Notes on the Inner Life and Domestic Economy of the Priory of Christ Church Canterbury, in the Fifteenth Century.

rdtawtojjia: dfratira. NOTES ON THE INNER LIFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF THE PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY, IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. BY 0. EVELEIGH WOODRUFF, M.A. WITH the exception of the Chronicle of John Stone1 the sources of information for the internal life and domestic economy of the Priory of Christ Church, Canterbury, in the fifteenth century are scanty. The obscurity is due to the fact that during this period few of the account rolls of the Obedientiaries have been preserved. Stone, who was an inmate of the house from 1418 to 1480, gives much valuable historical information, but his Chronicle is—to a large extent—an obituary of the monks, with descriptions of their funerals. As a supplementary source of information, the present writer desires to draw attention to a volume of misceUaneous accounts—preserved in the library of the Dean and Chapter, but which hitherto seems to have escaped notice.2 The contents of this volume give an interesting glimpse—not much more, since the accounts relate only to the years 1445-9—of the inner life of the convent during those years. The volume, which bears the press-mark F.2.Vol.4, is lettered on the back " Register of various accounts," and contains 224 paper leaves, the margins of which have been charred by fire—probably that which broke out in the old 1 MS. at Corpus Christi Coll., Cam. Ed. W. G. Searle, for the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, 1902. 2 The volume is not mentioned in the report of the Historical MSS. Commission. 4 2 INNER LIFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY Audit House in 1669.1 The accounts are grouped under the foUowing headings : 1. Accounts of the Bedells and Farmers of the Manors. This section forms a large proportion of the contents of the volume. The only entry of historical interest occurs in the account relating to the Manor of Bekesbourne, from which we learn that the tenants provided the ship in which Margaret of Anjou, the young bride of King Henry VI, crossed the Channel—in 1445. " Sol' Roberto Landeman pro navigio ad Margaretam reginam convehendam in Angliam iiij li, supra onus tenendum quod se extendit ad Lirjs. iiijd." This entry is somewhat surprising, since Bekesbourne, though a member of the Port of Hastings, at this period could have had no navigable access to the sea. 2. Oblaciones et Obventiones. Offerings and adventitious receipts. Only the offerings made at the Shrine and " Corona " of St. Thomas are mentioned. Those from the Shrine never exceed £30, and those from the " Corona " are, generally, a Httle less ; showing that an extraordinary decline of the cult of St. Thomas had taken place during the last fifty years since in 1396 the figures were respectively £393 2s. lOd. and £75 13s. ! It may be worth while to notice here, that since in earher account roUs mention is made of a Magister Capitis, and of a Custos Corone sci Thome, there has been in the past some uncertainty as to whether there were two officers in charge of two distinct objects of devotion, or only one,2 the foUowing entries show clearly that the latter is the correct interpretation of the problem : " Rec'. de J5hne Marchall magistro capitis sci Thome XLs." " Rec'. de Johne Marchall custode corone sci Thome XLs." And later "Rec'. de Thoma Wakering magistro capitis " (struck out) and " Corone " substituted, XLs. 1 Notice of the fire was first given by a Miss Savin, who received as a reward from the Dean and Chapter twelve pairs of white kid gloves— Treasurers' Accounts, Sub. Anno. 2 See Mr. F. E. Bromley's article on the Corona of St. Thomas, Arch. Cant., XLVI, p. 103. OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. 3 3. Officium Celerarii. Payments made to or on behalf of the cellarer. 4. Officium Camerarii. From the number of fur cloaks (pellicibus) provided by the Chamberlain for the brethren at the feast of All Saints, we learn that at this period the number of monks in the Priory was always between 80 and 90. 5. Officium Elemosinarii. Almoner's Accounts. 6. Officium Capellani Prioris. Prior's Chaplains' accounts. 