Accounts: March 1538 - March 1540

St Martin-in-The-Fields: the Accounts of the Churchwardens, 1525-1603. Originally published by [s.n.], [s.l.], 1901.

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'Accounts: March 1538 - March 1540', in St Martin-in-The-Fields: the Accounts of the Churchwardens, 1525-1603, ([s.l.], 1901) pp. 58-65. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/churchwardens-st-martin-fields/1525-1603/pp58-65 [accessed 24 April 2024]

March 1538 - March 1540

Thys is thaccomyt of vs Jom Tyller and Edward Nycholson Churche Wardeyns of the p'issh Churche of Seynt Martens,/ in the ffelde/ by Charyng Crosse in the countie of Midd',/ Elect and chosen/ by the/ Consent will and Agreament of the hole body of the same paryssh to contynue as wardeyns/ from the ffeast of the/ Annu'ciacion of or lady in the xxixti yere of the reigne of or/ sou'aigne lorde Kyng Henry the viijth/ vnto the same ffeast of the Annu'ciacion of or lady in the xxxjti yere of the reigne of or said sou'aigne lorde that is to witte, by the space of twoo hole yeres complete as herafter ensueth. (fn. 1)

Resceytes of Clarkes wayges Obyttes And buryalles for the ffirst yere

ffirst resceved for the Sepulchre light xs iiijd
It'm for the paschall xvs iijd
It'm resceyued for the pewes for this first year xxvjs ijd
It'm resceyued of the cote and showes of the picture (fn. 2) of oure lady in sylu' to the value of iijs ijd
It'm the xth day of Apryll resceyued for mother Whasshes grave and other necessaryes vjs viijd
It'm resceyued for the great lyghts wt her knyll and the pealles vs ijd
It'm for her monethyes mynde wt the lyghts and Ryngyng iiijs
It'm for the yeres mynde of Rychard Heylls wt the great lyghts iiijs
It'm for the yeres mynde of mr Stokwood wt the great lyghts the viijth day of may iiijs
It'm for the buryall of mr Edgraves daughter the last day of may for the great lyghts, ij torches and the belles vijs
It'm the iiijth day of August for the buryall of blanche wt the small lyghts had at the cost of petyr kelk iiijd
It'm the viijth day of August for the buryall of Mrs Stokwoodes s'u'nt wt the small lyghts iiijd
It'm the xth day of August for the buriall of nycholas Starkeys chyld wt the smalle lyghts iiijd
It'm the xvjth day of August for the yeres mynde of Mr Went wt the great lyghts iiijs
It'm the xxti day of August for the buryall of mr Russells chyld the smalle lyghts iiijd
Sum'—iiijli xjs jd

Resceytes

I'tm the xxth day of August of mother Whassh for a nold yerely obyt,. wt the great lyghts iiijs
It'm the xxvti day of August of Rauf Arnold for the yeres mynde of his ffader and mother wt the great lyghts iiijs
It'm for the buryall of petyr kelkes woman wt small lights. iiijd
Sum'—viiijs iiijd
Som' tolis of Alle the resceites Obyttes And buryalles for the ffirst yeres Accompte iiijli xixs vd
Sum'e totalis of all the Receytes of all the Holte yere in the hole of this hole yere ye hole and that.
The Resceyts of the buryalles Obyttes and knelles for the second yere of this Accompt
buriales ffirst resceyued of the Abbot of westm' (fn. 3) toward the bying of the byble (fn. 4) xs
It'm resceyued and gatheryd on palmesonday for the sepulchre lyght xs ijd
It'm resceyued for the paschall (fn. 5) xiiijs
It'm resceyued and gatheryd for pewes for the second yere xxvjs xd
It'm resceyued for clerkes wages among the p'isshon's xls
It'm resceyued and gatheryd more for the wayges of John More or clerk for iij quarters xxvijs
It'm resceyued more for John marshall (fn. 6) xs
It'm the xxti dai of Apryll for maister Russells chyld for lyghts and torches xvjd
It'm the xth day of may for the buryall of a straunge man called Thomas langford, had oute of the harow (fn. 7) for lyghts and torches xvjd
It'm for an old obyt kept the xxiiijti day of may wt the grete lyghts for Mr Stokwood iiijs
It'm in lykewyse for Mr went the xvjth day of August iiijs
It'm for the buriall of Will'm Wharlton the xxiiijti day of August wt the grete lights iiijs
It'm for the buryall of Richard ffawkes ijd
It'm for the buryall of Thomas collys wyf the xxxti day of August iiijd
It'm for the buryall of henry heyle chyld iiijd
It'm for the buryall of Rose Wassh the mydell lyghts xijd
It'm for the buryall of syr Will'm Skynn' the vycare, (fn. 8) the xviijth day of Septembre, for lyghts and torches vs
It'm for the buriall of mother Iryssh, the xxti day of, Septembre wt the mydell lyghts viijd
Sum'—viijli vjd

