n £fu8 £offecfton«i VI

THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES FOR BEDFORDSHIRE

EDITED

F. C. EELES, F.S.A. Scot.

From Transcripts BY

The Rev. J. E. BROWN, B.A.

Vicar of Stud/iam

LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO

39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON

NEW YORK & BOMBAY

1905 \_Jtll right reserved]

in KM VI

THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES FOR BEDFORDSHIRE

EDITED

F. C. EELES, F.S.A. Scot.

From Transcripts

BY

The Rev. J. E. BROWN, B.A.

Vicar ofStudham

LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO

39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON

NEW YORK & BOMBAY

1905

[ »4ll right reservea*]

//

1942

PREFACE.

THE political exigences of Henry VIII's breach with the Pope caused him to suppress the English monastic houses, with the twofold end of crushing that part of the body spiritual which was the strongest bulwark of papal power in England, and of obtaining lands to grant to the nobility, so that he might secure their favour and support. Begun in 1535 under the pretext of suppressing some of the lesser houses on account of their corruption, this policy of sacrilege went on until every religious house was gone, and in 1545 it was extended to colleges, chantries and free chapels, although it seems that the seizure of the plate and ornaments of these latter did not take place until early in the reign of Edward VI. It is easy to see that this work of sacrilege and confiscation was not likely to stop short of the parish churches, and it began to be extended to them at the very beginning of the reign of Edward VI. Enquiries as to the goods of parish churches were made of the bishops in 1547, and early in 1549 a commission for making inventories was issued to sheriffs and justices of the peace. On 3rd March 1551 it was ordered by the Privy Council " that for as muche as the Kinge's Majestic had neede presently of a masse of mooney, therfore Commissions shulde be addressed into all shires of Englande to take into the Kinges handes suche churche plate as re- maigneth, to be emploied unto his highnes use."1 This however was not done immediately. On 2Qth January 1552 a letter was addressed to each custos rotulorum requiring the delivery of the inventories which had been made under the commissions of 1549. A commission to make new inventories and stop all private embezzle- ment was issued on i6th May 1552,2 and it was under

1 Acts of the Privy Council of England, N.S. iii (1550-1552) p. 228.

2 For full text see below, p. ix.

IV PREFACE

this commission that most of the inventories now at the Public Record Office were taken, including those printed in the earlier part of the present volume. A new commission was issued on i6th January 1553 directing the actual seizure of all the valuables, only the barest necessaries being left for the use of each church.1 The result of this was that the plate was sent to the Jewel House in the Tower of London and melted down, the vestments and the inferior metal work were sold locally, the linen given to the poor. Thus the sacrilege was complete. The lead and bells do not seem to have been actually taken.2

A necessary accompaniment of this wholesale seizure of ecclesiastical property was of course the taking of careful inventories of it. A great number of these still remain, ranging in date from 1536, when those of the religious houses begin, until 1553 — the date of the latest Edwardian returns for parish churches. This great series of i6th century inventories, despite its shameful origin, is of the highest legal, historical and liturgical importance. No other country can show the like. Notwithstanding their obvious value, little more than half the inventories have hitherto been printed, and some of these are in comparatively rare publications which are not easy of access.

Until all such inventories are printed accurately and published in an accessible way, it is impossible to form a just estimate of their contents, or to write a detailed history of the spoliation of our churches by Henry VIII and Edward VI, or indeed to deal properly with the subject of church furniture and ornaments in the i6th century in England as a whole. This the Alcuin Club

1 This commission has often been printed : see Seventh Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, London, 1846, Appendix II., p. 307, or Surtees Society vol. 97, p. 4, or Book of Common Prayer with notes by A. J. Stephens, London 1849, v°l- i-> P- 3 5 6, or Church Goods in Berkshire, by Walter Money, Oxford, 1879, p. xxxii.

2 By far the best account of the spoliation at present available is that written by Mr. Page and prefixed to his invaluable book of Inventories of Church Goods for the Counties of York, Durham and Northumberland, Surtees Society, vol. 97.

PREFACE V

intends to do as soon as it is practicable, but it is obviously impossible while half the material is lying scattered in MS. at the Record Office. The Committee therefore is first addressing itself to the work of getting all the material transcribed, and printed in an accessible form. In some cases it is hoped that the inventories may be printed by local archaeological societies : where nothing else is possible the club will endeavour to do it, but from the expensive character of the work it is doubtful how much will be able to be done unless financial help comes in from outside.

As a first instalment the Edwardian inventories for the county of Bedford are now published. The tran- scripts have been made by the Rev. J. E. Brown, and collated with the originals by Mr. F. C. Eeles, who is also responsible for the introduction.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

[With references to the documents in the Public Record Office]

PAGE

INTRODUCTION ix.

Commission for survey of Bedfordshire church goods i6th May, 1552 ix. (Rot. Pat. 6 Edw. VI., p. 7, m. 12 in dorso)

INVENTORIES OF 1552

HUNDRED OF MANSHEAD

BATTLESDEN - ... (Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS Jj1) I

EVERSHOLT .... „ 2

HARLINGTON - „ 3

HOUGHTON REGIS - „ 4

HULCOTE „ 4

HUSBORNE CRAWLEY - »» 5

SALFORD „ 7

TINGRITH „ 8

TILSWORTH .... (Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS £$) 8

WESTONING .... (EX. K. R. CH. GOODS *£) 9

HUNDRED OF BARFORD

EATON SOCON - (EX. K. R. CH. GOODS ^-) 1 1

HUNDRED OF REDBORNESTOKE

CRANF1ELD ... - (EX. K. R. CH. GOODS V") 1 3

HUNDRED OF WIXAMTREE

FARNDISH (EX. K. R. CH. GOODS J) 15

STAGSDEN ... - (EX. K. R. CH. GOODS V") *5

MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS.

MEPPERSHALL - - - - (Ex. K. R, CH. GOODS y) If

viii CONTENTS

rACB

LUTON - - - (Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS tf) 22

STRETLEY - „ 24

HOUGHTON CONQUEST „ 24

WILLINGTON - „ 25

DUNSTABLE „ 26

HARLINGTON - „ 26

TODDINGTON - - „ 26

LUTON „ 27

HOUGHTON CONQUEST „ 27

SANDY - - - (Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS Bdle. 14) 29

(Formerly L. R. CH. GOODS Bdle. 1392, File 4 no. i) WILLINGTON - - (Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS Bdle. 14) 30

(Formerly L. R. CH. GOODS. Bdle. 1392, File 3 nos. i to 3) APPENDIX I.

INVENTORY OF WOBURN ABBEY

CHURCH 1537 - - (Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS J-§) 40

APPENDIX II.

Return of defaced plate from Bedfordshire delivered into the Jewel House between ist June 1553 and 4th Feb. 1554

(Ex. K. R. CH. GOODS #) 42

A List of Names of Persons 42

INTRODUCTION TO THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES FOR BEDFORDSHIRE.

VERY few of the Edwardian inventories for Bedfordshire have come down to us ; only 14 of those taken in 1552, from a total of about 125 parish churches. They were the result of the following Commission, under which most of the later Edwardian inventories were made. This document has often been printed before, but as it is given in full for Bedfordshire on the Patent Roll, the alterations as to names required to adapt it for other counties being indicated at the end, it has been thought well to print it once again.

Rot. Pat. 6 Edw. VI. p. 7, m. 1 2 in dorso.

Edward the syxt &c. To our deare Cousyn and Counsaillour William Marques of Northampton great Chamberleyn of Englond and to our trustie and right welbeloved John Lord Braye and to our trustie and welbeloved John Seynt John and Uryan Brereton Knightes and to our welbeloved Lewes Dyve and Richard Snowe Esquyers greting Whereas We have at sundry tymes heretofore by our speciall Commyssion and otherwyse commaunded that ther shuld be takyn and made a just veu survey and inventory of all maner goodes plate juelles vestymentes belles and other orna- mentes within every paryshe belongyng or in any wyse apperteynyng to any Churche Chapell Brothered Gylde or Fraternyty within this our Ralme of Englond and uppon the same inventory so taken had or made our commaundement was and hathe ben that all the same goodes plate juelles vestmentes belles and other ornamentes shuld be safely kept and appoyncted to the charge of such persons as shuld kepe the same safely and be ready to aunswere to the same at all tymes according to the whiche our Commyssyons and sundry Commaundements. We were advertysed by our said Commyssioners then appoyncted and by other meanes

X INTRODUCTION

also that the said goodes plate juelles vestymentes belles and other ornamentes of the said Churches Chapelles Brotherheddes Gyldes Fraternytyes and Companyes were not only vieued and duly surveyd but also that the inventories thereof were made by indenture and thon part of the same remayned with our Gustos Rotulorum of that Countye or hys deputye or Clerke of the peax at that tyme being and the other part with the churche- wardens and such men as had the charge of the same goodes and other inventories also made by our com- maundement by our Busshopes and their ecclesiasticall Officers were lykewyse by them retorned hyther to our Counsaill : yet nevertheless for that we be informed that somme part of the said goodes plate juelles belles and ornamentes of Churches be in somme places embeselled or removed contrarye to our former expresse com- maundements and manyfestlye to the contempt and derogacion of our honur in that behalfe We have thought mete to have the very truthe herin justly and duly knowen to thintent the same may be as ys most necessarye redressed and furthwith reformed. And for that purpose for the good knowledge and experyence had in your trustynes faithfulnes wisdome and uprightnes we have appoyncted you to be our speciall Commyssioners and by auctoryty herof do name appoynct and auctoryse you four or three of you to take and receave a due full and just vieu of all goodes plate juelles belles and ornamentes of every Churche and Chapell in whose hands soever the same be belonging or in any wyse apperteynyng to any the said Churches Chapelles Gyldes Brotherheddes or Fraternyties within that our Countie of Bedford. And upon the said vieu so taken to cause a true just and full perfect inventorye to be made of the same and to compare the same with the best of the former inventories heretofore made and remaynyng with the said Churchwardens or suche other as then hadd the same in charge. And for the defaultes and wantes yf any shalbe eyther of the said plate juelles belles vestymentes or any other ornamentes or any part of theym any maner of wyse to make diligent inquyrye and serche as well by the othes of suche honest men as

INTRODUCTION XI

ye shall thinke mete to sweare therfore as any other convenyent meanes to knowe and understand by whose default the same hath bene removed embesiled aliened or dimynyshed. And also in whose possession the same thinges or any part therof so spoiled removed embeselled or demynysshed do remayne or to whose use the money and profett therof ys made or is comme according to the further meanyng of certen instrucions sent to you herewith and of your hole doynges in this behalf to retorne unto us and our Pryvey Counsaill in wryting your answere accordingly. And yf ye shall fynde any person or persons that wilfully or stubburnlye will refuse to obey any precept or commaundement which you our said Commyssioners foure or three of you shall geve unto theym in or about thexecucion of the premisses that then we gyve unto you full power auctorytie to commytt every suche person or persons to warde and pryson ther to remayne without baill or maynprice untyll suche tyme as you shall think the same ymprisonment to be condigne for his or their offences. Wherfore Wee will and com- maunde you and every of you to attende and execute the premysses accordinglye and moreover Wee will and commaund all and singuler Mayours Shereffes Bayllyffes Constables Hedboroughes all Curates Parsons Vicars Churchwardens and all other our Offecers Minysters and faithfull Subjectes that they and every of them be ayding helping counsailling assisting and furthering you in and aboute the due execucion herof as they tender our pleasure and will aunswer to the contrarye at ther extreme perells. In Witnes wherof &c. TR apud [sic\. [Westmonasterium, xvj die Maij.] Fiant consimiles separales Commissiones directae personis subscriptis in Com[itatibus] Ciuitatibus Episco- pat[ibus] et Villis subscriptis.

Bedford.

The Marquess of Northampton.

The Lord Braye.

Syr John Saynt John.

Syr Uryan Brerton.

Richard Snowe.

Lewes Dyve.

Xll INTRODUCTION

Besides these fourteen Edwardian inventories, there is a series of documents connected with the attempt which was made in Queen Mary's reign to rescue for church use those ornaments which had been privately embezzled or unlawfully made away with. These documents are of great interest and are given in full.

The inventory of Woburn Abbey taken in 1537 — the only extant Bedfordshire example of the earlier returns — has been printed as Appendix I.

The Bedfordshire inventories are written in various hands upon sheets of paper of different sizes and they are now indexed at the Record Office as Exchequer King's Remembrancer Church Goods ^ and are tied up in a single bundle, except those for Farndish (Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods *) and Tilsworth (Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods B) which are separate. The Woburn inventory (Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods il) has been carefully bound into a book among other similar inventories.

Several of the following documents now appear in print for the first time. The rest were printed in Bedfordshire Notes and Queries.^ It has been thought well to give them again because Bedfordshire Notes and Queries is such an exceedingly scarce publication, and the edition of them given there is by no means accurate.

Exact literal accuracy has been observed in the printing of these documents, but nearly all contractions have been extended. Capital letters have been uniformly used for all proper names, and small letters have been substituted for many unnecessary capitals in the originals. The letters "di" (really a contraction for the Latin dimidia = half) have been allowed to remain unaltered. As the spelling is so very erratic throughout it has been thought unnecessary to use the symbol (f) to indicate places where unusual spellings or apparent mistakes have been retained. The signatures of the com- missioners appear in full at the end of each inventory, but they have only been printed in full under the first. In printing some of the long depositions of witnesses among the Marian documents, it has been thought well to introduce commas to facilitate reading, in place of the

1 Vol. i., p. 277, Bedford, 1886.

INTRODUCTION xiii

hurried strokes and dots of the originals. The inven- tories are arranged in alphabetical order under the hundreds in which the churches are situated. Ten out of the fourteen are in the hundred of Manshead, in the south western part of the county ; of the rest two are from the hundred of Wixamtree, and one each from those of Barford and Redbornestoke. The hundreds of Biggleswade, Clifton, Flitt, Stodden and Willey are unrepresented.

