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YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

a jfriar flIMnor witbout bis flDantle.

Collectanea

RELATING TO

Zhc Bristol jfriars HIMnors
(gray friars)
Hno tbeir Convent,

TOGETHER WITH

M Concise ibistorg of tbe dissolution of tbe ibouses of tbe
jfour ©roers of /foenoicant ffriars in Bristol,

G. E. WEAEE.

BRISTOL :
W. Bennett, Brinter, 43, Broad Street.
1803.

preface.

"jjE^OR many years it has appeared to me that an effort
A&& should be made to rescue from obscurity a little
information concerning the Friars Minors of Bristol, and
their convent ; and on several occasions I have tried to
induce competent persons to undertake the task, but with
out success. It came to my knowledge more than twenty
years ago that, notwithstanding statements to the contrary
in nearly all Bristol Histories containing references to the
Friars, there were some remains of the conventual buildings
still in existence, and some old deeds clearly demonstrated
that " Blackf riars," the name by which a considerable portion
of the Gray Friars in closure has been known for a long
period, was a misnomer. In vain have I attempted to bring
the facts before persons in authority, with a view to an
alteration of the name which is so conspicuously affixed to
walls in the neighbourhood. " The old inhabitant " is some
times found to be a difficult person to deal with ; he has
heard some trumped-up story told on many occasions, and
by various individuals ; and he has probably repeated it so
often to others, that he is aghast when he hears a suggestion
that his phantom castle stands a chance of being demolished
by facts. Only a wicked unbeliever in local traditions
would attempt to make war on the imaginary " Blackfriars"
of Lewins Mead. In connection with the history of Bristol,
it cannot be gainsaid that it is desirable to destroy the false
local traditions, some of which, doubtless, possess much to
interest, I had almost said to fascinate the reader, and which
have been accepted for generations as historic truth ; and to
substitute for them a Well authenticated, but possibly less
attractive, and less exciting record of local events. It was
only after much hesitation that I resolved to take the
subject matter of this little work in hand, and I should not
have proceeded with the compilation had I not received

IV.

Preface.

kind encouragement and practical help from Mr. John
Latimer, who is one of the best living authorities on the
history of the city.
I am also indebted for assistance and advice, to Mr.
Alderman Fox, Mr. William George, Rev. Father Grant,
Mr. Richard Howlett, Mr. G. H. Jeayes, (British
Museum) ; The Rev. C. F. R. Palmer, (St. Dominic's
Priory, London) ; Mr. T. S. Pope (who has kindly supplied
the sketches) ; The Rev. Prebendary Salmon, (Rector of
Weston-super-Mare) ; Mr. John Taylor, Mr. Robert
Hall Warren, Miss E. M. Walford, The Rev. T P. Wadley,
the Trustees of the Moravian Chapel (who are the
present owners of a substantial portion of the land
which originally formed the Friars Inclosure") ; and
Messrs. Brittan, Li vett & Miller, their solicitors; the City
Treasurer, the Secretary of the Bristol Charity Trustees,
and Mr. Goodenough Taylor and his Co-partners, the
Proprietors of the Bristol Times & Mirror.
I think I may fairly claim that as the result of
considerable labour, which has not been carried on
without expense, I have been able to bring to light
some hitherto unpublished records and entries relating
to an obscure portion of local history. It is possible
that when the State Papers have been properly catalogued
and indexed, a work that will take a considerable number
of years to accomplish, some, but probably not much,
additional information may be forthcoming.
In conclusion I will ask my readers to deal generously
with any shortcomings, errors, or faults which they may
discover.
G. E. WEARE.
16, Ellenborough Crescent,
Weston-super-Mare,
January, 1893,

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^be Jfriars Minors,

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3ntroimcton>.
J HE founder of the Order was Francis, the son of a
rich merchant named Pietro Bernadone and Madonna
Pica his wife, of Assissi (in Italy), at which place he was
born in or about A.D. 1182. He died on the 4th day of
October, A.D. 1226, which day was appointed as "The
Festival of St. Francis," when he was canonized by Pope
Gregory IX.
It was in or about the year 1206 that the founder of the
order became strongly affected with religious zeal, and
made a resolution to retire from the world, and this year
has been assigned by some writers as the date of the
commencement of the order. Wadding, the English
Franciscan Annalist, (whose work is contained in 20 MS.
folio volumes) puts the date, A.D. 1207, and A.D. 1209 has
also been given.

vi. Introductory.

These discrepancies may easily be accounted for in
consequence of the Pope's reluctance to recognize in an
official form the work of the founder. Mr. Richard Howlett,
of the Middle Temple, in his well-constructed and learned
preface to vol. II. of Monumenta Franciscana (Rolls series)
p. 9, says; " Whatever the reason ior reluctant action may
" have been, it was certainly only after much hesitation
" that in 1209, St. Francis was accorded verbally the
" approbation of the Pope. No Bull or writing was given,
" nay, distinctly refused, and a way for the suppression of
" the new movement, should it be found practically in-
" convenient, was then visibly left open for some years,
"until, in 1215, it was judged that the Order of St. Francis
" might be put upon a permanent footing ; even then the
" rule was only approved verbally by the Lateran Council.
" More, perhaps, could hardly be expected from an assembly
" which was enacting a decree against the origination of
"new religious orders, but this is in itself good witness
" to the early merits of the Franciscans."
The founder held his first general chapter in or about
A.D. 1216, and " he then sent out many of his Friars to
" preach by both example and word, and had the comfort
" to hear that his and their labours were blessed with a
" great conversion of sinners to true penance, and much
" increase of fervour in religion and devotion, and that the
" number of his followers multiplied almost daily." —
(Collectanea Anglo-Minoritica, p. 5).
In the year 1219, St. Francis convened a second general
chapter at the little Church of the Portiuncula, near Assisi,
given to him by the Benedictine Monks of Monte Subiaco,
and which, with the grounds adjoining, constituted the
first Franciscan Convent. It is recorded that at this
celebrated Chapter there were no less than 5,000 Friars

Introductory. vii.

assembled in the fields adioining the Church. This gathering
has been designated the " Chapter Storearum " — the
assembly of the Straw Huts— so called from the materials
used in the formation of the temporary shelters for the
assembled Friars. It was at this general Chapter that St.
Francis resolved to extend his mission throusrhout the
world. The order was officially recognised by the Pope by a
Bull, dated the 29th day of November, 1223.
The Friars were designated " Franciscans " from the
name of the founder ; they were in general, and in nearly
all legal and other writings styled Friars Minors, from
Frati Minori, or Fratres Minores, (inferior or minor
brothers) which was the title given them by by St. Francis ;
they were not unfrequently called "Minorites," and
Minorite Convent was often applied as the description of a
Franciscan house. They were distinguished from the three
other orders of Mendicant Friars in England by the colour
of their habit, which consisted of a long gray coat down to
the heels, with a cowl or hood of the same colour, hence
" Grayfriars." Gray was generally the colour used in the
early ages of the order. In an historical sketch of the
order by Father Leon in Translations of the Aureole
Seraphique (p.p. 268-70) it is stated that the habit and
capuce were of the poorest material. Originally the size
of the capuce varied a little and while some had it sewn to
the habit, others wore it loose. The rule was silent as to
the colour. The habit of St. Francis, preserved at Florence,
is of a gray, or ash colour.
The earliest dwelling places of the Friars were undoubtedly
of the most primitive style, and in accordance with the

viii. Introductory.

precepts of the founder, expressed by him as follows:
" When they have a competent piece of ground, they are to
"go to the Bishop  Having
"obtained his blessing, they shall go and make a deep
" ditch all around the land on which they propose to build,
" and a good fence instead of a wall as an emblem of their
" poverty, Then they shall build poor cottages of mud and
" wood, and some few cells for the Friars to pray in, and
" labour for the eschewing of idleness. They shall have
" small Churches, and not large ones, either for preaching
" or on any other pretence." — (Pref. to Mon. Fran., vol. I.,
p. 18.)
The merits of the early Franciscans cannot be denied,
and there is undoubted testimony of the strict, if not the
actual literal acceptance by them of the stem rule of
poverty enjoined by St. Francis. The earliest recorded
applications to the Founder to relax the rule of poverty
were apparently of no moment, but his unswerving fidelity
to the rule was shown by his refusal to allow a proprietor
ship or property in books, which some of the Friars had
acquired. The invariable answer of St. Francis seems to
have been, " whoever will be a friar minor, must possess
" nothing more than his habit, or carry shoes, if necessary."
It was only after the Founder's death that the extremely
harsh rules were modified, but the trifling relaxations
which were allowed eventually caused a breach, which
ended in the division of the Order into two sections, one of
which ("The Observants") still professed to observe the
founder's rules intact, while the other (" The Conventuals ")
permitted certain modifications.
******
The exact date when the peaceful invasion of England
by the Franciscan Friars became an accomplished fact is

Introductory. ix.

involved in some obscurity. The Annalists of the Order
say that it was in A.D. 1220, and various reasons and
quotations are given in support. On the other hand, certain
eminent men, skilful in estimating the value of M.S.
Chronicles bearing on the subject, favour A.D., 1224-5.
Much controversial matter is involved in the discussion,
but apparently the discrepancies in the dates do not involve
anything of importance, and therefore no good object would
be served by entering into the details of the controversy.
It seems to be undisputed that Brother Agnellus de Pisa,
who was appointed by St. Francis to be the first Minister
Provincial of the Order in England, and eight companions,
were conveyed from France to Dover, at the expense of
certain Benedictine Monks, of Fescamp, in Normandy.
Father Leon, in his Historical Sketch, vol. IV., p. 307, says,
that " the little band of nine Friars proceeded to Canterbury,
"where they were hospitably entertained by the Benedictines,
" and then taken in at what was styled, the ' Poor Priests'
" Hospital.' " The first established Convents of the Order
in England were those of Canterbury, London and Oxford.
After the establishment of the Oxford Convent, which was a
very primitive dwelling place, and which was first inhabited
about the year 1224-25 (other dates have also been given),
Brother Agnellus proceeded without delay to establish
Convents in various parts of England. At a little later
period the Friars built large and substantial conventual
buildings at Oxford, and this course seems to have been
followed in other places, the old buildings having
ceased to provide sufficient accommodation for the increase
in the number of the inhabitants. Ere three decades had
elapsed from the first coming of the Friars, much progress
had been made by them in this country. That the
Franciscan Order should have produced from the English

X.

Introductory.

province the greatest scholars, the greatest logicians and
disputants, and the most profound and subtile intellects — '
including the celebrated Roger Bacon, Duns Scotus,
Alexander Hales, Peccham and others — is as strange as it
is true. But, although the founder of the order was able,
during his life, to check any attempt on the part of the
Friars generally to devote themselves to systematic study,
it was to be expected that after his death amongst the
large number of men brought into the organization from
various parts and under different circumstances, there
would be found some examples of giants in intellect as well
as in stature. This, however, is only one of several reasons
which might he adduced in explanation of what is the
most interesting fact in the history of the English
Minorites.

Zbc jfriars Minors,

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<Sra\> jfptars of Bristol.

Chapter I.
rMj-^HERE are no authentic records in existence from
(it)- which it is possible to ascertain the precise period
when the Friars Minors first established their habitation
in Bristol. It is not improbable that, as was the case
elsewhere, the Friars on their arrival took possession of a
building already in existence, or they may have erected
some rude shelter in the suburbs of the town as a
temporary home,
Seyer, the Bristol Historian, who was a conscientious
writer, has unwittingly introduced an erroneous statement
concerning the foundation of the Bristol House. He has
referred to a supposed visit of St. Francis to our city, from
which successive writers have drawn incorrect conclusions.
In vol. 2, p. 7, the historian says, " Some of our Calendars
'" say that  in 1226 St. Francis, the
" founder of the order, came to Bristol, and that he himself

12 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
" founded the Nunnery of Lacock, in Wiltshire. The
" Convent of the Gray Friars was in Lewins Mead . .
"  it might possibly have been founded by
" St. Francis himself while he continued in this neighbour-
" hood." The statement as to the visit of the founder of the order
to Bristol must be considered one of the numerous local
legends of mystical birth, because it so happens that he
ivas never in England. Local " Chronicles " are very free
and easy in the combination of fact and fiction. In a list
of local events, given in chronological order in " The
Memorialist," published in 1823, we are informed that, in
1246, St. Francis died in Bristol. The demand for material,
on easy terms, by writers of what purports to be local
historical information, seems to have tempted the imagina
tive faculty of the purveyors of fiction to supply for local
consumption some meagrely covered stories in the guise of
" Chronicles." Chatterton was by no means the first, and
he was certainly not the last, to furnish from doubtful
sources " copy " for Bristol writers.
With regard to the approximate date of the
foundation of the Bristol house of the Friars Minors there
is some probability, but no certainty, that it was founded
by Bro. Agnellus very shortly after he left Oxford to
establish houses in many parts of the country. There is
reason to believe that Bristol was one of the earliest
settlements of the Friars, but it is conjecture only, and we
must be content with the more reliable, but rather scanty,
information on the subject which is to be found in the
State Rolls and the Chronicles relating to the order.
From the following entry, taken from Eccleston's
Chronicle, it will be seen that the Friars must have been
established in Bristol at least some little time prior to the

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 13
date of the death of Bro. Agnellus, "Factum est autem
" post hsec ut mitteruntur speciales visitatores in Angliam,
" qui causa visitationis capitula celebrabant. Primus autem
•' visitator Anglise fuit Frater Willelmus de Colvile Senior
" qui capitulum suum celebravit Londonisa sub Fratre
" Agnello, ubi Dominus W. Joymer capellum suis sumptibus
" sedificavit, et tunc temporis introitum in eandem cum
" memorabili gloria celebravit. Post hsec venit Frater
" Johannes Naverius qui tunc primo portavit expositionem
" Regulse secundum dominum Gregorium nonum ; qui Lon-
" doniae, et Leycestriae, et Bristollise, similiter etiam fratres
" novicios in maxima multitudine sub Fratre Agnello
" visitationis gratia convocavit." — (Mon. Fran. vol. 1, p. 29.)
[Howbeit it came to pass after these things that special
visitors were sent into England, who on the occasion of the
visitation celebrated Chapters. But the first visitor to
England was Bro. Wm. de Colvile, Senior, who celebrated
his Chapter at London under Bro. Agnellus, where
Sir W. Joymer built a Chapel at his own cost, and then
celebrated his entry into the same with the memorable
glory of the time. After these tilings came Bro. John
Naverius, who then first carried the exposition of the rule
according to Pope Gregory the Ninth, who at London, at
Leicester (and) at Bristol in like manner convoked the
Brothers Novitiate in a very great multitude under
Bro. Agnellus by favour of the visitation.]
Strange to say the date of the death of Brother Agnellus,
who was the first Provincial Minister of Eugland, is not
free from doubt, but the historians of the Order state that
he died on the 13th day of March, 123|, under which date
he was placed amongst the Holy Men of the Order in the
Franciscan Martyrology. He was succeeded in the office
of Provincial Minister by Bro. Albert de Pisa (Coll. Anglo.
Mino. p. 35).

14 The Friars Minors of Bristol.

That the Friars were in residence in the year 1234, is
evidenced by an entry in the Close Rolls, of 19, Hen. IIL,
p. 1., memb. 26, " The Friars Minors of Bristol shall have
" seven cartloads of wood for their hearth, out of the Wood
" of Furch, the gift of the King." " Furch," or "Furches" was
the ancient name of a portion of Kingswood. In the year
1236, the King gave the Friars fifteen Oaks " in the Wood
of Furch"— (Claus. 20, Hen. III. memb. 9). It is not
improbable that they were at this time engaged in
the erection of buildings. At a later period the King gave
five Oaks in " Dene Forest " to the Bristol Convent (Claus.
40, Hen. III., m. 6.)
It appears that under Brother Haymo de Feversham,
who was made the third Minister Provincial of England in
1239 (Coll. Anglo. Mine, p. 44) an enlargement of the areas
of some of the Friars places was made, for he said that " he
" would rather that the brothers had increased areas, and
"should cultivate them, that they could have pottages at home
" than beg them from others." This he said on the occasion
of the enlargement of the area of the Gloucester Convent,
which before — by the neglect of Friar Agnellus — the
brethren, for the great part, had mutilated or diminished,
("mutilaverant") and afterwards with great difficulty, by Sir
Thomas de Berkeley, through the wisdom of his devoted
wife, had been restored. — (Mon. Fran., vol. I. p.p. 34, 35).
This somewhat remarkable statement has been introduced
because it correctly represents the policy afterwards pursued
by the Friars with regard to the acquisition of land for
cultivation. This declaration of policy which contains an
important modification of the Founders rule, must be
regarded as authoritative, inasmuch as Bro. Haymo was
held in such high repute that he was almost immediately
after his election, as Minister Provincial of England,

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 15
summoned to Rome, and subsequently made Minister General
of the whole order of Friars Minors,' A.D. 1240.
There was considerable activity shewn by the order in
England about this time, and towards the year 1250, in the
building of convents and the extension of areas, and at some
time before the last mentioned year, the habitation of the
Bristol Friars was changed, " Sub Fratre Willelmo mutatus
" est locus Eboraci, et similiter locus Bristollise, necnon et
" locus de Bridgewater sed et locus de Grimsby locus et
" Exonige sufficientur ampliatus." — Mon. Fran. vol. I. p. 35).
It is presumed that the change, which may have been from
a temporary shelter to a permanent home, took place under
Brother William, of Nottingham, who succeeded Brother
Haymo, as Minister Provincial of England, in 1240 ; but
it can only be safely asserted that it happened before the
year 1250, the date of the ending of the Chronicles of
Eccleston, in which the entry appears. In another Chronicle
(Lelandi Collectanea IV. p. 341) the name of William " de
Abyngdon " is mentioned as the Minister Provincial, but no
such name can be found in the list of Ministers Provincial,
given by the Historians of the order. The last mentioned
Chronicle (Lelandi Cojlectanea) contains an entry which
confirms the succession (after Bro. Haymo) of William " of
Nottingham." " Frater Haymo per unum annum ministravit
'" in Anglia, et postea in generalem electus est. Successit
" autem Vicarius suus Frater Gul de Notingham."
Dr. Brewer seems to have formed an opinion that it was
to the population in the suburbs of large towns that the
attention of the Friars was first directed, and he quotes the
fact that in London, York, Warwick, Oxford, Bristol, Lynn,
and elsewhere, the convents stood hVthe suburbs (Preface to
Mon. Fran. vol. I. p. 17). Dr. Brewer's conjecture, so far as
the Bristol Friars were concerned, is, so far as can be

