A help towards a Kentish Monasticon

By W. E. Flaherty, Esq.

Rev. and Dear Sir,

I esteem myself pretty sure of your concurrence when I say that a Society which has so rich and various a field as the Archaeology of Kent before it, cannot fail to achieve permanent success, if but a fair proportion of its members will render such help as they may to the furtherance of its objects. The field indeed is so wide that there is ample room for all, however diverse may be their tastes and pursuits. While some discover, and describe from actual observation, the edifices or the sepulchres, the arms and the ornaments of our ancestors, others may, by the production of family papers, illustrate genealogy and history; and others, again, may draw from public records precise information on subjects that have been but lightly treated by authors, whose works are yet deserving of all the collateral help that can be bestowed on them.

Among such subjects I venture to class the monastic history of Kent. It is true that Dugdale and Tanner have touched on it (with that of other counties) in their valuable works, but much additional information is to be gained from a record now in the custody of the Master of the Rolls, and which, as far as I know, has not yet been printed, except a few fragments by Hasted, Warner, and others; and wishing to do something toward the end that we all have in view, I beg to offer to the Society a transcript of the portion relating to Kent of Cardinal Pole's Book of Pensions (1556). If in future years some of our members will take up the subject, and give it such illustration as documents or local knowledge, or both, may enable them to bestow, I venture to say that their papers will not be inferior in interest or value to any in our Transactions.

I remain, Rev. and dear Sir,

Yours faithfully,

The Rev. Lambert B. Larking, Hon. Sec. K.A.S.

W. E. Flaherty.

In order to the understanding of this very curious and valuable record, it will be necessary to go back some twenty years prior to its date, to the first Statutes for the suppression of the Monasteries and the division of the spoil.

In the year 1536 two Acts were passed, which in the Record Commission edition of the Statutes are numbered chapters 28 and 27 of the 27th of Henry VIII. By the first of these Statutes, all the monasteries that had less than £200 of yearly revenue were suppressed, and their possessions of every kind granted to the Crown; by the second Statute, a court was established, which was "commonly to be called the Court of the Augmentations of the Revenues of the King's crown," for the purpose of managing the property thus acquired, and also of dispensing "some convenient charity" to such of the displaced religious as might choose to return to the world, instead of entering the "honourable great monasteries" which were still allowed to stand.

Three years later, the Act for the Dissolution of Abbeys (31 Henry VIII. c. 13) was passed, when the conventual life was broken up, and, according to the received view of the case, a few subservient superiors were pensioned off, but the great majority of the monastic body was turned out literally to starve. Documents, however, exist, which show this to be untrue. There are four books of the Court of Augmentation (now in the Public Record Office, numbered 244, 245, 246, and 248) detailing the grant or the payment of monastic pensions, the last of which belongs to the year 1543 (34 Henry VIII.). There is also proof in another set of documents that these payments were kept up, at least until the year 1552. At that time commissioners were appointed in each county, who were to summon the recipients before them, and to learn whether any of them had assigned away their pensions, and what deaths had occurred among them. The returns that have been preserved are unfortunately very few, but in them we have the parties uniformly acknowledging that they have been "fully and duly paid unto this day."

We may fairly presume that matters remained the same when Mary came to the throne. As is well known, she gave up such Church lands as had not been already sold or granted away, but it was thought necessary to procure the formal sanction of Parliament for a new disposition of the first-fruits and tenths, which had been given to the Crown in 1534, by the 26th of Henry VIII. c. 3. Accordingly, in the end of the year 1555, the Statute 2 & 3 Philip and Mary, c. 4, was passed "for the extinguishment of the first-fruits, and touching order and disposition of the tenths of spiritual and ecclesiastical promotions, and of rectories and parsonages impropriate remaining in the Queen's Majesty's hands." The first-fruits were to "cease and be clearly extinct and determined for ever," from the preceding August, but the tenths were to be received by a body of clerical commissioners, who were to pay thereout the pensions to the monastics, as long as any remained alive, after which time the tenths were to cease also. The carrying out of this measure was committed to "my Lord Legate's Grace" (Cardinal Pole), and he had power, according to his "godly wisdom and discretion," also to employ a portion of the tenths in the augmentation of poor livings, in finding preachers, and in exhibitions for poor scholars. After the death of the Legate the two Archbishops and the eldest Bishop by consecration were to execute the Act.

