History of Greyfriars: Grey Friars of the London house

5. Grey Friars Of The London House.

The compiler of the Register states that in the fourteenth century there were sometimes a hundred, sometimes more and seldom fewer friars resident in the London Convent. This agrees fairly well with the records of royal pittances, which show that in 1243 there were 80 friars; 79 in 1300; 64 in August, 1314, and 72 in October of that year and again in 1315; 80 in 1319; 64 in 1320; 58 to 61 in 1320–1321; 72 in 1325; 80 in 1334; 90 in 1336; 80 in 1337. (fn. 1) At the dissolution in 1538 there were only 26. Probably in the three centuries of its existence between 2000 and 3000 friars passed through the Convent. To have been able to trace the names of upwards of 200 is perhaps somewhat remarkable. Only those names have been included of friars who there is reason to believe were at some time willing residents. A few names may be added of friars who were unwillingly detained here. There are extant a number of warrants for the arrest of apostate friars to be delivered to the Guardian of London, (fn. 2) viz. John Camel, 1398; John de Colneye, c. 1357; John Dunnyng, 1391; Robert Haunton, 1403; William Howys, 1385; Thomas Knyth, John Mynterne, and Walter Tolny, 1398; Robert Trowe, 1288. Of these Haunton and Howys were certainly London friars and are therefore included in the list below. Dunnyng belonged to Boston. The rest may or may not have been genuine inmates of the London Convent. Another group of unwilling visitors were the Observants who were imprisoned here in the reign of Henry VIII., viz. William Renscroft in 1525; (fn. 3) Antonius Laycus, Nicholas Harforth, John Forest, Jacobus Laycus, James Kello, and J. Kinge in 1534. John Amne also seems to have been an Observant; (fn. 4) as he and Kello signed the Deed of Surrender in 1538, they are included in the List below.

For the purpose of this list it is assumed that all the friars whose names appear in the first section of the Register as buried in the church or Cloisters had been at some time connected with the Convent. This is the source from which the greatest number of names are derived. The second section of the Register gives a few other names. Many of the early names come from Thomas of Eccleston's De Adventu Fratrum Minorum. The obituaries in Cotton. Charter XXX., 40 (fn. 5) give a number of names for the early part of the fourteenth century. The Deed of Surrender gives the names of those resident at the dissolution in 1538. The remainder are derived from a variety of sources. Of a few like Roger Cavendish and John Hardel we can say no more than that as native Londoners they probably belonged to this convent; but the connexion of the great majority is well established.

In the case of those friars whose names appear in the List of Monuments, no authority is given here. Nor has the authority for those whose names have already appeared in the list of Guardians been repeated. In the case of all others the authority is given in the footnotes. Friars of earlier date than 1300 are given under their Christian names. The office held by any friar is added in Italics.

I have included in the list the known Custodes Londonie of whom there are only four:—
Gilbert de Wyke, c. 1230.
Hugh de Trapston, 1291.
George, 1302.
Thomas Westgate, Temp. incert.

Friars.

Adam of Hereford, (fn. 6) 1248. Adam of Preston, (fn. 7) 1288. Agnellus, (fn. 8) Provincial, 1224.

John Allen, Guardian, c. 1475. John Amne, (fn. 9) 1538. William Appleton, 1381. Adam Arundel, (fn. 10) 1316. William Austeyn. Geoffrey de Aylesham, (fn. 11) c. 1310.

John Baker, (fn. 12) 1538. John Banwell, (fn. 13) 1437. John Barton, (fn. 14) 1391. Robert de Basingstoke, Guardian, 1309. Andrew Bavard, Guardian, 1507. John Bavell. John Bawde, Guardian of Ware, c. 1530? Reginald Bekynden. John Blackeman, 1501. John Bonggey, (fn. 15) 1484. Roger Bonggey, (fn. 15) 1486. Nicholas del Borgo, (fn. 16) 1531. Roderic Boto, (fn. 18) 1538. William Bovylett, 1501. Robert Brayns, Magister Noviciorum, 1492. Geoffrey de Brokmarton, (fn. 17) 1304. Richard Brothers. John Bruyll, Guardian, 1398. John Burges. Robert Burton, Regent, 1522.