16 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
ascertained, unsupported by any evidence. It is almost
inconceivable that when the Friars first came to Bristol,
they pitched their tents extra muros for the benefit of
the "Outsiders." The Friars were par excellence, the
Missionaries to the Town, and they were guided and directed
by men who possessed much worldly wisdom and insight.
They probably preferred the suburbs of Bristol because,
first, they were aware of, and desirous, if possible, to disarm
the jealousy of the secular clergy, intra muros, who, on
account of the lives they, or at least a considerable number
of them, were leading (see pref. to Mon. Fran. p.p. 16-17)
must have had grave misgivings as to the extent of their
hold upon the townsmen, whose lately acquired additional
liberty made them less amenable to the spiritual power ;
secondly, but by no means an unimportant factor in the
calculation of the Friars, there was the question of obtaining
sufficient land for cultivation. " Two of the Mendicant
" Orders (in Bristol) the Carmelites and Franciscans (White
" and Gray Friars) possessed large tracts of land near their
" convents, which were cultivated by their own labour and
" skill, as they were partly maintained by the sale of their
" produce. They taught the art of horticulture, then rarely
" known to or practised by others"(Dallaway p.128). Thirdly,
there has occurred another reason, somewhat problematical,
it must be admitted, for the selection of a site in Lewins
Mead. We have evidence before us of the friendship of the
Benedictine Monks for the Order of St. Francis. The gift
of the little Church of the Portiuncula, near Assisi, by the
Benedictine Monks of Monte Subiaco (see Intro., p. vi.); the
transportation of the Friars from France to Dover, at the
expense of the Benedictines of Fescamp (see Intro., p. ix.);
their reception by the Benedictine Monks at Canterbury
(see Intro., p. ix.), together with other marks of favour, shewn

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 17
them by the same order seem to afford an appearance of
a continuity of friendship of a sufficient character to justify
us in hazarding a conjecture that the Benedictines of St.
James's Priory were the earliest friends of the Franciscan
Friars upon their first arrival in Bristol. Herein may,
perhaps, be found the reason for the absence of any record
as to the source from which the friars obtained their lands,
gardens, orchards, &c. Diligent searches have been made
for any charter, grant, or license relating to the somewhat
large tract of land within the Friars Inclosure, but without
any result.
Of course these searches are not conclusive, but it is
impossible to help thinking, in the absence of proof to the
contrary, that the Friars were originally given the land for
their house and surroundings by the Prior and Monks of
St. James, or by the Abbey of Tewkesbury, to which
Abbey the Priory of St. James was a cell, either on their
first arrival in Bristol, or at a little later period, when
they were fairly well established. The lands of the Priory
of St. James were very extensive, and we find that both on
the Northern and the Eastern sides, at various points, the
lands of the Monks and Friars were separated only by a
narrow lane. The Wills of Bristol townsmen prove' that
certain property in Lewins Mead belonged to the Abbey of
Tewkesbury. There is some slight additional evidence of a
negative character to be found in the fact' that crown licenses,
authorizing the Friars to hold small parcels of land, not
withstanding the Statute of Mortmain (see p.p. 51 and 58)
were granted to them, but that with regard to. the larger
portion, and practically to the whole of their Inclosure, so
far as can at present be ascertained, no license was asked
for or granted. The Benedictine lands were already in
mortmain, and no crown license would have been
B

18 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
required. The date of the gift or grant of this land to the
Friars is all important in determining whether or not a
Crown license was a sine qua non. A brief summary of
what might be described as an invasion of a Benedictine
Abbey by a party of Minorites, under circumstances which
apparently justified Matthew Paris (Anno 1235) in making a
charge (the first recorded) against the English Minorites,
may not be quite irrelevant. " Under cover of darkness,"
he asserts, " they would erect a wooden altar, place it on
" a small consecrated stone slab, brought for the purpose,
" and celebrate a mass. Having thus gained an ecclesiastical
"footing, they would hear confessions, say masses, and
" even despatch messengers to Rome, to obtain substantial
"concessions. These would often be yielded by the
" monks from fear of a scandal, and from dread of
''the power already gained by the Order at the Court
"of Rome itself."— (Mon. Fran., vol. II., p. 12). But
notwithstanding the probabilities of the case, it is clear that
in the absence of any written testimony, it is impossible to
get beyond conjecture. Unfortunately, it must, we fear,
be accepted as a fact that the written records of the
Provincial Convents of Friars Minors perished when those
houses were dissolved ; but it must not be forgotten that the
Friars' records, whatever they may have been, or whatever
form they may have taken, would not, in all probability,
have extended back for a sufficient length of time to have
enabled us to obtain a complete insight into their proceed
ings in their early years, because it is almost certain that,
for some time after their establishment in Bristol, the strict
rule of poverty, which debarred them from even the
possession of writing materials, was literally observed. We
are not, however, left entirely in the dark as to the methods
adopted by those having the control of the English Province,

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 19
with a view to the development and extension of the work
of the Order.
One of the chosen methods for assisting the Friars in
their labours and studies is related by Eccleston, who tells
us that " Readers were appointed at Hereford, Leicester,
" Bristol, Cambridge, and Oxford ; and the gift of wisdom
" so overflowed in the Province of England that before the
" deposition of William of Nottingham there were as many
" as thirty lecturers in England, and a regular succession of
" them was provided in the Universities." From the samo
authority we learn that Friar Gilbert de Cranforth was
one of the readers assigned to Bristol.
The historians of the order give credit for the first
establishment of a few readers to Albert de Pisa, the second
Minister Provincial of England.
In testification of the zeal shewn by the Friars in
perfecting their organization, Eccleston informs us that
within thirty years after their arrival in England their
number in this country alone amounted to 1,242, that they
counted 49 Convents in different localities, and that,
notwithstanding the jealousy with which they were
regarded by the clergy and the Monastic Orders, the
Friars multiplied rapidly in London, Canterbury, Oxford,
Cambridge, Hereford, Lynn, and Norwich on the East, and
Bristol and Bridgwater on the West.
Brother Francis Harold, the epitomizer of Bro. Luke
Wadding's Annals of the Friars Minors, says that when
St. Bonaventure held a General Chapter of the Order at
Narbonne, in France, in the year 1258, the English Province
of Friars Minors (even in those early days) is there
reckoned to have had seven Custodies, viz. : I. London,
II. York, III. Cambridge, IV. Bristol, V. Oxford, VI. New
castle, and VII, Worcester; and Bro. Bartholoinus Pjsanus,

20 The Friars Minors ¦ of Bristol.

Anno 1399, enumerates these seven Custodies as then
comprising sixty Convents, viz. :
1. London — Custody consisted of these nine Convents,
viz.: (1) London, (2) Canterbury, (3) Winchelsea, (4)
Southampton, (5) Ware, (6) Lewes, (7) Chichester, (8)
Salisbury, and (9) Winchester.
2 York — Custody had seven Convents, viz. : (1) York,.
(2) Doncaster, (3) Lincoln, (4) Boston, (5) Beverley, (6)
Scarborough, and (7) Grimsby.
3. Cambridge — Custody had nine Convents, viz, : (1)
Cambridge, (2). Norwich, (3) Colchester, (4) Bury St.
Edmund's, (5) Dulwich, (6) Walsingham, (7) Yarmouth, (8)
Ipswich, (9) Lynn.
4. Bristol — Custody had nine Convents, viz. : (1)
Bristol, (2) Gloucester, (3) Bridgwater, (4) Hereford, (5)
Exeter, (6) Carmarthen, (7) Dorchester, (8) Cardiff, and (9)
Bodmin. 5. Oxford — Custody had eight Convents, viz. : (1)
Oxford, (2) Reading, (3) Bedford. (4) Stamford, (5) Notting
ham, (6) Northampton; (7) Leicester, and (8) Grantham.
6. Newcastle — Custody had nine Convents, viz;: (1)
Newcastle, (2) Dundee, (3) Dumfries, (4) Haddington, (5)
Carlisle, (6) Hartlepool, (7) Berwick, (8) Roxborough, and
(9) Richmond.
7. Worcester — Custody had nine Convents, viz. : (1)
Worcester, (2) Preston, (3) Bridgnorth, (4) Shrewsbury, (5)
Coventry, (6) Chester, (7) Lichfield, (8) Lancaster, and. (9)
Stafford. To these sixty Convents were subsequently added many
others,, some of them in England and some in Ireland
(Collectanea Anglo-Minoritica).
The head of a Convent was generally designated as the
Warden, but he was sometimes called the Guardian;'

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 21
Each of the Convents had a seal belonging to the office
of Warden or Guardian. In cases where the Convent was
a Custody of the Order the Warden Avas the Custos. The
seals were distinguished by the description on the rim, one
being the seal of such a Custody and the other of such a
Convent. The seal of the Bristol Convent contained a
representation of St. Anthony of Padua (Collectanea Anglo-
Minoritica). No authority can be found for the description
of the Bristol Seal, which does not appear to be in the
collection at the British Museum.
The following references to the Bristol CoiiA-ent and
Church appear in Stevens' History of Abbeys, Monas
teries, &c. :
"Bristol Monastery of Franciscans, Grey-Friars, or
" Friars-Minors in Gloucestershire.
" This house is almost buried in oblivion, there being no
" other account of it come to my knowledge but the
" following dimensions in Mr. Willis's Hist, of Abbeys,
" vol. II., p. 326. :
" The Church and Convent of the Friars of St. Francis,
" at Bristol, in Lewensmede Street, in the Parish of
" St. James, viz. :
" The Choir of the Church contains in length 28 rods or
" 50 paces.
" The breadth of the Choir contains 9 rods or 18 paces.
" The length of the Nave of the said Church, with the
" two great wings, contains 28 rods or 50 paces.
"The breadth of the said Nave, with the two wings,
" contains 27 rods or 52 paces.
" The breadth of the Belfry Square Tower contains 4
„ rods or 7 paces.
" There are four Arches in the North Aisle of the Church
" and as many in the South."

22 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
This is literally translated from the Latin, and after it
follow these words :
" Minors. The length of the Church of the Friars-
" Minors, at Bristol, contains 54 steppys ; the breadth
" contains 52 steppys."
" Now the Franciscans and the Minors being the same, as
" has often been repeated, these two accounts are of the
" same Church ; and we find that the breadth is the same,
" being in both 52 paces, however the difference is in the
" length, which plainly appears to be a mistake in the
" latter, there being no likelihood that the Church should
" be so near squai'e as to be only two paces longer than it
" was broad " (Stevens, vol. I., p. 158).
In consequence of the discrepancies in the references,
it is desirable to give an explanation. According to the
measurements of William of Worcester, given at p. 184 of
his Itinerarium, it appears that the length of the Nave was
" 64 gressibus." or 128 feet, and the Choir " 54 gressibus,"
or 108 feet ; total length, 236 feet,
The Franciscan Church is mentioned in connection with
certain procedings taken by the Bishop of Worcester, in
the year 1279, against certain persons, for infringing the
right of sanctuary (one of the privileges of the Church) by
apprehending one William de Lay, who had taken refuge
in the churchyard of St. Philip and Jacob. A part of the
punishment of the offenders was " to go from the Church
" of the Friars Minors, in Lewins Mead, to the Church of
" St. Philip and Jacob, through the streets naked except
" their breeches and shirts for four market days for
" four weeks, each receiving discipline all the way ''
(Evans, p. 66).
In the year 1334 there were ordained in this Church by
the Bishop of Worcester 73 Priests, 39 Deacons, 150 Sub-
Deacons, and 171 Acolites (Barrett, p. 400).

The Friars Minors of Bristol 23

The Convent was an important one, and belonging to it
were extensive gardens, orchards, and fishponds.
Various writers of Bristol History have stated that the
Church and Convent of the Gray friars formerly occupied
the site of the present Lewins Mead Chapel, but it is beyond
doubt that a blunder has been made. The Lewins Mead
Chapel site, the curtilage, and surroundings were originally
part and parcel of the lands belonging to the Hospital of
St. Bartholomew, which stood contiguous thereto. The
rental of St. Bartholomew lands, which now forms part of
the endowment of the Bristol Grammar School, includes the
ground rent of £5, which was reserved when the lease of
the Chapel site was granted. Researches at the Council
House, and at the offices of the Bristol Charity Trustees,
have afforded positive proof that the land referred to formed
no part of the Franciscan property. It must have been
erroneously assumed that Johnny Ball Lane (Avhich is also
called Bartholomew Lane in old records in the Council
House) formed the boundary line between the"Bartholomew"
and the Franciscan lands. Barrett was the first to print
this misleading statement, which has been copied without
investigation by successive writers. So far as it is possible
to speak with precision, it may be said that there is no
alternative but to place the Friars Church and Conventual
Buildings together with the Cemetery within the lines of
two lanes or ways in Lewins Mead, running parallel with
each other, and now designated " Blackfriars " and " White-
friars " respectively, both names of course being misnomers.
For a long period after the dissolution, the district was
described as " Grayfriars," subsequently it became " the
Friars," and some ingenious individual must have invented
the above names, possibly through ignorance, but certainly
with an utter disregard of the history of the locality. As

The Friars Minors of Bristol.

a consequence many people have been led -to believe that
the Dominicans (Blackfriars), and the Carmelites (White-
friars), in former times occupied or owned land in Lewins
Mead, which is contrary to the fact. This popular delusion
has. without doubt, materially assisted to keep the Grayfriars
and their convent in obscurity. With regard to the position
of the Cemetery, the first account of Jeremy Green, to whom
the property of the Friars was leased after the dissolution
(see copy account p. 93) contains the following reference to
the Cemetery, " For farm of Cemetery on the West side of
" the Church of the said house abutting on a street called
" Lewens Mede." It has been ascertained that, about fifteen
or sixteen years ago, in making some excavations at the
rear of an extensive warehouse in Lewins Mead, at that time
in the occupation of Messrs. Gardner, Thomas & Co., (but
which was formerly in the occupation of Messrs. Ford &
Canning) the workmen employed found in the north
east part a large quantity of human bones. These
were from time to time dug up and sold, but the
sale Avas eventually stopped in consequence of the
marine store dealers ha\ring " declined to buy any more
human bones." It appears, also, that when this warehouse
was rebuilt, in the year 1851, some human bones were found
in several places, and a few years afterwards, in carrying a
drain through the Avarehouse to the main sewer in Lewins
Mead, a further discovery was made of bones, and the
remains of oak coffins. (The positions where these dis
coveries were made have been pointed out by persons who
were present). There can be no doubt that this extensive
Avarehouse includes within its walls the site of the Cemetery.
Had the records of the Convent been in existence, we should
probably have found the names of great and rich people
who were-here buried. It is recorded that Eleanor Percy,'

the Friars Minors of Bristol. 25
daughter of Henry, Earl of Northumberland, and widow of
Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, who Avas beheaded
by Hen. VIII., by her Will, date 24th June, 1518, bequeathed
her heart to be buried in the Church of the Grayfriars, at
London, and her body in the Grayfriars at Bristol. —
(Nichols Col. Top. vol. 5, p. 276). In Pryce's History of
Bristol- (p. 53), it is stated that in the year 1851, there Avas
found in this Avarehouse " a part of the upper portion of a
" beautiful square-headed Perpendicular English window,
" which shews that some of the buildings Avhich stood here
" must have been erected after the year 1400" The extract
from the account of Jeremy Green, enables us to place the
Church with some likelihood of accuracy to the East of this
warehouse, and in all probability a portion stood at the
North-Eastern corner, at which point there is a piece of
land which forms part of the Warehouse, but Avhich extends
beyond the main West Avail thereof. At the time the ground
was disturbed about 15 or 16 years ago, a considerable
quantity of bones were dug up at this point, and
during the progress of the alterations a piscina Avas
discovered. It has been ascertained by actual perusal of deeds relating
to portions of property now forming part- of the Avarehouse
of Messrs. Champion & Co., in LeAvins Mead, that the Friars
Orchard was located in this part of the Mead, and extended
some distance back in a Northerly direction, and that the
land beyond, and extending to Upper Maudlin Street
(formerly Maudlin lane), was originally the gardens of the
Convent. There is a tradition, which is confirmed by living
witnesses, that an Eastern wall of a portion of the
conventual buildings had loopholes and embattlements.
This wall, or some part of it; has been incorporated Avith, ¦
and forms part of certain houses on the West side of the

26 The Priars Minors of Bristol.
way or lane, known as " Whitefriars," and it is in close
proximity to a place called " Friar's Court." The prison of
the convent may have been located in the building of which
the embattled wall originally formed part. That the con\rent
was a strong place is borne out by one of the records of the
Berkeley family, quoted by Dugdale. It appears that James
Lord Berkeley, nephew of Thomas, 12th Lord Berkeley,
who died in 1416, claimed by right Berkeley Castle, but he
was opposed in his claim by Margaret, eldest daughter of
the Earl of Warwick, and wife of John Talbot, Earl of
Shrewsbury. She having corrupted Rice Tewe, the porter
of the Castle, procured ingress for her son, Lord Lisle, with
a number of armed men, who seized Lord James and his
four sons and kept them in prison eleven weeks, and
eventually carried them with strong guards into the Gray
friars at Bristol — (Dugdale Baron. 1363). In Smyth's "Lives
of the Berkeleys," it is stated that they were " brought to
the Gray fryars at Bristoll with great multitude of people
warlike arrayed." By virtue of one of the rules of the
order, it was necessary, in order to deal with refractory
members, that prisons should be constructed, but the incident
given by Dugdale goes to shew that the prison of the Bristol
Convent was at times put to a use other than that for
which it was originally intended. The fortifying or
strengthening of places in the country or the suburbs of a
town calls to mind the insecurity of life and property during
the reigns of Henry III and several succeeding Kings, in
consequence of the frequency of predatory attacks by mid
night marauders. Might was right in country districts
At Oxford the Grayfriars had built their convent just
outside the city wall, and King Hen. Ill, by Letters Patent,
authorized them to enclose certain land, situate between the
convent and the city, " so that a wall with battlements, like