The Pension Book with which we are now concerned is in the form of an Indenture between the King and Queen on the one hand and Cardinal Pole on the other to give effect to the Statute. It bears date the 24th of February, 1556, and contains, in seventy-seven schedules, full particulars of the "rents, pensions, annuities, corrodies, fees, and other yearly payments," for which the Crown was liable in respect of the dissolved monasteries. These particulars are by the Act directed to be set forth "in a certain book indented," one copy of which was to be signed by the Queen, and the other by the Cardinal; it is the latter that has been preserved, and hence the name.

The book commences with Kent, the pensions payable in which, as will be seen, amount to £1263 16s. 5d.; London comes next, at £1605 16s. 8d., and Middlesex, at £1075 6s. 11d. The highest amount is Lincoln, at £2008 16s. 10d., but Yorkshire is returned at only £875 7s. 3d., a small sum when we consider the extent of the county. We have no wish to intrude on the province of other Archaeological Societies, and therefore will only further remark, that the sum total of payments is:

• To Monastics and those connected with them - £36,081 16s. 10d.
• To Officers of the Court of Augmentations - £660 0s. 0d.
• To Shaxton, quondam Bishop of Salisbury - £66 13s. 4d.
• Total - £36,808 10s. 2d.

The volume, which is of large size, and handsomely written, commences with "Indenture," etc., a document that recites the substance of the Statute; this is the only part that is in English. Next comes a formal specification of its object, as follows, verified by the signature of the Cardinal.

Specificantur et continentur in Septuaginta septem Cedulis Indentatis sequentia tam nomina et cognomina diversarum personarum quae eorum separalia feoda annuitates corrodia et pensiones eisdem pro termino vitae vel annorum concessa nuper in Curiis Scaccarii et Ducatus Lancastriae de Thesauro Regio soluta ac imposterum per Clerum vigore cujusdam Actus Parliamenti exoneranda et solvenda Vidett a festo sancti Michis Archi annis regnorum Philippi et Mariae dei gratia Regis et Reginae Angliae Franciae Neapolis Jerusalem et Hiberniae fidei Defensorum Principum Hispaniae et Siciliae Archiducum Austriae Ducum Mediolaniae Burgundiae et Brabantiae Comitum Habsburgiae Flandriae et Tirolis Secundo et Tertio prout in separatis Comitatibus sequentibus particulariter apparet.

Reg. Carli8 Polus legat.

Vidett.

The document has been put into English for the convenience of the general reader, but probably the antiquary may like to see a brief specimen of the original.

COMITATUS KANCIAE.

Sc'i Radegund: Annuity John Russell per annum - £4 13s. 4d.

Pension Thomas Dale per annum - £13 6s. 8d.

THE LATE PRIORY OF DOVER.

Pension John Lambert per annum - £20

THE LATE MONASTERY OF COMBEWELL.

Pension Thomas Vincent per annum - £10

THE LATE MONASTERY OF BILSINGTON.

Pensions John Moyse per annum - £10

Pensions Thomas Cheltham, Bishop of Sidon per annum - £10

THE LATE MONASTERY OF FOLKESTON.

Pension Thomas Barrett per annum - £10

THE LATE MONASTERY OF DARTFORD.

Fees John Richardson, Clerk of the said late Monastery per annum - £3

William Sydley, Auditor there, per annum - £3

Annuities Elizabeth, late wife of Sir Ralph Fane, Knt. per annum - £20

John Wyseman per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

Thomas Golde per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Thomas Makyn per annum - £2

Richard Fyssher per annum - £2

Robert Whalepole per annum - £2

William Lycoras per annum - £2

John Hollingeworth per annum - £2

John Ketle per annum - £2

John Fryer per annum - £4

Pensions Joan Fane per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Elinor Wood per annum - £2 6s. 8d.

Elizabeth Cresnore per annum - £4

Mary Blower per annum - £2

Elizabeth White per annum - £2

Mary Bentham per annum - £2

Katherine Eflyn per annum - £2

Dorothy Sydley per annum - £3

Alice Grenesmyth per annum - £2

Elizabeth Exmewe per annum - £2

Elizabeth Seygood per annum - £2

Matilda Fryer per annum - £2

Katherine Garret per annum - £2

Agnes Roper per annum - £2

Anne Bosome per annum - £2

Alice Davye per annum - £2

Alice Bostocke per annum - £2

Margaret Warner per annum - £2

Agnes Lego per annum - £2

Katherine Clovell per annum - £2

THE LATE FRIARY OF DARTFORD.

Annuities Robert Strodle per annum - £2

William Hastinge during the life of Elizabeth Cressenore per annum - £4

THE LATE MONASTERY OF HORTON.

Annuity Richard Brysseley per annum - £15

THE LATE MONASTERY OF MALLING.