A revising hand, presumably that of one of the commissioners, appears to have been over each in- ventory, correcting occasional mistakes and adding a sentence to the effect that the goods were committed to the custody and keeping of certain of the churchwardens.

These few Bedfordshire inventories contain little that is remarkable. As usual in inventories of this kind very few patens are specified. They are evidently intended to be included when chalices are mentioned. One tin chalice1 is recorded — at Husborne Crawley— and there was one of copper gilt at Eversholt. The material of the chalices of Cranfield and Farndish is not specified, although it was evidently silver, as the weights are given. Candlesticks are only recorded at five out of the fourteen churches — two in each case, except at Cranfield, where four are mentioned, probably pairs for two altars. Censers are recorded at six

1 " Tin " chalices were not common at this time, although they are occasionally to be found in inventories ; copper ones were also rather scarce. But it is more than probable that by " tin " the mediaeval writers meant what is called pewter now. A canon in the Decretum attributed to a council of Rheims (? A.D. 819) while requiring chalices to be of gold or silver, allowed the use of tin in cases of poverty (De cons., dist. i., c. Et calix.) But in 1175 Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, forbade tin " ne stanneum calicem aliquis episcopus ammodo benedicat interdicimus " and his constitution was adopted as part of the canon law in England (G. Lindewode Provinciate lib. iii., tit. De celeb, miss. c. Precipimus). Lindewode (tit., De summa trin., c. Altissimus, v. In calice) goes further, and says that copper ought not to be used, but after quoting Archbishop Richard against tin saying "nunquid licet conficere in calice stagneo" he ends by saying that the constitution of the archbishop is to be interpreted in accordance with the Rheims canon, and therefore allows tin propter panpertatem.

XIV INTRODUCTION

churches — two in each case, with a ship at Eaton Socon. Latten basons, presumably for washing the celebrant's hands, are mentioned at Hulcote and Westoning, there being two at the latter.1 Three pixes are recorded2 — one of latten, one of copper and one of copper gilt, but only one pax, one lamp, and one stock for holy water.

The churches were well supplied with bells, Harlington and Eaton Socon having as many as five, six churches having four and the rest three.3 At Husborne Crawley they had " j hanbell and a sawnce bell." In some cases "hanbeH'' may mean the bell rung in front of the procession at funerals in contradistinction to the sacring bell rung at the altar. As a general rule in England of old the "saunce" bell was a comparatively large bell which hung outside the church, either in the tower with the other bells or in a bell-cot by itself, and it was used at the elevation whether a small handbell was rung at the altar or not. That "saunce bell" meant an outside bell is well shown in one of the Marian documents printed below, where a complaint is made that one John Leventhorpe had embezzled a saunce bell at Meppershall " Imprimis he had a saunce bell hangyng in the belfrey and converted the same to his owne use." Here the saunce bell clearly must have hung in the belfry with the other bells : the words "hangyng in the

1They may possibly have been used as alms basons, or for the adorning of the altar. Two basons were left by will in 1502 to St. Mary Woolnoth, London, to serve both these purposes. See Mr. Micklethwaite's Ornaments of the Rubric, Alcuin Club Tract no. i, p. 41. Cf. also the inventory, taken in 1540, of Thornton Curtis Priory, Lincolnshire, which contains the entry " Item ij litle altar basons of silver weinge unc' . . . xvj " (Proc. of Cambridge Antiquarian Society, no. xliv., vol. x., p. 484). At Toddington in this county they had " a litle sylver dishe " as appears from one of the Marian documents printed below, p. 26.

2 Two more are mentioned in the Marian documents — one at Luton and the other at Toddington. The former was " a pixe of silver and gylte with a doble glasse" i.e., probably a monstrance with a glass cylinder used for processions of the Holy Eucharist, e.g., upon Palm Sunday.

3 vide Church Bells of Bedfordshire, by Thomas North, London, 1883, passim.

INTRODUCTION XV

belfrey " cannot have been used of a handbell rung at the altar. They had a handbell at Meppershall which was sold for sixteen pence ; the "saunce bell" was said to be " worthe to be sold iiij markes or there aboughtes." " Sacring bell " in a mediaeval inventory generally means a handbell rung by the clerk at the altar, either as well as or instead of the outside bell.

Vestments for deacon and subdeacon are mentioned only at Eaton Socon, but at Stagsden those of red silk are specified as a suit. The term " vestment " included so much, that it is probable that most of the other churches had tunicles, and even other ornaments such as frontals and curtains, which are not mentioned separately. The preponderance of the colour green is noticeable ; the red vestments, as is commonly the case, exceeded in number those of any other colour except green, but here the green vestments are fourteen as against eleven red ones. r

In two cases white vestments are recorded which were probably used during the first four weeks of Lent — one of bustian at Harlington, and one of fustian at Tilsworth. Only one tawny — i.e. probably yellow — vestment is mentioned, and only one black one.1 The descriptions are very meagre and nothing is said about the occasions on which the different colours were used.

In the inventory of Woburn Abbey, 1537, in Appendix I., we find black "for masse of requiem" "white fustian for Lent." There is also the entry " i j old

1 Bedfordshire was in the diocese of Lincoln in the middle ages, and no colour sequence for Lincoln use has come down to us ; at present we only know of a very fragmentary rule in the late i3th century Consuetudinary of Bishop Gravesend. Some light may perhaps be thrown upon the practice — if there ever was any "use" — of the diocese, when it is possible to make an analysis of the colours of all the vestments recorded in the Edwardian inventories, but even this is doubtful. On the whole subject of English liturgical colours see Notes on the History of the Liturgical Colours, by Dr. J. Wickham Legg, in Transactions of St. PauTs Ecclesiological Society vol. i., p. 95 and On the English Liturgical Colours by Mr. St. John Hope in vol. ii., p. 233 of the same : also On English Liturgical Colours by Mr. Cuthbert Atchley, on p. 89 of Essays on Ceremonial, Library of Liturgiology, vol. iii., London, Moring, 1904.

XVI INTRODUCTION

chesybilles for vestments " which shows that the word "vestment" was not synonymous with "chasuble"; the chasuble, in fact, formed one part of the "vestment," which was made up of many separate pieces.

The curious word "dubbings" is used in connection with albes in the Cranfield inventory. It evidently signifies the apparels.

Of copes, seven blue are recorded, five green, four red, besides others. Here again the large number of green is noticeable. There was one of "russet worset " at Houghton Regis, and one of linen, the colour of which is not given.

There is often some difficulty in knowing whether "altar cloths" in an English inventory mean " frontals " or the linen cloths. Frontals were often called by some other name, and the linen cloths were often called towels. Here a careful examination shows that the frequently mentioned "altar cloths" are the linen cloths. They are sometimes specified as being of linen. The towels are probably what we should call towels. Frontals seem to be referred to as "hangings," though at Stagsden they are called " frunts " and the upper frontals "counter fruntes." At Eversholt however "a coverying for the auter of olde tawny sylke " probably describes a frontal. 2

The following entry in the Eversholt inventory is interesting :—

" Item ann awter clothe of grene sylke which is a coverynge for the funte."

It shows that a silk font veil was actually in use at Eversholt when the inventory was taken. At the same time the Eversholt people had made six curtains of dornix into " iiij playing cootes."

"A vayll of lynnyn clothe" at Eaton Socon and "a sheate" at Eversholt are probably Lent veils; so too

1 A few more vestments are mentioned in the Marian documents, including one of Lyons blue at Meppershall, a crimson velvet cope at Houghton Conquest, and vestments for deacons and subdeacons at Willington.

2 " A fronte of red braunched dammaske " was provided at Houghton Conquest, early in the reign of Mary, v. below, p. 28.

INTRODUCTION

the veil and "the coverynge for the roode " mentioned as embezzled at Meppershall ; see below, p. 17.

In seven of the fourteen churches we find the ornament known as the cross cloth mentioned, and in three of these cases there were two cross cloths. Cross cloths were small banners hung to the processional cross ; they were not allowed according to strict Salisbury use, and in that diocese they do not seem to have been employed. They were a common part of the general English use, although they were not found where the local peculiarities of Sarum prevailed. Of these ten Bedfordshire examples four are green, one is red, and the colours of the rest are not given.

Rochets, presumably for the clerks, are mentioned at Houghton Regis and Westoning. Only eleven surplices are mentioned, of which four were at Houghton Regis, and only fifteen albes, of which nine were at Cranfield. In most places the albes, were probably included with the vestments ; the Cranfield inventory is more detailed, and specifies the albes with the vestments. In the other cases, where albes are mentioned by themselves, they were very likely used by the clerks, and did not belong to the sets of vestments. In only one instance.— Stagsden — is an amice specified.

Unlike inventories made by the church authorities, these Edwardian inventories very often do not specify all that the churches possessed. They give everything on which money could be raised, and usually a few valueless things besides, but it is easy to see that the commissioners were not particular to record every thing that was of no value. For example at Farndish neither altar cloth nor corporal is mentioned, and although there were a vestment and two copes, no surplice is mentioned. Now even by the Prayer Book of 1552 the linen altar cloth and the surplice are required, and Farndish church certainly must have possessed them. Corporals indeed are only specified at three out of fourteen churches and surplices only at five. The fact is, these ornaments were of little or no value, and were sometimes specified, some- times passed over. The same is probably the case with frontals and curtains, and perhaps some other things ;

XV111 INTRODUCTION

when of value they were entered, sometimes when of no value, but in the latter case they were almost as often left unnoticed.

It is clear that the Edwardian inventories cannot be looked upon as giving an absolutely exhaustive survey of church ornaments. They omit many that were of no pecuniary value. They also omit many things which must have existed, but which had been safely hidden or successfully embezzled. For example, at Westoning we find a cross cloth mentioned, but no cross to hang it on. It must have existed ; perhaps they hid it, or perhaps some one had made away with it. So with pixes ; every church was bound to have one, but only three out of these fourteen inventories mention them. Cruets are not mentioned at all in any of these inventories ; they may have been worthless in many cases or stolen or hidden in others ; but they obviously must have existed.

While it is necessary to bear all this in mind, it is equally necessary to remember that there were certain ornaments, such as censers, textus for gospels and epistles, silk offertory veils, etc., which many parish churches never seem to have possessed at all. On the other hand, because candlesticks are not mentioned at certain places, we must not conclude that the canon law rule sine lumine non celebretur was broken. Candles may have stood in iron pricket candlesticks that were not worth entering in an inventory ; or they may have been placed at the ends of the curtain rods ; or more likely a single torch upon a worthless wooden stick was held in his hand by the clerk, or stuck in a hole in the pavement close to the altar. T

The Marian documents here given form a long series belonging to the commission of enquiry as to the em- bezzlement of church goods, which was instituted early in Mary's reign with a view to rescuing as much as possible for the benefit of the churches which had been robbed.

1 See for example Alcuin Club Collection i. English Altars, plate viii. no. i., or Collection ii., Exposition de la Messe, plates 8 and 9, or Collection v., Dat Boexken van der Missen, plate xx., p. 86, where the -torch may be seen standing in a hole in the ground.

INTRODUCTION XIX

Of these the first few relate to Meppershall. There is a note giving particulars of ornaments embezzled there by one Thomas Stringer, wherein it is said he' ' hath also serteyne other albes and altar clothes and will not restore the same. And when the pore demaunde the same he revileth them and caleth them begarly knaves and evill entreteth them."

This reference to the poor demanding the linen is explained by the fact that the last Edwardian commission (i6th January 1553), while requiring the delivery of plate into the king's jewel house and the sale of valuables for his benefit, directed the commissioners "to dystribute ... to the poor people in every parysh . . . the resydue of the lynnen ornaments and ymplements of the said churches and chapeles, in suche order and sort as may be most to Codes glory and our honor."

A marginal note in another hand directs that the same Thomas [Stringer] should be bound to provide a new •canopy of sarcenet or satin of Bridges " on thisside the furst of Aug[ust]," and another note states that he paid £2 145 8d into the hands of the commissioners as the value of a chalice and a cope which he had sold.

There are similar documents relating to several other churches in which various ornaments are incidentally mentioned, together with the names of persons held to be responsible for their disappearance. Among them are •some references to Luton, in which occurs the name of John Gynneth, vicar from 1537 to 1558, an adherent of the old learning, well known for his Book of twenty Songs set to Music, printed in 1530. When applying for the degree of Doctor of Music in 1531, he stated that he had composed "all the responses of the whole year in division song, and had published three masses of five parts and five masses of four, as also certain symphonies, anti- phonas, and divers songs for the use of the Church."

There are also other documents regarding the Meppershall affair; they include the summons of the

1 See Luton Church, Historical and Descriptive. H. Cobbe, London 1899, [prepared for publication and edited by the Rev. Percy Dearmer] which contains a mass of valuable information relating to the church history of the district, including some notes on Bedfordshire Chantries <P- 566)> anfl £ome allusions to vestments at Luton (p. 578).

XX INTRODUCTION

commissioners to Stringer to appear before them at Westminster, a letter from a certain man named Hemyng, living at Arlesey, to the commissioners, excusing Stringer from appearing before them on the ground of his being "an olde man and not used to- jorney," and saying that he and some other local com- missioners had had Stringer before them and examined him. Stringer's own version of the matter follows — evidently the deposition he had made before Hemyng — in which he excuses himself, and blames a certain John Leventhorpe for embezzling the church goods.

