outetake Wodcote, with his appurtenaunce,
the wich Thomas luffyngcote shall haue anon after day of my dethe to
him and to his heires & assignes), And all that other deel shal be
in my Executours handes xij. yeris and aslong till thei haue therof
CC. marces to deel hit for my sowle and for the sowles that the
manoire cam of; & after theke CC. marces comme vp, thanne the hole
maner turne to Thomas luffyngcote & his heires & assignes for
euer-more, owte take v. marces of a yeerly rent to Iohn haselden
yeerly, terme of his liff, & x. marces in monye to Iohan
Saunderton at the day of her mariage, with that it be to my worship
and my profuet; Also xx s. yeerly who so haue the manoyer to do for my
sowle and for the sowles afore said. And ouer all this
and all my houshold to be kept hole to Michaelmasse next commyng̛ after the day of my dethe.
Also I charge al my feoffes & Executours that thei wol perfourme this, for this is my laste wille, as thei wol answere tofore god, for this is my last wille, orellus thei to haue the same blessing that Crist yaff kayme.
Writte at Ilvenden the Sonday next after seint hillary day the yere of king henry the sext the xxxiijti.
The Lovel family was by origin of Minster Lovel, Oxfordshire.
According to the Peerages accessible to me, the
testator, Williamn Lovel, at the age of 17, succeeded his father John
Lovel (6th baron), in 1414, as 7th baron Lovel (of Tichmarsh,
Northamptonshire), and was summoned as a baron to Parliament from 1425
to 1453. He also succeeded his father in the barony of Holland (or
Holand), which had been brought into the Lovel family by the marriage
of Maud, granddaugther and heiress of Robert de Holland, 2nd baron
Holland (1342-73), to John, 5th baron Lovel, testator's grandfather.
The barony of Burnell, to which the testator here asserts his claim,
seems to have been without official recognition. Edward Burnell,
first baron Burnell, was summoned to Parliament 1311 to 1314, but died
1315, leaving his sister Maud as his heiress. At his death the barony
of Burnell became, in law, extinct. Maud Burnell married, as her
first husband, John Lovel, 2nd baron Lovel of Tichmarsh, who died
1314; and as her second husband, Sir John Haudlo, summoned to
Parliament as baron Haudlo 1342. By one of the perplexing intricacies
of the Peerage writs, the summonses to Parliament, 1350-1420, directed
to baron Burnell, were sent to Maud Burnell's descendants by her
second marriage, but the Lovel family seems to have obstinately, in
word at least, persevered in its claim to the title.
The whole proceeding can best be understood by a rough pedigree:
The Peerage problems are worked out in the larger modern Peerages. All that concerns us here is to note that
these accumulated peerages brought into the Lovel family not only the
ownership of the estates of those baronies, but also according to the
ideas of the age, the obligation to provide and maintain intercessory
services for members of the extinct families (supra 68/20). Hence,
testator's intense desire for a perpetual two-priest chantry.
William Lovel, 7th baron Lovel, by a marriage which reminds us of
the epigram Tu, felix Austria, nubes, had brought into his family,
besides the two baronies he inherited, and the
The foundation of this chantry-chapel might well be used as a
foot-note appended to a lament over the vanity of human wishes, as
expressed in the telling lines of Robert Burns:
Greyfriars Convent in Oxford, by the fame of Roger Bacon, was the
best-known house of the Order in England. Its church was one of the
greatest. But, at the Dissolution, it was so completely destroyed,
that all memory of the Lovel chapel was rooted out. Anthony Wood (City of Oxford, ii. 383), making his list of eminent
persons buried in this church, has no mention of William, Lord Lovel.
The fact was first brought to light by Alfred Gibbons in his list of
Early Lincoln Wills, 1888. Even the admirable
monograph on The Grey Friars in Oxford, by
A. G. Little (O.H.S. 1892) could only add (p. 106) that in the
arrangements made by lord Lovel for his burial here 'a bequest would
no doubt be included'. Railway cuttings, botanists tell us, often
bring back to a district plants long extinct there, and so now
Dr. Furnivall's research has brought to light this long-forgotten
Lovel chantry in Oxford.
In the name of the blessed trinite ffader and son and holy gost, I, William lord lovell Burnell and of holand, hole of mynde & of body, make my testament in the maner and fourme that folowith:
ffirst, I beqweth my soule to allmyghty god my creature that bought me with his preciouse blode, and to his blessed moder saint Mary, and to all the holy seintes of hevyn, and my body to be buried at the Grayfreris of Oxenford in suche place as I haue apoynted.
And I wol that within viij. dayes after my dethe a Ml Messes be don for my soule.
Also I wol that my feoffies in and of all my Manourys landis and tenementes, with thappurtenaunce, in Acton Burnell, wotton, Croston, Sutton, holgote, Abbeton, Millynchop, Ewdon Burnell, Acton Raynard, longedon, vppynton, Rowton, Ambaston, Chatwall, wolstauton, Smethcote, Russhebury, hopebowdelere, and Condouer, with the membirs in the shire of Salop and in all my landis & tenementes in Nantewich in the shire of Chester not appoynted to my sone herry, the which I haue enfeoffed vppon grete truste, I wol that my said feoffies occupie and haue all my said Manoires landis and tenementes with thappurtenaunce after my decesse by the terme of ix yere and that ther be a sufficient persone ordeyned by the aduyse of my said feoffes and Executours to receyve all the Issueȝ and profutes of the said Manoyers landis and tenementȝ and therwith to pay CCxxij li. xiij s. iiij d. that I owe to diuerse persones as hit is conteyned in a papir, onlesse thanne I pay hit in my liff.
Also I wol þat a Chapell and a tombe be made for me and my wiff, conuenient for oure astateȝ that god hathe called vs to, of the same Issueȝ and profuteȝ, in the place where we shall be buried.
And where I haue apoynted xx li. of lyvelode to be purchased with the same Issues and profuteȝ (onlesse than I purchase hit my self in my liff) to be amorteysed for ij. Prestis to singe perpetuelly for the sowles of me, my wiff, and of oure Awncesters, I wol that, of the same Issueȝ and profuteȝ, all the costis aboute the said amortesment be had and borne.
Also, I wol that the same Grayfreris shall haue CC. marces or the valu. Wherof part shall be in redy monye and the remanent in ornamentȝ of their churche (by the discrescion of my wiff my feoffes and executurs or the more parte of theym), to pray specially for the sowles of me and of my wyff.
Also, I beqweth to the toder iij. orders of freris in Oxenford to ich of them C s. to pray specially for the sowles of me and my wiff and oure said Auncesters.
Also, to the Abbot and conuent of Breuer xl li.
Also, to Anne Ogard, my doughter's doughter, to her mariage if she be maried worshipfully and to such as is or shal be a lorde of name CC li., of the same Issueȝ & profuteȝ.
And I wol that he that so shal receyve the Issueȝ and profuteȝ of the said Manoirs landis and tenementes yerely accompt of them afore such Auditours as shal be assigned by my wiff Executours and feoffes or the more parte of them.
Also, I wol that anon after the said ix yere after my decesse determined that my said feoffies make astate of all the seyd Manoirs landis and tenementȝ with thappurtenaunce to my next heire and to the heires of his body lawfully begoten, And for lakke of such Issue the remander therof to my right heires.
And in case that the said Chauntry be founded in my lyff than I wolle that after the terme of vj yere next after my decesse determyned that my said feoffes of all the said Manoires landis and tenementes make astate vnto my next heire to haue and hold to him and to the heires of his body begeten And for lakke of such Issue the remaynder therof to my right heires.
Also, I wol that my feoffes in and of all my other manoyrs landis and tenementes that thei be enfeoffed in to myn vse & profuet (except thoo Maners landis and tenementes appoynted to william Robert and henry my sonnes and my maners landys and tenementȝ in Oxenford shire) anoon after my decesse make astate vnto my next heire and to the heires of his body begeton And for lakke of suche Issev the Remaynder therof to my right heires.
Also, I wol that my feoffes
And after the said Chauntery stabulisched and founded of xx li. of lyvelode, I wol my feoffies of the said Manoiers landis and tenementes in the said shire of Oxford, Except afore except, make astate to my next heire and to the heires of his body begoten, and for lakke of suche Issue the remaynder therof to my right heires.
Also, I wol that my goodis moveable and vnmoveable be disposed, after the good discrestion of my good executors, by the ouersight and sourvowe of my wyff.
Also, I charge all my sonnes, vpon my blessing and as thei wol answer to god, that thei be helpyng and assistyng to myn Executours to the executyng and performyng of this my testament and laste wille.
And Executours of this my testament I make Thomas Bylling, sergeaunt of the lawe; lucas laucok, Clerk; william Marmeon; William Brawnston.
Also, I wol that my Wiff, in whom I put my moste speciall faith & truste, be surveour of this my testament, prayng and requiring her that she wol do her trewe diligens and parte that my said testament may be trewly performed, accordyng to myn entent; And require and charge my executours that noon of hem do any grete thing touching the execucion of my said testament, withoute thei aske auyse of her before.
In wittenesse wherof, to this present writyng I haue putto my seale, yeven the xviij. day of Marche the yere of oure lord Ml CCCCliiij., And the yere of the Regne of king henry the sext after the conquest xxxiijti.
In the name of god amen I, William lord lovell Burnell and of
holand, hoole of mynde, the v day of Iunn the yere of oure lord god Ml
cccc lvti, And the yere of the Regne of king herry the sext after the
conquest xxxiijti, declare my last wille and aduyse conteyned in my
testament beryng date of the xviij.
first, that where I, in the said testament and last wille, ordeyned disposed and willed that my feoffes in and of all my Maners landis and tenementȝ with theire appurtenaunces in Acton Burnell, Wotton, Croston, Sutton, holgote, Abbeton, Millyngchamp, Ewdon Burnell, acton Raynard, longedon, Vppyngdon, Rowton, Ambaston, Chatwall, wolstauton, Smethcote, Russhbury, hopebowdeler, and Condouer, with theire membris, in the shire of Salop and in all my landis and tenementȝ in Nantewich in the shire of Chestir not appoynted to my soon herry, shuld occupie and haue all my said Manoiers landis and tenementis with thappurtenaunce after my decesse by the terme of ix yere to perfourme my said wille and testament, as it is in the same testament expressed, I wol that my said feoffees occupie and haue all my said landis Manoiers and tenementis with thappurtenaunces after my decesse by the terme of xij. yeere then next and continuall folowyng, to execute and performe with the Isseues and profutes therof my said testament And that my last wille, vnder forme as in the said testament is and in this my codicille shall be declared;
Also, where I, in my said testament, haue appoynted xx li. of
lyvelod to be purchased with the said Issues and profutes, to be
amorteysed for ij. seculer prestes to sing perpetuelly for the sowles
of me my wiff and my Auncestres, I, in this my codicille, wol and
declare that the said purchase and mortisment be so and in suche
fourme had that hit be xx li. clere aboue all maner of Chargis, and
suche lyflod as shal be of no lesse clere yerly valu be lyklyhode
hereafterwarde: of the which xx li. I wol that my said ij. prestis
haue yerly xx marces. And I wol that the Wardeyn and the Covent of
the gray frerys of Oxford haue yeerly the residewe of the said xx
li. therwith to kepe my yeerly obite & to reparell
And pay yeerly to the Chaunceler of Oxford for the tyme beyng and Ofering at my said Obite, vj s. viij d., To his commissary so Offeryng in his absence, iij s. iiij d., and to eyther of the proctours of the vniuersite commyng with the said Chaunceler or his commissary and offeryng at my said obite, xx d.
And to the Maire of Oxford for the tyme beyng iij s. iiij d. and to either of the Bayles xx d., in case be that thei come and offre at my said yeerly obite.
Also I wol that my said executurs & feoffes, ouer the said xx li., purvey bokes, Chaleys, and vestimentes, with other ornamentes necessary to the said Chapell; and also for bred, vyne, and wex for all maner of prestis that wol say masse in the said Chapell for euer-more.
Also, I wol that the said ij. prestis be seculers, bachelers of diuinite or at the leste maisters of Arte, vertuose and wel disposed to lerne and for to procede in degree, And moreover to preche the worde of God in releeff of simple curatis and edificacion of cristen sowles
And thei, in theire open sermons, shall pray specially by name for the sowles of me, my Wiff and myn Aunceters.
And I wol that the sayd ij. preestis euery sonday and doble fest, after tyme the said Chapell is beeldide and fully perfourmed, at vj. of the belle in the mornyng begynne the matyns of the day in my said Chapell; and, after Matyns said, oon of them incontynently say masse of the day, onlesse thanne they be absent preching the worde of god; And if bothe be not so absent, than he, that is not so occupied, say the sayd matyns and masse
and onys in the Weeke day say Placebo and Dirige with a Masse of Requiem for the sowles of me, my Wyf and myn Auncestres and of all Cristen sowles.
Also I woll that the lord lovell for the tyme beyng name and
present the said ij. prestis (so that thei be seculers and bachelers
of diuinite or at the lest Maisters of Art) to the Chaunceler of
Oxonford for the tyme beyng; And the said Chaunceler, in case he fynde
hem by dew examinacion vertuose and of gode conuersacion and disposed
to procede after my wyl before declared,
Also, I wol and declare that in case the said ij. prestis, or eyther of them, be promoted to eny benefice, college, Chauntre, or other Office of perpetuete, otherellus be of viciouse gouernaunce or vnclene lyvyng befor the Chaunceler lawfully conuicted, that then theire places in my said Chapell, and either of them, so promoted or conuicted, be voyde, and the said lord lovell name and present other, in maner and fourme above rehersed.
Item, I woll and beqweth, in this my Codicill, to William my sonne a Bedd of Bawdekyn with qwischens and thapparrell thereto, payng x li.
Also that, where I wylled and ordeyned in my said testament that,
anon after ix yeere after my decesse determined, that my feoffes shuld
make astate of all the said Manoiers landis and tenementes, with ther
appurtenauncz, vnder forme in my said testament conteyned, I wol that
my said feoffes be not charged nor in noo wyse constrayned to make any
astate vnto the terme of xij. yeere after
Also, I woll and adde to my said testament in this my Codicille
that my seruauntes be rewarded vnder forme and sommes that folowen:
And I eftesones require my wiff, sonnes, & heires, in the way of Charite, and for the love of all-myghty god and in Eschewyng of dampnacion of theire sowles, that thei help and Assiste, with all suche power as god hath yeven them, my feoffes and myn Executours to execute my said testament & this my wylle, And that thei in no wise lett hit nor do for to be letted by no maner of meane nor colour.
Item, I wol that all my elther feoffes, if ther any bee in my said maners, landis, and tenementes, make a relesse vnto Thomas, Archiebisshop of Canterbury, and vnto his cofeoffies to perfourme my said testament and wille.
Beryng wittenesse herof: Maister Thomas Gascoyne, doctor of diuinite; Bartholomew Ardern, Thomas Sakvyle, Iohn Grayby, Esquyers; William Barnevile, Iohn Adeen, and Iohn Russell, with other mo.
To all trew Cristen people that this present wryting tri-partited endented shall heere or see, William lord lovell Burnell and of holand, send gretyng in oure lord everlastyng.
Where that I, the same William lord lovell, amonges other, haue
enfeoffed, vppon grete faith and truste, the right reuerend faders in
god Thomas Bourchiere, Archiebischop of Canterbury, primat of all
England; William, Bisshop of Wynchestre; William lucy,
in and of my Manoiers of Bridelhurst, obdon, knoke, Erdescote, Estwamburgh, with thappurtenaunce, in the shire of Wyltshire and in all my other landis and tenementes in the same townes;
the Maner of Berley with thappurtenaunce in the shire of hertford;
the maner of Est wycham, with thappurtenaunce, in the shire of kent;
And Rotherhith, with thappurtenauncȝ in the shire of Surre;
the Maner of Wodford, with thappurtenaunce, in the shire of Gloucestre;
and in all my landis & tenementis in Bampton, litell Mynster, and elles where in the shire of Oxford, with thappurtenaunce, the which were sumtyme Alyenor hill;
and of a fee ferme of vij li. vj s. viij d. in the shire of Wyrcestre that the Priour of Wyrcestre payde to me for Trympley;
the maners of Stene, hynton, Polebroke, with thappurtenaunce, in the Shire of Northampton;
the Maner of Crawley with thappurtenaunce in the Shire of Buckes;
with all my other landis and tenementes in the same townes;
and in the Towne of Banebury in the shire of Oxonford;
the maners of welyngton and Pycheford, with thappurtenaunce, in the Shire of Salop;
the Maners of Bidford and Brome with thappurtenaunce in the Shire of warrwick; The Moyte of my lordship of woluuer-hampton, with thappurtenaunce, in the shire of Stafford, with all my other landis & tenementis in the same townes;
and in all my landes & tenementes Rentis and seruice with thappurtenaunce in Nauntwyche and ellus where in the shire of Chestre, late William Brownynges,
to haue and to hold to them and to theire heires for euermore.
I, the said william lord louell, declare my wille and entent of the said feoffament in maner and fourme folowyng:
That is to say, that my said feoffies anon after my decesse make
astate in and of the said maners of Brideshurst, Vbbedon, knoke,
Erdescote, Est wamburgh, Berley, Estwykham, Rotherhith, Wydeford,
fee-ferme, and in all the said other landis or tenementis in the same
townes, in all the said landis & tenementis in Bampton, litell
minster, and ellus where in the shire of Oxford that were sumtyme
Alianore hill, with all thappurtenaunce, to william my secunde sone
and to the heires males of his body laufully begoten, vnder the forme
and condicions folowyng, that if the same william my sone or eny of
the heires males of his body begeten do or suffre any thing to be doo
by the whiche the said taile shuld be discontynued and discontynued,
in parte or in all, lenger or otherwise than for terme of the liff of
the same william my sone or of the lyff of any of his heires males of
his body begeton or duryng the lyff of any of the wyffes of my said
sone or of any of the wiffes of the heires males of his body begeten,
that thanne all the said maners of Brideshurst, Vbbedon, knoke,
Erdescote, Est wamburgh, Berley, Est wykham, Rotherhith, Wydeford,
fee-ferme, with all the said other landis and tenementes in the same
And I pray and require my said feoffes to be helpyng and assisting to my right heires in this behalff;
And in case the said william my sone die withoute Issew male of his
body begeten, orellus that he or any of his said heires males (for
lakke of other Issew of me) inherite me and be lord louell, and no
such discontynuaunce made by him nor noon of his said heires males
other wyse thanne is afore rehersed, that thanne the oon half of the
same manoiers landis tenementes and fee ferme, with thappurtenaunce,
remayne vnto Robert louell, my third sonne, and to the heires males of
his body begeten, vnder sembelable forme and condicions to be obserued
and kept by the same Robert and his said heires males as is afore
rehersed to be obserued and kept by the said william and his heires
Also I pray and require my said feoffes that thei, anon after my decesse, make astate vnto the said Robert my sone in and of the said Maners of Stene, hynton, Pokebred, Crawley, with all theire other landis and tenementes in the same townes, & in the Towne of Banbury, with thappurtenaunce, to haue & to holde to him and to the heires males of his body begeten, vnder the fourme and condicions folowyng; — that if the same Robert or any of the heires males of his body begeten do or suffre any thing to be do by the which the same taile shuld be discontyneued and discontyneued, in parte or in all, lenger or other wyse thanne for terme of lyue of the same Robert or terme of the liffe of any of his heires males of his body begeten or for terme of the liff of any of the wyffes of the said Robert or terme of lyve of any of the wyffes of the heires males of the said Robert body begeten, that thanne all the same Maners landis & tenementes remayne to my right heires and the said astate vtterly to be voyde.
And I pray and require my said feoffes to be helpyng and assistyng to my right heires in this behalff.
And in case the said Robert dye withoute issue male of his body
begeten that thanne the oon halff of the same maners, landis, &
tenementis, with thappurtenaunce, So yiffen to the said Robert, shall
remayne to the same william my soon and to the heires males of his
body lawfully begeten, vnder semblable forme and condicions as is
afore rehersed to be obserued and kept by the same william and his
said heires males, And if the said william die withoute Issue male of
his body begeten orellus that he or any of his said issue male
inherite me and be lord louell and no discontynuaunce be made be him
nor noon of his said heires males of the said halfendell nor of no
parte theroff otherwise thanne is afore rehersed, that thanne the said
halfendell with thappurtenaunce shall remayne to the same henry and to
the heires males of his body begeten vnder semblable fourme and
condicions as is afore rehersed; and, for lacke of suche issue, the
remaynder theroff, to my right heires; and that the oder halff of the
said Maners landis & tenementes with
Also I pray and require my said feoffes that thei anon after my
decesse make astate vnto the same henry my sone in and of the said
maners of wyllington, Picheford, Bidford, Brome, and moyte of the
lordship of Woluerhampton and of all other landis and tenementis in
the same townes and in all landis and tenementis Rentis and fermes in
Nantwich and ellus where in the shire of Chester late William
Brownynges with thappurtenaunce to haue and to holde to the same herry
& to the heires males of his body begeten, vnder forme &
condicions folowyng: that if the same henry or any of the heires males
of his body begeten do or suffre any thing to be doo by the which the
same taile shuld be discontyneued and discontynued, in parte or in
all, lenger or otherwyse thanne for terme of liff of the same henry or
terme of the liff of any of his heires males of his body begeten or
for terme of the liff of the wiffes of the said henry or terme of the
lyff of any of the wyffes of the heires males of his body begeten,
that thenne all the said Maners landis and tenementes remayne to my
rigth heires, And the said astate vtterly to be voyde. And I pray
& require my said feoffes to be helpyng and assistyng to my right
heires in this behalf. And in case the said henry dye withoute Issew
male of his body begeten, that thanne the oon half therof remayn to
the same william my sone and to the heires males of his body begeten,
vnder semblable forme and condicions as is afore rehersed, And if case
the said william dye withoute Issew male of his body begeton, or ellus
that he or any of his said Issue male enherite me and be lord louell
and no discontinuaunce be made by him nor noon of his said heires
males of the said halffendell, nor of no parte therof, otherwise
thanne is afore rehersed, that thanne the said halffendell with
thappurtenaunce shall remayne to the
In wittenesse I haue setto my seale of myn Armes.
Wittenesse &c.
datum &c.
I, Iohan Stretton of lincoln diocesse, not wedded, promitte and
avowe to god and to oure lady and to all the saintis of hevyn, in
youre presence, Reuerend fadre in god, Iohn, by the grace of god
Bisshop of lincoln, the purpose of Chastite aftir the rewle of Saint
Paule, and with myn owne hand I subscribe here my selff —
This is the laste wille of me, Gervas Rudde of Stamford, made the xvj. day of Nouembre in the yere of the Regne of king henry the sext xxxvti, And in the yere of oure lord Ml CCCClvj.
ffirst, I woll that Ionet my wyff and henry Barton myn executours do perfourme my testament.
Item, I woll and giff to my said wyff place that I dwell in the terme of her lyff, and that she kepe yerly my yereday in honest fourme; and after her decesse, I wol that Robert my son haue it duryng his lyff & to his eyrys of his body laufully begoten if he haue any, in the same fourme as it is beforesaid, and vnder the same condicion, and also the yereday of both my wyffes; And if he kepe hem not yerely ne in dew fourme than I woll that, by the sight of the said herry barton, the said place be solde and the money that commyth theroff to be disposed for the helth of my sowle and of the sowlys of my said ij. wyffes, And in the same wyse if the said Robert haue no Isew.
Also, I woll that herry Barton haue the termes of the place that I holde of Iohn Apethorp, after the tenure of my Indenture the wiche I delyuere vnto him the day of makyng of this presentȝ.
Item, I woll that Alice my doughter haue after the decesse of my wyff a brasse panne of xxiiij. galons.
Item, to Robert my son a nother panne xxiiij. [gallons] conteynyng; Item, to kateryn my doughter, a panne of vj. galons; Item, to my doughter Agnes Bolt, a brasse potte of ij. galons;
Item, to my goddoughter Elizabet Bolt, a potte of a potyll.
And all the Residew of my goodis by me at this tyme not sett I gyff
to Ionet my wyff terme of her lyff, she to pay my dettys,
And also, I wol haue at my dirige, when I am passed the worlde,
v. prestis, and thei to giff euery prest iiij d. And in all otherwyse
thei to do for the helth of my sowle, as shulde
List of heretical tenets publicly maintained by William Sparke and his brother Richard Sparke, of Somersham, in the diocese of Lincoln, and afterwards publicly acknowledged by them before John, lord bishop of Lincoln.
1. That a man with outstretched arms is 'an image of God' seems to be a Lollard exposition of Gen. i. 27, 'God created man in his own image.'
A gift of money to a particular image, or to an altar dedicated to a particular saint in a church, was a recognized act of devotional charity. In many cases, a donor silently left a coin on the pedestal of the image or on the altar, just as nowadays a charitable visitor drops a coin into an alms-box in a church. At one time, it is on record that such offerings were of appreciable value. When Westminster Abbey, on 21 October, 1356, impropriated the rectory of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, special covenant was made that 'all oblations in any wise so ever offered to the image of the Blessed Mary' in that church should go to Westminster Abbey, not to the vicar of Sawbridgeworth.
Lincoln College accounts have these notes in respect of this custom
at All Saints Church, Oxford:
2. The southern pilgrimage, from Southwark to the shrine of Thomas
Becket at Canterbury had (1383), long before this, provided Chaucer
with the framework of his Canterbury Tales.
Huntingdonshire folk were probably more familiar with the pilgrimage
to Walsingham in Norfolk. At Little Walsingham there was a chapel
dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, beside which was a spring
(St. Mary's well or the Holy well). A cross stood on a stone slab
under the edge of this spring. Here pilgrims knelt, while they
secretly wished for what they wanted, and afterwards threw a piece of
gold on the slab — A Description of England and
Wales (1769), iv. 266. A popular tune ('Walsingham') took its
title from this pilgrimage: Clark's Shirburn Ballads
(1907), p. 245. Foreign pilgrimages, taken (at this period) to
Compostella in Spain, to Triers or Cologne, or the Santa Casa at
Loretto in Italy, were both toilsome and costly.
3. In their teaching as to the sacrament of baptism, these
4. The official canons of the Church, after some centuries of varying practice, had finally appointed, as of obligation, abstinence from flesh and fowl on Fridays and Wednesdays weekly; on the vigils (or eves) of Sundays and Festivals; on Saturdays (as well as on Wednesdays and Fridays) in the Ember weeks; and, especially, during the forty days of Lent. Transgressions of these fasts were sedulously sought out by the officials of the Ecclesiastical Courts, and the transgressors brought into Court and punished, often severely. The Lollard position was that these rules ought not to be imposed on the laity. It was perhaps emphasized by an exposition of St. Matt. ix. 14, 'thy disciples fast not.'
5. Burial within the walls of a church meant a considerable fee (latterly 6s. 8d.) to the rector of the parish, if the grave were in the chancel; to the churchwardens, on the parish account, if it were elsewhere in church. A grave in the churchyard meant a small fee to the churchwardens. There were also the fees of the parish-priest, the parish-clerk, and the ringer of the knell at the actual funeral. See the lease of All Saints Church, Oxford, 1539, and the notes about that church in the Forewords.
6. The Lollard position as regards Transubstantiation, a dogma made obligatory by the first Lateran Council, 1215.
7. An attempt at a
8. Apparently the Lollard exposition of St. James v. 16: 'Confess your faults one to another.'
9. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9; well known because taken into an introductory Collect in the Ordinary of the Mass in the use of Sarum, whence it has passed into the Anglican service-book.
10. This tenet fixed itself firmly in the minds of the lowerEssex Arch. Soc. Transactions, vol. xiii. pt. 3
(Jan. 1914).
11. Unction might be recognized by St. James v. 14, but this use of
oil was a frequent subject of popular gibes. It is so found as late
as Sir Walter Scott's Waverley, chap. lxii.
12. The deadly hatred which later controversy directed against the
Pope and Romanist clergy (see verses and woodcuts in Ballad Society's issues), as a dreaded foreign and
hostile power, was felt by Lollards against the whole Church, Anglican
as well as Roman.
13. This carefully-taught equivocation, by which Lollards were trained to meet the searching inquiries of Ecclesiastical Courts, is a remarkable addition to the history of casuistry. It rests on a Lollard exposition of 1 Cor. iii. 16 ('Know ye not that ye are the temple of God').
14. Is it possible that there was in 1457, in mid-England, a militant Lollard party, secretly mustering forces with a view to an armed rising? It is conceivable that traditions of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 had been handed on from father to son and grandson. In the south, Henry V's ruthless proceedings against Sir John Oldcastle (1414-17) may have crushed the spirits and strength of the Lollards, only to leave smouldering fires of discontent further north.
In the name of god Amen. Before yow, Reuerend fader in god, Iohn,
by the grace of god Bisshop of lincoln, I, Richard Sparke of Somersham
of youre diocyse, not lettred, make an open confession & knawlige
in the presence of witnesse att this tyme
and I haue bee present where suche articles and opinions haue bee taught, lerned, and affermed, by other persones, & yaf faith credence and beleve to hem att diuers tymes where suche conuenticles was maad.
att whiche tyme, I, sworn to kepe counsel of all suche conuenticlers in thise maters, wold neuer vtter nor knowlage, to this tyme that I was examined bifor yow, Reuerend fader.
the whiche fals articles and opinions, heresyes, and errours, I haue declared and openly confessed, iudicially sittyng in examinacion.