7. Staurum vivum emptum. Livestock purchased. In a single year the convent bought 581 wether sheep (multones), average price Is. 7|d. each, 240 ewes at Is. 4d. and 21 " Wetherteggys' " at 12d. per head. 8. Staurum mortuum emptum. Dead stock purchased. Prices : Wheat 6s. to 6s. 8d. per quarter. Barley 3s. to 3s. 4d. per quarter. Oats Is. 4d. to Is. 6d. per quarter. Beans 4s. per quarter. 9. Vinum Emptum. Wine purchased. At this period the " Wine of St. Thomas " (that is, the 100 muys= 1,600 galls.) granted to the Priory by King Louis VII, was no longer shipped to England, since the monks knew that a wine grown in the latitude of Paris would not travel; they therefore sold it locaUy, importing in its place enormous quantities of the stronger and sweeter wines of Gascony. Thus from the receipt of one Jean Cressac, merchant of Bordeaux (which is inserted in the volume under review), we learn that the convent paid him £37 for 9 tuns 1 pipe of wine. Since a pipe contained 126 gals, and a tun was equal to two pipes we get the astonishing total of 2,394 gaUons in this one consignment; but this was not aU: a butt of Tyre, a strong sweet wine from Calabria, in Sicuy, was also purchased,1 and two casks (dolia) of Spanish wine. 1 The wine is said to have derived its name from a species of grape called in Italian Tirio. 4 INNER LLFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY Freightage from Bordeaux to Sandwich cost lis. ld. per cask ; 2d. a tun was paid for pilotage (lowthmanage), and a Uke sum for primage, which was a customary aUowance to the master and crew of the vessel for the loading and care of the cargo. From Sandwich the wine was brought up the river in barges to Fordwich, at 12d. per tun. The " Tyre," on the other hand, came from London, and was brought down by water carriage to Faversham. EXPENSAE GENERALES. General Expenses. It is from this section that we gain a more intimate knowledge of the inner life of the Priory. John Sarisbury who presided over the house when the earher entries were made, had held office since 1438 ; he died January 19th, 1446, and was succeeded by John Elham, who must have been weU advanced in years when elected to the priorate, since he was professed as far back as 1398. Elham's tenure of office was short, for he died February 21st, 1449, and was succeeded by Prior Thomas Goldston I. A large proportion of the entries relate to gratuities given to servants bringing gifts to the Prior at Christmas, the Passion of St. Thomas (December 29th), Easter, and the Translation of St. Thomas (July 7th). These gifts were of various kinds, and occasionaUy the gratuity to the servant seems disproportionate to the value of the gift, e.g. 3s. 4d. seems an excessive reward to the King's Ferreter (firetori) for bringing rabbits : generaUy the tip was 20d. Gifts of venison were received from Sir John Kyrell (Criol), Sir John Cheyne, the Prior of CombweU and others. WUliam Manston sent a porpoise, and John Foche the more palatable halibut; but the strangest present was a bear, from the Prior of Dover. " Dat servienti Prioris Dover portanti I ursum dno Priori XXd." As the servant is said to have carried the animal, we may perhaps assume that it was dead, in which case its chief value would consist of the grease that could be extracted from the carcass. Although gifts of poultry and game poured into the monastic larder at Christmas, the Prior was by no means dependent on these adventitious offerings for a supply of OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY 5 game for his table, since we learn from the accounts that he kept a falconer and greyhounds. " Sol' Roberto Alen pro officio ancupatoris (sic) pro termino NataUs Dni xxd." " Sol' pro cathenis et aliis pro le greyhoundys dni Prioris XIs ." In addition to a fixed wage of 20d. a quarter the Falconer received an extra fee when he brought in game, e.g. " Sol' ancupatori pro expensis perdices capiend' Xlld." Sometimes instead of partridges he took swans, though, presumably, not by the aid of his hawks, e.g. " Sol' Roberto Alen pro expensis circa capcionem signorum (cygnorum) apud Elwarton."1 Whether the Prior himself actuaUy shared in these sporting activities is uncertain ; if he did, he probably excused his breach of the rules by the same argument as the monks of St. Denys offered to Charlemagne, in favour of their hunting : the flesh of hunted game, they aUeged, had special medicinal value for the sick, and the skin served so weU in bmding their psalters ! Since the Prior had to make many long journeys on horseback, his chaplain was careful to provide him with an easy-paced nag (equo ambulante), e.g. " Sol' pro 1 equo albo ambulante empt' apud London pro ceUa dni prioris CXs."