The Priars Minors of Bristol. 27
" the rest of the wall of Oxford, be draAvn about the
" habitation aforesaid." The best evidence of the state of the
country in the reign of Edward I. is to be found in the
recitals and enactments of the Statute of Winchester (13
Edw. I). In consequence of "murders, maimings, robberies,
and thefts," the gates of a Availed town were to be shut at
9 p.m., and watched until sunrise. No one, unless his host
would be responsible for him, Avas allowed to remain in the
suburbs at night. Highways to market towns were to be
widened " so that there be neither dyke, tree, nor bush,
" Avhereby a man may lurk to do hurt Avithin tAvo hundred
" feet of the one side, and two hundred feet of the other side,"
and all persons Avere compelled to have Aveapons in their
houses " according to the quantity of their lands and goods,
" for maintenance of the peace according to the Statute."
Another Act of the same reign, contains further provisions
on the subject, and it declares that " robberies, burnings,
" and manslaughter " were committed, and the peace little
observed. In an Act of 5, Edw. Ill, the midnight marauders
were referred to as " Roberdesmen, Wastors, and Draw
" Latches." There are records in existence which prove
that some of the lawless bands committed some rather
daring exploits.
The outer boundaries of the Friars Inclosure were stone
walls (see p.p. 95 and 96). The northern wall f olloAved some
thing approaching to the present line of the street known
as Upper Maudlin Street, although a considerable strip of
the land originally within the inclosure now forms part of the
street. The street was originally called Maudlin Lane, the
name being a corruption of " Magdalen," and was so named
from its proximity to the Nunnery of St. Mary Magdalen,
which stood on or adjacent to the site of that well-known
hostelry, "The King David," noAv (December, 1892,) in

28 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
course of re-erection. The street or lane Avas probably
one of the original Church paths to the Priory of
St. James. The Avail on. the eastern side fronted a portion
of the lane or street noAv known as Lower Maudlin Street,
but Avhich was formerly knoAvn as Lower Maudlin Lane,
and in former times probably formed part of the " Priors'
Lane " (see p. 29). Here again it must be remembered that
large slices of the original inclosure have from time to
time been added to the street, Avhich makes it difficult to
accurately trace the original line. During the recent
demolition of a house at the eastern corner of
Lewins Mead and LoAver Maudlin Street an opportunity
was afforded for examining an ancient archway
(the only old portion of the building, and Avhich
apparently was incorporated with and used as a foundation
for the modern house), which, judging from appearances, may
have originally formed the eastern entrance, or one of the
entrances, to the Franciscan Inclosure. The archway was
quite Avide and high enough to admit of the passage
beneath it of a cart or wagon. From the eastern or Lewins
Mead angle there is very little difficulty in tracing the
southern line of the Friars Avail with some degree of
accuracy, because it is certain that it abutted on Lewins
Mead, and there are plans iii existence which giATe
approximately the ancient lines of this side of the Mead.
The conjectural plan anneA-rel is founded on a portion of-
Mr. Godwin's plaD, from which has been eliminated the
land which clearly never belonged to the Friars. The plan
now correctly represents (as near as may be) the extent of
the Friars walled Inclosure as it existed at the date of the
dissolution of the Convent and in the days of .William
Wycestre, from whose Itinerarium the following references
have been transcribed :

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 29
" Via in Parochia Sancti Jacobi in occidentali . parte
" ecclesiae Sancti Jacobi prope portam principalem introitus
" ad prioratem Sancti Jacobi et partem muri orientalem
" fratrum Sancti Francisci " (William Wycestre, Nasmith's
Edition, p. 212).
[A street in the Parish of St. James on the west side of
the Church of St. James, near the principal gate of entry
to the Priory of St. James, and on the east side of the Avail
of the Friars of St. Francis.]
" Venella magna A7ocat le pryour ys lane Sancti Jacobi
" quae apud le style in angulo cornerii de Lewynsmede
" usque ad murum extremum directum super Montague
" Hill, eundo per murum fratrum Sancti Francisci ex una
" parte et murum monacorum ex orientali, continet usque
" returnum ad montem Sancti Michaelis directa linea
" 360 gressus, scilicet sic retornando venellam ad ecclesiam
" Sancti Michaelis per continuacionem dicta venellse A'ersus
" occidentem" (William Wycestre, Nasmith's Edition,
p. 189).
[Great lane called the lane of the Prior of St. James,
Avhich, at the stile in the angle of the corner of Lewinsmead
up to the outermost straight wall upon Montague Hill, in
going by the wall of the friars of St. Francis on the- one
side and the Avails of the monks on the east, contains, as
far as the return to the hill of St. Michael in a straight
line, 360 paces ; that is to say, in so returning the lane to
the Church of St. Michael by continuation of the said lane
toAvards the Avest.]
[Note. — The description, " Montague Hill," in 1480, Avas
probably applied to the whole of the hilly ground extending
to Kingsdown. It certainly did not represent the road or
hill now known by that name. It is believed that the
" Prior's Lane " commenced at the eastern end of Lewins

30 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
Mead, and included a portion of the lane now called
" Alfred Hill."]
" Venella a capite anguli muri fratrum minorum vocat
'" le pryour lane monachorum in parte occidentali sic eundo
" ad montem Sancti Michaelis versus ejus ecclesiam usque
" ad locum et montem vocat Styp Strete prope fontem de
" frestone, continet — gressus" (William Wycestre, Nasmith's
Edition, p. 189).
[Lane from the head corner of the wall of the Friars
Minors called the lane of the Prior of the Monks on the
west side, so in going to the hill of St. Michael towards his
(sic) Church up to the place called '¦ Styp Strete," near the
Avell of " frestone," contains paces.]
" Via longa, si\re venella. de fine vias Lewenysmede
" ex opposite cimiterii Sancti Jacobi, eundo per hostium
" prioris religionum dictse ecclesise, et sic continuando ad
" extremam partem dictse visa venellse per muros gardinorum
" fratrum Sancti Francisci ad quendam montem acutum in
"boriali parte dictse vise extrema, et retornando per aliud re-
" tornum via3ducentis versus montem ecclesiae Sancti Michaelis
" continet dicta via sive venella erecta 300 gressus. Et
" retornum dictse vise ad partem orientalem per murum
" dictorum fratrum minorum usque ad venellam eundo ad
" ecclesiam Sancti Michaelis, et sic continuando directe
" orientaliter usque ad altam crucem petrse erectse de
" frestone cum fonte clausa de frestone ad altiorem, finem
" vise veniente de Ecclesia Sancti Bartholomei vocatum
" Stype Street, continet 600 gressus " (William Wycestre,
Nasmith's Edition, p. 212).
[Long Street or Lane, from the end of Lewinsmead Street,
opposite the churchyard of St. James, in going by the
small door or gate of the Prior of the religious of the said
church, an4 in so continuing to the fay side of the sajol

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 31
street or lane by the walls of the gardens of the Friars of
St. Francis to a certain sharp hill on the extreme north
part of the said street, and in returning by another return
of the street leading towards the hill of the Church of
St. Michael, contains in the said street or lane made
straight 300 paces. And the return of the said street to
the east side by the Avail of the said Friars Minors up to a
lane in going to the Church of St. Michael, and in so
continuing directly eastAvard up to the high cross of stone,
built of " frestone," Avith a well enclosed Avith "frestone," to
the higher end of the street coming from the Church of
St. Bartholomew, called "Stype Street," contains 600 paces.]
These references and measurements are given for what
they are worth; they are certainly of some value, and
afford information on certain points which, but for the
industry of William Wycestre, would have been lost for
ever. A careful examination of the district situated between
the present northern line of the street called Lewins Mead
and an imaginary line drawn through Upper Maudlin
Street will give some slight idea of the advantages which
the Friars enjoyed by. reason of the situation of their
inclosure. They possessed a broad tract of land, well
sheltered from the north, containing naturally formed
plateaus and gentle slopes, lying open to the south, Avhich
were particularly favourable for early and profitable
culture. The soil of a portion of the land abutting on
Lewins Mead was alluvial, and the Friars had under their
dominion a bounteous supply of water, which, by reason of
its rise in the higher land, could be carried at their will to
any part of their inclosure, and the river below afforded
every facility for drainage. These natural advantages

S2 .The Friars Minors of Bristol.
' were ' of no small importance to men who derived a
substantial portion of their sustenance from the cultivation
by their oAvn hands of land which was held in common for
their benefit, and it does not entail any great stretch of the
imagination- to picture a little community of contented
bachelors! living in the suburbs in a snug sheltered
position, among pleasant surroundings, and in the possession
of almost- everything, that Avould be likely to conduce to
sound bodily health and tranquility of mind. >
The remains of the Avork and buildings of the Friars Avhich
still exist may be briefly, described as I'oIIoavs :
1, The conduit head and reservoir, situate under certain
land and houses on the north side of Upper Maudlin Street,(*)
with the leaden pipes and arched subways. The leaden
•main pipe remains in its original position under a portion of
the land formerly the gardens of the Friars, but Avhich noAv
forms the burial ground attached to the Moravian Chapel,
and is continued under a portion of the premises occupied
in connection with the Board School. At this point (t) it is
carried underneath the steps leading from the Board School
to LeAvins Mead, thence the -water is conveyed, via, Lewins
Mead (the line of which is followed as far as the LeAvins Mead
Chapel, and outside the courtyard of this building there is a
stop-cock) St. John's Bridge, Christmas Street, Broad Street,
and Corn Street to the tap in All Saints' Lane, adjoining
the Church. Mr. William Scott LaAvrence, Avho formerly
carried on an extensive business as a plumber, states that
(*) The main reservoir is constructed about 93 feet from the pa\'ement
on the north side oF the street, and there are three filter beds between it
and the street. There is a branch subway, about 330 feet in length, with
a reservoir and two filter beds. The main supply passes through beds of
ironstone under the gardens of houses in Bedford Tlace.
(t)It is probable that the All Saints' branch pipe was here connected
to the main, and the branch conduit constructed at the expense' of the
parishioners.

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 33
the subterranean archway and the arrangements for the
collection and storage of the water, together with the
outfall for the overflow, are of an excellent character, and
are splendid examples of the work of the Friars ; and he
also speaks with enthusiasm of the solidity of the work
in connection Avith the Carmelite's (now St. John's)
conduit. Mr. Lawrence, who is now over 80 years of age
and quite hale and hearty, has known these two conduits
ever since his boyhood, and his earliest recollections, as an
apprentice, includes a journey through the subterranean
passage of the Carmelite's conduit, which is constructed under
Park Street.
2. A building situate at the foot of the steps leading
from the Board School to Lewins Mead (on the left or
eastern side going from the school to Lewins Mead), the walls
of which are in a fair state of preservation. This building,
Avhich runs north and south, has been structurally altered
by the addition of floors, partitions, windows, &c, and is
now divided into tAvo dwelling houses under one roof. Mr. T.
S. Pope's measurements are 31 feet 6 inches by 11 feet
6 inches in the clear, and the heighth, from ground floor to
apex of roof in the clear, is about 29 feet. There appears
to have been an outer hall or lobby at the back of the
building, from which apparently access from the ground
floor to the land on the higher level was gained by means
of a flight of steps. Portions of the wall of this outer hall
still exist, and on the higher level there are the remains of
an original wall and buttress. There seems to be very
little doubt that the old building Avas divided by a floor
into two apartments. The upper one, which probably
constituted the hall of the Friars, Avas reached by stairs
built between the two existing Avails,* and it was lighted
from- the west by two pointed Gothic windows
* The stairs were lighted from the east by a small window. See sketch No.14.

34 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
of similar design. These Avindows have been recently
revealed as a consequence of a careful examination of the
old building. Mr. Pope (Avho has kindly made a sketch of
one of them) considers them to be of the late fourteenth
century date, and the mouldings (see sketch, No. 6) sheAV
them to be of good type, The tracery is about 6 inches
thick with moulded rear arches, which are particularly
good. The roof, a portion of Avhich has been shut out from
sight by the addition of a modern ceiling, is pointed or
wagon-headed. The oak cornice and ribs are in an
excellent state of preservation, and the mouldings, (see
sketches, Nos. 1 and 2) are very interesting as specimens of
early work not often met Avith. There are the remains of
an original stone chimney on the inner side of the west
wall (see sketch, No. 8). There is a curious little air inlet
on the Avestern side, which gives a character to the roof.
In the wall of the lower apartment, facing east, there are
the remains of a Avindow (see sketch, No. 10). It cannot be
stated Avith certainty to what use the lower apartment Avas
applied, and it must be left open for persons visiting the
place to form their oavu opinion. The main walls of the
building average about two feet in thickness.
Having regard to the discovery of the remains of
" a beautiful square-headed Perpendicular English window"
(ante p. 25) in an adjoining warehouse, Ave may reasonably
conclude that the Friars must have reconstructed some of
their buildings towards the end of the 14th century or the
early part of the 15th. The old building partly stands on
a large ATault or cellar (Avhich runs east and west), the
present entrance to which is not the original one. During
the progress of the alterations in the large warehouse
(ante. p. 24) an underground passage was discovered, which
converged towards the cellar, but no attempt was made to

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 35
trace its course beyond the north Avail of the warehouse,
Avhicli stands AArithin a feAv yards of the present entrance
to the cellar. Some stone steps Avere also discovered Avhich
seemed to indicate that the Friars had an entrance to the
cemetery from the upper level.
Mr. Robert Hall Warren, avIio has for a long period
taken an active interest in archseological matters relating to
the City, states that, about 35 years ago, the late Mr. E. W.
Godwin, F.S.A., a Avell-known and enthusiastic antiquary,
informed him that he had " discovered the roof of the
" Dormitory of the Gray Friars," of whose conventual
buildings it had been thought not a A7estige remained. The
tAvo gentlemen subsequently visited Lewins Mead and
made an inspection of the building Avhich Mr. Warren
thinks Avas " a house directly on the street (Lewins Mead),
" but he is in doubt whether the roof ran east and west or
"north and south." Mr. Godwin's measurements of the
apartment have been preserved. The size Avas 31 feet by
11 feet 6 inches, which is practically the result of Mr. Pope's
measurements of the building at the foot of the steps,
The late Mr. Godwin made some sketches of the roof
referred to, and, from tracings supplied by Mr. Warren (see
sketches, Nos. 12, 12a & 12b), it will be observed that the
sections represent work of a different period to that of the
roof of the building beloAV the steps, of which sketches have
been kindly supplied by Mr. Pope. It is quite possible, there
fore, that Mr. Godwin's sketches Avere taken from a
buildinsr in LeAvins Mead which has since been demolished,
and that the remarkable similarity in the measurements is
only a coincidence. It should be remembered that it Avas
quite usual to adopt the same moulding in different
buildings, and to reproduce new work from sketches of
earlier buildings. Mr. John Reynolds (a well-known

36 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
authority on Archaeology) states that many years since he
visited the building discovered by Mr. GodAvin, and he
(Mr. R.) has a strong recollection that it Avas a house on the
northern side of LeAvins Mead, and that the entrance to it
was directly on the street.
3. There is a passage Avhicli commences underneath a
house belonging; to the Moravian Trustees, which house almost
DO '
adjoins the last described building. On opening the kitchen
floor it Avas found that there was a long covered way under the
ground floor. The sides are constructed of large stones put
together without mortar or cement, but the arch (which is of
considerable extent) is very strongly formed of thick stone
and cement. In the south wall of the house (underneath
the kitchen) there is an arch (see sketch, No. 11) which has
been partly filled in Avith debris, but it is about 5 feet in
heighth. It is possible that this passage, Avhich is carried
under other houses in the direction of the river, was used to
carry off the overflow of a portion of the Avater supply of the
Convent. The underground passage and arch Avere probably
constructed in the 14th century. The house is, however,
of much .later date, and is of the Jacobian style of architec
ture.

- Stairs to upper F/oori
Plan of Old Building

f

Janjb of Old WindoW.

Old Stoiye Chimney.

HEAD &f WltfPOW \fi ^dJLLE.K.V

41

UplDE^gi^OuND PAS£/\G£

Old Window in Stairs.

DETAILS of R.00F (oper/ Tinjber)
rVaijeijcarj Friarj, JS^Tol.

CONJECTURAL PLAK.
Kjohn aflsJI La,n& otherwise Johnny Ball iane.

Chapter II.

