The antiquities of Canterbury. Or a survey of that ancient citie, with the suburbs, and cathedrall Containing principally matters of antiquity in them all. Collected chiefly from old manuscripts, lieger-bookes, and other like records, for the most part, never as yet printed. With an appendix here annexed: wherein (for better satisfaction to the learned) the manuscripts, and records of chiefest consequence, are faithfully exhibited. All (for the honour of that ancient metropolis, and his good affection to antiquities) sought out and published by the industry, and goodwill of William Somner.

Worthgate Ward. (Book 11)

COming now to Worthgate ward. The first thing I shall survey there is the quondam Hospitall of poore Priests. * 1.1 A Spittle first built and founded by Simon Langton Arch∣deacon (and brother of Stephen Langton Archbishop) of Canterbury about the yeare 1240. Not (it seems) altoge∣ther of his own purse, but chiefly by and with the alms and charitie of pious and devout benefactors. Quod Hospitale idem Archidiaconus diversorum elemosinis dicitur fundasse, saith Thorne relating the foundation of this Spittle. It was (I conceive) intended for a place of succour and relief to poore Priests. i. Chaplaines, Curates, and other like unbe∣neficed Clerks, chiefly those (I suppose) that either by age or other infirmity, were disabled for the performance any longer of their holy function abroad in the world, and there∣fore were here accommodated with a Chapell (wherein to pray, sing and celebrate for their benefactors, and to per∣forme * 1.2 other divine duties) contiguous to this their habita∣tion, dedicate, as their Hospitall, to the blessed Virgin; whose first fabrick was not, as now, of stone. One Thomas Wyke (Master, I take it of the Hospitall) anno 1373. new built it of stone, but it is now made and parcelled out into dwellings and work-houses.

Shortly after the Hospitalls foundation perfected, at Langton the founder his instance, the then Abbat and Co∣vent of S. Augustines granted to it the Parsonage of Stod∣mersh, of their Patronage. Of which grant my Author (Thorne) gives this Copy.

OMnibus Sanctae matris &c. R. Dei gratia &c. Ad univer∣sitatis * 1.3 vestrae noticiam volumus pervenire, nos, divinae pie∣tatis intuitu ad instantiam viri venerabilis & amici nostri ka∣rissimi Magistri Simonis de L. Archidiac. Cant. Ecclesiam Sanctae Mariae de Stodin. quae ad nostram pertinuit donationem perpetuè concessisse & dedisse Hospitali pauperum Sacerdotum quod situm est in parochia de Sancta Margareta in Cant. ad su∣stentationem eorundem cum proventibus quatuor acrarum singu∣lis annis de Dominio nostro de Stodmarsh antiquo more de gratia nostra speciali percipiendum: hoc adjecto, quòd in dicta parochia nullas terras vel redditus de nostris tenentibus, dicti Sacerdotes vel eorum procuratores ement vel aliquo titulo sibi appropriabunt nisi de nostro vel Successorum nostrorum licentia speciali, nec de∣cimas aliquas de Dom••nio nostro de Stodm. requirent in fu∣turo. Quando autem dictam eis fecimus donationem Synd••cus dicti Hospitalis de voluntate Archidiaconi memorati, nomine di∣ctorum Sacerdotum & Hospitalis supradicti nobis & ecclesiae no∣strae Sacramentum praestitit fidelitatis, & hoc idem facient omnes Successores sui. Dictus autem Procurator vel aliquis Sa∣cerdos Hospitalis supradicti omni anno super majus altare in ec∣clesia nostra in die S. Augustin' unum cereum unius librae in signum recognitionis praemissorum &c.

To this Parsonage, not long after, to wit anno 1271. ano∣ther was added, that I mean of S. Margaret in Cant. given to this Hospitall by the same donors that the former, or if you will (as the private Lieger of the house hath it) by Hugh Mortimer then Archdeacon, authoritate ordinaria, the See being void, with consent of the Patrons, the Abbat and Co∣vent aforesaid. Anno Domini Millesimo Cclxxj^o (saith Thorne * 1.4 of it) data fuit ecclesia Sanctae Margaretae Cant. Hospitali pau∣perum Sacerdotum ibidem in liberam & perpetuam elem' ab ab∣bate R. quae fuit ante nostri patronatus. Et non licebit Syndico vel Sacerdoti Hosp. praed' aliquas terras redditus vel tenementa in dicta parochia sanctae Margaretae de tenentibus nostris emere, vel aliquo titulo sibi appropriare sine licentia Abb. & Con. speciali.