—a very high price if we take into account the relative purchasing power of money in the fifteenth century and to-day. At the same time the chaplain thought it prudent to provide a horse Utter and feather bed on which the Prior could recline, if through sickness or other infirmity he should be unable to sit in the saddle. " Sol' pro I bere pro I fetheyr bedde empt' pro dfio Priore XXs." This was for the comfort of Prior Elham, who was an old, and probably a sick, man : he died less than a year later. Nevertheless, Prior Elham had to undertake some long journeys, e.g. to Winchester to attend the funeral of Cardinal Beaufort, to London to attend Convocation, " Sol' pro expensis dni Prioris equitant' ad convocacionem cleri mense junn eund' morand' et redeund' XIIIU" ; and to Cowling Castle, for the purpose of entrusting his god-daughter to the 1 A Manor in the parish of Stone next Faversham. 6 LNNER LIFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY wardship of the Lord of the Castle, at that time Sir John Harpsden, who had married—as her fifth husband— Lady Joan Cobham.1 " In expensis dni Prioris equitant' usque castrum de Cowlyng et in redeundo XXIIs. Xd. ob. Et dat' dfio de Cowlyng in regardo pro filiole dni Prioris custodia Cs." Unfortunately the name of the lady is not mentioned. Concerning the last illness, death and burial of Priors Sarisbury and Elham the accounts give fuU particulars, e.g. " Sol' Johi Oxeney pro diversis medicinis pro dfio Priore XXs." " Dat' magistro Ada medico pro medicinis pro dfio Priore XXs." " Dat' magistro Roberto medico de London' XVIs. VIHd." But medicine was of no avail: the next entry is " Dat' pulsatoribus " (the beUringers) " pro obitu dni Prioris XXd." A woman was paid 3s. 4d. " pro corporis locione," and a cheap set of vestments was purchased in which the corpse was clad. " Sol' pro casula dalmatica et mitra pro sepultura dni Prioris Xs. VIHd." The funeral sermon was preached by brother John Curteys, who received for his pains a fee of 6s. 8d., and the almoner made a Uberal distribution of alms to the poor, viz. £3 6s. 8d. on the day of the funeral, and a further sum of forty shiUings at the " month's mind "—thirty days later. Both Priors were buried in the nave of the Cathedral, towards its eastern end.2 Elham's tombstone was supplied by Thomas Rowge, " marbelar " : it cost £10 6s. 8d. and was brought from London to Faversham by water. Although by the rule of his order a benedictine monk could not possess personal property, Prior Sarisbury left a will which, apparently, was a source of much trouble and expense to his successor, e.g. " In expensis diii Prioris serviens' et equorum equitant' London' mense Octobr' et ibidem expectant' per III septimanas and III dies pro colloquio habendo cum executoribus dni Prioris XXXIIH. XIXs. LXd." " Dat' Johi Bamborough (High-Steward of the monastery) laboranti in causa predicta XLs." i See Arch. Cant., XI, p. 99. 2 Stone, ut supra. OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. 7 MINSTRELS AND PLAYERS. The accounts contain many entries relating to the visits of minstrels, players, and even dancers, to the convent on festival days and their eves. Unfortunately we get no information as to the nature of these performances or where exactly they were held. The foUowing entries record the occasions on which these relaxations were permitted, and the reward given to the performers. Christmas. " Pro interludis erga Natal' XXVIs. VIHd." St. Stephen's Day. " Dat' lusoribus de Fevyrsham ludentibus coram dfio Priore die sci Stephani Vis. VIHd." Passion of St. Thomas (December 29th). " Dat' minstraUis et ahis ludentibus die passionis sci Thome Xs." Feast of the Circumcision (January 1st). " Dat' lusoribus in die circumscisionis Dfii Vis. VIHd." The Epiphany. " Dat' pueris cantantibus die Epiphe Ills. IHId."1 Ascension Day. " Dat' lusoribus ludentibus coram priore die Ascensionis dfii Vis. VIHd." Translation of St. Thomas (July 7th). " Dat' minstralUs dfii