Thomas Canynge, either c. 1335, or c. 1460. William Cateryke, (fn. 18) 1538. Roger Cavendish, (fn. 19) 1372. Robert Chamberleyn, Guardian, 1403. Thomas Chapman, Guardian, 1538. Thomas Chew, 1531. Thomas Cheyny, 1421. Robert de Chidhurst, (fn. 20) 1322. Richard Clyff, Vice-Guardian, c. 1466. Roger Conway, (fn. 21) Provincial, 1355. Albert Copman, (fn. 22) 1538. Ubertino de Piagerio di Corleone, (fn. 23) c. 1360. Adrian Cornelii, (fn. 24) 1538. Nicholas Cryspe, 1528. Thomas Cudnor, Guardian, 1534. John Cutler, Guardian, 1530.

Richard Dane, (fn. 25) 1391. William Denham, 1380. Robert Durham, (fn. 26) 1393.

William Egerdyn, 1500. John Eglyston. Henry de Eleford, (fn. 27) 1316. Reginald Ewell.

— Feeld, (fn. 28) 1534. Thomas Feltham, (fn. 29) 1300. Hugh Forman, 1506. John Frensche, (fn. 30) 1420. John Furner, Cursor Theologie, 1483.

Gilbert de Wyke, (fn. 31) 1224. George, (fn. 32) Custos Londonie, c. 1302.

John Gamston. John de Gertia, (fn. 33) 1310. William God dard, the elder, Provincial, 1487. William Goddard, the younger, Guardian, 1485. Adam Godham, (fn. 34) 1358. Walter Goodfield, Guardian, 1521. Richard de Gorges, (fn. 35) 1319. Simon Gorwych. John Gybson. (fn. 36) Michael Gylot.

Henry de Treviso, Guardian, 1231. Hugh, Guardian, 1245. Hugh de Trapston, (fn. 37) Custos Londonie, 1291.

William Halyday, (fn. 38) 1538. John Hardel, (fn. 39) 1346. Thomas Hatton, 1419. Robert Haunton, (fn. 40) 1403. Thomas de Heron, (fn. 41) 1327. Thomas de Heyroun, (fn. 42) 1345. John Holdych. John Holme. John Hoode, Cantor. Thomas Hoode, Cantor, 1501. Richard Hopkyns, (fn. 43) 1538. William de Horsham, (fn. 44) 1316. Thomas Horwell, (fn. 45) 1389. George Hovy, (fn. 46) 1538. William Howys, (fn. 47) 1385. Walter Hylton, 1454. Robert Hyndon, Guardian, 1397.

Robert Ingolsly, Vice-Guardian, 1494.

Joce of Cornhill, (fn. 48) c. 1230. John the Writer, (fn. 48) c. 1230. John de Kethene, Guardian, 1233. John of Sicily (Johannes de Cecilia—temp. incert.).

Thomas James, 1505. — Jones, (fn. 49) c. 1510. Roger Juyll, Guardian, 1437.

Ambrose Kell, (fn. 50) Cursor Theologie, 1514. James Kello, (fn. 51) 1538. John Kempesem, (fn. 51) 1538. Richard Knotte, (fn. 52) c. 1330. John Kyng, (fn. 53) 1526. Thomas Kyngston, (fn. 54) 1336. Thomas Kyrkeham, (fn. 55) 1531. John Kyrye, Guardian, 1458.

Robert Lamborne, (fn. 56) 1343. Thomas de Leghe, (fn. 57) 1317. John Lent, Custos Cantebrigie. Thomas London. John Lumley, 1526. Thomas Lynwood, 1506. Robert Lysle, 1343.

Melioratus, (fn. 58) 1224.

John Mablethorpe or Malberthorpe, Guardian, 1369. Richard Malevile, c. 1360. (fn. 59) Thomas Man, (fn. 60) Informator juvenum, 1514. John Massy. John Matthew, 1538. Richard Myhyll. (fn. 61)

Nicholas, Guardian, 1294.