And forasmoche as I am certainly and credibly enfourmed by yow, Reuerend fader, that thes articles and opinions been heresy, errours, fals and not trewe, and agayn the determinacion of holy Chirche, I [am] willing in myn herte to for-sake thes articles and alle other articles, heresy, errours, and erronious opinions contrary to the determinacion of holy Chirche;
And I swere by this boke that I from hens forth shal not teche, preche, hoold, nor afferme, the saide heresyes, errours, opinions, nor noon other; nor I shal defend hem, nor the persones that bee of that thair opinion, by me, nor by any other meene person, openly or pryvatly,
nor I shal yef fauour, help, socour, assistence, or counsel to hem,
nor hem receyve, nor to hem I shal yef credence, nor be in feliship
with hem to
nor I shal hoolde nor receyue doctryne, bokes, quayers, nor elles, concernyng heresyes, errours, or opinions of hem, nor theym vse.
And I swere by this boke that, as soone as I can haue knawlige or
vndirstandyng of any suche bokes or of any suche persones of suche
heresy errours and of thair opinions, withoute fraude, gyle, or
deceyte, I shal make knawlige to the ordinary
In witnesse of thise premisses, I, Richard Sparke biforesaide, subscribe my self with myn own hand: et tunc debet facere crucem.
I, Richard Sparke of Somersham, alle thes fals heresies, vntrew articles, and fals opinions, the whiche I haue long taught, holden, and yeven faith & credence to theym, agayn many and diuers holy sacramentes, and agayn the trew christen faithe and agayn the trewe determinacion of holy Chirche, the whiche I laate iudicially confessed and openly knawliched before the Reuerend fader in god, Iohn, now Bisshop of Lincoln; for the whiche of hym I was assoiled, and toke this penaunce, and them bifore hym forsoke, renounced, abiured, and openly forswore; and soo now, in this open audience, forsake, renounce, abiure, and forswere, and alle other contrarye to the determinacion of holy chirch; and for the horryble synne of heresy biforesaide that I haue long continued, I biseche yow mekely of peyn, and disciplyne, & correccion; and pray yow alle that stande here abowte to pray god for me.
The severity, and unnecessarily humiliating features, of the punishments imposed in the Ecclesiastical Courts continued right on into Elizabeth's reign, or even later. From the official minute-books of the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, I give some hitherto unpublished notices of these 'penances', which both illustrate the system and show how each individual penance differed at the discretion of the presiding judge. The conjunction of open penance in both market and church continued a long time, but was gradually replaced by open penance in church only.
15 December, 1569, a young woman of High Ongar, Essex, was
sentenced by the Archdeacon of Essex
to appeare at Chelmsford to do open penaunce in the markett, in a
sheet, and ther to confesse her offense penitently, and on Sunday
after to do the lyke in Ongar church.
16 December, 1590, a young woman of Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, was
ordered —
vpon Satterdaye nexte to come into Malden towne, where she shal be
placed openly vpon some scaffolde, abowte xi. of the clocke in the
forenoone of the same daye, and shall there stand vntill one of the
clock in the afternoone of the same daye, in a white sheete, and a
white wande in her hand; and the next Sunday following she shall come into the church of
Bradwell, at the beginninge of the first lesson for morning praier,
attired in a whyt sheet, and shall there in penitent manner continewe
vntyll the service and sermon be ended.
On 17 June, 1591, a parishioner of Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex,
received this sentence in the Archdeacon of Essex's Court:
He shall vpon the next Saboth, or vpon Sundaye come sevenighte, at
the beginninge of morninge praier, come into the church of Burnham,
apparrelled in a white sheete, and white wande in his hande, and there
shal be placed in some conveniente place, neare the minister and in
sighte of the congregation there assembled, and so stande vntill such
tyme as the minister in the tyme of sermon (or of readinge of an
homilie) shall call for him, and then [he] shall confesse and
acknowledge that, whereas he hath byn called before the judge of this
corte for suspicion of evil life, and by denieing therof hath had the
benefytt of law to purge him selfe (if he so cold), wherein he hath
fayld, and is therefore founde by lawe and pronounced for guiltye of
the fact, he doth therefore acknowledg that he hath grevously offended
the maiestie of God in his wicked life and adulterous lyvinge; for
which his most wicked and adulterous life, he shall aske mercy at the
hands of almighty God and desire him in his mercy to pardon him his
former ill life, and desire the congregation presente also to forgyve
him, and to pray with him that he may be forgyven his wickednes at
God's hands; and promise amendment of his former wickednes; and shall
then say some praier after the minister, at the minister's discretion.
12 December, 1592, in the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex held in
Ingatestone Church, a parishioner of Downham, Essex, had this
sentence:
On Sundaie next he shall come to Downham Churche at the last peale
to servyce, and there stand in a white sheete at the church porche
till the second lesson be redd, and then shall goe into the Church,
and there stand and penitently confesse his fault and offence.
It was certified in a Court, held 19 January, 1592-3, that this penance had been performed.
This humiliating form of public penance became still more degraded
when people of substance could purchase exemption
13 December, 1569, the Archdeacon of Essex sentenced a parishioner
of Leyton, Essex, to penance: viz. that he should stande in Romford
markett, the next markett daye,
But, on appeal of the man so sentenced, backed by entreaty of some of his neighbours, he was excused penance, on condition of giving 10s. each to three poor scholars of Cambridge, and 10s. towards the repair-fund of Leyton church.
29 February, 1591-2, a parishioner of Romford, who had been ordered public penance in Romford Chapel, on a Sunday, in the time of Morning Prayer, brought a petition in his favour signed by some parishioners, and was allowed to substitute semi-private penance before the minister and some parishioners selected by the minister, on condition of putting 20s. into the hands of the minister to be distributed by him among the poor of Romford liberty.
31 March, 1596, William Tabor, Archdeacon of Essex, who had ordered public penance to two persons, received a letter, dated 4 March, 1595-6, in which Richard Fletcher, bishop of London, in consideration of money paid to him 'to be imployed in godly uses', discharged both parties from obligation to do penance, and ordered all proceedings against them in the Ecclesiastical Courts to cease.
The belief in the power of 'necromancers' (adepts in the 'black
art') to invoke evil spirits, and compel them to discover buried
treasure, and render like services, continued so late that the
practice became not only a favourite theme of the raconteur and
novelist (see John Aubrey's Brief Lives, under Thomas
Allen, i. 27, and John Dee, i. 213, and Sir Walter Scott's Waverley, ch. xiii), but an anathema of the Statute-books
(both English, viz. 1563, 5 Eliz. cap. 16; and Scottish, see Sir
Walter Scott's Waverley, chap. lxvii).
Charges of witchcraft, as being against the Canon Law, were constantly brought before the Ecclesiastical Courts. I give here a number of later authentic instances of such charges, taken from the official minute-books of the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex. They serve to illustrate this old Hertfordshire case, as mentioned in this set of papers; and also to indicate the wide range of this popular belief.
12 July, 1591, in the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, held in
West Ham Church, two widows of Woodford, Essex, were cited to answer
charges of witchcraft. In both cases, since the charge is preferred
by one person, it was probably brought in by a man who believed
himself to have been bewitched.
Widow May, of Woodford, accused: she hath of long tyme byne
suspected for a wiche, and nowe of late suspected by William
Foxe. Widow Coppres, of Woodford, accused: she hath of long time
been suspected for a wiche, and nowe of late by John Poole.
In many cases recourse was had to the reputed wizard, in the belief
that he could by his skill detect a thief:
3 February, 1591-2, in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex held
in Romford Chapel, John Munday, of Loughton, Essex, appeared, on a
charge made by the Churchwardens there, that he 'went to a connyng man
to learne of goods that were stolen or gon.' The case was
dismissed. 16 June, 1595, in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex,
held in Romford Chapel, the churchwardens of Barking, in Essex,
complained that — Carter, of that parish, is generally reported
to be a cunning man, 'and dothe take monye of diuerse to helpe theim
to things lost and stolen, viz. of one for 2 clokes stolen, <of
another> for a ring lost.'
Another common reason of resort to conjurers, was to obtain their
help to force spirits to reveal the position of buried treasure.
There was an entertaining instance of this at Beeleigh Abbey, near
Maldon, Essex, in 1591: see Essex Review, xvi. 68.
Frequently the supposed wizard, or cunning man, was consulted about
illness, human or of cattle.
2 May, 1592, in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex held in
Romford Chapel, John Grave, junior, of Romford, was delated by the
churchwardens there that he 'doth goe and seeke after witchery.'
Accused said that his wife, without his consent, 'did goe to father
Perfoche, to learne of him some medycyne for some cattell that he had
sick, but he knoweth not that father Perfoche is a witche; and his
wife (as he verely beleveth) did neuer thinke him to be a witche, and
went not to him desirouse to obtaine any helpe for his cattell by any
suche meanes.' Grave was solemnly admonished against having
recourse to sorcery; and was dismissed the Court on payment of 2s.
Court-fees. In the same Court, on the same day, on the same
charge, proceedings were instituted against William Moushowe, of
Romford, with the same result.
To repel a charge of this sort, the accused person, if allowed by
the Court, might produce written testimony of good character.
2 May, 1592, in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, held in
Romford Chapel, Alice, wife of William Foster of Barkinge, suspected
by common fame to be a witche, brought a certificate of her innocency
under the hands of the Churchwardens there. The case was dismissed,
but the accused had to pay the Court-fee (12d.) and the apparitor's
fee (4d.), as well as the expenses of the journey to Romford. 3 May, 1592, in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, held in
Ingatestone Church, it was reported that one Whaple of Fobbing did
make complaint against Joan Bell, of Fobbing, of suspicion of
wytchcraft. She appeared in Court, and 'vtterly denieth' the
suspicion to be true. She was ordered to bring to a later Court a
certificate from 'fower of her honest neighbors' that she is reputed
to be an honest woman and not at all thought to be a witch. On
2 June, 1592, she brought into Court a certificate from honest women
of Fobbing that she lay under no suspicion of witchcraft.
In other cases the Court refused to allow an accused person to
clear himself, except by the cumbrous and expensive process of
compurgation. A deed was drawn out, to be publicly read, on a Sunday,
in the church of the parish where the offence was alleged to have been
committed, announcing that at a Court to 5 May, 1592. In a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, held in All
Saints Church, Maldon, Margaret Wiseman (wife of John Wiseman of
Maulden) was delated by the Churchwardens, for that she is suspected
by common fame of wytchcrafte. She claimed and was allowed purgation.
5 July, 1592, she appeared in Court with her Compurgatrices (Judith
wife of John Cowrtnol, Margaret wife of Thomas Carter, Agnes wife of
George Warner, Agnes wife of Robert Brierly, Agnes wife of Richard
Flude, and Elizabeth wife of John Pratt — all of Maldon). Margaret
Wiseman then took oath that she is 'altogether guyltless of the facte
of witchcrafte and also of all occation of suspicion of witchcrafte'.
Her six compurgatrices then took oath that Margaret Wiseman hath sworn
a just and true oath, and that she 'hath not geven any cause of
suspicion of witchcrafte'. Her purgation was then admitted, and the
testimonial of its acceptance was signed; but the Judge of the Court
solemnly admonished her to be most careful in future to give no cause,
in any way, for like suspicion.
In the name of god Amen. I, Thomas hulle of Hertford, confesse afor yow, Reuerende ffader in god, Iohn, by the grace of god Bisshop of lincoln, that I haue yeven ayde, counsell, help, and fauour vnto oon Thomas Curteys, to thentent that he exercised and vsed nigromancy & heresy. Wherfore I abiure and forswer alle maner of heresies and errours, & promyt that I shal never (in tyme to come) yef ayde, help, favour, nor socour, nor counsell to any that holdeth heresies or vseth nigromancy in tyme to come. Soo help me god and the holy Euaungeliis: et iurabat supra librum, et fecit signum crucis &c.
This abjuration was read by Thomas Hull, before John Chedworth, bishop of Lincoln, in All Saints Church, Hertford;
in presence of
and many others;
22 June, 1457, in the 6th year of the bishop's Consecration.
I, sir helys North, Maister of the Chauntry of Chalgraue, And I, sir Iohn dey, felaw of the same place, be fully agreed of all maner of matiers fro the beginnyng of the world vnto this day;
and I, the said sir helys, shall giff vnto the said sir Iohn dey by the sonday after lammesse day next commyng v. marces vj s. viij d.;
And I, the said sir Iohn dey, fro this day forward, shal bere half of al maner of chargies to the said Chauntry belongyng;
And I, the said sir helys, shal haue yerely xx s., where hit is but xiij s. iiij d. in the award of my lord of lincoln, and shall answere to sir Iohn dey for his parte of the ferme of Offlegh duryng the termes of william Sheppard, fermour there, and shal kepe the said award of my lord of lincoln (except the said xx s.)
And ichon of vs shall withdraw all temporell accions that either of vs have agayn other, at the propre costes of him that so sweth.
In wittenesse wherof ichon of vs to this bill haue subscribed his name, and promised by the faith of oure bodys to kepe and obserue for oure tymes.
there beyng presentibus ibidem: Magistro willhelmo witham, laurencio Bertlot, & me tyssington: xij. die Iulij Anno domini Mo cccclviijo.
In the name of god, Amen; I Isabel portyngton, of the diocise of lincoln, wydowe, and not wedded ne to no man ensured, behote and make avowe to god & to oure lady & to all the company of hevyn, in the presence of you, worshipful fader in god, Iohn, Bisshop of lincoln, for to be chaste of my body, and treuly & deuoutly shall kepe me chaste from this tyme forward aslong as my lyff lastith, after the reule of saint poole. In nomine patris & filij & spiritus sancti, Amen.
In the name of the fader son & holy gost, Amen. I, Iohne
Manfeld, wydow, & not wedded, nor vnto no man ensured, behote and
avowe to god & to oure lady and to all the holy company of hevyn
in the presence of you, Reuerend fader in
From bishop John Chedworth's Register at Lincoln, lf. 47. The
story is not very clearly told in the Register, but this seems to be
the substance of it. Two chief offences had been brought home to the
culprit. First, he had accepted bribes to foist Robert Cade, priest,
into the perpetual curacy of Aylesby (near Grimsby, Lincolnshire).
The Bishop of Lincoln presented to the rectory of Aylesby 24 March,
1445-6 (Alnwick's Register, fol. 97), but the church was soon
afterwards appropriated to Lincoln Minster. The date of the
proceedings is uncertain, since the documents in the Register are out
of order, the one before Pyckard's case is 1458, but the one before
that is 1557. The one after Pyckard's case is 1564. So far as I can
make out, bishop John Chedworth had claimed the right of presentation
to the curacy on this occasion for himself, on some technical ground.
The bishop had then caused his mandate for the institution of his
nominee to be made out, and committed it to this notary (Richard
Pyckard) for transmission to 'Master' Alexander, who was possibly
acting as deputy of the Archdeacon of Lincoln. Richard Pyckard,
thereupon broke open the sealed envelope ('pyxis'), removed the
bishop's real mandate, and substituted for it (probably by erasure of
the name in it and substitution of Robert Cade's name) a faked
mandate, which deceived 'Master' Alexander, and procured the
institution of Robert Cade to the
The Ecclesiastical Court, which dealt with the case, under presidency of William Wytham, LL.D. (Archdeacon of Stow, 1458-72, but acting in his capacity as chancellor, and Commissary of the bishop), Richard Hall (Official principal of the bishop of Lincoln), and Richard Dyklun (President of the Consistory Court of Lincoln), met in St. Mary's church, Stamford.
guilty man, in St. Michael's church, Stamford, was divested of coat, shoes, and stockings, and led bareheaded, and barefooted, clad only breeches and shirt, from that church to appear before his judges in St. Mary's church.
I, Richard Pyckard, be fore al this pepull here assembeled, openly confesse and knowlege that I haue falsly forged letteres by the which I haue falsly deceyued my lord Iohn, by the grace of god Bisshop of lincoln; And, by fals Symonye and wynnyng of the valour of xx li. that I haue receyued, I haue vntreuly put Sir Robert Cade, prest, in possession of the benefice of Aylesby perteynyng to the Collacion of my said lord of lincoln, agayn the trew order of lawe, and agayne the wylle and thentent of my said lord of lincoln: for the which I crye god mercy, and aske my said lord forgifnesse.
Also I haue falsly feyned my selff to be a notary and called my selff Roger Iordan, the which is knowen for a notary (where that my name is Richard Pycarde) to thentent for to deceue men of theire goodes agayn the lawe & good conscience.
In the Name of oure lord god, Amen. The x. day of October the yere of our lord Ml cccc lix, I, herry Philyp, of Oxford, Alderman, hauyng good mynde and trust in god, ordeyn & make my testament in this wyse.
ffirst, I beqweth my sowle to the mercy of oure lord god my maker and fourmer of noght, And to his blessed moder oure lady seint Mary, and to all the company of hevyn, And my Body to be buryed in the Churche of seynt Petres in the Baylly of Oxford vnder the Rode.
Item, to the Moder Churche of lincoln I beqweth vj d.
Item, to the high Auter of the said Churche of seint Petres xl d.; Item, I beqweth to the Trinite Auter in the said churche A Masse Boke, a vestument, and A Chaleys, there I and my Wyff to be prayed fore, she to haue terme of her lyff the kepyng and gouernaunce of them; And after her decesse, at her will and discrescion, to remayne in the kepyng of the Churchewardeyns of sent petres.
Item, I beqweth to the Conuent of the frerys mynours of Oxford to comme to the said Churche of seint Petres in the day of my sepulture to Dirige and Masse, v s.;
Item, to the Conuent of the frerys Prechiers to comme and pray lyke wyse, ij s. vj d.;
Also, to the Conuent of the freres Carmys to say and pray, vnder the same fourme, ij s. vj d.
Item, to the freres Augustin conuent, vnder the same fourme, ij s. vj d.
Item, I beqweth to sir Robert, prest of the Trinite withoute the Est gate of Oxford, iij s. iiij d.
Item, I beqweth to the parson of the said Churche of saint petres, beyng present at the Dirige & Masse, vj d.
Item, to viij other prestes, being well disposed, there present to syng and Rede at the Dirige and Masse in the day of my Sepulture, to euery of the viij. prestis, iiij d.
And the Residew of all my other goodis, meveable and Vnmoveable, I yeff and beqweth to Alys my wyff, she to dispose for me and her and oure Childern, after her wyll and discrescion, to the plesaunce of god and merite to oure soules.
Also, I giff graunt and beqwethe to Alys my wiff all my place, with thappurtenaunce, that I haue in the pariche of seint petres in the Bayly of Oxford (I-sett betwene the tenement of Benet Stokys, Bydell, of the Est party; And the tenement that was late Thomas Tanfelde, and now is Richard Spragett, of the west partye) to haue and to holde the forsaid tenement, with his Appurtenaunce, to the said Alys, to her heires and her Assignes, of the Chiff lordis of that fee, by the seruice dew and accustumed therof for euermore.
Also, I bynde my heires to waraunt the said tenement, with all his Appurtenaunce, to the forsaid Alys my wiff, to her heires and to her Assignes, Agayns all almaner folk foreuermore.
Of this my Testament I make and ordeyn the said Alys my wyff my Executrice alone.
And Maister Thomas Whitfeld (in whom my trust is, and hath be all way) I haue prayed to be ouerseer of this said Testament, assistent and helper of her, and perfourmyng of this simple my last wille (date herof the day and yere above said).
In wittenesse of this my last wille I haue put herto my seale.
Item, I beqweth to the Reparacion of the Est bryg of Oxford, vj s. viij d.
Item, to the Churche werk of the same Churche, vj s. viij d.
Wittenesse of this my said testament: Iohn Clerk, now Maire of Oxford, William Blakbourne the elder; Iohn ffrankeleyn, glasyer; William Daguale; Richard Bustard; and other beyng there present.
In the Name of the fader sone and holy goste, I, Richard Welby, the secund day of August, beyng in hole mynde, make my testament in maner that folows:
ffirst, I beqweth my sowle to the moste eternall god that made it and with his bitter passion redemyd it and to oure lady seint Mary and to all the felaship of hevyn; my body to be buryed in seint katerin qwere.
Item, x li. to the high Auter, pro Decumis oblitis; Item, xx s. to the kirk wark; Item, xl d. to euery light.
Item, to the kirkwark of weston, vj s. viij d.
Item, to oure lady werk of lincoln, vj s. viij d.
Item, to the Sisters by seint kateryn's, iij s. iiij d.
Item, to the kirkwark of ffarlesthorp, vj s. viij d.
Item, for my Mortuary my Bay fole that goth in to the marsche.
The Residue of my goodis I put in disposicion of myn executours, which shall be Ionet my wiff, sir Iohn Welby, Richard Welby my sone, and sir Robert Swet — thei to dispose my goodis to the plesyng of god & to the helth of my soule.
This is the last wille of Richard Welby of Multon, made there, the xij. day of the moneth of August the yere of oure lord Ml cccc lxv.
ffirst, I wol haue cc. masses doon and al so many dirigies for my soule, vpon day (if it may be), and ellus al so shortly as thei may be don after my deth; And euery prest or man of Religion to haue for synging of them, iiij d.; Item, I wol that oon c. of the said Masses be said of the Trinite and a other c. of oure blessed lady.
Item, I wol that the iiij. howses of the Chartirhows haue euery howse, for synging dirige and masse for my sowle, xl s.; And, ouer that, that euery prest of them to say a masse for my sowle of the which iiij. howses Mountgruce to be oon (which is content), The Chartirhows at london a nother, the Chartirhowse at Shene, & the Chartirhowse at hull.
Item, I wol haue ij. prestis to sing for my sowle in Multon kirk the space of ij. yere, euery prest to haue for his salary c s.; And, ouer that, thei or ich of them dayly to say dirige, if thei be disposed, for my soule.
Item, I wol haue c. gownes giffen, in holand and in other places where my lyflode lygges, to the moste poer men, withoute any favour shewed.
Item, I wol that ther be bought as many shetis and
Item, I wol that my dettis be payed before all other bequestis, And if any man can prove that I haue had any godis of him vnrightwisly I wol he be restored agayn.
Item, I woll that any mony that Breknok owith to me for wolle, sumtyme bought by Thomas heire, of my ffader and me, go to the ffulfilling to the last wille of my said ffader in that he bequethed to my ij. sisters part theroff, and the other parte to by ij. Copis to the said kirk of Multon.
Item, I wol that the Conuent of the Monastery of Croyland haue giffen to them for doyng of a Dirige and Masse for my sowle, xl s., And, ouer that, euery prest of them to say a masse of Requiem for my sowle.
And also, I wol that the Couent of the Monastery of Spalding do in maner and fourme as is before rehersed, and thei to be rewarded in lyke wyse.
Item, I wol that the Conuent of the Monastery of Bardney haue for doyng of the same obseruaunce, xxvj s. viij d.
And also, I wol that the couent of the Monastery of Stykeswold do syng a dirige and masse for my sowle, and thei for to haue for theire reward, xxvj s. viij d.
Item, I wol that the iiij. orders of ffreris in Boston do the same obseruaunce, and thei to haue euery order, xviij s. iiij d.
Item, I wol that myn Executours giff after my decesse, yerly, by the space of 6 yer, xij. gownes of ffrice for my sowle.
Item, I wol, as for my land, that my feoffies suffer myn Executours to entir in all the Meses landes and tenementes within holand that thei haue to my vse within holand; and, ouer that, halsted, with thappurtenaunceȝ, Carleton and other townes longing to the said halsted in those parties, thei to receyue the profutes of the same, payng yerely to my brother sir Iohn xxxvjti. markes at iiij. termes of the yere, And also thei to fynde with the said profutes ij. of my sones which I fynde at Cambrige, and other ij. that I haue at home to the scole, as theire naturell disposicion is giffen to them, And my sone Morys to be fownde at london.
Item, I wol that a Chist be ordeyned, with ij. lokkes & ij. kayes, and set in the Abbey of Croyland, the Abbot for to haue j. kay, & myn executours the other; And the ouerpluse that commyth yerely of the said lyvelod to be put in the said chiste, and this to be continued to all my Childern comme to playne age, And all the Issueȝ & profutes of the maner of ffarlesthorp to be put in the same chist by the space of v. yer.
Item, I wol that my feoffies suffer Richard my son to entir in Wynthorp, immediately after my decesse, with all thappurtenaunceȝ.
Item, I wol that, if my wyff can fynde sufficiant sewerty to myn executours that she shall nevir haue housbond after my decesse, that thanne she be my chieff executrix; and ellus to be noon, nor to haue no more but her Ioynter and the oon halff of my stuff of howshold (except plate and that Napery that I bought of the Executours of my lord Cromwell: wich Napery I wol be sold: it cost me xxti markes, & I had it as it was preysed).
Item, I wol that, if my wyff wol not dwelle in my place & kepe housholde, that than Richard, my sone, inmediatly after my decesse, haue the said place & all the landis & tenementes that I haue in Multon by the decesse of my fader.
And, ouer that, when all my Childer that be lyvyng comme to theire playne age that thanne my feoffies make astate to the said Richard in all my landis & tenementes that I had by my fader.
And as for ffarlesthorp, to the said Richard my sone, not bydinge
Item, I wol that Morys, and my feoffies se that he wol thryue & be vertuously disposed, haue halsted to him & to his heirs; And ellus Iohn my sone to haue it, in like wyse, if Iohn be no prest.
And if he be a prest, he to be presented, when it fallith, to the
Churche of gedney; And if he haue not halsted, nor be no prest, that
then he haue a Mese in Gosberkirk called Belneys, with all other
landis & tenementes that I haue in the same
Item, I wol that Maister Thomas my sone be presented to the Churche of Pynchebek, when it fallyth.
Item, I wol that William my sone, if he haue not all that lyuelod that my lord of wynchester hath in Saltfletby (other ellus al so good by his lordship), that then he haue Wynthorp, to him & to his heirys, when he commyth at his playn age.
Item, I wol that Robert my sone (if Iohn be a prest) haue all those landis & tenementes beqwethen to the said Iohn, And (if Iohn be no prest) he to haue the said benefice of Gedney.
Item, I wol that Roger my sone haue my mese in Quadryng, with all other landis that I haue in the same Towne, except before beqwethed; And, ouer that, Barnewell, with thappurtenaunce, and all those landes & tenementes that I purchased of Thomas Erle & of Richard Barbour of Boston, And the landis that I purchased of Thomas Skirbek in Multon & of Coker in Whaplode & of Tyryngton in fflete, to him & to his heirys.
Item, I wol that Richard my sone haue my saltcote that I haue made in Multon, to him & to his heirys.
Item, in case that Iohn haue halsted, that than Roger haue those landis & tenementes to Iohn beqwethed & his owne beqwest also, so that Robert be a prest; and ellus Robert to haue that parte beqwethed to Iohn in Gosberkirk & quadring.
Item, I wol that euery Child haue xl li. of monye when he comme at his playne age, And that all the goodis leide in the Chist afore said, before thabbot of the said place and myn Executours, be euenly devyded among my said Childern, except the eldist.
Item, that Richard haue all maner stuff perteyning to housbondry, as hors, carte, plough, with all theire apparelles; And also xij. kye & bulles.
Item, I wol that the other halff of my stuff be euenly devyded among my Childern, provided alway that if my eldist sone wol by any parte theroff, that he haue it, giffing therfore as it is preysed to him that owith hit.
Item, I wol if Richard dye (as god forbede) that then his brother that hath halsted haue that that is beqwethed; And halsted to go to him that is next in descender; And so, in lyke wyse, if any of them dye, it remayne to his brother in descendyng, not resortyng so that oon haue not ij. partes; And if all dye except the eldyst, all to resorte to him, he forto haue it to him and to his heyris.
Item, I wol that my eldest sone haue all the stuff of my Chapell, except plate and the hole vestument of Sateyn figury.
Item, in case that my Executours & feoffies se that any of my Childer to whom any thing I haue beqwethed to, wille not thryve nor be vertuouse, that then his parte to be taken fro him, and to be giffen to him that wol thryve, hauyng regard to noon.
Item, I wol that myn Executours kepe vp my yereday and my Auncestours, aslong as thei haue the profet of my lyvelod (And after that my heire to kepe it vp), spending at my yereday, xx s.
Item, I wol haue all my plate leid in the said Chist at Croyland, there to be kept to my Childern comme at playn age, if case any purchase falle, And if myn Executours can make any purchase to the valour of v. or vj. c. markes that then the said plate by them to be sold to pay for the said purchase, And that so purchased to be giffen among my Childern where as moste nede is; And in case ther can noon be goten or thei come at playn age, that then my plate to be devyded amonge my childern after theire age by theire discrescion, hauyng a speciall ye to my eldist sone.
Item, I wol my Naunte haue, xx s.; my sister haugh, xx s.; my sister Braunche, xx s.
Item, I wol that euery executour have v. markes for his labour; And when he laboreth anything aboute me, for to haue for his costes, and to take for his labour, after his discrescyon; And that myn Executours onys in the yere take accomptes of the bayly.
Item, that euery yoman that I haue, haue a Iak & Salet & his hole yere wages; Item, that Solhed haue xl s. and my horse I ride vpon and oon of my gownes; Item, that Sargeaunt haue xxvj s. viij d. & j. horse of my stabull &c.
Probatum fuit suprascriptum testamentum, vna cum codicillo eidem annexo, coram Reuerendo patre, domino Iohanne, lincolniensi episcopo, in Castro suo de Sleford; & commissa fuit administracio executoribus in eodem nominatis (domino Iohanne welby duntaxat excepto) viz. […] die mensis […] Anno domini Millesimo cccc lx quinto; & iurati sunt; & habent acquietanciam.
