Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 11 – Account 12
¶The Letter of the Commissary, called Iohn Kingston, written to Bishop Boner.
AFter my duety done in receiuing and accōplishing your honorable and most louing letters, dated the 7. of August:Lorde of Oxford, L. Darcy, H. Tyrrell, Anthony. Browne, William Bendelowes, Edmund Tyrrell, Richard Weston, Roger Appleton, Iohn Kingstone Commissarye, persecutors. Be it knowne vntounto your Lordship, that the 28. of August, the Lorde of Oxenford, Lord Darcy, H. Tyril, A. Brown, W. Bendlowes, E. Tyrill, Ric. Weston, Roger Apleton, published their cōmissiō to selfe landes and tenements & goodes of the fugitiues, so that the owners should hauehave neither vse nor commodity thereof, but by Inuētory remaine in safe keeping, vntill the cause were determined.
And also there was likewise proclaimed the queenes graces warrant, for the restitution of the Church goods within Colchester, & the hundredes thereabout, to the vse of Gods seruice. And then were called the parishes particularly, & the hereticks partly cōmitted to my examination. And that diuers persons should certify me of theyr ornamentes of theyr Churches, betwixt this and the Iustices next appearaunce, which shalbe on Michaelmas euen nexte. And that parish which had presented at two seuerall times, to hauehave all ornamentes, with other thinges in good order, were exonerated for euer, til they were warned againe, & others to make theyr appearaunce from time to time. And those names blotted in the Indenture, were indited for treason, fugit…ues, or disobedients, and were put foorth by M. Brownes commaundement. And before the sealing, my Lord Da…cy said vntounto me apart, and M. Bendlowes, that I should hauehave sufficient time to send vntounto your Lordship, yea, if need were, the heretickes to remayne indurance till I had an answere from you: yea to the Lord Legates graces Commissioners come into the Country.
And mayster Browne came into my Lord Darcyes house & parlour belonging vntounto M. Barnaby, before my sayd Lord and all the Iustices, and laid his hand of my shoulder, with a smiling coū tenaunce, and desired me to make his harty commēdations vntounto your good Lordship, and asked me if I would, and I said. Yea, with a good will. Wherefore I was glad, and thought that I should not hauehave bene charged with so sodeine carriage. But after dinner, the Iustices councelled with the Bayliffes, and with the Gaolers, and then after tooke me vntounto them, and made collation of the Indentures, and sealed; and then Mayster Browne commaunded me this after noone, being the 30. of August, to go and receyue my prisoners by and by. And then I sayd, it is an vnreasonable commaundemēt, for that I hauehave attended of you here these three dayes, and this Sonday early I hauehave sent home my men. Wherefore I desire you to hauehave a conuenient time appoynted, wherein I may know whether it will please my Lord my maister to sende his Commissioners hither, or that I shall make carriage of them vntounto his Lordship. Then M. Browne: We are certified, that the Councell hath written vntounto your mayster, to make speed,Maister Browne a hoate and hasty Iustice in persecuting Gods people. and to rid these prisoners out of hand: therefore go receiue your prisoners in haste. Then I: Sir, I shall receiue them within these tenne dayes. Then M. Browne: The limitation lyeth in vsus, and not in you, wherfore get you hence.
Syr, ye hauehave indited and deliuered me by this Indenture, whose fayth or opinions I know not, trusting that ye will graūt me a time to examine them, least I should punish the Catholicks. Well sayd Maister Browne, for that cause ye shall hauehave time betwixt this and Wednesday. And I say vntounto you maister Bailiffes, if he do not receiue them at your handes on Wednesday, set open your doore, and let them go.
Then I: My Lord and maisters all, I promise to discharge the towne and countrey of these heretickes, within ten dayes. Then my Lord Darcy sayd: Cōmissary, we do and must all agree in one Wherfore do you receiue them on, or before Wednesday.
Then I: My Lord, the last I carryed, I was goyng betwixte the Castell and Sayncte Katherines Chappell, two howres and an halfe, and in great preasse and daunger: Wherefore th…s may be to desire your Lordship,Anno 1557. March. to geue in commaundement vntounto my Mayster Sayer, Bayliffe, here present, for to ayd me thorough his liberties, not onelyonly with men and weapons, but that the Towne clarke may bee ready there with his booke to write the names of the most busie persons,… and this vponupon three houres warning, all whiche both my Lorde and M. Browne commaunded.
