Wills: 36 Henry VI (1457-8)

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: 36 Henry VI (1457-8)', in Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 2, 1358-1688, (London, 1890) pp. 533-537. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/court-husting-wills/vol2/pp533-537 [accessed 25 April 2024]

ANNO 36 HENRY VI.

Monday next after the Feast of S. Faith. Virgin [6 Oct.].

Beaumond (Thomas), late one of the Sheriffs (fn. 1) of the City of London; admitted into the freedom of the said City in the Art of the Mistery of Salters, being also in lot and scot (fn. 2) with the rest of the citizens.—To be buried according to instructions contained in another testament touching his movables. To the Wardens of the Fraternity and Guild of Corpus Christi in the church of All Hallows de Bredestrete, and brethren of the same, he leaves lands, tenements, and rents in the parish of All Hallows aforesaid, charged with the maintenance of a chantry in the aforesaid church for the souls of John Boterwyk, Alice, wife of the same, William Roote, Elizabeth, wife of the same, and others in manner prescribed. In default the property to go over to the Mayor and Commonalty to execute the terms of the devise. Dated London, 8 June, A.D. 1454.
Roll 186 (1).

Kenet (William), saddler.—To be buried in the churchyard of the church of S. Dunstan in Fletestrete. To the Wardens and Commonalty of the Mistery of Saddlers a tenement in the parish of S. Sepulchre without Neugate, in free, pure, and perpetual alms for the maintenance of the Fraternity of the Blessed Mary founded in the mistery aforesaid. Also to the said wardens and commonalty he leaves two silver salts, parcel-gilt, for the use of the fraternity aforesaid. Dated London, 9 December, A.D. 1443.
Roll 186 (10).

Monday next after the Feast of S. Leonard, Abbot [6 Nov.].

Sygar (William), fishmonger.—His feoffees in trust of land and tenements in the parishes of S. Mary Magdalen at the Old Fish Market and S. Nicholas Coldabbey are directed to convey a life estate in the same to Margaret his wife, with remainder to William, John, Thomas, and Edward his sons, and Elizabeth, Sibil, Agnes, and Margaret his daughters, in successive tail; remainder in trust for sale, the proceeds to be devoted to assisting poor clerks in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, repair of highways, and other charitable uses. Also to John his son he leaves lands and tenements at Potenhithe, co. Surrey, in tail; remainder over to his other sons and daughters. Agnes his daughter mentioned as being the wife of John Bernewell, fishmonger, and Margaret his daughter as wife of Thomas Padyngton, fishmonger. Dated 22 December, A.D. 1455.
Roll 186 (16).

Beaumond (Thomas), salter.—To the Wardens of the Fraternity and Guild of Corpus Christi in the church of All Hallows de Bredestrete, and brethren and sisters of the same, he leaves divers lands and tenements, comprising a parcel of land whereon a hall was in course of erection (ubi modo edificatur)) called "Saltershalle," (fn. 3) and six mansion houses newly erected in the parish of All Hallows aforesaid, and a tenement called "le Brokenseld" in the parish of S. Mary Magdalen de Milkestrete; charged with keeping the said tenements in repair, and with the maintenance of a chantry in the aforesaid church, and observance of his obit, &c., in manner directed. The wardens aforesaid to distribute annually a sum of twenty shillings among the poor of his art, and to maintain six poor members of his art in the six mansions aforesaid as bedesmen, paying to each of them a weekly sum of sevenpence. (fn. 4) In case of default made in carrying out the terms of the devise the property is to go over to the Mayor and Commonalty of the City of London to the use of London Bridge, for maintaining the aforesaid chantry and undertaking all other liabilities aforesaid. Dated London, 24 March, A.D. 1454.
Roll 186 (17).

Monday next before the Feast of Conversion of S. Paul [25 Jan.].