Regis and ahis minstralUs diversis dominorum in die Translacionis sci Thome martiris XLIIIs. IHId." " Dat' diversis personis tripudiantibus in nocte Translationis sci Thome XIIIs. IHId." Entertainers of various kinds also paid visits to the convent's Manor Houses at Chartham, Eastry and Monkton. Chartham was visited by the minstrels of the Earl of Exeter (John HoUand II, d. 1447); of the Duke of Gloucester (Humphrey, the king's uncle) ; of the Earl of Dorset (Edmund Beaufort); of the Bishop of Dublin ; of the Duke of Buckingham (Humphrey Stafford, warden of the Cinque Ports); by the actors (histrionibus) of the Duke of Somerset; by Ric. Berton, minstrel of the Archbishop, and by the harpist (Citheristae) of Cardinal Beaufort. 1 These were the Almonry boys who sang in the Prior's chapel, and at high mass on the greater feasts. Their master was Thomas Ware, whose salary was 20d. a quarter plus an occasional gratuity of 3s. 4d., and of course board and lodging. 8 INNER LIFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY Eastry was visited by the minstrels of Cardinal Beaufort and of the Duke of Gloucester. Monkton had to be content with the visit of a Jester, " Cuidam joculatori," who received a reward of 20d. ROYAL VISITS. There are entries of gratuities given to the officers and servants attached to the royal household when the King came to Canterbury on June 11th, 1445, on November 19th of the same year, on December 14th, 1449, and to the Queen's servants, on September 17th, 1445. Of more importance, however, to the convent than these flying visits of the King and Queen were the more prolonged visits of Cardinal Beaufort, who towards the end of his life spent much time in Canterbury as the guest of the Prior and Convent of Christchurch. Henry Beaufort, second son of John of Gaunt by Katharine de Roelt, Cardinal of St. Eusebius, and Bishop of Winchester, had for many years played a very prominent part in the poUtical affairs of the realm, but towards the end of his career he withdrew, to a great extent, from pubUc life, and, for some reason, possibly because his brother the Earl of Somerset, and his half-brother King Henry TV, were buried in the Metropolitical church, he seems to have had a special affection for Canterbury. He had been admitted into confraternity by the Prior and Convent of Christ Church in 1433, in return, as the monastic register states, for the " immense benefits he had conferred upon the Priory "*; but the exact nature of these benefits is unrecorded. It was not, however, until 1445 that the Cardinal of England, as he was popularly called, became a more or less permanent guest of the Prior and Chapter. In the above year he arrived in Canterbury accompanied by a large staff of servants amongst whom were a " Satrap at Arms " (perhaps comptroUer of the household), a secretary, a sergeant at arms, a chamberlain, a groom of the Wardrobe, a baker, a butler, and a skinner, aU of whom had to be 1 Registers, f. 115. OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. 9 propitiated by gratuities. He also brought with him a company of minstrels for whose performance the convent had to pay, e.g. " Dat' minstralUs dfii CardinaUs pro tempore nataUs Dfii conductis XXIs. VIHd." For the accommodation of the Cardinal and his suite the house within the precincts of the Church (known then, and now, as Maister Omers, but which at that time formed part of the monastic infirmary) was aUotted, and put into a state of repair, e.g. " Waltero pictori pro reparacione camere dfii CardinaUs in infirmaria Ills. IHId." " Sol' Hugoni Lockyer pro diversis reparacionibus ornamentis apud Mayster Omers XIIIs. IHId. ob." " Sol' Thome Phylpot pro diversis ferramentis factis pro nova camera dfii CardinaUs in fermaria Vis. VIHd." That the house was definitely assigned to the Cardinal and was occupied by him is proved by its being described in a lease, granted a few years later, as the house " formerly known as Master Omers but more recently as Le CardinaUys Place." The entertainment of so distinguished a guest must have imposed a somewhat severe strain on the financial resources of the Priory, but in return for the hospitaUty afforded him, the Cardinal during his lifetime, made some valuable gifts to the monks, and by his wiU bequeathed to them a handsome legacy. The accounts