Annuities Rowland Ryce per annum - £2

Henry Fletcher per annum - £2

Pensions Agnes Weste per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Elizabeth Pympe per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Joan Hall per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Joan Randolphe per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Juliana Whetenall per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Leticia Bucke per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

THE LATE PRIORY OF LEEDS.

Annuities Thomas Spilmane per annum - £2

Arthur Seintcleger per annum - £16

Thomas Hendeley per annum - £2

Sir Thomas Moyle, Knt. per annum - £3

Thomas Chapman per annum - £6

Stephen Caldewell per annum - £2

John Eshylowe and Richard Wheler per annum - £2

Thomas Dorrell and Anthony Hussey per annum - £2

Pensions William Heringe per annum - £4

William Dauncey per annum - £5 6s. 8d.

John Drurye per annum - £6

Richard Rogers per annum - £6

Thomas Kayley per annum - £5 6s. 8d.

Charles Walley per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Launcelot Gylbanke per annum - £6

William Sheperde per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

William Barker per annum - £7

Thomas Daye per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

THE LATE MONASTERY OF ROCHESTER.

Annuity Edward White per annum - £3

Pensions William Chaunterburye per annum - £2

Robert Bacon per annum - £2

Robert Smythe per annum - £10

William Albon per annum - £10

Nicholas Spellehurste, alias Arnolde per annum - £2

THE LATE MONASTERY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

Annuity William Coppyn per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Pensions Thomas Edmonde per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Snothe per annum - £2

Edward Sawyer per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

George Amys per annum - £6

Robert White per annum - £6

William Okenfeilde per annum - £2

William Milles per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Edward Mynge per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Hall per annum - £6

John Hitchecoke per annum - £6

Robert Davyson per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Binge per annum - £6

William Mynge per annum - £6

William Jorden per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Baynes per annum - £13 6s. 8d.

John Wilborne per annum - £13 6s. 8d.

THE LATE MONASTERY OF FAVERSHAM.

Fee Joseph Beverley, Auditor there, per annum - £4

Annuities Philip Chowte per annum - £4

Thomas Persey per annum - £4

Pensions Peter Myntoo per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Ralph Poste per annum - £4

Dunstan Goodhewe per annum - £4

Thomas Dove per annum - £2

THE LATE MONASTERY OF MOTTENDEN.

Pensions John Handyman per annum - £4

William Barker per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

Richard Brokelhurste per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

Andrew Pyttenden per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

THE LATE PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY.

Annuities Thomas Herdes, Mariscall there, per annum - £8

John Leigh, for the term of 74 years, per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

John Johnson per annum - £2

Sir Anthony Aucher, Knt., Auditor and Supervisor there, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Richard Engham, Steward of the Hall there, per annum - £8

Thomas Percey per annum - £2

Pensions Thomas Nicholle per annum - £10

John Raspys per annum - £13 6s. 8d.

Thomas Payne per annum - £13 6s. 8d.

Richard Thornedon per annum - £10

William Goldwell per annum - £6

William London per annum - £8

Robert Anthony per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

William Caunterburye per annum - £6

John Stone per annum - £6

William Lychefeld per annum - £6

Nicholas Herste per annum - £10

Richard Bonnyngton per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Lambeherste per annum - £8

William Gregorye per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

William Gillingham per annum - £6

Quintin Denys per annum - £13 6s. 8d.

THE LATE MONASTERY OF LA MAISON DIEU, DOVER.

Pensions John Burnell per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Henry Wood per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Thompson per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

THE LATE MONASTERY OF BOXLEY.

Annuity William Lorkyn per annum - £2

Pensions Alexander Wimbhurste per annum - £4

George Downeham per annum - £2

George Squier per annum - £2

John Rede per annum - £2

William Lorkyn per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

CHANTRIES, COLLEGES, FRATERNITIES, FREE CHAPELS, AND OTHERS OF THAT NATURE, ETC.

Pensions Thomas Johnson, late Incumbent of the Chapel of Crawthorne, per annum - £2

Mathew Goodricke, late Prebendary at Wingham per annum - £6

John Thorpe, another late Prebendary there, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Richard Broke there, per annum - £2

Richard Turnore there, per annum - £2

Roger Lynsey, late Incumbent there, per annum - £4 5s.

Augustin Quested, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £4 5s.

Robert Collyns, another late Prebendary there, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Blande there, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Henry Hollande, late Incumbent there, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Stone there, per annum - £2

Edmund Cranemer, late Master of the said College of Wingham, per annum - £20

Edward Cowdry there, per annum - £2

Henry Sturgion, late Incumbent there, per annum - £2

John Clayton, late Incumbent in per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

John Porter, late Incumbent of the College at Maidstone, per annum - £2

Thomas Huggarde, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £4 6s. 8d.