)HE difficulties to be encountered by the Avould-be
historian of the houses of all or any of the
Mendicant Friars in Bristol, or elsewhere, are well-known
to antiquaries, and to those avIio have made a study of
the subject. In the particular case of the Friars Minors, it
is believed that, Avith the exception of the London Convent,
no record of the English houses exists, hence the difficulty
in obtaining accurate and trustworthy information of the
history of the provincial Convents and Churches.
The destruction of the various documents relating to the
ConATentual houses, together Avith the MS. books, which repre
sented the almost inA'aluable literary labours of the Friars,
is much to be deplored, and is regarded by many persons,
whose opinions are entitled to consideration, to have been
one of the most unjustifiable acts of those to whom the Avork
connected with the suppression of the religious establish
ments was entrusted. Any attempt, therefore, to deal with
the history of a provincial Convent of Friars Minors
necessitates searches amongst the State rolls and records,
which must be regarded for all practical purposes as the
principal sources from Avhicli information can be obtained.
Items of information relating to a particular Convent are
to be found in unexpected places, but the searches connected
therewith involve a considerable sacrifice of time. The

44 The Friars Minors of Bristol
Chronicles of the thirteenth century occasionally throAV a
little light on the subject, but having regard to the scanty
materials in existence, much information of a reliable
character cannot be expected.
One of the earliest public acts to which the Friars Minors
devoted themselves Avas the "preaching" and promoting the
crusades, and one of these Avas preached by them in the
year 1234, in conjunction Avith the Friars Preachers (the
Dominicans or Black Friars). The Rev. C. F. R. Palmer
(of St. Dominies Priory, London), Avho is the greatest
living authority on the history of the Friars Preachers of
England, having been appealed to for information, has sent
the following reply : " It is certain that, in conjunction
" Avith the Friars Preachers, the Friars Minors were active
" in proclaiming the matter of the Holy Land throughout
" the length and breadth of the kingdom." In connection
with the preaching of the Crusade in 1250-1 certain letters
patent Avere committed to the care of Prior de Aldesworth,
of the Bristol Friars Preachers, in which the King made a
distinct promise in order to remove a misapprehension
which had arisen as to the liability of persons assuming the
Cross (Pat. Roll. 35, Henry III., m. 13). Several reliable
Chronicles of the Thirteenth Century couple the two
orders of Friars on A'arious occasions when it was ordered
that a Crusade should be preached (MattheAV Paris.
Chronica Majora, vol. IV., p. 287. Annales de Theoksberia,
A.D. 1252. Wyke Chronican, A.D. 1268).
In the absence of the records of the Bristol House we
are left without a list of the Wardens, but occasionally the
name of one of these office holders is found in some out-of-
the-way place. We are enabled to give the name of a
Warden who held office in Bristol in the latter part of the
thirteenth century, together with a little information aa

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 45
to his family, from an old Register at present in the
Bishop's Registry at Hereford.
It appears by the Register of Richard de Swynfield, Avho
Avas Bishop of Hereford betAveen A.D, 1282 and A.D. 1316,
that Thomas de Swynfield Avas Warden of the Bristol
Convent of Friars Minors (Reg, SAvn. f. 62 b). Members of
the SA\*ynfield (othei"AATise Swinfield or Swenfield) family
were patrons of the Franciscans, and one of them held an
office which, generally speaking, Avas conferred on the most
distinguished men of the order. In the list of " Mimstri
Provinciales Angliae " (M.S. Cottonian Nero, A., ix., f. 102)
appears the folloAving entry, " Septimus Minister. Petrus
de SAvenfield, jacet Leycestrise." Richard de SAvynfield was,
prior to his appointment to the see of Hereford, in high
favour with Thomas de Cantilupe, the then occupant of the
Bishopric, whom he succeeded. Bishop Cantilupe, died at
CiA'ita Vecchia, on the 25th of August, 1282, in the presence
of Richard de Swynfield, who had been at Rome Avith the
Bishop, and with whom he was on his way back to England.
Shortly after his return to England, Richard de SAvynfield
was appointed to the vacant see, Avhich he held for thirty-
three or thirty-four years. Bishop Swynfield was a patron
of the Franciscans, and the records preserved at the Hereford
Diocesan Registry prove that he was a donor of small gifts
to several convents of the order, and that he had evinced
much interest in the Hereford Convent, Avhich was comprised
in the Bristol Custody, of which Thomas de Swynfield was
the Warden and Custos. The Franciscans at this period,
could justly boast that their order contained the names of
some of the most learned men of the day. The Rev. John
Webb in his work on the Swynfield " Roll of household
expenses," gives a true description of the then state of the
Franciscan order, and it is ad visable to quote his OAvn words :—

46 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
"Pope Nicholas III, Avho died in 1280, made more Bishops
" from among them (the Franciscans) than from any other
" order, and they could boast of many persons of eminence
" in character, ability, and station. At the time immediately
" under consideration, the reigning Pontiff, Nicholas IV , the
" late and the present Archbishop, with other Churchmen of
" rank were Minorites. There is some probability, though
" the evidence on Avhich it rests is rather inferential than
" direct, that SAvynfield (the Bishop) himself may have been
" of that order, for it is plain that he shewed them tokens of
" marked attention." — (Abstract and Illustrations of Roll,
p.p. 62-3).
The ReAr. T. P. Wadley, in his valuable book on " Bristol
Wills," quotes a curious entry found by him in the Worcester
Diocesan Records : " 1308, 12th Kal. Jan. Brother Thomas
" de Canyngges, of the Order of Friars Minors, Avas ordained
" priest by the Bishop of Worcester, in the Parish Church
" of ' Foleham ' Diocese of London."
[Note. — The jurisdiction of the Bishop of Worcester was
at this period very extensive, and included Bristol].
The name of Thomas de Canynge appears in a list of
" Fratrum Minorum Magistri Cantabrigire " as follows :
" Quadragesimus Octavus frater Thomas de Canynge."
[Note. — A century and a half later Ave shall find that
William Canynge was a benefactor of the Friars Minors of
Bristol both by Deed (see p. 61) and by Will (see p. 63).
The only other item of local interest in the list of "Fratrum
Minorum Magistri Cantabrigise " is the following, viz. : —
" Sexagesimus Secundus frater Willielmus Dormyntone de
" Custodia Bristollise."— (Cott, MS. Nero, A. ix., f. 78).
The Chronicles of the order contain the names of several
Friars of the Bristol custody, Avho were selected to hold the
important office of Minister Provincial. Under the heading
" Mi nistri Provinciales An glice" the following names occur, viz.:

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 47

" Vicesimus Minister, frater Johannes de Went, Doctor
"theologise Oxonioe decustodia Bristol le, et jacet Herefordia'."
"Tricesimus quartus Minister, frater Johannes David,
" Doctor theologia? et de custodia Bristolle."
" Tricesimus septimus Ministre, Frater Thomas Radnor,
"sacrse theologiae doctor, de custodite Bristolle, et de conventu
" Herefordia;."— (M.S. Nero, a ix, f. 102).
In the list of learned Franciscans of the reign of Edward
III, occurs the name of Thomas Staneshaw, or Stanshawe,
of Bristol. Brother Stanshawe Avas called to Avignon, and
became a penitentiary (i.e., one Avho prescribes the rules
and measures of penance). He died at Avignon in the year
1346. — (Collectanea Anglo-Minoritiea, anno 1346).
In the year 1485, Brother Thomas Whitefield Avas custos
of the custody of Grayfriars, Bristol. — (Barrett p. 400).
The Convent possessed a valuable and an almost
unlimited supply of pure water, which passes under
houses and gardens in a northerly direction, from a
subterranean passage AA'hich extends under Upper Maudlin
Street, in which street there are tAVO entrances thereto by
means of iron doors, one of which is inserted in the pave
ment just outside the Moravian Chapel courtyard, and the
other in the pavement on the opposite or North side of
the street.
There has been discovered in the Record Office a very
interesting Petition, written in Norman French, Avhich
appears to have been presented by the Friars to King
Edward III, as to this eonduit. This petition contains a
recital that the land, &c, had been given to the Friars in
the reign of Edward I, by Joan, the Avidow of John de
Lediard. The John de Lediard referred to was Mayor of
Bristol in the year 1277, Avhich circumstance serves as some
slight guide to the date of the grant, which must, of course,

48 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
have been some time after his year of mayoralty. The
curious mode by Avhich the gift was made to the Friars
calls fur observation. They were debarred by the rules of
St. Francis from holding property, but an easy and simple
plan of getting over the difficulty had been discovered in the
very earliest days of the English Province of the order. At
Canterbury, London, Oxford, Cambridge, and other towns,
land, and sometimes money, had been vested in the
Corporation in trust for the Friars. The simplicity of the
transactions very probably diverted attention from the
boldness of the innovation thus made in the then existing
laws relating to real property. The vesting of land in the
Commonalty ,in trust for the brethren of a particular convent,
rather points to a realisation on a limited scale of the
socialistic suggestion of which much has been lately heard.
that all land and property should be A-ested in the State or
Commonalty. The grant by Joan de Lediard to the Bristol
Friars Avas not made to the Corporation, but another and
equally effective device was found for carrying out her pious
wish to benefit the Friars. The grant was made to the
King (EdAvard I) to the use of the Friars in perpetual
Almoigne (free alms,) the result of which, notwithstanding
any reservation in the license afterwards granted by King
Edward III, would most probably have been that the Friars
were absolved from the suits and services (if any) usually
made and rendered to the lord of the particular fee, and
which were incidental to the tenure of land under the feudal
system. The chief lord or lords of the fee Avere in many
cases deprived of their legal rights, in consequence of grants
in Almoigne or Frankalmoigne, and the excuse given by the
Church was, that the masses and religious services performed
by the grantees Avere far more profitable, and of more last
ing advantage, than any fines, heriots, escheats,, or _earthly

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 49
services could afford to the lords, who were, to a certain
extent, practically compelled to submit to the power of
the Church. It is somewhat curious that one of the first
inroads on the feudal tenures should have been made by
the Church. The Friars continued to hold the land, conduit,
and fountain Avithout any apparent interruption until the
year 1375 (48 Edward III,) but it appears by the petition
at that time presented by the Friars to the King that they
were in a state of doubt as to the validity of their title,
which may have been occasioned by an omission to secure
the confirmation of the grant by the heir of Joan de Lediard.
They appear to have made no prior application for the
King's license to hold &c, notwithstanding the Statute
against grants of land to religious houses. But Avhatever
may have been the reason for the friars' petition, the prayer
was acceded to, as will be seen by the license or con
firmation of the King, and their title Avas thus rendered
complete. The license or confirmation serves to illustrate
the way in which the Friars got rid of the little difficulties
presented alike by the rule of the order, and the Statute of
Mortmain. Apart, however, from the Statute, the trans
action affords an apt illustration of the absurdity of the
strict rule of St. Francis, for what possible harm could there
have been in the acceptance by the Friars of the particular
parcel of land, the possession of Avhich was necessary to
secure to them a supply of pure water, one of the essentials
to their existence, and also of the greatest importance, as
the means of keeping the ponds in which they preserved
fish for their use, properly supplied Avith water.
The conduit, which has been now running for six
centuries, is the present source of supply of the All Saints'
Conduit, as to which Barrett says, "In 1400 the Grand
" Prior and Proctor of the Priory of St. James granted the

50 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
" Parishioners a little conduit of water to which the spring
" rising in Prior's Orchard (noAv Bird's Garden) was
'' conveyed, and thence in leaden pipes underground to a
"public cistern in Corn Street for the use of the City."
Barrett gives no authority for this statement, nor does he
quote any document in verification of his statement. Very
frequently the historian quotes from original documents,
adding in many cases the Avords " penes me," but in this
instance the words do not appear, and we are afforded no
clue as to the source from Avhich the information was
obtained. If it were not for the existence of this statement
as to the source of the supply to the All Saints' Conduit,
there Avould be little or no hesitation in saying that the
water was conveyed, either before or after the dissolution
of the Convent, by an extension of the leaden pipes to
All Saints' Parish. It is not improbable that it Avas after
the dissolution, and when the conventual property
together with the conduit and streams of water belonging
thereto had passed into the hands of the Corporation, that
a better supply of water than the then existing supply
being available for All Saints' parish, it was thought
advisable to extend the pipes, and carry thither the water.
This is precisely what happened at Stafford, the conduit of
the Grey Friars having, after the dissolution, been used for
the purpose of conveying the water into the town.
Barrett's history, while it certainly contains much valuable
and original information, is so full of misleading and
incorrect statements that it is difficult for those engaged in
original researches connected Avith the history of the city
to know what to accept or what to reject. The words
" Grand Prior and Proctor " in Barrett's description of the
alleged gift of the Conduit are of very doubtful origin,
especially the prefix " Grand." A concise description of the
Conduit has been already given (ante p. 32).

The Friars Minor* of Bristol. 51
(Copy Petition from the Friars Minors of Bristol to
King Edavard III.)
" A iire t'sredoute f'{1) nre f le Roi supplient ses pou'es
" orators ff'reres Meno's de Bristuyt q come vne Johane de
" Lydiard q iadis f eust la feme Johan de Lydiard de Bristuyt
" iadis dona p sa chartre a touj iours a noble Roi EdAvard
" fil3 a Roy Hcnr vre pgenito1' au oeps des ffreres meno's de
" mesme la ville en ppetuele almoigne vne rode de Pre
" ensemblement oue la fonteyn del ewe viue 1 la conduit as
" dit3 freres en les suburbes de Bristuyt a auoir 1 tenir pr
" chanP chescun an deus messes p1' lalme du dite Johane 1
" les ancesPs nre f le Roy les queles freres adonqes
" supposant3 le dit doun estre seure 1 sufficeant entrerent
" mesme la Pre t teii p v'tue del dit chartre \ issint ils 1 lous
" successours ount tenu3 T: occupe3 les dites Pres 1 ten 3
" depuis en cea saun3 autre licence ou garante p quoi plese
" a vre Psnoble 1 Psg5ciouse fie g5unP as dit3 freres vne
" chartre de pdon del dit Pspas et outre qils puissent tenir
" meisme la Pre t ten3 a eux 1 a lor successours pr priere pr
" vous % vos rjgenitors Tt pv la dite Johane solone lentente du
" dit feffement saun3 empeschement a tou3 iours en oeu'e
" de charite.
" [Endorsed] Ceste bille fust g5nte p nre f le Roy."
(Copy of King's License as to the Land, Conduit, &c.)
Extracted from Patent Roll 48, Edward III., Part 1,
memt. 2.

"For the Friars Minors of Bristol.
" The King to all to Avhom, &c, greeting. Know ye that
" whereas a certain Joan de Lidiard formerly the wife of
" John de Lidiard of Bristol lately by her charter demised
(1) Seigneure,

52 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
" and granted to EdAvard son of King Henry formerly King
" of England our grandfather and to his heirs one rood of land
" with the appurtenances in the suburbs of Bristol together
" with the fountain of fresh water and the conduit to the
" use of the Friars Minors of the town of Bristol in free
" pure and perpetual alms to celebrate yearly two masses
" for the soul of the said Joan and for the souls of her
" husband and ancestors and of our ancestors former Kings
" of England for all secular services and demands for ever
" as in the charter aforesaid more fully is contained : And
" now the said Friars have prayed us that whereas they
" and their predecessors had entered upon the said land
" fountain and conduit aforesaid by virtue of the demise
" and grant aforesaid so made to our said grandfather for
" the said Friars and for their use and had possessed them
" up to the present time hoping that they were sufficiently
" valid and secure for them for the reasons aforesaid that
" we Avould be willing to pardon their transgressions
" committed in this matter and moreover grant that they
¦• may have and hold to them and their successors for ever
" the said land fountain and conduit aforesaid with the
" appurtenances in the form aforesaid : We from reverence
"to God and in order that the masses aforesaid may be
" yearly celebrated by the said Friars in their house there
" for the souls aforesaid according to the pious intent of
" the said Joan in the form aforesaid of our special grace
" have pardoned the transgressions done in the premises
" willing and granting for us and our heirs as much as in
"us lies that the said Friars and their successors may
" have and hold the said land fountain and conduit with
"the appurtenances to them and their successors to
" celebrate the said masses for the said souls in the form
" aforesaid for ever without let or impediment of us or

The Friars Minors of Bristol 53

" our heirs or our justices escheators sheriffs or other our
" bailiffs or ministers whatsoever. Notwithstanding the
" statute published for not putting lands and tenements in
" mortmain. Saving nevertheless to the chief lords of that
'' fee the services thereof due and accustomed.
" In witness whereof, &c.
" Witness the King at Westminster the 14th day of August."
The Friars were also the possessors of the right to a
moiety of the prisage (" medietatem prisarum piscium ") of
all fish (salt and fresh) brought into Bristol. " Prisage "
means a right to take toll in kind instead of in current coin.
This franchise was enjoyed by the Friars from the reign of
Edward II down to the dissolution of their house in the year
1538. The other moiety of the prisage of fish belonged to
the Bristol Friar-Preachers (the Dominicans), and Avas
enjoyed by them until the dissolution. This right to take
toll of fish in kind seems to have been appurtenant to the
Crown, and the tAvo moieties were granted and confirmed
by successive sovereigns to the tAvo orders of Friars in
Bristol as a charitable gift or royal alms, but there is very
little doubt that the Friars regarded it as a right. The
grants to the Franciscans and Dominicans were separately
made, but the form was very much the same in each case.
Subjoined is a copy of the Grant or Letters Patent of King
Henry VIII, dated 6th June, 1510, by which the right to
the moiety of the prisage was confirmed to the Friars
Minors :
(Extract from Patent Roll 8, Hen. VIII., p. 2, m. 14).
" Wardens and Friars Minors of the town of Bristol.
" The King to all to whom &c. greeting. KnoAV ye that
" we understanding how the Lord Edward the Second after

54 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
the Conquest and others our progenitors late Kings of
' England for the time being severally and successively by
' their Letters Patent out of their charity and alms granted,
' to wit, each of them in his time to the warden and convent
of the House of the Order of the Friars Minors of the toAvn
'of Bristol the moiety of the prisages of fish as well
salt as fresh appertaining to the same for the time
' being, to the same warden and convent and to their
successors for the aid and sustentation of them the said
AArarden and convent : We Avilling to act graciously
' towards the now warden and friars of the said order of
' our special grace and charity have given and granted and
by these presents do give and grant for us and our heirs
as much as in us lies to the said warden and friars for
their relief and support the moiety of the prisages of all
' and singular the fish as Avell salt as fresh coming and from
' that time to come to the said toAvn as Avell by land as by
' water : to have and to take to the said warden arid friars
' and their successors by their own hands from time to time
' of the alms of us and of our heirs for ever. And this
' without paying or making fine or fee in any Avay for the
' premises into the hanaper of our Court of Chancery or
elsewhere to our use.
' In witness Avhereof &c. Witness the King at Westminster
' the 6th day of June.''
The right of prisage, or right to take as toll, specified
quantities from goods and merchandize coming to Bristol
reads rather oddly at the present day.
It is clear that the mayor had at one time, as " mayor's
"dues," certain claims on the fish coming into the town.
In the sheriff's return, in the year 1517 (8th Henry VIIL)
the folloAving entry appears : —

The Friars Minors of Bristol.

55

-xiij11- VIs- V11J

d.

