Historical Memoranda: Miscellaneous, 1346-1531

Historical Memoranda in Early Handwritings, From The Same Ms.

The first of these articles is in a fifteenth century hand. The handwriting of all the others is a little later. Nos. V. VI. and VII. are in a handwriting of the time of Henry VIII. being that of the annotator and corrector of the preceding Chronicle. Nos. II. and III. are apparently contemporary with the events related, and No. IV. may possibly be so too. No. VII. consists of entries written inside the cover at the beginning of the book.

I. Siege of Calais, 1346.

(At f. 139.)

Her begyneth the retenewe of the dowty kynge, K. Edward the thirde, and howe he went to the sege of Callis with his oste, and to the partes of Fraunche and of Normandye, and howe he layde sege to the towne and castall of Callys be water and londe in the yere of oure Lorde God a m^li.iiijc & xlvj. And in the iij day of Septembur the good Kyng Edward the thirde laide his segge to þ^e towne and castell of Callis, and ther contenewide his sege be water and londe unto the iij dai of Auguste next folowing, at the whiche dai, moynant the grace of Almyghty Jesu, the saide towne and castell were delivered unto the saide good Kynge Edward at his owne welle, &c.

Theys bene the names of þ^e seide retenewe of Prince Edward and with hym in his retenewe.

The yerle of Lancaster.

Sir William Becheham, Erle Notingham. (fn. 1)

Sir William Bechamp, Erle of Ware. (fn. 2)

Sir Richard, Erle of Arndell.

Syr Robert Dafferd, (fn. 3) Erle of Soffolke.

Sir William Elynton, (fn. 4) Erle of Huntyngtoun.

Sir John Vere, Erle of Oxenford.

Sir Lawraunce Hastingis, Erle of Penbrocke.

Theys bene the names of diverse lordes withholden in the kynges retenewe that ben straungers and not empresed in the nombur afforseyd:

The sume total of þ^e saide exspences, as wil for wage, pretis, as for þ^e exspencis of þ^e Kyngis house as for other giftes and rewardes, and for schipes, and for other thynges neserers in þ^e saide partis of Fraunce and Normandy, and before Calis durynge the sege there, as it apperithe in the compe of Wil Norwell, keper of þ^e kyngis warddrope, from the xij day of Juylii, the yere of þ^e reigne of þ^e saide Kynge Edward, unto the xxvij daie of Maye, in þ^e yere of his reigne the xiiij^th, that is to saie be a yere and iij quartres and xlj days, þat ys to saie, iijc.&xxxvijm^li.c.iiijli. ixs. iiijd.

In the yere of oure Lorde God a m^li.iijcxlvj, and in the iij dai of September, the good Kynge Edward the iij^de laide his sege to the towne and castill of Calis, and contenewed his sege be water and londe unto þ^e iij dai of Auguste next folowynge, at the whiche day, moynant þ^e grace of our Lorde God, the saide towne and castill were delliverd unto the saide good Kynge Edward at his owne will.

II. Edward IV. at Bristol, 1461. (fn. 6)

(At f. 132.)

The Receyvyng of King Edward the iiij^th at Brystowe.

First, at the comyng ynne atte Temple gate there stode Wylliam Conquerour with iij lordis, and these were his wordis:
Well come, Edwarde, our Son of high degre,
Many yeeris hast þ^u lakkyd owte of this londe.
I am thy fore fader, Wylliam of Normandye,
To see thy welefare here thrugh Goddys sond. (fn. 7)

Over the same gate stondyng a greet gyaunt delyveryng the keyes.

The Receyvyng atte Temple Crosse next folowyng.

There was Seynt George on horsbakke uppon a tent fyghtyng with a dragon, and the kyng and the quene on hygh in a castell, and his doughter benethe with a lambe. And atte the sleyng of the dragon ther was a greet melody of aungellys.

III. Capitulation of Granada, 1492.

(III. At f. 141.)

Be hyt had yn mynde that the cite of Garnartho, the whiche sometyme was Crysten, and after were renegates, and so contynued the space of vijc. yere unto the tyme hit plesed God the Crysten Kyng of Spayne layd sege to the sayde cyte, and so famysshed them, in so moche as the fyrst day of January, the yere of our Lord m^liiijc.iiij^xxxj, (fn. 8) the sayd cite be poynt ment was yelde up and deliverd to the forsaid Kyng of Spayne, every Sarazyn to have as moche of his owne stuf as he cowde bere on hys bak at oon tyme, harnes, gold, sylver, and wepyn oonely except.