Ordinary cases of breach of peace and assault were dealt with, in
most parishes, by the leet-courts of the several manors, and, in most
municipalities, by the borough magistrates. But, if the altercation
took place in a church or a churchyard, the case passed out of the
jurisdiction of any civil court, and came before the Ecclesiastical
Court, generally that of the Archdeacon. Too frequently these cases
were trivial matters that could have been smoothed over without legal
procedure, except for the apparitor's keen search for fees. To
illustrate this Grantham case, from later years, I give a few
(hitherto unpublished) notices of such cases, from the official
minute-books of the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex.
15 July, 1591, in a Court of the Archdeacon of Essex held in
Prittlewell church, Thomas Peerse, of All Saints, Maldon, was
indicted, at the instance of the Churchwardens there, because he
'brake the pease and made a blood-shedd vpon Ralph tiler in the church
of All Sainctes in the time of the sermon'. Peerse brought a certificate from Robert Palmer, vicar of All Saints,
Maldon, that 'there was a lewde and vngratious boye that, in the tyme of
the sermon, did disturbe the people; and Thomas Peerse, sytting neare him,
did gyve him a stroke vpon the cheeke, after which the boye was quiett'. Thomas Peerse offered 'to make faithe that he did not strike the
boye anie other wise, nor in other manner, nor vpon anie other
intente'. Peerse was sentenced to pay 8d. to the poor, and excommunicated
until further order. 15 January, 1591-2, in the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex held
at Romford, Richard Fynson of Loughton appeared to answer a charge of
striking John Monday in Loughton churchyard on Sept. 26, 1591. He
admitted that `in gest and sport and not upon any collor or anger, he
did tripp vpp his heeles, as he was sytting vpon the Church rayles'.
He was ordered to confess publicly, before the minister and the
congregation, `that he hath vnorderly behaued himselfe', and to pay
12d. to the poor of the parish. 3 June, 1592, in his Court held at Great Baddow, the Archdeacon of
Essex had before him five parishioners of South Hanningfield, Essex,
on a charge of scolding and brawling in the churchyard there. Henry
Sowche admitted that he had used some words of strife (being moved
thereto), but now they are agreed and all things are quiet, and no
contention restethe amongst his neighbors. For his offence, he was
ordered to make public apology in South Hanningfield Church. William
Bennet's wife admitted having `vsed some words of strife, and vnkynde
words, towards some of her neighbors'. She escaped on payment merely
of the Court-fee (12d.). Widow Holland was discharged, without paying
fee, being very poor. 12 May, 1595, in the Court of the Archdeacon of Colchester, held in
Saffron Walden church, Essex, John Waylett of Ugley, Essex, was
proceeded against because he said to Robert Meade, church-clerk, in
service-tyme in the churchyard that `he was a pickthanck Knave to say
that his boy (John Waylett) dyd wrastle in the churchyard in the tyme
of divine service at morning prayer'. Waylett admitted calling Meade
`knave' in the churchyard, but pleaded that Meade `urged hym therto,
brawling with hym in the churchyard'. On this confession, in terms of
the statute, Waylett was excommunicated.
There had been a conflict in the churchyard of the town of
Grantham, between Thomas Wortley, Corvyser, and Edward Singer, a
minister of that church. It was presumed that the churchyard had
thereby been polluted, and the matter was referred to the Vicar
(Richard Dawe) and John Tyssington, acting as Commissaries for the
bishop. This Commission took the sworn evidence of Thomas Wortley
himself, of Sir Thomas Wynneway and Sir William lempster (priests),
and of William lempster and William Welbourne (ministers of the
church). They found that Wortley had struck Singer violently with a
stick, who shed blood from his nose in no small quantity, in the
churchyard. The Commissaries further declared that the churchyard had
thereby been polluted, and excommunicated Wortley. On January 31, 146
8-9, Wortley confessed his deed
All Cristen people here assembled and gadred shall vnderstand that
Thomas Wortley, here present, doth this his penaunce Inioyned him by
the Reuerend fadir in god Iohn, by the grace of god bisshop of
lincoln, for this cause: ffor asmoch as the said
In addition, the Bishop enjoined Thomas Wortley that on all the vigils of the Blessed Virgin, for seven years following, he was to have only bread and water, beginning these fasts on the vigil of the Purification (1468-9); and warned him peremptorily that he must continue to perform this penance, unless sufficiently dispensed, on pain of the Greater Excommunication.
From bishop John Chedworth's Register at Lincoln, lf. 240. The
long reign of Henry VI (1 September, 1422, to 4 March, 1460-1) had
been very fruitful both in benefactions to older secular colleges and
religious houses, and in new foundations for educational or religious
purposes. The recognition by Parliament of Edward IV on 4 March, 146
0-1, followed by the Yorkist triumph at Towton, 29 March, 1461,
threatened the very existence of all recent foundations, and the
impoverishment of many older foundations, e.g. Eton College, and
several colleges in
On 2 Aug. 1140, Henry VI, by grant under Privy Seal, gave to Bruerne Abbey the patronage of Wootton Church, with licence to impropriate it, but reserving £8 yearly to the Exchequer. The Pope and the Bishop of Lincoln would not allow the impropriation, and, on 18 June, 1445, Henry VI forgave the arrears of the £8 charge, and cancelled future payments, until the impropriation had taken effect.
The petition is prefixed to an Institution to Wootton, 18 Aug., 1464, on presentation by Edward IV.
Mekely bisecheth vnto youre highnesse youre humble and continuell oratours, Iohn, Abbot, and Couent of the Abbey or hows of Brewerne in youre Counté of Oxonford, of the Order of Cistyeux, whiche haue but litell lyfloode to lyve by but only by husbondry, That where henry the vj., late kyng of this Royaume (in dede and not of right), hauyng consideracion of the exilite and pouerte of the saide hous, and theire grete hospitalite and contynuell keping of dyvyne seruice that youre saide bisechers there had to theire importable costis, by his lettres patentes graunted vnto your saide oratours the Advouson of the parisshe Chirche of Wotton withoute Wodestoke, in the Counte abouesaide, thanne beyng of his patronage (in dede and not of right), Paying therfore yerely to hym, and to his heirs, in his Escheker, viij li.
Of whiche advouson youre saide Oratours were peisibly seised vnto the tyme that the same advouson, by auctorite of parliament holden in the tyme of the saide late kyng at westmynster, was resumed, So that from that tyme hidertoo youre seide Oratours had neuer eny profyt ne avayle by the same advouson.
And, sith the begynnyng of youre reign, the saide aduouson hath been stylle in youre gracious handys, and yit is.
That, Notwithstondyng, youre saide oratours … in termely called in issues in youre Escheker at westmynster, and dyuers tailles there stryken owte vppon the[m] for the paiement yerly to yow of the saide viij li.; Wherthurgh youre saide Oratours been grevously vexed and sued, like to be the vtter vndoyng of the saide pore hous, and diuine seruice & hospitalite there perpetuelly to cesse, withoute youre moste habundaunt grace to theim herin be shewed.
Please hit youre highnesse these premisses tenderly to consider, And thervppon of youre moost noble and benygne grace by your gracious lettres patentes in due fourme to be made vnder youre gret seale, to pardon, forgife, and relesse vnto youre said Oratours alle arrerages claymed of youre saide Oratours of the saide viij li. yerly, And youre gracious lettres vnder youre pryué seale in due fourme to be made, directe to youre Tresorier and Barons of youre saide Escheker, Charging and commaunding theime, and eueryche of theime, by the same that they at alle tymes herafter cesse of calling of eny issues or stryking of any tailles ayenst youre saide Oratours or theire successours of or for the saide viij li. yerely or any parcell therof.
And also, of youre more habundaunt and specialle grace, to graunte vnto youre saide Oratours and theire successours for euermore youre gracious lettres patentes, in due fourme to be made, vnder your saide grete seal, of the saide advouson, after the fourme, tenure, and effecte ensuyng.
And they and theire successours shal continuelly and specially pray for youre most noble and prosperous reigne long to endure, and for the soules of youre noble progenitours, and in way of Almes and charite.
We, of our special favour, grant to John, abbot of Bruerne, in Oxfordshire, and his abbey, the advowson of Wootton parish church, near Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, which is of our patronage, for ever, to be held of the Crown by the abbey in pure alms. We give leave to the abbey to impropriate the church, and to hold the impropriation to its own uses, i. e. to increase its revenue and thereby make fuller provision for divine services in the abbey. The abbey is to pray for our welfare during our life, and for our soul's health after our death, and for the souls of our ancestors and predecessors. This grant is to override the Statute of Mortmain.
This Indenture berith witenes that thabbott and covent off the
monastery off our lady off barlinges off thordre
The said abbott and covent also hathe graunted to the fore-said ser Robert Agystment, without and with-in the pasture off the fore-said Monastery, for vj. beastes (that is to say, oxen, kye, and bullockes and yong beastes), as well in wynter as in somer, by all the foresaid tyme.
And moreouer the for-said Abbott and covent hathe graunted to the for-said ser Robert oon litle laithe, sett in the north parte off the personage, with an aisament within the closse off the forsaid parsonage, with a free intrest and out-gate to his laithe by the same closse as ofte and whenne itt shalbe necessary to the said ser Robert or his seruauntes during the forsaid terme, whiles that itt shall nott be preiudice nor noying ne harme to the forsaid abbott or covent.
And the forsaid ser Robert wilkynson shall reparell the fore-said house, buylded with thackyng and walle, att his own propre coste and expenses duryng the forsaid terme, And, att thende of his terme, well and suffyciently repareld in thack and walles, shall leve the forsaid house, excepte that the forsaid abbott and covent shall fynde to the forsaid house thack for reparacion off the forsaid house as ofte tymes and whenne itt neade shalbe, att coste off cariage of the forsaid Sir Robert.
Moreouer, the for-said abbott and covent graunteth, and by ther
present wryting byndeth them to pay, xx s. off good and laufull money
off Englond to the forsaid ser Robert wilkynson, all & euery yere,
in the feaste off the Natyuite off our lord,
In witenes of all and euerychone off thise premysses, the for-said parties, [eche] to the other, haue putto ther seales to thise present Indentures: yeven the last day butt oon off the moneth of Iunn in the yere of our lord god a thousand five hundrith ix and the reigne off kyng Henry the eight first yere.
In the name of god, Amen.
Memorandum, that the ffyrst day of August the yere of our lord god A thowsand ccccc xxxiij, in the presens of Iohn cottysford, rector off Lincoln college in oxford; and Thomas Rockes, yeman, dewllyng yn Lyndford in Buckynghamshere; and oþer; I, Iohn denham, pryst, declared my testament ferder in maner and forme folowyng:
ffyrst, I will that þer be xxli bestowed to bryng me on erthe, at the monethe mynd, and the tewlue monethe mynd.
Item, I will that the churche wardyns and parischeners of barnake
haue xlti shyllinges towardes the reperacions of the Stypell; Item, to
the mayntenans of the belles and the bell ropys, vjs viijd; Item, to
the mayntenans of the lygthes in the
Item, fabrice ecclesie Lincolniensis, iijs iiijd.
Item, I will that all the bokes in my custody be distrybute by the discrecyon of doctor cottisford & christofer bell.
The Resydewe of my goodes not bequest I geue vnto christofer bell, my kynsman, to be-stowe for the welth of my sowle.
And I make the same christofer bell my full executor, witnessyng doctor Cottisford, ser Launselot twynhome, and Thomas Rockes, with other mo.
ffyrst, in the parler, j. pentyd hyngyng off Canwes; Item, on long Saddell; Item, on Cownter off the lest sorte; Item, too gret carrod chysts; Item, on borden chare; Item, on forme; Item, on bordenyd bed stede; Item, on lyttyll chyst.
Item, ij. bed steds, the on bordenyd, & the oþer not; Item, on saynt John hede off Alibaster.
Item, on chyst with evidence boune with yren; Item, on plane
chyst; Item, on bordenyd bed, with j. trundell bede; Item, on yelow
sperver off dornyx; Item, on payntyd hyngyng off canwes; Item,
iij. thrawyn charys; Item, j. hole garnysche
Item, on grene payntyd hyngyng off canwes at the high dese; Item, on carvyd Cupbord with ij. awmbres and on slotte; Item, on carved long Sadle off wanescott; Item, ij. thrawn longe sadells; Item, on thrawn chare; Item, on fowldyn tabylle; Item, on forme.
Item, ij. bordenyd bed stedes; Item, ij. Spervers off dornyx; Item, ij. new fether beddes garnysshyd; Item, on hold fether bedde with iij. bolsters; Item, on payntyd hynging off canwes; Item, iij. cownter poyntes of verde warke; Item, on fustyan pillow and ij. other pillows; Item, on Redde couerlyd with byrde warke; Item, on grene couerlyd with verde warke; Item, on yalow couerlyd with warke; Item, iij. holde whyte couerlydes; Item, iij. pare off blankyttes; Item, v. mattressys; Item, ij. couerynges off wholyn for tables; Item, on bancker for the halle; Item, vi. coschyns with bestes vpon them; Item, on fowldyn table.
Item, ij. pare off bed stokkes; Item. on payntyd tester for A bedde.
Item, ij. gret bolle candylstykes and on lesser; Item, on lattyn basyn with A rose in the myddes; Item, on chaffyng dyshe, without horys; Item, iij. holde platters; Item, ij. holde dyshes; Item, on holde candylstyke; Item, on tabylle in the botre.
Item, ij. gret pannes; ij. lesse pannes; on Mydlyng panne; on gret
brasse pott; iij. lesse brasse pottes; ij. lytle brasse pottes;
j. posnet with a stert; on other with broken fete; on chauffer with a
brokyn mouthe; on panne, with a sterte; Item, on lattyn ladelle; Item,
on gret spyt; Item, ij. lesse spyttes;
Item, ij. lyn towells; Item, on towelle lyke dyaper warke; on Napkyn off dyaper; Item, on lyn table-clothe off v. yerdes; Item, ij. harden table-clothes of ij. yerdes and dimid. the pece; Item, on herdyn Towelle off ij. yerdes and dimid.; Item, vij. table napkyns; Item, on pare lyn shettes off iij. bredes; Item, on schet for A woman that lyes in chyld bed; Item, ij. hedschettes; Item, vij. pare lyn schettes; Item, on pece off lyn (for towels) of xiiiitn yerdes; Item, ix. pare off harden schettes.
In primis, on pare off gret tonges, tynned; Item, j. yren forgan for the fyre, tynd; Item, a fyre skomer, tynnyd.
In the name of god amen. The xxijti daye of Iulij in the yere of
our lorde god a thousande five hundrede and nyne and twenty, I, Iohn
Aldridge, of bekonesfeld in the countie of
ffirste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god, to our ladye saynte mary, and to all the hoole companye of heuen; and my bodye to be buryed in the chirche yarde of Bekenesfelde aforesaide.
Also, I bequethe to the highe aulter ther, for my tithes and offerynges forgotten, iiij d.
Also, to the chirche of Lincoln, ij d.
Also, to euery light in the chirche and chappell of Bekonesfelde, ij d.
Also, I bequethe to euery oon of my bredren and sustren children oon shepe.
Also, to echeone of my godchildren, iiij d.
Also, I will that my executours, immediately after my decesse, entre vpon all my landes and tenementes that I haue in the parishes of Taplowe, burnham, and Beckonesfelde, and in all my leases durynge my termes, as in sundre Indentures dothe more playnly appere of the saide termes.
I will also that margerye my wiffe haue, oute of my saide landes and tenementes, yerely duringe hir liffe, xiij s. iiijd. sterling.
And after hire decesse, I will that all my saide landes and tenementes hooly remayne to Iohn Aldridge my sone, and to his heires, att the age of xxiiij. yeres.
I will that my executours and feoffes doo suffre Iohn my sone peaseablye to entre into all my saide landes and tenementes, withoute any maner Interrupcion or delaye, paynge to margerye my saide wiffe yerely as aforesaide xiij s. iiij d. durynge hir liffe.
And iff itt happen that Iohn my sone decesse withoute heyres of his bodie laufully begotten, livynge the other my children, then I will that all the foresaide landes and tenementes to be equally deuyded emonges my children livinge.
And if itt happen that all my saide children decesse, then I will
that all my fore saide Landes and tenementes maye be equally deuyded
emonges the children of my brodre Rauff Aldridge and
Also, I will that myn executours entre vpon all my goodes moveable, to and for the intente of performaunce of my will as hereafter foloweth; And also to perceive [and] receive all maner my rentes, reuercions, revenues, and debttes to me owinge by any maner persone or persones.
Also, I will (after my debttes and funeralles paied and my will fulfilled) I give and bequethe to margerye my wiffe the oon halffe of my moveable goodes.
And the other halffe I will itt maye be equally devyded and savely kepte by myn executours to the vse of all my children, therwith to see them guyded (and as well the childe that my wiffe goeth with-all as other), vnto the tyme that they be att lawfull yeres of discrecion: Thenne they to enioye the reste of the saide moveable goodes, oonly excepte and allowed for suche chardgies for the guydynge and kepynge of the saide children.
Iff any of my saide children decesse, livynge the other, then I wille that echone of them to be others heyre in all the saide moveable goodes.
Iff all my saide children decesse, I will that the saide goodes to them bequethed (all maner chardgies and expenses allowed) to be bestowed in charitable deades and warkes for the helthe of my soule.
To the performynge of this my testament and laste will, I ordeyne william Aldridge my brodre and Robart Dawbeney myn executours, they to ordeyne and dispose as maye be mooste expedient for the helthe of my soule, my ffrendes soules, and all christen soules.
Also, I will that Robert wallar be ouersear of this my testament and laste will.
I will that echone of myn executours and ouerseare haue, for their labour and busynes, xx s.
Thise wittenes: Sir Richard Bolde (curate ther), Thomas Aldridge, Symon Irby, & other.
IN the name of god, amen: be itt knowen to all men by thies presentes that I, ser Iohn digby of Eketilby in the county of leicestre, knight, the first day of Auguste in the xxj. yere of the reigne of our souereigne lord kyng henry the eight and in the yere of our lord god ml. vc. xxixti, ordeyn and make this my last will and testament, aswell concernyng thordre and disposicion of all and singuler my maners landes and tenementes within the realme of englond, as of all my goodes and catalles that I haue within the same realme, Calis, orelles where, in maner and forme folowing:
that is to saye, ffirste, I bequeth my soule to almighty god, beseching hym to accepte the same to his mercy; Also I will that my body shalbe buryed in the chirche of melton mowbrey, if I die in leicestre shire; and if I die out of leicestre shire, then my bodye to be buryed ther as my executours shall thynk moost conuenyent.
Also, I bequeth to the chirche of lincoln, iij s. iiij d.
Also, I bequeth to the highe aulter of melton mowbrey vj s. viij d.;
And I will that my mortuary be paied according to the custome.
Also, I renounce and forsake all other will or willes by me before this tyme made, and affirme all thinges conteyned within this present wryting to be my last will and testament.
And, where I, the said ser Iohn digby, by my deade (bering date the
xxiiijti daye of october in the nynth yere of the reigne of our
souereigne lord kyng henry the eight), hath given and
And after hir decesse, I will that my sonne Symon digby shall haue all the said Manoures, landes, tenementes and other the premysses, in northluffenham, Southluffenham, sculthorpe, and pilton, to the same Symon, and to the heires males of his body laufully begotten;
And for defaulte of suche yssue, the remaynder to Iohn digby sonne and heire of william digby, & to the heires mailes of his body laufully begotten,
and for defaulte of suche yssue, the remaynder therof to the heires mailes of my sonne william digby laufully begotten, and to the heires mailes of their bodyes laufully begotten,
and for defaulte of suche yssue, the remaynder to the heires mailes
of the body of me the said ser Iohn
And, where I, the same ser Iohn digby, seth the making of the said deade of feoffement, to the said Iohn willoughby and other the said cofeoffes, of and in all the said manoures, landes, tenementes, medowes, lesues, pastures, and other the premisses, with their appurtenaunces, in southluffenham, northluffenham, sculthorpe, and pilton aforesaid, haue purchased dyuerse other landes, tenementes, and heredytamentes, in northluffenham aforesaid, to me and to my heires in fee; And also haue other meses, landes, and tenementes, in Tikesore, Morcott, barrowdon, Seyton, thorpe, and Pisbroke, orelles where, whiche I, the same ser Iohn, haue within the said county of Rutland, nott conteyned in the said deade bering date the xxiiijti day off octobre in the said nynth yere of the reigne of our souereigne lord kyng henry the eight, I will that my said sonne Symon digby shall haue, immediately after my decesse, as well all the said meses, landes, tenementes, and heredytamentes by me soo purchased sith the makyng of the said deade within the county of Rutland, as well all other my meses, landes, tenementes, and heredytamentes, that I haue in the said county of Rutland, nott conteyned in the said deade bering date the xxiiijti daie off octobre in the said nynth yere of the reigne off our said souereigne lord kyng henry the eight, to the said Symon, and to the heires mailes of his body laufully begotten.
And for defaulte of suche issue, remaynder therof to Iohn digby sone and heire of william digby, and to the heires mailes of his body laufully begotten.
And for defaulte of suche issue, remaynder therof to the heires mailes of the body of my said sonne william digby laufully begotten, and to the heires mailes of there bodies laufully begotten.
And for defaulte of suche issue, the remaynder therof to the heires mailes of me the said ser Iohn digby laufully begotten, and to the heires mailes of their bodies laufully begotten.
And for defaulte of suche issue to the right heires of me the said ser Iohn digby for euer.
And I will that my said sonne Symon digby shall and may att his
pleasour make or cause to be made astate for terme of liffe in
possession or vse of or in all the said manours landes and tenementes
in the said county off Rutland or in eny parte
And I will that my said wiffe dame Sanche, shall haue immediately after my decesse, all my Manour place, capital mesuage, and mansion place, of eketilby in the county off leicestre, with all the housing belonging to the same, and all my gardeyns, orchardes, woodeyardes, and neeteyardes, waiter-mylne and mylne-holmes belonging to the same waiter-mylne, And also the parke (with the poles within the same), cranwell close, the ueste leys, the ueste medowe on the west side of the same manour place, the este medowe in twoo closes of the north side off melton lane, and all landes, tenementes, medowes, lesues, and pastures in eketilby aforesaid, with all the hedges about and within all and euery the premysses from the este ende off Melton lane to kirkeby bridge of the north side down to the river ther, to the same dame Sanche for terme of hir liffe.
Also, I will that my doughtour Elene Mountague, late wiffe to my
sone william digby of lubbenham (nowe decessed) and doughtour of Iohn
Rooper (late generall attorney to our souereigne lord the kyng),
shall, immediately after my dethe, haue twoo closes in ekettilby
aforesaid, whereof oon of them is called the hall close, and the other
close of them is called the fogge ffelde, with all the hedges about
and within the same closes, to haue and to holde to the said Elene
Mountague, for terme of hir liffe, in
Also, I will that all the manoures, landes, and tenementes,
medowes, lesues, closes, and pastures before appoynted to the same
dame Sanche in Eketilby for terme off hir liffe, immediately after the
dethe of the same dame Sanche, and all the said
And for defaulte of suche issue, to the heires mailes of the body of my said sone william laufully begotten, and to the heires mailes of their bodies laufully begotten;
And for defaulte of suche issue, the remayndre therof to my sone Symon, and to the heires mailes of his body laufully begotten;
And for defaulte off suche issue, to heires mailes of the body of the said ser Iohn digby, and to the heires mailes of their bodyes laufully begotten; And for defaulte of suche issue, to the right heires off me the said ser Iohn digby for euer.
And I will that the said Iohn digby, sonne and heire of my said sone William digby, shall, immediately after my dethe, haue a close in eketilby aforesaid called the high felde, and all my Manoure, landes, tenementes, and heredytamentes in Sysonby in the county off leicestre, to hym and to his heires males of his body laufully begotten,
And for defaulte of suche issue, the remaynder therof to the right heires mailes of the body of my said sone william laufully begotten, and to the heires of their bodyes laufully begotten,
and for defaulte of suche issue, the remaynder therof to my sone Symon digby, and to the heires mailes of his body laufully begotten,
And for defaulte of suche issue, the remaynder therof to the heyres mailes of me the said ser Iohn digby laufully begotten, and to the heires mailes of their bodies laufully begotten; And for default of suche issue, the remaynder therof to the right heires of me the said ser Iohn digby, for euer,
to thvses, intentes, and vpon condicions hereafter ensuyng, that is
to say, that the said Iohn digby, sone & heire of my said sone
william digby, and all other in remaynder aforesaid of the said close
called the highe feld and Sysonby, shall yerely from hensforth content
and paye to george lacells of storton and to
And also, yerely, acquite, dischardge, or saue harmeles, all the said manour, meses, landes, tenementes, and other the premysses before appoynted, to the same dame Sanche and helene mountague, or to eny of them for terme of their lives, or for terme off liffe of eny of them, of and for all maner of rentes, charges, and Incumbraunces, wherewith the said manour, landes, and tenementes, and other the premysses before appoynted to the same dame Sanche and helene for terme of their liues as is aforesaid, shalbe charged with, duryng the liffe naturall of the same dame Sanche and helene or of the longer liver of them.
And also, to the vses, and intentes, and vpon condicion, that the
same Iohn digby, sone of the said william and his heyres, and all
other in remaynder of the said close called the highe
and in case the said Iohn digby and his heires, or eny other in
remaynder aforesaid, doo not paye the said rentes, nor doo nott
acquite or saue harmeles the said dame Sanche and helene and euery of
them and the said landes and tenementes before appoynted to the said
dame Sanche and helene and to euery of them, or doo lett or disturbe
or will nott suffre the said dame Sanche and helene and Symon digby
and his heires mailes peaseably to inioye the said landes and
tenementes to them before appoynted, or doo vexe or trouble suche
persones as is or shalbe seased of the said land hereafter to be
appoynted to the fynding of the said preste, or doo eny other acte or
actes to the disturbaunce or brekyng of this my will or contrary to
And I will that all my gownes of veluett, saten, and damaske, shalbe made in vestymentes and copes to be distrybuted to poore churches suche as my executoures shall thynk moost conuenyent.
And I will that all the reuenues, issues, and prouffettes of all my
landes and tenementes and heredytamentes in Claxton, herby, and
Stathern in the county off leicestre, shall yerely for euer be
bestowed vpon fyndyng off a preste to syng in the parishe chirche off
Melton mowbrey in the county off leicestre att the aulter off our lady
in the south side off the said chirche, ther to sing and pray daily
for the prosperite and good helthe of me (the said ser Iohn digby,
knight), dame Sanche my wiffe, and all our children, while we be on
live; and, after we been discessed, to pray for our soules and for the
soules off my graundfadre and graundmodre, my fadre and my modre, and
for the soules off Iohn bellers, and off dame katherine digby, william
digby, Iohn stirley, Roos digby, and parnell asheby, and their
children, and all christen soules for euer; and the said preste to
helpe to serue and syng in the quere daily ther; And the said preste
to haue for his stypend or wagies eight markes by yere off good and
laufull money, to be taken out off my said mese, landes, and
tenementes, in claxton, herby, and Stathern, with thappurtenaunces, in
the county of leicestre, to be paied halff yerely by euen porcions,
And the residue of the reuenues, issues, and proufettes of the said
mese, landes, &
And
And I will that the said preste shall ones in the weke for euer say
masse off Requiem for the soules aboue remembred, and for all christen
soules, hauyng noo laufull impedyment; And also wekely for euer the
said preste to say masse of the name off Ihesus, hauyng noo laufull
ympedyment; Also, I will that the said preste shall say (att euery
masse by hym doon within the said chirche) before the firste lauatory,
And I will that the said preste shalbe for euermore named by the chirchewardens off melton aforesaid for the tyme being;
And the said preste nott to be absent ouer xviijth dayes in the yere;
And, if the said preste be worthy to be putt frome his said seruice, by reason of eny incontynence of lyving or mysbehauiour by hym doon, or be nott resident vpon the same (noo laufull ympedyment hadd), then I will that the said preste shalbe putt from the said seruice and wagies, and an other laufull preste to be putt into the same seruice in maner and forme aforesaid.
And if the said seruice att eny tyme hereafter be voide by
Also, I will that all persones that maye be seased, or that hereafter shalbe seased, of all and singuler the premysses, shall doo and suffre to be doon, make or cause to be made, all and euerything that shalbe for the mooste assurance and performance of this my last will and testament.
And I will furdre that ther be spent att my buryall and att my monethes daie fifty poundes of laufull money off Englond, and more, as my executours thynk conuenyent by their discrecions.
And I will that my wiffe, dame Sanche digby, haue to hir own vse all the household stuff in eketilby, desyoring hir to be good to Iohn digby (the sone of william digby, my sone).
Also, I will that my sone Symon digby haue all maner of stuff belonging to husbandry.
Also, I will that my wiffe dame Sanche digby haue the vse of all my plate as long as she liveth, and, after hir decesse, to be bestowed to my children, that is to say, to my sone Symon, to my doughtour Alice, and to my sone ser Rouland.
Also, I will that my seruauntes haue forty poundes amonges them, as my wiffe, dame Sanche digby, thynkes best.
Also, I will and bequeth that Iohn digby (sone and heire of william digby) haue immediately after my decesse vj. oxen x. kye and ijc. shepe as they ronne, to putt in his pasture.
and sole executrix of this my last will and testament I ordeyn and
make my welbeloued wiffe, dame Sanche digby, to whome I commytt the
hole order and disposicion of this my last will and testament,
charging hir as she will answere afore
And superuisoures hereof I make my sone ser william skevington, my cosin ser Everard digby, knightes; my sone ser Rouland digby, clerke; and my cosin Iohn digby off olleby: and for their payne takyng I will that euery off them haue xl s.
In witenes whereof, I, the said sir Iohn digby, to this my last will and testament haue putto my seale and subscribed my name, the daye and yere abouesaid; Thies names folowing bering witenes.
