Recent Discoveries in the Archives of Canterbury Cathedral

( 28 ) RECENT DISCOVERIES IN THE ARCHIVES OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL BY W. P. BLORE. IN the Assisa Scaccarii or Annual Balance Sheet, which is copied into Register H. for the years 1252 to 1262, there is a separate department caUed Carpentaria under the charge of one of the Monks, who is referred to as Carpentarius. The foUowing transcripts are of these sections for the three years 1252-54. In 1252 the monk in charge was WUham de Wincestr' from Michaelmas to Easter, and Henry, whose surname is not given, from Easter to the foUowing Michaelmas. Register H. fo.l72r. Account of WUham de Wincestr'. Recepta vi h. xu s. Expensa In aqueductu1 et fossatis cum sohdatis unius servientis xiii s. ob. In petra et calce, tegula2 cum sohdatis tegulatorum xxxviii s. i d. ob. In plumbo empto et stagno3 xxi s. x d. ob. In meremio4 empto xxvii s. viii d. ob. Opera et utensiha xxxviii s. ih d. Ad lingna6 trahenda x d. summa tocius expense vii li. iiii d. et debentur6 ei xii s. iiii d. Account of Henry Recepta iiii li. xvii s. Expensa in aqueductu et fossatis et sohdatis i servientis vii s. iiii d. In calce, sablo et tegula cum sohdatis tegulatorum et cementar' xxii s. iiii d. In meremio empto et sohdatis carpentar' xx s. viii d. In ferramento et cordis xvs. v d. ob. In plumbo et sohdatis plumbar' xxvi s. iii d. Dona fratrum iiii s. 1 Probably water-main or oonduit. 2 Perhaps bricks rather than roof-tiles, though dubious at this date. 3 Tin (for solder). * Timber. 6 for ligna—timbers. 0 Balance owing to the accountant. DISCOVERIES IN ARCHIVES OE CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL 29 pro muro vu s. summa expens' Chi s. ob. et debentur ei vi s. ob. Summa recepte utriusque xi li. ix s. Summa expense utriusque xii li. vii s. iiii d. ob. et debentur eis xviii s. irn d. ob. Register H. fo.l75v. Assisa Scaccarii 1253. Carpentaria Conpotus domini H. Sturei' de carpent' a festo Sci. Michaelis usque ad festum Omnium Sanctorum Recepta de Thesaurariis xxvii s. ii d. ob. Item conpotus domini R. Carpentarii a festo omn: Sanct: usque ad festum sci. Michaelis Recepta de Thesaurariis ix h. Summa recepte utriusque x h. vii s. ii d. ob. Expense utriusque in aqueductu et fossatis et vivarhs mundandis1 et sohdatis i servientis xxiii s. v d. In petra, calce, sabulo cum sohdatis tegulatorum xlvUi s. viii d. In plumbo et stagno cum sohdatis plumbar' iiii h. xvi s. ix d. In meremio empto cum sohdatis carpentar' xxxiii s. v d. In utensUibus, ferramento et cordis xvi s. ix d. ob. Ad hgna trahenda xii d. Dona fratrum vi s. vi d. Summa expense utriusque xi li. vi s. vi d. ob. Et debentur domino R. xix s. iiii d. Register H. fo.l77v. Assisa Scaccarii 1254. Compotus duorum Carpentariorum Recepta de Thesaurar' iiii h. xiii s. De cinere blumbi (sic)2 vi s. viii d. Summa recepte iiii h xix s. vin d. Expensa. In aqueductu xxiiii s. ih d. In sablo et tegula cum sohdatis tegulatorum xiii s. i d. ob. In bord de Hybernia3 x s. In meremio empto cum sohdatis carpent' xiiii s. v d. In utensUibus cum ferramento et cordis xxviii s. x d. Ad ligna trahenda iiii s. xi d. ob. Dona fratrum iiii s. vi d. In a illo (? argUlo,4 arcUlo, arsUlo) xix d. In reparacione retis6 xviii d. 1 Cleaning the fishponds. 2 Evidently the lead waste, surplus after melting. 3 Boards from Ireland. 1 Probably " day." 6 " The net " for fishing. 30 RECENT DISCOVERIES IN THE ARCHIVES In reparacione cimbe1 hi s. In operibus dormitorii et hmrmitorii vi s. v d. In sohdatis EUwini2 viii s. In plumbo et plumbar' li s. ix d. ob. Summa expense utriusque carpentarii viii li. xii s. viii d. ob. et debentur domino Ricardo lvii s. vii d. ob. et domino Gurg' (?) . xii s. xi d. This last name is more probably to be read as Turg', for in the Treasurers' Accounts F.2 the name is written Turgisium, and at the end of the Assisa itself under Treasurers' Accounts occurs :— Contra dominum Th. Carpentarium iiii h. xiii s. In the Bartoner's Roll for 1317/18 (vi. ii.) occurs an early reference to the Cathedral glazier :— Item liberat' SimoniVitriario.precepto domini A. Oysel tunc Thesaurarii iii summe iii bus. A further source of details of buUding expenditure is the Day-Book of Priors Richard Oxenden and Robert Hathbrand for the years 1331-43 (D.E.3, in wooden box marked CCC. INDEX vol. 4). 