Wills: 33 Henry VI (1454-5)

Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 2, 1358-1688. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1890.

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'Wills: 33 Henry VI (1454-5)', in Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 2, 1358-1688, (London, 1890) pp. 524-528. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/court-husting-wills/vol2/pp524-528 [accessed 25 April 2024]

ANNO 33 HENRY VI.

Monday next after the Feast of S. Luke, Evangelist [18 Oct.].

Wyse (William), barber.—To Master William Say, Warden or Master of the House or Hospital of S. Antony, (fn. 1) and successors he leaves his brewery called "le Coupe super le hoop" in the parish of All Hallows near London Wall, charged with the maintenance of a clerk to instruct the children of the said house or hospital as well in singing to music (in cantico organico (fn. 2) ) as in plain singing (in plano cantico), and to celebrate divine service, &c., in manner as directed. In every case of default for a quarter of a year or more without reasonable cause, a penalty is to be paid to the Master and Wardens or Guardians of the Art or Mistery of the Grocers (fn. 3) of the City of London; and if default be made in carrying out the terms of the devise for one whole year without reasonable cause, the property is to go over to the master and wardens aforesaid to the use of the brethren and sisters of the said art or mistery, for the purpose of executing the terms of his will. At every mass on Saturdays special prayers are to be offered for the welfare of Sir John [Carpenter (fn. 4) ], Bishop of Worcester, a benefactor to the said house or hospital, with the collect Rege quesumus domine famulum tuum, &c., so long as he lives, and with the collect Deus qui inter apostolicos &c., after his decease, together with other collects for the welfare of the master and wardens, brethren and sisters aforesaid. Dated London, 30 July, A.D. 1449.
Roll 183 (1).

Holand (Ralph).—To the Master and Wardens of the Fraternity of Tailors and Armourers of Linen Armour of S. John the Baptist in the City of London he leaves divers lands and tenements at the corner of Adelane in the parish of S. Alban de Wodestrete and in S. Clement's Lane near Estchepe, as well as a tenement or hostel called "Bassettisyn," formerly belonging to Sir Ralph de Basset, Knt., late lord of Drayton, situate in the parish of S. Mary de Aldermanbury, and a hostel called "Penbrigges Inne," at the corner of Lymestrete in the parish of S. Andrew near Cornhull, to have and to hold to the said master and wardens in pure and perpetual alms for the relief of poor members of the fraternity, (fn. 5) who are especially to pray for his soul, the souls of Matilda his late wife as well as of the brethren and sisters of the fraternity. Dated London, 2 May, A.D. 1452.
Roll 183 (13).

Holand (Ralph), citizen and tailor.—To the Master and Wardens of the Fraternity of Tailors and Armourers of Linen Armour of S. John the Baptist he leaves two tenements in Fanchirchestrete in the parish of S. Dionisius Bakchirche, and another tenement in the same parish in a certain lane called "Margarete atte Patyns," and also a tenement opposite Houndesdich in the parish of S. Botolph without Algate, so that the said master and wardens shall keep the said tenements in repair, and out of the issues and profits pay annually thirteen shillings and fourpence to the rector and churchwardens of the church of S. Mary de Aldermarychirche for keeping his obit, &c., and also pay annually and weekly to each poor brother and sister of the fraternity the sum of one penny for their relief. The residue to be devoted to the alms of the fraternity for special prayers for his soul, the souls of Matilda his late wife and others. In case of default made in carrying out the terms of the devise the property is to go over to the rector and churchwardens of the church aforesaid. Dated London, 3 May, A.D. 1452.
Roll 183 (14).

Whitton (Thomas).—To be buried in the church of S. Sepulchre without Newegate. To Idonia his wife his messuage in Holbourne for life; remainder to Alice his daughter for life; remainder to the vicar and churchwardens of the church of S. Sepulchre aforesaid towards the maintenance of a chantry for the good of his soul and for the observance of his obit. Also to Alice his daughter for life the reversion of his tenement called "le Saresenesheed on the hoop" in the parish of S. Laurence in the Jewry after the death of his aforesaid wife; remainder to Master Robert Wombewell, the vicar of the church of S. Laurence aforesaid, and successors, so that they maintain a chantry for the good of his soul, the souls of his wives, and others. To every chaplain of the College of the Gruildhall of the City of London he leaves twelve pence for prayers. Dated London, 18 June, A.D. 1414. (fn. 6)
Roll 183 (15).