Beaumond (Thomas), salter.—To the Wardens of the Fraternity and Guild of Corpus Christi in the church of All Hallows de Bredstrete, and brethren and sisters of the same, he leaves a tenement called "le White Bull" in Bredstret in the parish of All Hallows, and another tenement and garden situate in the parishes of S. Greorge near Estchepe and S. Andrew Huberd, near the lane lately called "Fynkeslane," and now called "Podynglane"; (fn. 5) charged with the maintenance of a chantry for the good of his soul, the souls of Alice and Alice his late wives, his friends, parents, and of the faithful who shall have died in the University of Oxford within seven years after his decease. The chantry priest to go once a year to the vill of Watlyngton and there say a mass for the souls aforesaid. The residue of the issues and profits of the said tenements to be devoted to the relief of poor members of the fraternity and guild. In case of default the property to go over to the Mayor and Commonalty of the City of London for the time being to the use of London Bridge, for the maintenance of a chantry in the University of Oxford for the space of seven years. Dated London, the last day of October, A.D. 1452.
Roll 186 (20).

Monday next before the Feast of S. Dunstan, Bishop [19 May].

Kelsey (Roger), draper.—To be buried in the church or churchyard of S. Michael upon Cornhull. To Sir William Withham, the rector, and churchwardens of the said church and their successors he leaves a certain tenement situate in le Chirch Aley in the parish of S. Michael aforesaid. Also to the rector of the said church and to the Wardens of the Fraternity of S. Michael therein he leaves a tenement called "le Egle on the hoop" in the parish of S. Peter upon Cornhull, a tenement called "le Aungell on the hoop" in the parish of S. Botolph without Bisshoppesgate, and a tenement called" le Cony super le hoop" in the parish of S. Michael aforesaid, in pure and perpetual alms in aid of the said fraternity for duly observing an obit in the church of S. Michael aforesaid for the souls of Thomas Kent and of Elizabeth, wife of the same, and other pious and charitable uses in manner as directed. Also to the aforesaid rector and to the Wardens of the Fraternity and Guild of S. Anne in the same church he leaves tenements near the lane formerly called "Roperelane," and now called" Lovelane," in the parish of S. Mary atte Hille, for the maintenance of the said guild. Dated London, 26 March, A.D. 1455.
Roll 186 (29).

Monday next after the Feast of S. Petronilla, Virgin [31 May].

Carpenter (Katherine, relict of John junior, late Common Clerk of the City).—To be buried according to directions contained in another testament touching her movables. To Hugh Damelet, the rector, churchwardens and parishioners of the church of S. Peter upon Cornhull, an annual quitrent of thirty-three shillings issuing from a certain tenement belonging to the Mayor and Commonalty called "Bakwelhalle" (fn. 6) in the parish of S. Michael in Bassyeshawe, and from other lands and tenements belonging to the said Mayor and Commonalty in the parishes of S. Peter upon Cornhull and S. Botolph near Billyngesgate, which were granted to her jointly with others by gift of John Gredney, late Mayor, (fn. 7) and of the Commonalty of the City of London, so that the said rector, &c., duly observe an obit for the good of her soul and the soul of her late husband, with all the ceremony, charitable gifts, and religious services at the tomb of her late husband as are here in her will set out. In case of default made in carrying out the terms of the bequest the aforesaid rents are to go over to the rector, churchwardens, and parishioners of the church of S. Martin Oteswich for similar uses in the said church. Also to the last-mentioned rector, &c., she leaves other rents issuing from a tenement upon Oysterhill in the parish of S. Magnus near London Bridge, for keeping an obit for the good of her soul, the souls of John her late husband, Richard his father, Cristina his mother, and others at the tomb of the said Richard and Cristina in manner as directed; remainder in default to the rector, churchwardens, and parishioners of the church of S. Peter upon Cornhull for like purposes. To Thomas Eytburhale, Master of the College of S. Michael in the Riole, and chaplains of the same, she leaves certain rents issuing from a tenement in the parish of All Hallows, Berkyngchirch, for keeping an obit as above, with further remainder in default to the rector, churchwardens, and parishioners of the church of S. Michael Bassyeshawe. Also to the rector, churchwardens, and parishioners of the church of S. Peter upon Cornhull she leaves certain other rents issuing from the aforesaid tenement called "Bakwelhalle" for a term of years towards the maintenance of a chantry. Dated London, Wednesday the last day but one (fn. 8) of the month of March, A.D. 1457.
Roll 186 (36).