Resceytes

It'm for the obyt of Thomas Arnoldes fader the xxti day of octobre wt the great lyghts iiijs
It'm for the buriall of the Clokmakers chyld ijd
It'm for the buriall of Robert Shedwater ijd
It'm for the buriall of Maistres Tyrwhyt the xijth day of Januarij for the great lyghts the grave and the bells xjs viijd
It'm for an obytt kept by mr Norys, the iiijth day of ffebruarij for the mydell lyghts ijs
It'm for an old obytt for Rychard whassh the vjth day of ffebruarij the great lyghts iiijs
It'm the xvjth day of Apryll for the buriall of margaret Revell iiijd
It'm resceyued for old Iron and laten candelstykes that stode before Images in the churche (fn. 9) ixs
It'm resceyued of the pleyers that played (fn. 10) in the churche ijs
Sum'—xxxiijs iiijd
Sum' to'lis of alle the resceytes for the second yere ixli xiijs xd

Resceytes of other buryalles

In primis the buryall of one Glyn the kep's made of duram place the viijth day of Apryll nill
It'm the buryall of A Woman oute of the vycarege called margaret, the xxti day of Apryll nill
It'm the buryall of A pou' prest from knyghts brige (fn. 11) the xxviijti day of June nill
It'm the buriall of John warde oute of the lazar howse (fn. 11) the xxxti day of June nill
It'm the buriall of Thomas megson oute of the harowe (fn. 12) the xxvjti day of Septembre nill
Sum'—Nichill
Sum' tolis of Alle the resceytes for bothe the said twoo yeres xiiijli xiijs iijd

Paymentes made for the fyrst yere

In primis pd for a paper boke to wryte this Accompt iiijd
It'm pd to John More or clerk for his wages for iij quarters of A yere endyd at myghelmas xlvs
It'm pd W John Marshall or clerk for his wages for one quarter of A yere endyd at Crystmas xvs
It'm pd to the Sexton for his yeres wages iiijs
Som'—iijli iiijs iiijd

Ordynary And necessary paymentes mt rep'acions doon in the said yere In Anno prmio

It'm pd to the Sexton for Scowryng Ageynst Easter xiiijd
It'm pd to the Organ maker for his fee xijd
It'm for wasshyng of Alter clothes and other necessaries ijs
It'm for wasshyng of Surpleces and alter clothes Ageynst mydsom' xijd
It'm for wasshyng of alle man' lynen Ageynst crystmas xxd
It'm pd for palme on palmesonday iiijd
It'm pd for A pound. of ffrankcoinsens iiijd
It'm pd for A quarter of coles on easter evyn vd
It'm pd to the clerk for watchyng the sepulchre ijs
It'm pd for poyntes and pynnes for the Churche ijd
It'm pd for A quarte of oyle and a lampe of glasse iiijd
It'm pd for a staf brussh jd ob'
It'm pd for a smalle lyne for the pykes (fn. 13) iijd
It'm pd for bordes and nayles for A pew at seynt Cutberts Chaple dore ixd
It'm pd to John Erle (fn. 14) the xijth day of June, as Apperith by his owne bill wt his hand wrytten xxxiiijs xjd
Sum'—xlvjs vd ob'

Paymentes.

It'm pd for Amendyng the Churche walles where lyghts stode (fn. 15) xijd
It'm pd for Iren work made for the bells by hym that made the frame vjd
It'm pd for A hondred of pavyng tyle ijs
It'm pd for pavyng wtin the churche vjd
It'm pd to the Ryngers that Rang ageynst the kyngs comyng by (fn. 16) iiijd
It'm pd for certeyn bell ropes xxijd ob'
It'm pd for a lode of lyme and a lode of sand xiiijd
It'm more pd for pavyng wtin the churche viijd
It'm for repayryng the glasse wyndowes ijs vjd
It'm pd for iiij bell ropes iijs
It'm pd for bromes to swepe the Churche jd
It'm pd for cotten candell for the quyre ageynst Alhalontyd iijd
It'm pd for holly and Ivy ageynst crystmas ijd
It'm pd for coles wt in the churche ijd
It'm pd for vj lb' of cotten candell for the Churche ageynst Crystmas vijd ob'
It'm pd for setting the holly waterstok, (fn. 17) and Amendyng the pavyng wt in the Churche viijd
It'm pd for a pece of small corde lyne ijd
It'm pd to John Adney for nayles and mendying the wheles of the bells xd
It'm pd for A chest to kepe the lyger (fn. 18) wt ij loks and ij hynges for the same iijs
It'm pd for garnysshyng of vj torches agaynst Corpus Cristi day ijs
S'mm'—xxjs vjd
S'mm' tolis of Alle the paymentes And dys Charges for the first yeres accompt vjli xijs iijd ob'