And where I haue appoynted before, in this my last will, that my wiffe dame Sanche shuld haue the vse off all my plate as long as she shall liue, and after to be bestowed to my sone Symon and ser Rouland and daughtour alice, I will that my saide wiffe shall, att hir free liberte and pleasour, give and bequeth to eny person or persones thies parcelles of my said plate, hereafter folowing, that is to say, a basyn and an ewer parcell gilt, iij. syluer pottes, a standing cupp with a couer gilt, twoo bolles with a couer, ij. gilt spones, a dosen siluer spones, a litle double salt, thre goblettes with a couer of the best, eny thing before bequethed by this my last will to the said Symon, Richard, or Alice, to the contrary nott-withstandyng.
Iohn digby, knight; William asheby; Rouland digby, clerke; Iohn digby, off lobenham; Richard brokesby, clerke; Iohn digby, off olleby; Richard butterworth, clerke; Anthony brokesby; William Mere; henry barns, clerke; Edward mountayn; Iohn Wymarke; Simon digby; Iohn campynett.
And for bycause that dame Sanche digby, my wiffe, whome by my last will and testament I made my sole executrice, is departed and deade, I will nowe, this present fourtene day of Maij in the xxvth yere of the reigne off our said souereign lorde kyng henry the eight, that my last will (whereunto this scedule is annexed), and this scedule thereunto adioyning, shalbe in euery poynte fyrme & stable as my last will and testament, the articles concernyng the aforesaid Dame Sanche onely excepte, whiche articles I will, by this my present will, shalbe clerely voide and of noon effecte;
And that, by this my present will and testament, I ordeyn and make
my sone ser Rouland digby, clerke; my sone Symon
Thies names folowing being witenes:
Iohn digby, knight; Richard Butterworth, clerke: Thomas Smyth; William Mere; henry barns, clerke; Iohn myllington; Iohn Wymarke; Iaspar hunt; Richard herdern; Iohn moresley; Iohn fullwood; william Crobbe.
ffirste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god and to our lady saint mary and to all the holy company off heuen; and my bodye to be buryed in the chirche of all halowes in Norton.
Also, I bequeth to the mother chirche of Lincoln, viij d.; And to the highe aulter of norton, iiij d.
Also, I bequeth to Iames my sone x li,; To Anne my doughtour, x li.; To besse my doughtour, vj li. xiijs iiijd; and to elizabeth my doughtour, other vj li. xiij s. iiij d.; And I will that if eny of my said children departe before they come to laufull age that then the porcioun of hym or her soo departyng be deuyded emongest the other of my children then being in live.
Also, I will that my fadre haue my landes for terme of his liffe; Also, I bequeth to my fadre a bedde with all thinges perteyning; Also, I bequeth to my fadre a russett gowne furred and ij. elles of blacke karsey.
Also, I will that my lorde abbott of sanct Iames of north[ampton] haue the rule of Iames my sone.
And the residue of my goodes vnbequethed (my dettes payde, and my body brought vnto the grounde) to be distributed for the welth of my soule and all christen soules att the discrecion of Agnes my wiffe and william kyng the whiche I make my full executoures.
Also, I will that my lorde of saint Iames off northampton be my ouersear that my will be performed, And for his payne takyng to haue xx s.
hijs testibus; my lorde abbott of saint Iames of Northampton; Ser Iames Ryder, preste, william kyng, and other moo.
In the name of god, Amen, of whom, and by whom, and by the mereties of chrystes passyon, and by the intercessyon of hys blessed mother our lady saynt Mary the virgin, the xxj. day of Apryell, in the yere of our lord god a thowsand v hundred thertie and three, And in the xxiiijti. yere of our souerayn lord kyng henry the viijth, I, ser Robert Gryffyth, of hendlye vpon Thamys in the countie of Oxford and the dioces of Lincoln, beyng of good and hole mynde and of parfytt memorye (Laudes, prayses, and thankes be vnto allmygthy god), neuer the lesse syke of bodye, make my testament and last wyll for the welth, helth, and profytt of my sowle, my kynsfolkes and ffryndes, in maner and forme as here after ensuengly folowythe.
ffyrst, I bequeth my sowle vnto my creator, maker, and redemer, allmigthy god, vnto his blessed mother and to all the blessed companye of hevyn; my corpes or body to be buryed with-yn the parische churche of our lady of hendlye afore sayde.
Item, I geue to the mother churche of Lincoln, iiijd.
And to the hye aulter of the churche of hendlye, iiijd.
And also, I do geue and bequeth vnto Margery gough, my kynswoman,
in redy monye, lxvjs viijd; And to Margaret gouthe, my kynswoman, xls;
And also, I geue to my brother Nowell gryffyth xxs. And also, I geue
and bequethe all the landes, tenementes, meades, pastures, and lesus,
with all there appurtenaunces, sett, lyeng, beyng, in Caderelweth in
the countie of Dannarwan, wiche did discend, happen, or come vnto me
by inherytance, purchese or otherwise, vnto Robert gryffyth my sayd
brother's sone, to haue and to hold, to hym his heyres and assignes,
for euer more; Also, I wyll þat my cosen Iohn goughe of hendlye
aforsaide and all other my feoffes, wiche now stond
And also, I ordeyn and make my sayde cosen Iohn goughe, my sole executor of this my testament and last wyll, vnto whom I geue all the reste of my goodes after this my present testament and last wyll performede, he to dispose them after hys good discretyon.
In wytnes wherof to this presentes I haue set my seale, the day and yere aboue wrytten.
These beyng present, Richard Massam, Wyllyam loueles, willyam Smythe, with diuers other.
ffirste, I bequeth my soule vnto almighty god and vnto our lady saint mary and to all the saintes in heuen, and my body to be buryed in the chirche yard off Marston.
Also, I bequeth and give vnto the iiij. ymages off our lady in the said chirche ij s. & viij d.; and also to our lady off pyte, a shepe; Item, I bequeth also vnto the rode light, xxd; and also vjd in waxe, vnto saint Iames; and <to> saint margarett and to saint katheryn, viijd; Item, vnto saint Anne, iiijd in waxe; and to all halowes, vjd; Item vnto the highe aulter xx d., for tithes forgotten; vnto our hede chirche of Lincoln, iiij d.; and vnto saint christofer, iiij d.
Item, vnto mother bastarfete and hir doughter, iiij d.; Also, to Iohn sauage, Iohn warde, Iohn mychell, Iohn wolhede, george shelley, william pope, william newman, and william squyre, vnto eche off thies before named, ij d.
Also, I notifye and knowlege vnto myn executoures off oon burre off dunstaple, detter to me of xx s., wylling to fogiue the oon halff, the other halff to be paied.
Item, I bequeth vnto the chirche off wotton, xl d.
Item, I do giue vnto my doughter-in-lawe alice a kowe and a calffe and vnto hir iiij. children iiij. shepe, and also to margarett doughtor a wenyng calffe.
Item, I do give agnes and margaret ij. heckfordes betwene them; Item, vnto eche off ther boyes ij. shepe.
Also, I bequeth to eche off my doughters ij. couerlettes betwene them.
Also, vnto William Weuer and to Alice his sister ij lambe betwene them.
Item, vnto Iohn my sone, x shepe.
Also, I bequeth vnto eche off my doughters vj s. viij d.
Item, I bequeth vnto euery oon of my sones ij. heckfordes betwene them.
Also, I bequeth vnto henry my sone my house and land, he payng vnto Iohn wolhede his brod̄re v li.: off the whiche v li., l s. to be paied att Mighelmas day tweluemoneth after my departyng and att that day tweluemoneth the rest to be paied.
Also, I make Robert wodell myn executour; and my wiffe ouersear to whome I giue ij. kyne.
witenes: ser walter done, Robert wall, Robert wodell, Iohn wolhed, and henry wolhede, with other moo.
Item, certeyn money whiche dothe remayn in a bagge I will ther be asmoche off itt spent as will honestly bryng me on erthe, And the rest to remayn to my wiffe.
Also, I will that henry my sone shall stand charged with the kepyng off his modre and william wolhed my seruaunte duryng ther lives and att ther departyng to bryng them on erthe.
my debtes & legacies performed and paied, I will the rest off my goodes remayn to my sone henry wolhede.
In the name of god, amen. The xvjth day off August in the yere off our lord god Mll vc xxxiijth, I, william gray, hole in mynd, seke in body, make my Testament on this wise:
ffirst, I bequeth my soule, etc.
Item, I bequeth to my foure doughters iiij li.; And, iff eny off them departe, the goodes to remayn to the lengest lyuer.
Also, I bequeth to my fyft doughter ij. houses after the dethe off my wiffe.
Also, iff my wiffe doo mary, I will that the childer goodes shall remayn in Thomas Elyatt handes to the behoue of my childer.
And, iff all the childer doo departe, I will my wiffe haue ther goodes.
Also, I bequeth to the mother chirche off Lincoln, ij d.
Also, I bequeth to the highe aulter off woluerton, A stryke off barley for oblite tythes; Also, to the belles, ij. strykes off barley; Also, to the torches, ij. strykes off barley; Also, to the trynyte, A stryke off barley.
Also, to euery oon off my god childer, a stryke off barley.
Also, I make my wiffe and Thomas Elyatt myn executours; and Edward newman the ouersear off this my last will.
Thies witenes: Thomas Elyatt, Iohn Smyth, Edward newman, with other moo.
In the name of god, Amen. The yere of oure lord A thowsand ccccc xxxiij, the xth day of september, I, Raff barker off Stokegoldyngton, &c.
Item, I bequeyth to iche of my ij. chyldryn, xxs.
Item, to the eldest of my ij. cheldryn my best cotte; Item, to the yonger my newe fetherbed; And, if either of them decesse before suche age as they shalbe hable to haue the same goodes, then I wyll the oþer (beyng A liffe) haue bothe there partyes,
And, if they bothe departe before the sayd ayge, than I wyll my wiffe shall dispose all suche legacyes and bequestes as [she] shall thinke best to plesse god,
And the same margeret I make myne executryx, and geue hire the resydewe of all my goodes.
And make Raffe wotton executor with hire, And for his labor I geue hym the best lambe I haue and in monye iijs iiijd, etc.
Wytnes: Master Iohn Aras, parson there, ser henry Smyth, ser Robert gelys, prystes; with other.
In the name of god, amen. The yere off our lord god Mll ccccc xxxiijti the xiijth day off october, I, Richard Lauford off Sheryngton, &c.
Item, I will that, after my debtes be payd and my will performed, that then all my goodes be deuyded euenly in twoo partes, And the oon halff off my goodes to be praysed att the discrecion off yndifferent men to the vse and prouffett off my iiij. childern and to be kepte in savff kepyng, att the pleasour off my master and land-lorde (master Antony Catisby), Soo that my iiij. doughters parte be in like porcion.
And my sone to haue preferrement in the same goodes, as my master shall thynk best.
And, iff soo be that eny off my childern doo dye or decesse or that they come to the yeres off discrecion, Then I will that the parte off the childe soo decessed shall remayn to the prouffett off all my childern beyng alive; And so, from oon to anoþer, to the last.
And iff they all decesse before the yeres off discrecion, Then I will that my Master and land-lorde (Master Antony Catisby) shall haue the disposicion off all suche goodes and legacyes as were bequethed to my childern.
And the other halff off my goodes I doo giue and bequeth to margery my wiffe, soo that she doo kepe my childern, and euery off them, vnto suche tyme as they shalbe able to doo seruyce:
whiche margery my wife I make myn executrixe, with Iohn hoghton hir fadre; And Master Antony Catisby, ouersear &c.
witenesses: Thomas chibnall, william fisher, william everend, and other &c.
In the name of god, Amen, The xxj. day off october the yere of owre lord a thowsand v. hundred xxxiij, I, Raff wooton of Stokegoldyngton, &c.
my body to be buryed in the churche of Stokegoldyngton afor sayd before the holy rode; and, for my buryall þer, vjs viijd.
Item, I bequeyth to the churche of lincoln iiijd.
Item, to the aulter, for tithes forgotyn, xxd; Item, to the belles, xxd; Item, to iiij torches, xijs.
Item, one lond to the towne to dyge stone for reparacyons of hye ways in the towne and fyldes of Stokgoldyngton aforsayd for euer more; Item, to the towne, for reparacyons and mayntenans of the same, vjs viijd, goyng owt off A certayn howse and lande in stoke aforsayd callyd mors howse and lande for euer more, yf the kynges lawes wyll suffer hit, or els for as many yeres as the lawe wyll suffer, so that the ij. cunstabelles for the tyme beyng euery good fryday shall deyll vd in honor and worship of the v. wondes of our lord to the v. porest folkes in the towne.
Item, I wyll that euery yere, for euer, or els long as the lawes wyll suffer hit, that there shall go out of the same howse and land (callyd moores howse and land) to kepe an obite vijs, so that there be v. prystes present at dyryge, and to saye masse on the morowe; and euery of them to haue for there labor & charyte, vjd; And the curat, viijd; with iij, clerkes of the same towne (yf there be any) or els other, And euery one of them to haue iijd for the same diryge and masse; and the resydewe of the same monye to be in bred, ale, & chesse, to the ryngers and oþer that wyll come to the same dyryge; Allway prouydyng þat vd of the same vijs be delt to v. poyre folkes of the same towne at the same obite in the worshipe of the v. wondes of owre lord.
Item, I bequeth to euery bryge with-in iiij. myles of Stoke goldyngton afor sayd one busshell of barley.
Item, to my mayde callyd Agnes fyssher, iiij. markes in monye & monye worthe, & vijs to bye hire A panne.
Item, to Iamys wooton, one quarter of barley.
Item, I will þat my feoffes stand seasyd for the performans of my wyll.
Item, I wyll þat Sybell my wife shall haue all and singuler
my londes And tenementes, with the appurtenans, in the towne And fylde
of Stokegoldyngton afor-sayd and fylgraue for the terme of here liffe,
so that she kepe hire Sole; or els I will the same Landes and
tenementes be applyed to cuthbert my Sone tyll he commyth to his full
age (the howse And the land afornamyd and to that vse before
bequethid, allwaye except); and, after the decesse and dethe of Sybell
my wiffe, I will
and [if] the same cuthbert my son shall (as god forbede) decesse and dye with owt heres of his body lawfully begotyn, that then I wyll that ffrances waren, my nephewe, shall haue all and singuler my sayd londes and tenementes, with the appurtenances, for ever, payng for them as selffe dyd bye and purchesse them, iff he be able (the sayd howse and lond callyd moores house and londes all way exceptyd to the vse before namyd and expressyd), And all the same and suche mony as shall growe by reson of Sayle off the sayd londes [and] tenementes I will that hit be orderyd after this maner folowyng: That is to say, I will that sume honest prest shall syng in the churche of Stokegoldyngton Aforsayd certayn yers, after the discretyon of myne executors, And there to pray for my Sowle, my wiffe's, my father's and moþer's and benefactors', and all christen Sowles, hauing for his waiges vli vjs viijd by the yere; and some part of the same monye I will that Some vertuous Clerke of oxon. shall haue for certayn yeres to pray for my sowle and all christen Sowles: And so my will is that my sayd londes and tenementes shalbe vsid after this, if my sayd son cuthbert decesse with owt heyres of his body lawfully begoten.
Item, I bequeyth to my cheld whitsaye, xxs.
Item, one Tryntall to be don one day at northampton at all the orders off frears, and Saynt Iohn's and other.
Item, I geue and bequeyth to Sybell my wife all and synguler my goodes moveable, not bequethid, for terme of hire liffe, so that the same Sybell kepe hire allway sole; And if the same Sybell do marye, þen I will she shall haue xxli in monye and monye worthe, and my howse (with þe appurtenans) that Thomas lydyngton now dwellithe in, for terme of hire liffe; And then the resydewe off my goodes not Bequethed and the same howse I geue and bequeyth to cuthbert my Sone.
and of this my testament and last will I make my executors Sybell my wiffe, Iohn waren my broþer, Iohn whittenell, and ffrances waren; And to the same Iohn waren and Iohn whittenell I geue for there labor to iche of them, xs.; And to ffrancis waren, iijs iiijd.
These beyng witnes: Mr Iohn Aras, parson, þer; ser henry Smyth, prest, Thomas hardwike, with oþer moo.
Item, I will that ser henry Smyth do syng in Stoke churche for my ffather and mother soules, my sowle, my wiffe's, and all christen Soules by one hole yere, And to haue for his wayges vli vjs viijd, And hit to be don immedyatly after my dethe.
Item, to euery god chyld one Lambe.
Item, will in lent next, every sonday, there shalbe deld xv. qr Loves and xv. herynges to xv. poyre folkes in Stoke, and lyk-wise apon good fryday, and þat day to v. the porest in the towne vd in worship of the v. wondes of our Lord.
Item, I bequeyth to helpe to bye A cope to the churche of Stoke, xxs.
Item, I will þat þer be kept one obit in Stoke euery moneth this xij. monethes.
theis beyng wytnes: Mr Iohn Aras, &c., vt supra.
my body to be buryed with-in the churche off owre blessyd lady of blecheley; And I bequeth to the same churche, iijs iiijd.
Item, I bequeth to the moþer churche of lincoln iiijd.
Item, to be bestowed at my buryall, xxs.
Item, I bequeth to the Abbay of Come for A Tryntall of masses to be sayd and song þer for my sowle, my fryndes soules, and all christen soules, xs, and A kercher to make A corperys clothe.
Item, I bequeth to the hye aulter of the Abbay of bathe, vjs viijd.
Item, I bequeth to the pariche church of westbramche, iijs iiijd; Item, I bequeth for v. masses to be song at the Scala celi, ijs. jd.
Item, I bequeth to wenddynbury where as I was boren, xxd;
Item, to the churche off mokkylson, xxti d.
Item, I bequeth to Margaret Emery, vjs viijd And a peyre of Shetes;
Item, to walter Emery my Sone xls; Item, to Humfery Emery my son all
my weryng gere,
Item, to Saynt Margaret and saynt katheryne in ffeny stretford, A pounde of wax.
Item, To Elizabeth Emery my wiffe all the stuffe that she brought with hire and xxs in monye or monye worth.
Item, I bequeth to willyam Emery my Sone, xxs.
the resydewe of all my goodes not bequethyd I bequeth and
wytnes: ser Robert Chadoke, my gostly father; Thomas burdes; Roger Ansty; with oþer moo.
In the name of God, Amen; the x. day of nouember the yere of owre lord god a thowsand ccccc xxxiij, I, Richard bradley, etc.
my body to be buryed in the churche yard of all halowys in Sclaweston.
To our moder churche of lincoln, ii d.
To the gyldyng of the trelyse yn Sclaweston, iijs iiijd.
To henry bradley my sone, A gret chest, a gret troff, A gret pan, A payr of coberd, and A mare; To euery chyld off my Sone henry bradley, A Shepe; To euery chyld of my dowghter Alice Tailer, a shepe; To euery chyld of willyam Mason, A shepe, Providyng allway that the shepe aforsayd shall remayn vnto [the] longest levyng, if hit happyn any of the chylderyn aforsayd to depart before they come to the age of xij. yeres; To willyam Tayler, A mare, And all the howyll ware stondyng at the southe yend of the berne; To Alice Tailer, a bulloke, ij. pottes, a pan, and a stryke of malt; To every chyld of Thomas tailer, j d.; To euery chylde of Thomas bradley, my Cosyn, j d.; To every one of my god chyldryn, ij d.; To euery man dewllyng in A cottage having no plowe, ij d.
The resydewe off my goodes not bequethyd I geue only to margaret my
wiffe, whom I mak my executryx, And henry
Also, I make ser Thomas Ello, vycar of Sclaweston, to be Supervisor of this my last will, þat my executors aforsayd do performe hit in every part.
wytnes herof: ser Thomas Ello, vicar of Sclaweston; Gregory Bradley; with oþer moo.
In the name off god, Amen, the yere of owre lord god a thowsand ccccc xxxiij, I, Iohn Lee off Stamford, &c.
my body to be buryed in the chyrche yerd off Saynt Maryesse in Stamford, nere vnto the northe dore, and there A stone to be set iij. quarters hee.
Item, I bequeth to the Sacrament of the aulter, xiijs iiijd; Item, to owre Lady of Lincoln, xxd; Item, to the ancrysse of poulys, viijd.
Item, I bequeth to my wiffe my best syluer salt with one couer of
Syluer; Item, I bequeth to the wiffe all the ware in my shope, withowt
any interruptyon; And iij. fetherbeddes with all thing longyng to
them; The one halffe of þe pewtter
And she to haue my house duryng hir lyffe.
And she also to deall euery goodfryday vs in bred so long as she
leuith; And I will my heyres after her to deylle euery good fryday vs
my soule for
I bequeth to hugh hepallsyx syluer spoynes of the second sort, And A syluer salt, and a fetherbed (with all thinges longing vnto hyt), And xixs of Syluer and gold.
Also, I wyll that tabyll and formes with bedstedes in the chambers stond as eyrelomys to my son harry and his heyres; I bequeyth to herry my sone all the ware in my ware chamber and all my Tymber.
Also I wyll þat my sone harry pay my dettes and receue my dettes, And forsayd harry to be my executor to dispose the goodes not bequethyd for the helth of my soule and all chrysten soules.
Also, I wyll þat my cosyn herry Lacy be supervisor of this my wyll, þat hyt be fulfyllyd, and he to haue xxs.
These beyng wytnes: willyam haryson, pryst; hew heppall; Thomas Iackson; with oþer more.
Item, I bequeth to my dowghter Elizabeth hynde A syluer pot with A keuer þat was Iohn Cybbeys.
Item, I bequeth to euery order of the freers of Stamford to pray for my soule, iijs iiijd.
Item I bequeth to corpus christi gyld my newe chales, with þe patent.
Item, I wyll þat my executor shall distrybute for my soule after my decesse xli in forme folowyng, that ys to say, the day of my buryall, iijli vjs viijd; on my seuuenth day, iijli vjs viijd; and one my thurtie day, iijli vjs viijd.
Item, I bequeth to Agnes cokkes, one fetherbed, a mattresse, and all that longith to A bed.
Item, I bequeyth to ser willyam hurwodde, a yaberd and hys bord for one quartter.
The wytnes aforsayd beyng present.
In the name of god, Amen. The xxiij. day of ffebruarij In the yere of owre lord god A thowsand v. hondred xxxiij., I, Thomas normanton of Tynwell, &c.
my body to be buryed within the churche yard of Tynwell aforsayd; Item, for my mortuarij, accordyng to the acte of the kynges parlament.
Item, to our Mother churche of Lincoln, viij d.
Item, to the hye auter at Colyweston, iiijd.
The resydewe of my goodes vnbequethed I wyll hit be deuided in iij. partes by the discretyon of margat, my wiffe, and Richard and Iohn, my Sonnes, whom I ordeyn and make my executors to se this my last wyll and testament to be performyd and don in this maner folowyng:
That ys to say, one part in funerall expenses and legacyes aboue sayd; The second part to my sayd wiffe holly; The iijde part to my Chylder.
Also, I wyll and geue all my londe closses to Richard my Eldest son, and to his heyres of his body lawfully begotyn; And iff he depart with owt issue lafull, then I will that the sayd lond and closse shall remayn with my son Iohn, And to his lawfull heyres,
so that the sayd Richard and his heyres and the said Iohn
Item, I will that willyam Stannerd And margaret my seruantes shall haue iche of them A lambe.
Prouided that I will that the sayd lond and closse shall remayn to my sayd wiffe vnto the tyme that one of my sayd sonnes shalbe xviij. yeres of age.
Also, I ordeyn and make my broþer willyam normanton superuisor of this my testament and Last will, to se hit performyd and don, as my faythfull trust ys in hym, and he to haue for hys labor my best doblet & my gowne.
These beyng witnes: Sir hue Too, my gostly faþer; mr Thomas witham notarij, Iohn smyth of Tynwell, etc.
ffyrst, I bequeth my sowle to allmygthy god, our blessed lady, and
all the hole companye of hevyn; my bodye to be buryed in
Item, to the reperatyons of the mother churche of Lincoln, xijd.
Item, to the hye aulter yn my pariche churche, for tithes and offrynges neclygently forgoten, xs; Item, to the lygth of our lady, the lygth of our lady [of] pitie, The lygth of saynt george, the lygth of Saynt Clement, and the lygth of Saynt katheren, vs by equall porcyons.
Item, to the mendyng of the hye ways about wycombe as it shalbe thougth neccessarye, xiijli vjs viijd.
Item, to euery one of my god children, xijd.
Item, I wyll that there be spent emonges preistes, clerkes, and pore pepell at my buryng and monthe mynd tene poundes at lest.
Item, I wyll that A preist be founde to syng and say masse in the churche of wicombe befor saide, at Ihesus aulter, for my sowle and all cristen sowlles, and the same priste shall helpe to mayntayne the seruys off god in the quere, by the space of x. yers; and he to haue euery yere for his stipend vjli xiijs iiijd (that commythe to lxvjli xiijs iiijd), and that there be no preiste admyttyd to the saide seruys but that can syng at lest his playn songe substancyally.
Item, I bequeth to Clemens buknell, now
Item, I bequeth to henry bennet, the sonne of Jane bennet (my dougther), in redy monye lxvjs viijd.
Item, I bequeth to the sayd henry all my Landes called Nakeles and
crowchfyld, with all the landes belongyng to the same in the Tounes
fylde of wycombe; and the closses called Hampdens now in the occupyeng
of me (the sayde Robert), Henry lytell-paygge, Roger Coke, and Iohn
standische; and a tenement, with the appurtenaunces, sett and lyeng in
Crounden
Item, I bequeth to Robert bennet, a nother Sone of the sayd Iohan, too acres of land in wycombe feld, Ioynyng to bosham, nowe occupied by Thomas padleygth; a closse and medewe, Ioynyng to Carters fullyng mill, now in the holdyng of Thomas pusey; a Tenement in the bowrogh that Thomas plowman Latte dewllyd yn and occupieth it, To haue & to hold vnto the sayd Robert Bennet and to hys heires of his bodye laufully begoten; And, for default of suche heires, to the Rigth heire of the sayd Robert for euer.
Item, I bequeth vnto Roger bennet, xiijli vjs viijd of redy monye.
Item, I bequeth vnto willium Astbroke, the tenement and howse that he now dewllithe yn, to haue of hym [and] to hys heires for euer.
Item, I bequethe to Alys Lee, my doughter, a tenement with the apportenaunces, late bought to Richard byrche by exchaunge for other lande, the which Coke and Penley nowe occupieth and holdith; and the tenament and garden þat Litelpayge late dewlled yn, to haue to the saide Alys and to the heyres of hire bodye laufully begoten betewne Thomas Lee and hire; and, for default of suche heyres, to the rygth heyres of the said Alys for euer.
Item, I bequeth to Rauffe Lee hire sone, lxvjs viijd.
Item, I bequeth to Thomas Lee, my Sonne in Lawe, my gowne furred with foyns.
Item, I geue and bequeth to Clemens my wiffe the howse that I nowe
dewll yn, with all thappur[te]naunces on bothe sydes the water; and
the landes and Tenementtes callyd lokes, with all the appurtenaunces
therto belonging (now, or yn any tyme paste), with all the howsses
therto lyeng & adionyng that I late purchesed of Thomas Clerke and
Isake sybyll and dyuers other persons; the newe baron in Saynt Marys
strett and the landes called pennys landes and the late humfrye
wellisborn (the which I bougth of Mr Dormer), to haue to the saide
clemens duryng here natural liffe, and after the decesse of the sayd
Clemens to
And, further,
Item, I will that Clemens my wiffe shall haue xlli in redy money, of the wiche I wyll that xxli therof she shall pay vnto Robert Cuttes for the bequest of Richard cuttes his father.
Item, I wyll that the sayd Clemens my wiffe shall haue all my howshold stuffe vnbequestyd, and corne remaynyng in the baron and yn the feldes and howsses, and my horse and my cart and plowes and the apparell therto belongyng, and suche shepe and bestes as I haue nowe at Wycombe or in the parische the day of makyng of this will.
And further, I wyll, by thys presenttes, that if the sayd Clemens embesyll any part of my money, or playtt, oblygatyons, Evydenses, or wryttyng concernyng my landys aboue bequethed, or interrupe or lett, vex or troble, my executors or any of them, or by any maner of means hynder that this my last will may not be trulye executed and performed accordyng to the intent therof, Then I will that all the legaces, bequestes aboue specyfyed, and euery parcell of that made vnto the saide Clemens, shalbe voyde and of none effect.
Also, I forgeue vnto wyllyam Astbroke all the dettes that he owyth
me from the begynnyng of the world vnto this day, excepte the annuite
owt of Iohan Astbroke landes hys wiffes the which conteyneth days of
payment the wiche I wyll it shall contynewe the payment vntyll the
tyme I depart the world,
Also, I wyll that my executors shall bye a Stone of marbull with my wiffe and our cheldren in Laten there yn made and graved, etc.
Also, I bequeth to Alys markam my seruant in redy moneye xls; Item, to Richard Ienyns my seruant, xxs; Item, to Iohn hare my seruant, vjs viijd; Item, to Alys hokett, xiijs iiijd; Item, to Isabell my seruant xiijs iiijd.
Item, to ij. of my godchyldren at Thomas Eylbarne, each of them, vjs viijd.