Item, whan the fyrst man entred the cyte they founde xxx^tim^l. payre of bryganders, where of vjm^l. were coverd with clothe of gold and sylk nailed with gilt nailes. Item, thei fownd iiijm^l. peire of white harnes complete, xxijm^l. crossebowes with alle thapparrell to them belongyng, xxiiijm^l. swerdes, where of Xm^l. were gylt and harnest with sylver, eche of them to the valeue of l.s. sterlynges. Item, ther was founde in the saide cite, at soche tyme as it was yeld up, the nowmbre of xxiij^tic.m^l. and xm^l. people betwext the age of xij and iij^xx yere, be side children and very olde people. Item, in the chefe tempyll were iijc. laumpes of gold, the worst of (fn. 9) them to the valew of xxiiij^ti li. sterlynges. In the same temple also were iiij chayres of gold, and xxij^ti sylver setys for the kyng, the quene, and other lordes. In the same temple also was founde grete plente of gold and sylver redy coyned, which the Kyng of Spayne left there styll to byld therewith a chyrche, where as afore was the tempyll of ydolatrye. Item, in one of the castels where as the kyng and the quene of Garnartho logged, the walles of the halle and chambers were of marbel, crystall, and jasper, set with precious stones, and more over there was fownde grete and innumerable ryches. Item, or thei wold yeld up the citee for lak of vytalles, thei ete hors, dogges, and cattes, ijc. Crysten men ther beyng prisoners.

IV. The Battle of Flodden, 1513. (fn. 10)

(At f. 204.)

Here folowyth the batyll be twyxte the Kyng of Scottys callyd Kyng Jamys and the noble Eerele of Surrey, foughten yn Bramton Felde the ix^th day of Septembre, in the fyfte yere of Kyng Henrye the viij^th [he then beyng in his warres in Fraunce.] (fn. 11)

Fyrste whan bothe armyes were met with yn iij myles togedyr, the Erle of Surrey sent an offycer of armes called Roger Crosse (fn. 12) un to the Kyng of Scottes desyryng hym of batell, and he answerde he wolde abyde hym batell tyll the Fryday at noone. The Lorde Howarde at xj of the clok the same day passyd over the brydge of Twyssell with the fowarde and artyllerye, and the Erle of Surrey folowde with the rewarde. The armye was devyded yn to ij batelles, and every batell ij wynges. The Kyng of Scottes armye was devyded in to fyve batelles, and every batell arowe shote from another, and all yn lyke farnes from the Englyssh men, and they were in greet plompes, parte of them were quadrant, some pykewyse, and were on the toppe of the hyll, beyng a quarter of a myle from the foote ther of. The Lorde Howarde cawsed his vowarde to scale yn a lytell valey tyll they were — (fn. 13) of the wynge of hys batell; and then bothe wardes yn oone avaunced ageynste the Scottes; and then they cam downe the hyll and met with them yn good ordre after the Allmens manner, with owte spekyng of any wordes. The Erele of Huntley — (fn. 14) and Crafford with theyre hoste cam uppon the Lorde of Howard with vjm^l. men, and shortley theyr bakkes were turned and the most parte of them were slayne. Then the Kyng of Scottes cam with a grete poysaunce uppon the Erle of Surrey, havyng on hys lyfte hande the Lorde Dacars son, (fn. 15) whych two bare all the brounte of the batell; and there the sayde kyng was slayne with yn a speere-length of the sayde erele and meney noble men with hym, and no prisoners to these ij batelles. And yn the tyme of theyr batell theerle of Ly— (fn. 16) and Argylle with theyre puysaunce yoyned with S^r Edwarde Stanley, and he boldely met with them and put them bothe to flyte. Edmonde Howarde had with hym m^l. Chesshyre men and vc. Lankyshyre men, and meny gentyllmen of Yorkshyre on the ryght wyng of the Lorde Howarde. The Lorde Chamberleyn of Scotlonde, with many other lordes, dyd set on the forsayde Edmunde; and the Chesshyre men and Lankysshyre men never abode stroke, and verey few of the gentylmen of Yorkshyre abode but fled. Master Grey and Sir Umfrey Lyle be prisoners and Rycharde Harepotell slayne; and the seyde Edmunde Howarde was twyse fellyd, and to hys relyfe cam the Lorde Dacars with xvc. men and put to flyte all the Scottes, and of hys men were slayne abowte the nomebre of viijc.; in whyche batell a gret nomebre of Scottes were slayne. The batell began be twene iiij and v of the clok at aftyrnoone, and the chase lastyd iij myle, with mervylous slawter of men; and yf the Englyssh men had be horsyd to have pursuede the chase they had slayne xm^l. mo Scottes than there were slayne, for the Scottes were above iiij score m^l. And borederars not oonely stale awey horsys, but allso the oxen that drew the ordnaunce, and cam to the pavylions and toke awey all the stuffe there yn, and slew meny to them that kep the same. The Kyng of Scottes body is karryd to Berwyke. Allso on the morrowe after that the felde was fawght the Lorde Howarde went yn to the felde ageyne, where that the Scottes ordynaunce lay, with a smawle companye of men. And then cam viijc. Scottes on hors bak presupposyng to have had awey the ordynaunce which they lefte behynde them the day before; and when they sawe the Lorde Howarde they set apon hym, and there they began a sore fray, for then were meny men slayne on bothe partys; there were ijc. of Scottes slayne, and of Englyssh men I can not tell. There was slayne oone gentyll man callyd Morres Bakley, and oone othyr callyd Warcoppe, with maney other whyche be not yet knowen.

