Eltham Churchwardens Accounts: Communicated, with Introduction and Notes

( 71 ) ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. COMMUNIOATED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, BY AYMER VALLANCE. ELT:IIAM church as now existing, is not the ancient fabric, which having been undermined in the process of digging a vault, collapsed in June, 1667. The new church that succeeded it, was demolished in 1873, and was in its turn replaced by the present building, opened in 1875. Historically the parish of Eltham belongs to the Diocese of Rochester ; but, in the reshuffling consequent on the creation of the modern Bishopric of Southwark, Eltham became transferred to the new Diocese. This, of course, explains why Eltham, although in the County of Kent, is not to be found in the Parish Registers and Records of the Diocese of Rochester, 1912. It may be recalled that various benefactions to the church and parish of Eltham are recorded in the form of excerpts from early wills, Testamenta Oantiana, pp. 22-3. The churchwardens' accounts have not been previously printed unabridged. Extracts, however, selected by George R. Corner, F.S.A., were published, with notes, in Archreologia, volume XXXIV (1852), pp. 51-64. For the present transcript acknowledgments should be made to Mr. V. J. B. Torr, for the expert care and knowledge which he has brought to bear on his task, undertaken, moreover, in spite of pressure of other work at the time. As the event proved, Mr. Torr was unable to carry on his transcript beyond the year 1570. For permitting the manuscript to be placed temporarily at the disposal of the transcriber, thanks are due both to the Bishop of the Diocese and to the Vicar of Eltham, as well as to the authorities of the Manuscript Department at the British Museum, who kindly accepted charge of the volume for the time being while the work of transcribing was in progress. 72 ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. Particular thanks are due also to Professor A. Hamilton Thompson, V.P.S.A., for kindly reading the proofs, and for his ingenious elucidations of a number of obscure points in the text. The manuscript of the accounts forms a vellum-bound volume of 167 folios, size approximately 12 by 8 inches. The earliest item occurs under the date 12th July, 1554, whence the accounts continue almost uninterruptedly down to the latest entry on 2nd June, 1618. Here follows the first instalment of the transcript. ELTHAM, KENT. A BOOKE OF THACCOUNTES OF THE OHUROHE WARDENS CALLED .A. LEDGERE BEGININGE THE XIJ DAY OF JULY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORDE GODE 1554 fol. 1. ANNO DOMIN! 1554 JULY 12ST. Mony Recevede by the churche wardens of ) Eltham That ys to saye Henrye Snoksone 􀁒 and John Lancastr Begiiiinge the xij daye of July Anno diii j 1554 Itm first receved the xij day of July the Same 1 yeare of John thomsone for one wholle I yeares rente and a half of his house at pope- f streatt ended at or Lady day before Itm receaved of John Thomson for haul£ a yeares rente dew a michallmas next 1 insuinge the dayt hearof anno Itm receved of heme att thaiiutiasione of \ or lady next followinge the wich was for I hall£ years rent dew at the said day the xxv f day of marche J Itm Receaved of parker the potter in pt of} payment Itm the Receaved of ashbe the potter for one ) holle yeares Reante J 1554 xxviij8 vjd ixB vjd iijB vfiljd ELTH.AM CHURCHWARDENS' .ACCOUNTS. 73 Itm Receaved for Light at easter viijd Itm Receved for Light for mother yeallame viijd Sma toll' ij11 xvijB vjd Receatts for woode Itm receaved of John brigitt esquire in mony viij8 R of willim. east viij8 R of Heughe tenche viij8 R of John Rolfe viij8 R of Edd' ellyote viij8 R of Heughe all.ee viij8 R of John a lee viij8 R of Thoms Rediiige viij8 R of willm carlelle viij8 R of John Lancaster viij8 Sm' to118 iiijl f. lb. Receatts for woode Itm receved of Henry Snokesone R of mother Hunte R of willm sharpe R of Robert Halle R of John clarke R of John Joyner R of John Spensere R of the vicare R of Thomas glanvelle R of Thoms Linger R of John Hodsone R of willm. Kellerre R of Hadcoke R of Thoms starkey R of John Tomsone R of John Dire R of Lourne :a' of Oarbetts widowe R of xpopher clarke R of John kellere R of Britayns widow R of waiter Holl.done iijB xvjd ijB filjd xvjd viijd :x:ijd xijd filjd :x:vjd viijd xxd xxd :x:ijd iijB iijB iijB iijB iijS :x:ijd :x:ijd ijS ijS 74 ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. R 0£ John Doufter R 0£ Henry nealle R 0£ skyet R 0£ Thomas mumbe R of Richarde fellton R of Henry scoobe R of John castellmane R 0£ Hoder R of John bride R of John martindalle Sma Lviij8 Receates for woode Receaved of Henry Howelle R of John may R of fances coJke f.2. Anno 1554 Receaved of Roberte willey R of Thomas medcaulffe R of xpopher dickinson R of willm Hodsone R of mother yealame R of Nicholas mosire R of John tindalle R of John edwardes R of Thomas Harvy R of Robert clarke R of John Harvy R of John tayller R of mother castellman Receaved of mr vikere R of John rolfe R of John allee R of thomas starkey R of thomas pinrell R of John birde R of fraunces cokes Sma xxiijS viijd ijB ijB ijS ijB ijS ijB ijS ijB ijB ijB xxd xxd viijd viijd xvjd xvjd xvjd iijS xijd xvjd xvjd xxd xxd iijB xvjd viijd ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. 