Paymentes and dyscharges made and don in the seconde yeres accompt

In primis pd to John Marshall for his hole yeres wages in the second yere endyd at Cristmas iijli
It'm pd to the Sexton for his yeres wages endyd at the said ffeast of Cristmas iiijs
Som'—iijli iiijs

Ordynary and necessary paymentes wt rep'acions don in the seconde yere.

It'm pd for holy and Ivy at Crystmas ijd
It'm pd for vjlb' of tallugh candell vijd
It'm pd for A pound of cotton candell jd ob'
It'm pd on palmesonday for palme iiijd
It'm pd for syngyng brede ijd
It'm pd for a pound of ffrankcoinsens iiijd
It'm pd for pynnes and poyntes for the Churche ijd
It'm pd for bromes for the Churche jd
It'm pd for makyng the braunche and chaynes and (fn. 19) payntyng of the same stondyng before the Sacrament iiijs viijd
It'm pd for ij tables and parchement wt the dueties (fn. 20) of the Churche therin prynted xd
It'm on Easter Evyn pd for a quarter of coles vd
It'm pd for watchyng the Sepulchre ijs
It'm pd for mendyng the lok and key of the Churche dore xijd
It'm pd for ij holly water sprynkells (fn. 21) ijd
It'm pd for mendyng the Sencers xijd
It'm pd for a lyne to hang the braunche on (fn. 19) viijd
It'm pd to iiij pou' men to bere baners in Crosse weke (fn. 22) iiijd
It'm pd for a new surples for the curat (fn. 23) viijs
It'm pd for wax had of maister Russell as apperith by his byll xxxiijs ijd
It'm pd at the resceyte of the Accompt of or p'decessors for brede drynk and chese xxd
Sum'—lvs xd ob'

Paymentes and dyscharges

It'm more pd to the same mr Russell for old wax makyng and for certeyn lyghts to the hy Alter for the braunche wt new stuf and ij new pound tapers as apperit by A byll of his hand vjs
It'm pd for mendyng the organs xijd
It'm pd for mendyng of the Judas crosse (fn. 24) ijd
It'm pd more for mendyng the organs and the bellowes of the same iijs iiijd
It'm pd for garnyeshyng of vj torches Ageynst Corpus x'pi day ijs
It'm pd for A byble (fn. 25) xijs viijd
It'm pd for viij fadom of lyne to Ryng the Sauns bell (fn. 26) iiijd
It'm pd for wyndyng vp the great bell and for shuting the Styropes, (fn. 27) and nayles for the same xd
It'm pd to John Adney for mendyng the bell viijd
It'm pd to Thomas Arnold for a thousand and a half of bryk for the Churche walle vjs vjd
It'm pd for lyme and sand vs
It'm for the waiges of the bryklayer and his man by the space of ij dayes and a half ijs xjd
It'm pd for a lode of lyme to Amend holes wtin the Churche and pavyng the grounde ixd
It'm for the waiges of the bryklayer and his man by the space of one day xiiijd
It'm pd to the organ maker for his yerely fee xijd
It'm for wasshyng and scoryng the Churche stuf Ageynst Easter vjs
It'm for parchement set in this boke and for wryting and castyng this Accompt vs
It'm for engrossyng and makyng the Inventory of the goodes of the Churche xxd
Som'—lvijs
S'mm' tolis of alle the paymentes done in the second yere viijli xvjs xd ob'
S'mm' tolis of alle the paymentes And dyscharges for bothe the sayd twoo yeres kdli ixs ijd
And so. restith due to the said Accomptauntes by this Accompt, by reason the paymentes do Amount Above the resceyttes and charges xvs xjd

Gyftes geben to the Churche prodyded in oure tyme by the help of mr Russell

In primis A saunce bell (fn. 28)
It'm A lectorne (fn. 29)
It'm A manuell Boke (fn. 30)
It'm A holly water stok
It'm gevyn by maisterys marten A nawbe, (fn. 31) A ffannell (fn. 32) and A corpus cloth (fn. 33)
It'm layde in the Churche lane and at the bak gate by John Tyller, xxti lode of gravell ffor the whiche the said John Tyller resceyued toward the same of mr Dymmok—viijd

The copy of will'm Russells byll of the sepulchre light.