" Item the Mayor hath  a,
" certaine fisshe of ev'y bote offfishe Avhich
" by estimacion may yerely be worthe
" besides his sedile," Avhich, with other
items, amounted to
The Mayor was entitled (in addition to certain rights to
salt fish) to prisage of fish as follows : —
" Of ev'ie boate of Milwell and Lingg
„ of fresh camps
„ of Thorbecks and Tynbies
„ of Soles and Places
„ of Breames
of fresh Hake
of Haddocks
„ of Shades -
„ of Mackrells
„ of Cockles
„ of Muskels
„ of Oysters -
'' If any of the said boates that dooth bring Oysters,
" Cockells or Muskels doe bring Ffish, then take the Ffish
" and leave the Oysters, Cockells and Muskells " (MSS.
British Museum).
A few records of other gifts, benefactions, &c, to the
Friars still exist, and deserve to be quoted.
One of the earliest charitable gifts is thus recorded,
" Mary daughter of Edward I. and Eleanor of Castile came
" to Bristol in May 1304 and before leaving the toAvn she
"gave 20/- to the Friars Minors and Friars Preachers"
(Rot. Gard. Expensive dute Marias fil. regis 32, EdAV. I.)
Thomas, Lord Berkeley, the second of that name, who
was born at Berkeley, A.D. 1245 (29, King Hen. III.)
shortly after his grandfather's death, spent "his next dayes

vj. of them
ij. of them
iiij. of them
xij. of them
xij. of them
vj. of them
A'iij. of them
viij. of them
A'iij. of them
a bushell of them
a bushell of them
ije. of them

56 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
" at Bedminster by Bristoll."  Having as his
guides and instructors, " the Abbot and Prior of St.
" Augustines Monastery by Bristoll and the Master of
" St. Katherines Hospitall (confyning upon this Manor of
" of Bedminster) creatures begot by his ancestors alms and
" devotions," by deed of 1st June, 1307, gave (inter alia) to
the Bristol Friars yearly during his life divers quarterns of
wheat out of the several granaries of his manor houses.
The next Lord Berkeley, Thomas, the third of that name
(1326-1361) caused a payment to be made to the Friars
Minors of Bristol when they went to the General Chapter
of the Order, and this same lord on another occasion
(9th year) when the Friars were taxed to pay a certain
duty to the King sent them " either all or most part of
" the money in ease thereof " (Smyth's " Lives of the
" Berkeleys"). William Golde by will, dated 25th April, 1329, bequeathed
a legacy to the Friars, " Item lego fratribus Minoribus
" Bristoll ij. libras seri " (Berkeley Castle Wills). Maurice
Chapstowe's Will, bearing date the 2nd July, 1342, contains
the following : " Item fratribus Minoribus Bristoll vid."
(Berkeley Castle Wills). The will of John Wale, bearing
date 18th October, 1348, contains a legacy to the Friars
Minors of Bristol (Berkeley Castle Wills).
Ralph de Salop, Bishop of Bath and Wells, by will,
dated 12th May, 1363, ordered the residue of his goods to
be divided into three parts, the second of Avhich he gave to
religious men, including the Friars Minors and the other
three Orders of Mendicant Friars of Bristol and other
places (Reg. Episc, Bathen et Well).
Robert Gradely (or Grately), by his will, dated 1385,
September 26th, desired to be buried in the Church of the
Friars Minors of Bristol, where the bodies of his wives

The Friars Minors of Bristol

were interred. Testator gave legacies to the Mother
Church of Worcester, and to that of the Parish Church of
St. John of Bristol, and to the Rector of the same Church.
To the said Friars he gaA*e a Avhole cloth of blanket
" p'courcell inde facien." To each Order of Mendicant
Friars in Bristol five shillings — (Bristol Wills).
In the year 1386 the Friars received, by Avay of a gift,
from five worthy citizens of Bristol (Walter Frampton (or
Frompton), Elias Spelly, John Vyel, Thomas Knapp, and
Walter Tidestyle) a "toft" (i.e., a piece or parcel of land, upon
which a decayed messuage then or formerly stood) with
the appurtenances, as an easement to their house. On the
16th October, 1386, King Richard II. gave the necessary
license to the Friars to hold the land, notwithstanding the
Statute, &c. It is a matter of conjecture as to the position
of the " toft," or for what purpose it Avas secured. The
land may have been required for an additional entrance
to the Friars grounds, or for the purpose of gaining access
to the River Froom. No better evidence could be obtained
of the friendly relations that existed betAveen the townsmen
and the Friars than that afforded to us by the fact that the
donors of the "toft" were the leading men of the town. Walter
Frampton (or Frompton), Elias Spelly, and Thomas Knapp
had served as representatives of the town iu Parliament
and had also respectively served the office of mayor. John
Vyell had served as sheriff and mayor. Walter Tidestyle
had served as bailiff and M.P. for the town. A translation
of the King's License is appended. It will be observed
that the Friars had become less scrupulous as to the
acquisition of land, which we now find was vested in them
" and their successors," in the same form as if they had
been a corporate body.

58 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
(Extracted from Patent Roll of Richard II.,
part 1, memb. So.)
"License tcgive in Mortmain, &c.
" The King to all to whom, &c, greeting, Although, &c,
" nevertheless of Our special grace and for 10s. which
" Walter Frampton, Elias Spelly, John Vyel, Thomas Knap
" and Walter Tidestyle have paid to us we have granted
" and given license for us and our heirs as much as in us
" lies to the said Walter, Elias, John, Thomas and Walter
" that they may give and assign one toft with the
" appurtenances in the suburb of Bristol in a certain place
" there called the Lewynesmede (near to the house of our
" beloved in Christ the warden and convent of the order
" of the Friars Minors of Bristol) which is held of us in
' " burgage to the said Avarden and convent to hold to them
" and their successors towards the increase of the easement
" of their said house for ever. And we have likewise by
" the tenor of these presents given to the said warden and
" convent our special license that they may receive and
" hold to them and their successors the said toft with the
" appurtenances from the aforesaid Walter, Elias, John,
" Thomas and Walter for the increase of the easement of
" their said house for ever as is aforesaid notwithstanding
" the statute aforesaid or because the said toft is held of us
" as is .aforesaid We being unwilling that the said Walter,
" Elias, John, Thomas and Walter or their heirs or the said
" warden and convent or their successors by reason of the
" statute aforesaid or of other the premises be disturbed
" molested or troubled by us, our heirs, our justices,
" escheators, sheriffs or other "our bailiffs or ministers
" whatsoever. Saving nevertheless to us the services of
" the said toft due and accustomed. In witness whereof, &e.
" Witness the King at Westminster the 16th day of October.
" By Av'rnt of Privy Seal."

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 59
John Roper, by his Avill, dated 1390, May 5th, desired to
be buried in the Church of the Friars Minors of Bristol if
happening to die in the said town or suburb, and testator
gave legacies to the four orders of Mendicant Friars there
(Bristol Wills).
Adam Frensch (described as " fletcher and burgess ") by
will, dated 1396, October 12th, desired to be buried in the
Church of the Friars Minors of Bristol, beside his late wife,
Maud, and testator gave legacies to the said Friars, &c.
(Bristol Wills).
Nicholas Hastyng, burgess, by his will, dated 1397,
December 3rd, bequeathed to his Avife, Margery, a dwelling-
house in Lewynesmede, for her life, on condition of her
paying yearly to the Friars Minors and Carmelites of
Bristol ijs. vjd. each for their prayers, and also maintaining
the taper " cora su'mo Crucifixo " in the Church of
St. James, which he " Avas Avont to maintain " — (Bristol
Wills). John MuleAvard, burgess, by his will, dated 5 th June,
1398, bequeathed (inter alia) legacies to the Friars Minors
and Carmelites — (Bristol Wills).
Agnes Spelly, whose will Avas proved 15th May, 1405,
desired " to be buried in the Church of the Friars Minors
" of Bristol," and she bequeathed a legacy to the Church of
St. Leonard at Bristol, in Avhich " her anniversary Avas to
'¦ be duly kept for ever " — (Bristol Wills).
Richard Paans, merchant, by his will, dated 17th Dec,
1406, bequeathed legacies to the Friars Minors and
Carmelites. Testator also bequeathed to William Popylton,
the Hermit of Rownham, 40 shillings to pray for testator's
soul— (Bristol Wills).
Sir William Boneylle, by will of August 13th, 1407,
proved March 24th, 1408-9, bequeathed £7 10s. Od. to the

60 The Friars Minors of Bristol
Austin Friars, the Friars Minors and Friars Preachers of
Bristuit (Bristol) £2 10s. Od. each— (Palmer's " Friar -
" Preachers of Bristol ").
Walter Seymour, a " burgess of the town of Bristol," by
his will, dated 26th February, 1409, which was proved in
the prerogative Court of Canterbury, on the 15th March,
1409, gave 20s. to the Friars, " Item lego ordini frm Minor'
" Bristoll xxs."— (P. C. C. Wills).
Alexander Bagenham, by his will, dated 9th February,
1413, gave legacies to the Friars Minors at Oxford and
Bristol and Master Peter Russell, " Avho is to celebrate for
testator's soul and the souls of all the faithful dead "
(Bristol Wills).
Sir Edmund Seymour, by his will, dated " on the day of
" St. Laurence, 1421," gave legacies to the Friars Minors.
" Item lego fratrib3 Minorib3 Bristoll xs. ad distribuend
" int' eos singularit' ad celebrand p aia mea in honor
" omnium aplor' t sanctor' dei." 
 " Item lego frib3 Minorib3 Bristolf xs. ad
" distribuend singularit' int' eos ad celebrand pro aia mea in
" honore beator Michis t Gabrielis anglor' dei." The will
was proved in the Prerogative Court on the 13th June, 1422.
(P. C. C. Wills).
Nicholas BubAvith, Bishop of Bath and Wells, Oct. 5th,
1424, bequeathed 50 marks to be distributed among the
four Orders of Friars, viz, the Friars Preachers, Minors,
Augustinians and Carmelites of London, Ilchester, Bridg
water and Bristol — (Palmer's "Friar- Preachers of Bristol").
Thomas Berkeley, described as "burgensis ville Bristollie,"
by his will, dated 10th April, 1436, proved in the Prerogative
Court of Canterbury on the 19th April, 1436, contains a
bequest to the Friars, "Item lego fribus minorib3 ville
" Bristoll xxs." This Avill also contains the following : "Item
"lego quatuor domib3 elimosinar ville Bristoll vjs. viijd.
" int' eos equalif dividend."— (P. C. C. Wills).

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 61
Lodowic Mors (or Morse), Burgess and Merchant, by his
will, dated the 7th February, 1464, amongst other legacies
bequeathed certain "pipes of woad in certain ships returning
" by the grace of God from parts beyond the seas," and on
the happening of certain specified events testator gave
" three (pipes) for the reparation of the house of the Friars
" Minors of Bristol "—(Bristol Wills).
William Canynges, whose name is immortalized by his
good works at St. Mary Redcliffe, was one of the bene
factors of the Bristol Franciscans. Barrett (p. 571) quotes
a deed relating to the gift of Wm. Canynges to the
Con\rent. The historian, in this case, has added the words
" penes me " in his description of the deed.
(Translation of Deed given by Barrett.)
" BE IT KNOWN UNTO ALL MEN, that the 29th day
" of November in the year 1465, we the Guardian and
" Friars Minor all of the Convent of Bristol there dwelling,
" considering the affection of pure devotion of the worshipful
" man William Canynges, which he daily shews to the
"Order of our Seraphic Father St. Francis and especially
" to our Convent aforesaid in exhibiting his alms and
" manifold benefits long since conferred upon us, and in
" future to be bestowed, for out of his pious charity for the
" relief of the said Convent he has faithfully given and
" paid to the same Convent twenty pounds on the year
"and day aforementioned. BY TENOR OF THESE
"PRESENTS, Avith license of Friar Thomas Radnor the
" Minister of England, we have promised and granted to
" the said William Canynges and Joanna his wife that
" their names be inscribed in the gift book (datario) of our
" Convent among the chief benefactors of the said Convent,
" and that they be recommended as the custom is ; and we

62 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
' have further promised and granted to the said William
' Canynges and Joanna his wife, that their obit the second
' festival next after St. Peter every year in the Church of
our said Convent shall be solemnly celebrated with
' exequiis mortuorum and mass of requiem by note for the
' souls of the said William Canynges and Joanna his wife,
of John Canynges and Joanna his wife, father and mother
' of the said William Canynges, of J ohn Milton and Joanna
his Avife and for the souls for whom it is bound to pray
' and of all the faithful departed, and since from the testimony
' of Christ in the Gospel, the workman is worthy of his
'hire, the aforesaid William, loATing his own soul and
mindful of the words of Christ hath ordained and
' appointed by himself, his heirs and executors to the
' Brothers of the said Convent every year for ever on the
' day aforesaid as well in his lifetime as after his death in
recompence of their labours, one quarter of an ox of the
' value of forty pence four quarters of a good sheep of the
' price and value of sixteen pence English money and forty
' pence in pure money to be given for bread and ale ; that
' therefore the said promise and grant may be so confirmed
' as not to be broken, I Friar Thomas Minister of England
' in virtue of that holy obedience to all the Guardians and
' Friars of the aforementioned Convent present and future
' do command that they solemnly celebrate as Avell in their
' lifetime as after their death when it comes the exequies
for the dead AA'ith mass of requiem every year on the
' said day for the souls of the said William and Joanna his
' wife and of all the abovementioned, and moreover that
' they cause this to be read in the Chapter House by the
Friars there gathered together once in the year namely
' on the day or nativity of the Blessed St. Francis. In
witness of this grant and promise the Seal of my Office

The Friars Minors of Bristol. 63
" together Avith the Seal of the Keeper of the Custody of
" Bristol and Convent of Bristol is openly appended. Done
" read and sealed at Bristol before the Friars of the afore-
" mentioned Convent in their Chapter House met the day
" and year aboA'e written."
William Canynges, by his will, dated 12th Nov, 1474,
gave (amongst a number of gifts for lights, torches, tapers,
masses, &c.) " To the Order of Friars Minors of Bristol
" xx11 , on condition of their being at the mortuary offices and
" mass on the day of burial, and of the month's mind, in
" the aforesaid Church of Redcliff, and on the clay of the
" anniversary in the first year after testator's death."
[Testator is described in the will as " Clerk, Dean of the
" Collegiate Church and College of the Holy Trinity of
" Westbury -upon-Trym, by Bristol, in the Diocese of
" Worcester, and lately a Merchant of the Town of Bristol."]
(Bristol Wills.)
Richard Hatter, burgess and merchant of Bristol, by will,
dated 5th September, 1457, made the following bequests : —
*' Item -lego ffratrib3 Minorib3 Bristollie venientib3 et
" in?essentib3 ad dirg t missam meam et ad orandum
" spialiter pro anima mea xxs. Item lego tribus aliis
" ordinibus fratrum mendicancium Bristollie ibidem existen'
" eodem modo videlicet cuilibet ordini eorum xiijs. iiijd." —
[Proved in the Prerogative Court on the 21st Sept, 1457.]
Thomas Rowley, a burgess and merchant of Bristol, by
his will, dated 11th January, 1478, which was proved in
the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the 25th February,
1478, bequeathed the following sums for religious purposes: —
" Lego corpus meum sepeliend in ecciia pochiali sancti'
" Johannis Baptiste ville Bristol* in eodem loco ubi modo
"jacet corpus Walteri Frampton quondam burgens ville
" pdict. Lego ad sustentacionemCantarie dei WalPi fframpton

64 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
" in dca ecctesia centum libras ad inveniend duos Capellanos
" divina celebrant ibm ad altare bte Marie impptm. (If the
" parishioners of the said Church do not find the said
" chaplains, then the said £100 shall be divided and the
" 4 orders of the ' fratrum mendicanciu Bristollie ' shall
" have £20 to be equally divided amongst them) 
" Item lego ordini frm minorum Bristoll xls. Item lego
" ceteris tribus ordinibus frm mendicanciu Bristoll cuilibet
" eo3 xxs. Item lego dee ecclesie sancti Johannis post
" decessum Margarete uxoris mee unu missale," etc. — (P.C.C.
Wills). [Note. — In connection with the Chatterton forgeries it
Avill be remembered that " Turgot's Account of Bristol " was
alleged to have been translated from the original Saxon
" by Thomas Rowlie, parish preeste of St. John's in the city
" of Bristol, in the year 1465." There seems to be Arery
little doubt that Chatterton borrowed the name from a
tombstone or document in St. John the Baptist Church. The
Rowley family appear to have been connected with the
parish for several generations.]
Edward Dawes, merchant, by will, dated July 21st, 1493,
proved at Lambeth, August 6th, 1493, gave legacies "to
" the prior or guardian and convent of each house of mendi-
" cant friars in Bristol."
The will of Robert Thome, dated the 17th May, 1532, and
proved the 10th October, 1532, contains a bequest of " The
" sum of £20 to each of the four orders of friars in
" Bristowe, the one half for the reparation of their churches
'' and houses, and the other for their sustentation."
[Note.— -In only rare instances the legacy exceeded
twenty shillings— Thorne (one of the founders of the
Grammar School) was a very rich man.]
Records of gifts to the four orders of friars are to be
found in a very large number of wills proved at Bristol, but

The Friars Minors of Bristol.

it Avould serve no good purpose to add to the fairly
representative specimens of gifts by aviU which have been
quoted. For the sake of illustration some further examples
of bequests to the Friars Avill be found in the next chapter.
The Rev. C. F. R. Palmer, in the course of his exhaustive
researches anent the history of the Friars Preachers, met
with a considerable number of Avills of Bristol burgesses,
merchants, mariners, etc, of the fourteenth, fifteenth and
early sixteenth centuries, in the registers of the Prerogative
Court of Canterbury, which contain legacies to each of the
four orders .of friars in Bristol for prayers, masses, placebos,
.etc. ; and bequests to them appear in the wills of some
Bristol toAvnsmen (avIio Avere probably residents of the
parishes of Temple, St. Mary Redcliff or St. Thomas) Avhich
Avere proved in the Consistory Court of Wells.
It Avas an almost universal custom in Bristol for testators
to bequeath, either Avith or Avithout a condition, a small
legacy to each of the four Orders of Friars. The formal
wording of the bequests varies so little that one is uncon
sciously led to the conclusion that at some time or other
those to whom were entrusted the preparation of the Avills
of the townsmen must have come to an understanding to
advise the testators to place the four Orders on the same
terms. Some, ,in fact most, of these legacies Avere very
insignificant in amount, but the Friars Avere dependent on
alms to a considerable extent, and these small bequests
probably came to be regarded as " unconsidered trifles,"
which at times must have proved very useful to them.
Some of the gifts to them Avere in kind, as for example,
" also every Frere (Friar) in every House of the iiij. Orders
" of BristoAve shall have a lofe," which Avas the form of an
annual dole from the Abbey of St. Augustine on the
occasion of the anniversary of Robert Fitzharding, the

66 The Friars Minors of Bristol.
founder — (Newland's Chronicle), and, as a further example,
Stephen Forster, of Bristol, merchant, by his will, gave a
measure of Avoad " of A'j. m're Avarantise " to every house of
" the iiij. ordres of ffreres in Bristowe to pray for my good
" fryndes and me "—(Bristol Wills, No. 288).
The following wills of persons, other than Bristol towns
men, contain small legacies to each of the four orders of
Friars of Bristol : —
(Prerogative Court Wills.)
name. date of avill. register.
Alice West, Lady of
Hynton - 25 July, 1395 (Rous, fol. 29b)
Thomas Tanner, of Wells 23 Nov, 1401 (Marche, fol. 11)
John Ken, of Ken - 9 Nov, 1404 (Marche, fol. 56)
John Wytloff Rector of
Lodiswell 2 April, 1405 (Marche, fol. 65b)
Edward Curteys, of Wells Oct, 1413 (Marche. fol. 222)
Richard Clerk,of Pennys-
ford 6 Feb, 1415 (Marche,fol.224b)
William Chapman, of
Mersfield 10 March, 1416 (Marche,fol.296")
Sir Richard Chokke, of
Long Ashton - - 3 July, 1483 (Logge, fol. 163")
Dame Margaret Chokke
(widow) 1 Sept, 1483 (Logge, fol. 70)
Thomas Tripnell, of
Magna Childefelde 5 Nov, 1487 (Milles, fol. 57")
John Tyndesey, Clerk
(" at Westbury ") 1 Oct, 1487 (Milles, fol. 187")
JohnCompton,of Bekyn-
ton - 19 July, 1503 (Holgrave)
John Rose, of Frome
Selwode - - 24 Jan, 1510 (Holgrave)

,.. . ,-. ....;.... ¦_,-¦-.¦ ¦- 

Hip!!

iP.W%«|\^:

Chapter III.