Interesting light upon mediceval custom is thrown by the long series of documents relating to Willington which concludes the Marian papers. From these it appears that the vicar of Willington in Edward VI's time had presented a certain Thomas Verney1 as being responsible for the disappearance of some vestments and plate from the church. The Marian commissioners, who were endeavouring to rescue embezzled church goods and return them to the respective churches, caused evidence to be taken locally in regard to this Willington matter, and the depositions of the various witnesses are here given. They knew nothing at all about the vestments specified and they were unanimous in saying that the other ornaments did not belong to the church at all, but were the private property of the squire of Willington, Sir John Gostwike, who used to lend them to the church for festivals. One of the witnesses, an old servant of Sir John Gostwike's, deposed that "as to the crosse of syllver and gyllt enameled, a payre of cruettes of sillver, a chalece of syllver and parsell gillt, . . . the same Sir John Gostwik hadd of his own propre goods, and some- times the said Sir John wolld commaund the same at hiethe festivall days to be browght to the churche, and ther to be sett on the hieth aulter, and used and occupied to the better adorninge and decoratinge of the churche, to the greter honor and glory of God. And at every suche tyme he wolld have the same crosse, cruettes, and chalice brought home in to his house of Willington at or

1 A note about Verney and these ornaments will be found in one of the other documents, p. 25.

INTRODUCTION XXI

before the night of the same day and the same were keppt in the custody of him, that had the rest of his platte and was accompted of all men as his own propre goodes and platte." This is a very interesting instance of the old custom of decking the altar with plate (in this case, be it noted there was only plate and no reliquaries) which survived the Reformation and came down to our own day.

One of the witnesses examined in the Wellington affair was William Fayry " yoman of the agge of fifty yeares or ther aboute, arid howshold servaunte withe Sir John Gostwike for the space of xiiij yeares." He was perhaps connected with the family of this name whom one finds at Dunstable about fifty years earlier, where a certain Henry Fayrey who died in 1516 gave a magnificent red and gold herse cloth to the Fraternity of St. John the Baptist. This herse cloth is embroidered with the names of Henry, Agnes, John and Mary Fayrey, the merchants' mark of John Fayrey and the arms of the Mercers' Company, of which John Fayrey was a member. It is still preserved at Dunstable, and is one of the few old church ornaments remaining in Bedfordshire. It was proposed at one time to illustrate it here, together with the lectern at Leighton Buzzard and the mediaeval reredoses at Arlesey, Cople, and Eaton Bray, but it was eventually decided that proper justice could not be done to it in so small a book, and that pictures of existing ancient ornaments could be issued to better advantage in collections by themselves, than intermixed with bulky documents such as inventories.

Appendix I contains that part of the inventory of the Cistercian Abbey of Woburn which includes the church goods. It was taken in August 1537. The church appears to have been very poor, as it contained but little. There were " ij lynyn alter clothes upon the alter and on steyned alter cloth hangyng before the alter" and "ij laten candelstykes stondyng before the high alter" none apparently standing upon it. The "white vestment with a crucyfyx upon it " is a case of a vestment with a Latin cross on the back, no doubt. These were very common in England in the i6th century. The

XX11 INTRODUCTION

whole inventory somewhat conveys the impression of a survival of the more ancient Cistercian simplicity.

To this has been added, as Appendix II the part relating to Bedfordshire of a long document giving particulars of defaced plate from all over England delivered into the royal jewel house in the Tower of London between ist June 1553 and 4th February, 1554. A note giving the same particulars is endorsed on the list of persons responsible for the disappearance of goods from several churches (v. p. 25.)

INVENTORIES

HUNDRED OF MANSHEAD

[Battlesden]

Batelysden

The inventorie indentyd of all manere of plate jewelles vestmentes and belles bylongyng to the paryshe churche of Batelysden in the countie of Bed[ford] made the second day of Septembere in the vjth yere of the reyng of owre sovereyng lord kyng Edwarde the syxte exhibyted by Michell Innit curat William Vincent Henry Fyelde churchwardens John Trapnell Nicholles Fyelde William Ebbes and William Exell townsmen

In primis of sylvere percell gylte oon chalice with a patent weyng xi ounces iij quarters and di

Item a crosse of copper and gylte

Item iij vestmentes oon of green sarsenet oon of green sylke and oon othere of whyte sylke

Item a cope of rede sylke

Item oon crosse clothe of green sylke

Item of lynnen vj alter clothes f ij towelles f iij albes

Item ij hanbelles

Item in the stepull of the seid churche iij belles

Item the churche and chancell leaded and the porches and the stepull tyeled

f Commytted to the custodye and saffe kepyng of William Vincent and Henry Fyeld f L Seint John Uryan Brereton

Lewys Dyve Richard Snowe

t The obelus (t) has been used throughout to mark those parts of the inventories which appear to have been added by one of the com-

missioners.

THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

[Eversholt]

Eversoult

This inventory indentyd of all manner plate juelles vesty- mentes ornamentes and belles belonginge to the paryshe churche of Eversoult in the countye of Bedforth. Made the ijde daye of Septembre in the vjth yere of the reynge of oure soverayng Edwerd the vjth by the grace of God kyng of Englond Fraunce and Irelond defender of the feayth and in erthe supreme hedd of the churche of Englond and Irelond, by the person John Slowgh the churche wardens Ryche Whytbreade Thomas Butterfyld, and the Towensmen. Edmonde Barlee gent. Ambrose Gryggory. Thomas John- son, and John Brett.

Inprimis one challes of sylwer percell gylt wayinge f vij f owences iij quarters

Item one other challes of copper and gylte

Item ij copes one blewe velwett thother grene sylke.

Item ij vestymentes one blewe velwett thother grene sylke.

Item xvth auter clothes and towelles

Item one sheate1

Item vj cortens of dornyx wherof ys made iiij playing cootes :

Item a coveryng for the auter of olde tawny sylke.

Item ami awter clothe of grene sylke which is a coverynge for the funte.

Item ij corporous cases of blacke velwett

Item ij corporous clothes

Item ij sacrynge belles

Item annolde hearse clothe

Item in the steapull iiij belles

Item the churche chaunsell vestery and steapull all coveryd with leade

f Commytted to the custodye and saffe kepyng of Thomas Jonson and John Burtf

[Signatures as before]

ii

i.e., probably the great Lenten veil.

FOR BEDFORDSHIRE. 3

[Harlington.]

Harlingdon

The invytorye indented of all maner of plate jewelles vestementes ornamentes and belles belongynge to the parisshe churche of Harlingdon in the com [county] of Bed[ford] made the seconde daye of September in the vith yere of the raigne of or soveraigne lord Edward the sixt by the grace of God of England Fraunce and of lerland kynge defender Of the faithe, and in erth the supreme head of the churche of England and lerland exebyted and delyvered to the kynges his maiestie[s] comyssyoners by William Alyson vycar Richard Hawkyns John Nasshe churche wardens John Spycer Ath Helder Richard Mathew townes men.

In primis one chalice of f silver f percell gylte wayinge ix unces

Item to crossys of coper and gylte

Item a corpus clothe with a case of syke

Item one payer of sensers of coper

. Item sixse vestmentes v of them of sylke and one of them of whight bustyan

Item ij copes one of damaske whight and the other of blew damaske

f Item iij pillowes olde of sylke f

Item in the stepull of the said churche v belles and a saunce bell The first bell in wydenes ii foote and vii ynches in depthe ii foote and one ynche the second bell ii foote and viij ynches in depthe ii foote the thurd bell ii fote wyde and ii foote depth the fowerth bell iii foote wyde and ii fote depth and a di the v'h bell iii foote and di wyde ii foote and di depe the saunce bell wyde xi ynche and ix ynche depe

Item all the said churche and porche leaded and the chaunsell tyled and the stepull tyled

-j- Committed to the custodie and safe kepynge of William Alyson vicar there John Helder and Richard Mathewe f [Signatures as before]

[Endorsed]

In primis one chalyce sold to John Spycer for iijli iij* iiijd which was bestowed upon the hye waye

4 THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

[Houghton Regis.]

Howghton Regis

The inventorie indentid of all maner of plate juelles vestimentes and belles belongynge to the paryshe churche of Howghton Regis in the countye of Bed[ford] made the fyrst daye of September in the syxt yere of owr sufferayn lord kynge Edward the syxth by the grace of God of Yngland Fraunce and Ireland kynge defender of the fayth and in earth supprem hed of the chyrch of Yngland and Ireland : and exhybyted by John Edwardes and Rychard Webbe chyrch wardens and also Mathew Pedder Wylliam Straunge and Thomas Willys with other : townsmen

In primis iij chalyces. of the wyche one ys sylver dowble gylt waynge xxvij ounces and the other ij be sylver parcell gyllt waynge xxvj ounces.

Item of lattyn ij crosses too pyxes a payre of sencers a pax and ij lattyn candylstykes

Item f two copes f one cope1 of lynnen clothe, and the other of russett worsted and the other were stolen when the chyrch wass robbed

Item xiij olid vestymentes. and the other were taken away whan the churche wass robbed

Item iiij corporas cases and iij of the clothes were stolen

Item iij hangynges. and iiij lynnen clothes, vj towelles. iiij surplyces and ij rochettes and ij chestes

f Item a pawle of dyvers colors f

Item iiij belles and the v bell wass not all payd for and therfore yt wass solid to pay yt

f The churche and steple covered with ledde f

f Committed to the custodie and safe kepynge of John Edwardes and Richard Webbe f

[Signatures as before]

[Hulcote.]

Hulcott

The inventoris indentyd off all maner off plate jewelles vestmentes ornamentes and bookes belongyng to the paryshe

1 Struck out.

FOR BEDFORDSHIRE. 5

churche of Hulcot in the counte of Bedfford] made the last day of August in the syxt yere of the reygne of owr soveren lord kynge Edward the syxt by the curat churchewardens and dyvers other the discrete and most substancyall men of the seid parish appoyntyd for the same and also examyned by the kynges maiesties commyssioneres in that behalff assygned whos names to to either part of the seid inventoris are sub scry by d

In primys one broken chalice f of sylver f with a patent percell gylte weynge xiij ounces and di Item ii alter clothes iij towelles

Item one crosse of copper Item one crosse clothe of sylk Item ij albes and one vestment fred seyf Item ij latten candilstikes

Item one latten basen Item one lamp of latten Item a payer of sensures of latten Item a holy water stop of laten

Item one coop of grene sylke Item one surpclothe l Item iij lytell belles in the stepell the fore bell in compas a yeard one foote iij ynches in depthe di yard ij ynches in compas the second j yard di iiij ynches in depthe di yard vj ynches the third in compase ij yeards xiij ynches depthe di yeard vij ynches

Item the seid churche fand steplef coveryd with ledd and the chauncell and porch tylyd

f Committed to the custodie and safe kepynge of Michell Shepeherd persone there Thomas Burton and Randoll Spencer f

[Signatures as before]

[Husborne Crawley.]

Husband Crauley

The inventorye indentyd of all maner of plate vesty- mentes and belles belongyng to the said paryche chyrche in the countye of Bedford mayde the fyrste day of Septembre in the syxte yere of the rayne of our soverayn lord kyng Edward the syxte by the curat chyrchewardens and dyveres

1 i.e., a surplice.

6 THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

other of the discret and substancyall men of the sayd paryche appoynted for the same

In primus one chalyce of tynne

Item a crosse of copper

Item of lynnen iiij alter clothes

Item viij towelles

Item ij hangynges before the alter

Item iiij olde lynnen clothes

Item j buckeram hangyng

Item iij vestymentes on of blue 2 sylke 2 welvet l

Item a nother of red 1 sylke l and the thyrd of satten

Item iij copes on of satten and ij of lynnen

f Item oon crosse clothe of red sylke f

Item the sayd chyrche f and stepull f is ledded and the chancell and the porche is tyled

f Item j hanbell and a sawnce bell f

Thes men beyng present at the makyng of thys inventory

Thomas Byrde clercke

Thomas Allyn and John Matthew chyrchewardens

Nycoles Abbat Rychard Syare

Henrie Mathew and Wylliam Pollens

Item in the steple of the sayde chyrche iiij belles

The grete bell in bredithe iiij foote and hallfe a inche | in depthe iij foote and v inches and in thycknes iij inches | The second in bredthe iij foote viij inches in depthe iij foote ij inches iij quarters in thycknes, ij inches and iij quarters of an inche. | The thyrde in bredthe iij foote v inches | in depthe iij foote and hallfe and inche and in thyck- nes ij inches and a hallfe, The fourthe bell in bredthe ij foote xj inches, in depthe ij foote v inches, and in thyckness ij inches and a quarter of a inche

f Commyttedd to the custodye and saffe kepyng of Thomas Bryd vicare there Thomas Allyn and John Mathew f [Signatures as before]

1 — 1 In later hand. 2—2 Struck out.

FOR BEDFORDSHIRE. 7

[Salford.]

