The english register of Godstow nunnery, near Oxford : written about 1450 / edited with an introduction by Andrew Clark.

SOMERSET

LAMYAT, near Bruton.

[NOTE.—At the dissolution, 1540, Godstow was still in receipt (Monast. iv. 375) of the pension of 13s. 4d. from Lamyat church. The dedication of the church is to St. Mary and St. John Evangelist. The presentations at the time of the dissolution were:—1530, 27 Aug., John Pyll, presented by Godstow; 1541, 30 Oct., Thomas Hunt, presenter not stated; no date, John Cole, presented, on Hunt's death, by Richard Gwent, Archdeacon of London, and Thomas Powell, LL.B., to whom Godstow had granted next presentation; 1555, Apr. 23, Thomas Cowper, presented by Carolus Dummer de Chiriton (North Cheriton, Somerset).]

[folio 86b] A Charter of Raynold, Bisshop of Bathe, of Lamyet.

About 1190. Godstow having ob|tained the advowson from Bald|win de Columbers, the diocesan instituted Godstow presentee, subjecting the church to a pension to Godstow of 6s. 8d. on every July 1.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Raynold, by the grace of god bisshop of Bathe, willed to be know that Baldewyn of Columbarijs, in full seyne at Bathe, resigned in-to his hondes all the right that he had in the chirch of lamyet as aduocate and lord of the grounde, and graunted that chirche forsaid, with all his pertynentis, to god and to the chirch of Godestowe, for his sowle and of his predecessours, into per|petuel almesse. And therfore the bisshop resceived, at the presentacion of the abbesse and of the holy mynchons of Gode|stowe, into the person, Richard, Chapellayn of [...], the which, in the name of the same chirche of lamyet, is I-bound for euer to yeld a yerely pension of half a mark to the chirche of Gode|stowe at the Vtas of Seynt Iohn Baptist: that truly to be done, with-out gyle and Ivel ymagynyng, the same Richard put his hond, and behight surely by his trowthe to be hold; and that hit shold be sure he strengthed hit by his seale, & cetera.

A-nother Charter of the same bisshop of Bathe confermyng the same.

About 1190. Confirma|tion to Godstow, by the diocesan, of no. 780, with power to take a larger pension after cession of present vicar.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Raynold, by the grace of god Bisshop of Bathe, willed to be know to all men, to put out of dowte thyngis I-do in that tyme, and they that shold bide more surere in tyme to come, made a graunte and confermed that graunte the which that Baldewyn of Columbarijs, for god|is sake, and by his monycion, made to god and to oure lady and to the chirche of seynt Iohn Baptist of Godestowe and to the mynchons there servyng god, vpon the chirch of lamyet, with all the pertynentis, to be had and to be hold frely and quyetly, into pure and perpetuel almesse, as hit was I-graunted of the forsaid Baldewyn; he graunted and confermed and made sure by the help of þis present writyng and puttyng to of his seale, ordeyned that they euery yere [folio 87] toke, in the name of a pension, in the tyme of Richard, Chapellayn, in the same chirche, half j. marke of siluer. And after the dethe of the said Richard hit shold be lawfully to them, after ther owne Iugement, to encrese the pension, savyng the vicariage of the Chapelayn that shold serve for the same chirch euer.

[folio 87b] A Charter of Raynaund bisshop of Bathe of Lamiete.

About 1190. Incomplete draft of no. 781.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Raynaund, Bisshop of Bathe, willed to put out of doute tho thyngis that were I-do in tyme, and that they shold be more sure in tyme to come, con|fermed the graunte that Bawdewyn Columbers, for goddis sake, and [by] his steryng, made to god and to oure lady seynt marie and to the chirch of seynt Iohn Baptist of Godestowe and to the mynchons there seruyng god, vpon the chirche of lamyete, to be had and to be hold, with all his pertynentis, to the fore-writte monastery and to the forsaid mynchons, frely and quyetly, into fre pure and perpetuel almesse, as hit was I-graunted to them of the forsaid Bawdewyn; and to this graunte and confermyng, he strengthed hit by the puttyng to of his seale.