*-%

E have seen that the four Orders of Friars Avere
very frequently placed on equal terms by the
will makers of the period, but in various other ways they
Avere treated on terms, of equality, and a benevolent
neutrality towards them generally seems to have been the
attitude of the townsmen ; consequently, it is almost
impossible to enter into the history of one of the four
Orders without treading on ground that is common to all.
In the Pre-Reformation period of the History of Bristol
all the Friars were much in evidence in everyday life ; they
were to be found in the imposing and picturesque processions
through the streets with the trade Guilds, in which pictorial
and living representations of the religious and secular
communities were harmoniously blended ; and they were
also to be found in the squalid homes of the poorer townsmen
in attendance on the sick and needy. A townsman, by his
will, frequently made manifest his partiality towards them
by making provision for the presence of representatives of
each Order at his funeral to celebrate the mortuary offices
and to say masses, on which occasion they sometimes
received " bread, cheese and ale " in addition to a small
legacy. Robert May of Bristol by his will, dated 29th
August, 1395, bequeathed to each order of Mendicant Friars
of Bristol " 30 pence for a trental to be sung for my soul "
(Bristol Wills, No. 74). [A trental consisted of thirty
masses, rehearsed for thirty days successively.] Henry

68 Dtssulution of the Four Bristol House*.
London bequeathed twenty shillings to be equally
divided amongst the four orders of Mendicant Friars
" for the celebration of four trentals " (Bristol Wills,
No. 56). Another toAvnsman made provision " for the
" celebration," by the four orders, of " forty trentals in
" their churches " (Bristol Wills, No. 67). It was also
of frequent occurrence to provide for the "month's mind"
and the " year's mind." A specimen of the form of bequest
is here given. The will of Margaret Gerves, the AvidoAV of
Simon Gerves, " Toker," of Bristol, dated 20th December,
1530, contains the following legacy — " To " the IIII orders
" of fryers in Bristowe so that they be at my burial, month-
"mynd, and yere-mynd xls. (equally)" — (Wells Wills).
Occasionally the Friars Avere directed by a special clause
in the Avill to say "dirige" and mass in their own churches
in lieu of their attendance at the testator's funeral. There
are to be found instances of money given for the establish
ment in perpetuity of an obit or anniversary service for
the souls of deceased persons. During the fourteenth
century many Chantries Avere founded in Bristol by
wealthy townsmen, and the Avill or deed by which the
Chantry was established contained a declaration or trust
that the endowment should be vested in or be under the
control of the Corporation. From " Spicer's Obit " (one of
several " obits " vested in the Commonalty of Bristol) the
four Orders of Friars Avere entitled to receive yearly
from the Corporation 13V4'1. The Sheriff" s Accounts for the
year 1517 include an item which proves that the Friars
were recognised by the Corporation. ' Item to the iiij.
" ordres of freres xxxijs." (MSS. British Museum). That
this Avas an annual payment is testified by an entry in the
Great White Book of the Corporation relating to the year
1520, from which it appears that each of the four Orders

of Me n din (nt Friars. 69

of Friars received 8/-, making a total of 32/-, which corres
ponds with the payments to them in the accounts relating
to the year 1517. There cannot be any doubt as to the
existence of friendly recognition and intercourse between
the Friars and the townsmen for several centuries. "Ricart's
" Kalendar," which is one of the most valuable MS. records
preserved at the Council House, contains an account of the
ancient usages of the Corporation. It is therein set forth
that " The Maire and Shiref of Bristowe shall 
" kepe their Advent Sermondes  at which
" furst Sonday (of Advent) the seide Maire and Shiref, with
" theire brethern shall Avalke to the Ff rere Preachours [the
" Black Friars] and there hyre (hear) their Sermonde. And
" the next Sonday thereupon they shall hyre (hear)
" Sermonde at the Ffrere Menors [the Gray Friars], and the
" thirde Sonday at the Ffrere Preachers, and the fourthe
" and laste Sonday of Advent at the Ffrere Menors."
The friendly feeling sheAvn by the toAvnsmen and Corpora
tion toAVards the Friars apparently continued down to the
date of the dissolution ; but it is more than probable that
for a considerable time prior to the King's resolve to
suppress their establishments there had been a gradual
falling off in the alms bestowed by the toAvnsmen upon them.
A perusal of the , letters of the Commissioners sent by the
King to obtain the surrender of the various houses of
Mendicant Friars throughout the country Avill prove that
in Bristol and elsewhere all or nearly all the houses Avere
in debt, and that some of them were hopelessly insolvent.
It is true that in a very few cases the provincial houses
were fairly Avell endowed, but these were exceptions to the
general rule. A careful study of the history of the English
Franciscans will satisfy any unprejudiced mind that it was
rarely indeed that they were the owners of anything

70 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
beyond their houses and the gardens, «fcc, belonging
thereto. It will be seen hereafter that, at the date of
the dissolution, the four establishments in Bristol were
comparatively small ones. Their bad financial condition at
this period may have been partly due to the fact that
money Avas not over plentiful, and the Friars probably
suffered in consequence of the curtailment of the
means of their patrons and friends ; and it must not be
forgotten that it was well knoAvn to the townsmen
that the dissolution of their houses Avas at hand.
That they had been regarded by the clergy with other
than friendly feelings is a well-knoAvn historical fact, but
it is hard to imagine that this prevented them from
pursuing the even tenor of their Avay Avithout disquietude
or alarm. Their poverty would have afforded the only
good reason for any anxiety, because it is certain that the
townsmen of Bristol were at no time antagonistic to them,
and, doAvn to the very last, the Friars were still named
in their wills as the recipients of small legacies.
But, notwithstanding their long run of popularity, it must
not be supposed that they were always permitted to be free
from those attacks Avhich, deservedly or undeservedly, are
made at some time or other on nearly all individuals and
institutions. The first important attack AAras made by the
"Lollards," Avho were amongst the earliest advocates of
reform in Church doctrine and practice in England.
ToAvards the latter part of the fourteenth century Wickliff
and his followers were actively engaged in preaching in
favour of certain changes ; and, although the crusade was
directed in general terms, it seems clear that the Mendi
cant Friars came in for more than a fair share of abuse.
John Purveye, or Purnay, Avho was Wickliff's curate or
assistant, preached at Bristol ; and his sermons may be taken

of Mendicant Friars. 71

as fairly representative of the style of advocacy adopted by
the Lollard preachers. Knighton says, 'This John Purvey e,
" like the rest of them, always in his sermons very much
•' commended his own partizans, but always and everyAvhere
" he openly reviled those who were not so with pernicious
" abuse, particidarly the Mendicants" also that the Lollard
preachers Avere " continually reviling the Mendicant
"Friars, calling them false brothers."
The three celebrated sermons preached by Latimer in
Bristol form a link in the chain of circumstances directly
connected with the Reformation. The first sermon was
preached on the Second Sunday in Lent, 1534, at St. Nicholas'
Parish Church, in the forenoon ; his second in the Black
Friars (the Dominicans), in the afternoon, and the third on
the folloAATing day (Monday), in the parish church of
St. Thomas. Hubberden, the champion of the Papists and
Latimer's uncompromising opponent, subsequently visited
Bristol, "and preached yn Saynte Thomas Chyrche at
'' after none on Ester eve and at Saynte Nycholas Chyrche
" before noon on Ester day, and there preched scharply
" aganste Latomers Artycules " — (MS. Cotton. Cleo. E iv,
fol. 56).
The tAvo disputants had evidently caused much com
motion in the town, and the matter having been brought to
the King's notice, he appointed certain Commissioners to
ascertain by written and viva voce evidence Avhat state
ments were made by the tAvo over-zealous preachers in
their sermons. The Commissioners opened the enquiry on
Sunday, the 5th day of July, 1534, at St. James's Priory.
Amongst other matters put before the Commissioners anent
this controversy occurs the folloAving: — "Also that same
" Sonday one Gylberte Cogan came to the hoAVse of the
" Gray Fryers in BrjstoAv, and said to the warden of the

72 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
" same hoAvse that he schoAvlde beAvare AA'hat he scholde
" Avryte and testyfy, for there schowlde cuine iiijc. that
" schowlde testify the contrary, as the seyde warden
" shewyd hyt manyfestely before all the commyssyoners ''
(MS. Cotton. Cleo. E 4, fol. 56).
[Note. — " Gylbert Cogan " Avas Sheriff of Bristol for the
year 1522.]
Another link in the chain of circumstances Avas the gross
imposture and conspiracy in the year 1533, in which
Elizabeth Barton (the so-called " Holy Maid " of Kent) was
put forward as the instrument of deception. One of the
pretended A'isions of the " Holy Maid " contained a sugges
tion (probahly based on an actual fact) that the King had
contemplated marriage Avith Anne Boleyn (" his favourite
" lady ") at Calais, in October of the previous year, on the
occasion of his visit to the French King. In a description
of the " visions," in MS. Cotton. Cleo. E iv, fol. 75, there
are no less than thirty matters or prophecies referred to.
In the "Letters relating to the suppression of Monasteries"
it is said " that some of the Friars Obseiwants (Franciscans)
" of Richmond and Greemvich participated largely in the
" conspiracy." Amongst the names of those hanged at
Tyburn, on the 10th April, 1534, for participation in the
affair, appear those of Hugh Rich, Warden of the Canter
bury (Franciscan) Friars, and Richard Risby, Avho held a
similar official position at Richmond. It will be seen
hereafter that at the date of the dissolution of the Bristol
Convent the Warden thereof Avas also Warden of the
Convent at Richmond (see p. 79.) This Warden's name is
given at p. 87. It cannot be doubted that the Franciscans
were zealous and bold defenders of the Papal authority, and
took a prominent part in forming popular opinion against
the King, Avhose unscrupulous and despicable conduct in

of Mendicant Friars. 73
obtaining from a slavish parliament a declaration involving
the illegitimacy of his daughter, Mary, was calculated to
arouse their just indignation. These Friars were not
the least shreAvd of the religious orders, and their poverty
probably emboldened them in their opposition to the King's
desires. Their train of thought must have been filled
with the knowledge that they had no valuable possessions
Avhich the King could take from them as a penalty for
their obstinacy. But, tiOAveAer shreAvd they may have
been, it is impossible to imagine that it eA-er entered into
their calculations that their proceedings would end in the
decisive step afterwards taken by the King. Those who
have carefully read the history of the Reformation will
remember that it Avas a Franciscan Friar, named Peto
(Warden of the Observants of Greenwich), Avho openly
reprimanded the King in rather coarse language touching
his marriage in a sermon preached in the King's presence,
on the 1st clay of May, 1534.*On the 15th clay of June Bishop
Lee and Thomas Bedyll, on the King's behalf, made an
unsuccessful attempt to induce the Warden and Convent
of Richmond and the Concent of Greenwich (Peto, the
Warden, had probably been sent away before this) to
subscribe to a declaration of the King's supremacy over
the Papal authority (MS. Cotton Cleo. E iv, fol. 10). The
refusal of these Friars to subscribe to this declaration must
be treated as one of the most important events leading up
to the dissolution of the religious houses, and it is certain
that it precipitated the impending crash. On the 11th
August the King gave " the first blow '' to the Franciscans
by expelling the Friars of Greemvich from their house, and
the same fate very shortly after Avards befel other Convents.
Here Ave must pass over the interval that elapsed before
the actual dissolution of the four houses of Mendicant Friars
in Bristol took place.
* There is a little doubt as to the exact clay when this incident happened,

74 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
It was intended, when this Collectanea Avas in course of
formation, to confine it strictly to facts relating to the
Friars Minors, but Avhen it became apparent that it Avould
be possible to give something like a complete story of the
circumstances connected Avith the dissolution of the four
houses of Mendicant Friars in Bristol, Avhich information
was in part common to all, it was thought desirable to
depart to a certain extent from the original purpose in
order that the details of the history of the fate of all the
Bristol houses of Mendicants might be included.
The house of the Carmelites was the first of the Bristol
houses of the Mendicants given up to the King. ( In a
letter to Secretary CroniAvell from Richard, Suffragan
Bishop of DoArer, (one of the Commissioners appointed by
the King in the suppression of religious houses), AAThich con
tains no date, but Avhich Avas probably Avritten in the month
of July, 30, Henry VIIL (1538), the King's Commissioner
(euphemistically styled " The Visitor ") said, " Sythe that I
" last wroght to yower lordschype I have received iiij. howsj^s
" into the King's hands." [The Bristol Carmelites Avas one
of the four houses he had just taken possession of, the
three other houses were situated in the toAvn of Gloucester.]
He then adds the folloAving description of the Carmelite
house : — " The White Fryeres in Bristowe, the whyche all
" that Avas in yt ys lytyll more than payd the dettes."" Yt
" is a goodly howse in byldenge, mete for a great man, nq
" renttes but ther gardens. \ There ys a chapell and an yle
" off the Church, and dyA-erse gutteres, spoAvtes and condytes
" lede [of lead], the rest all tjdle and slated' A goodly laver
"and condyte(*) comynge to yt. Thys howse-Avas in dett
¦' above xa-j'1, of the Avhyche paid viij", the rest discharged
" by plegeys [pledges]." It also appears that the house
Avas put into safe custody until the King's pleasure " be
(*) See p.p. 78, 79, OS,

of Mendicant Friars. 75
"further knowyn" (MS. Cotton. Cleop. E iv, fol. 251).
There was no formal surrender in Avriting in the usual
form, but the folloAving statement or declaration, signed by
four of the Friars in the presence of the Mayor of Bristol,
will explain how their house passed into the hands of the
King's Commissioner ; —
Exch. Trea. of Receipt, Vol. B ^ F. 19.
"Md thys xxviij. day of Juliiiu y" xxx. yere of Kyng
" Hery the viijtG Rychard byshop of Dovor & ATesytor for the
" Kynges grace beying in brystow broAvte before the meyar
" ther iiij. ffreers late of ye Avheyte freers ther the whyche
" cofessyd before the seyd meyar that they volutaryly
" dede love ther howso in brystow be cause they pseyveyd
" that they before had dyu'se p'ors the Avhyche had sold
" and pluneyd all ye Jewells and suostans Avth y" oder
" ornaiiiets & stuffe of that howse & yett lefte them in dett
¦' & no thyng to leve AVth and also cosyderyng that y"
" charyte of the pepull ys very small so that they cannott
" se hoAV to cotynew & leve in ther howse wherfore
" volu'laryly they gy&e ther howse in to ye vesytors handds
" to ye Kyngs vse they also ther cofessyd that y" seyd
" vesytor had gyffe to them all ther OAvyn chambers & all
" y" boles of the quere & dyu'se order small inplemets &
" echo of them a lett1' & xxd in ther purseys to bryng
" them to ther couetry & gayff them c'ten tymys to vesyte
" ther fryndds & so he hathe Avth ij. onest men of the towne
" prseyd all ye moveabulls & payd yc chargys and old detts
" & made a pfyte inuetory of the stuff that ys leffe the
" custody of yt Avth the hoAvse in the handds of John Merekc.
" per me ffr Thome Clyfton subprorem <J>
" p me ff Thoma Wraxall.
" p me fr Sym5 Wagon (or Vagan). <2)
" p me ff Johm Hop"(er) <3)
(1) The Prior had probably disappeared.
(2) The signature is almost illegible.
(3) Subsequently permission to "change their apparel" Avas applied
for on behalf of these four Friars,

76 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
It Avill be seen by the folloAving copy of the inventory of
the Carmelite's house that the King's Commissioner
peremptorily sold the Avhole of the goods and chattels
found in it, with the exception of the articles handed by
him to the Friars and " ij. chales" and "ij. bells." It
appears by the letter or report as to this house from the
Commissioner to Secretary CroniAvell that, in consequence
of " the gret clamor that was for dettes there," the Com
missioner had applied to the Mayor to appoint men to
appraise the goods, and that he had sold them in order to
satisfy the importunate creditors. This Avas a somewhat
unusual state of things, because, although it Avas ascertained
Avith regard to other houses that they were in bad circum
stances, yet the sale of a small portion of the goods and
chattels sufficed, as a rule, to pay the debts, and in the end
there Avas something in the AAray of money or money's
worth (sometimes a not inconsiderable sum, especially in
places where articles of silver Avere in use) to be handed
over. His Majesty "the pious Monarch" and " defender of
" the faith," whom Ave may fairly describe as the Champion
religious hypocrite of the period, was particularly keen, on
the articles of silver, the lead, and the embroidered copes, &c.
" The Inuetory of Bristow yk Whyte Freers.
[First four lines are blank.]
" Item a sute of mare maydys pryst decon and
" snbdecon xiijs
" Item a decon and subdecon blcAve x"
" Item a whyte sute wth lyons piyst deeo and
" subdcco xvjs
" Item a black e sute pryst cleco and subdeco iijs iiijd
" Item a sylke cope Avth byrde v"
" Item ij. grene cope of sylke v!
" Item ij. vyolet coops strypys sylke - - iiijs
" Item v. old coopys viijs
" Item v. cheasabuls Vs

(.;/" Mend tea nt Friars.