And the 31. of August, William Goodwin of Muchbirch husbandman, this brynger, and Thomas Alsey of Copforde youre Lordships Apparitour of your Consistory in Colchester, couenā ted with me, that they shoulde hyre two other men at the leaste, whereof one should be a Bowman, to come to me the next day about two of the clocke at after noone, so that I might recite this bargayne before M. Archdeacon, and pay the money, that is, 46. shillinges 8. pence. Wherefore they should then go foorth wyth me vntounto Colchester, & on Wednesday before three of the clock in the morning receiue there at my hand within the Castell, and Motehall, fourteen men, and eight women, ready bound wyth giues and hempe, and driue, cary, or lead and feede with meat & drinke, as heretickes ought to be found continually, vntounto suche time that the sayd William and Thomas, shall cause the sayde 22. persones for to be deliuered vntounto my Lord of Londons Officers and within the safe keeping of my sayd Lorde, and then to bring vntounto me againe the sayd Giues, with a perfect token, of, or from my sayd Lord, and then this couenant is voyde, or els. &c.
Maister Bendlowes sayde vntounto mee in my Lorde of Oxenfordes Chamber at the kinges head, after I had sayd Masse before the Lordes, that on the morow after Holy Roode day, when wee shall meete at Chelmesford for the deuision of these landes, I thinke Mayster Archdeacon, you, and Mayster Smith shalbe fayn to ride with certaine of the Iury to those porcions and manours in your part of Essex, and in like case deuide our selues, to tread and view the ground with the Quest, or els I thinke the Quest will not labour their matter, and so doe you saye vntounto Mayster Archdeacon.
Alice the wyfe of William Walleys of Colchester, hath submitted herselfe,… abiured her erroneous opinions, asked absolution, promised to do her solemne penance in her Parish Church at Saint Peters on Sonday next, and to continue a Catholicke & a faythfull woman, as long as GOD shall send her lyfe. And for these couenauntes, her husband standeth bounde in fiue pounde. Which Alice is one of the nine women of this your Indenture: and that shee is bigge with childe. Wherefore she remayneth at home, and this done in the presence of the Bayliffes, Aldermen, & towneclarke. And for that Maister Browne was certyfied, there was no Curate at Lexdon, he inquired who was the Farmer. The aunswere was made, Syr Fraunces Iobson. Who is the Parson? They of the Questmen aunswered, Syr Roger Chostlow. When was he with you?… Not this fourtene yeares. How is your Cure serued? Now and then. Who is the Patron? My Lord of Arundell. And within shorte tyme after Syr Fraunces Iobson came with great curtesy vntounto my Lord Darcies place. And of all Gentlemē about vsus, I saw no more come in Sir Robert Smith Priest, sometime Chanon of Bridlington: now Curate of Appledote, in the wild of Kent, came to Colchester the 28. day of Aug. with his wife bigge with childe, of late diuorced, taken on suspition, examined of the Lordes, and M Browne tolde me that they hauehave receiued letters from the counsell, for the attachment of certayn persons, and e…peciallye of one Priest, whose name is Pullen (but hys right name is Smith) doubting this Priest to be he the sayd Pullen, although neither he nor his wife would confesse the same.
Wherfore he lyeth stil in prison, but surely this is not Pullē. If it please your Lordshippe to hauehave in remembraunce, that the housholders might be compelled to bring euerye man his owne wife to her owne seate in the Churche in time of Diuine seruice it would profite much. And also there be yet standing Hospitals and other of like foundation about Colchester, whiche I hauehave not knowne to appeare at any visitation, as the Maister and Lazars of Mary Magdalene in Colchester, the Proctour of saynct Katherines Chappell in Colchester, the hospitall or Beadhouse of the foundation of Lord H. Marney, in Laremarny, the Hospital and Beadman of little Horksley. Thus presuming of youre Lordships goodnes, I more then bold euer to trouble you, with thys worldly busines, beseeching almightye God to send your honorable Lordship a condigne reward.