[folio 87] A Charter of Robert Columbers confermyng the same.

1220. Confirma|tion to Godstow, by Robert of Columbers, of the advowson, as in no. 780.

THE sentence of this Charter is, that Robert Columbers, for goddis sake and for the helthe of his sowle and of his fadir and of his modir and of all his auncetours and his successours, yaf, graunted & cetera, to god, & cetera, and to the mynchons of Godestowe, the chirche of lamyet, with all the pertynentis, into pure and perpetuell almesse, To be had and to be hold, frely, quyetly, worshipfully, wele, and in pease. And that this his yifte, & cetera.

A fynall accorde I-made in the kyngis courte of þ^e pension of Lamyet.

1220, Oct. 6. Quit-claim to Godstow, by Robert Columbers, of all title in the advowson of Lamyat church, in return for com|memora|tion in the conventual prayers.

THIS was the fynall acorde, I-made in the kyngis courte at westmynster, in the vtas of Seynt Michell, in the iiij. yere of the reigne of kyng henry the sone of kyng Iohn, afore Robert le vere Erle of Oxenford, Martyn of pateshull, Raaf Hardyng, Thomas Heydon, Robert Raxinden, Iusticis, and other trew men of the kyngis there beyng present, bitwene Felice abbesse of Godestowe, axere, by Petir of Donyngton I-sette in her stede to gete or to lese, and Robert Columbers, deforsyng, of the Avowry of the chirche of Lamiete, wherof 'assise of the last pre|sentacion' was I-summyned bytwene [them] in the forsaid courte, that is to sey, that the forsaid Robert knowleched the avowry of the forsaid chirch to be the right of the forsaid abbesse, and remytted it, and quyte-claymed hit, of hym and his heires, to the same abbesse and abbesses that sholde succede her and to the chirche of Seynt Iohn Baptist of Godestowe for ever. And the forsaid abbesse and couent resceived the same Robert and his heires in her almesse and praiers that shold be do afterward or fro that tyme forthe in her chirche of Godestowe for ever.

A Charter of Iocelyn, Bisshop of Bathe, con|fermyng the same with another half marke of Siluer yerely.

1222, Nov. 19. Re-grant to Godstow, by Jocelyn de Welles, bp. of Bath and Wells (1206-42), of a second 6s. 8d. of yearly pen|sion out of Lamyat church.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Iocelyn, bisshop of Bathe, for the love of god, of the assent also and the wille of his chapiters, graunted to his welbeloved in crist abbesse

of Godestowe and mynchons there dwellyng, of the chirche of lamiete one yerely half mark, beside the half mark the whiche they had euery yere before of the same chirche, So trewly that they shold take of the same chirche in the name of a per|petuell benefice j. hole marke, the which they were I-wonyd to take after the discesse of Iohn Bristowe, clerk, now of the same chirche person, to the terme in the which they were I-woned to take the half mark, [that is to say,] at the natiuite of seynt Iohn Baptist. And that this his yifte, & cetera. The date, by his owne hond, the xiij. kalende of Decembre, the xvj. yere of his bisshopriche.

A Charter of the Priour and Couent of Bathe of Lamiete.

1222. Confirma|tion to Godstow, by Bath priory, of no. 785.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Robert, Priour, and Couent of Bathe, seyng the charter of the worshipfull fadir, Lord Iocelyn, Bisshop of Bathe, in [folio 87b] this fourme, that the said Iocelyn, by the grace of god bisshop of Bathe, for goddis sake, of the assent also and wille of his chapiters, graunted to his welbeloved in crist abbesse and mynchons of Godestowe, of the chirche of Lamiete one half mark yerely and j. other half mark the which they were I-woned euery yere afore to take, so sothly, that after the dethe of Iohn Bristowe, clerk, now person of the same chirche, at the terme in the which they were I-wonyd to take the forsaid half mark, that is to sey, at the fest of the natiuite of seynt Iohn Baptist, they shold take yerely in the name of a perpetuell benefice of the same one half mark. And that this yifte shold be sure, & cetera. The date, by his hond, at Dorkecester, the xiij. kalendis of decembre, in the xvj. yere of his bisshopriche: they confermed and graunted the graunte aforsaid, of the worshipfull aforsaid, of the[r] commune assent, with this present writyng, and put to there seale, & cetera.