Footnotes

  • 1. 1 In 1442.
  • 2. 2 I. e., ready to serve in every office becoming a good citizen, and paying his dues.
  • 3. 1 The Salters, says Herbert ('Livery Companies,' ii. 560), are known to have had at least four halls before their present one in S. Swithin's Lane. Their first hall was in Bread Street, and was much injured by fire in 1539. The mansions here mentioned served as the Company's almshouses. Herbert quotes this will in the passage cited, but incorrectly gives its date as 1451 instead of 1451, and leads one to suppose that it was in English instead of Latin. He further represents, upon the authority of Stow, the first hall of the Salters as having been damaged by fire in 1533, when the year given by Stow himself is 1539 ('Survey,' Thoms's ed., 1876, p. 130).
  • 4. 2 The Company, in their return to the Livery Companies Commission of 1880 (Report, 1884, vol. ii. p. 526), say that in 1833 an information was filed against them, praying a declaration that all the rents and profits of the property here devised were applicable to charitable uses. The petitioners failed in their object, and it was ordered (7 May, 1841) by the Vice-Chancellor that the Company should make certain weekly and yearly payments to the six almsfolk of the foundation of Thomas Beamond (sic) in respect of various gifts made to the Company from time to time. These payments amounted to $1. 5s. Qd. per annum to each almsperson; but the sum now actually paid to each is 39l. 16s. 2d., besides two and a half tons of coal, medical attendance, &c. The Company, moreover, have laid out considerable sums of money in building and repairing the almshouses, which in 1863 were removed to Watford at a cost (inclusive of land) of 3.773l. 8s. 2d.
  • 5. 1 See note, Part I. p. 44.
  • 6. 1 A translation of this will is to be found appended to Brewer's 'Life of Carpenter,' together with another will of the testatrix, dated 7 February, 35 Henry VI. [A.D. 1456-7], transcribed from the Registry of the Commissary Court of London.
  • 7. 2 Corruptly called Blackwell Hall. The history of this hall, which was situate next to the Guildhall Chapel and served as a market for woollen cloth, is very obscure. It probably derived its name from the family of Bakwell, Bauquell, or Banquell; but whether it was so called from any particular individual of the family, and, if so, from which, it is difficult to determine. We find a grant from the citizens and Aldermen and the whole Communa of the City to one John de Banquell or Bauquell of certain property near the Guildhall as early as 1293—Hust. Roll 22 (55). In 1337 mention is made of a "chamber of the late John de Baukewell" near the Guildhall, which Riley at once recognizes as Blackwell Hall ('Memorials,' p. 195). In 1395 the "manor of Bakwellehalle" appears as formerly the property of Robert Bakwelle, rector of the church of All Hallows, Bread Street, who had acquired it from William de Bakwell his brother, but where this manor was situate we are not told—Hust. Roll 124 (57). Lastly we have a deed of the year 1396 whereby John Fressh, William Parker, and Stephen Speleman, citizens and mercers, convey to the Mayor and Commonalty, with the royal licence, a messuage called "Bakwellehalle" and a garden situate in the parishes of S. Michael de Bassyngeshawe and S. Laurence in the Jewry, to the use of the Commonalty—Hust. Roll 125 (65). After being totally destroyed by the fire of 1666 the hall was rebuilt, and only finally removed in 1820 to make room for the erection of Law Courts, which also in their turn have since disappeared.
  • 8. 1 In 1447.
  • 9. 2 Incorrectly printed by Brewer as "the last day" of the month.
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