Salford

The invetory indentyd of all manner of plate jewelles vestmentes and belles belongyng to the paryshe church of Salford in the count[ie] of Bedford] maid the second day of September in the syxt yere of the reyng of or sovereygn lord Edward the syxt by the grace of God by the curat churchwardens and dyvers other of the dyscrete and moost substancyall men of the said paryshe appoynted for the same and also examyned by the kynges maiesties commyssyoners in that behalf assigned whose names to eyther part of the said invetory are subscrybyd

The names of the presenters Roger Browgh Vicar

^ ,-P [church [wardens] John Lovell townesman

George 1 ownes J

In primis one chales and one patent of Sylver percell gylt weyng ix ownces

Item of laten one crosse and ij candelstykkes one crosse clothe of grene sylke and one banner clothe of grene sylk

Item iiij vestmentes one of blew velvett one of whyte sylk and ij of rede and whyte and ij copes one of rede sylke and one of dyvers colors

Item in the steple of the said church iij belles the great bell in compas too yeardes and di in deapth iij quarters and a nayle The second in compasse ij yerdes and a quarter in deapth iij quarters The third in compasse ij yerdes in deapth iij quarters save a nayle

Item the said church f and steple f coveryd with lede and the chancell and porch tyled

f Item ij hande belles f

f Committed to the custodie and safe kepynge of Roger Broughe vicare there John Odell and Thomas Butler f [Signatures as before]

THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

[Tingrith.]

Tyngrythe

The inventory indentyd of all maner of plate vestimentes ornamentes and belles belongynge to the parryshe of Tyngrythe in the counte of Bedford maid the seconde day of September in the syxt yere of the rayne of our soverand lorde kynge Edwarde the syxt by the curat churche wardens and dyveres other of the said parryshe appoyntyd for the same

In primis too chalyces of sylver percell gylt weynge xxj ounces

Item vj alter clothes and vj towelles and one pyllow

Item of coper one pyxe and one crosse

Item iij clothes in paynes red and yelow for the alter

Item ij candylstykes

f Item iii coopes verye olde f

Item vj vestimentes 2 and too copes 2 f one white damaske and one other grene and the other iiij verie olde f

Item in the stepull of the said churche iij belles weynge by estymation xxv hundred wyght

Item all the said churche f chauncell and steple f coveryd with ledde

The names of the presenteres

Patryk Lyntone persone Wylliam Bunkar | Wylliam Andrew the churche wardens | Symon Lowynge | Thomas Wytt the townes men

f Commytted to the custodie and safe kepynge of Simont Lowyn William Bonker and William Andrewe f [Signatures as before]

2— 2 Struck out.

[Tilsworth.]

Tyllysworth

The Inventorie indentide of all maner of plate jewelles vestymentes ornamentes and belles belongynge

FOR BEDFORDSHIRE.

to the parrishe churche of Tyllysworth in the counte of Bedf[ord] made the second day of September in the vjth yere of the reigne of our sovren lord kinge Edwarde the syxte by the curate churchwardens and dyveric othere of the dyscrete and most substancyall men of the seid parishe appoyntyde for the same and also examynede by the kynges maiestes commyssionres in that behalffe assigned whoos names to eithere parte of the seyde inventorie are subscrybid

In primis of sylver one chalice parcell gylte weynge eyght ounces

Item ij alter clothes

Item iij vestymentes one of wytte fustyan and one of rede sylke and a nother of grene sylke

Item iij copes one ys grene sylke a nother ys blew and the othere ys lyned with youlow bockeram f Item oon surplesse f

Item in the staple of the seide churche iij bellys beyng by estimatioon xxx hundred weyght

Item the churche body and the chauncell ys tyled ande the Ilye thereof f and the stepulle f ys leddid

The names of the The names of the presenters

commissioners Robt Low Vicare

Robt Bonyon Thomas Grome

Churchwardens John Pendley Thomas Carter

Townsmen

f Commytted to the custodie and safFe kepyng of Robert Bounyon and Thomas Grome f [Signatures as before]

[Westoning.]

Westonyng

The inventorie indentid of all maner of plate jewelles vestmentes ornamentes and belles belongyng to the parishe church of Westonyng in the counte of Bedford made the

IO THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES.

second day of Septembre in the syxte yere of reyn of our soverene lorde kynge Edwarde the syxte, by the curate churche wardens, and dyver other of the discrete and most substantiall men of the sayd parishe apponted for the same

In primis too chalices of sylver percell gylte weyng xviij ounces and a halfe

Item of lynnyn syxe alter clothes iij towelles ij hangyng and ij crosse clothes

Item of laten too candelstyckes and a bason

Item ij censers of latyn and a herse clothe

Item a xj vestmentes one of grene velvett one blew satten one of white saten one of red sarcenet one of grene damaske one of red seye one of red saten one of grene thred one of blew threde one broches and flowers and one other of blacke sey

Item v coopes one of blew saten one of red sarcenett one wroght in the frame of threde one other of blew saten and one other of grene branched damaske

Item in the stepull of the seyd churche iiij belles, to of the seyd belles weyng by estymation xvij hundred and a half, the other to gret belles xxti hundred by estimation and a saunce bell, to hand belles

Item the churche f chauncell steple and porche f all covered with leed Item to sacaryng belles

Item ij surplesses and to rochettes

The names of the presenters

John Frances vicar Rychard Punter Rowland Dyxe churchewardens Edmonde Parsons Henry Wattes

f Committed to the custodie and safe kepynge of John Fraunces vicare there Richard Punter and Edmonde Parsons f

HUNDRED OF BARFORD.

[Eaton Socon and Wyboston.]

Eton cum Wyboston

Thys inventory of the churche goodes there endentyd the xjxth day of August the vjt yere of the reynge of cure soverynge lord Edwarde the syxtt by the grace of God kyng of Englond Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faythe and of the churche of Englond and alsoo Irelond in erthe the supreme hed and presentyd the sayme day and yere at Bedford to the kynges maiesties comyssioners by Thomas Alcoke vicar John Tynggay and Nicolas Yssott churche werdens ther Wylliam Stott Jamys Bercoke Thomas Tynggay inhabytaunttes of Eton a fore sayde

Fyrst one chalys of sylver doble gyltt weyng xv owunces Item one chalys of sylver parcell gyltt weyng viij owunces

t qa di f

A crosse of sylver parcel gylt weyng Ixviii owunces

One payre of sylver sensure with a shyp of sylver weyng xxxviti ounces

On pyx of coper gyltyd

A cope of cremyssyn velvett

One other cope of whytt damaske wythe decon and subdecon of the sayme

Item a cope of blewe damask with decon and subdecon to the sayme

Item one cope of gold and velvett with decon and sub- decon to the sayme

Item one vestment of tawny sylke with decon and subdecon

Item iij vestmentes for everye day and ij crosclothys of greyn sarsnet

One baner clothe ij lectron clothes | one pylloo for the alter

12 THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

A vayll of lynnyn clothe xii towylles v belles in the

stepyll and a sanctes bell

f The churche chauncell and steple covered with leadde Committed to the custodye and kepinge of Thomas

Alcock vicarr there John Tyngay Nicholas Isatt and

William Scott f

[Signatures as before.]

HUNDRED OF REDBOURNSTOKE.

[Cranfield.]

Cranfield

[Inventory in]dentyd of all manner of plate jwelles vestmentes ornamentes and belles belongy[ng to the churche of Cranfeiljd in the count[ie] of Bedf[ord] maid the second day of Septembre in the syx[t yere of our Soverjeng lord Edward the Syxt by the grace of God of Ynglond France and I[reland Kyng defender of] the fayth and in earth supreme heade of the same church of Ynglond and Irelond . . . obert Harreson II churchwardens Wylliam Purrear John Sugr II and Harr . . . William Sylkes townesmen II and dyvers other of the dyscrete and moost substancyall men [appoynted] for the same and also examyned by the Kynges maiestis commysyoners

[g]ylt tnre chaleces with their patentes weyng

fyfty ounces and half

church iiij belles and as ances bell the wayght

of the fyrst bell by ... second xi. C. thyrd xv C the fowrth xviij C the sances bell dj C. . . . [c]hurch conteyn- yng in weyght viijli ... of latten with iij small

belles < ij crosses of latten ij sensors of latten and iiij candlestykkes of brasse

[Item one] cope of rede velvett and vestment of the same with albe and dubbynges one cope of grene sylk . . . chesebelles of the same ij albys with dubbynges l one vest- ment of whyte chamlett ... the same one cope bawdkyn a vestment of the same ij chesebles and iij albes II ij old cop . . . damask II ij clothes of sylk to hang before thalter thone of red and whyte saten . . . rede and grene damask

u

i.e., apparels.

14 THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

II iiij vestmentes of grene dornykes with albys II one old . . . [re]de sylke and vestment of the same and one rede sylk vestment and ij crosse clothes of sylk

vij alter clothes and vij towelles and iij syr-

pleces one payre of organs the said churche ys coveryd with lede and chauncell also

f . . . the custodie and safe kepynge of William Purrear John Sugar Henry Wh. . . f

[Signatures as before]

HUNDRED OF WIXAMTREE.

[Farndish.]

Farndyshe

The Invytorie off the churche goodes off Farndysche made the xviij daye off August the syxte yere off oure sovereyne lorde Edwarde the syxt by the grace of God off Englond Fraunce and Irelond kyng defender off the faythe and in erthe off the churche of Englond and Irelond supreme heddes by Wylliam Lordisman persone of the same towne John Fyssher Wylliam Wede churchewardens there and Roger Wysseman Reynolde Bett John Poweres off the sayde towne of Farndische

Fyrst one chalyce off sylver with a paten to the same weight xij ounces and di

One cope off dune velvett imbrothered with golde One cope off whight sylke two vestementes one off satyn off burges thother of wight chamlet Thre belles in the stepull and a sanctes bell The seyde churche off Farndische and the chauncell ys coweryd ovre with ledde

f Committed to the custodye and safe kepinge of William Lordesman personne there John Power and William Wede f

[Signatures as before]

[Stagsden.]

Stacheden in com [county] Bed[ford]

The Inventory endented of all the ornamentes and churche goodes there remaynynge beynge presented before the kynges maiesties commissioners by Robert Slyngesby

1 6 THE EDWARDIAN INVENTORIES

clarke vycar there Thomas Colston gent Wylliam Bolton Alexander Yerle Wylliam Money inbytauntes of the same towne at Bedford the xviijth day of Auguste in the sixte yere of the reigne of our sovereign lorde kynge Edwarde the sixte

Rye Cocke ) ~, , ,

fj c } Lhyrchewardenes

George oaunsam J J

In primis one chalyce of sylver percell gilte weyng xvj ounces

Item one crosse of latten gylted

Item one sylke cope of chesable and one amys with an albe

Item iij fruntes and ij counter fruntes1 of sylke

Item ij corporas 2 clothys2 cases one of clothe of golde thother of velvett

Item one sute of redde vestymentes with a cope of sylke

Item ij coffers

Item iiij belles in the steple

The churche and the steple covered leade and the chauncell covered with tyle and slate

f Committed to the custodye and safe kepinge of Robt Slingesbye vicar there Thomas Colston and William Bolton f [Signatures as before]

1i.e. upper frontals. 2 — 2 erased.

MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS.

Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods V [Meppershall.]

Ornamentes belongyng to the churche of Mepersale and solde and deteyned by Thomas Stringer of the same Fyrste one chalesse parcell gylte solde]

unto Leonard Daye for xx crownesf iiijH xixs somme

Item one cope and a vestment of reddj velvett solde to Sir Henrye Graye J *

Item one handebell solde to Leonard Daye xvjd

Item the same Thomas detayneth the veile the coveringe for the roode and the canapye of clothe and frenged with sylke The same Thomas dyd deface a grayle belongyng to the said churche and he hathe allso serteyne other albes and alter clothes and will not restore the same

And when the pore demaunde the same he revileth them and caleth them begarlye knaves and evill entreteth them

[In another hand.]

Item iij gret cofers coverd with ieron by estimacion

valewd xxxiijs iiijd Summa vij'i xiijs viijd Exhibited by William Rolf of Mepersall

[In right margin in another hand.~\

In hys kepynge and makyth part for beddes and part for hangynges paynted

1 8 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

[In left margin in another hand.~\

Nota the same Thomas shalbe bounden by rec[ognis- ance] to provyde a new canapie of sarcenett or satten of bridges on thisside the furst of Aug[ust] the commyssyoners certyfycate of Beddfordshyre beyng serched the xixth daye of June annis ijdo et iipo itt apperyth that liiijs viijd for the broken chalyce the cope of taffyta and latten was paid to the commyssyoners handds by the said Thomas Strynger and is chareged within the summe of cccviijli iiijd for the churchegoodes of Beddforde- shyre

[On another sheet. .]

After ower hertye comendacions | Forasmuche as we are credeblely informed that you onyustelye reteygne in youre handes certeyn churche goodes somtyme belongyng to the parysshe churche of Mepersale in the countye of Bedd[ford] Thise shalbe therfor to requyre you : And on the Kynge and the Qwenes maiestyes behalffe streytlye to commaunde you by the vertue of there Highnes commyssyon to us dyrected that you personallye appere byfore us att Westm[inster] in the late Augmentacon courte the fyrste daye of the nexte Trynytee terme : to make answere to suche poyntes and artycles as then shalbe obiected ageynst you consernynge the sayd goodes Fayle you nott hereof att youre perylle

From Westminster] the xvjth of Maye 1556

Yor lovynge Frendes William Berners. Tho : Mildmay. John Wyseman

[Endorsed]

To Thomas Strynger of Mepersale in the countye of Bedd[ford] yoman be this delyvered

[On another sheet."]