77

" Item A', tunakylls
" Item a herse clothe
" Item an ault1' clothe
" Item a vaylle
" Item an all )L.
" Item a table clothe
'' Item a piece of a cope
" Item ij. curteyns and an alt1' fruute
" Item ij. fetherbedds
" Item x. cushcyns
" Item ij. baasons and aue ewer
" Item iiij. platters and iij. pottyngers
" Item ij. panys
" Item iij. potts
" Item ij. chests
" Item a lyttyll table
" Item a cubborde
" Item ij. olde carpetts
" Item olde hangyngs of y' (|Averc
" Item a forme
" Item a tester and a syler grene say-
" Item hangyngs of grene saye
" Item a bedstede
" Item a lyttyll cobborde
" Item a table a payr of tiystyls and a formt.'
" Item v. joynyd stool ys
" Item hangyngs of the qAvere dornyxc
" Item an old vestyment of sattyn brygges
" Item ij. aAvndyryiis
" Item a steynyd clothe
" Item a chayre and a coffer
" Item a bedstede
" Item a tabull and ij. tiystyls

"J"

xnj hjs ij5 Xs

».J

viij" viij'1 vj" vj"
xij"
viij" iij"
iiij"iiij"iiij"

xvj"
viij"

v.l"
xvj" iiij'1

xij" xij"

xij"
xvj"xvj"

xx" vj"
xiii"

iiij"

78 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
" Item a fetherbed and ij. bolster - vjs viij"
" Item a chayre and a clieste xij"
" Item a copur to brew Avythe xij"
'' Item a brasse pott - xvj
" Item a plattf and a saucer - vja
" Item a dowble bar re w4 ij. hangels - va
" Item a lyttylle carderon vjd
" Item iij. brooches xxrt
" Item ij. racks - iij3
" Item iij. barrys standyng in yc Avail xd
" Item a trevet a payr of tongs aud a fryeng pan xviij"
" Item ij. busshl of Avhete xijd
" Item a baasyn and a platter - xija
" Item a lampe in the quere vjd
" Item in y° sextrye old chests xxd
" Sue viij" ijs xjd
" Ther be ij. chales coper the wheche yee vesyter hathe.
" The be ij. bells the Avheche the meyer and eA*ans schall se
" yb sale of them.
" The house is in the handds of [blank] evans at ye vesyter
" and meyers assynemeut to se it orderyd tyll ye kyngs
" pleser be further knowyn.
" Of y" money above wrytyn was payde as by
" y" accountts it schall appere viij" ijs j'1
" So restytht in my hands xd
" And ij. cop chales. For sylur there Avas no.
" Ricard Doverecs."
(Exch. Tre. of Receipt, Vol. A /,, fo. 47.)
There are no remains of the White Friars buildings,
which stood on or contiguous to the site of the Colston
Hall. The Friars' gardens were extensive, and well situated
for culture. To these Friars the parishioners of St. John's

of Mendicant Friars. 79
parish Avere under deep obligation for the gift of a never-
failing supply of pure Avater, Avhich still exists, and is the
common property of the inhabitants. Let us pay " the
" passing tribute of a sigh " to the memory of the good
Friars for the inestimable boon they conferred on the
toAvnsmen. A description of, and references to, the White
Friars conduit will be found at p.p. 98, 99, and 100.
In a subsequent report from the King's Commissioner to
Secretary Cromwell, dated " thys xxvij. day of August "
(1538), references were made to the three other Bristol
houses of Mendicant Friars, "Also there be iij. convents yl
" in BristoAve, as for the Blacke [the Dominicans] [they] be
" redy to give up, but the other ij. be styffe and bere them
" sore be gret favor. The Gray Fryeres by reason that the
"warden ys warden of Rechemonde, and ys in favor by
"reson of that, yet for all hys grett port I thynke him
" xx. merkes [marks] in dett, and not abull to pay yt. The
" Austen Fryer by reson of a grantt that he hathe of the
" King's grace for the terme of hys lyffe, by the Avhyche he
" thynketh that he may sell the hoAvse and all, for the
" plate ys all solde, and allso the tymber that greue abowte
" the howse, so that he hath within iij. yeres taken above a
" hunderyd markes of plate and tymber and other imple-
" ments, so that almost all ys gon : If it Avoid e plese you
" to send yoAver plesur by this brynger of theys ij. conventes
" in BrystoAve, in my cumynge home I shall cum within
" x. myle of BrystoAve, and so I Avould thether to fynysche
" all thoys partes, and so I Avolde to Salysbury and other
" ther, yf that I kneAve yoAver plesur "—(MS. Cotton. Cleop.
E iv, fol. 263).
The Commissioner returned to Bristol in the month of
September (1538), and, on or about the tenth of that
month, he obtained possession of the three remaining

80 Dissolution, of the Four Bristol Houses
houses of Mendicant Friars, viz. : — The Austins, The
Dominicans (Black), and Franciscans (Gray), as the folloAv-
ing copies of the surrenders Avill testify. A copy of the
inventory of the goods and chattels of each of the three
houses Avill be found after the respective surrenders.
(Copy Surrender of The Austin Friars.)
" M" we y1' p'or & cduente of y'' austen fryers of brystow
" wl OAvt any man1' of coaccyon or cosell do gyue oav' hoAvse
" in to yc handds of yc lorde Aysytor to the Kings use
" desyerynge hys grace to be goode & gracyoAvs to us. In
" wyttenes Ave subscrybe oav1 uamys w' oav' ppcr handds
" the x. day of September in y1' xxxth yere of ye raygne of
"' oav7 most drede sou'en lorde Kyngc Henry yu viii"'.
" p nos V3.
" p me frem Nichm Sandford p'oreir.
" p me frem Johem Ingman.
" p ine frez Laureciu Frakys.
" p me frez Johane Stere.
" p me frez Johez Pynder.
" p mc frez Thoma P'ker.
" p me frem Rogeru Fylyon.
" p inc frez Robertii P'fey."
(Copy Inventory of The Austin Friars.)
" This indenture makith mencyon of all suche stuffe of
' the austen freres of bristoAv receyuyd by the lorde visetor
" vnder the lorde p'uey scale for the Kingis grace the Avch
" ys holly delyu'erd to Harry White of bristow grocer and
" Willm popley gentilman to order and saffly kepe the
•' same to the Kingis vse, till the Kingis plesuro shall be
'¦ further knoAven av' y' place and all the apptcn"ncs.

of Mendicant Friars. 81
"The Vestre.
" ffirst vestmentes for prist decon and subdecon of bleAve
" saten browdered w* aubis and chesebille and a cope
" of yu same.
" Item A-estments for prist decon and subdecon of ehange-
" abill sarcenet poudred av4 starrys of golld A\rt on cope
" of sane.
" Item vestments for prist decon and subdecon of blew
" sarcenet.
" Item vestments for prist decon and sbdecon of change-
" bill silke brodered w' flowerys av* on cope of the
" same.
" Item vestments for prist decon and Sbdecon of bawdkin.
" Item iiij. copes of diu'se colorys embrouderyd.
" Item ij. vestments of redde veluit av' on aube.
" Item a vestment of white damaske.
" Item a cope of black e damaske.
" Item xij. vestments of diu'se sortis of .dornix fustan & say.
" Item iij. pelowys for y1' alt1' of linin clothe AvroAvte av' silk.
" Item ij. alt1' clothes.
" Item iij. litill cotis for seinthe sethe.
" Item a bannT for ye crosse of damaske ay' imagis peynted
" w' golld.
" Item a gret peyer of laten candlestickis and ij. peyer of
" small.
" Item a branche of laten afore seinthe austen.
" Item a peyer organys.
" Item a case to put vestments in.
" The Hall.
" Item a tabill and a peyer of trestellys and ij. olid tabill
" clotheis on all to rent.
" Item in the litill hall a tabill and a peyer of trestles. F

82 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
" The Kechin.
" Item a gret pot, ij. posnetis and a broken pott.
" Item iij. pannys, a chafer, and on chaffin dishe.
" Item on long broche and iij. litill brocheis w* a small pair
" of rackis.
" Item xvij. pecis of peut1' on and other.
" Item a treuit and a gridiron.
" Item a laten bason and a fier pike.
" Md the visitor hathe to y" Kingis vse a chales weyng
" xj. vne gP, and no peny for his costis, and where yr ys
" demaunded of true detts about ye suu of ix. or x11 for
" payement wrof ys solid a crucifeix and iij. mass bandis of
" silu1' veing xvij. vne for ye Avch ys receyued towardis yE
" detts iiij. marks A'js ijd and for the payment of ye rest yt
" ys appoyntid y4 certeyne leade y* Avas conveyd and su
" other thingis at y" sethe of them y* haue ye howse in
" keping schall be solid and the dettis y'with to be payde,
"#lso ye euidens anc] writings of y4 hoAvse be left w* yB
" inventory. " p me Harry White.
" p me Willm popley."
(Exch. Trea. of Rec, Vol. B /9, fo. 115.)
Leland says, " The Augustine Friers house was harde by
" the Temple Gate Avithin it Northe Weste." They have
left no name in the district formerly occupied ' by them
as the site of their house and gardens, and not a vestige of
their buildings can now be seen. So far as the general
public are concerned, the name of the Austin Friars of
Bristol is an utter blank, and consequently the Friars are
frequently confused with the Augustinian Black Canons
of the Abbey (now the Cathedral). Comparatively few of
the inhabitants of Temple parish are aware that the

of Mendicant Friars. 83

parishioners in old times were indebted to the Austin Friars
for a supply of pure Avater. The conduit stood near the
Friars' house at Temple Gate, and the Avater Avas subse
quently conveyed from there by a pipe to the Temple
cross. These Friars Avere known as the Order of
" Eremites " (Hermits), but their popular designation Avas
" The Austins."
[Note. — Inasmuch as references haA-e been made to the
conduits of the other three orders of Friars, it has been
thought desirable to give some details as to the Temple
conduit, and the same Avill be found at p. p. 102 — 105].
It is now proposed to give a copy of the surrender of the
Black Friars. If a comparison is made of this and the
surrender of the Austins, it aviU be seen that they are in
precisely similar form, and dated the same day. A copy of
the inventory follows after the surrender.
(Copy Surrender of the Black Friars.)
" Md We y1' p'or and co'uente of y' blackefryers of
" Brystowe av1 one assent and co'sent Av'oAvt any man' of
" cooceyon or co'sell do gyve in to y' handds of ye lorde
" vysytor to yc Kyngs vse desyerynge hys grace to be
" good and gracyous to vs. In Avyttenes Ave subscrybe
" oaa^1 namys av' oav1 p'per handds y° x. day of September in
" y1, xxx10 yere of oav1 most dred sou'ert lord Kinge Henry
" y° VIIIth. " Thom"s Paerker, p'or.
" Rob'tus Wellys.
" Jacobus Zarman.
" Wyll'm Garnar.
" Radulfus Doole,"

84 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
(Copy Inventory of the Black Friars*)
" The Blacke Fryers of Brystoave.
" Thys Ind't' makeythe me'cyon of all yc stuffe of ye
" blacke fryers of BrystoAve receywcd by ye lorde vysyte1
" vnd' the lorde p'vy seale for the Kyngs grace and
" delyu'ed to Robarde Wochvarde and John Amerke to se
" and order to yu Kyngs vse av' y" ho we and all the
" porten'nce tyll the Kyngs plesur be forth er knowyn.
"The Q'r.
" Item a payer of gret candelsteks laten.
" Item a small payer of candelstks laten.
" Item a fayer hangeynge lomps.
" Item a payer of organs.
" Item a holy wat' stope. " Thehe Sextre.
" Item in p'mis xatj. copys.
" Item iiij. sutys of grene.
" Item iij. sutys of blewe.
" Item a sute of whyte.
" Item xij. syngle vesteme'ts av' ther albs.
" Item xiiij. amys for copys.
" Item a payer of red cur tens.
" Item a payer of Avhyte and on' grene curten.
" Item iij. payer of small curtens.
«•' Item a rede hangeynge.
" Item a whyte and a grene for ye hey auf.
" Item ij. rede frengys.
" Item ij. a whyte and a grene.
" Item ij. towels wrowght av' sylke.
" Item iiij. surplyseys and ij. lytyll rocketts for chyldren.

of Mendicant Friars.

" Item vj. aut1' clothes.
" Item ix. hangyngs for yc Ioav aut'rs,
" Item xat. eop'as casys.
" Item a A'ayle clothe.
" Item a clothe of sylke to hange befor ye hey aut'.
" Item ij. canapys for y° sacrame't.
" Item ij. paAvls for y° q're.
" Item iij. cuschyngs for ye hey aut'.
" Item for ye crosse one of Areluet.
" Item a nother of sylke.
" Item for yB aut'rs in lent xxij. clotheys to cou' the' and ye
" ymagys.
" Item a corten of lynyn to draw before yc aut'.
" Item a pawle for ye horse.
" Item ij, peynteyd clothes of kyngs and a notlier of marys.
" Item a crane for copys.
" Item a brode for copys.
" Item a\ coffers good and bade.
" The Chambers. ¦
" Item iij. f ether beds av' iij. bolsters.
" Item ij. cou'yngs.
" Item iij. tow ells vj. napkyns.
" Item iij. chayers iij. carpetts.
" Item ij. playne tabulls a cow't'.
" Item ij. cupbords.
" Item a gret payer of anndyorns.
" Item a lytyll payer.
" Item a bason and an eAver av' a lytyll bason.
" Item iiij. gret ca'delsteks av' a lytyll ca'dellsteke.
" Item a hangynge of whyte for a bede.
" Item iij. pewt' pots to put flowers in.
" Item ij. quart potts pewt'.

86 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
"The Kechyn.
" Item iiij. gret brasse potts and ij. lytyll potts av' a
" possenet.
" Item a ketell and a lytyll pan.
" Item a brasyn mort' av' a pastell.
" Item a chaffer v. broches ij. hengells.
" Item a payer of racks.
" Item a gret charg' v. plat's aj. dysches of peAvt'.
" Item vj. potyngers vj. saAvcers of one sort.
" Item aj platers aj. dysches and v. sawcers iij. co't' fctis.
" Item a treuet and a gredyron.
"Md Ye vysytor hath av' him to ye Kyngs vse ij. chales
" a sensor a brokyn crosse w' stonys and yeorn in y' a
" paxse and ij. ca'delstcks all weynge as y' ys *£. and
" xvj. vne' and yt ys to be noteyd y' ther was solcle a
" vesteme' av' deco' and subdeco' and one olde syngle
" vesteme't av' ij. copys for vili xyf viij" av' the whyche
" all detts Aver payd and a cou'ynge for xxs peyseys seleyd
" and ij. vnseleyd and x. patents all in a casket. Also
" xiij. peyseys seleyd in a nother boxse.
"p' me Robertu' Wodwarde.
" p' me John Amerycke."
(Exch. Treas. of Receint, Vol. A uj.
The fact that some of the buildings of the Black Friars
(including the dormitory, an unique specimen of its kind,
and which possesses almost a national reputation) still
remain has directed attention to the site of this house, and
consequently considerable interest has been taken with
regard to its history by archaeologists and antiquaries, in
Avhose publications descriptions of the remains have been
given on several occasions..

of Mendicant Friars, 87
After the dissolution the site of the house of the Black
Friars was sold by the King, in the year 1 540, to William
Chester, Avho had served the office of mayor in the year
1538. The site of the Friars' house, gardens, &c, iioav
belongs to the Society of Friends, upon a portion of Avhich
their Chapel stands, and it is a somewhat curious fact to
rslate that the locus in quo is very generally known in
modern parlance as " The Quakers' Friars " ! *
We noAv come to the surrender of the Friars Minors or
Franciscans of Bristol. In this case the document bears
no date, but there is A'ery little doubt that it Avas on the
10th September, 1538, or thereabouts, that the house was
given up. This surrender is in slightly different form from
the preceding ones. It Avill be noted that it includes an
admission that the King was the suprem e head of the Catholick
Church of England. This must have been a bitter pill to
the unfortunate Friars. In all probability some inducement
Avas offered to them by the King's Commissioner, and
finding that resistance Avas in vain, they thought it
expedient to make the best terms they could. The warden
did not join in the surrender, and it appears from a note in
the inventory of the house (which is the next document
transcribed) that he Avas absent from Bristol. It will be
remembered that he was also warden of the convent of
Richmond. '' Robert Sanderson " appears to have been the
name of the warden (Surrender No. 201, Aug. Office).
(Copy Surrender of the Franciscans.)
'' Vn to oav1' most sufferayne Lord Kyng Henri the viij'h
" sup'me hed of the most Catholicke Chyrche of Ynglond
" imedeatly vnder God we the bretherin of y" order of
" saint francis callyd the Graye in bristow w'" owr hoole
* See p.p. 100-1 as to the Blackfriars conduit.