V. Books prohibited, 1531.

(At f. 65.)

Memorandum, the first Sonday of Advent, in the yere of our Lorde m^l. fyve hundreth and xxxj^th, these bokes folowyng were opynly at Poules Crosse, by the autorite of my lorde of London (fn. 17) under his autentycal siale, by the doctor that that day prechide, prohibite, and straytely commaunded of no maner of man to be used, bought, nor solde, nor to be red, under payne of suspencion, and a greter payne, as more large apperyth in for sayde autoryte. The first boke ys this:—

1. The diaputacion betwixte the father and the son.
2. The Supplicacion of Beggars.
3. The Revelation of Antechriste.
4. Liber qui de veteri et novicio (fn. 18) Deo inscribitur.
5. Pie Precaciones.
6. Economica Christiana.
7. The Burying of the Masse, in English yn ryme.
8. An Exposition in to the vij chapter to the Corinthians.
9. The Matrimony of Tyndal.
10. A. B. C. ayenst the Clergye.
11. Ortulus Anime, in Englisshe.
12. A Boke a yenst Saynt Thomas of Caunterbury. (fn. 19)
13. A Boke made by Freer Roye a yenst the Sevyn Sacramentes.
14. An Answere of Tyndal unto Sir Thomas Mores Dyaloge yn English.
15. A Disputacion of Purgatorye, made by John Frythe.
16. The Firste Boke of Moyses called Genesis.
17. A prologe in the ij^de Boke of Moyses called Exodus.
18. A prologe in Thyrde Boke of Moyses called Leviticus.
19. A prologe in the iiij^th Boke of Moyses called Numeri.
20. A prologe in the v^th Boke of Moyses called Detronomye
21. The Practyse of Prelates.
22. The Newe Testament in Englissh with a Introduction to the Epistle to the Romaynes.
23. The Barable of the Wyked Mammonde.
24. The Obediens of a Chrysten Man.
25. A Boke of Thorpe, or of John Oldecastell.
26. The Some of Scripture.
27. The Prymer in Englissh.
28. The Psalter in Englissh.
29. A Dyalog betwyxt the Gentylman and the Plowman.
30. Jonas in Englissh.

And all other suspect bookes, bothe in Englissh and in Laten, as well now printed or that here after shall be printed, and not here afore namyd.

VI. St. Peter's Cornhill, 1435.

(At f. 202 b.)

A decre and statute made by the honorable cownseyle of the Cite of London for the gevyng of the benyfice of Seynt Peters in Cornehull.

