The History of Waltham Abby in Essex, Part 3
The condition of Waltham Church from the Diſſolution of the Abby, untill the Death of King HENRY the Eighth.
HAving the peruſal of the Church-Wardens accounts, wherein their Ancient expences and receits are exactly taken, fairly written, and carefully kept, I ſhall ſelect thence ſome memorable Items, to acquaint us with the general devotion of thoſe dayes.
Know then, there were ſix Ordinary Obits which the Church-wardens did annually diſcharge, viz.
For
Thomas Smith, and Joan his wife, on the ſixteenth of January.
Thomas Friend, Joan and Joan his wives, on the ſixteenth of February.
Robert Peest and Joan his wife, on the tenth of April.
Thomas Towers and Katharine his wife, the ſix and twentieth of April.
John Breges and Agnes his wife, the one and thirtieth of May.
Thomas Turner and Christian his wife, the twentieth day of December.
The charge of an Obit was two ſhillings and two pence; and, if any be curious to have the particulars thereof, it was thus expended. To the Pariſh-Priest four pence; to our Ladies-Prieſt three pence; to the Charnel-Priest three pence; to the two Clerks four pence; to the Children (theſe I conceive Choris…ers) three pence; to the Sexton two pence; to the Bell-man two pence; for two Tapers two pence; for Oblation two pence. Oh the reaſonable rates at Waltham! two ſhillings two pence for an Obit, the price whereof in Saint Pauls in London was fourty ſhillings. For (forſooth) the higher the Church, the holier the ſervice, the dearer the price, though he had given too much that had given but thanks for ſuch vanities.
To defray the expences of theſe Obits, the parties prayed for, or their Executors, left Lands, Houſes or Stock, to the Church-Wardens. Thomas Smith bequeathed a Tenement in the Corn-Market, and others gave Lands in Ʋpſhire, called Pater-noſter-Hills; others ground elſwhere, beſides a ſtock of eighteen Cows, which the Wardens let out yearly to farm for eighteen ſhillings, making up their yearly accounts at the Feaſt of Michael the Arch-Angel, out of which we have excerpted the following remarkable particulars.
Anno 1542. the 34th of HENRY the 8th.
Imprimjs. For watching the Sepulchre, a groat.] This conſtantly returnes in every yearly account, though what meant thereby, I know not. I could ſuſpect ſome Ceremony on Eaſter-eve, (in imitation of the Souldiers watching Chriſts grave) but am loath to charge that Age with more ſuperſtition then it was clearly guilty of.
Item, Paid to the Ringers at the coming of the Kings Grace, ſix pence.] Yet Waltham Bells told no tales every time King Henry came hither, having a ſmall houſe in Rome-land to which he is ſaid oft privately to retire, for his pleaſure.
Item, Paid unto two men of Law for their counſel about the Churchleaſes, ſix ſhillings eight pence.
Item, Paid the Attorney for his Fee, twenty pence.
Item, Paid for Ringing at the Prince his coming, a penny.
Anno 1543. the 35th of HENRY the 8th.
Imprimis, Received of the Executors of Sr Robert Fuller, given by the ſaid Sr Robert to the Church, ten pounds.
How is this man degraded from the Right Honourable the Lord Abbot of Waltham (the laſt in that place) to become a poor Sr Robert, the title of the meaneſt Prieſt in that age. Yet ſuch his charity in his poverty, that, beſides this legacy, he bequeathed to the Church a Chalice aThe Church-wardens account, Anno 1556.ſilver and gilt, which they afterwards ſold for ſeven pounds.
Anno 1544. the 36. of HENRY the 8th.
Imprimis, Received of Adam Tanner the overplus of the money which was gathered for the purchaſe of the Bells, two pound four ſhillings and eleven pence.] It ſeems the Kings Officers ſold, and the Pariſh then purchaſed the five Bells being great and tunable (who, as they gave bountifully, ſo I preſume they bought reaſonably) and the ſurpluſage of the money was delivered.
Item, Received of Richard Tanner for eight Stoles, three ſhillings.] A Stole was a vestment which the Prieſt uſed. Surely theſe were much worn, and very rags of Popery, as ſold for four pence half penny a piece. It ſeems the Church-wardens were not ſo charitable to give away, nor ſo ſuperſtitious to burn, but ſo thrifty as to make profit by ſale of theſe decayed veſtments.
Item, Paid for mending the hand-bell, two pence.] This was not fixed as the reſt in any place of Church or Steeple, but (being a Diminutive of the Saints-bell) was carried in the Sextons hands at the circumgeſtation of the Sacrament, the viſitation of the ſick, and ſuch like occaſions.
Item, Paid to Philip Wright, Carpenter, for making a frame in the Bellfrey, eighteen ſhillings four pence.] The Bels being bought by the Pariſhioners, were taken down out of the decayed Steeple, and we ſhall afterwards ſee what became thereof. Mean time a timber-frame was made (which the aged of the laſt generation eaſily remembred) in the South-East end of the Church-yard, where now two Yew-trees ſtand, and a ſhift made for ſome years to hang the Bells thereon.
Anno 1546. the 38. of HENRY the 8th.
Item, For claſps to hold up the Banners in the body of the Church, eight pence.] By theſe, I underſtand, not Pennons with Arms hanging over the Graves of interred Gentlemen, but rather ſome ſuperſtitious Sireamers, uſually carried about in Proceſsion.
Item, Paid to John Boston for mending the Organs, twentie pence.