mention the gift of vestments and a chair, which must have been of considerable value, since the servants who brought them from Winchester to Canterbury received no less than £12 for their trouble and expenses —" Sol' Johi Thorbury Henrico Halys et ahis pro laboribus suis eorum et expensis de Wynton' usque Cant' circa vestimentaetCathedram dfii CardinaUs coUat' ecclesie Xliii." We should like to know what became of this chair; later inventories do not mention it. Cardinal Beaufort died at his palace of Wolvesey, in Winchester, on AprU 11th, 1447. By a codicil in his wUl he bequeathed to the Prior and Convent of Christ Church, Canterbury, the sum of £1,000/ of which five marks were to be spent on completing the purchase of the manor of 1 Testamenta Vetusta, N. H. Nicholas, p. 249. 10 INNER LIFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY Bekesbourne, and the remainder on the fabric of the Cathedral church; probably it was devoted to the rebuUding of the central tower, which had been commenced in 1433.x From further entries in the accounts we learn that Prior Elham rode to Winchester to attend the Cardinal's funeral, that the journey cost him £12 13s. 4d., and that £4 9s. was spent in providing mourning for the servants who accompanied him. " Sol' pro expensis dni Prioris equitant' ad Wynton' et domorsum XVI die Man pro exequiis dni Cardinal celebrand'. XII U. XIHs. IHId." " Et sol' pro duodenis panni nigri empt' pro servientibus equitantibus apud Wynton' cum dfio Priore IIIIU. IXs." Apparently there was some difficulty and delay, as there generaUy was in medieval times, in getting the executors to pay the legacy, as the foUowing entries testify : " Sol' pro expensis supprioris equitant' London' ad executorem dfii CardinaUs pro diversis materns mense julii XXVIIIs. IHId." " Dat' servienti Roberti Maryssh execut' dfii CardinaUs Vis. VIHd." " In expensis dfii Prioris servientibus et equorum equitant' London mense octobr' et ibidem expectant' per III Septimanas and III dies pro colloquio habend' cum execut' dfii CardinaUs XXIU XIXs. IXd." Later, however, a first instalment of £333 6s. 8d. was paid. " De CCCXXXIIIU. Vis. VIHd. rec' de parte M li ex legato dfii CardinaUs." No further instalment was paid within the period covered by these accounts. The only structural work mentioned in the accounts is the bunding of the new Library, over the Prior's chapel, to which Archbishop Chichele was a benefactor ; the work, apparently, was approaching completion since the entries relate to the glazing of the windows. " Sol' Rico. Sawyer vitrario London' in parte tocius vitracionis nove Ubrarie LXVs. VIHd." "Sol' Hugoni Lokyer pro factura I case pro fenestra ibidem." Many entries, however, relate to decorative work whioh was going on during this period within the Cathedral in connection with the Tabulae of the side altars. The craftsman entrusted with this work was John Nash ; the following 1 Stone's Ohron., ut supra. OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. 11 entries relate to his work: " Johi Nash pictori pro pictura circa unam tabulam XIIIs. IHId." " Johi Nash and Waltero socio suo operantibus circa picturam nove tabulae per XX dies XVIIIIs." "Sol' Johi Nash and Waltero socio suo pro pictoribus in Assumptionem beate Marie XX dies et dicto Waltero XVI dies quolibet per diem VId." " Sol' pictoribus die Exaltacionis see Crucis pro coloribus auro et argento XLIIIs." " Sol' eidem eodem tempore pro vadUs suis XXIs. VId." " Sol' Johi Nash et Walters socio suo pro pictura altaris apud Chartham XIIs. Xd." The last entry relates to the altar-piece in the Chapel of the manor house of Chartham, which was haUowed by the Bishop of Ross, acting for Archbishop Stafford, on March 6th, 1446-7.1 " Et dat' episcopo Rossensis pro consecrando altaris in capella de Chartham Vs. VIHd." THE NEW FRANCHISE. The account of the year 1447 records the expenditure by the Prior and Convent of considerable sums of money in obtaining from the Crown a " New Franchise." The nature of the privilege is unexplained, but since it was just at this time the city received by charter from the King the right to choose a Mayor, instead of the two BaUiffs who hitherto had governed it, it is possible that the new franchise may refer to that privilege, though any co-operation between the monks and the