Where some tyme there was greate contraversy and stryfe betwixt the Mayre of London, the Aldermen, and the Commen Counsayle of the same Cite of London, for the gyfte and presentacyon of the saide benifyce and parissh church of Seint Peters in Corne hull; and for to avoyde, exscue, and put away the greate stryfe and contraversy he twyxte the seyde Mayre, Aldermen, and the Commen Cownseile, and to set them in a peaceable order, it was enactyd, statuted, and decrede by all the hole counsel of the saide cite, which counsaile was kept in the tyme of Henry Frowyke, then beyng mayre of the sayde cite, and the aldermen of the same cite, holde and kept the xxvij^th day of the moneth of Octobre, the yere of the reygne of Kyng Henry, the Syxt aftir the Conquest, xiiij^th, by the foresaid mayre, aldermen, with the hole assent, mynde, and grement of the comynalte godly and holsomely to be provided from that day for evermore, that whan so ever the sayde churche chaunceth to be voyde, that as then fowre clerkys famous and seculer clerkes dwellyng with in the seide cite or a myle a bought the same cite, able yn maners and scyens, to be assigned and chosyn by the sayde Mayre and Aldermen for the tyme being to name to the Comen Councel, foure persones after ther consciens, moste mete in maners and conyng to the same cure and benyfice, of which foure thus namyd by the foure clerkes, they must be doctors of holy divinite or ellys bachylers of the same. And the persons thus named they must be seculer persons and not promoted. And of these maner of foure persons thus named, one of them, which semyth moste appte and expedyent bi the saide Mayre, Aldermen, and the Comen Counseyle, to be take and presented to the same cure, promysing to them to keep residence there in the same cure, and so canonically there to be institute and inducte.

VII. Notes of various Occurrences.

(Inside the Cover.)

The listes that Anthony Lord Scales and Anthony the Bastarde of Burgoyne justyd yn in Smythfelde, the tymbre and workmanshippe ther of cost ijc. marke, and was of six of the thryftiest carpenters of London bought and made. The length vj^xx taylours yardes and x foote, and iiij^xx of brede and x foote, dowbyll barred; the inner barres were mytche gretter then the utter, and be twixt bothe v foote. The justes began the Thirsday next after Corpus Christi Day, Anno Domini m^l.iiijc.lxvii, and in the vij^th yere of Kyng Edwarde the iiij^th, Thomas Howlegrave, skynner, then beyng mayre of London.

Below this is a catalogue of the mayors of London, giving generally the mere names with hardly any dates appended, beginning with William Taylour, Mercer, who was mayor in 1468-9. In one or two cases, however, important memoranda are added, which are here transcribed. Opposite the name "Johannes Stokton, mercer," is the marginal note "Barnet feelde." Three lines lower down occurs "John Tate with the powlyd hed." Under the name "Stevyn Jenyn" occurs the note "Henricus Septimus hic moriebatur," and the succeeding entry is as follows:—

Thomas Bradbery, mercer. Capel successit pro residuo anni, quia Bradbery moriebatur.

It is remarkable that the death of Bradbury and succession of Capel are not mentioned by Fabyan. Three years later we have the following entry:—

[A.D. 1512–3].

Copynger, fysshmonger, moriebatur. Richard Haddon, secundo successit pro residuo anni.

And immediately after—

[A.D. 1513–4].

Wyllelmus Browne, mercer, moriebatur, et dominus Johannes Tate, miles, successit pro residuo anni.

Then passing over two mayoralties we come to the following entries, the first of which refers to the riot known as Evil May day:—

[A.D. 1516–17].

John Reste, grocer. In whose tyme on May Evyn at mydnyght a grete nowmbre of mennys servauntes and prentis of London rose and spoyled the alyentes of Seynt Martens and of Blaw[n]chapylton; and also one Nutas, (fn. 20) the kynges Frenche secretary, dwellyng in the parsonage at Saynt Andrew Undershafte, was put to flyte.

[A.D. 1517–18].

Exmewe, goldesmyth. Here cam in the legate (fn. 21) from Rome, and the amerall (fn. 22) and lordes of Fraunce.

A little lower we read:—

On the xvij^th day of May, beyng Fryday, in the xiij^th yere of Kyng Henrye the viij^th, — (fn. 23) Duke of Bokyngham was behedyd at the Towre Hyll of London, be twene xj and xij afore none, and his hede and body forth with put in a cofyn and borne to the Austen Freers of London upon vj freers bakkys of the same place.

[A.D. 1522–3].

Next after Burges, draper, Mr. Mylborn, draper, Mundy, goldsmyth. The xviij^th day of June, in this yere, the Kyng of Denmarke cam to Gre[n]wyche [1523].

[A.D. 1523–4].

Baldry, mercer.

[A.D. 1524–5].

Syr Wylliam Bayly made knyght at Bryde wel by K. H. the viij^th, the xix^th day of Feveryere, beyng Sonday.

Memorandum, the vij^th day of Septembre, in the xviij^th yere of Kyng Henry the viij^th, the proclamatyon was made in London of the enhawnceyng of gold.