Cowling (Cooling) Castle

By W. I. Lightfoot, Esq.

The following transcripts of vouchers and receipts for moneys expended on the erection of Cowling Castle were exhibited when we visited that ancient dwelling in August last. Their appearance caused discussion at the time, and some doubt was raised as to their authenticity, because their dates did not exactly correspond with the period at which some of our members have conjectured that the Castle was built. To set the matter at rest, we give them as they were found among the muniments at Surrenden, leaving them to tell their own tale; and we complete their authenticity by furnishing a facsimile of one of them, in the unquestionable handwriting of the period. Still further to perfect our evidences of date, we give from the Patent Rolls a transcript of the original license to crenellate, thus furnishing a series of incontestable evidence as to the precise period when the castellation of Cowling was first made.

With these documents in hand, a very interesting survey might be made of the Castle, and much of the detail and measurements of its works verified and exactly dated.

I.

[Couling.-10 October, 48 Edw. m., 1374.]

Sachent touz gents moy WILLI.AM RoBERTS, plomer de Loundres, avoir resceu de morn,r JOHN seigneur de Co DE HAM, qaraunte oept south et dis deners en plein paiement des touz maners bargainz faitz pentre nous dil comensement de mounde taunke al jour de fesaunte du cestis.

Des qeu:x qara.unte oept south et dis deners, en plein paiement, come avaunt est dit, moy reconusse estre pleinement paie. Et le dit monsr Jo:rm, ses heirs et executours_ estre quites par cestis presentz as touz jours.

En tesmoigne de quele chose, a ceste escript jay mis mon seal.

Done a Coulyng, le disme jour Doctobre, lan regne le roi Edward tierce puis le conquete quaraunte oeptisme.

[Indorsecl.J Laquitaunce W. Plamer de Loundi·es, de xlvijj8 :x:d en plein paiement.

II.

[London.-11 May, 2 Ric. II., 1879.]

Sachient totez gentez, moy THOMAS W REK, ma.son, de Loundrez, avoir ressu de monsr JoHA.N DE CoBEHAM, seigneur de Cobeham, cessaunte south en partie du paiement de quatorze livrez, siz souz, oept deners, que renieynt aderer2 oultre cer­teyns paiementz faitz come piert par acquitaunce, en lez queux lavaundit monsr J OHAN mest8 tenuz pour une overayne4 coma piert par certeins endentures. Dez queu:x: cessaunte souz en partie du paiement, come avaunt est dit, moy THOMAS reconusse estre paiez, et lavaundit monsr JoHAN, ses heirez et executours quitz as touz jours par icestez presen.tz.

En tesmoigne de quel chose, moy THOMAS susdit ay mys mon seal.

Done a Loundrez, le unzime jour de May, lan du regne le roi Richard secounde, puis le conquete secounde.

[Seal : Red wax,-a Roman gem, genius holding a bunch of grapes and rod. Legend-bepat bensi.]

[Incloi·sed.] A.quitaunce de lx8 puis le payement feyt al dit Thomas que remeyneyt aderer xiiij1i vj8 viijd. Et sy remeynt aderer onkor :zjli vj8 viijd.

III.

Patent for Orenellaf(ing Oowlvng Oastle,-Rot. Pat. 4 Ric. II. (1880-1) pt. 2, m. 24.

De Manso Kern.ellando-Cobeham.

Re:x: omnibus ad quos, etc.-Salutem. . Sciatis, quod de gracia nostra, speciali concessimus et licenciam dedimus, pro nobis et heredibus nostris, quantum in nobis est, dilecto et fideli nostro Johanni de Cobeham, quod ipse mansum Manerii sui de Coulyng, in Comitatu Kancie, muro de petra et calce fortificare, firmare, et kernellare, et man.sum illud sic fortifi.ca­tum, firm.a.tum, et kernellatum, tenere possit, sibi et heredibns suis, in perpetuum., sine occasione vel impe­ mento nostri vel heredum nostrorum.·· Justiciorum, Escretorum, Vicecomitum, aut aliorum ballivorum seu ministrorUill nostrorum quorum­ cumque. In cujus, etc. Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium, x die Februarii.

Per breve de privato sigillo.

IV.

[Coulyng.-29 September, o Rio. II., 1381.]