The resydewe of all my goodes, not bequethed, I leue them to Thomas lee, wyllyam Ioncken, and Iohn Raunys, to dispose for the helth of my sowle, my wiffes sowle, and all christen sowlles, whom I ordeyn and make my executors of thys my Laste will, and eche of them to haue for there labors xls, with all expences that they make concernyng any troble of my wyll testament and Landes duryng my wiffes lyffe;
And further, I make ouerseers of this my last wyll Roland messynger (mr of art and vycar of wycombe), and wyllyam Chalfont, gent., nowe mayre of wycombe at the makyng of this will; and eche of them to haue xs. for to call dylygently of my Executors to dispose my goodes, And that my executors no thyng retayne to there owne vse, as is aboue wrytten.
In wytnes wherof this present wyll, Roland Messynger,
wryttyn the day and yere aboue sayd.
And further, I wyll that ther be an obit kepe by my executors or ther assignes by the space of xxti yers and euery yere to be spent emonges pristes, Clerkes and poure peopell xs. (which commyth to xli).
Item, I wyll and bequeth Thomas Eylbarn and his wiffe xxs.
In the name off god, Amen: the yere of owr lord god a thowsand v hundred xxxiiij. the second day of Apryell, I, Rychard womake, of burne, &c.
I bequeth to the churche of Lincoln, ijd.
To the hye aulter of Burne, iiijd; To the trinyte gyld, iiijd; to Saynt Iohn gyld, iiijd; To the belles, iiijd.
And I geue and bequeth to Iohn womake my sone, one gyldyng; To willyam my son, one calffe; To Elizibeth my dowghter, one calffe.
The resydewe of my goodes not bequethyd I geue and bequethe to Iane my wiffe, whom I make my full Executryx, to pay my dettes, and my goodes to dispose as she shall thinke best to the plesure of god and welth of [my] soule.
wytnes: Robert haryson, vicar; Thomas feryby; & Iohn wokman.
This Indenture made the xixth day of Maye In the xxvjth yere of the Raigne of oure soueraigne lorde kynge [Henry] the eight
betwene Master william ffranckleyn, Clerke, prebendary of the prebend of haydour in the countie of Lincoln, of the oone partye,
And william ffrancklyn of Thyrley in the countie of Bedford gentleman And katheryn his wiffe on the other partye:
witnessith that the said master william ffranklyn, Clerke, hathe dymysed graunted and to fferme letten, and by these presentes graunteth dymyseth and to fferme letteth vnto the said william ffranklyn and katheryn his wiffe, his Manour place of walton in the countie of buckes, percell of the said prebend of haydour, with all the mansyon houses, Messuagies, landes, tenementes, buyldynges, Rentes, Reuersions, medowes, mores, pastures, ffedynges, leases, servyces, wardes, marygyes, relieves, eschetes, ffynes, haryottes, sutes, and perquesites of courtes and leyttes, surrenders, Amercyamentes, and all other commodyties, Ryalties, and advantagyes whate so euer thei be, vnto the same manour apperteynyng or in eny wise belongyng.
To haue and to hold, and peassebly to occupye and inioye, the said manour of walton and other the abouesaid premisses and euery of them, with all and synguler ther appurtynaunces what so euer they be, vnto the said william and katheryn his wiffe, ther executours and assignes, ffrom the ffeaste of Saincte Michaell tharchangell next commyng and ffolowyng the date herof vnto ende and terme of Three score and oone yeres then next after ensuyng and ffolowyng ffully to be complett and ended,
yeldyng and payng yerely therfore duryng the said terme vnto the said Master william ffrancklyn, Clerk, his successours or assignes, prebendaryes of the said prebend of haydour ffor the tyme beyng, Twentie poundes sterling in manour and fforme ffolowyng, That is to saye, att the ffeaste of thannunciacion of our lady And saincte Michaell tharchangell by even porcions.
And if itt happen the said yerly rent or fferme of twentie poundes, or eny parte or parcell therof, to be behynde vnpaid, in parte or in all, by the space of ffortie dayes next after either of the said twoo ffeastes in the whiche itt ought to be payd att, And if itt be laufull[y] asked, Then itt shalbe laufull vnto the said master william ffranklyn, Clerke, his successours or assignes, into the said Manour of walton and other the aboue-said premisses, with ther appurtynaunces, or in eny parte or parcell of the same, to entre and distreyn, And the distresses soo taken in the same to lede, drive and carry away, And itt to withholde vnto suche tyme as the said master William ffrank[l]yn, Clerke, his successours or assignes, of the same yerly rent or fferme of xxli, with tharreragies of the same (if eny suche be), be fully satisfyed, contented, and payd.
And Alsoo, if itt ffortune the said yerely Rent or fferme of xxli or eny parte or parcell therof to be behynd vnpayd by the space of oone moneth next after the said xlti dayes next after either of the said twoo ffeastes in the whiche itt ought to be payd, And if itt be laufully asked, Then itt shalbe laufull vnto the said master william ffrancklyn, Clerk, his successors or assignes, into the manour and lordshippe or eny parte or parcell of the same, to reentre, And the same peassebly to occupye and inioye agayn as in his fformer estate: And the same william ffrancklyn and katheryn ther executours and assignes ffrom thense clerely to expulse, putt oute, and dischardge ffor ever, this indenture or eny thing conteyned therein to the contrary not withstandyng.
And also, itt is couenaunted and agreed betwene the sayd parties, that the said william ffrancklyn and katheryn his wiffe, ther heyres and executours, shall bere allmaner of chardgies of Reparacions apperteynyng and belongyng to the said manour.
And moreouer, itt is agreed and couenaunted betwene the saide partyes that when soeuer the prebendary of the said prebend ffor the tyme beyng, duryng the said yeres, shalbe disposed to see and vysyte his said manour and landes, or to come thether to preche the worde of god, that he shall haue the best chamber and lodgyng ffor the space of xiiijth dayes twise in the yere, And also stabelyng and haye ffor three horses duryng the said xiiijth dayes twise in the yere, as is aforesaid.
And alsoo, the said william ffranckleyn and katheryn his wiffe couenaunte and graunte by thiese presentes, to and with the said master william ffranklyn, Clerke, that he and the said william ffrancklyn and katheryn shall permytte and suffer oone Iohn hogys peasebly to inioye and occupye ffor terme of Twentie yeres A water Milne within the lordshippe of walton aforesaid.
And also, to suffer oone Iohn Coly nowe beyng ffermour of
ffor the true performance of all and euery the abouesaid premisses, of either of the abovesaid parties to be observed, performed, fulfylled, and kept, either of them byndeth them selffe to other in seuerall obligacions of oone hundrith poundes sterlinge, as in the same obligacion (beryng date the daye and yere abouesaid) more playnly appereth.
In wytnes wherof the parties abouesaid to these indentures interchangeably haue sett ther seales the daye and yere above-said.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda at Lincoln, lf. 264, lf. 264 bk., and lf. 265.
The explanation of the enrolment of this agreement is most aptly given in a charter, dated Monday before All Saints' day (29 October), 1274, found among Westminster Chapter Muniments, and brought to my notice by Dr. W. Warde Fowler.
The Priory of Hurley, Berkshire, agreed to allow, in consideration of the payment of 10s. half-yearly, the Rectory of Kingham, Oxfordshire, quiet possession of certain tithes which the Priory used to collect in that parish. But the Priory made this agreement conditional on the rector's obtaining, at his own costs, both from the Bishop, and from the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln, a full ratification of the agreement so as to ensure its due observance in future. Clearly, in this Syresham case, Biddlesden Abbey must have followed the same course.
A second stipulation made by Hurley Priory was even more drastic, and is most suggestive of the multitudinous trouble incident to collection of tithe. This stipulation was that (by the authority of the Bishop and Chapter) the rector of Kingham and his successors should bind themselves to allow the Archdeacon of Oxford (or his Official), if they had omitted to pay this ten shillings in any year, to compel them, by excommunication in the Archdeacon's Ecclesiastical Court, on mere production of this agreement, to pay this tithe-rent-charge, with any arrears that had arisen, and all expenses incurred in connexion with the case; and should expressly renounce all right of appeal to any other law-court.
To all Christen people, to whome this present wrytyng indentyd
shall come to be seen, rede, or harde: We, Richard, thabbott of
bittilsden in the countie off buckyngham, and the covent of the same
place, And Arthur Lowe, Clerk, person of
fforasmoche as Controversy, varyance, and debate hath been mouvd,
steryd, and dependyng betwext vs, the foresayd Richard, Abbott, and
covent of the monastery of Bittilsden before named in the countie of
buckingham on the oon partie, And Arthur Lowe, person of Syrysham
above named in the countie of Northampton in the other partie, as well
of and for right, title, and perception of tithes commyng and renewyng
and that hath come and bene percevyd within the sayd peryshe of
Sirisham vpon xij. yerdes of Launde called mary Launde, and vpon
certeyne other landes called stockyng close, stockyng leese, stable
yeates, westorne hill, tyle house Lande, and the tythe
for thappesing of all and singuler wiche varyance, contention, and debate, we, either the sayd parties, by medyation of owre ffryndes, for thauoydyng of expenses, labours, and charges in this behalf, and for A fynall determynacion and perpetuall peace to be hade, haue, by owr bothe consentes and assent, conuentyd and agreed in like manour and fforme as hereafter dothe ffolowe.
Inprimis, the sayd Abbott and covent, and there successours, from
hensforthe pesable, ffrelye, and quyetly, withoute contradiction or
interruption of the sayd Arthur or his successours or eny man in there
right or title, shall enioye, perceve, and take all and singuler
tithes of Corne, haye, wulle, and lambe, commyng, growyng, and
renewyng of and vpon xij. yerdes of Lande called mary lande, and vpon
asmoche of the medowe called dole mede as apperteynyth to the
xij. yerdes of lande called mary lande (that is to say, the one half
of the sayd medowe, the oon yere; & the other half, the other
yere; and so forthe frome yere to yere), as the sayd Abbott and covent
be wonte to haue, take and perceue; and also, all maner tithes commyng
and renewyng of and vpon A close called stockyng close, stockyng
leese, westurne hill, and stable yeattes, Whether the said groundes be
in the occupacion of the said Abbott and covent or there
And the sayd abbott and covente, and ther successours, to perceyve take and enioye for evermore allmaner of tithes commyng, growyng, or renewyng of and vpon certeyne londes called tylehouse lande, when and as often as the said Abbott and covent or there successours shall kepe the sayd landes, or eny parte therof, in ther owne handes; And when and as often as the said tyle house landes, or eny parte therof, shalbe lett to eny tenaunte or tenduntes, then and as ofte the sayd person and his successours to enioye the tithes commyng, growyng, or renewyng of and vpon asmoche of the said tyle house landes as shalbe so lett to farme for euermore.
Item, it is agreed that the said abbott and covent, and there successours, shall, in like manour as is before rehersed, ffor euermore enioye, perseve, and take all and singuler tithes of corne, hay, wull, and Lambe, Callfe, and mylke, and allmaner other tithes, predyall or myxt, growyng, commyng, or in eny maner of wise renewyng vpon stockyng lese, or falling there at eny tyme, as well when the said grounde called stockyng lese is or shalbe in the occupacion of the said Abbott and covent or of ther successoures, or in the occupacion of eny there tenaunte or tenauntes there for the tyme beyng, withoute contradiccion or interrupcion of the said Arthur or his successours or eny man pretendyng ther right or title for euermore.
Item, that the sayd Abbott and covent and there successours &
there ffermors or Tenauntes of the said stockyng lese shall, at there
pleasure at all tymes, take the Ingistementes in the said stocking
lese [of] eny bestes of the parischners of Sirisham, or of eny other
persons of whens so euer they be, as ofte and when they will, for
euermore ffrom hensforthe, and that the sayd Abbott and covent and
there successours for euermore shall enioye all and allmaner of tithes
ffalling, chaunsyng, or
Item, it is agreed betwixt the forsaid parties that the above named
Arthur and his successours in the churche of Sirisham foreuermore
And also fu[r]thermore, that the sayd person, and his successours frome tyme to tyme for euermore, shall susteyne and bere all proxis and Sinodalles, all dismes and all subsides, and all and singuler other Charges, aswell ordynary as extraordynary, what so euer they be or shalbe hereafter, to be payd owt of the sayd churche of Sirisham.
Item, it is furdre agreed, for the advoydyng of striffe, not onlye of the foresayd parties but also there successours for euer, that this present composition shalbe confirmed, aswell by the consente of thabbott and covent of Leicester, patrons of the sayd chirche of Sirisham, as by aucthorite of the bisshope of Lincoln ordynary of the same; And that, whan so ever the forsayd Abbott and covent of bittilsden, or eny man in there name, shall procure the sayd confirmacion, the foresaid Arthur shall, at all convenyent tyme, be redy, present (by hym selfe or his sufficiente proctour), and agrey to all these premisses, with oute contradiction.
In wytnes of all and singuler the premisses, we, either of
Gevyn at Bittilsden the vijth day of Decembre the xxvjth yere of the raigne of owre soueraigne Lorde king henry the viijth.
In the name of god, amen. The vjth day of Ianuary in the yere of oure Lorde god a thousand five hundrith thirty and and foure, I, Thomas ffisher of the parishe of wooborn in the county of buckyngham, sycke in body and hole of mynde, ordre and make this my laste will.
fyrste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god, and to our lady saint mary, and to all the hole company of heven; my body to be buryed within the chirche yard of Wooborn aforesaid.
Item, I give and bequethe to the modre chirche of Lincoln, ijd.
Item, to the highe aulter of wooborn, iiijd.; Item, to the thre lightes vpon the rode beame, vj d.; Item, to all soulen light, ij d.; Item, to the torche light, a bushell off barley.
Item, I do give and bequethe to christofer my sonne five quarters of barley, and a redde cowe and a platter of pewder.
The rest
Item, I will that william Manfeld be ouerseer of this my laste will and he to haue for his labour, xxd.
Item, I give to hugh my son a bullock of twoo yeres of age; Item, I do give to hughe and William, my sonnes, a quarter of barlye; Item, I do give to my doughter Ione manfeld, thre busshyls of ootes; Item, I give to my doughtour katheryne hawthorn twoo busshilles of barlye; Item, to Elezabeth hornblowe a busshyll of barlye; Item, to Iohn my sonne a sleveles cote.
Witenesses of this my laste will, William Manfeld, henry baven, Edward Hunt, Iohn hawthorn, william hornblowe, Thomas kynge, Iohn kynge, with other moo.
In the name of god, amen. Be itt knowen that I, Sir gilbert wigan, priste, and vicar of grette gaddesden, being of good memorye and sicke in body, this present viith day of ffebruary in the yere of our Lorde god Ml vc xxxiiijti doo make this my last will.
ffyrste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god, our Lady saynt mary, and all the hole company of heuen; my bodye to be buryed in the said chirche of gaddesden in the space nye vnto the chauncell afore the crucefixe, nere there as my brodre Iames wigan lieth, orels where itt shall please god.
Also, I bequeth vnto the said chirche of gaddisden, vli; and to euery pryncipall light in the said chirche, xijd; And to the torches of the said chirche, xij d.
Also, I bequeth vnto the parishe chirche of Leylond to bye a grette bell to tenour those iiij. other belles that be ther att this present day, xlli. Desyoring ser henry ffarington, knight, and mr Swansey, to se that this my will be performed in that thing.
Also, I bequeth vnto the parishe chirches of Hemmylhampstede, fflamstede, Stodham, little gaddisden, to either of the said chirches, iijs iiijd.
Also, I bequethe vnto the monastery and bredren of Asherudge for a tryntall to be said for me, x s.
And also, to the monastery and nunnes of saint margarittes, other x s.
And to the monastery and nunnes of saint gyles, other x s.
Also, I bequethe vnto ser Nicholas Never, priste, to pray for me, x li.
Also, I bequethe vnto william longley and gilbert Adlington, my godsones, to either of them xli, to be delyuered vnto william yonge to be kepte for ther behove and vse towardes the fynding of them to the scole.
Also, I bequethe vnto my cosyn Roger Wigan, xx s.
And vnto Ione adlington, wedowe, other xx s.
Also, I bequethe vnto Sir gilbert wigan, priste, my cosyn, x li.
The residue of my moveable goodes (this my will performed) I will
itt be disposed vnto my
And also, I desiour and make my faithefull ffrende Richard pare thelder superuisour of this my laste will, to whome I doo give therefore x s.
Also, I doo bequethe and give vnto my cosyn Ione Charnok, vli.
furthermore, I will that, if soe be that the abouenamed william longley and gilbert Adlington doe fortune to departe oute of this worlde afore they be xxjti yeres of age, that then all suche money as I haue aboue bequethed vnto them, att the tyme of ther departing to be vnspended to ther vses, that itt be ordered for ther soules helthe and myn by the discrecion of myn executoures and suche as haue the foresaid money in ther keping, withouten any accompte makyng to the frendes, executours, or heyres of the sayd william and gilbert.
In witenes whereof: william chambre, george welles, with other moo.
In the name of god, amen: the xxiiijti daye of ffebruary and in the yere off our lord god Mll vc xxxiiijti, I, Richard baven, make my testament etc.
ffirste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god &c.
Item, I bequethe to the highe aulter of wooborn, iiij d.; Item, to the rode light, ij d.; Item, to saint Nicolas light, ij d.; Item, to saint katheryn light, ij d.
Item, I bequethe to Mawde my wiffe all my goodes and catelles, whome I doo ordre and make my executrice.
Item, I will that henry my sonne haue a grette panne.
Item, I do give vnto hughe and henry my sonnes a bullock.
Item, I will that Mawde my wiffe shall haue my house and landes twoo yeres daye after my dethe.
Item, I will that nicolas my sone shall paye vnto my sone Iohn bauen, xx s.; and [to] hugh my sone, vj s. viij d.; to henry my sone, vj s. viij d.; and [to] Agnes my doughter, vj s. viij d.; and to katheryne my doughter, vj s. viij d., All this money to be paied oute of my landes.
Item, I will that my feoffees shall nott give my sone nycolas noo state in my house and Landes till suche tyme as he hathe paied my debtes and bequestes.
Item, I will that my sone Nicolas shall beare all the chardgies att my buriall and monethes mynde.
Item, I doo give to Ione my doughter a redde cowe.
Item, I doo give to nycolas my sone my horse and carte.
Item, I will that my sone Nicolas eyre all my landes.
Item, I bequethe to Elezabeth my doughter a litle brasse pott.
Item, I bequethe to Nicolas my sone a table in the hall.
Item, the ij. bullockes to be solde to kepe my house and the reste of the money to my buriall and monethes mynde.
Item, I give to my godsone Richard baven a lambe.
Item, to my brodre henry a shepe.
Item, I doo ordre and make ouersears of this my laste Will Iohn
Redynge and christofer coke,
wittenes of this my laste will: william manfelde, … Hornblowe, and Roger ffenton.
In the name of god, Amen. The fyrst day off marche The yere of owre Lord god a thowsand vc xxxiiij, I, Richard vycars, of Thurlibye, in the diocesse of Lincoln, &c.
my body to be buryed in the churche aforsayd; Also I bequeth to the hye auter, a stryke of barley; Item, to the belles of Thurlibye churche, A stryke of barley.
Item, to owre lady of Lincoln, iiij d.
Also, I bequeth to Iakan my son my howse that I dewlle yn, with my cart and cart-geyre, my plougth, and plough-geyre, And my crope on the ground: to enter on my howse at myd-somer, And he to pay the lordes rent.
Also, I bequeth to Iohn my sone all my free londe with-in the lordshipe of obthorpe in the pariche of Thurlybye aforsayd, one cowe, one awue, and A lambe.
Item, to nycholas, my son, A cowe, an awe, and A lambe.
Also, I bequeth to henry my son, my howse þat Iohn clerke dewllyth in, one cowe, one Awe, and A lambe.
Item, to willyam my son, one cowe, an awe, and a lamb.
Item, to Elezibeth my dowghter, one cowe, an awe, & A lambe.
To my awnt harby, an awe, and A lambe.
The resydewe of my goodes vnbequethyd I geue and bequeyth to willyam harbye, my Cosyn, whom I ordeyn and mak my hole executor, he to dispose hyt for the helth of my soule as he thinkyth best.
wytnes, Thomas Eldred þe Elder, willyam fraye, Iohn bakestare, with oþer more.
This Indenture made the viijth day of Apriell, The xxvjth yere of
the raigne of kynge henry the viijth. betwene Iohn Chambre, Clerke,
person and prebendary of
And william Iohnson, of Leighton bosserd aforesaide, gentilman, on the other partie,
Witnessyth that the sayd Iohn Chambre, by and with the assent and consent of the Reuerend ffadre in god Iohn bisshope of the Cathedrall chirche of owre lady Saincte Mary of Lincoln, And the deane & Chapitor of the same Cathedrall chirche, hath dimised graunted and by these presentes to ferme letten vnto the said Willyam all that his personage and prebend aforesayd, with the Mansyon Howses, bildynges, and edifies of the same, and all the glebe londes, and other tenementes, medowes, leses, pastures, and ffedynges, with the baylywikes, and all maner rentes, profyttes of courtes temporall, with allmaner tithes, oblacions, emolumentes, offerynges, profyttes, and other commodities what so euer they be, with there appurtenaunces, to the said personage and prebend in eny maner of wyse apperteynyng and belongyng
(Except and allway reserved vnto the sayd Iohn Chambre and his successours the advoson of the vicarige of the sayd parishe churche and prebend as often as it shall happen to fall voyde duryng the said terme; And excepte and also reserved vnto the same Iohn and his successours duryng the said terme the hall with twoo Chambers and sufficient stabellyng for x. horses when and as often as it shall pleasse the said Iohn Chambre and his successours to repayre and come to the same).
To haue and to holde all the said personage and prebend, Mansion-howses, bildynges, edifices, londes, tenementes, medowes, leses, pastures, feydynges, baylywykes, rentes, proffytes of the said courtes temporall, tithes, oblacions, emolumentes, offerynges, proffyttes, and other commodyties, with all and singuler there appurtenaunces (Except before excepted) to the said wyllyam from the feste of thannunciacion of owre lady saincte mary laste paste before the makyng hereof vnto the ende and terme of xxxvj. yeres then next ensuyng and fully to be complett
yeldyng and payng therfore yerly, duryng the sayd terme, to the
sayd Iohn Chambre and his successours lxxvjli xiijs iiij d.
And the sayd Iohn Chambre covenauntith and grauntyth to the sayd willyam that the same Iohn and his successours at there propre costes and charges shall well and sufficiently, from tyme to tyme duryng the sayd terme (as often as nede shall requyre), repayre, amend, and make tenauntable all and singuler the said Mansion-howses, bildynges, edifies, and the Chauncell of the sayd parishe chirche and prebend.
And also bere and pay all and singuler rentes, Dismes, and other chardges, what so ever they be, aswell now graunted or hereafter to be graunted to owre soueraigne lorde the kynge, as other Ordinary chardges to eny person or persons due or to be due, goyng owt of the said Prebend and parishe chirche or other the premisses; and therof clerely acquyte, discharge, saue and kepe harmeles, the sayd William and his executours duryng the said terme,
except only that the sayd willyam and his executours, at there propre costes and Chardges, shall as often as nede requirythe, duryng the sayd terme, mayntayne kepe and supporte the walles of the sayd Mansion-howses, bildinges, and edifies, hornhighe, and them so to leue in thende of the said terme:
And if it fortune the sayd yerely rente of lxxvjli xiijs iiijd. or eny parte therof to be behynde and not payde by the space of vj. weykes next after eny of the sayd festes in the which itt owght to be payde, That then it shalbe lefull vnto the sayd Iohn Chambre and his successours into all the sayd personage and prebend, Mansion-howses, and into euery other of the premisses, with ther appurtenaunces, holy to reenter, and the said william therof vtterly to expell, and them to haue and repossede in his fyrste astate, this indenture not withstondyng.
Provyded allway, that if it fortune the said william to dye within
the said terme of xxxvjti yeres, and the executours of the sayd
Willyam do not offre them selve to do and pay as moche mony yerely to
the said Iohn Chambre and his successours for the fferme of the
premisses as eny other person or persons will do and paye for the
same, That then the sayd terme
In wytnes wherof the parties above sayd to these presentes Indentures interchaungeably haue setto there seales the day and yere aboue Wrytten.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda at Lincoln, lf. 260 bk. and lf. 261.
A '
Ye shall vnderstande that the vnlaufull Iurisdiccion, powre, and aucthoryte, of longe tyme vsurped by the bisshope of rome in this realme, who then was called 'pope', is nowe by gods lawe, iustely, laufully, and vpon good groundes, reasons, and causes, by aucthorite of parliament, and by and with the hole consent and agrement of all the bisshops, prelates, and bothe the vniuersities of oxforth & Cambridge, and also the hole clergie of this realme, extincte and ceased for euer and of [no] strenghe, value, or effecte, in this realme of England.
In wiche realme the sayd hole clergie, Bisshops, prelates, and either of the convocacions of bothe provinces, with also the vniuersities of oxforthe and Cambridge, haue, accordyng to godes lawes, and vpon good and laufull reasons and groundes, knowleged the kynge's highnes to be supreme hede in erthe immedyatly vndre god of the chirche of Englande;
whiche there knowlege confessed, beyng nowe by parliament establisshed and by gods lawes Iustifiable to be iustely executed, Soo ought euery true christen subiecte of this realme not oonly to knowlege and obedyently to recognise the kynges highnes to be supreme hede in erthe of the churche of England, but also to speke, publisshe, and teache there children and seruauntes the same, and to shewe vnto them howe that the sayd bisshope of Rome hath heretofore vsurped not onlye vpon god, but also vpon princes of this realme and there progenitors;
Wherfore, and to thentent ye shold the better beleue me, and
In the name of god, Amen. In the yere of our lorde god a thousande five hundrede five and thirty and the xxiiijth daye of Iulij: I, william gybbyns, of hoole mynde, maketh my testament and will in this maner, of forme folowinge. —
ffirste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god, fadre of heuen; to our ladye saynte marye; and to all the company in heuen; my bodye to lye in the chirche of hamulden afore the fonte stone.
Item, I bequith to the modre chirche off lincoln, ij d.
Item, I bequeth to the highe aulter in the chirche of Hamulden, xx d.; Item, to the rode light, iij s. iiij d.
Item, to our ladye light in the
Item, I bequethe to euery light within the chirche of hamulden that hathe a stocke, iiij d.; Item, to all soulen light, xij d.
Item, I bequethe to Iohn Clerke, oon calffe, called a weyner.
Item, I bequethe to Rauff, my sonne, all my horses, with my ploughes, cartes, and all that belongeth therto.
Item, I will that Rauff my sone shall haue halffe of all maner of graynes and corne growinge in my fferme, soo that his own parte shalbe counted to make the halffe of the saide graynes and corne.
Item, I will that Rauff my sone shall haue the thirde parte of all maner vessell belonging to the kitchyn, bothe of pewder vessell and of brasse.
Item, I bequethe to Rauff, my sonne, oon bason of tynne, oon
chaffingdishe, twoo candelstickes, oon bedde called the maydens
Item, I bequethe to Rauff, my sonne, x. landes and all my hogges excepte oon boore.
Item, I bequethe to margarette adeyn oon paire of shetes, and twoo siluer spones.
Item, I bequethe to Issabell Mallett oon paire of shetes, and twoo spones.
Item, I bequethe to margery Aldridge oon paire of shetes, and x. shepe.
Item, I bequethe to william my sonne, x. shepe of bothe kyndes (ewes and wedres), and oon brasse potte.
Item, I bequethe to euery godchilde of myne within the parishe of Hamulden, iiij d.
Item, I bequethe to euery childe of my children begotten and nott maryed, iiij d.
Item, I bequethe to Iohn my sonne, x. shepe.
Item, I bequethe to Thomas my sonne, x shepe.
The residue of my goodes, nott willed nor bequethed, I will and bequethe to Iohn my sonne and to Thomas my sonne, whome I ordeyne and make myne executours.
And I will that the saide Iohn and Thomas shall vse and occupye the halffe of my ferme with my sonne Rauff, frome the tyme of my departynge frome this present worlde vnto the feaste of saynte mighell next folowinge; And I will that my sonnes Iohn and Thomas shall mynystre and dispose the prouffett that cometh of halffe my fferme, With my goodes nott given nor bequethed, for my soule and for the soule of my wiffe.
And I will and ordeyne david Almgill, chauntrye priste in Hamulden, ouersear of this my will; and he shall haue iij s. iiij d. for his labour.
Thise wittenes: david Almgill, chauntry priste; william gibbyns; Rauff gibbyns; Iohn Roccold, with other moo.
ffirste, I bequeth my soule to almighty god; and my bodye to be buryed in the churche off Agmondesham.
Also, I bequethe vnto the mother chirche off Lincoln, ijd.
Also, I bequethe vnto the highe aulter, iiij d.
Also, I bequethe my godes moveable and vnmoveable (after my dettes be paied and my will fulfilled) betwyxte Alice my wiffe, Iohn, and William my sonnes, equally to be devyded betwene them thre persones.
And iff any of my sonnes dye or euer they come to age, the longer liver to haue the other his parte; And they be both deade or that they be come to age, I will that the goodes goo to the prouffett off my soule and all christen soules to the mayntenaunce of a priste to singe for my soule and all christen soules.
Also, I doo make Alice my wiffe and Iohn my sone my full executours; and Roger benett and Richard Cuttler, ouersears to see this my will be fulfilled.
Wittenes to this: Sir Iohn polkyns, curate of Agmondesham; Iohn balon; Roger benett; and Richard Cuttler.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda at Lincoln,
lf. 266 bk. By a singular oversight the dates of both letters are
omitted. No copy of the Orders referred to is contained in the
Register, but their import may be gathered from the letters
themselves, as well as from the summary given in Froude's History.