A Charter of Peter, dean, and of the Chapiter of Welles, for Lamyete.

1222. Confirma|tion to Godstow, by dean and chapter of Wells, of no. 785.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Petir, dean, and the chapiter of Welles, knowleched them-self to haue I-loked and

behold the charter of the worshipfull fadir, lord Iocelyn, by the grace of god, bisshop of Bathe, to the abbesse and mynchons of Godestowe I-yeve vndir this fourme: Iocelyn, by the grace of god, bisshop of Bathe, willed to euery man to know that he, for [folio 88] goddis sake, of the assent also and wille of his chapiters, graunted to his welbeloved in crist the abbesse and mynchons of Godestowe of the chirche of lamyete one yerely halfmark, beside one other half mark the which they toke before of that chirche euery yere, so, sothely, that they shold take yerely of the same chirche one hole mark in the name of a perpetuel benefice, aftir the decesse and dethe of Iohn Bristowe, Clerk, now person of the same chirche, at the terme in the which they were I-wonyd to take the forsaid half mark, that is to sey, at the natiuite of seynt Iohn Baptist. And that this his graunte shold be sure for ever, he put to this writyng his seale. The date, by his hond, at Dorkecestre, the xiij. kalendis of decembre, the xvj. yere of his bisshoprich: They, that is to sey, the chapiter, yaf assent to the forsaid writyng, confermed hit by the puttyng to of ther seale of there Chapitere.

[folio 87b] A confirmacion of Iocelyn, Bisshop of Bath, of Lamyete.

1234, Oct. 7. On pre|sentation by God|stow, Gilbert of Biham is admitted incumbent, Godstow pension of 13s. 4d. being reserved.

IOCELYN, by the grace of god, bisshop of bathe, willed to be know that, at the presentacion of Anphelice, abbesse, and of the Couent of Godestowe, he admytted Gilbert Byham to the chirche of lamyete, and institute hym, in the same, person, willyng and grauntyng that he shold haue and hold that chirche with all his pertynentis, all the tyme of his lyf, frely holy and pesibly, as person, savyng a yerely mark to the forsaid abbesse and couent of the same chirche in the name of a perpetuel benefice by the hand of the forsaid Gilbert to be receyued of the forsaid mynchons in the natiuite of seynt Iohn Baptist, Savyng also the bisshopes customes and the dignyte of his chirches in all thyngis. And that hit shold be sure, he put to hit his seale. The date at Dorkecestre, by the hand of maister water Maydenestan, the saturday next after the fest of Seynt Feithe, The xxviij. yere of his Bisshopriche.

[folio 88] A Charter of Robert, Bisshop of Bathe, of Lamyete.

1280, July 12. Godstow presentee is instituted by the diocesan, Godstow pension of 13s. 4d. being reserved.

THE sentence of this charter is, that Robert, by the suffraunce of god bisshop of Bathe and of Welles, at the presentacion of his welbeloved doughtirs in crist, Rose, abbesse, and Couent of Godestowe, admytted maister henry Esse, Chanon of Welles, to the parissh chirche of lamyete, and institute hym perpetuel person, so nathelesse that the same maister henry, person of the fore-myn[d]ed chirche or another that shold be for the tyme, shold pay euery yere to the forsaid abbesse and Couent one marke of a yerely pension of the forsaid chirche in the fest of the Natiuite of seynt Iohn Baptist. In-to witnesse of the same thyng, he lette make thise lettres patentis. The date, at Dogmerysfeld, the iiij. Ides of Iule, The yere of our lord Ml CC lxxx and Sixte yere of his bisshoprich.