Syndicus autem praed' Hosp. qui pro tempore fuerit in recogni∣tionem Iuris nostri praed' sacramentum nobis praestabit fidelitatis in Capitulo eum ad hoc fuerit requisitus. Pulsatio vero in eadem ecclesia siet contra Dominum Abbatem quotiens eum per illam ec∣clesiam transire contigerit.

I shall not further insist on the particulars of this Hospi∣tals demaines and revenewes, saving the Iland behinde it, and a forgotten milne sometime both neighbouring and belonging to it, called Medmilne, either I take it, because * 1.5 situate by the Meadowes, quasi Meadmilne, or else because standing about mid-way betweene Saint Mildreds Mill on the one, and Eastbridge on the other side, quasi Middle∣milne. Before the Hospitals erection it was the proper Mill of one Lambinus or Lambin, from either his birth-place or parentage, sirnamed Flandrensis or Fleming, who dwelt where since and now the Hospitall is seated; and living there, gave to Eastbridge Hospitall, beside 14. perches of his land lying in With, an annuity of one quarter of wheate out of the said Mill, of which gift I once tooke this note from Eastbridge Booke. Carta Lambini Flandrensis filii Adae de Berghes, Hospitali de una summa frumenti de molendino meo quod vocatur Medmilne, & 14. perticatis terrae meae quae jacet Binnewytt inter ter. [ten.] Samuelis tinctoris versus North, & terram Godardi molendinarii vers. South, super Sturam Cant.

The Poore Priests afterwards succeeding Lambine in his seate, succeeded him (it seemes) in this Mill also. For in the yeare 1325. a controversie arising betweene the two Hospitals about this Mill i 1.6, and that brought before Robert de Malling then Commissary of Canterbury, He, causâ prius cognitâ, adjudged the Mill to the Hospitall, of Poore Priests. It stood charged neverthelesse with a Resolute of certaine bushels of wheat to Eastbridge Hospitall which it seemes by my Inventory of the present Hospitall taken in Hen. 8. time was foure bushels. For in the recitall there of the rents Resolute yearely going out of the same Hospitall, this is one. Item, to the Hospitall of Eastbridge in Canter∣bury in wheate foure bushels.

Now as for the Iland behind this Hospitall, and lying * 1.7 betweene it and the Fryers, called by a Saxon word With, it was sometime belonging to this Hospitall serving the poore Priests for a garden, but aforetime appertained partly to Christ-Church, and partly to severall private men: whereof one family long agoe, tooke their sirname, and from this their habitation were called the Withs or Binne∣withs, as some of those were (as you have seene before) which inhabited the neighbour With or Iland, the late Gray Fryers seate. Part if not all the Iland anciently lay in the Parish of Saint Margaret. For the elder Rentals of Christ-Church who had rents here, make mention of seve∣rall tenents and parcels of ground here, as of and within that Parish. And the private Leiger of this Hospitall so menti∣ons the house of one Solomon of Binnewith, Anno 1239. At * 1.8 or about which time the common and ordinary way or pas∣sage to this Iland was by the now little and streightned lane leading from the street before the Hospitall (called Stour-street) to the common washing place on the North-side of the Hospitall, and from thence over the Stour by a Bridge crossing the streame. For the situation of that which is now the dwelling house of Peter Noble (then one Robert de Hotwells) on the North-side of the Chapell is in an ancient rentall of Christ-Church described thus. Inter domum quae fuit Lambini Flandrensis & vicum sicut itur ad With. i. be∣tween the house sometime of L. F. (which I told you is now the Hospitall) on the one side, and the lane as you goe to With or at the Iland on the other. In another Rentall thus described. Tenementum quod est inter capellam Hospitalis sa∣cerdotum versus South, & quandam venellam quae ducit ad In∣sulam praed' Hosp vers. North, & regiam stratam vers. East. And that on the lanes other side thus. In parochia sanctae Mariae de Bredman inter domum lapideam Samuelis tinctoris vers. Aquil. & domum Roberti de Hotwell vers. Austrum, in∣terjacente quadam venella qua itur versus Stur, & regiam stratam vers. Orien. & Stur versus occiden. Which first described house was sometime belonging to Christ-Church:

of all right and title to which house (or challenge thereof) the poore Priests Anno 1242. coming to be neigh∣bours to it (and their neighbour-hood, it seemes, of the jealous Monkes suspected) make a Charter k 1.9 of release to them, namely (as the words of it are) de Iure suo in quadam terra & domo apud Hottewell (for so it seemes, the place was * 1.10 called) quae est juxta pontem ex parte aquilonari; to which they put Simon Langton the Archdeacons Seale, because they had then (as they say in their Charter, by reason, I take it, their Hospitall was but newly founded) no seale as yet of their owne.