75 :& of John spen..'"Vj day of october dew at michallmas laste past in the year of or lorde god 1560 Itm paid for the quitrent and the coman fine to henry snockson for haul£ A years} reant at michallmas last paste in the yeare of or lord god 1560 Itm paid Gorge gouldwelle of bexley for an obit reant the iiijth daye of november } dewe at the feast of St michall in the yeare of or lord god 1560 Itm paid to the vititers at dartford the xviijth I day of Januarie in the yere of or lord god 1560 J Itm paid for wasshinge A yeare Itm paid for writtinge A yeare f.17. Sm iijli xiiij8 ixd 1561 1501 1561 Receyte of the rents belonginge to the parishe of Eltham receavede by Thomas } mvmbey and John skyte churche wardens in the yeare of or lord * " of " erased. 99 jd ob viijd xvjd o'o. xjs jd vjs Sd vjd iiijB xijd 1561 100 ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. Receaved of John hanger for hauH A yeare rent of the parrishe hous at popstreat the) viij daye of Aprille in the yeare of or lord J . god dew at thauntyaton of or ladye 1561 Itm receaved of John Allee for haluf A yeares rent of the parrishe hous that he t dwellethe in the xij daye of may dew at thauntiation of or lady in the yeare of or l lord god 1561 J Itm receaved of John hanger for haluf A l ' yeares rent of the parishe hous at popes streat the xx day of novembember (sic) in the yeare of or lord gode dew at michallmas 1561 (Marginal note: popestret.) Itm receaved of John Alie for halufhe A l yeares rent of the parishe hous that he dwellethe in the xij day of desember dew at michallmas last past 1561 Itm receaved of Mr edd8 Roper for furs that } grew at shuters hill in the hy way Itm receaved of edwarde kynge for the } burialle of his wife in the churche Sm iiijli xijd 1561 Paimentes in the yeare of or lord god ) 1561 for the parish of Eltham paid by [ thandes of Thomas mvmbey and John skyghte churche wardens of the same f prishe Itm paid to the clocke maker at easter Itm paid for corde for the clocke Itm paid for sawinge to henry snockeson } and John corbee Itm paid to John petley for meandinge the } pewes Itm paid to John bourne for iij lockes for } the churche boxe ixs vjd xxvj8 viijd ix5 vjd xxvj8 viijd ijS vjs viijd 1561 xviiJd iiij8 ijB vjd ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. 101 Itm paid for A locke for easte filld gate vd Itm paid for ij laberers for helpinge the } ijs viijd carpenter A bout the seates f.l7b. 1561 Itm paid to willm. cowke for A dayes worke Itm paid for naylles Itm payd At dartford at the vititation for bookes and or charges the xij daye of } maye Itm paid for quart of oylle and A botell Itm payd to henry snockson the quitrent and I the coman fine for haluf A yeares rent the xxviij day of maye dew at or ladi · day laste paste in the yeare of or lord god A thousand vc Ix i Itm paid at the vititatione at dardford the } the (sic) xxix day of Auguste Itm paid for A rope Itm pad for A quiere of paper Itm pd at the vititation at bromly Itm pd for A boocke of ther charges ltm pd to Mr drapper of bromly for v yeares } paste of the parrishe hous at popstreate that John hanger dwelleth in the iiij daye of october in the yere of or lord god 1561 (Marginal note : popestret.) Itm pd to willyam kowke for ij dayes worke } A bout the churche Itm paid for haul£ A yebushelle of lyme Itm payd to Mr Somer of bexleye the xth day of november the quit rent of the prishe } lande that lyethe in bexley parishe for on wholl yeare rent dew at mycallmas last (Marginal note : parish land lyeth in Bexly parish.) Itm pd for A booke of articlles "'d XlJ vjd jjS iiijd viijd xjB jd iiij8 jjS iiijd iiijd vjB iiijd yS xijd ijd :xvjd ob. vijd 102 ELTHAM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. Itm payd at the vititatione at dartford the } xxj day of marche Itm paid to kowe for A dayes worke Itm paid to herri snocke son for the quitrent and the coman fine of the parrishe for ( half yeare rent the xth day of november dew at m michalle mas in the yeare of or lord l god 1561 Itm paid to John outred for the xve that } lyethe in bexly parrishe Itm paid for washinge a yeare Itm paid for writinge A yeare for gresse for the bells Sm iij11 xijS xjd o'I:,. (To be continued.) xvjd jjS xjS jd xijd iiijS xijd jd