1331 Item dat' Cementario facienti tumbam8 domini H. Prioris xii d. (i.e. Prior Henry of Eastry) 1331 Expens' domini . . . Prioris (i.e. Richard Oxenden) Pro Carpintria dormitorii solvimus W. de Underdone vii li. vi s. viii d. Item eidem W. ultra convenoionem suam pro diversis operibus de quibus non fiebat mencio4 in convencione predicta xvi s. xi d. This carpenter, elsewhere named WUham de Underdone, also made the new organs in this and the foUowing year. 1334 Nomina Ulorum qui portant robas domini R. Prioris. (under heading :—) Homines de Mestier5 Elyas Carpyntarius Magister plumbarius [ isti per Thesaurarios socius suus secundus blumbarius (sic) 1338 Memorandum quod Iohannes Gildene Cementarius recepit a domino . . . Priore per vices pro lapidibus ad Cameram de novo faciendam apud Estryam lx s. Item eidem pro solidatis suis prima ebdomada0 v s. 1 A boat, perhaps for use on the Stour. * Probably the carpenter of that name who lived in Northgate. 8 The Tomb. 1 Of which no mention is made. 5 Craftsmen. 6 Week. OE CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL 31 Item pro calce1 vin s. vii d. 1340 liberat' I. GUdene Cementario pro opere ecclesie xv d. 1341 Item Iohanni GUdene et sochs suis pro diversis operibus iii s. ii d. Extensive alterations to the Cathedral, including the rebuUding of the nave, had been determined upon before 1377, and in that or the foUowing year the foundations of the aisle waUs were laid. It is usuaUy held that the death of Archbishop Simon Sudbury at the hands of the rebels in 1381 was the principal cause of the stoppage of work between 1383 and the election of Prior ChUlenden in 1391. Probably the immediate cause of the break was the occurrence of a severe earthquake shock on the 21st of May 1382, for the Treasurers' Accounts show extensive damage to the monastic buUdings :— Treasurers' Accounts, xv. 2. 1382/3 In expensis circa fabricam ecclesie per manus Iohannis Godnyston custodis novi operis lxxvi h x s. In diversis expensis circa le malthaUe hoc anno de novo faciendo (sic), cxxiiii h. ii s. viii d. ob. In plena soluoione cariagii meremii per Thomam Longe per aquam x li. Opera infra curiam vii li. iiii s. v d. et tantum causa terremotus. 1383/4 Et in reparacione molendini Berthone cum petris de Folkestone et Carpent' cum novis bordyis factis vii h. xvii s. v d. Et in reparacione Capelle Innrmarie ex parte boriah per terremotum destructe xi h. xiiii s. vi d. Et in reparacione lotorii2 prioris et lotorii claustri et muri claustri ab ostio Capituli usque ostium dormitorii per terremotum destructi vh h. xix s. Et in novo tecto facto ultra martirium beati Thome cum plumbo empto in partem soluoionis3 x h. x s. v d. Et in nova clausura ferrea sub magnis organis* per manus Iohannis Godenyston xxxi h. xx d. During the building of the nave between 1391 and 1400 Master Henry Yevele, the King's Chief Mason, seems to have been retained by Prior ChUlenden, and his name occurs in the only surviving Prior'a aooount of this period :— Prior's Account RoU, xvii.4. 1396/7 Edbrica Ecclesie In xx latomis et hi leggeres6 et iiii laborariis. 1 Lime. 2 Lavatory. 8 In part payment. 1 Iron screen beneath the great organs. 6 Layers or setters of stone. 32 RECENT DISCOVERIES IN THE ARCHIVES conductis per annum integrum deductis septimanis Natahs Domini Pasche ac Pentecostes ac diebus festivis1 clxvii h. vhi d. In CCC summis calcis uste emptis vi h. In C. carectatis zabuli fundendis2 xvi s. vhi d. pro carectata ii d. in instrumentis dictorum latomorum acuendis3 et aliis necessarhs emptis xl s. Solut' Magistro Henrico Ivele pro plumbo et petra ab eo emptis xx iih.x li. xvi. s. From the opening of the fifteenth century the few remaining accounts of the Priors and a few misceUaneous documents provide additional detaU to that contained in the Fabric RoUs :— Prior's Account RoU, xvii.l. 1411 (List of payments to persons named, possibly tradesmen) Thome Rudham (amount faded) Thome Melyour' pictori xv h. xvi s. vhi d. WUlelmo Lane (faded) Edwardo Crowe xxv h. xiii s. iiii d. Petro HaUe pro arreragiis anni precedentis vi h. vi s. viii