Memorand' the syxt day of Apryll in the xxxjti yere (fn. 34) of the reigne of or sou'aigne lord kyng Herry the viijth, witnessith that I will'm Russell of the towne of westm' in the countie of midd' waxchaundeler, have the stok of wax for the Sepulchre light of seynt martens in the ffeld, xvth tapers, eu'y of them, weying iiijll the pece, the sum' of the weight of the same tap's iij score pounde, And also the said Russell hath resceyued the day and yere afore wrytten, ij tap's for the said sepulcher weying ijll'
Sum' of alle the hole resceyte ys iiijxx ijll'

Footnotes

  • 1. Lady Day 1538 to Lady Day 1540.
  • 2. Possibly the clothes worn by one of the players in the miracle plays performed in the church (vide pp. 28, 60), or else some clothes used to dress up an image or statue of the Virgin.
  • 3. Westminster was made a Deanery in 1539, a Bishopric in 1540; Mary restored it as an Abbey, and Elizabeth recreated the Deanery.
  • 4. vide Item 6 on p. 64.
  • 5. i.e. paschal light.
  • 6. the next parish clerk.
  • 7. qy. an inn.
  • 8. Vicar since June 1522. Succeeded by Edmund Watson for a very short time, as Robert Beste became vicar in Dec. 1539.
  • 9. Sold probably in accordance with the Injunction issued in 1538. vide n. 1, p. 62.
  • 10. vide pp. 28, 58. Both before and after the Reformation more or less secular dramas and tableaux used to be performed in churches. This may very well have been a kind o passion play such as was common at Easter time.
  • 11. vide n. 2, p. 3. There was a chapel there.
  • 12. an inn probably.
  • 13. used for the reservation of the Sacrament—it was generally in the form of a dove and was sometimes kept in the "Tabernacle" proper, or, as here, was suspended by a cord from the frame of the canopy over the altar. Vide note p. 27, and note I, p. 147.
  • 14. waxchandler, to judge from the size of his bill.
  • 15. 1538, Injunction of H. viii that "no candles, tapers or images of wax be set before any image or picture, but only the light that commonly goeth across the church by the rood loft, the light before the sacrament of the altar, and the light about the sepulchre, which for the adorning of the Church and divine service they shall suffer to remain." vide n. I, p. 60.
  • 16. The first mention of the use of the bells on such an occasion.
  • 17. The shaft on which the basin stood.
  • 18. qy. the wine for the Mass.
  • 19. For the perpetual light; vide n. I, p. 62—generally oil—on p. 72 a new lantern is mentioned. The 'branch' suggests candles, but on p. 12 this light is called a 'lamp'— There may have been both.
  • 20. qy. fees.
  • 21. Brushes of horse hair which were dipped in the Holy Water and then shaken over the person or congregation.
  • 22. Rogation week, during which, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the parish bounds were beaten. From an ecclesiastical festival this became a very secular business; during the Commonwealth the religious part of the ceremony was abolished.
  • 23. is perhaps the vicar who had the 'cure' of souls in this parish.
  • 24. cf. pp. 74, 83, 149. The wooden cross on which were placed the 24 candles used for the Service of "Tenebrae"; sometimes called the "Lentenhearse," vide Answer to Martiall, p. 300 (Parker Society).
  • 25. vide the first item of receipts in the 2nd year on p. 59.
  • 26. The length of the line suggests that this was hung outside the chancel.
  • 27. To shut, perhaps to weld or join together. The stirrups were the iron bands which bound the shanks of the bell wheel (Halliwell).
  • 28. i.e. Sanctus bell, vide n. I, p. 30.
  • 29. Stood in the middle of the choir facing the altar.
  • 30. Small portable service book containing the sacramental and other services administered or performed by the priest. (Lee's Dictionary).
  • 31. An alb.
  • 32. i.e. maniple—first it was a strip of linen fastened by a loop to the priest's arm and was used for wiping the chalice; later it was embroidered and became ornamental only, and was worn on the priest's arm at the celebration of the mass.
  • 33. vide note p. 16.
  • 34. i.e. 6 April, 1540.
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