From Eastthorp this present xxx. of August.
We found a letter touching the Maryage of Priestes in the handes of the foresayd Syr Robert Smith.… Also I desired Mayster Browne the doer of all thinges, to require the audience to bring in theyr vnlawfull writinges and bookes. Who asked me if I had proclaymed the Proclamation. I sayd, yea. Then he sayd openly on the Benche, that they shoulde be proclaimed euerye quarter once And then take the Constables and Officers, and they alone …ake and punish the offenders, accordingly.
By your poore Beadman, Iohn Kingston, Priest.
An Indenture made betweene the Lordes and the Iustices within specified, and Boners Commissary, concerning the deliuery of the prisoners aboue named.
THis Indēture made the xix. day of August, in the third and 4. yeres of the raygnes of oure soueraigne Lord and Lady,Indenture betweene the Iustices and Boners Commissary, for rece… uing of prisoners. Philip and Mary by the grace of God King & Queene of England, Spayne, Fraunce, both Cicils, Ierusalem, and Ireland, defenders of the fayth, Archdukes of Austria, Dukes of Burgundy, Myllayne, & Brabant Countyes of Hasburgh, Flaunders, and Tirell, betwene the ryght honourable Lord Iohn de Ueere, Earle of Oxenford, Lord high Chamberlayne of England, Thomas Lord Darcy of Chiche. Henry Tirel Knight, Anthony Browne, the King and Queenes Maiestyes Sergeaunt at lawe, William Bendelowes, Sergeaunt at lawe, Edmund Tirel, Richard Weston, Roger Appletō, Esquiers, Iustices of Ooyer, and determiner, & of the peace, within the sayd County of Essex, to be kept of the one party, and Iohn Kingstone clerke Bacheler at law, Commissary to ye Bish. of London. of ye other party, witnesseth that Ro. Colman of Walton in ye County of Essex labourer,The names of Christes prisoners persecuted. Ioan Winseley of Horseley Magna in ye said County, Spinster, Steuen Glouer of Raylye, in the County aforesayd, Glouer, Richard Clerke of much Holland in the sayd County Mariner, William Munt of much Bently, in the sayde County husbandmā, Tho. Winseley of much Horseley in ye sayd County, Sawyer, Margaret field of Ramesey, in the sayd County, Spinster: Agnes Whitlocke of Douercourt, in the sayd Countie, Spinster, Alice Munt of much Bentley in the sayd Countye, Spinster, Rose Alin of the same towne and County, Spinster, Richard Bongeor of Colchester in the sayd County Corier, Richard Atkin of Halstead in the sayd County, Weauer, Robert Barcocke of Wiston, in the sayde Countye of Suffolke, Carpenter, Rich. George of Westbarhoult, in the county of Essex, laborer, Rich. Iolley of Colchester in the said County. Mariner, Tho. Feeresanne of the same towne and County, Mercer, Robert Debnam late of Dedham, in the said coū ty, Weauer, Cicely Warren of Cocksall in the sayd county Spinster, Christian Peper widow, of the same town and County, Allin Simpson, Elene Euring, Alice the wife of William Walles of Colchester, Spinster, and William Bongeor of Colchester in the sayd County, Glasier, being indited of heresie, are deliuered to the sayde Iohn Kingstone Clerke, Ordinary to the Byshop of London, according to the statute in that case prouided.
In witnesse wherof to the one part of this Indenture remayning with the sayd Erle, Lord, and other the Iustices, the sayd Ordinary hath set to his hand and seale, and to the other part remayning with the sayd Ordinary, the sayd Earle, Lord, and other the Iustices hauehave set to their seueral handes & seales, the daye & yeares aboue written.
Oxenford.
Thomas Darcy.
Henry Tyrell.
Antony Browne.
William BendelowesThe names of the persecutors.
Edmund Tyrell.
Richard Weston.
Roger Appleton.
These xxii. aforesayd prisoners thus sēt from Colchester to London, were brought at length to B. Boner. As touching the order and maner of their comming & brynging, the sayd Boner himselfe writeth to Cardinall Poole, as you shall heare.