The declaration of Thomas Strynger of Mepersale within the countie of Bedf[ord] yoman of for and concernynge hys dyscharge of any churche gooddes supposed to be by hym defrauded contrarye &c

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 19

Inprimis the seid Thomas sayethe that aboughte a vjt or vijt yeares past that he the seid Thomas and one Gowther Parker yoman of the same towne nowe decessyd were then churchewardens of the seid churche of Mepersall and at suche tyme and when they were commaunded by the kynges commyssyoners at that tyme appoynted to cum before them and to brynge with them a lawfull inventory of all suche churche gooddes and stockes of money as then were belongynge unto the churche of the seid parrysshe wherof they then as churche wardens was charged with all where uppon the seid churche wardens amonge other many churche wardens of other parrysshes dyd not only appeare at Luton but also at Clyfton and at the seid towne of Clyfton then dyd delyver unto one Sir Michaell Fyssher knyght and other then commyssyoners appoynted one certen inventory of all the churche gooddes at that tyme belongynge the same churche of Mepersale aforeseid yn the which inventory were conteyned were1 conteyned l all thes parcelles followynge that ys to saye one chales with a patent a blacke velvett cope with a vestment to the same belongynge a redde saten cope and a whyte vest- ment to the same with certeyn awbes and aulter clothes the number of the wiche certenly are not yn ther knowledge and also v belles and also expressed yn the seid inventory at the same tyme that the churche was ledded and the chauncell tyled and as for the seid stocke of money above specyfyed to his remembraunce he sayethe dothe amounte unto xxx* or xls or there aboughtes which was delyvered by the seid churche wardens unto the Ordenary longe before the makynge of the seid inventory And farder the seid Thomas sayethe that after the seid inventory presented and before any gooddes delyvered by the vertewe of the same inventory that the seid Gowther Parker and the seid Thomas Strynger uppon ther accomptes makynge were dyscharged and one John Strynger and Harry Meade then newly ellected and chosen churchwardens &c After which election and aboughte a iij yeres past they were commaunded amonge other to appeare before newe commyssyoners then for the ornament of the churche appoynted for to appeare before them at Bedford] with all the ornamentes before specyfyed within the seid inventory at which tyme the seid churchwardens then beynge

2O MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

dyd make delyvere accordyngly as all other churchewardens were compelled to do the lyke and the same And this the seid Thomas Strynger sayethe and more yn the premisses he cannot say trustynge that yt ys suffycyent for his declaration. And forasmyche as yt ys to be supposed that one John Leventhorpe the elder gent of Mepersale aforeseid shold be the one of the procurers of this byll ayenst hym he sayethe he must nedes utter thynges ayenst the seid Levernthorpe that he wolde not gladly have don excepte commaundement had compelled to do therunto of for and concernynge the ymbeaselynge of certeyn gooddes which neyver were put into the intoventory and all by the lett and doynge of the seid Leventhorpe which parcelles so ymbeaceled by the seid Leventhorpe be as after followethe.

Inprimis he had a saunce bell hangynge yn the belfrey and converted the same to his owne use and neyver payd one peny therfore and by estymacon worthe to be sold iiij markes or there aboughtes [vs.] l

Item he had yn lyke manner a whyte satten cope braunched and a vestment to the same worthe vli to be boughte and payd therfore never a peny [xxs.]

Item he had ij other vestmentes one of Lyons blewe and whyte and the other of redde satten pryce to be sold xl« or there aboughtes. [xxs.]

And farder sayethe that when he and an other ioyned with hym as churche wardens made awaye yn his tyme so beynge made away a gate howse to his owne commoditie only worthe vijs or viijs And also consumed the stocke of a iiij markes or there aboughtes of redy money and never wold accompt unto the parrysshe for any peny therof nor never at this day for any thynge that the parysshe could do and also kepe the churche boke from them for that yntent wherby the parrysshe ys hyndered for other thynges for the profett of the same, [xlvjs viijd]

Summa2 iiijli xjs viijd2 Ixxjs viijd

And for asmyche farder as the nolle trewthe shall appeare the seid Thomas declarethe farder what thynges have ben don by the nolle consent of the parrysshe at and before the

JThe prices in square brackets have been added in the margin. 2 — 2 Erased.

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 21

makynge of the fyrst inventory that ys to say they dyd sell one olde broken chales pryce [erased^ and there made to the use of the same parrysshe churche iiijli of redy money and parte of the seid money bestowed afterwardes by consent and advyse of the ordynary for the relyeffe of the poore of the parrysshe and the reparacons of the churche And at the delyvere of the churche gooddes the commyssyoners dyd cast the seid parrysshe yn arrerages for the seid churche gooddes iijli savynge viijd | which money was payd owte of hand before the retorne of the commyssyoneres and what shyftes the seid parrysshe by ther holle consentes dyd make for the helpe of themselfes for the repayment ayen of that money that was payd the seid Thomas Strynger do remytt that unto the reporte of the hoolle parrysshe and nothynge was don yn the premisses but only the seid Leventhorpe beynge [erased] was made pryvye ther unto and so an ende And more the seid Strynger sayethe not for this tyme nor more cannot saye otherwyse than the holle parrysshe do knowe than the holle parrysshe do knowe [sii\.

[Endorsed]

Leventhorppe

[On another sheet. ,]

After moost hertye commendacions this shalbe to sygnyfye unto yoe all that where lately yoe dyrected yor lettres yn all yor thre names unto a neyghbor of myne one Thomas Strynger of Mepersale within the shyere of Bedt[ord] yoman wyllynge hym and also on the Kynge and the Quenes behalfe straytly do commaunde hym to appeare before yoe personally at Westmr yn the late Augmentacion Courte the fyrst daye of Trynytie terme to make answer to suche poyntes and artycles as then shalbe abiected ayenst hym concernynge the churche gooddes and this yor doynge as yt shold seme to be by vertewe of ther hyghnes commyssyon as by yor lettres date the xvith of Maij more playnlye apperethe Pleasethe yoe all to understonde that the procurers of this byll be not neyther fryndes nor lovers unto the seid Stryn[ger] but only that that they do yf yt were for the zeale of justyce orelles for any goodde wyll that they beare towardes the furnyture of ther churche they were worthey sum prayse as I do knowe the qualytyes of thos persons re be to the contrary and that that they do they do yt of pout

22 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

malyce and that wyll sumwhat appeare by the delyvere of yor lettres for they never delyvered them untyll Weddyns- day last next before the daye of apparaunce and yet they be all of one towne dwellynge And forasmyche as my neyghbor ys an olde man and not used to jorney and that also I unworthely amonge other of the worshypfull as I suppose are yn lyke commyssyon within owr shyre of Bedt[ord] of and for the churche gooddes and other thynges I have called the seid partie before me and have declared the contentes of yor lettres before hym and uppon dewe ex- amynation therin had before me and other of the commys- syon have taken his answer concernynge the premisses yn wrytynge to the yntent to take suche order eyther by yoe or by us accordynge as occasion shall serve uppon the seid answer wiche answer at my cummynge upp within a day or twoo yn the begynnynge of this terme I shall shewe unto yoe all trustynge yn the meane tyme that yoe wyll not be offended for hys non apparance Thus byddynge yoe all moost hertely fare well from Alrychesey the iijde of June by yor assuryd at all tymes to commaunde

J. Th. Hemyng

[Endorsed]

Churche goodes perteynyng to the parishe of Mepersale in com Bedd[ford] Informasion agenst Stringer

To the Ryghte Worshipfull William Berners Thomas Myldmay and John Wyseman Esquyers and to every of them at London be this d[elivere]d.

[The following are all on one sheet of paper. ~\ Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods £f

[Luton.]

William Perott of Luton and others of the same parisshe for a paxe of silver with a pece of mother of perle p'oz — v oz di. A pixe of silver and gylte with a doble glasse p'oz — xxiij oz di. ij challesses with there pattentes doble gylte p'oz — xlv oz solde by Edward Crawley John Punter sometyme churchewardens there by the concent of the parisshe as is affermed

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 23

(right margin)

xviij mercij 1555

A paxe and a pixe and ij challesses of silver

(left margin)

xmo mercij a° 1555 William Perot apperinge hath affirmed upon his oth that he ys not the partie alledgyng that this Perot ys ded and therfor processe sent by Perott to John Crawley executor to Edward Crawley

(right margin)

John Crawley executor of the said Edward Crawley appering hath brought forth an accompte of his said Testator and therof it apperyth that he chargith hymself to the churche with xvli for the said percelles whiche was ymployed aboute the new makynge of an ile of the churche and he hath the fyrst of the term to bringe the seid xvli yf he can gett it of the parysshe

(bottom of sheet)

John Crawley for the parcelles above remembrid — xvli wherof allowed to the said Crawley for repairing of the Ile of the churche of Luton aforsaid by the discresiones of the comissioners viijli vjs viijd and yt ys due — vjli xiijs iiijd whiche somme ys allowed by the said commissioners with this con- dicon that the said Crawley shall provyde and buye orna- mentes for the said par[ish] churche of Luton as doth amounte to the said somme of vjli xiijs iiijd whiche John Gwynneth vicare there in the presence of the bysshoppe of Ely hath undertaken shalbe don by midsomer next

(left margin)

Md The xijth of June anno ijdo et tercio the said John Gwynneth hathe certyfyed the said commyssioners by his lettre that the said Crawley hathe bought certeyn orna- mentes for the churche of Luton to the valewe of vjli xiijs iiijd or above

24 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

[Stretley.]

John Carter of Stretley clarke and others of the same parisshe for the price of a great belle solde by Rychard Norton and John Norton churchewardens there by the concent of the parisshe as is affirmed for the some of xli

(right margin)

Wherofr they have bestowed upon the leadynge of the churche — iiijli and so remayneth— vjli to be paid the xvth of Maye next whiche said summe of vjli ys paid to Nicholas Brighame one of the Tellers of thexchequyre Termino pasche AO iido et iijc° per p[resentem] v . . . tallium primo pasche vz — xijmo die maii anno ijdo et iip0 penes Thomam Morton, gent, and therupon the obligacon was discharged].

(left margin)

xxij Aprilis 1555 Thomas Norton of All Hallows apperyde for the hole paryshe

[Houghton Conquest]

The parcelles appeare within

Johan Conqueste of Houghton Conquest in the seid countie widdowe executrix of the testament of Edmond Conquest Esquier deceassed for the price of ij challesses of silver one coate of crymysen velvet called Jhus cope one payer of organs one sute of vestment of white damaske one cope of blewe velvet one crymysen velvet cote with juelles called or ladyes coate one belle clapper one Oh wayght of leade and xllib waxe of the seid churche goodes taken awaye by Edmond Conquest her late husbond

(left margin)

viijvo Febre a° 1556 For asmoche as John Nudegate gent appering before the commyss[ioners] the same daye and yere bringing with hym a testimoniall from the most substanciall of thole parish and John Holstok parson of Houghton who upon theyr othes have deposed before the seid commissioners] that sundrie parcelles of plate and ornamentes to the value of xxxijli vjs viijd and by the seid

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 2C

Johane Conquest delivered to thuse of the seid parish churche of Hough ton in recompense of the seid parcelles of plate ornamentes &c taken by her seid husbond Ed[mond] Conquest as aforeseid and therefor here discharged

(right margin)

Appering by John Nudegate gent the xvij of Marche hath day to make aunswere for the seid gentlewoman or to pay for the goodes as they shalbe valued the furst day of the Easter terme nexte.

[Willington]

Thomas Verney of Willington Esquier husbond unto Anne late wyfe of William Gostwick Esquier late brother to Sir John Gostwick deceassed and executrix of the testa- ment of William Gostwick her late husbond for the price of a crosse of silver and gylte and one payer of crewettes of silver solde for xviijli and a cope of clothe of golde with vestment deacon and subdeacon worth by estimacion xxK one challes p'oz — -xvj oz. A sute of vestmentes of white damaske price liijs iiijd whiche parcelles the commissioners thinke that the vicar of Willington didde present of malice

(right margin)

xl!i xiijs iiijd in money and xvjoz plate This ys discharged per certificate from Mr Barone Luke and others.

(left margin)

The seid Verney bying fallen sycke ot an agewe as Mr. Secretary Perse hath certefyed hath daye to aunswer the fyrst of the next terme.

[On the verso of the same.]

Com. Bedf[ord].

{all guylte — Diiijxx xv oz \ d[elivere]d to Sir

parcell gylte — Dcciiijxx xij oz f Fraunces Jobson one little purse with xxij litle ( Master of the Juel- buttons of silver ) house

Ornamentes of clothe of golde and tissewe — xiiij peces d[elivere]d to Arthure Stourton Esquier

Redy money — CCCviij1' iiijs delyvered to Sir Edmond Peckham Knight

26 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

[Dunstable.]

Robert Merick John Davye James Tydye and William Thorppe of Dunstable for the price of a crosse of silver parcell gylte solde by Richard Burton and Edmond Carpenter sometyme churchewardens of the same towne and omytted oute of theire inventorye of Dunstable

(right margin)

j crosse of silver parcell guylte

The parties appering the xviijth of Marche doo confesse upon theyr othes the sale of the seid crosse to be made in anno 1 54 1 and the money therof commyng bestowed upon their church.

[Harlington]

John Spicer alias Elder and Richard Mathewe of Harling- ton in the seid countie for the price of a challice of silver p'oz. xij oz — Ixiijs iiijd and for a payer of orgaynes xls solde by Richard Hawkins and John Nayshe churchewardens there by the concent of the parisshe as hit is affirmed

(right margin)

xviiju° Marcii

ciijs iiijd

The said parties appering do saye upon their othes that the said orgaunes remayne in the churche furnyshed and therfor here allowed — xls and for Ixiijs iiijd they be orderyd to paye it whiche ys paid to Nicholas Brighame as appereth by the bill remayning

[Toddington.]