The late owners of the Gray-Fryers have exchanged this house (which was theirs) with the City, for that Iland, which now goes with the Fryers, and is parcell of the same.

But now to our Hospitall againe, which I finde clearely to * 1.11 have stood out and escaped the generall dissolution, un∣suppressed. In Queene Maries dayes, Anno 1554. the Ma∣stership thereof with the Rectory of Saint Margaret, which went still with it, was conferred upon one Hugh Barret, pre∣sented thereto by the Patron Nicholas Harpesfield the Arch∣deacon, to the Deane and Chapter of Christ-Church, Or∣dinaries, or Keepers of the spiritualties in the Sees then vacancy, who gave the presented Institution with letters mandatory to the Archdeacon or his Officiall for his Indu∣ction: whereof a Booke of that Church keepes this Re∣cord.

VIcesimo septimo Iulii 1554. D'nus admisit Hugonem Bar∣ret presbiterum ad Hospitale pauperum sacerdotum Civita∣tis Cant. necnon & Rectoriam sive ecclesiam parochialem divae Margaretae ejusdem Civitatis dicto Hospitali appropriat. per mortem naturalem Nicolai Langdon ultimi Incumbentis ejusdem vacan'. Ad quam sive quod per venerabilem virum magi∣strum Nicolaum Harpesfield legum dectorem Archidiaconum Cant. dict. hospit. & ecclesiae verum & indubitatum ut dicitur patronum D'no praesentatus extitit. Ipsumque Praepositum Magistrum sive Rectorem instituit & investivit canonicè in &

de eisdem eum suis juribus & pertinentiis universis, Curamque & regimen animarum &c. sibi in Domino commisit, Iuribus capitularibus, &c. & ecclesiae Metropol' Christi Cantuar. di∣gnitate et honore in omnibus semper salvis, ac praestito Iuramento per Iacobum Canceler procuratorem supradicti Hugonis Barret in hac parte legitimè constitutum, de observand' statutis et ordina∣tionibus dicti Hospitalis juxta fundationem ejusdem, ac etiam de canonica obedientia, &c. Scriptum fuit Archidiacono Cant. sen ejus Officiali pro ipsius inductione, &c.

But afterward, to wit Anno 17. Eliz. (and not before) * 1.12 this Hospitall was dissolved, being then surrendred to her Majesty, by Blase Winter the Master, Edmund Freake the Patron, and Matthew Parker the Ordinary, and eftsoones granted by the Queene to the City, whereunto ever since it hath belonged, and is called Bridewell Hospitall: Bride-well, * 1.13 because of the house of correction there kept; and Hospitall, both for the old names sake, and because of a certaine number of Boyes (poore Townesmens Children) kept there in an Hospitall way. Of the foresaid Royall grant my Appendix shall give you a Copy, if you desire * 1.14 the sight of it: So much of this Hospitall. Of the state whereof in 37. Hen. 8. whilest it yet was in Esse, if any desire satisfaction, I shall be willing to give them a more exact ac∣compt, from good record thereof, which I can produce.

One thing being very pertinent to our discourse of this Spittle, since I wrote the premisses come to my knowledge, and therefore hitherto omitted; I desire leave to mention here, though the place in some respect be indeed impro∣per; and that is, that in the interim of this Hospitals foun∣dation, and the appropriation of S^t Margarets Church un∣to it, the Parson and the Hospitall with consent and confir∣mation of the Abbat and Archdeacon, did come to com∣position about the tithes and other ecclesiasticall rights and duties of this Hospitall: a Copy whereof taken from a Lieger Booke of Saint Austins, you shall finde in my Ap∣pendix, Scriptura ix^a.