An Instrument that conteynyth that the person of lamyete sholde paye and bere his pension to Godestowe and that he sholde never resigne out of Englonde.

1376, Dec. 18. Acknow|ledgement to Godstow, by Thomas Francis, presentee, of the lia|bility of the church to pay the yearly pension of 13s. 4d.; and solemn undertak|ing that, if Godstow sanctioned his obtain|ing the church by exchange, he would pay the pension punctually, and that he would not resign out of England.

IN dei nomine amen, hit is I-shewed by this present Instru|ment openly to all men, that, in the yere of our lord a thowsand CCC lxxvj, the xviij. day of the monthe of decembre, the xv Indiccion, of the most holy fadir in crist and lord, lord [Gregory] the xj. by the prouidence of god, pope, the vj^te yere, in the presence of me opyn notary and of witnesse vndir-writte, ser Thomas Fraunceys, a discrete man, personally I-sette preste vicare of the prebendall chirche of Button of Worcetir diosise, said and also knowleched, with his own fre and good wille, as hit semed, in the presence of the lady prioresse of the monas|tery of the mynchons of Godestowe and of many other ladies and mynchons of the said monastery there beyng that tyme, [th]at the parissh chirch of lamyete of the diocese of welles, longyng to the presentacion of the lady Abbesse and Couent of the monastery of mynchons of Godestowe, (the forsaid chirch) was pensionary

in one mark of sterlyngis to be paid and dew euery yere to the abbesse and Couent of the monastery of mynchons of Godestowe aforsaid in the fest of seynt Michel. Furthermore the said Thomas Fraunceys, prest, promysed, and also graunted, to the lady prioresse, and also to the ladyes and mynchons aforsaid [folio 88b] there at that tyme, in the name of the monastery and of there howse, to them there beyng present, that whan he had I-gete by wey of permutacion the said chirche of lamyete aforesaid, than the same Thomas Fraunceys wold brynge yerely, or purveye to be brought, with his owne costis and expensis, the said yerely pension of j. mark and holy and truly wold paye hit with-in the viij. dayes of seynt Michell. Also he promysed þat he wold never resigne the said chirch of lamyete out of Englond or the Ream of Englond, to the which all and euerych to be do, fulfilled, and to be hold, the said Thomas Fraunceys preste graunted and made an othe bodely there, touchyng at that tyme the holy godspelles of god. Vpon the whiche all, the said Thomas, preste, requyred instantly an open notary to make one or mo Instrumentis, bothe to them and also to other of the which myght be interesse therof. All these thyngis were I-do in the Chapell of oure lady in the monastery of Godestowe aforesaid, the yere, Indiccion, [yere] of the pope, monthe, day, and place aforsaid there beyng present at that tyme discrete men, sir Wil|liam Mannyng, Iohn Spensere, and Geffrey Benham, clerkis of the diocisis of Well and lyncolne, and other witnessis speciall to fore-put thyngis I-called and praied; and Edmond Warham, clerk of Norwych diocise, opyn notary by auctorite of the pope and of the Emperoure, all the fore thyngis and euerych, while they were so I-labored and I-draw, herd, and wrote, and turned into this open forme, and signed hit with his signe and name [usual] and wonyd, I-prayed and requyred, in-to feyth and witnesse of all the afore-put thyngis.

Notes

• Reginald Fitzjoceline, bishop of Bath, 1174-91.
• Latin is 'in pleno sinodo.'
• In the Latin: 'Ricardum Capellanum de Vol., qui nomine eiusdem ecclesie.'
• i. e. evil.
• For 'to' read 'at.'
• For 'half' read 'hole.'
• Peter de Cicetur, dean, 1220-36.
• i.e. Walter.
• Robert Burnell, bishop 1275-92.
• Bitton, co. Glouc., near Bath.
• The translator comes to grief with the accusative and infinitive.
• Omit the bracketed words.