city-fathers was extremely unusual. The entries are: " Sol' pro expensis Roberti Sutton & Johis Oxene equitant' London pro nova Franchesia acquirend' LXXVIs. Vd. ob." " Et dat' diversis officarUs in canceUario dfii Regis & aUis locis eadem causa XV U Vs." " Et dat' Johi Bamburgh (high-steward of the Prior and Chapter) pro labori suo circa renovacionem nove Franchesie XLs." " Sol' pro expensis Johi Rose equitant' London ad magistrum Rotulorum IIIIs. Vd." " Dat' Willo Godying laborant' circa renovacionem nove Franchesie XIIs. IHId." " Sol' pro expensis Roberti Sutton & Johi Oxene pro nova franchesia exhibend' IIIIU. Xs. VId." " Sol' pro expensis 1 Stone, ut supra, p. 40. 12 INNER LIFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY Johis Arteys circa proclamacionem nove Franchesie IIIIs. Xd." " Et Dat' J5hi Berde subvicecomiti pro proclamacione nove Franchesie Ills. IHId." (Total £26 7s. lOjd.) THE SILVER FONT. In the same year (1447), the Prior and Chapter bought from John OreweU, goldsmith of London, a sUver font, costing £14. At a later date it appears to have been the custom to send this font to London for use at royal baptisms, untU Henry VIII laid his rapacious and sacrUegious hands upon it at the time of the suppression of the Monastery.1 The entries relating to the font are as foUows : " Sol' Johi OreweU in plenam solucionem facture pelvis FontaUs XIIIIU." " Sol' Thome WythiaU, aurifabro pro cophino pelvis FontaUs Vs. VIHId." " Sol' pro expensis Johis OreweU veniens' London' pro pelve FontaUs Xs." " Sol' pro expensis Roberti Whatson & aUorum portant' pelvem Fontalem Xs." AN ORGAN FOR THE PRIOR'S CHAPEL. 1447-8. " Sol' Nicho Rawnce pro factura 1 pare organorum de novo facto per diversas vices LXVs. Vd. ob." " Sol' Nicho Organiste pro factura organorum in capella Prioris LIIIs. Illld." " Johi Gyles pro opere suo circa predicta organa XXs." A NEW WAY MADE FROM " MASTER OMER'S " TO ST. AUGUSTINE'S. The blocking up of the ancient Queningate, which was done a few years earUer, rendered this necessary. The new way passed through the City wall by the postern door which is stUl in use, and crossed the moat by a foot-bridge. " Sol' diversis operarUs pro nova via in Magistr' Omer usque ad scm Augustinum XXXIIIs. Id." " Sol' Hugoni Lokyer pro factura III serurarum (bolts) pro le postren apud Mayster Omers IIIIs." 1 See Memorials of the Cathedral and Priory of Christ Church Canterbury, by Woodruff and Danks, p. 320. OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. 13 VESTMENTS BEQUEATHED BY LORD FANHOPE. John CornwaU, Baron of Fanhope, who married Ehzabeth Plantagenet, sister of King Henry IV, and widow of John HoUand, Earl of Huntingdon, bequeathed to the Prior and Convent a chasuble, dalmatic, and three copes. The gift must have been a valuable one, since the Prior and Convent gave Lord Fanhope's executor a horse worth £4. Lord Fanhope died 1448. " Dat' Johi Coksale Vestimentmalcer apportant' casulam, dalmaticam & III capas ex dono dfii Faunhope XXs." " Dat' Johi Geste executori dfii Johis Cornwall nuper dfii de Faunhope I equum prec' IIII li." CANTERBURY COLLEGE IN OXFORD. The following entries relate to the warden and scholars of Archbishop Simon Ishp's foundation in the University of Oxford : 1445. " Dat' Roberto Lynton Gardiano Oxon' venien' dfio Priori Vis. VIHd." " Dat' WiUo Thornbury eund' ad Oxon' Vis. VIHd." " Dat' Rico Graveney & II scolaribus transeuntibus Oxon' Vs. IHId." " Dat' Johi Holyngbourne scholari versus Oxon' Vis. VIHId." " 1446. Dat' clericis venientibus ab Oxon' in electionem dni Prioris XXXIIIs. IHId." " Sol' custodi CoU' in Oxon' ad reparacionem librarie euisdem CoU'. CVIs. VIHd." " Dat' fratri Roberto custodi CoU' in Oxon' VI li. XIIIs. IHId." SEKMONS. The fee for a Latin sermon was 6s. 8d., for a sermon in Enghsh twice as much was paid, e.g. " Dat' fratri Roberto Polen pro sermone dicendo die cinerum Vis. VIHd." "Sol' Johi Curteys pro sermone dicendo vulgari populo XIIIs. IHId." TENTHS AND SUBSIDIES. " Sol' dfio J5hi Asheford Priori Dovor' coUectori decimarum in parte solucionis decimarum dfio Regi concess' L li." Later in the same year, " In plenam solucionem 14 INNER LLFE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY decimarum dfio Regi concess' XXXVII li. XIIIs. IHId." Papal Subsidy : " Sol' decano de Brygge pro subsidio