The first letter contains an odd bit of indirect evidence as to the slowness with which even those in authority recognized the usefulness of the printer's art. Although it was clearly of importance that every cleric should know exactly the terms of the Orders he was called upon to observe, no printed copy of these Orders was distributed, but individual clerics were invited to write out each a copy for himself. In 1536-7 (No. LV) printed copies of the King's Orders were provided for distribution.
The Orders issued as to preachers were intended to prevent pulpit handling of the controversy as to the supremacy of the King or of the Pope over the Church of England. To that end, preachers were forbidden to handle controversial topics in their sermons, and to confine themselves to exhortations to fear God and honour the King. This was the precedent followed by Laud and Charles I, 1630 and onwards, in respect of the fierce controversy then waged as to predestination, when they forbade preachers to discuss the burning question of the hour. In both instances, authority was defied. Preachers and congregations were too keenly interested in the forbidden topic to leave off discussing it.
Further, no cleric was to presume to preach unless he had had a licence to preach granted him by his Bishop or Archdeacon. Care would, of course, be taken to refuse a licence to any cleric who was notoriously opposed to the King's claims.
Because of the general contempt shown to these Orders, in his
second letter, a year later in date, the bishop ordered the provision,
and due keeping, of a register of preachers in every church, with a
note of the subject touched on in each sermon. Following up this
idea, the Archdeacons, till quite recent years, at their every
Visitation, were very urgent with the
Each sermon was at this time preceded by the Bidding-prayer, so called because in it the preacher asked the congregation to pray for the persons, or the souls of persons departed, whom he specially commended to them. The terms of this prayer were left very much to the preacher himself, as he might feel himself directed by the statutes of the College to which he belonged or of the Chantry which he served. No doubt, preachers, up till now, had been in the habit of beginning their bidding-prayer with the words, 'Ye shall pray for the holy father, the pope'; and this was now forbidden. The bidding-prayer is still in use in Oxford before University Sermons in St. Mary's Church and City Sermons in the church of All Saints and St. Martin's, but in both cases the prayer now follows a printed form.
In the Register, on lf. 267, immediately after the two letters, two inhibitions are enrolled, one addressed to John Vyall, Warden of the Friars Minors of Bedford, the other to Edmund Philipes, rector of Maulden, Bedfordshire, cancelling their licences to preach and forbidding them to preach; dated, Old Temple, London, 11 March, 1535 [5-6].
I commende me vnto you. And here doo sende vnto you certeyn
wrytinges
And if ye shall knowe any persone refuse this ordre, to give notyce therof vnto me.
Sende ye forthe your apparytours that they maye call euery deanry by ther selves, And where they doo appere, Rede ye itt openly vnto them.
And if any persone will haue the copye therof, lett hym haue itt.
ye muste haue present ther, att the leste, all the heedes or
These saide wrytinges that I nowe sende you ar subscribed
This cause ye to be doon spedyly thrughoute your office, And offre an example of the saide wrytinges vnto euery priste that will write them oute.
I commende me in harty wise vnto you: And where I sent vnto you,
the laste yere, my lettres, with certayne wrytinges inclosed in the
same
And in ther sermondes dothe treate and dispute suche opynytive matters and doubtes as dothe radre gendre contraryetie and dissencion, than necessarye thinges apte for his audience or for the encrease of vertue and truthe,
And many of them nott auctorized to preache, And yett ar, by you and the curates, permytted and suffrede, contrarye vnto the said commaundement.
In consideracion whereof, I chardge you frome hensforthe to haue suche an eye, dyligent ouersight, and inquyrye in these premysses, that I maye with spede be certefied by you the names, aswell of all suche as hathe transgressed the saide ordre and commaundement, as of them that dothe preache any contencyous doubtefull matters, or without authoryte;
And also of all suche curates that dothe admytte or suffre any
suche nott auctorized persones to preache within ther chirches; And
all suche as settithe forthe the busshope of
And that ye giue especiall commaundement to all curates frome hensforthe to noote in a bill the names of euery oon that shall hereafter preache within ther chirches, and by whose authorytie they doo come, And howe they doo vse ther selues in ther sermondes; And to certefye you by ther wrytinges oones euery terme: And you to sende vnto me, or to my chancelour, ther saide certifycates, to thintent itt maye be knowen howe euery oon dothe vse them selves.
Thus fayle ye nott to doo with spede, as ye will aunswere therunto.
This Indenture made the xxth daye of ffebruarye In the xxvijth yere of the Raigne of our soueraigne lorde kynge henry the eight
Betwene Master Richard Wolman, clerke, prebendary of the prebend of Croperedy in the countie of oxon of the oone partye, And william gifforde of thrope moundyvyll in the countie off Northampton and george Gifforde brother vnto the said william gifforde, gentlemen, of the other partye,
Witnessyth that the said master Richard wolman hathe demysed
graunted and to fferme lett, And by these presentes dothe demyse
graunte and to fferme lett, vnto the aforesaid
To haue & to holde the foresaid prebend, houses, Rentes, tythes, and all other emolumentes and prouffettes aforesaid (except before excepted), to the said william gifforde and george gifford and to ther assignes, ffrom the ffeaste of thannunciacion of our lady next ensuyng after the date hereof vnto thende and terme of Thyrtie yeres then next ffolowyng ffully to be complet and ended,
yeldyng and payng therfore yerely duryng the terme aforesaid vnto
And if itt happen the said yerely Rent of ffyfty poundes or eny
parte therof to be behynde vnpayde in parte or in all vnto the said
master Richard wolman duryng his liffe att the said mansion house
within the said towne of westmester after eny of the foresaid ffeastes
in whiche itt ought to be paide by the space of three monethes, or
after the decesse of the said master Richard woleman to be behynde
vnpayd vnto eny of his successours by the foresaid tyme and space of
three monethes & a daye, att the parische chirche of Cropredy
aforesaid, that then and ffrom-thensforthe ytt shalbe laufull vnto the
said master Richard woleman, and his Successours, into the said
prebend and all other the premisses afore letten, And into euery
parcell therof, to reentre And the same to repossede and inioye as in
his or ther former
And alsoo the said william and george couenauntyth and graunteth and ether of them Seuerally couenaunteth and graunteth by hym selffe for hym his executours and assignes with the said master Richard woleman and his successours that they the said william Gyfford and George gifforde ther executours and assignes shall yerely duryng the said terme of thirtie yeres att the proper costes and chardgies of the said william and george, bere, content, and paye aswell A certyn yerely pension or annuell Rent called a sept disme yerely goynge out of the said prebend vnto the deane and Chapitour of the Cathedrall churche of lincoln, As also all other chardgies whiche of olde tyme hathe bene due and customably payd vnto the deane and chapitre of the said chirche of lincoln And of all the same shall clerly acquyte and dischardge the said master Richard and his successours duryng the said terme.
And that the said william and george, ther executors and assignes, att ther own propre costes and chardgies, shall yerely duryng the fforesaid terme of xxxti yeres repare vpholde mayntene and susteyne all the houses and buyldynges of the said prebende in all maner of Reparacions, And in all hedgyng and dychynge belongyng vnto the said prebend or eny parte therof, And the same houses byldynges hedgys and dyches, soo suffycyently repared maynteyned and susteyned, in the ende of the said terme of yeres shall leve and yelde vppe, Except in gret tymber whiche the said master Richard and his successours att the resonable requeste of the said william and george, and ether of them, there executours and assignes, shall ffynde and delyuer att his or there propre costes and chardgies duryng the said terme when and as often as nede shall requyre.
Provyded allwayes that itt shall not be laufull vnto the said william and george, nor to ether of them, ther executors, or assignes, att eny tyme within the foresaid terme of thirtie yeres to ffell, cute downe, or carry away, eny tree or trees standyng or growyng in or vpon eny of the premisses to them before lett, withoute the lycence and consent of the said master Richard woleman or of his deputye duryng his liffe, And (after his discease) of his Successours ther, therein before hadde and obteyned.
Provyded allwayes, and the said william and george covenaunte and
graunte and ether of hym by them selffe (sic) couenaunteth and
graunteth for him and his executours by these presentes to and with
the said master Richard woleman and his successours that if itt happen
ether of the said william and george to dye within the said terme of
thirtie yeres that then the Suruiuour and longer lyuer of the said
william and george within oone quarter of a yere next after the
decesse of hym that ffirste dothe soo decease shall ffynde vnto the
said master Richard woleman or his Successours for the tyme beynge
oone other hable & suffycyent
Provyded alsoo, and the said william and george couenaunte &
graunte and ether of them by hym selffe covenaunteth and graunteth for
hym and his executors to and with the said master Richard woleman and
his successours that, if itt fortune the said william and george bothe
to decease duryng the foresaid terme of thirtie yeres, that then the
executours administratours or assignes of the survivor of the said
william or george, within one quarter of A yere next after the decease
of the survivour of the said william and george, shall ffynde vnto the
said master woleman or his successours for the tyme beynge oone other
suffycyent hable and laufull person, whiche with the said executours,
admynystratours, or assignes of the foresaid survivour of the said
william and george, shalbe bounde Ioyntly and seuerally vnto the said
master Richard wolman or to his successours for suche [time] beyng in
the sume of one hundrith markes, aswell for the true contentacion and
payment of the annuall rent of ffyfty poundes to be [due] and payable
after the
And ffurthermore the said Master Richard woleman couenaunteth and
graunteth, that if the said william gifforde & george gifforde,
ther executours and assignes, on this or ther parte or parties doo
well and truely content and paye yerely vnto the said master woleman
the fforesaid annuall Rent of ffyfty poundes att the aforesaid mansion
house of the said master Richard wolman in the towne of westminster
within the fforesaid tyme of three monethes next after ether of the
said dayes of payment; And if the said master Richard woleman fortune
to dye within the said terme of xxxti yeres, And, after that, the said
william and george and ther assignes doo well and truely content and
paye the said Rent of ffyfty poundes and euery parte therof vnto the
Successors of the said master Richard att the dayes before lymytted or
within three monethes and oone daye then next ffolowyng att the
chirche in Croperedy before said; And observe, performe, fulfyll and
kepe, all and euery the
In witnes wherof the parties abovesaid to thiese indentures interchangeably haue sett ther seales.
Yoven the day and yere abovesayd.
Bishop John Longland's confirmation made use of the same formula as above, p. 173; but the blank spaces left for place and date of affixing his seal have not been filled in.
The Hospital not being legally a body corporate, the Warden for the time being could grant no lease which would be binding on his successor; and, therefore, in order to effect a valid lease for years, he had to call in, exactly as a prebendary had, the dominating authority of the bishop. The stipulations as to re-modelling of the buildings deserve special attention. So also those as to legal proceedings to be taken to repel encroachments on the estate.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda at Lincoln, lf. 272, lf. 272 bk., lf. 273.
Mere hospital (an extra-parochial place) was founded at Dunston
(southeast of Lincoln city) by Simon de Roppele before A. D. 1246.
The Mastership was in the gift of the bishop of Lincoln, or, if the
see were vacant, of the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln. After the
Reformation, the property was settled on Lincoln Grammar
School. — Dugdale, Monasticon, vi. 766; Victoria County History (Lincolnshire), ii. 233.
This Indenture made the xxiijti day of Apriell In xxviijth yere of the raigne of our moste dreade souereigne Lorde henry the viijth, kyng of Ingland, of ffrance, defendour of the faith, lorde of Irland, And in the Erthe supreme hede of the churche of Ingland,
Betwyne Sir Iohn Lounde of mere in the countie of Lincoln, chapeleyne and keper of thospitall of Saynct Iohn baptiste of mere before said, of the oon partie,
And Thomas Hall off Colby besyde Navenby in the said countie of Lincoln, gentleman, of that other partye,
Wytnessythe that the forsaid Ser Iohn Lounde, chaplayne and keper of the sayd Hospytall, hathe graunted dymysed and to fferme letten and by these presentes grauntyth dymysyth and to fferme lettyth to the fforesaid Thomas Hall his manour and hospitall of Mere beforesaid with allmaner of landes, rentes, Closes, medowes, pastures, ffennys, ffedynges, sheipe-gaittes, ffyshinges, woodes, rentes, prouffyttes of courtes and lettes, of ffynes, Amercyamentes, wayffes, extrahies, with all and singuler rightes, avauntagies, and commodyties to the same manour and hospitall in eny wise apperteynyng or belonging.
Excepte and reserued allway to the said chaplayne & keper and to his Successours keapers and chaplayns of the said hospitall for the tyme beyng oone honest Chamber with A Chymney in the same ffor the lodgyng of the said Chaplayne and keaper and his seruaunte, with stable Rome ffor twoo horses and Lytter for the same horses att suche and all tymes as he shalbe resydent and abydyng vpon the same hospitall.
To haue and to holde the said maner and hospitall, with the
Yeldyng and paying yerely duryng the said terme, for the same, to the sayd Ser Iohn Lounde and to his Successours, Chaplayns and keapers of the sayd hospitall, ffive poundes six shillinges and eight pense of good and Laufull money of Englande att the ffeastes of Sayncte mychaell tharchangell and thannunciacion of our lady yerely by euyn porcions to be payd.
Also, the foresaid Thomas hall dothe couenaunte and graunte that he his executors and assignes shall beare & susteyne the chardges of all and synguler paymentes of owt rentes and other resolucions (aswell ordynary as extraordinary), Excepte the yerely payment of the kinges tenthe[s] and of the ffirst ffructes of and for the same hospitall whan soeuer they shall chaunce to be due, whiche tenthes & ffirst ffructes shall alway be paid by the said Chaplayne and keaper and his Successours.
And, moreouer, the said Thomas hall his executours & assignes shall beare & susteyne the chardges of all and singuler reparacions to be maide in & vpon the sayde hospitall and of the howses and byldynges belongyng to the same, at his and there propre costes and chardges, duryng the said terme; and in the ende of the said terme the said Thomas his executours and assignes shall leiffe and give vp the said hospitall suffycyently reparyd, as is beforesaid.
Neuerthelesse itt is couenaunted & agreed betwyne the said
parties that the foresaid Thomas hall his executors or assignes shall
and may haue power and libertye to allter and chaunge & transforme
the howses and buyldynges of the said hospitall att his or thaire
Also, itt is couenaunted & agreed betwyne the said parties
Moreouer, the said Thomas hall his executours and assignes shall take and haue, duryng the said terme, to and for thaire necessarye ffewell, reparacions, and buyldynges, woode & Tymber, aswell in Mere okes as els where, soo that the same be spente occupyed & imployed vpon the same hospitall & in no other place, withoute eny Escrippe or waste to be made of the same in eny wise by the said Thomas hall his executours or assignes.
Also, itt is covenaunted & agreed vpon the partie & behalf of the foresaid Ser Iohn Lounde, that he shall allway duryng his interest in the fforesayd hospitall commense mayntayne & iustyfye in his own name all singuler laufull accyons sewttes and pleys, and defend the same, for the conseruacion of the rightes of the said hospitall and of eny parcell of the same, and for the recoueryng agayne of the landes rentes and other rightes ffrom the sayd hospitall heretofore withdrawen and taken away, And the costes & chardges in the lawe of the same sewtes shall allway be boren & susteyned at the propre costes and chardges of the said Thomas hall his executours & assignes; And, for and yn recompence of the same costes & chardges, the said Thomas hall his executors and assignes shall haue and inioye the sayd landes rentes and other rightes so laufully to be recouered as parcell of his said ferme duryng the foresaid terme of xxjti yeres.
And if it happen the sayd yerely rent of vli vjs viijd to be
behynde & not payd in parte or in the hole by the space of ffourty
dayes next after eny of the said feastes when it owght to be payd,
then itt shalbe laufull to the said Ser Iohn Lounde,
And if itt happen the said yerely rent of vli vjs viijd to be behynde and not payd, in the parte or in the hole, by the space of ffoure monethes next after eny of the said ffeastes when itt owght to be payd as is beforesaid, if it be Asked at Mere beforesayd and no suffycyent distresse there ffounden, That then it shalbe laufull to the said ser Iohn Lounde Chaplayne & keaper [oþer the sayd Iohn hall] and to his Successours chaplayns and keapers of the same to reentre to the same Manour & Hospitall of Mere beforesaid with oþer the premisses and appurtenaunces beforesaid, And the said Thomas hall his executours & assignes to put oute & expell ffrom þe same, this present Lease or Indentures in enywise not withstandyng.
In Wytnes of all and synguler premysses, either of þe parties abouenamed to this presente Indentures interchaungeably haue put there Seales, the day & yere aboue wrytten.
This Indenture made the xxijth day of Iune In the yere of our lorde god A thousand ffive hundreth and xxxvjth,
Witnessyth that master william ffleshemonger prebendary of Carlton kyme in the cathedrall churche of Lincoln hath graunted demysed and to fferme letten vnto Thomas dymmoke, esquyer, his prebend of Carlton kyme aforesaid (otherwise called the prebend of Carlton cum Dalby), with all houses theron buylded, glebe Landes, medowes, pastures, communes, ffedynges, places, tythes, oblacions, Rentes, pensyons, proffettes, and all other and singuler commodyties and aduantagies, with ther appurtynaunces, in eny maner of wise to the said prebende or eny parte or porcion therof belongyng or apperteynyng, in the countie of lincoln, in as ample and lardge maner as euer the saide Thomas dymmoke or eny other ffermours of the said prebend euer hadd vsed or occupyed the same.
To haue and to holde the said prebend and all other and singuler
the premisses with ther appurtynaunces in the countie aforesaid vnto
the said Thomas Dymmoke, esquyer, his executors, or assignes, ffrom
the ffeaste of saincte Michaell tharchangell
Yeldyng and payng therfore yerely vnto the said william ffleshmonger, prebendary aforesaid, and his Successours, ffive poundes sex shillinges and eight pence of laufull englishe money: that is to say, att the ffeastes of thannunciacion of our lady and sainct Michaell tharchangell by euen porcions.
And more-ouer, the said Thomas dymmoke couenaunteth and graunteth to and with the said Master william ffleshemonger, and his successors, that he and his assignes shall yerely duryng the said terme ffynde twoo prestes to syng seuerally, oone at Carlton kyme, And the other att Dalby aforesayd, And to mynyster sacramentes and sacramentalles ther, att his or there propre costes and chardgies.
And also shall paye yerely to the deane and Chapitour of the cathedrall churche of Lincoln all sepdismes and mynystracions, that is to say, xxj s. v d., And for the admynystracions iij s. ij d., due of and for the sayd prebend duryng the said terme.
And also the said thomas Dymmoke couenaunteth that he and his
assignes shall stande chardgied with thacke, morter, and wallyng of
all the said mansions of the said prebend duryng all the said terme,
att his and ther costes
And if itt happen the said Rent of vli vjs viijd to be behynde and not paide att eny of the said ffeastes that itt ought to be payd att And after by the space of xvth dayes, That then itt shalbe laufull vnto the said master william ffleshmonger clerke and his successours to entre and distreyne And the distresse so taken laufully to dryue carry awaye and empounde. And the same to witholde vnto suche tyme as he or they of the said Rent with the arreragies and the costes ffor the withholdyng of the same be fully content, satisfyed, and payd.
And if itt happen the said Rent or eny parte or parcell therof to
be behynde and not paid att eny of the said ffeastes that itt ought to
be payd at And after by the space of oone moneth, And noo suffycyent
distresse ther to be ffounde, Than itt shalbe
In wytnes wherof the said parties to thiese present indentures interchangeably haue sett ther seales the daye and yere abovewriten.
I, Agnes wigston, wedowe, nouther disponsed ne contracted to eny man, butt single woman, with suffycyent deliberacion, with a good contynuance of tyme hadd, doo here promysse and make myn avowe, to god, and to our lady, and to all his sainctes: In presence of you, Reuerend ffadre, my lorde Iohn bisshoppe of Lincoln myn ordynary, ffull purpose, ffrom this day fforwarde, to kepe viduall contynence and chastyte, In the name of the ffadre, and of the sone, And of the holye gooste. Amen. And in wytnes of this my profession I doo signe this bill with my own hand, +.
This Indenture, made the xixth day of Septembre the xxviijth yere of the Raigne of kyng henry the viijth, betwixt master Iohn harden, channon of the Cathedrall churche of Lincoln and prebendary of the prebend of welton brynkhall within the Countie of Lincoln of the oone partie, And Gawen Skelton of welton in the sayd Countie yoman of the other partie:
Wytnessyth that the said master Iohn harden hath dymysed graunted and to fferme latten to the said gawen Skelton his foresaid prebend, with all and singuler houses, tythes, Rentes, libertes, and other commodyties and proffettes therto belongyng,
To haue, holde, and occupye the sayd prebend with all the premysses therto belongyng, vnto the sayd gawen Skelton and his assignes, ffrom the feaste of thannunciacion of our lady last past afore the date hereof vnto thende and therme of ffyvehty and oone yeres then next and immedyatly ffolowyng fully to be complett & ended,
yeldyng and payng therfore yerely, vnto the foresayd Master Iohn
harden and his Successours or assignes, ffive poundes of lefull money
of England att twoo termes in the yere, that is to say att Whitsonday
& saintte Martyn
And the foresayd gawen promysyth, and by thiese presentes graunteth that he and his assignes shall yerely supporte maynteyn and beyre all maner costes and chardges of thakke and mortar to the houses (with thappurtenaunces) to the sayd prebend belongyng, duryng all the said terme of ffyvehty & oone yeres; And, in thende of the sayd terme, them suffycyently repayred shall leve at their propre Costes and chardges.
And the sayd master Iohn harden couenaunteth and graunteth to and with the foresaid Gawen Skelton that he and his Successours shall yerely pay, supporte, and maynteyn all other chardges belongyng to þe said prebend duryng all the terme beforesayd.
And if itt ffortune the said Rent of ffive poundes in parte or in the holle to be behynd vnpaid after eny of þe foresayd ffeastes that itt owght to be payd att by the space of oone moneth, than itt shalbe lefull to the sayd master Iohn harden and hys Successours into the sayd prebend and euery parcell therof to enture and distrayne And the dystresses soo taken to leyde, dryue and Carry away and them to hold and occupye to suche tyme as the sayd Rent with costes and chardgies made aboute the same then be fully contentyd, Satysfyed and payd.
And Iff itt ffortune the sayd Rent in parte or in the hole be
behynd vnpayd after eny of the said ffeastes that itt owght to be paid
att by the space of three monethes, or the said Reparacions nott
suffyently don, That than itt shalbe lefull to the fforsaid master
Iohn Harden, and his Successors, into the beforesayd prebend, with
thappurtenaunces, to Re-enture and into there handes the same to take
ayen as in there fformer
In Wytnes wherof the parties abovesayd to thies Indentures haithe interchaungeably putt there Seales, the day and yere above sayd.
The trouble about Holy-days was not that there were several of them in each month in Church Calendar, and that the bells rang for service on these days, morning and evening; but that attendance at such Holy-day services was compulsory on all parishioners, and non-attendance was punishable at the discretion of the Ecclesiastical Courts. Consequently, work on these days, however urgent in the interest of the farm, was contrary to Canon Law, and punishable.
To show the working of the system, I give some examples,
(a) the Court fees: at least 4d. to the apparitor for serving the citation, and at least 12d. to the Court for hearing the case; and, often, like fees for recording the performance of the order made by the Court, so as to have a formal conclusion of the case;
(b) the day taken up to attend the Court, which, generally, was held at some centre a long way from the accused man's abode; and the expenses incurred in the journey;
(c) the disgrace of being herded, on a mere charge of doing work or taking part in athletics, with a crowd of parish offenders, brought into court because of gross offences against decency and morality.
7 November, 1586, a young man of Romford was brought into the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex on the charge of 'plaieinge at stoole-bawle on holie Thursdaie last in service tyme, and gave crewell wordes to the churchwardens for demaundinge 12d. of him for his absence from church'. He admitted that he had been at stool-ball that afternoon, but asserted that he had been at Evening Prayer. He was sentenced to pay 12d. to the poor; and (of course) had to pay court and apparitor's fees.
5 May, 1592, Richard Jeffercy, of Asheldham, Essex, was brought before the Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, on the charge that he 'had procured company together, and plaied at foote-ball' in Hackwell, Essex, on Easter Monday, in Evening Service time. He pleaded that he 'did not knowe that there was at Hackwell any eveninge prayer' on that day. He was ordered to pay 4d. to the poor of Asheldham.
8 May, 1591, Richard Jeppe, of Chignall Mary and James, Essex, was
charged before the Archdeacon of Essex, with having carted and carried
hay on our Lady Day last. He admitted On Sunday nexte, immediately after the seconde lesson is red at
eveninge praier, to come into the bodye of the churche, and, before
the minister, to acknowledge his falte, and shew himselfe sorie for
that his seruante did breake the queen's law, and promise that there
shall not be the like falte committed againe.
On June 15, 1591, this Richard Jeppe paid 4d. to an apparitor of the court, to have his certificate of having duly made apology (as ordered) put on record.
14 September, 1591, Thomas Sorrell, of Woodham Ferrers, Essex, attended the Court held in Ingatestone Church, to answer the charge that he 'went to ploughe vpon Bartholomew daye last in the forenoone'. He was ordered to pay 2s. to the use of the poor.
Before Henry VIII's decree, the burden of Holy-days was especially grievous, because several of these fell within the busy weeks of harvest, when, in view of the scarcity of food (each harvest being barely sufficient for the needs of the country), and of the uncertainty of the weather, every effort ought to have been made on favourable days to get the grain safely into barn. So far as Henry VIII's Order in Council dealt with this national trouble, it is most laudable. It is even to be regretted that a like measure of relief was not extended to the equally important, and equally weather-troubled, season of haymaking, if not also to ploughing and sowing in years when the weather hampered these works.
If such reasonable relief had been given in these respects, there would have been no need for the abolition of certain distinctive local Festival-days, as by this Order in Council was ruthlessly enjoined.
Every parish had its own two local Holy-days; (i) the day of the patron-saint to which the church was dedicated; (ii) the day of the dedication of the church.
This second festival probably perpetuated, by unwritten but
Two examples of the two parish festival-days may be given:
At All Saints, Oxford, the patronal-day was, of course, November 1,
All Saints day; but it is on record that the dedication-day of the
church was November 18. At St. Michael's North Gate, Oxford, the
patronal-day was September 29 (St. Michael and All Angels), but the
dedication-day of the church was October 16, a later St. Michael
festival (St. Michael in
The Order in Council appointed (infra, p. 218) four days, one at the end of each quarter, to be 'the foure generall offeryng dayes'. I hazard the opinion that this was done to reduce to uniformity the practice of different churches in keeping their yearly masses in commemoration of their founders and benefactors.
My information about these comes from the Bursars'
Accounts in the Archives of Lincoln College, Oxford.
At All Saints Church, Oxford, this mass was said once a year,
generally about the end of January, but apparently on a day chosen at
random each year. The churchwardens, I assume, paid the charges out
of the moneys they had in hand. 1506 [beginning of February], recept. in obitu pro
benefactoribus ecclesie, 1d. [i.e. the one-penny oblation at the
mass.] 1514 [end of November], recept. in anniversario
benefactorum Omnium Sanctorum, 5d. 1517 [end of January],
recept. pro conductione cere benefactorum ecclesie, 6d.; pro exequiis
de benefactoribus ecclesie, 6d. 1520 [late in January], pro
Compositione cere in exequiis benefactorum, 12d.; pro oblationibus in
missa, 1d. 1525 [late in January], in anniversario
benefactorum ecclesie, 1d.; pro compositione luminis in anniversario
benefactorum ecclesie, 12d.
At St. Michael's, Oxford, this mass was said once a quarter, but,
apparently, not on fixed days. The charges for it were generally 3d.,
viz 1d. for the offering at Mass, and 2d. for the 1505 [once in each of the four quarters], in obitu pro ecclesia,
1d.; pro cera, 2d. 1508, in communi obitu, 3d. [about 27
February, 14 May, 23 July, 3 December]. 1510 [about 21 January],
for the town dyrg, 2d.; [about 17 June] pro compositione exequiarum
communium, 3d. 1512, in exequiis communibus, pro cera et
oblatione, 3d. [about 28 February, …. 1 August, 28
November]. 1513 [about 19 June], for the quarter deryge,
3d. 1517 [about 25 January],
fforasmoche as the nombre of holydayes is so excessyuely growen, and yet dayly more and more by mens 'devocion' (yee, rather, 'supersticion') was like further to incresse, that the same was (and shuld be) not only preiudicyall to the commune weale by reason that itt is occasion as well of moche slouthe and ydelnes (the very nourishe of theves, vagabundes, & of dyuers other vnthriftynes and inconvenyences) as of decaye of good mysteryes & artes (vtile and necessary for the commune weale), and loosse of mans foode (many tymes beyng clene destroyde throught the superstitiouse obseruance of the said holydayes in not taken the oportunytie of good and serene wether offred vpon the same in tyme of haruest): but also pernytyouse to the soules of many men, whiche, beyng intysed by the lycentiouse vacacion & libertie of those holydayes, doo vpon the same commonlye vse and practize more excesse, ryote & superfluyte than vpon any other dayes; And, sith the sabbote day was ordeyned butt for man's vse, and therfore ought to give place to the necessyte and behove of the same whan so euer that shall occure, moche moche (sic) rather any other holyday institute by man: It is therfore, by the kynges highnes aucthorite, as supreme hedde on erthe of the chirche of England, with the commune assent and consent of the prelates and clergie of this his realme in convocacion laufully assembled and congregate, (emonges other thinges) decreed ordeyned and establisshed
ffirst, that the feast of Dedycacion of the churche shall in all places throught-oute this realme be celebrate and kept on the ffirst sonday of the moneth of octobre for euer, and vpon no other day.