James Killingrewe, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £2

John Ware, alias Warde, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £4 6s. 8d.

William Clere, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

Arthur Butler, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £4

John Godfrey, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

George Denham, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £6

Arthur Brunton, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

George Prior, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £4

John Leyffe, late Master of the College of Maidstone aforesaid, per annum - £58 16s. 8d.

Thomas Wade, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £2

William Rise, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £1 6s. 8d.

Thomas Pyne, late Incumbent at Maidstone aforesaid, per annum - £4

John Pyersbye, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £1 6s. 8d.

John Weston, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £2 13s. 4d.

Robert Bacon, late Incumbent at Dartford, per annum - £6

Edward Parker, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £6

Roger Hewett, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Petham, per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

John Hall, late Incumbent of the Chantry called Burton Chantrye, in Sandwich, per annum - £6

John Stuarde there, per annum - £6

William Lotte, another late Incumbent there, per annum - £6

John Watson, late Incumbent of the Chantry called Grene Chantrye, in Sandwich, per annum - £6

Roger Powell per annum - £2

John Motram, late Incumbent at Radfelde in Bockechilde, per annum - £3 6s. 8d.

Philip Metcalfe, late Incumbent at Gillingham, per annum - £6

John Castelyn, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Chilham, per annum - £6

William Hamon, late Incumbent of the Chantry in Ash, called per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Thomas Hewet, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Reculver, per annum - £6

Nicholas Thompson, alias Champyon, late Incumbent at Kingsbridge, in the city of Canterbury, per annum - £6

William Brigge, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Goamersham per annum - £2

George Higge, late Incumbent at Harbledown, per annum - £6

William Hopkyns, late Incumbent at Sevenoaks, per annum - £6

Richard Hill, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Pepingbury, per annum - £6 13s. 4d.

Launcelot Peycocke, late Incumbent at Milkehowse, per annum - £6

William Deacon, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Roath, per annum - £6

Thomas Daye, late Incumbent of the Chantry of Newsted, per annum - £2

Thomas Barret, late Incumbent of the Fraternity in Folkeston, per annum - £3

Henry Appevan, late Incumbent at Penshurst, per annum - £2

Annuities Sir Richard Rede, Knt., issuing out of the late College of Maidstone, per annum - £4

John Weston, issuing out of the said late College of Maidstone, per annum - £2

Sum of all payments in the aforesaid County of Kent, per annum - £1263 16s. 5d.

It will be an appropriate addition to our correspondents' communication if we here insert a list of the members constituting the Priory of Leeds in the early part of the sixteenth century. It was given to us many years since by the lamented Rev. Thomas Streatfeild, and extracted by him "from an original Roll in the hands of Mr. Thomas Rodd, the bookseller, in the year 1881, and brought from Leeds Castle."

Dominus Prior.

Dominus Thomas Langley, Supprior.

Dominus Johannes Brenchisley.

Dominus Johannes London.

Dominus Willelmus Huntyngdon.

Dominus Johannes Goldston.

Dominus Robertus Bedirsden.

Dominus Johannes Leycest.

Dominus Willelmus Illyngborne.

Dominus Thomas Harietsham.

Dominus Ricardus Goodherst.

Dominus Thomas Egerton.

Dominus Robertus Reynham.

Dominus Bartholomeus Lynsted.

Dominus Thomas Vincent.

Dominus Thomas Lynden.

Dominus Johannes Wodrove, Diaconus.

Frater Johannes Tentirden, Subdiaconus.

Ricardus Roger.

Johannes Fox.

Ricardus Ramsey.

Johannes Archer.

Johannes Bawth.

Petrus Johnson.

Johannes Edynden.

Johannes Pettyt.

Nicholas Ryder.

Edwardus Peverell.

Robertus Roger.

Thomas Harlsey.

Willelmus Coper.

Johannes Lymden.

Johannes Clayton, Clericus ecclesiae.

Thomas Byrche.

Willelmus Edward.

Cristoforus Barbitonsor.

Thomas Chambir.

Johannes Bery, Pincerna.

Willelmus Hardweyne, Ballivus.

Thomas Roger.

Robertus Cayme.

Robertus Yonge.

Thomas Rayman.

Johannes Hardgood.

Edwardus Filman.

Jacobus Arnold.

Johannes Smyth, Pictor.

Jacobus Jenyn, Pistor.