d. Iohanni Bulstrode xxi h Ricardo Cornevyle xxxiii li Iohanni Kent vi. h. xiii s. iiii d. Iohanni Barnet viii h. Simoni Salesbury xviii li. xiii s. iiii d. WUlelmo Maydestane xlvi h. xiii s. iiii d. Simoni Carpentario London xiii li. xix s. ix d. Ricardo Chderowe de antiquo debito domini T. Prioris vii h. Mr. Arthur Oswald informs me that several of these names occur in livery hsts of the Prior contained in Bodleian Tanner MS. 165 — List of 1398 ' Armigeri' Henry Yvele ; Stephen Lote (Yevele's successor as King's Mason); John Pyrye (surveyor and clerk of the cathedral works); Thomas Hoo; John Wulward (apparently first of the working masons and carpenters, respectively, or resident masters or wardens of the works); Simon Carpenter ; John Bulstrode ; John Kent. List of 1412 ' Armigeri' Stephen Lote ; John Kent; Simon Sahsbury ; WiUiam Maidstone. 1 The workmen had unpaid holidays of a week eaoh at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun, and on certain other feasts. s Perhaps " unloading 100 cartloads of sand." 8 For the employer's responsibility for sharpening the masons' tools, see D. Knoop and G-. P. Jones : The Mediaeval Mason, 1933, p. 62 ff. OE CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL 33 Prior's Account RoU, xvii.7. 1436/7 Et pro Carpentar' et ahis operarhs conductis circa facturam nove hbrarie et nove arterie1 (sic) hoo anno xxhi h. hi s. hi d. Box 62. No. 2. An indenture of lease of 1446 fixes the position of the lodge or shed wherein the staff of masons worked :— Indenture of Lease, dated 27 September, 1446, from Robert Colbroke, sacrist, to Henry Chesman of Canterbury, Mercer, includes Unum gardinum cum pertinenciis jacent' infra Cimiterium ecclesie Christi Cantuar (lately held by Thomas Smythe) inter tenementum dictorum Prioris et conventus versus south et gardinum ac domum Cementariorum vocat' le loygge versus North et east et tenementum pertinens officio sacristarie predicte versus west (for 16 years by rent of 12d. at Christmas). ' Prior's Account Roll, xvh.9. 1453/4 Et solut' Iohanni Pyle vitriario pro vitriacione fenestrarum in aula Prioris xxhi s. iiii d. (Pyle occurs elsewhere glazing the scaccarium of the Prior.) Et sol' diversis lathamis et operarhs operantibus circa reparacionem hostrie infra curiam xxv s. xi d. Et sol' Rogero Mayhew, Iohanni Coke et ahis laborariis operantibus circa reparacionem aule boriahs xhii s. vhi d. ob. (Roger Mayhew ' mason' occurs in Mr. Oswald's extracts from Tanner MS. 165 in livery hsts of the ' Valetti Prioris ' for 1453, 1454, 1455 and 1456.) Et sol' Iohanni Vowler carpentario pro diversis reparacionibus per ipsum factis in Officio CapeUanie vhi s. ih d. Novum Opus Et solut' diversis lathamis operantibus circa novum opus Ecclesie hoc anno ut patet per hbrum domini Prioris2 xx iiii.v h v s. Prior's Account RoU, xvii.10. 1455/6 Et in expensis factis circa novam hbrariam in CoUegio Oxon' ut patet per hbrum domini Prioris xxxvi s. Et sol' Iohanni Mayhew et Roberto Harington pro emendacione horologii in Camera domini Prioris xv s. vhi d. Prior's Account RoU, xvh,ll. 1467/8 Et sol' WUlelmo Bonevyle de Corff' pro Petra marmorea pro Tumba Thome Goldstone nuper Prioris. iiii li. x (margin torn) 1 Presumably a wooden water-main, unless " asteria," a word of uncertain meaning (perhaps a fireplace), is intended. Cf. B. S. Snell, " Some Ancient Building Terms," in R.I.B.A. Journal, December 18th, 1926. 2 As appears by the lord Prior's book (of accounts). 34 DISCOVERIES IN ARCHIVES OE CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL Prior's Account RoU, xvii. 12. (WUham Selling, Prior)- 1472/3 Et solut' WUlelmo BonevUe pro lapide posito super sepulcrum domini Iohannis Oxne nuper Prioris lxvii s. vhi d. . . . Et solut' WUlelmo BonevUe marbeler in part' solucionis unius lapidis pro sarcofago1 W. Petham (Prior) xx s. Paper Book, D.E.31, page 2. (Accounts for Dec. 21-Jan. 9 of a year unknown, during Warham's archiepiscopate, 1504-32.) Decemb' xxi. lathomi. Et dehberat' Dompno Ricardo MarchaU supervisori2 lathamorum vi s. vih d. (Richard MarchaU was professed monk in 1470, and is mentioned in 1511.) 1 Tomb. 2 " Surveyor," " overseer " ; in this oase probably equivalent to a modem clerk of works.