Nicholas Newman, (fn. 62) 1538.

Odo of Estchert, (fn. 63) 1283.

Peter of Tewkesbury, Guardian, 1235. Peter de Corbavia, 1330. Peter (fn. 64) (date uncertain). Philip of London, (fn. 65) c. 1230.

Edward Pale. John Parker, (fn. 66) 1538. Robert Paull. John Percival, Provincial, 1505. John Person, Cursor Theologie, 1527. Lewis Pestrel, (fn. 66) 1538. Giraldus de Pisario. (fn. 67) Matthew Pogden. John Potter, (fn. 68) c. 1350.

William Querle, Guardian, 1330. Richard Qwykhope, (fn. 69) 1538.

Richard of Devon, (fn. 70) 1224. Richard of Ingworth, (fn. 71) 1224. Richard Normannus, (fn. 72) 1230. Robert de Turnham, (fn. 73) 1270. Roger of Canterbury, Guardian, 1257.

John Rawlyn, 1525. Nicholas de Renham, (fn. 74) 1305. Warin de Reynham, (fn. 75) 1321. — Robyns, (fn. 76) 1537. John Romsey, 1389. William Roser, Vice-Guardian. Robert Rokelay, (fn. 77) 1391. Geoffrey de Rous, (fn. 78) 1327. Thomas Rundel, (fn. 79) 1310. W. Russel, (fn. 80) 1327. William Russell, Guardian, 1425. John Rychardson, 1538. (fn. 81) Thomas Ryppyngall.

Solomon, Guardian, 1231.

W. of St. Albans, (fn. 82) 1327. Thomas of St. Dunstan, Guardian (?), 1310. William Salford, 1487. Gilbert Sands, 1533. Adam Savge, or Savye. Henry Sedbar, Cursor Theologie, 1489. John Seller, Guardian. Thomas Serjant, (fn. 83) 1316. John Sharpe, (fn. 84) 1538. Richard Shrewsbury, Guardian (?), 1486. William Smyth, Janitor, 1496. John Spence. (fn. 85) Robert Spycer. John Stamford. (fn. 86) Richard Stanley. William Stanlaw. Christopher Studley, Guardian-elect (?), 1507. Alan de Sutton, (fn. 87) 1327. Hamund de Sutton, (fn. 88) 1325. Henry de Sutton, Guardian, 1307. Peter de Sutton, (fn. 89) 1311. Richard Syche, 1509.

Thomas of Eccleston, 1245. (fn. 90)

Thomas Terne, (fn. 91) 1327. John Thornall, (fn. 92) 1538. William Thorpe, Cursor Theologie, 1468. William Toly, Regent, 1500. Edmund Tomson, (fn. 93) 1538. John Tomson, (fn. 94) 1538. Geof frey Torre, (fn. 95) 1394. Geoffrey Turner, (fn. 96) 1538. John Tyssyngton, (fn. 97) Provincial, 1395.

Vincent of Coventry, Lector, 1236. (fn. 98)

Simon Vernell, 1462. John Vye, c. 1340.

Walter de Burgo, (fn. 99) 1230. Walter de Sarum, (fn. 100) 1297. William of London, (fn. 101) 1225. William de Basing, (fn. 102) 1255. William of Ludgershall, (fn. 103) 1291.

James Walle, Guardian, 1470. Richard Waltam, 1375. Richard Warde. Walter de Warleberge, Guardian, 1311. William Watts, (fn. 104) 1538. Henry Wedebake, Cantor, 1489. John Welle, (fn. 105) 1378. Thomas Westgate, Guardian. Thomas Whapelad, Guardian, 1303. Henry Wodylston, 1300 (?). Christopher Wolcote, 1527. William Wolfe, 1466. William Woodford, Provincial, 1400. Robert Wycett or Wyshed, Provincial, 1370. John Wyett, (fn. 106) 1538. John Wyllyng, 1535. Thomas Wynchelsey, 1436. John Wynnyngton. John Wynschipp, (fn. 107) 1538.

John Yatminster. (fn. 108) Robert Yooll.

Robert Zouche, 1422. (fn. 109)