Item, that the feaste of the patrone of euery churche within this
realme (called commenly the churche holyday) shall not ffrom
hensforthe be kept or observed as a holyday, as heretofore hath bene
vsed, butt that it shalbe laufull to all and singuler
Also, that all those ffeastes or holydayes whiche shall happen to
fall or occurre ether in the harvest tyme (whiche is to be counted
ffrom the ffirst day of Iulie vnto the xxixth day of Septembre), or
els in the terme tyme att westmynstre, shall not be kept or observed
from hensforthe as holydayes, butt that itt may be laufull for euery
man to go to his worke or occupacion vpon the same, as vpon eny
oþer workye day (Except alwayes the feastes of thappostelles, of
oure
Prouided allways that itt may be laufull to all prestes and Clerkes, aswell seculer as Reguler, in the fforsaid holydayes nowe abrogate, to synge or say there accustomed seruice for those holydayes in there churches, So that they doo nott the same solempnly, nor do ringe to the same after the maner vsed in highe holydayes, ne doo commaunde or indicte the same to be kept or observed as holydayes.
ffynally, the ffeastes of the Natyuyte of oure lorde, of Easter, of the Natyuyte of saynte Iohn the baptist, and of saincte Michaell tharchangell, shalbe from hensforthe counted, accepted, and taken for the ffoure generall offering Dayes.
And, for ffurdre declaracion of the premisses, be itt knowen that
Easter terme begynnythe allways the xviijth day
after Easter day (rekeynyng Easter day for oone) and endyth the monday
next after thascentyon day.
Trinite terme begynnyth allways the wensday
next after thoctaues of Trinite sonday, and endeth the xjth or xijth
day of Iulie.
Hillarye terme begynneth the xxiijti or
xxiiijti day of Ianuary and endeth the xijth or xiiijth day of
ffebruary.
In Easter terme, vpon the ascention day;
In Trinite terme, vpon the natyuyte of saincte Iohn baptist;
In Michaelmas terme, vpon Alholon day;
In Hillarie terme, vpon Candelmas day;
The kynges Iuges att westmynster hall doo nott vse to sit in Iugment, nor vpon eny Sonday.
The attribution of these letters, by the copyist who enrolled them
in Bishop Longland's Register, is at first sight puzzling; but is
readily explained by his having put down 'duke of Clarence' for the
'duchy of Clarence office'. The facts are sufficiently stated in
James Wright's History and Antiquities of
… Rutland (1684), pp. 130, 131. Uppingham manor belonged to
Anne Beauchamp, sister and heiress (1449) of Henry, 15th earl and 1st
duke of Warwick, and wife of Richard Nevil, 17th earl of Warwick.
After her husband's death on Barnet field, 1471, Uppingham (with other
of her estates) was settled on her elder daughter Isabel, wife of
George, Duke of Clarence (brother of Edward IV). After the attainder
of 'false perjured Clarence' in January 1477-8, his estates were
forfeited to the
Welbelouede, we grete you well. And howe beit that heretofore we toke direccion that ye shulde suffre the tenauntes of Lydington to entrecomyne with you in a comyn callede Brente till the mater of variaunce dependinge betwixte you and them were determynede, Yett nathelesse we bene enformede that, contrarye to the same our direccion and our commaundemente therupon to you yeuen, ye disturbe them in the same, to our grette meruaile and displeasour. Wherefore we eftesones write vnto you, chardginge you neither to doo or attempte from hensforthe anythinge contrarye to our saide commaundemente, as ye will answere; butt that ye suffre the said tenauntes of Lydington to entrecomyne in the same comyn till the saide mater be determynede. Yeuen vndre our signet att London the xvth daye of Marche.
Welbelouede, we grete you well. And forasmoche as the reuerende
fadre in god and our righte welbelouede, the busshoppe of Lincoln,
hathe offrede vnto vs tabide the Iudgemente of vs and our counsaile in
suche variaunce as is late fallen betwene you and his tenauntes of
Lydington for suche comyn as his saide tenauntes
In the name of god, amen: the xxijti daye of Marche in the yere of our lorde god a thousande five hundrede thirtye and seven, I, Iohn Iosephe, seruaunte with my lorde of Lincoln, make my testamente and laste will in forme folowinge.
ffirste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god, and to our blessyde seincte marye, and to all the blyssede companye of heuen, and my bodye to be buryede where itt shall please my lorde of Lincoln.
Also, I will that my modre shall haue all my landes as longe as she liffe, and after hir decesse I will that itt shall goo to hir children.
Also, master Lee hathe a hundrith marke of money of myn in kepinge, the whiche hundrith marke I will that my lorde of Lincoln shall haue att his disposicion as he thynkethe beste.
Also, william Sowthall hathe x s. of myn the whiche x s. I will that my lorde of Lincoln shall haue att his disposicion.
And all the reste of my goodes nott given, I putt them att the disposicion of my Lorde of Lincoln.
These beinge witenes: ser Iohn white, curate of seincte andrewes in holborn; and thomas Tilworthe, with other moo.
ffirste, I bequethe my soule to almighty god, &c.; and my bodye to be buryede in the bodye of the chirche of dorney.
Item, I bequethe to the modre chirche of Lincoln, ij d.
Item, I bequethe to the highe aulter in the parishe chirche of dorney, xij d.; Item, I bequethe to the roode lighte, viij d.; Item, to seincte Iames lighte, vj d.
Item, I will that a honeste priste doo singe for the soule of
master william butler, sometyme canon of the colledge of seincte
george in wyndesore, by the space of oon hoolle yere; and he for to
haue for his wagies vjli xiij s. iiij d., prouyded that if ser Robert
norres maye haue licence of thabbesse of burnham for to singe in the
abbey aforesaide for the soules of the foresaide Mr. William butler
and of ser Thomas buck twoo yeres, thenne he for to haue the saide
vjli xiij s. iiij d. for his twoo yeres wagies, and he for to saye
thre dyriges in euery weke, and
Item, I will that euery oon of my godchildren haue vj d. for to praye for my soule.
Item, I bequethe to pristes and clerkes att my buryinge and att my monethes mynde xl s.
Item, I bequethe to the poore folkes of dorney in bredde ale and chese to the valour of xx s. to be delte att my buriall and att my monethes mynde.
The residue of my goodes (my debtes paide, my legacies fulfillede) I geve and bequethe to my executours, for to dispose them in charitable dedes as they shall thynke beste.
Item, I ordeyne and make my executours of this my laste will & testamente Thomas Manfelde, gentleman, and Mr. william bolton, vicar of dorney.
And I give and bequethe to either of them for there laboures xl s.
These beinge witenes: Iohn goldwyn and Robart goldwyn, with many moo.
See in the Forewords, p. 22, supra. The special proviso that the parish-priest appointed by the parishioners shall minister to all residents in Lincoln College was required by the fact that some rooms in the College were within the bounds of St. Michael's parish, so that, except for this proviso, the All Saints parish-priest might have judged them outside his cure.
The fact that one penny was an accustomed and usual offering at a mass is shown on many occasions in Lincoln College documents. It will be enough to cite one special instance, and to refer to the general instances of the church-obits at All Saints, Oxford, and St. Michael's, Oxford (supra, p. 215 and p. 216).
On 30 June, 6 Henry VIII (1514), Lincoln College agreed with Sir
William Finderne, knight, of Childrey, Berks., to keep a yearly obit
at Childrey, at which the College should give to the rector of
Childrey (if present) 8d.; for wax-light, 4d.;
This Indenture, made the xiiijth daye of marche in the xxxti yere of the reigne of our moste dredde souereigne lorde kinge henry the eighte,
betwene hughe Weston, bacheler of dyuynitie and Rector of Lincoln colledge within the vnyuersitie of oxon, and the fealowes and scolers of the same colledge, on the oon partie
and william paw and william Tylcokes, chirchewardens of the parishe
of all seinctes within the towne of oxon,
witenessethe that the saide rector, fealowes and scolers of the saide colledge, with their oon assente and consente, have, for them and their successours, dymysede, grauntede, and to ferme lett and by thes presentes dothe dymyse, graunte, and to ferme lett vnto the foresaide william and william and to their successours, chirchewardens of the saide parishe chirche, all that their parsonage and vicarage sette, lyinge, and beinge within the saide parishe of all seinctes within the towne of oxon aforesaide, with all maner of oblacions, tuythes, emolumentes, all other prouffettes and commodyties whate soeuer they be, with their appurtenaunces, thereunto belonginge or in any maner of wise appertayninge.
To have and to holde the said personage, vicarage, and other the premysses and euery parcell thereof, with their appurtenaunces, vnto the foresaide william paw and william Tylcoke and their successours, chirchewardens of the saide chirche, to the oonly vse and behove of the saide chirche and the holle parischeners of the saide parishe, frome the feaste of the Natyuitie of our lorde god laste paste before the date of thes premysses vntill thende and terme of thirtye yeres thenne nexte ensuinge fully to be complete and endede.
Yeldinge and paynge therefore yerely duringe the saide terme to the saide rector, fealowes, scolers and their successours, liij s. iiij d. of good and lawfull money of englond (above all chardgies), to be paide att twoo vsuall termes in the yere within the saide parishe chirche of all seinctes, That is to saye, att the feaste of Easter and the feaste of seincte mighell tharchaungell by even porcions.
Also, the saide william and william couenauntethe and graunthethe
by thes presentes for them and their successours, chirchewardens,
proctours, rulers or gouernors (by whate soeuer name here after in
tyme to come they shalbe namede and callede by), to and with the saide
rector, fealowes, scolers and their successoures that they the saide
william and william and their successours or other above namede, or
assignes, chirchewardens of the saide chirche, proctours, rulers or
gouernours or by whate soeuer other names they or their successoures
shalbe namede
with the chardgies and expenses of synginge bredde, wyne, waxe, and oyle, with all other necessaryes and chardgies (ordynarye and extraordynarye) appertayninge or belonginge to the saide chirche, att their own propre costes, chardgies and expenses duringe the saide terme.
Also, the saide william and william covenauntethe and grauntethe by thes presentes, for them and their successours chirchewardens, to and with the saide rector, fealowes, and scolers, and their successoures, that they the saide william and william chirchewardens and their successoures chirchewardens, proctours, rulers or gouernours or by whate soeuer oþer name in tyme to come they or their successours shalbe namede and callede by, shall beare and paye all maner of dueties and chardgies that hereafter shalbe due to the busshope of the dioces and to tharchedeacon of the same shire or to any persone or persones duringe the saide [term].
Also, the saide rector fealowes and scolers covenauntethe and grauntethe by thes presentes, for them and their successours, to and with the foresaide william and william and their successours chirchewardens proctours gouernours and rulers of the saide chirche and with the holle parisheners of the same parishe, that they the saide rector (accordinge to his statute) and the fealowes and scolers of the saide colledge and their successours shall kepe, euery sondaye, holydayes, and pryncipall feastes and other festyuall holidayes & all other holydayes that fallethe within the yere, dyvyne seruice within the saide chirche as they be nowe accustomede and haue vsede of olde tyme to doo, excepte in tyme of infyrmytie and sekenes.
Also, the saide rector fealowes and scolers couenauntethe and
grauntethe by thes presentes, for them and their successours, to and
with the foresaide william and william
Also, the saide rector, fealowes and scolars covenauntethe and grauntethe by thes presentes for them and their successours to and with the foresaide william and william and their successours chirchewardens, and with all the holle parischeners of the saide parishe beinge nowe presentt and with them for to come that the saide rector fealowes, scolars and their successours shall att all tyme and tymes hereafter duringe the saide terme doo [and] suffre and cause to be doon and suffrede all and euery thinge and thinges that shalbe advysede by the saide william and william and their successours chirchewardens of the foresaide chirche or their councell lernede, for the more and further assuraunce and sure makinge of the premysses vnto the saide william and william and their successours chirchewardens for and by all duringe the saide terme of thirtye yeres. And likewise the saide william and william chirchewardens and their successours chirchewardens and the holle parisheners of the saide parishe shall at all tyme and tymes hereafter doo and suffre to be doon all and euery thinge and thinges that shalbe advysede by the saide rector, fealowes, scolers, and their successours for the further assurance and [sure] makinge of the premysses.
Moreouer, itt is agrede betwene the saide parties that the saide
rector fealowes and scolers nor their successours nor noo
inhabytauntes within the saide colledge shall paye att any tyme
duringe the saide terme any maner of tuythes, oblacions, alteragies
concerninge the saide personage to noo maner of persons or persones,
butt shalbe thereof clerely dischardgede duringe the saide terme,
And also shall have free buryall and funeralles within their chauncell (the whiche is on the sowthe syde of the saide chirche) and within the chircheyarde for the saide rector, fealowes, scolers and their successours and for all other inhabytauntes that be nowe within the saide colledge or hereafter shalbe duringe the saide terme withoute any maner of paymentes, chardgies, exaccions, or any other dueties susteyninge for the same, excepte dueties to the parishe priste and clerke, and for rynginge of the belles, burninge of tapurs, wexe, and other dueties perteyninge to the clerke of the chirche and to the parishe priste, and the offeringe of the masse penye whenne any of the saide colledge shall fortune to dye.
Also, the saide william and william couenauntethe and grauntethe by
thes presentes, for yem and their successours and for all the holle
parisheners of the saide parishe that nowe be presente and for them
hereafter to come, to and with the foresaide rector fealowes, scolers
and their successours, that they the saide william and william and
their successours chirchewardens shall att all tymes duringe the saide
terme prouyde procure and gette oon honeste priste of good name and
fame to serve and have chardge of the cure of the saide parisheners of
all seinctes (suche a oon as shalbe att all tymes examynede allowede
and admyttede by the saide rector and his successours rectors of the
saide colledge, And likewise the saide priste to be amovede,
advoydede, dischardgede and putte forthe frome his seruice of the
saide parishe as oftentymes as itt shalbe thoughte expediente and
conuenyente by the saide rector or his successours): whiche priste for
the tyme beinge shalbe bounde to vysite and mynistre all sacramentes
and sacramentalles
ffurthermore, the saide william and william couenauntethe and
grauntethe by thes presentes for them and their successours
chirchewardens to and with the foresaide rector, fealowes, scolers and
their successours that they and their successours
savinge oonly the saide preste shall have his shavynge free of the barbour of the colledge duringe the saide terme.
Provydede allwayes that the saide william and william and their successours chirchewardens shall provyde the saide preste an honeste chambre within some honeste mans house within the saide parishe.
And if itt fortune the saide yerely rente of liij s. iiij d. or any parcell thereof to be behynde vnpayde in parte or in all after any feaste of the saide feastes att the whiche itt oughte to be paide and is nott paide by the space of seven wekes and lawfully requyrede of the foresaide william and william and william (sic) and their successours chirchewardens, that thenne itt shalbe lefull vnto the saide rector fealowes, scolers and their successours or assignes into the saide chirche of all sayntes to entre and into all other landes and tenementes of the saide chirche and all other the goodes of the same as plate Iewelles ornamentes of the saide chirche and to the same belonginge in whate place soeuer they maye be founde to entre and distreyne and the distresse ther founde and taken lawfully to beare lede and carye awaye and the same to with-holde vntill the saide rente with the arreragies if any fortune to be, be thenne fully satisfyede, contentede and paide.
And for the performance of all and singuler couenauntes aboue rehersede to be well and truely obseruede performede fulfillede and kepte aswell on the partie of the saide Rector fealowes scolers and their successours, as on the partie of the saide william and william and their successours chirchewardens and the holle parisheners of the saide parishe nowe beinge alyve and for to come, the saide parties standethe bounden either to other in twoo seuerall obligacions conteyninge the somme of forty poundes, whiche obligacions bearithe date the daye and the yere of thes presentes.
Provydede always that whenne and as often as ther shalbe noo
suffyciente curate to serue the cure, or that the curate ther for the
tyme beinge shall mysordre hym selffe contrarye to the
From the Lincoln Consistory Court Book (1541), lf. 164 to lf. 165 bk.
This will, like John Asserby's Inventory (supra, p. 134), is from the records of the Lincoln Consistory Court. There is no apparent reason why Dr. Furnivall should have chosen this particular will out of the dozens of similar wills in that set of records. They are being edited by Canon C. W. Foster, F.S.A., and the volume which contains the wills prior to 1528 is nearly ready.
In ye name of god amen. Ye iij. day of september in ye yere of our Lord god Ml ccccc xlti ye xxxijti yere of ye reyne of our sufferant lord kyng henry ye eyght, wytnessethe yt I, richard newcome, dwelling in nether tointon within ye cowntie of lincoln, yoman, with a holle mynd and good remembrance, make this my last wyll and testament, with my owne hand, in this maner and forme here after foloynge:
fyrst, I bequethe my soull to god almyghty to our blessyd lady sent mary and to all ye holy company of heven, and my body to be buryed within ye churche of saynte peter in nether toynton, in ye myddell yell, and my mortuary to be gyuyn after ye custome of ye countre.
Item, I bequethe to ye hye alter of nether toynton for my tythes forgotten, xij d.
Item, to our lady Wa[r]ke of lyncoln, xij d.
Item, to the churche of nether toynton for my buryall, vj s. viij d.
Item, to over toynton, for to be gyven to poore people ther beyng, xx d.;
Item, to gretham, to be delte amonge poore people ther dweling, xx d.; Item, to folowby, to be delte among poore peple, xx d.; Item, to asby, for poore peple, xx d.; Item, to horncastel, for poore people, ij s.
Item, to Thomas newcome, my sonne, my violett gowne, one great bras pott, one chyst callyd a huche, and ten sheppe, iiij. semmys of maltt; and ij. sterres of ij. yeres olde, and A gray stagge.
Item, to Iohn newcome, my sone, my rusyt [gown] with fur, and ye fourt bras potte after my wyffe, iiij. steres, and iij. kye, and x. sheppe, and iiij. quarters of malte.
Item, to wylliam newcome, my sonne, x. sheppe, ij. sterres, and iiij. quarters of malte.
Item, to richarde newcome, my sonne, ij. sterres, x. sheppe, and iiij. quarters of malte; Item, to emme newcome, my dowghter, x. sheppe, ij. quyes, and iiij. quarters of malte, and my wyffe worste gyrdyll.
Item, to Anne newcome, my dowghter, ten sheppe, ij. quyes, iiij. quarters of malte, A rede chyste and my fyrst wyffes beste gyrdyll.
Item, I wyll yt thomas newcome, my sonne, haue ye pleace in nether
toynton and all my landes and medows in nether toynton and ouer
toynton to hym and to hys heres of hys body lawfully begotten, after
ye decese of margytt my wyffe; and yf yt fortune yt god take my sonne
thomas newcome without
Item, I wyll yt thomas newcome, my brother, haue my russytt cotte and my buckskyn dowblett.
The residewe of my goodes not bequethed (my dettes paide and ye legacies within namyde) I wyll yt margaret my wyffe haue to dyspose and order for my soull and hyrs.
Item, I wyll yt all my inward stuffe yt was myne before I maried my wyffe margaret be equally devyded among my chylder at ye discretyon of margaret my wyffe and thomas my sonne.
Item, I wyll yt ye ij. lynne shettes wiche robert dawsons wyff of lincolne haithe in hyr kepinge of fynne clothe be delyuered ye one to william browne, and ye other to thomas browne.
Item, I wyll yt ye viij. sponnys and ye harnest gyrdyll with ye bedis yt my oste's robert dawson wyffe of lincolne haithe in kepyng be delyuered unto ye said willyam browne and thomas browne; Item, I wyll yt my oste dawsonne do take a generall quyttance of ye said wyllyam browne and Thomas bothe for me and hym selfe or elles kepe ye sponnys and gyrdyll with bedis to ye profyt of my heyres yt they may sell them and dyspose them in charytable dedes for ye soull of Thomas browne, wiche was ther father.
Also, I do owe vnto wyllyam browne wiche Edmunde atkynson of
lincolne hade and was deliuered vnto me, iijli sterlinge wiche iiili
my executors shall pay trewly vnto ye said wyllyam browne yf he will
thryue, to haue ye iijli all holly att one tyme delyuered
Item, I wyll yt Elizabethe cootes my goddowghter dwelling
And of ys my laste wyll I gyue full power and strength vnto margarete my wyffe and Thomas my sonne, whome I constitute and make my full executors to performe ys testament as ys here before saide, wherof I hertely pray and desyre whome I apoynte and make superuisor of yis my wyll the Ryght worshopfull mayster Edwarde dymoke to ayde and secure my wyffe with hys councell at hyr nede, And he for hys payns takyng to haue xiij s. iiij d.
thes to record, Edward taylyer, preste; wyllyam kynge, Robert Smarte, charles barrytt.
THis Indenture made the xxijth daye of marche In the xxxiijti yere of the reigne of our souereigne lorde kynge henry the viijth, by the grace of god kyng of England, ffraunce and of Irelande, defendor of the ffaithe, and supreme hede of the churche of Englande and Ireland,
Betwene Thomas berrett, Clerk, prebendary of the prebende called Langford ecclesia in the countie of oxon, of the one partye, And william Genyuer, of Langford aforesaide in the said countie of oxford, gentleman, of the other partye:
Wytnessyth that the said Thomas berrett hathe demysed graunted and to fferme letten, and by these presentes dothe demyse graunte and to fferme lett, vnto the said william Genyver, his executours, and assignes, all that his saide prebend of the Churche of Langforde aforesaide, with all the landes tythes fructes commodytyes and advauntagyes, with all and singuler thappurtynaunces, vnto the sayde prebend belongyng or in enywyse apperteyning,
Except and allwayes reserued to the said thomas berrett and his Successours, the patronage and gyfft of the vicarage there, with all the rightes therunto belongyng.
To haue and to holde all the foresaid prebende of the said churche
of Langforde, with all the landes tithes fructes commodytyes and
advauntages, with all and singuler thappurtynaunces, Except before
excepted, vnto the saide william genyver, his executors, and assignes,
ffrom the ffeaste of
the said William genyver or his assignes yeldyng and payng therfore yerely duryng the said terme vnto the said thomas berrett, his Successours, there executors, and assignes, Twentie poundes sterlinge att twoo feastes of the yere, that is to say, at the ffeaste of seincte Mighell tharchangell and thannunciacion of our lady by even porcions to be paid duryng all the said terme.
And the said William Genyver covenaunteth and graunteth to and with the said Thomas berrett prebendary that the said william his executors and assignes duryng all the said terme shall yerely content and paye or cause to be contented and paide to the Cathedrall churche of lincoln iiijli xiijs iiijd for the Septisdymes and other duetyes yerely to the said churche, And to the prebendary in the laye fee in langford aforesaid for the tyme beyng a yerely rent of iiijs to be paid by the said william genyver his executors or assignes att suche termes as itt hathe bene heretofore accustomed.
And also the said william Genyver couenaunteth and graunteth by these presentes to and with the saide Thomas berrett his Successours and assignes that if itt happen the saide yerely Rent of xxli sterlinge or eny of the other paymentes before expressed to be behynde vnpaide in parte or in all after eny of the said ffeastes and dayes of payment before lymyted by the space of xiiijth dayes in which itt ought to be paide, That then itt shalbe laufull vnto the said thomas berrett his successours or there assignes into the said prebende and euery parcell therof to entre and distreyne, and the distresse and distresses there so taken to leade dryve beare and carry awaye, and itt to withold and kepe vntill suche tyme he the said thomas his successours or assignes be of the said rente, with tharreragies of the same (if eny be), fully contented & payd.
And if itt happen the said yerely rente of xxli or eny of the other paymentes before expressed to be behynde vnpaide in parte or in all by the space of twoo monethes, That then itt shalbe laufull vnto the said thomas his Successors or assignes into the premisses and euery parcell therof hooly to reentre, and as in there ffirst estate to haue agayne and possede, This Indenture or enything therin conteyned to the contrary notwithstandyng.
And the said thomas berrett covenaunteth and graunteth for hym and his successours and assignes to dischardge the said william genyver his executours and assignes of allmaner of chardges and paymentes due to the kynges highnes duryng the said terme.
And the said william Genyver … covenaunteth … to bere and pay all other chardgies aswell ordynary as extraordynary concernyng the said prebende, except Reparacions.
And that the said william genyver … shall pay for the workmanshipe of allmaner of necessarye reparacions, that is to saye, wallyng, lathyng, slatyng and thakkyng of the barne and stable and all other buyldynges therunto belongyng, duryng the said terme,
And the said thomas berrett … to fynde allmaner of stuffe necessarye for the said reparacions duryng the said terme.
Providede allwayes that itt is agreed betwene the said parties that
the said thomas Berrett … shall well and suffycyently att
… own propre costes and chardgies repare and amende
In wytnes wherof the parties abovesaide to these present indentures haue setto there seales the daye and yere above-wryten.
This Indenture made the twelueth daye off Maye in the xxxv. yere of the reigne of oure souereigne Lorde kinge Henry the eighte by the grace of god kinge of Englande ffraunce and Irelande defendoure of the faithe and of the chirche off Englande and also of Irelande in earthe the supreme hedde,
betwene master gilbert Smyth, clerc, prebendarye of the prebend of Leighton Bromeswolde within the cathedrall chirche of Lincoln in the countie of huntington, on that one partie,
and Thomas Ashetone, of olde Weston in the countie of huntington aforesaide, yoman, on that other partie,
Witenessithe that the saide prebendarye, with the consentes and agrementes of the deane and chapitoure of the saide cathedrall chirche of Lincoln, hathe demysede grauntede betaken & to ferme letten and by thies presentes dymysethe … to the saide Thomas Ashetone all that his closse, with thappurtenaunces, nowe in the tenure of Robart Saye, belonginge to the saide prebendarye as in the righte of the saide prebend lyinge and beinge in the parishe of Leighton in the saide countie of Huntington:
That is to saye: againste hamerton felde on the northe partie, and nexte vnto a nother closse of the sayde Gilbert lately in the tenure of Robart Thurlby on the southe partie, whereof the one hedde abbuttethe ayenste Salome wodde on the este partie, and thother hedde vpon weston felde on the weste partie, with all other prouffites and commodities to the saide closse belonginge or appertayninge,
To haue and to holde the saide closse, with thappurtenaunces, to the saide Thomas and his assignes, frome the feaste of seincte mighell tharchaungell next cominge after the date hereof vnto thende and terme of ffourtie yeres than nexte ensuinge and fully to be completede and endede:
yeldinge and painge therefore yerely duringe the saide terme to the saide gilbert his successours or assignes ffive poundes of lawfull money of englond att twoo termes of the yere, that is to saye, att the feastes of the Annunciacion of oure ladye seincte marye the virgine and seincte Mighell tharchaungell by euen porcions.
And if itt shall fortune the saide yerely rente … to be behynde … by the space of one monethe if itt be reasonablye requyrede, Than itt shalbe lefull vnto the saide gilbert … to come into the saide closse and ther to distreyne, and the distresses so taken to … kepe vnto suche tyme as the saide yerely rente aud euery parte and parcell thereof with thearreragies of the same be fully contentede and paide.
And if the foresaide yerely rente or anye parte thereof fortune to
be vnpaide after anye of the saide feastes in which itt oughte to be
paide duringe the saide terme by the space of Sixe wekes and noo
distresse founde vpon the saide grounde sufficiente for the rente,
than itt shalbe lefull to the saide gilbert … into the
And the saide gilbert for hym and his successours covenauntethe and grauntethe by thies presentes that itt shalbe lefull vnto the saide Thomas … to stubbe grubbe shrede and plashe att all tymes within the saide terme, Soo that the saide Thomas … kepe the ffence of the saide closse with thappurtenaunces for and duringe that terme of the saide ffourtye yeres.
And also the saide gilbert … covenauntethe … that . . the saide Thomas … for the foresaide yerely ferme of five pounde … shall … enioye the saide closse with thappurtenaunces duringe the saide terme of ffortie yeres by thies presentes.
In witenes whereof the saide parties to thies indentures enterchaungeably haue sette their seales. Yeven the daye and yere aboue Writen.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda at Lincoln, lf. 229 bk. to lf. 230 bk.
The lands and churches
which endowed this prebend in Lincoln Minster lie to the east and
south-east of Newark-on-Trent, and partly in Nottinghamshire and
partly in Lincolnshire. Their dispersed character suggest particular
inquiry as to the conditions which prevailed when this prebend wasCity of Oxford i. 415.
This Indenture made the seven and twentithe daye of Aprill in the xxxvj. yere of the reigne of oure souereigne Lorde Henry theighte, by the grace of god of Englande ffraunce and Ireland kinge, defendoure of the faithe, and in earthe of the chirche of England and Ireland the supreme hedde,
betwene Iohn pope, clerc, Chaunceloure of the cathedrall chirche of Lincoln, prebendarye and parson of the prebend and personage of Stoke in the countie off Notingham, with other porcions and appurtenaunces therto apperteyninge and belonginge in the counties of Notingham and Lincoln, on the one partie,
and Anthonye fforster of Newarke in the saide countie of Notingham, gentilman, on the other partie,
Witenessithe that the saide Iohn pope, clerc, hathe covenaunted,
grauntede, dymysede, and to ferme letten, & by thies presentes
… to ferme lettithe, vnto the saide Anthonye fforster … all
his saide prebend and personage of Stoke in the countie of notingham
with all and singuler the porcions, tuythes, landes and prouffites of
Elston, Surston, the personage of Coddington, the litle tuythe of
Newarke, the tuythe hey of Tolney with a closse and rentes of assise
ther, the porcions of ffarendon, Balderton and Thorpe, with the moytie
tuythes and prouffites of the personage of Rawceby in the counties of
Notingham and Lincoln aforesaide, with all and all maner of other
portions, tuythes, with their appurtenaunces, belonginge or
appertayninge to the same, or that of right oughte to belonge or
appertayne vnto the saide prebend of Stoke, with all and singuler the
glebe lande pastures meadowes inclosures tuythes oblacions prouffites
emolumentes hereditamentes and commodities belonginge to the saide
prebend and portions aboue saide
Excepte and reseruede vnto the saide Iohn pope, prebendarye, the patronage and gyfte of the vicarage of Stoke aforesaide as often as itt shall fortune to fall voide duringe the saide terme.