concess' dfio Pape contra Turcos pro ecclesia de Godmersham taxata ad IIIIXX (80) marcas ld. de marca—Vis. VIHd." MIRACLES. Only one is mentioned : " Dat' cuidam pauperi in Elemosina miraculose sanato Ills. IHId." Although the accounts show, as has been stated above, an extraordinary shrinkage in the offerings made at the shrine of St. Thomas, there is evidence that there was no lack of pilgrims. Thus in 1444-5 even the High Steward of the Convent could not be accommodated withm the precincts of the Monastery, owing to the number of people who were being entertained therein, but had to lodge at an inn, e.g. " Sol' pro hostilagio Johis Bamburgh senescalli nostri in hospic' Corone1 in civitate quia propter extraneos non potuit hospitare infra nos lis. IXd." TRANSCRIPTION AND ILLUMINATION OF MSS. At this period the monastic Scriptorium had ceased to function, the work of transcribing and illuminating books was done by professional scribes and artists from outside the convent. Thus on a fly-leaf at the beginning of this volume there is a memorandum recording that Henry Mere, who was engaged in copying the Summa Theologiae of Alexander of Hales, at the rate of 2s. 6d. per quire of eight leaves, had received from the Prior an advance on the sum due to him, on the ground that his wife was with chUd—a clear proof that Mere was a layman. When the Prior required a copy of an Ordinal he entrusted the work to a German scribe (Scriptori Teutonico) who was paid at the'rate of 12d. per quire. The illumination of the book was done by Stephen Swift, also an outsider who received for his pains £2 6s. 8d. Swift also illuminated other books and the mortuary or bede-roll, which notified to other houses of the Order the death of Christ Church Monks.—" Sol' Stephano Swyfte pro illuminacione rotuli 1 The Crown Inn was in Mercery Lane—next to tho " Chequer." OF PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. 15 brevigeruU Vs." It would appear that the bearer of the roll received 8d. for each name added to it, e.g. " Brevigerulo pro obitibus fratrum nostrorum, viz, Johis Elham Prioris, R. I.ynton, W. Richemont, W. Chartham, W. Bernet, R. Wallace, W. Halsted, viz. quolibet fratre VIHd. (Total) IIIIs. VIHd." MISCELLANEOUS. Games for the Choirboys. " Dat' Thome Ware ad recreationem pueroum suorum xxd." Gold cloth bought. " Sol' Wilto ByUyngton de london pro 1 panno aureo empt' xxviij U." Hangings bought for the Prior's great chamber. " Et sol' eidem pro V pecUs viridis say empt' pro magna camera prioris cxvs." Money received for the arch of the new work. " Rec' xxv li vUjs. vijd. ob de archa novi operis per manus Thome Goldston prioris."1 Candles blackened for the Prior's funeral. " Sol' Johi peynter pro denigracione candelarum iijs. Uijd." (after the death of Prior Elham). " Dat' waferario dni Archiepiscopi iijs. viijd." " Dat' Brevitatori lei Bertini xnjs. Uijd." An image of St. Margaret bought. " Sol' Thome Legett in plenam solucionem 1 ymaginis see Margarete ab ipso empt' per dfim Johem Priorem defunctum cxvjs." The arms of Cardinal Beaufort put up. " Johi Egidio Joynour pro tabulis scriptis cum signis dni CardinaUs xijd." The hammer of the Prior's striking clock repaired. " Sol' J5hi Oxeney pro emendacione oricudU dni Prioris Ujs. Uijd." 1 Can this refer to the strainer arches of the central tower, generally ascribed to Prior Thos. Goldston II? Any. sac. t. 1., p. 147. 16 PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY. Drying (?) gunpowder. " Sol' pro Gunpowdyr et renovacione eiusdem ijs. vnd." Maintenance aUowance for a Monk in the Infirmary, 4d. a day. " Johi Chylham existent' in Armaria per x dies Ujs. iUid." (Professed 1420, died 1458.) " Sol' pro hostilagio dfii Prioris apud Sandwic' transeunt' contra ducem Burgundie obsedentem CaUsiam Ujs. Uijd." This entry, which occurs in the account for the year 1448, is somewhat obscure, since the siege of Calais by the Duke of Burgundy took place twelve years earUer—in 1436. It is also difficult to explain why the Prior and Convent in 1448 should have caused a letter to be written to the unfortunate Count of Orleans, who was captured at Agincourt, and after a captivity of twenty-five years in England, had at length been aUowed to return to France. " Dat' clerico magistri Toly pro scriptura 1 littere dfio comiti Aureliensi iijs. Uijd."