Sachount toutez genz, moy HENRY DE ·rvELEGR, masoun et citizein de Loundres, avoyr ressu de monsr J OJIAN DE ConEH.A.M, et par ses .maynz payez de xx libres desterlyng, en le nom de THOMAS WREWK, masoun, des queux :x:x.ll, come avaunt est dit, moy avaundit Hmrn.Y reconuz estre perpayez9 et lavaundit monsr Jo:EI.AN, ses heyrs et e:x:ecutours quites atouz jours.

En tesmoynaunce de quele chose, a caste lettre daquitaunce, moy avaundit HENRY ay mys monn seal.

Done a Coulyng, le jour seynt Michael larchaungele, lan du rengne le Roy Richard secounde puis le conqueste quintte.

[Seal: Red wax,-a dog seiant. "S ...... "]

[Indorsed.] Aquitaunce, Henry Ivelegh de x.x:li pa.ye par Thomas Wrewk.

V.

[23 July, 6 Ric. II., 1382.]

Caste endente9 fait pa.rentre monsr J OlliN DE CoBEHAM, seigneur de Oobeham, dune p3rte, et WILLIAM SHA.RNHALE, dautre part, tesmoyne que lavauntdit monsl' JOH.AN et lavauntdit W JL­ LIAM, ount a.compte et mesure les murs et tours deinz le mote de Coulyng, par mestre HE�Y YEVELE, masonn.

Oestassavoir, del tour en le Southestcorner taunk al mur del graunt Cham.bra en le northcorner, oue les deux rondes tours del hautesse de deux perches oue crest et tout, qui amounte a cynkaunte et quartre perches, prenaunt pour le percha viijli.

Et le hautement de les deu:; tours yiij pees et j quart dun pee plus haute que les murs, qamonte trays perQhes, issµ:it que la SOl?J.Ine des perches amounte, en -tout, a Cynkaunt et sept perches, qni amounte en argent quatre Oentz Oynkaunt et Sys libres. De quele somm.e lavauntdit monsr J OHAN ad paie al dit WILLIAM SHARNHALE, en pa.rtie de paiement de la somme suis­ dite, deux Oentz Oessaunt et dys livres, dys south, et quatre deners; des queux 00.Ixxll x.9 iiijd lavauntdit W ILLIA.M SRARN_­ HALE soy reconuz estre paiez, et lavauntdit monsr J ORAN, ses heires et executours, quites a touz jours par castes presentes aquitaunces endentes, et entrechaungeablement enseales et baillez1 entre les parties suisili.tes.

Done lendemayne de la maudeleyne, Ian du regne le roi Ri­ chard secounde puia le oonquete sisme.

[Indm·sed.J Endentur come aquita11nce de Scharnhalle de payment de ccJnll x.8 iiij

VI.

[25 November, 6 Rio. II., 1882.J

Sachount toutez genz, moy THOMAS CROMPE, masoun, avoyr ressu de monsr JoHAN DE CoBERAM, syngnr de Cobeham, oyt libres desterlyng, en perpayement de toute la graunde porte del outerwarde de Coulyng, le quel moy avaundit TnoMAS et L.A.URENZ .A.TTE W ODE avouns prys pour fayre, come a.pert par les dittez endenturs canselles, des queux oyt libres, en perpaye­ ment del dit overayne, come avaunt est expresse, moy avaundit THoM.A.s reconuz estre perpayes, et lavaundit momit J OHAN, seys heyrs et executou.rs quietes a touz jours par cestes presentys aquita.unce, sur quel moy avaundit THous ay mys mon sceal.

Done le jou.r seynte Katerine, Ian de rengne le roy Richarde secounde, puis le conqueste sysme.

[Ind01·sed.] .A.quitaunce Thomas Orompe dil graunde porte de Ooulyng, de le perpayement pour iceles.

VII.

[Coulyng.-29 September, 8 Rio. II., 1884.]

Sachent touz gens, nous THous 0ROMP et WUiLLA.M Sc.HAR­ NALL, massonz, avoir resceu de monsr JOHN DE CoBEHAM, seig­ neur de Cobeham, cessauntes diz et oept south, en perpaiement pour larsure de siz centz et cinquaunte quarters de lym, de nous pris paa.· WILLIAM BROWN, pbur lez overaygnez le seigneur a Coulyng, dil feste seint Michael, Ian du roi qui ore est septisme taunge le feste seint Michael proschein ensuit qest le jour de fesance du cestis. Dez queux oessaunte diz et oept south, en perpaiement, come avaunt est cl.it, nous nous re­ conons estre perpaiez. Et lava.untdit monsr JOHN, sez heirs et e.xecutours, estre quites par ces presentz, as touz jours.