To haue and to holde all the sayde prebend and personage of Stoke in the countie of Notingham aforesaid with the porcions of Elston, Syreston, the personage of Coddington, the litle tuythe of Newark, … and all and singuler the premysses (excepte before exceptede) to the saide Anthonye fforster … frome the feaste of the Inuention of the holie crosse nexte … ensuinge after the date of thies presentes vnto thende and terme of ffyftie yeres than nexte folowinge …
yeldinge and paynge therefore yerely … to the abouenamede Iohn
pope … ffourtie and thre poundes twelue shillinges and sixe pence
of good and laufull money of England att twoo termis of the yere by
equall porcions. That is to saye att the feaste of the Inuencion off
the holie crosse and seincte Martyn in wynter within the precincte
And itt is covenauntede and agrede betwene the sayde parties that if itt happen the saide rentes or anye porcions or parte thereof to be behynde vnpaide after anye of the saide feastes att the whiche itt oughte to be paide by the space of sixe wekes, than itt shalbe lefull to the saide Iohn pope and his successours … to entre and distreyne in all and euerye porcion and parte of the said prebend … and the distresses soo taken to leade dryue and carye awaye and the same to deteigne vnto suche tyme as the saide rentes … be fully contentede … and paide.
And if itt fortune the saide rentes to be behynde vnpaide
… after anye of the saide termes by the space of twoo holle
monethes and be laufully demaunded . . , than itt shalbe lefull to the
saide Iohn Pope … into the saide prebend and
And the saide Anthonye fforster covenauntethe and grauntethe that he … shall well and suffyciently repayre sustayne and mayntayne all maner of reparacions of thack and morter hedginge and dichinge of all maner of housinges buyldinges walles hedges and diches belonginge to the saide prebend & the porcions aboue mencionede contynually frome tyme to tyme as necessitie shall requyre duringe the saide terme And att thende of the same terme shall leave all the premysses in like maner honestly and sufficiently repairede
and shall fynde an honeste sufficiente priste contynually duringe the terme abouesaide att his and their own propre costes … to serue the cure in the moytie of the parishe chirche of Rawceby aforesaide.
And also shall beare … all oþer chardgies … appertayninge to the prebend of Stoke and the porcions above specifiede yerly from yere to yere duringe the terme abouesaide.
(Excepte dismes tenthes subsidies firste fructes due or to be due or comethe … of or for the premysses … duringe the terme aforesaide vnto oure souereigne lorde the kinge or his successours, the reparacions of the chauncell of Stoke, Codington, Sireston, and Rawceby aboue mencyonede, and excepte also sepdismes and all other dueties or chardgies whiche shalbe yerely due vnto the vicars chorall and the choristers of the chirche of Lincoln duringe the same terme. All whiche the afore namede master Iohn pope and his successours their executours and assignes shall sustayne beare and yerely paye att his and their onely propre costes and chardgies duringe the saide terme, and the saide Anthonye and his assignes thereof to be dischardgede and acquytede.)
In witenes whereof the parties abouesaide haue enterchaungeablye to thies indentures putt their seales the daye and yere abouesaide.
Canon Foster has rendered the E.E.T.S. the very great service of furnishing exact transcripts of five interesting documents, which are also of great value to this volume because they supplement the information contained in the documents formerly transcribed for the Society. Inasmuch as all five fall within the limits of Dr. F. J. Furnivall's period, and are of equal importance with those noted by him for transcription, I conclude that their omission by him was an oversight. It is, therefore, with great pleasure, that I am enabled to give the text of them here.
Canon Foster also tells me that at the end of bishop John
Longland's Register of Memoranda there are copies of five indentures
of the same type as those included in this volume, viz.:
There are many similar leases in English enrolled in the Acts of the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln from 1520 downwards, and probably some of even earlier date.
From the space which these occupy in the Register, it is unlikely that they were accidentally overlooked by Dr. Furnivall when he went through that volume. I conclude, therefore, that he intentionally passed them over, either because their inclusion would have meant too many documents of the later date, or because their subject-matter was, in his judgement, adequately represented in the documents he had already noted for transcription. If either supposition is correct, I have done right in excluding these from the present volume.
Bishop Longland's Register is divided into two portions: (i) Institutions to benefices, which do not concern us here, and (ii) Memoranda, records of proceedings of general interest, from which all the documents here contained (for his episcopate) have been taken. The Register has recently been re-folioed, and, by the thoughtful kindness of Canon Foster, F.S.A., the new and permanent references have been substituted for the haphazard folios found at the time when the transcript was made.
In the name of the fadre and the sonne and the holy goste, I,
Agnes Bawdewynne, wydow, and not wedded ne vnto no man ensured, be
hote and make a vowe to god & to oure lady and to all the companye
of hevyn, in the presence of you worshipful fadre in god, Thomas,
Bysshop enachdunensis, ordeyned and assigned by my worshipful ffadre
and lord the Bisshop of lincoln, for to be chaste of my body and
In the name of the fadir and the sone and the holy goste, I,
Isabelle Maryone, of your diocese, wydowe, behest and avowe to god and
oure lady saint Mary and to all the saintys, in youre presence
Reuerend fader in crist Sir John, by the grace of god Bysshope of
lincoln, for to be chaste and purpose to kepe me chaste from this tyme
forward aslonge as my lyff lastithe. In witteneese wherof I subscribe
here with myn owne hande — &
In the name of God, Amen. The xxviti day of nouember in the yere of our Lord M.CCCCC. and xxxi. I, William Rayne, being seke in body and hole off remembraunce and good of memory, make my Testament and last will in this maner of Wise.
First, I bequeth my soule to almighty god and to our lady sainct mary & all the company of heuen, and my body to be buried in the parishe chirche of all Halouse of Cottisbroke in our lady yle.
Item, I bequeth to the mother chirche off Lincoln iiij d.
Item, I bequeth to the high aulter for forgotten tithes, iij s. iiij d. Item, I bequeth to the chirche of Cottisbroke vj s. viijd.
Item, I bequeth to Mr. Doctor Rayne my double duckett.
Item, I bequeth to Mr. John Hasilwood esquire a grett gray mayre and a Jerkyn of saten.
Item, I bequeth to Mr. John Cornishe parson off Cottisbrok a gray colte of ij. yeres of age and a gaberdyne faced with sarcenet.
Item, I bequeth to Sir Henry bentley a yereling colt and my black furred gowne and my saye doublett.
Item, I will that my wife and myn Executoures fynd a preste v yeres to pray for me and all my benefactoures and for all christen soules, and he to haue for his wagies v li. a yere, excepte that he be att my wifes bording and bedding, and if he soo be then he shall haue iiij. markes a yere.
Also, I will that sir Henry do sing for me. And also I will that if the preste can nott agree with my wife then he shall have v. li. by the yere and to fynde hym selfe.
Item, I bequeth to euery godchilde that I haue within the parishe of Cottisbrok oon shepe.
Item, I bequeth to Margarete Hilton my seruaunte x. ewes x. hoggerelles x. wethers x. thewis and oon cowe or heifer.
Item, I bequeth to Jane Hay a yereling, that is to say, a cowe heifer.
Item, I bequeth to Jane page a yereling, that is to say, a cowe heifer.
Item, I bequeth to William Ingram a heifer and vj. thewys.
Item, I bequeth to Thomas ffrere a kowe and x. shepe of the drathes of hoggerelles.
Item, I bequeth to Robert Gefferay oon yereling bullock.
Item, I bequeth to yong John Robertes vj. culling lambes and quarter barley att sede tyme.
Item, I bequeth to William speser vj. culling lambes and oon quarter of barley at sede tyme.
Item, I bequeth to Robert orme iij s. iiij d.
Item, I bequeth to Sir Rauff Ashton iij s. iiij d.
Item, I bequeth to the poore people of creton iij s. iiij d.
Item, I bequeth to the poore people of Holwell, xij d.
Item, I bequeth to the poore people of Gilboroo and north tofte iij s. iiij d.
Item, I bequeth to the poore people of Naisby iij s. iiij d.
Item, I bequeth to the poore people of Haselbeche iij s. iiij d.
Also, I will that suche chardgies and costes that my ouersears of my will shalbe att for the ouerseing of the performance of my will I will that myn Executoures do content them and eueryche of them for ther chardgies and costes without eny interrupcion thereof.
The residue of my goodes vnbequethed I give them to Jane my wife,
Witenes herof Master John Cornishe parson of cottisbrok, sir Robert orme, sir Henry bentley, sir Raff astonne with other moo.
Also, I will that euery preste that is att my buryall haue vi d. and his dyner, and, if they dyne nott, to have viij d.
Also, I bequeth to Robert Houghtonne half a quarter of barley att sede tyme.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda, at Lincoln, lf. 258 bk., 259, 259 bk. The preceding document is dated at Lincoln, 13 May, 1535; the document following is dated at Wooburn 24 May, 1535. Inasmuch as in this part of the Register the documents follow each other very closely in order of date, the receipt of the letter by the Bishop must be about the middle of May 1535.
The persecution of 'heretics' in France here mentioned, the scattering about in the streets of Paris of pamphlets deriding the doctrine of Transubstantiation, the great expiatory procession in Paris, the king's fierce speech against 'heretics', and the public burning of several 'heretics', are all set out in the larger histories of France. It is, however, something new to find a vivid description of these incidents from the pen of an English eyewitness. It is more minute and exact, apparently, than the French record cited by Sismondi. A quaint touch is added by the haste of the letter-carrier to be off which prevented the writer from fair-copying his letter.
The chief persons mentioned are — King Francois I, his consort Eleanor of Austria, his eldest son (Francis the Dauphin, born 1517, and now eighteen years old, died 10 Aug. 1536), his second son Henri (born 1519, and now sixteen years old, succeeded as Henri II in 1547), his third son Charles (d. 1545), the two princesses (Madeleine, afterwards consort of James V of Scotland, and Margaret, afterwards Duchess of Savoy), Jean de Guise, of Lorraine, born 1498, Cardinal since 1518, Jean du Bellay, bishop of Paris.
It is recorded that
the Ambassadors of foreign powers, then present at the French Court,
were spectators of the procession. Bishop John Longland's]
correspondent may well have been someone of importance in the English
ambassador's suite. It is interesting that the letter should be in
English, and good English, and not in Latin. Two or three odd things
are found in it, e.g. (i) the use of the French semblablement instead
of the
Such enewes as we haue here in Parrys I have sent you, As touchinge
suche as of late hathe chaunced emonges vs. Pleasith itt you to be
aduertised that nott withstandinge the severe iustice whiche of late
hathe been executed vpon thise Antechristes, which, besyd many
erronyouse opynyons, soo blasphemously oppugneth the mooste blessed
sacrament of the aulter, There was within thise fewe dayes by the
stretes of parrys scateryd bookes whiche was Intitled PARANTIPHRASYN
ffirste, the sherive of saint Genouefes, whiche is neuer doon
without grette and vrgent causes, accompayned with dyuers parishes
with suche reliques as they hadd brought, vpon xxiti mennys backes
bare foted and all naked savinge their shirtes, to notre Dames with
the Cathedrall chirche, Thabbott and the monkes folowinge bare foted
deuoutely sayinge and synginge, and with
This doon, they all ther assemblede, with Canons and with the
Cathedrall quere with other reliques, as of saint James, Philipp,
Marcell, barbara, Genouefa, etc., went to saint Germayns nere to the
kynges Palice named the Lower. Thidre was brought reliques of the
kynge his chappell, namely the holy crosse, the crowne of thorne. To
the whiche place the kynge, the quene, the dolffyn, with other his
sonnes and doughters, the prynces, and nobles of his courte, came from
thens,
and soo returned, all in ordre, to notre Dames before named;
ffirste, was the cordelyars, in nombre to my Judgement V, and in the latter ende of them came the quene on horse backe, accompayned with twoo of the kynges doughters and Lx or above of ladies decked all after the ffrenche ffashion in mooste goodlieste wise, until they came directly before the chirche, where the quene alighted and taryed the comynge of the kynge in a house provided for hir.
After the Cordelyars came the Jacobyns, as many in nombre as the other.
Consequently, the Augustynnes, Carmes, monkes, religiouse men, Curates of parishes, lycentiattes, and doctoures (noo other I will reherse here, for the nombre is in maner infynyte), With tapers euery man in their handes, and suche notable reliques as thay hadd.
Hereafter folowed the monkes of saint Genoveffes of the oon syde of the streate, and of saint Marcelles of the other syde.
After them came the sherives of bothe thise saintes, oon againste a nother, caryinge as I declared before.
After them came the Canons and quere of the kynges chappell and cathdrall chirche.
And after them came the sweffes euery man with his Javelinge in his hande.
Then folowes them the gentilmen of the courte.
And after them came v. or vi. busshoppes, iiii. cardynalles, with other grette men of the courte spirituell, beringe also certayne reliques.
After whome came iii. of the kynges sonnes, havinge the iiii. with them whiche caryed the Canapy ouer the Sacrament whiche the busshoppe of parrys bare.
the kynge folowinge ymmediately on fote, open heded, and a torche in his hande, havinge the Cardynall lorraynne on his lefte hande, syde by syde.
And after hym, in that parte, the prynces and other nobles of the courte; and in the right hande, the prymour presydent of the parliament, whome folowed the counsaile[r]s of the same, with other of other places of Justice, and all those in scarlett. And in the myddest of thise twoo, strayte after the kynge came Lx or above of noble men, with torches as he didd. The reason wherefore he putt the parliament on his right hande was to signyfie that he wolde preferre Justice above any creature lyvinge were he neuer soo noble or dere beloved to hym.
Then folowed the mayour of the towne, with his officers and Aldermen.
And after them the kynges garde, and the garde of the towne with hawberdes in their handes and stavis.
And as for the multytude of comyns that were there, I cannott nombre.
And whenne the kynge came before the chirche, the quene (beinge
caryed betwixt iiij. men in hir chayre), with the kynges doughters,
folowed hym into the chirche, where was a solempne masse songe,
semblablement as itt is vpon Corpus christi daye. What highe
solemnyte was doon ther, itt was nott possible to entre to see.
And as the kynge passed before the chambre that I stode in the
people whiche stode in the streate, laudynge the kynge as he was
mooste worthieste for this noble acte, cryed to hym
Moreover, after dyner, whiche was in the busshoppe of parrys house,
the kynge declared in an Oracion to his nobles and counsailoures his
faithfull mynde towardes god, Rehersynge his benefites, and the long
contynuance of his roialme in the true faithe of christe, Mentyonynge
also that as his predecessoures were, nott without good cause, called
mooste christian prynces, soo he trusted to ymploye his endevour that
his name shall not decaye or be loste by hym, Exhortynge and
requyrynge them all, bothe spirituall and temporall, euery man for his
parte to doo the same, Addynge furdre that if he founde any to halte
in this poynte he shulde suffre extreme iustice, alleginge this texte
Si occulus tuus scandalizat te, erue et proijce eum abs te.
Sithe oon woman was brent, and dyuerse other remayne in pryson,
some condempned, some like to be shortely. And this present day are
bannyshed the Realme off ffraunce above Lx
And also I shall desiour you to pardonn me, bycause I didd nott write this more fayrer, ffor the brynger was in such Importune haste that I coude nott write itt to my purpose, etc.
From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda, at Lincoln, lf. 267. Henry VIII's keen personal interest in the great dogmatic controversy of the age, combined with his tyrannical temper, spurred him on to extreme measures against all critics of the doctrine of Transubstantiation. All such were heretics, felons, rebels, to be dealt with without mercy or remorse. The statute against heretics, here referred to, was passed in 1534 (25 Henr. VIII, cap. 14).
The proceedings here instituted belong to the king's court. Possibly the copying of this writ into the Episcopal Register is to be explained by the contumely directed by this sartorial controversialist upon the bishop and his sermon.
To Canon Foster's continued kindness, are due the knowledge of, and transcription of, eight additional documents of value, which add much to the present volume. I have here brought in these, with reference numbers following on the previous five additional documents, but in their own sequence of dates.
They are:
Item, for the more sure and likly reformacion of prestes Clerkes
and Religiouse men culpable or bi ther demerites openly noysed of
incontiuent lyuyng in their bodies contrarie to ther Ordre, It is
enacted ordeyned and stabilished bi thaduyse and assent of the lordes
spirituell and temporell and comens in the said parliament assembled,
and bi auctorite of the same, that it be laufull to all Archebishops
& bishoppes and other ordinaries Haueng episcopall iurisdiccion to
punysh and chastice suche
This indenture tripartite, made the [blank] day of marche the furst
yere of the Reigne of Kyng Henry the vijth, berith witnesse that
wherupon the faileng of the brigge of the toun of Newark fast bi the
Castell ther in the Countie of Notyngham nowe late happened bi gret
rage [of] water flodes, and soe John Philipot, now Alderman, other
wise called John philipot draper, John Calcrofte, Andrewe Kelome,
This is the last will of me John Goodwyn of Woborn in the Countie of Buck' made the xvj. day of Marche the yere of our Lord ml.cccc. lxxxvij.
First, I will that all my londes and tenementes with their appurtenaunces in the Counties of Buck' and Berk' after my decesse be graunted bi my feoffes to John my son and to his heires for euermore, if the lyve to the age of xxj. yeres, or if it be thought bi my seid feoffes and executors and suche Counsell as thei shall call vnto them that he be of suche discrecion to rule the said Landes within the said yeres, prouided that my Landes at Yakynden in Berk' be sold by my feoffeȝ & myne Executoures & asmoche land purchased therwith as shalbe worth yerely xiijs. iiijd. And if my said sone decesse or he come to his land I will that the Right Heyres of my ij. Sisteres haue eueriche of them xls. of money. Also I will that if my sone decesse a fore Lawfull age without heires of his body lawfully begotten that ther be a Chauntry founded for a preste to synge in Woborn Churche for euermore bi thaduyse of Thomas Restwold and my said Executors to pray for me John Goodwyn my fader my moder my wife & my trusti friend Thomas Restwold whom I make patrone of my said Chauntre. And after the decesse of hym he to graunte the said patronage to them whiche he thinketh beste for the wele of our soules for euermore.
Also I wull that ther be yerely bi thavice of Thomas Restwold & myne Executors an obite kept in Woborn Chirche of xs. out of my said landes if my sone leve to lawful age.
Also I will that petronille my wife haue and possesse for the terme
of hir life my house with the Chymeny set in Woborn betwixt the maner
of the bishop of Lincoln and the parish Chirche of Woborn aforsaid.
And the reuersion of the same,
Also I will that my said executors make sale of asmoche of my wodes as shalbe nedefull to the fulfilling of my testament & will. Also I will that the Residue of my landes and goodes, my wife hauing hir duetie, my sone kept and manerly drawe dureng his nowne age, be kept and emploied by myne Executors and thaduyse of Thomas Restwold of the most profite of my said sone.
From bishop William Smith's Register at Lincoln, lf. 87 and 87 bk.
The proceedings were, probably, in pursuance of the 1485 Statute (supra, p. 255). The Bishop's Vicar-general, 26 Nov., 1499, wrote to the Abbot, announcing the Bishop's intention to lay this duty upon him. In spite of the Abbot's openly expressed indignation at being called upon to discharge such an unworthy service, the Commission was issued about a month later, viz. on 5 January, 1499-1500.
Commission to receive convicted clerics within the Liberty of Peterborough.
The bishop issued a commission to Robert, Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery, Peterborough, empowering him, personally or by deputy, to demand and receive any clerks arrested and indicted on any criminal charge, and committed to gaol within the Liberty of Peterborough, in order to have them dealt with in the Bishop's ecclesiastical court, and to send them to the bishop's castles of Banbury or Newerke, with copies of their indictments. Dated at the bishop's manor of Lyddington, Rutlandshire, 8 January, 1500, and in the fifth year of his translation.
The aforesaid commission had been reluctantly submitted to by the Abbot of Peterborough, as appears by the following letter sent by him to the Bishop's vicar-general in spirituals.
Worshipfull Maister, aftyr dewe recommendacion to you premysed, so
it is I lately receyved your letteres beryng this date the xxvj. day
of Nouembre; and by them I vnderstond my lordis pleasure is that ye
shuld make a commission to me and
Nerthelesse doyng my lord a pleasure, if it will please yow to entyr in your said commission that I shalbe alowed for my costes and charges for the conveaunce of them, and a place assigned where thei shall rest, I will accepte and gladly receive your commission, prayng you, maister Chaunceler, interely and with all my hert to be a meane for me to my good lorde that this said matier with all other of variaunce may sease and be vsyd as they haue bene here afore, gevyng credens to the brynger hereof, and I will deserue it to yow by goddes grace who you preserue &c.
In the name of god Amen, the xxv.day of marche in the yere of our lorde gode ml.ccccc.xvij., I robert hardy of lydington within Ruttlond of hole Mynde & good remembrance make my testament & last will in this maner foloweng:
ffirst, I bequeth my soule to almyghty god to our blissed lady & to all seyntes & my body to be buryed in the churche of alhallowis in lydington afor the Image of our blessed lady of pietye.
Item, I bequeth to the hy alter xxd. Item, I bequeth to our lady of lincoln xxd. Item, I bequeth to the torche light iijs. iiijd. Item, to the belles iijs. iiijd.
Item I bequeth to sir William my sone on fedder bed with all that
longeth yerto, on furr off ffoxe, on other of ffychoes. Item, I
bequeth to James my son my place that I dwell in with the land longeng
to ye same place & bowthis howse with the
Also I will that Johan my wiff haue the profittes & the rule of the howses & londes the terme of hire liff & if any of my Children be obstinate & trouble with there mother contrary to my will hee yat so trobles to haue no thyng but at his motheres will.
Item, I will that the hows agaynes my lordes bakhowse next the hall of stache be putt & go with harysons yarde lond.
Item, I bequeth to Elizabeth my seruaunt ijs. Item, I bequeth to Nicholas stowe my ryding gowne. Item, I bequeth to Robert hill a Jaket of Totyn russett lynyd with blake. Item, I bequeth to Robert Cley a kendall Jaket. Item, I bequeth to John Drouer my servaunt xijd.
Item, I will haue on seculer prest to syng in the church of lidington at our ladyes awter for me & my wiffes my frendes & all Cristen soulles bi the space of on hole yere.
Item, I will and giue to the churche of lidington the hows Called
hallofstagh in to the hondes of the church wardens, payng the fyne to
the lorde aftyr Custom & maner of the lordshipe, to this entent
that they yerely kepte for me a solenntie obbet for my soule my fader
& moder my wiffes with all my ffrendes
Item, I will my children haue iche oon of them on ffedder bed with that longeth yerto, aftyr the discrecion of my wiff, & on ther good aberyng.
Item, I will that all my harnes be sold to bi westmentes with.
The residue of my goodes not bequethed I give to the disposicion of my wiff, whom I make sole executrixe to dispose for me as is most expedient for ye helth of my soule.
thies witnes, mr. Roberd purdy, vicare of lidington; henry medlton pariche preste at calcott.
In the name of gode amen, the xxti day of august the yere of our lorde gode a ml.ccccc.xvij, I, John Symmes of Ridlington beyng of good mynde and memory, make and ordeyn my laste will and testament in maner & forme foloweng.
ffirst, I bequeth my soule to almyghty god and my body to be buryed in the church of Ridlington before the aulter of Seynt Nycolas.
Item, I will that my dettes shalbe payd of my holle goodes, And, aftyr my dettes so payd, I will the remaunant of my goodes be deuyded into three egall partes; wheroff I will that marget my wiff haue oon parte, the seconde parte to be egally deuyded amongest my Children, And the threde parte to be bestowed for the welth of my soule, the soules of my feyther and mother and all Cristen soulles, And for the fferther performance [sic] of this my last will after the discretion of myne executores.
Item, I bequeth to my Mother church off lincoln xijd.
Item, to the hye aulter of Ridlington iijs. iiijd.
Item, to Clement Tyler oon of my Cotes; Item, to my doughter Agnes xls.
Item, to the church of Ridlington xs.
Item, to the white ffreres at Stanfford xs. and to euery other of the iij. orders iijs. iiijd.
Item, I will that marget my wiff haue the hows wherin I nowe dwelle duryng the tyme that she lyveth sole and vnmaryed, keping all maner reparacions belonging to the same; And aftyr she is maryed or take on husbond, I will that my soone Robert Symmes haue the said hows as his enherytaunce to hym & his heires for euer, he and his heires payng yerly to my said wiff iiij markes duryng hyr live.
Item, I will that the profittes of my Millne at vppyngham remayn to my thre Sonnes John Thomas & Charles duryng theyre three lyves, except any of them be made prest; And if eny of them be made prest, the said profittes fto remayn to hym or them note made prestes.
And that the said Children which be willing to go to scole, to thentent to be made prestes, haue the hole profittes of the said Milne and not the other. And aftyr the be made prestes, and aftyr the deceasse of them note made prestes, the said Milne and profittes to remayn to my sone Robert and his heyres for euer.
Item,
And I make & ordeyn Robert Symmes my soon & Thomas Sherman myn executores of this my last will and testament, And William Symmes off okeham ouersear of the same.
Thies beyng witnes, xp'ofer lacy, John wright, John Swaynson, Thomas tayllour, henry preston, Clement Tiler, and other.
Thys Indentur made the iiijth daie off Marche the ixth yere off the reign off kyng henry the viijth bitwene the Reuerend ffadre in god William by the grace off god bishop off lincoln off the oon partie, And Thomas Smyth, hys balyff, of Sleford in the countie off lincoln, off thoyer partie, wittenessyth
that the same Reuerend ffadre bishop off lincoln hath graunted dimysed and letten to ferme to the said Thomas Smyth the harbage pannage and agistament off Stowe park within the said countie off lincoln,
and also certayn demean medowes within the lordship off Stow, that is to saie, the medowes in yolthorp in magelmore conteynyng x. Acres and di', some tyme in thold off Thomas Somersett and John Stowe; oon Acre off medowe in Brampton, late in the hold off John Askyll; and xlvij. Acres and di' off medowe nyght the ffosse, whereoff lyeth in newton xvij. Acres di' in laughterton v. Acres, in fenton xv. Acres, and next the fosse x. Acres.
And also a pasture called Brampton Clyff,
with the ffishyng off the Seuerall water off Trent,
and the tolle off the ffeyres off Stowe.
To haue and to hold the forsaid harbage pannage and agistament off Stowe park and all the demaign medowes abovesaid with the pasture called Brampton clyff and the ffishyng and the tolle aforsaid to the said Thomas Smyth and his assigneys from the ffeest off Sancte Michaell the Archaungell next commyng after the date of thies presentes vnto thend and terme off ffourty yeres then next folowyng and fully to be complete,
yeldyng and payng yerfor yerely to the said Reuerend ffadre bishop
off lincoln and to his successours xjli. vs. iiijd. at twoo vsuall
festes off the yere by euen porcions, Reserued alwaies to
And iff it happen the same yerely farme off xjli. vs. iiijd. to be
bihynde vnpaid in parte or in all by the space off xv daies after enny
off the said ffestes at the whiche it awght to be paid, that then it
shalbe lefull to the said bishop and his successours into the said
farme off therbage pannage and agistament off Stowe park and all the
demean medowes with the pasture
And iff it happen the said yerely farme off xjli. vs. iiijd. to be behynd vnpaid in parte or in all by the space off a quarter off a yere after enny off the said ffeestes at the which it awght to be paid that then it shalbe lefell to the said bishop and his successors into the said ferme off the harbage pannage and agistementt off Stowe park and all the demeyn medowes with the pasture called Brampton clyff & the ffishyng and tole above said and euery parcell yeroff to reentre and to haue agayn, as in the first astate, thies Indentures in enny wise not withstanding.
In wittenes whereoff either off the said parties to thies Indentures entrechaungeably haue setto their seales, The daye and yere above written.
In ye name of god amen, the last day of September the yere of our
lord god MlvC and xviijten, I Richard hawardin, sike
first, I bequeth my soule to almighti god and our ladi Saint Mary and all the holi compani of heuin, and my body to be buriid within ye chancell a fore our lady.
Item, [i] bequethe to ye mother church of lincoln xxs. Item, i bequeth to ye cathedrall church of landaffe vli. to bi a pix to ye high awter.
Item, i bequeth to Sherington Brigg tuenti s. Item, i bequeth to newport brig vjs, viijd. Item, i bequeth to Ickford Brigg vjs. viijd. Item, to olney Brigg vjs. viijd.
Item, i bequeth to euery on of ye iiij. ordres of freers in Northaumton for a trentall xs. Item, to ye gray freers in Bedford for a trentall xs.
Item, i bequeth to Sherington [Brigg] stepull with xxs. that i haue paid all redy, iiijli.
Item, i bequeth to hunfrey hawrdin to find him to the scole iijli. vis. viijd.
Item, i will yat my executores find a honest prist to sing for me and all cristend sowles a hole yere at Sherrington, and a nother hole yere at Stoke.
Item, i bequeth to Agnes Heyward xxli.
Item, i make min executours maister mathew smith, principall of the kinges college of Brasinnose in oxford, and sir Robert widows to execute this mi last will and testament, and either of them to haue iijli. vjs. viijd. for there laboures, with their costes.
these being wittnesse: Sir Alexander Robinson, Thomas withe, William Shiriff, and Robert Triplett, with other mo.