John Holbeche George Ref and Robert Markham of Todington in the seid countie for a silver crosse gylte one pyxe of silver gylte a litle sylver dishe, sencers of silver and one challes of silver the value whereof they knowe not solde by the seid John Holbeche and one William Reynold churchewardens there by the concent of the parisshe as is affirmed

(right margin)

i crosse a pixe a litle dishe sencers and a challes of silver

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 27

(left margin)

» Marcij 1555 The parties appering have deposed that the said goodes were sold xiij yeres past and con- verted to thuse of the churche as dyd appere by accompt therof shewed and by cause the said parcells were omyted out of the inventorys taken in Kynge E[d ward's], dayes they are discharged

[On a separate sheet]

[Luton.]

To the Worshipfull William Earners Thomas Mildmaye and John Wyseman Esquyres the Kynges and Quenes maiestes comissioners

This bill made the x*h day of June in the second and third yeres of the reignes of our souerainge lorde and ladye King Phillipp and Queue Mary ys to certefye your wor- shipps that for the accomplishment of the order taken with John Crawley one of thexecutours of Edwarde Crawley sometyme churchewardeyn of the parishe church of Luton in the countye of Bedford for the bestowing of vjli xiijs iiijd uppon some necessary ornamentes for the saide churche There is bestowed by the saide Crawley uppon a cope and a vestment of blew velvett with that belongeth unto them fyve poundes There is also layed oute and bestowed uppon a chalys twenty nobles and odd money And this is doon at the charge ; and request l of the saide Crawley

per me Johannem Gwyneth vicarium ibidem.

1 — l Struck out.

[On a separate slip attached]

[Houghton Conquest]

Com. Bedf[ord]. in money Ixs

ij chalyces viijil a cope of blewe velwett xls

a sute of white damaske xl»

a payer of organs iiij^

ower ladyes cote xxvjs viijd

a nother cote xxvjs viijd

a belle clapper xiijs iiijd

xl li waxe xxvjs viijd

in redye money iiijs xd.

xxxijli xviijs ijd

inde

allocanasprorepar' ecclesie

28 MARION DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

\0n another paper attached to the same.~\

Houghton

Reparacions don by Johan Conquest widowe uppon Houghton churche by the commaundement and assent of the parrochiners there in recompence and satisfaccion of all soche goodes and ornamentes as her late husband Edmond Conquest decessed had owt ot the churche of Houghton aforsaid

Fyrst to Stephen Wylson a tyler for all soche worke about the churche as apperteyned to his occupacon — xlv» xjd

To Thomas Welles a carpenter for that apperteyned to his occupacon xxs

Item to one Pottie a paynter for scryptureng and other paynting of the churche which the parrysshe was then com- maunded to doe by hym that was then busshoppe — l vj li1

Item paid for Red leade for the same l vjs viijd l

Item for lyme1 xijs viijd1

Item for a booke of sarvice vs iiijd

Item for a byble when the parrysshe werre commaunded to have one in the churche x xxiiijs l

Item for two other bookes and two salters xijs

Item to Wyllyam Burgon for working about the churche xijd

Summa1 xijH vijs vijd * iiijli iijs xid

Item the sayd Johan Conquest hathe for further recom- pence given unto the churche since anno primo of the Queues maiestie theis percelles following

Fyrst one challice or sylver the churche beyng robbed and not one lefte in ytt of the valewe of yli

Item a vestement of grene velvet with all that belongethe thereunto valewed at xl«

Item one very fay re coope of whyte dammaske poudred with spred egles of gold and bordred round about with clothe of bawdkyn valewed at xli

Item one other fayre coope of crymsen velvet also powdred with flowers of golde valewed at xli

Item two greate standing candlestickes iijli vjs viijd

Item a fronte of red braunched dammaske xls

Summa xxxijli vjs viijd

Summa totalis xliiijli xiiij8 iijd

1 — l Struck out.

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 2<)

(Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods Bdle., 14, formerly L. R. Ch. Goods Bdle. 1392,

File 4 no. I.)

[Sandy.]

After commendacons unto your worships the kinge and the quene majesties comyssioners, theshalbe to asserteyn you for answere accordynge to the tenor of your letter directid to us the inhabitauntes of the towne and paryshe of Sandeye in the county of Bedf [ord] for ij belles the one wayeng xc. iqr. and ixlb. of bell mettell and the other wayeng vijc. xlvijlb. of bell mettell which said ij belles were lefte in the churche yarde of Sandey by the commaundement of Mr. Robert Burgoyn decessid then beynge one of the kynge majesties audytors who had all the doynge of the exchaynge of the said ij belles and then charged that no persone shulde medle with the same belles untill he sent for theym and said that he wold discharge us of them at all tymes so that we were not charged with the said belles and so shortly after the dethe of the said Mr. Burgoyn, Dame Elizabethe Litton, late wiff of the same Maister Burgoyn, late wiff of Sir Robert Litton, Knyght, also decessyd, and now wyff unto Mr. Thwynno commaunded and caused one Michaell Hodgskyn of Brodwater in the parishe of Nebborthe in the county of Hertf [ord], then beynge bayly unto the said dame Elizabeth Litton to fett the said ij belles from Sandey aforesaid with his cart unto Nebborthe aforesaid where as the same Lady Litton then dwelled. And the said Michaell Hodgskyn saythe shortly after the said Lady Litton caused the same ij belles to be carryed to London towardes the payment of the dettes of her said late husband Mr. Burgoyn. And this the said Michaell Hodgskyn who his a lyve at this present will witnes and testifie this before whome so ever he shal be callid ; for serteyn of us the said inhabytaunces of Sandey were with the said Michaell Hodgskyn of late to have the trowght theryn who lyke an honest man declayred no lesse unto us then is before sayde, and thus we the said inhaby- tauntes of Sanday, who have subscrybed our handes here under writton in the name of all the inhabitauntes of the towne and parishe of Sandey aforesaid, have as well adver- tised your worships, by whom the same ij belles were taken away as also by whate auctorytie, and further we cannot say

D

3O MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

as knowith God who have your worships in his tuystion ; from Sandey this xijth of Octobre 1556.

By yours to commaunde

Thomas Cater Roger Aldryche

Wyllyam Francke William Adropere

Tomas Cater Thomas Wonderwode

Jhon Bronsoll Thomas Springe

Thomas Brittyn Rafe Bronsoll

Thomas Goswell Wylliam Carter. John Bronsoll

[Several of these appear to sign with marks] [Endorsed]

To the Right worshipfull Mr. Thomas Myldmay and others the kinge and queue majesties commyssioners in the paryshe of Saynt Thomas the Apostle in London geve these etc.

[In another hand]

From Sandy.

From the towne of Sandye in the countie of Bedf [ord] concernyng the accompt of Sir George Gyffard.

(Ex. K. R. Ch. Goods Bdle. 14, formerly L. R. Ch. Goods Bdle. 1392,

File 3 no. I.)

[Willington.]

After our humble comendaciones unto you. Where in the certificate by your L[ordship] and other comessioners in the tyme of our late soverayne Lorde kynge Edwarde the vjth concernynge churche goodes, hit apperith that Thomas Verney of Willington in the countie of Bedf [ord], Esquyre, who maryed the wyff of William Gostwyke, Esquyre, late brother to Sir John Gostewyke her late husbond, ys to aunswere for a crosse of sylver gilte, one payre of cruettes of sylver, solde for xviijli. and a cope of cloth of golde with vestment deacon and subdeacon worth by estimacon xxli. one chalice poz. xvj oz., a suyte of vestmentes of white damask prece liijs. iiijd. for the whiche the same Thomas Verney was called before us by vertue of comission to us in that parte addressed, and forasmoche as he hath alledgyd by his coun- cell that the said plate and ornamentes were not ap-

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 3!

perteynynge to the churche of Willington, nor were not at any tyme taken or knowen to be the goodes of the said churche, but were the goodes of Sir John Gostewyke, Knyght, and were many tymes by his comaundement brought from the dwellinge howsse of the said Sir John Gostwyke to the churche of Willington aforsaid tyme of the devyne service ther and accustomably usyd to be recaryed to the said howsse, and that also they do alledge they never were bequethed nor geven to the said churche by the said Sir John Gostwyke, and were presented onely of malice by the late vicare ther, whiche partely ys touched in your certificate. Hit maye lyke you callinge the said Mr. Verney before you, the vycare and certen of the parisshioners of Willington afor- said, to examyne the troth of this matter, and theropon to signifye us by youre lettres to the ende that we maye further procede in their maiesties service to us commytted, as therby we maye take order with the said Mr. Verney or any other whom the same shall concerne. And so lokynge for the reatourne of your aunswere herin in the begynnynge of the last of Julie next we take our leave of you. From West- minster the viijt}l of May, 1556.

Yours assurdly, William Berners, Thomas Mildmay, John Wyseman.

The names of the precenters of the goodes, plate and juelles of the parish of Willington aforeseid, John Gostwik, gent, Robert Osmond, John Cowper, John Smalle, late vicar, concernyng the premisses, and certified under the handes of the commissioners in the countie of Bedf [ord], viz.

Sir John Seint John, Knight, John Gascoigne K[night] Urian Brereton, Knight, Nicholas Luke, Essquier, John Seint John, Essquier, Lewez Dyve, Ro. Snowe, and John Colbek.

[Endorsed.]

To the right honerable the Lorde Mordaunt, Sir John St. John, Knyght, Nicholas Luke, Esquyre, one of the Barones of the Kynge & Quenes Maiesties Exchequyer, Lewes Dyve, Esquyre, to three or ij of them goven.

32 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

(File 3 no. 2.)

Right wourshipfull pleaseth yt you to be advertysed that according to the tenour of your letter unto us directed, we have taken the sayenges of souche persons as we thought had mooste knolege in the matter wherunto they have sette theyr handes, whyche we have sente you herein inclosed wyth the same letter, and for so mouche as we can perseave yt was done but on malyce. Thus we byd you mooste hertelie fare well.

Nycholas Luke, Lewyes Dyve.

[Endorsed.]

To the right wourshipfull Mr. Berners and other the kynges and queues majesties commyssyoneres thys be d[elivere]d.

File 3, no. 3.)

Sir John Smalle preste vycer of Kempston and late vycer of Wyllyng[ton] in the countie of Bedf [ord] sayeth apon hys honesty and fydelyte that he never knew or ded kno any maner of gyfte of the cross of sylver and gylte, the crewtes, chalys or the westmentes and suyte of cloth of golde and damaske to the chyrche of Wyllyngton aforesayde, but sayeth that the seyd ornamentes where used in the seyd chyrche on hye dayes, and where brougth from the house of Wylliam Gostwyke, and so caryed home ayein when, services whas done, and further sayeth that the presentment wych he consented unto whas onlye apon the presentment of John Gostwycke, John Myten and Thomas Myten, he seyd presyley that theyr whas a gyfte made by Sir John Gostwycke and seyd theyr whas an invertorye theyrof made but of hys knolege he knew none for that whas before he whas vyker theyr and that he sayeth to be the trewth. By me Syr Jho. Small,

Nycholas Luke, Lewyes Dyve.

Robert Osmond of Wyllyngton one of the seyd presenters sayeth on hys fydelyte that he never saw the foresayde ornamentes nor no parte of them, nor never knew of any gyfte or invetorye of the same, but sayeth that presentment wych he joyned wyth the others whas only apon the sayeng

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 33

of John Gostwycke and Thomas Myten, for he sayeth he whas but a servant wyth John Myten in Sir John Gostwyk tyme in the seyd towne and this he wylle abyde bye at all tymes.

Nycholas Luke,

Lewyes Dyve.

John Couper of the seyd towne of Wyllyngton and one of the seyd presenters sayeth on hys honesty in all thyngs savying he have sene them caryed in the chyrche and so caryed into the house of Sir John Gostwycke as Robert Osmond afore hathe sayde that he wylle stonde unto.

Jhon Cowper.

Nycholas Luke, Lewyes Dyve.

Sir William Wardd alias Biddenham, clerke, of the ayge of Ixxviij yeares or therabowte, sworn and examyned, that he kepinge the cure ther a year and a half in Sir John Goswikes tyme, and chapleyne ther in the house for the space of xvj years, deposethe that as touchinge the cooppe, vestment deacon and subdeacon, of clothe of gold, the swett of vestmentes of whight damaske, specyfied and mentioned in the same presentment, he or his propre knowledg never knewe none suche ther duringe all his abide ther, and as to the crosse of silver and gillt ennameled, a payr of cruettes of silver, a chalece of sylver and parcell gillt, he deposethe that the same wer the proper goodes of the same Sir John Gostwike, and were brought to the churche upon hieth festivall days : and at night caried home again to the manner house as the propre goodes of the same Sir John, also he wold lend certein of theim to certein other townes wher he was lord of, and brought home againe to his house at night. And also the said Sir John never in his 1 iff tyme did geve, sell, nor bequethe, neyther the said crosse, cruettes nor chalice of silver, nor any of theim to the churche of Wellington aforsaid, nor to the churchwardens ther, to the use of the said churche, by wordd, wyll, nor wry tinge, for he saithe he was with the same Sir John untyll he dyed.

And farther he deposythe that throwght the craftines of one William Nyxe ther, beinge parisshe clerke, and after

34 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

him one John Dawes, beinge also parisshe clerke, ther wer certain vestmentes or ornamentes enbeseled to the value of iiijor powndes or ther abowtes, wherupon the said Sir John comawnded a inventory to be made, that if in case any of theim at any tyme after wer lakinge, that the clerk for the tyme beinge and the churchwardons also, shuld be always answerable to the said Sir John Gostwik for the same. And that in confirmation of this present deposition the said Sir William Wardd hathe here unto subscribed his name withe his owne propre hand.

by me William Wardd, clerk, Nycholas Luke, Lewyes Dyve.