I come next to Maynards, or more rightly Mayners Spit∣tle, * 1.15 so called from the founder, one Mayner, sometime a Citizen of Canterbury dwelling in S^t Mildreds Parish l 1.16: and that (as I have good inducement to avouch) in H. 2. dayes. A man in his time (it seemes) of noted wealth, and (I sup∣pose) therefore, and to distinguish him and his family from another family of Mayners which were Dyers about the same time, sirnamed Dives, and so styled and called in ancient writings that make mention of him, viz. Maynerus Dives, or Mayner le Rich, an addition whereby his succession or posterity were knowne and called after him, by name Ethel∣stane and Wiulphus, Wilulphus or Winulphus (for so variously is he written) his sonnes, and afterward, Maynerus, his Grand-child (I take it.) Of which the two former lived in Rich. 1. and King Iohns dayes (and in the first of King Iohn, Winulphus, who lived where Alderman Sabin now dwells m 1.17, was one of the Praepositi of the City) and the latter in Henry the thirds; in the thirteenth yeare of whose reigne he was a like Governor of the City.

I finde ⁿ the Hospitall called both Hospitale Mayneri and Hosp. Winulphi [Wiulphi]. For this cause (I conceive) that * 1.18 the Patronage of the Hospitall though the first founder were dead, yet continued to the sonne. And so Maynerus the father dying, the Hospitall tooke name afterward from W. the sonne, the succeeding Patron, whilest as yet the City had not the patronage, power or government of it. Or else thus. The foundation was imperfect in the Fathers dayes, and became afterwards either perfected or bettered by the sonne, and so it gained the name of Winulphs or Wiulphs Hospitall, which latter name it hath now clean lost, and is knowne onely by the former.

The Hospitall hath a neate little Chapell to it (of late incumbred and indangered too, by part of a house and a chimney put up against it) which together with the Hospi∣tall was dedicate to the blessed Virgin ^o. * 1.19

As for the endowment, possessions and goods of this Hospitall and Chapell, what they are now, or at first were,

I know not; but what they were in Hen. 8. dayes, you may learne from this following Inventory taken of them and delivered up to the Commissioners upon the Stat. 37. Hen. 8. cap. 4.

Maynards Hospitall.

The house and the Garden is by estimation one halfe acre and the rodde.

• Item, in the Spittle lane they have three tenements, the rent of them all is yearely xiijs
• Item, in Castle-street be two tenements, the rent is yearely of both vjs
• Item, in the same Castle-street, in the Parish of S^t Margarets they have one tenement by the yeare vj^s viij^d
• Item, in the same street other three tenements all by the yeare at xv^s
• Item, in the same street other three tenements, by the yeare all ix^s
• Item, in Wincheape one tenement, by yeare iiij^s
• Item, in Waterlocke lane in the Parish of S^t Margaret, there they have two tenements by the yeare x••
• Item, they have three little pieces of Garden roomes, every of them goeth for 12^d by the yeare iij^s
• Item, they have a little stripe of ground leading them from their Wood unto the Kings high-way ii^s iiij^d
• Item, they have a Wood called the Brotherhedds Wood in the Parish of Fordwich containing by estimation sixe Acres.

In the Chapell.

• Item, one Chalice.
• Item, two Masers bound with silver.
• Item, two Candlestickes for two Tapers of Catten.
• Item, one Corporas and the Case.
• Item, two vestements and two Albs.
• ...

• ... Item, one painted cloth for the forefront of an Altar.
• Item, one Bell.
• Item, one great chest in the Chapell.

Adjoyning to this Hospitall, or rather within it is ano∣ther * 1.20 like Hospitall, erected of late by one Leonard Cotton Gentleman, sometimes an Alderman and Maior of this City: whose commendable piety is as yet so fresh in me∣mory, and his Will so obvious to any that will search the Office for it, and therein the nature and condition of the foundation so largely set forth, that it shall not need my further mention.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hospitall of Poore Priests.
• * 1.2

  Chapell.
• * 1.3

  Grant of Stod∣mersh Church.
• * 1.4

  Grant of S. Margarets Church.
• * 1.5

  Medmilne.
• i 1.6

  Liber sancti Lawrentii.
• * 1.7

  Iland.
• * 1.8

  Way to the Iland.
• k 1.9

  Liber eccles. Cant.
• * 1.10

  Hottewell.
• * 1.11

  The Hospitall spared by the Dissolution.
• * 1.12

  When surren∣dred.
• * 1.13

  Bride-well.
• * 1.14

  Vide pro Scrip∣tura 7^ma in ••p∣pendice.
• * 1.15

  Mayners Spit∣tle.
• l 1.16

  Rentale vetus eccl••siae Christi Cant.
• m 1.17

  R••ale eccles. prad.
• * 1.18

  Sic in Archi∣vis ecclesie prad.
• * 1.19

  Ex Archivis the moral.
• * 1.20

  Cottons Hospi∣tall.