Monday next after the Feast of S. Chad, Bishop [2 March].

West (William), "marbeler."—To the rector and churchwardens of the church of S. Michael de Crokedlane and their successors he leaves an annual rent of five marks issuing from tenements in Wolcylane in the parish of All Hallows the Less called "on the Solar" (super solarium), for the maintenance of a chantry which Thomas atte Legh had previously failed to establish by will, (fn. 7) the devise being not valid in law, for the souls of the said Thomas atte Legh, Edelina, wife of the same, Nicholas Wotton, and others. Dated London, 20 November, A.D. 1447.
Roll 183 (22).

Lufkyn (John), "pastiller." (fn. 8) —To be buried according to directions contained in his other will touching his movables. To Sir William Witham, the rector, and churchwardens of the church of S. Michael upon Cornhull and their successors, he leaves the reversion of certain lands and tenements in "Westchepe in the parish of S. Peter in Chepe, comprising a tenement called "le Ship on the hope," formerly belonging to Nicholas de Farndon, goldsmith, so that they pray for his soul and the souls of William Rus and Isabella, wife of the same, John Plympton, and others, keep the said tenements in repair, render true account of profits and disbursements, and place the residue in a certain chest called "Russes Cheste" (having four locks and keys) within the said church, the said residue to be applied in aid of the chantry formerly founded within the same church by William Rus for the good of his soul. In default the property is to go over to the Master or Wardens of the Mistery of Goldsmiths of London and commonalty of the same, charged with an annual payment of fifty-three shillings and fourpence towards the aforesaid chantry of John Rus; the residue of the issues and profits, after payment of all charges, to be devoted to the relief of poor almsmen of the art. Dated London, the last day of March, A.D. 1450.
Roll 183 (24).

Footnotes

  • 1. 2 This hospital, some time a cell to S. Antony's at Vienne, France, received an endowment from Henry VI. towards the maintenance of five scholars in the University of Oxford who should have been prepared in the rudiments of grammar at his college of Eton. The hospital appears to have always supported a schoolmaster from its foundation in the thirteenth century. In 1474 Edward IV. granted permission to the warden here mentioned to have priests, scholars, brethren, &c., after the manner of the alien monastery whose name it bore, and he appropriated the hospital to the Collegiate Church of S. George at Windsor.
  • 2. 1 What the cantus organicus consisted of appears open to doubt. Mention is made of it in the 'Statutes of St. Paul's Cathedral,' edited by Dr. W. Sparrow Simpson, where it is expressly forbidden that this kind of music should be sung in the vestibule of the church. For Sir John Stainer's opinion as to the nature of this music the reader is referred to Dr. Simpson's 'Gleanings from Old St. Paul's' (p. 178). The late Mr. Alchin, in his manuscript Calendar of the Wills in the Court of Husting (Part I., Introd., p. xxviii), understood these words to mean that the clerk was to teach the organ.
  • 3. 2 S. Antony was the patron saint of the Pepperers of London, from whom the present Company of Grocers claim descent. As to the connexion, real or supposed, between the Fraternity of Pepperers and the trading monks of S. Antony, the reader is referred to the Introduction to Facsimile of the Company's earliest Minute-Book already mentioned.
  • 4. 3 Stow mentions a John Carpenter, D.D., as having been Master of S. Antony's Hospital anno 20 Henry VI. At one time Provost of Oriel College, Oxford, and Chancellor of Oxford, Appointed Bishop of Worcester by bull, 1443; resigned in 1476.
  • 5. 1 The only property now belonging to the Company by gift of Ralph Holand or Holland is the George Inn, Aldermanbury, let on a sixty-one years' lease, from Lady Day, 1831, at a rent of 165l. per annum. The Company carry to their own account 13s. 4d. annually, as given to superstitious uses, and purchased by the Company from the Crown, and carry the residue of rent to the poor account.
  • 6. 1 There is nothing to show why so long a time elapsed between execution and probate. It is seldom that a man makes a will, and leaves it without alteration, forty years before he dies.
  • 7. 2 Enrolled supra, pp. 153-4. The property is there said to be situate in the parish of All Hallows the Great.
  • 8. 3 Maker of pastry, pie-baker.
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