Thomas Leigh of Caldewell in the countie of Bedd[ford] esquier, of the age of xl yeres or there aboute, sworne and examyned, deposeth, That from the xxixth yere of the raigne of Kynge Henrye the Eight untill the daie of the dethe of Sir John Gostwike, he was for the most parte resiaunt and abidyng with the said Sir John Gostwik, and as to the crosse of silver gylt, a paire of crewettes of silver, and the chalice of silver and parcell gylt, mentioned in a presentment to him redde, he deposeth and saieth that the same were the mere propre gooddes of Sir John Gostwik, and never at any tyme by the life of the saide Sir John by him geven nor bequethed, nether to the churche of Wellington, nor yet to the churche- wardeyns there, nor to any other persone or persones there, to the use of the saide churche as he dothe very certeinlye know. But he saieth that the saide Sir John meny tymes of a devoute christien mynde wold commaunde and assigne the saide crosse, cruettes and chalice to be caried, used, and occupied to and in the churche of Willington on holydaies and solemp feastes, and that at night they were brought home to his owne howse there and alwaies remaigned in the charge and custodye of his servaunt as parcell of his mere propre goddes and plate. And also he further saieth as to the cope, vestement, decon and subdeacon, of clothe of golde, and the suite of vestementes of white damaske mentioned and specefied in the saide presentment, that during all the saide tyme of his abode with the saide Sir John he never knew nor saw any suche in the custodye or possession of the saide

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 35

Sir John. And that in confirmation of this present deposicion the said Thomas Leigh hathe herunto subscribed his name with his owne propre hande

per me Thomam Leigh, manu propria. Nicholas Luke, Lewyes Dyve.

William Denn of Bletsoo in the county of Bedford, yoman, of the agge of fyfty yeares, somtymes servaunt to Sir John Gostwik deceased, sworn and examyned, deposeth that as touchinge the coppe, vestment, deacon and subdeacon, of clothe of golld, worthe xxli or above, the swett of vestmentes of whight damaske, price iiij°r markes, specified and men- tioned in the said presentment, he of his propre notice, cer- teinly knowethe that the said Sir John Gostwik hadd none suche in his possession duringe the space of viij yeares befor his dethe, and as to the crosse of syllver and gyllt enameled, a payre of cruettes of sillver, a chalece of syllver and parsell gillt, he deposeth e, that the same Sir John Gost- wik hadd of his own propre goodes, and sometymes the said Sir John wolld commawnd the same at hiethe festivall days to be browght to the churche, and ther to be sett on the nieth aulter, and used and occupied to the better adorninge and decoratinge of the churche, to the greter honor and glory of God. And at every suche tyme he wolld have the same crosse, cruettes, and chalice brought home in to his howse of Willington at or before night of the same day and the same were keppt in the custody of him, that had the rest of his platte and wer accompted of all men as his own propre goodes and platte. And also that the said Sir John never in his liff tyme did gev, sell, nor bequethe, neither the said crosse, cruettes nor chalice of sillver, nor any of theim to the church of Willington aforsaid, nor to the churchwardens ther to the use of the said churche by word, wyll, nor wryting, for he saythe he was withe and abowte the same Sir John untyll he dyed, and that in confirmation of this present depotition the said William Denn hathe herunto subscribed his name with his owne propre hand.

Wylliam Denn.

Nycholas Luke. Lewys Dyve.

36 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

William Fayry of Willington in the county of Bedford, yoman, ot the agge of fifty yeares or ther aboute, and howshold servaunte withe Sir John Gostwike for the space of xiiij yeares, and after parisshinoner in the same towne xiiij yeares, sworn and examyned, deposethe that as toching the coppe, vestment, decon and subdecon, of clothe of gold, the swet of vestmentes of whight damask specifyd and men- tioned in the same presentment, he of his propre notice never knew none suche ther all the said space, and as to the crosse of sillver and gillt enameled, a payre of cruettes of silver, a chalice of silver and parsell gillt, he deposethe, that thei were the proper goodes of the said Sir John Gostwik, and som- tymes the said Sir John wold lend theim to the churche upon festivall days, and ther to be used and occupyed, and at night brought home againe to the manor howse, farther he saythe that in all the said space, he never hard that the said Sir John did gyve, sell, nor bequethe, neither the said crosse, cruettes, nor chalice of sillver, nor any of theim to the churche of Willington aforsaid, nor to the churchwordens ther to the use of the said churche, by word, wyll, nor wrytinge, for he hathe continewed in the same towne, the space of xxviij yeares. Also the said William saithe that one John Dawes, somtyme being clerk ther and William Sangle, churchwardens, lost certein vestmentes wherupon Sir John Gostwik commawdid a inventory to be mad that the clerk for the tyme beinge and the churchwardens for the tyme beinge shulld be accomptable at all tymes for the same. And that in confirmation of this present depotition the said William Fayry have sett to his hand.

Nycholas Luke. Lewyes Dyve.

Thomas Smallwodd of Willington in the County of Bed- ford] yoman, beinge of the agge of xl yeares or therabowte dewllinge and abidinge in Willington for the space [of] xxx yeares, sworn and examyned, that as touchinge the coppe of vestment, deacon and subdecon of clothe of gold, the swet of vestmentes of whight damask specyfied and mentioned in the same presentment, he of his propre notice never knewe none suche ther duringe all the said tyme, and as to the crosse of silver and gillt enameled, a payre of cruettes of

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 37

sillver, a chalice of silver and parcell gyllt, he deposethe, that thei wer at all tymes the goodes and plat of Sir John Gost- wike, and at all tymes remayninge in the manore howse sawinge upon certein festivall days, hit was brought to the churche and ther occupyed and used, and at night brought home againe to the manor howse againe, and that Sir John Gostwike in all his lif tyme did nether geve, sell, nor be- quethe the said crosse, cruettes, or chalice of silver nor any of theim to the churche of Willington aforsaid, nor to the churchwardens ther, to the use of the said churche, by wordd wyll, nor wrytynge. And that in confirmation of this present depotision, the said Thomas hathe herunto sett to his hand.

Nycholas Luke.

Lewyes Dyve.

Henry Fissher of Rouhall in the county of Bedford, yoman, beinge of the agge of xlix yeares or ther abowte, somtymes servaunt to Sir John Gostwike, knight, decessed, sworn and examyned, deposythe that as touchinge the coppe, vestment, deacon and subdeacon, of clothe of gold, the swett of vestmentes of whight damaske, specifyed and mentioned in the sayd presentmente, he of his propre notice never knewe none suche ther during the space of xviij yeares, for so longe he hathe ben servaunt, and always resyaunt in the howse of Willington. And as to the crosse of sillver and gyllt enameled, a payre of cruettes of sillver, a chalice of silver and parcell gillt, he deposythe that the same Sir John Gostwike hadd of his ouwn propre goodes, and somtymes the said Sir John wold commawnd the same at hiethe festy- vall days to be brought to the churche and ther to be sett upon the hieth allter, and used and occupyed to the better adorninge and decoratinge of the said churche, and at every suche tyme he wold have the same crosse, cruettes and chalice, brought home in to his howse of Willington at or befor night of the same day, and the same were keppte in the custody of him that hadd the rest of his platte, and wer accompted of all men as his owne propre goodes and platte. Allso that the said Sir John never in his lif did geve, sell, nor bequethe, neyther the said crosse, cruettes nor chalice of silver, nor to the churche, nor to the church-

E

38 MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

wardons ther, to the use of the said churche, by wordd, will, nor wrytinge, for he saythe he was with and abowte the same Sir John untyll he dyed. And that in confirmation of this present depotision the said Henry Fissher hathe her- unto subscribed his name with his owne propre hand.

Harry Fysser.

Nycholas Luke. Lewyes Dyve.

William Bingham of Willington in the countie of Bed- ford, yoman, beinge of the agge of liij yeares or ther abowte, and clerke of the same parisshe for the space of xj yeares or ther abowte, sworn and examyned, that as touchinge the coppe of cloth of gold, vestment, deacon and subdeacon, of clothe of gold, the swet of whight vestmentes of whight damaske, price iiijor markes, he is very certein and sure that ther was none suche duringe all the sayd space of xj yeares, and as to the crosse of sylver and gillt enamelyd, a payre of cruettes of silver, a chalice of silver and parsell gillt, he de- posethe that thei wer at all tymes remayninge in the howse, and somtyme brought upon festivall days to the church and ther occupyed to the settinge forthe of Codes service, and at night brought home againe to the manore howse, and that hit was never accompted ne taken as none of the churchis of Willington ne none of the parisshe at any tyme mad cleim therof untyll now of late. And that in confirma- tion of this present depotision the said William hathe sub- scribed his name withe his .owne hand.

Wylliam Byngam.

Nycholas Luke. Lewyes Dyve.

John Croker of Willington in the county of Bedford, servingman, of the agge of forty years or ther abowte, com- mynge to service to Willington howse immediately after the deathe of Sir John Gostwik, and ther hathe contynued for che space of xj years, sworn and examyned, that as touchinge the coppe, vestmente, deacon and subdeacon, ot clothe of gold, the swett of vestmentes of whight damaske, he cer- teinly knoweth that at suche tyme as Mr. William Gostwik, esquier, did entre upon the howse and goodes of Sir John

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 39

Gostwike, that ther was no suche ther, for he was ther presente at the delyvery of the same. And as touchinge the crosse of sylver and gyllt enameled, a payre of cruettes of sylver, a chalice of sylver and parcell gillt, he deposethe that the said William Gostwike hadd theim allways in his howse as his owne propre goodes, and somtyme at hiethe festivall days wold command theim to be brought to the churche, ether by one of his servauntes or elles by the clerk, and ther to be occupyed and used to the better maytennces of Codes service, and to the bewtifyinge of the churche, and at night thei were all brought home againe unto the manor howse at or before night of the same day, for he saythe that he hathe delivered theim and receved theim dyvers and sondry tymes to the churche and from the churche, and that in all the said space of xj yeares, was never accompted as any of the churchis nether never none of the parisshe made any claime unto theim, untill nowe of late, one John Gostwik with other of a malitius and devlisshe mynd intendynge to put the said Sir Thomas Verney and the Lady Anne his wif to treble, did cawse this same presentment to be made and sett forthe, as it is evidently knowen bothe in the towne and also in the cowntrey, notwithstandynge the said John Gost- wike did set forthe a contrary presentment, and was sworn himself to the same befor Fraunces Pigotte, esquier, Edward Peke, George Ackworthe, and John Colbecke, gent., com- missioners. And that in confirmation of this present de- potition the said John hathe subscribed his name with his owne propre hand.

Per me Johannem Croker.

Nycholas Luke. Lewyes Dyve.

[Endorsed]

For the plate and ornamentes in Willington in Com[County] Bedf[ord] parcell of Mr. Greyes Accompt.

4-O MARIAN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO

APPENDIX I. [Woburn Abbey]

Woburn Pryorye

The inventory of the goodes and chattalles of the seid pryorye made the day of August in the xxviij" yere

of the reign of or sovereign lord kyng Henry the viii

ORNAMENTES OF THE CHIRCH

First a crosse of cooper and gylt . with 1 a lytyll * image of

Cryst beyng sylver hangyng upon the same crosse1 iijs

iiijd1

Item upon the high alter ij lynyn alter clothes upon the alter and on steyned alter cloth hangyng before the high alter viijd.

Item ij laten candelstykes stondyng before the high alter US- Item one old writen masse boke and a litill prynted masboke ij li

Item in the vestry . a coope a vestment complete very olde with deacon and subdeacon complete all of whight

damask . of old wrkyng callyd dubbyll damask vjs

viijd

Item an old coope a vestment complete with deacon and subdeacon complete all of blak for messe of requiem ijl.

Item an old coope of grene sylk with white fustyan orfras xijd

Item a nother old coope of sylk with orffras of blak and sterres in yt viijd

Item a white vestment of fustyan for lent viijd

Item a nother white vestment with a crucyfyx upon it — xxd

Item ij old chesybilles for vestmentes without albys

viijd

Item a lytyll coffer with a crosse in it coveryed with plates of sylver and sett with cristalles and other stonys wherin ys a pece of the holy crosse and iiij other lytyll

BEDFORDSHIRE CHURCH GOODS. 4!

crosses plated with sylver and stones in them and other relykes . 'of small value preysid at iijs iiijd1

In the Chapell of or Lady a lynnen alter cloth upon the alter and a steyned cloth before the alter iiijd

Item in the quere oon antyphoner beside other old bokes — ijd

[The remainder of the inventory deals with hall, kitchen, the contents of the brewhouse, etc.]

APPENDIX II.

RETURN OF DEFACED PLATE FROM BEDFORDSHIRE DE- LIVERED INTO THE JEWEL HOUSE BETWEEN IST JUNE, 1553, AND 4TH FEBRUARY, 1554.

(Ex. K. R. Church Goods, V). Cou[n]tie Bedforde.

Brought into the Juelhouse by Nicholas Luke Barren of the Exchequers Lewis Davye and Richard Snowe Com- missioners there in plate mh iiijc iiijxx of undefacid

Being defacid Remayne.

In guilte V iiij" xv ozl . i;je .-„ y.. m

In parcel! guilt vij° mj3" xij ozj

iWast iiijxx xiij oz1

Receavid more of the same Nycholas Lewke and other a litill putse embrawderid and garnishid with small buttons of silver and guilt having in it six old grottes.