En tesmoigne de quelle chose, a yceste acquitau.nce avons mys noz sealz.

Done a Ooulyng, le jour saint Michael larcha.ungel, Ian du regne le Roy Richard secound:e puis le conquete oytisme.

[Indorsed.] .A.cquitaunce Cromp et Scharnal, en perpaie­ ment pour arsur de lym, dez le jour Seint Michael a0 vij0 taunqz le feste Seint Simon et Jude [28th Oct.] a0 viijO pour tout le seson entier.

VIII.

[London.-16 October, 8 Rio. II., 1884.]

Sachount toutez genz moy WILLIAM B:msTCHERCHE, masoun, avoyr ressu de monsieur JoHAN DE OoBEHAY, seigneur de Oobe­ ham, cessaunte south desterlyng, en perpayement de toutes maneres dettez que lavaundit monsr J ORAN estoit al avaundit WILLIAM BESTCREiiCHE tenuz pour soun overayne fet de ma­ sonerye a chaste! de Ooulyng, des queux cessaunte south, en perpayement, come avaunt est dit, moy avaundit WILLIAM. BESTCHERCHE me reconuz estre perpayes, et lavaundit monsr JoHAN, ses heyrs et executours estre quitez a touz jours.

En tesmoynau.nce de quele chose a yceste lettre de aquitaunce ay mys mon sceal.

Done a Loundres, le seszime jour Doctobre Ian de rengne le Roy Richard secounde oytisme.

[Indorsecl.] Laquitaunce William Bestcherche, masoun, de son overayne de Coulyng.

IX.

[29 September, 9 Ric. II., 1385.J

(The original is in Latin, of which the following is a literal translation.)

Know all men by these presents, .that I, THOMAS CROMPlil, mason, have received, on the day of the making these presents, of Sir JoHN DE ConEHA.'M, Lord of Cobeham, six pounds, thir­ teen shillings, and four pence sterling, in part payment of my work at the Castle of Ooulyng, of which six pouµds, thirteen shillil:1gs and four pence, in part payment, as is premised, paid to me, I acknowledge myself to be paid, and that the foresaid Lord of Cobeham, his heirs and executors, are acquitted thereof by these presents sealed with my seal.

Dated on the feast of St. Michael, in the ninth year of the reign of the King of England, Richard. the second, after the conquest.

[Indorsed.J Acquittance of Thomas Cromp, mason, of ten marks paid to him, in part payment of his work of Coulyng, in the ninth year.

The sum total of this expenditure will be found to be as follows:

Plumber.-1874.-W.illiam Roberts . . . . • 2 8 10 1879.-Thomas Wreck, £8 on account of 14 6 8 1381.-Ditto (by Henry Ivelegh) 20 0 0 4d. on account of . . . . 456 0 0

Masons. 1882.-ThomasOromp,forthe greatgate 8 0 0 1384.-Thomas Oromp and William SharnhaJe, limeburning • . 3 18 0 1884.-William Bestcherche . . . . 8 0 0 1885.-Thomas Oromp, on account of a larger sum • . . . . 6 18 4

£514 6 10

The Manor of Cowling was, from an eal.'ly period, part of the possessions of the Cobhams, who only occasionally resided at the Castle. We have an old lease, dated 23rd May, 1429, by which Thomas Brook, Lord Cobham, lets to John Smith of Cowling, two houses, with a marsh called Leth . . . . for four years from Michaelmas next, at £5 per annum. One of the clauses in this lease is curiously indicative of the scantiness of furniture needed in those days. Among the conditions is one, that the tenant or his executors " straminabunt aulam et cameras de Castro de Coweling, cum cirpis de novo colligatis, contra quemlibet adventum predicti domini ad Castrum predictum."

To strew the floor with fresh rushes was nearly all the preparation needed to receive the lord on his anival. 'l'he an-as, the costers, dorsers, and bankers, and coverlets, etc., were shifted and brought with him; a few benches and stools, and steddles, and a few chairs formed the standing furniture of the house; and he could migrate from one mansion to another with his other furniture as readily as a soldier shifts his tent and its gear.

L.B. L.