In Margin.

42

APPENDIX II.

Abbat, Nicholas - Ackworthe, George Alcoke, Thomas - Aldryche, Roger - Alyson, William - Andropere, William Andrew, William Barlee, Edmonde Bercoke, James - Berners, William - Bett, Reynolde - Biddenham, William Bingham, William Bolton, William - Bonker, see Bunker Bonyon, Robert - Bounyon, see Bonyon Braye, John, Lord Brereton, Uryan - Brett, John - Brighan, Nicholas Brittyn, Thomas - Bronsoll, John

„ Thomas

„ Rafe - Browgh, Roger - Bunker, William - Burgoyn, Robert -

„ William Burt, John - Burton, Thomas - „ Richard - Butler, Thomas - Butterfyld, Thomas Byrde, Thomas - Cater, Thomas Carpenter, Edmund Carter, John „ Thomas - „ William - Cock, Richard - Colbeck, John Conqueste, Edmund

„ Johan

Cowper, John

-	- 6
-	- 39
-	II, 12
-	- 3°
-	- 3
_	- 30 - 8
-	2
-	II
- 1 8 et seq.
-	- 15
_	- 33 - 38 - 16
-	- 9
-	ix
-	ix
-	2
-	- 26
-	- 30
-	- 3°
-	- 3°
-	- 3°
_	- 7 - 8.
:	- 29 - 28
-	2
;	- 26
-	- 7
_	- 6
m	- 30 - 26
-	- 24
-	- 9
_	- 30 - 16
-	3i, 39
24,	25, 28
-	3*i 33 1

Crawley, Edward 22, 23, 27

„ John - - 23, 27

Croker, John - - 38, 39

Davye, John - - - 26

Dawes, John - - - 34

Daye, Leonard - - 17

Denn, William - - - 35 Dyve, Lewis - ix, 32 et seq .

Dyxe, Rowland - - 10

Ebbes, William - - - i

Edwardes, John 4

Exell, William i

Fayry, William - - 36

Fissher, Henry - - 37, 38

Frances, John - - 10

Franche, William - - 30

Fyelde, Henry I

„ Nicholas - - - I

Fyssher, John - - 1 5

„ Sir Michael - 19

Gascoigne, John, Kt. - -31

Colston, Thomas - 16

Gostwick, Sir John xx, 25, 30,

et seq.

„ William 25,30^^.

Goswell, Thomas - 30

Graye, Sir Henry - 17

Grome, Thomas 9

Gryggory, Ambrose - - 2

Gwynneth, John - - 23, 27

Gyffard, Sir George - 30

Helder, Ath 3

„ John - - - 3

Harreson, Robert - 13

Hawkyns, Richard - 3, 26

Hemyng, J. Th. - - xx, 22

Hodgskyn, Michael - 29

Holbeche, John - - - 26

Holstok, John - - - 24

Innit, Michael i Isatt, Nicholas (see also Yssott) 1 2

Jobson, Sir Francis - 25

Jonson, Thomas - - - 2

Leigh, Thomas - - 34, 35

Leventhorpe, John - 20 et seq.

43

Litton, Elizabeth, Lady

„ Robert Lordisman, William, - Low, Robert Lowynge, Symon Lyntone, Patrick - Luke, Nicholas - -25 Markham, Robert Mathew, John Mathew, Henry - Mathew, Richard Meade, Harry Merick, Robert - Mildmay, Thomas 18, Money, William - Mordaunt, the Lord - Morton, Thomas Myten, John

„ Thomas - Nasshe, John Northampton, William,

quess of - Norton, John

„ Richard - Nudegate, John - Nyxe William Odell, John - Odell, Thomas Osmond, Robert - Parker, Gowther - Parsons, Edmonde Peckham, Sir Edmund Pedder, Matthew Peke, Edward - Pendley, John Perrott, William - Perse, Mr. Secretary - Pigotte, Fraunces Pollens, William - Pottie, - - - - Poweres, John Punter, John

„ Richard - Purrear, William Ref, George - - - Reynold, William

- 29	Rolf, William - -	- 17
- 29	Saunsam, George	- 16
- 15	Scott, William	12
- 9	Seynt John, John	ix, 31
- 8	Shepeherd, Michell	- 5
- 8	Slingesbye, Robert	15, 16
et seq.	Slowgh, John	2
- 26	Smalle, John	3», 32
- 6	Smallwodd, Thomas -	- 36
- 6	Snowe, Richard -	ix, 41
3> 26	Spencer Randoll -	- 5
- ^9	Springe, Thomas -	- 30
- 26	Spycer, John	3. 26
27» 31	Stott, William	ii
- 16	Stourton, Arthur,	- 25
- 3'	Straunge, William	- 4
- 24	Stringer, Thomas xix,	1 7 et seq.
32, 33	Strynger, John	- 19
- 32	„ Thomas	- '9
3> 26	Sugar, John -	n» H
Mar-	Syare, Richard	- 6
ix	Sylkes William	- i3
24	Thorpe, William -	- 26
- 24	Thvvynno -	- 29
24, 25	Townes, George -	- 7
- 33	Trapnell, John	i
- 7	Tydye, James	- 26
- 7	Tynggay, John -	II, 12
3i» 32	„ Thomas	- I I
- 19	Verney, Lady Anne -	- 39
IO	Verney, Thomas - 25,	30 et seq.
- 25	Vincent, William	i
- 4	Wattes, Henry	- 10
- 39	Wardd, William -	33, 34
- 9	Wede, William - -	- IS
22, 23	Webbe, Richard -	- 4
- 25	Welles, Thomas -	- 28
- 39	Willys, Thomas -	- 4
- 6	Wilson, Stephen -	- 28
- 28	Whytbreade, Richard	2
- 15	Wonderwode, Thomas	- 30
22	Wyseman, John -	1 8 et seq.
- IO	Wysseman, Roger	• 15
*3> H	Wytt, Thomas	8
- 26	Yerle, Alexander -	- 16
- 26	Yssott, Nicholas -	- u

THE ALCUIN CLUB.

Founded with the object of promoting the study of the History and use of the Book of Common Prayer.

Committee.

ATHELSTAN RILEY, Esq., Chairman.

E. G. CUTHBERT F. ATCHLEY, Esq.,

L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S. W. J. BIRKBECK, Esq., M.A., F.S.A. Rev. F. E. BRIGHTMAN, M.A. Rev. A. L. COATES, M.A. J. N. COMPER, Esq. A. E. MAIDLOW DAVIS, Esq. Rev. PERCY DEARMER, M.A.

F. C. EELES, Esq., F.S.A. Scot, 105 Adelaide Road, London, N.W.

LELAND L. DUNCAN, Esq., F.S.A. Rev. W. HOWARD FRERE, M.A. W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, Esq., M.A. Rev. W. H. H. JERVOIS, M.A. Rev. T. A. LACEY, M.A. J. T. MICKLETHWAITE, Esq., F.S.A. Rev. CHR. WORDSWORTH, M.A.

HAROLD C. KING, Esq., M.A., 27 Ainger Road, London, N.W.

Q&mfiere. THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND.

Messrs. McAuLiFFE, DAVIS and HOPE.

THE ALCUIN CLUB has been formed to encourage and assist in the practical study of ceremonial, and the arrangement of Churches, their furniture, and ornaments, in accordance with the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer, strict obedience to which is the guiding principle of the work of the Club.

The Club consists of Members and Associates, who must be in communion with the Church of England.

The Subscription for Members is 2O/- per annum, entitling them to all publications gratis; and for Associates 2/6 per annum, entitling them to such of the Tracts gratis, and such reductions on other publications as the Committee may determine.

Applications for election should be sent to the Honorary Secretary, or to one of the Committee.

The Annual Report and List of Members will be sent to anyone on applica- tion to the Honorary Secretary.

RULES.

1. The object of the ALCUIN CLUB shall be the promotion of the study of the history and use of the Book of Common Prayer.

2. The Work of the Club shall be the publication of Tracts dealing with the Object of the Club, and such other works as may seem desirable, with repro- ductions of miniatures from MSS., and photographs of Church Furniture, Ornaments and Vestments.

3. The Club shall consist of Members and Associates, to be elected by the Committee ; all Members and Associates to be in communion with the Church of England.

4. The subscription for Members shall be zos. per annum, entitling them to all publications gratis, and for Associates, zs. 6d. per annum, entitling them to such of the Tracts gratis, and such reductions on other publications as the Com- mittee may determine. There shall be no Entrance Fee nor Composition for Subscriptions.

5. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Chairman and a Com- mittee of not more than twenty Members or Associates, to be elected by Members of the Club, and subject as to one-fifth, to retirement by rotation annually.

6. A General Meeting of the Club shall be held every year on May igth (the anniversary of the death of Alcuin), for the purpose of receiving a Report from the Committee, electing Committee-men, and transacting the general busi- ness of the Club.

7. A General Meeting of the Club may be called at any time by the Chairman or five Members of the Committee.

8. The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected by the Com- mittee from among their number.

9. No alteration shall be made in the Rules of the club except at a General Meeting of the Members, seven days' notice of the proposed change having been sent beforehand to all Members of the Club.

PUBLICATIONS.

COLLECTIONS.

I. English Altars. A large folio volume with 14 pp. of Collotypes.

Explanatory Notes by W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, Esq., M.A. Price £1 IDS. Issued to Members for 1897-8.

II. Exposition de la MesSC. A large folio volume containing a Treatise

on the Mass from a French version of the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, now in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge, and 22 plates from Illuminations in this MS. Together with four tracts from

ii.

"The Lay Folks' Mass Book," "Merita Missze," etc. Edited by Rev. WALTER HOWARD FRERE, M.A.

Price £1 los. Issued to Members for 1898-9.

Ill & IV. Pontifical Services. Two large folio volumes containing Descriptive Notes and a Liturgical Introduction by Rev. WALTER HOWARD FRERE, M.A., and 20 plates of 62 Illustrations from Miniatures of the XVth and XVIth centuries.

Price £3. Issued to Members for 1899-1900 and December 3ist, 1900.

V. DatBoexkenVanDerMissen. (The Booklet of the Mass). 3 5 Illustra-

tions of the Celebration of Holy Communion in the XVIth century, with notes, introduction and appendix. Edited by the Rev. PERCY DEARMER, M.A.

Price £i. Issued to Members for 1900-1901 and Associates for 1898-1901.

VI. The Edwardian Inventories for Bedfordshire. Edited by

F. C. EELES, F.S.A. Scot., from transcripts by the Rev. J. E. BROWN, B.A.

Price 5/. Issued to Members for 1900-1901.

TRACTS.

I. Ornaments Of the Rubric. (Third Edition). By J. T. MICKLETHWAITE,

Esq., F.S.A. Price 5/.

II. Consolidation. (Second edition). By Rev. W. C. E. NEWBOLT, M.A.,

Canon and Chancellor of St. Paul's. Price is.

III. Liturgical Interpolations. (Second edition). By Rev. T. A. LACEY,

M.A. Price ^s.

Issued to Members and Associates for 1897-8.

IV. The Parish Clerk and the Epistle. By E. G. CUTHBERT F. ATCHLEY,

Esq., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S. Price is. 6et. ; or 6<t. in paper covers. Issued to Members and Associates for 1902.

V. A First English Ordo : A Celebration of the Lord's Supper

with one Minister, described and discussed by some members of the Alcuin Club.

2s., or is. in stiff paper covers. Issued to Members and Associates for 1902.

FORTHCOMING PUBLICATIONS.

The Edwardian Inventories for Huntingdonshire. [Nearly ready.}

iii.

The Edwardian Inventories for Norfolk. [In preparation.'}

The Edwardian Inventories for Buckinghamshire. \_In preparation.'},

A History of the use of Incense. [In preparation.}

Liturgical Services of the Scottish Non-Jurors, with an account of the traditional ceremonial of the Scottish Liturgy. [In the press \

Pontifical Services II. Woodcuts from early printed pontificals.

[In preparation.'}

English Altars II. From the Reformation to 1840. [In preparation.'}

Tradition or Assimilation ; which is the truer guide in ceremonial develop- ment ? [In preparation.} The Historical Interpretation of the Ornaments Rubric. [In preparation} A Miscellaneous Volume of Pictures. Examples of Church Plate and Metal Work. The Eucharistic Vestments : examples from various sources. The Occasional Services.

TRACTS.

The Liturgical use of the Litany. [In preparation.}

The Carthusian Rite. [In preparation.}

The Ancient Use of London.

The Disappearance of the Ornaments in 1552.

The Liturgical Colours.

A Second English Ordo.

*#* Members and Associates may obtain copies of Collections I, II, III and IV at £l ^s, per volume; of Collection V at izs. \od., post free; of Collection VI at 3/. 7</., post free ; and copies of the Tracts at a reduced price. The reduced prices of those already issued are : —

/. d.

Ornaments ot the Rubric - 37 post free

Consolidation - o 8£ „

Liturgical Interpolations - 15,,

The Parish Clerk and the Epistle - i I „

Ditto (in paper covers) o 4^ „

A First English Ordo - i 10 „

Ditto (in boards) 09 „

Publishers : Messrs. LONGMANS, GREEN & Co., 39 Paternoster Row, E.C.

*** Persons wishing to join the Club are requested to communicate with the Hon. Secretary who will send full information.

IV.

.THE INSTITUTE OF MEDIAEY'- £9 QUEEN'S PARK CRESCENT JQRONTO - 6, C

ff 3$.