88 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
" assent and cosent do surrender vp o1' house volutary vn
" to the hand is of hys hye maiest subscribryng o1 handis
" psonally. '• p me frez Thonia LeAvys.
" Per me frem Johez Duke.
" Per me frem Henricu Carpent'.
" Per me frem Johanez Mrden.
" Per me frem Thomam Lee.
" Per ine frem Henricu Lawnne."
(Exch. Trea. of Rec, Vol. B h, Fo. 7.)
(Copy of the Inventory of the House of the
Bristol Franciscans.)
"The Grey freeris in bristowe.
"This indenture makith mencyon of all such stuff'e of
" the freers mynors in bristowe receyuid by yc lorde visitor
" vnder the lorde p'uey scale for the Kingis grace, the wch
" ys holly delyu'eid to Harry White of Bristowe grocer and
" Willffi Popley gentilman to order and saffely kepe the
" same to the Kingis vse, till the Kingis plesure schall be
" further knoAven w' the place and all the appten"nceis.
"The Vestre and Quere.
" Item ij. peyer of gret brasen candelstickis and ij. peyer of
" small brasen candelstickis for auters av' a peyer of
" timb1' candelstickis.
" Item iij. copis of veluit red blew and blacke.
" Item a cope of damaske.
" Item ij. copis blewe bregis suten and x, pore copis.
" Item vestments for prist decon and subdecon blewe veluit.
" Item for decon and subdecon of red veluit broderyd av'
" halfe monys, mr bowen hath yu vestment.
" Item for prist decon and subdecon of white damaske.

of Mendicant Friars. &9
" Item for prist decon and subdecon of sarge av' lions of golld.
" Item for prist decon and subdecon of baAvdkin av' red
" closses of veluit.
" Item for prist decon and subdecon of Avhite rosis bore and
" bestis.
" Item for prist decon and subdecon of baAvdkin.
" Item a iij. peyer of seingill vestments av' aj. aubis.
" Item xj. badcle auterclotheis.
" Item x. corporas av' y1 casis ij. pallis and v. serples.
" Item ij. dex clotlieis, ij. curteyns for yfc hei aut1' of linig
" clothe, a bann' for y" crosse of sarcenet.
" Item iij. chestis Av'oAvt lockis, ij. cubbordis.
" Item a clothe for y" hey aut1' in lent season and iij. herse
" clotheis.
"The Hall.
" Item a tabill ij . trestellys a forme and a coAvrf borde.
" The Parlar.
" Item seyleid w' boAvdley borde.
" Item a tabill ij. trestellis, ij cupbordis, a forme and
" ij. cheiers, ij. carpi ts, vj, cusseyns.
" The Buttery.
" Item a litill tabill, ij. trestellis, a forme and a cubborde,
" ij. tabill clotheis.
" The Chamberis.
" Item ij. beclstedis iij. chestis and a cheyer.
" The Kechin.
" Item iij. litill brasse pottis.
" Item iiij. brasen pannys.
" Item a chafer of brasse and ij. laten basens.

90 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
" Itsm iiij. porige discheis of pout1' iij. plateris iij. discheis
" ij . saAvceris. '
" Item on long broclie and ij. small and a peyer of rackis of
" iron.
" Item an yron barre av' iij. hengis and on pothoke.
" Item a treuit and a greidiron av' a kneeling trowe.
" M" the visitor hathe to ye Kingis A^se a crosse dowting
" whether yt be silu1' or no a bande av' a fote of an home
" av' a chales all Aveing lj. vne, and y1' be many detters y' call
" for dettis diuse by tayles diuse by billis but non be payde
" the cause ys yu warden ys not here to know whet1' y"
" dettis be all OAveing or no, but A'j. billis appoynted by y'
" officers to be true dettis the av'11 billis rest av' the inventory,
" but non of yem be payde nor non schall be till yc trowthe
" be harde of bothe parteis.
" Also ther ys a litill cofer av' cvidens lefte av' ye inventory
" and so no peny payde for ya visetors chargis nor other,
" and ther be iij. patents lefte w' the evidencis.
" p me Harry White.
" p me Willm Popley."
Special reports were made as to the lead belonging to the
convents. Under the heading of " The houses of ffrers lately given
" up Avhiche have any substance of leaj'de," in Exch. Treas.
of Rec, Vol. A n, F. 4, the folloAving entries appear : —
" The Avhite ff'res in Bristowe, oon isle of the church, a
" chapell, and divers grete gutters and conduit."
"The blak freres in Bristowe, tAvo iles in church, iij.
" gutt's bitAveen the cloyster and the i'batihne't." And at
fo. 5, under heading —
" The hoAvses of freres that have no substance of leade,
" save only some of them have small gutts " [gutters].
" The gray freres and the austen freres in Bristowe."

of Mendicant Friars. ,91
The King, by royal lease, dated 16th March, 1539, granted
the Franciscan house and site, together with the gardens
and orchards, also the moiety of the prisage of fish, formerly
one of the franchises of the Dominicans (which latter
moiety Avas reserved Avhen the King sold the Dominican
house and property to Wm. Chester, Esq.), to Jeremy
Grene (Green) of Bristol, merchant, for 21 years, "from the
last feast of St. Michael the Archangel" (Misc. Books of
Court of Aug, Vol. ccxii. — enrolment of leases — Fol. 110b).
[Copy Royal Lease of the Franciscan House, &c, to
Jeremy Green.]
" Hec Indentura fca in? excellentissimu principem 1 dim
" Henricu octauu dei gra Ang} 1 ffranc Regem 1c ex vna
" parte 1 Jeronimu Grene de villa Bristol} in Colli ville
" Bristolt racatorem ex alt?a parte Testat1' qd idem dris Rex
" p aduisamentii Consilii Cur Augmentacionii Reuencionu
" Corone sue tradilit concessit T; ad firmam dimisit pfato
" Jeronimo totam domu % Scitu nup domus dudum frm
" Mino3 vulgari? nuncupat les; gray freers infra dcam
" villam Bristol} in dco coiii ville Bristol} modo dissolu't
" vnacum CimiSio poraiis gardenis Cra 1 solo infra Scitum
" 1 rjcinctu dee nup domus dudum frm mino3 existeii
" simulcu cursib3 1 conduct aquarj diet nup domui ptine'ii
" siue spectan adeo plene % integre ac in tam amplis modo
" 1 forma put nup gardianus l Conuentus eiusdem nup
" domus ilia huerunt tenuerunt % gauisi fuerunt, Aceciam
" totam illam firmam prisar' piscitx in Com ville Bristol}
" necnon tot libtal eidem pris piscivi quoquomodo acciden
" siue enigeii quequid'm pris pisciu p Iras paten dei ctni
" Regis ex elemosina eiusdem ctni Regis nup gardiano 1
" Conuentui dee nup domus dudu ffm mino3 ac nup priori
" t Conuentui dudum domus nup frm pdicato3 infra dcam

92 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
villain Bristol} simili modo nunc dissolut 1 eo3 Successor
concess fuit Exceptis tamen semp % deo dno Regi hered %
Successor^ suis oniino reseruatis oiIiib3 talib3 I
huiusmodi edificus infra scitu dee domus dudum frm
mino3 existeri que deus dns-Rex ibidem rjsterni 1 auferri
mandauit hend tenend 1 gaudend totii pdict Scitu
Cimitiu pome? t gardina pris pisciu ac ceta ofriia pmissa
cum suis ptin Exceptis pexceptis pfato Jeronimo Grene t
assigii suis a festo sci Michis Arcrii vltimo ptito vsg3 ad
finein tmini t p tminu viginti t vnius Anno3 extunc <px
sequeri t plenaf complend Reddend inde annuatim deo
dno Regi hered t Successorib3 suis triginta tres solid t
quatuor denaf legalia monete Anglie ad festa Annunciacois
be marie virginis t sci Mictiis Archi vel infra vnu Mensem
post vtrumg3 festum festog HI03 ad Cur pdcam p equales
porcoes soluend durant tmino pdco Et p'deus Jeronimus
Grene concedit p psentes qd ipe t assign sui oiiies necessar
repacoes pmisso3 de tempore in tempus tociens quociens
necesse t opportunu fuit bene t sufficient repari sustentari
t manuteneri fac durant tmino pdco. In cuius rei
testimoniii vni pti tc alti ATero pti tc, Dal: apud Westffi
decimo sexto die Marcu Anno dei dn Regis tricesimo
primo. " p Consilium Curie pace."
(Copy of the first Half-yearly Account of
Jeremy Green.)
" Bristol, \" Account of Jeremy Green, farmer and collector
" A.D. 1539. '"of rents and farms belonging to the late
" house of the Friars Minors.
" Accounts for 28/4d for farm of parcel of the
" site for half a year (of 4s/8d per annum) due
" Michaelmas 1539.

of Mendicant Friars. 93
" Also 3s/44 for farm of a parcel of land called
" The LoAver Orchard Avitli little garden demised
" to William Jaye of Bristol, merchant, by
" indenture under the common seal of the late
" Prior and Coiwent of the said house dated
" 15th March 27 Hen. VIIL for the term of 60
" years at 678" yearly to be paid at Lady day
" and Michaelmas.
" And ] 2 pence for farm of Cemetery on the
" Avest side of the Church of the said house
" abutting on a street called Lewens Mede,
" demised to Thomas White of Bristol, mer-
" chant, at 2s/- yearly.
" And ten shillings for farm of a garden Avith
" tAvo ' lyme kylnes ' and a ' slippe ' and a
" little house built thereon situate in a street
" called LeAvens Mede demised to Thomas
" Haynes by indenture under the common
"seal of the Prior and Convent 21st June, 25
" Hen. VIIL for 14 years at 20s/- yearly paid
" at Michaelmas and Ladyday.
" Sum (half-year) 16" 8"
" And 10 shillings for farm of prisage of fish
" Avithin the town of Bristol by letters patent
" under the great seal granted by the King
"12th March, 2 Hen. VIIL to the Friars
" Minors and Preachers Avithin the same town
" now demised to Jerome Green at rent of
" 20 shillings. " Sum (half-year) 10s 0"

Sum total 26s 8"."

94 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Hovmcs
Subsequently the property of the Franciscans AATas (inter
alia) conveyed to the Corporation of Bristol. In considera
tion of £1,000 cash and a yearly fee farm rent of £20 the
King, by letters patent, dated 2nd May, 1541, granted to
the Corporation certain properties, including the Gaunts or
House of St. Mark of BillesAvicke (iigav called the Mayor's
Chapel), the manors, rectories and churches of Stockland
Gaunts and Overstowey, in the County of Somerset, the
manors of Gaunt's Earthcdtt and Lee, in the County of
Gloucester, and other valuable estates appertaining to the
dissolved house of the Gaunts ; the site of the house of the
Carmelites or Whitefriars (a portion Avhereof Avas afterwards
purchased by Sir J. Young, Avho erected a capital mansion
house thereon. This, at a later period, Avas purchased by
Edward Colston for a school, Avhich Avas subsequently
demolished, and upon its site there was erected " Colston
" Hall "); a portion of the property of the dissolved Convent
of St. Mary Magdalen, situate, in Magdalen Lane (noAv
Upper Maudlin Street); and all the property of the
Franciscans.* By this conveyance the Avhole right (i.e., the
two moieties) of the prisage of fish coining into Bristol Avas
vested in the Corporation. That body raised a large part
of the purchase money in a remarkable manner. Having
promised to relieve Bristolians of certain unpopular tolls
on goods, the parochial vestries Avere induced to present it
with church plate valued at the then enormous sum of
£523 10s. 8d !
The folloAving references to the Franciscan property in
Bristol appear in the " Particulars for Grants," which Avere
draAvn up Avith a view to the preparation of the grant or
letters patent, by which the legal estate was transferred to
the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol : —
* Tlie transaction Avas to date from ilicliaelmas, 1540,

.pcelt pos-
« e s s i o n u
t''m domus
firm
Milioj . .
. . . infra
villain
Bristol} in
Com
ciusdm ville.

viz.

Scitus nup

domus

ffrm Minor

pdict cu

terr t
Vat in
possess
eedm imp
clomui
ptinent.
Scitu dee nup domus cu Cimitor Pomaf
Gardin Terr et Solo infra Scitu Circuit t
pcinctu ciusdm nup Domus existen sicut
Mur lapid includuntur simulcu Cursub3 t
Conduct Aqua3 diet nup domuiptin in t'm
Amplio modo t forma put imp prior t confres
dec nup domus ea omia Jiuerunt ct tenuerunt
Dnio Jheroninio Giene Reddend inde p Annu
Firm vnius peel} Terr Aocat le Lymekells"!
diet nup domu ptinent in Tenuf Thome j
Haynes f hide p Annu
Firm Prisaj Pisciu infra Coin ville Bristol}
aut libtat ciusdm Acciden siue em'genc nup
Prior t Conuent domo} ifim Mino5 t
p'dicato3 infra villain p'dacm t 003 Successor
concess p }ras Pateii Dni Regis inde eis
ci mfect ex Elemosin ciusdm dni Regis p Annu.
I Xllf lllj"
p anii clare
ij" xiif iiij"
ex' p
Wiltm Berners,
Auditorem
Part of the
possession .... of
the house of
Friars Minors

Avithout the
town of Bris
tol in the
county of the
same town,
viz. : —

Site of the
late house of
the Friars
Minors aforc-
s a i d av i t h
lands and pos
sessions per
taining to the

same
house.

late

worth in

-13/4

*An incorrect description of the head of

[ Translation.]
The site of the said late house with burial^
ground orchard and garden being the land
and soil within the site circuit and precints of
the same late house as with stone walls they
are inclosed, with courses and conduits of
waters pertaining to the said late house in as
ample manner and form as the late Prior* and
brethren of the said late house had and held
them all. Sir Jerome Green paying thereof
per annum -
Tbe farm of one parcel of land called the
Lymekells pertaining to the said late house
in the tenure of Thomas Haynes yielding
thereof per annum -
The farm of the prisage of fish happening"
or appearing within the county or town of
Bristol, or the liberty of the same, granted to
the late priors and convents of the houses of
friars minors and preachers and their successors
within the town aforesaid by letters patent
thereof of our lord the King made to them of
the alms of the same lord the King per annum,
the house, whom we always find described, as " Warden " or " Guardian."

20/-

20/

COOS

Per annum
clear
£ s. d.
2 13 4

Examined by
Wm. Berners,
Auditor.

of Mendicant Friars. 97

The property of the late house of the Gray Friars of
Bristol Avas described as follows in the grant to the Mayor
and Commonalty of Bristol : —
" All the' house and site of the late house, late of the
" Minor Brethren, commonly called the Gray Friars, within
" our said town of Bristol, now dissolved, and all our
" houses, buildings, barns, dovecots, gardens, orchards, burial
" places,' Avatera, pools, vi varies, land and soil as Avell within
" as near to, and about the site of seven ambits circum-
" ference, and precincts of the said late house of Minor
" Brethren, and all waters, water ducts, and Avater courses*
" to the said house of the late Minor Brethren in any way
" belonging appertaining running to or flowing from ; also our
" one parcel of land, called the Lyme Kyln, now or late in
" the tenure of Thomas Haynes, in the town of Bristol
¦' aforesaid, to the said late house of the late Minor Brethren,
" lately belonging and appertaining, and being parcel of the
" possessions thereof ; and also all prisage of all and singular
" fish within the town, liberties and county of our said
" town of Bristol, annually, and from time to time happen-
" ing, arising, increasing, or appertaining, which same
" prisage of fish lately belonged and appertained to the late
" Minor Brethren, and to the late house of Mendicant
" Brethren, commonly called the Black Friars, within our
" said town of Bristol, now dissolved " (Lett.rs Patent, 6th
May, 1541).
[•For information as to the Friars Conduit see ante. pp. 32-3 and 45-53.]
At the same time the property of the Carmelite Friars
was conveyed to the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol, and
was described as folloAvs : — " All the house and site of the
" Lite house of the late Carmelite Brethren, commonly
•' called the White Friars, within our toAvn of Bristol, now
G

98 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses

" dissolved ; and all the messuage and house, called the
" Hooper's Hall, with the appurtenances, being Avithin the
" site of the said house of the late Carmelite Brethren, and
" all cemeteries, gardens, orchards, land and soil, as well
" Avithin as near to and about the site of seven ambits in
" the circuit and precinct of the same late house of the late
" Carmelite Brethren" (Letters Patent, 6th May, 1541).
[Note. — It will be observed that there is no mention of
" waters " or " Avater ducts " in the description. There can
be no reasonable doubt that the parishioners of St. John
the Baptist had taken over the Friars conduit and Avater
supply.] The Carmelite Friars (Avhose house, according to the
authority of "Speed," Avas founded A.D. 1267) obtained
their Avater supply from springs or subterranean streams
situated under land at, or contiguous to, the upper part of
Park Street. The main source of the supply comes from
under Berkeley Square or Brandon Hill, but the Friars
may haA*o requisitioned adjacent subterranean supplies in
order to provide against the failure of a particular spring
or stream. Under land, now forming the upper part of
Park Street, about 15 yards from the front of the divisional
Avail betAveen Nos. 81 and 83, Park Street (which houses
are on the left hand side going up the street) the Friars
constructed a reservoir or Avell. There is an arched subway
from this reservoir to a point in front of No. 58, Park
Street (which house is on the right hand side going up) at
which point the archway communicates Avith the pavement
by a manhole ; below this point the subway extends about
15 yards, and then ends at a reservoir or cistern of
considerable dimensions, before reaching the latter the leaden
pipe leaves the subway, through the Avail of Avhich it passes
towards Culver Strc et. There are tAvo subways branching

of Mendicant Friars. 99

from the main subway, above the point indicated, from
•which additional supplies of Avater are obtained from the
direction of Brandon Hill. The arched subways and
reservoirs are capital examples of early Avork of the kind.
From Culver Street the pipe is continued across Wells
Street to *CrabsAvcll Court, up Frogmore Street to Pipe
Lane (so called because the main pipe of this supply was
here connected with the Carmelites' cistern). At several
points en route cocks are placed in the pipes for the purpose
of flushing and repairing Avhen necessary.
The Carmelites granted to the parishioners of St. John
the Baptist a feather or branch pipe from the overflow of
the cistern in Pipe Lane. The St. John's pipe was carried
via St. Augustine's Back (noAv Colston Street), Host Street,
and Christmas Street, to a building erected in the arch just
inside the left or eastern side of St. John's Gate, at the
junction of Tower Lane and Broad Street. Many years
ago the eastern arch of St. John's tower was pierced in
order to form a footAvay for pedestrians, and the water
fountain Avas then transferred to its present position in
Nelson Street, which is situated immediately under the
Vestry Room of the Church. By Indenture, dated the
2nd day of March, 1865, all the interest of the Feoffees of
the parish of St. John the Baptist Avas transferred to
the Town Council of Bristol, and the latter body is now
legally bound to keep the same in repair for the use of the
parishioners. Prior to the date of this conveyance the
parishioners had held domain over the Avhole of the conduit
from the date of the surrender of the Carmelites' house, in
1538' In the month of March, 1893, Mr. C. E. D. Boutflower,
Senior Churchwarden, and Mr. W. Bennett, past Church-
*The St. Augustine's school is built over the once celebrated Crab's Well,

100 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Ho

uses

Avarden, on behalf of the Vestry of St. John the Baptist,
accompanied by Dr. Cook, Analytical Chemist, explored
the Avhole of the subways in Park Street, and the
manholes and flushing cocks at various points between
Park Street and the Church, and they afterwards
reported to the Vestry that the same were found to be in
au efficient state. This visit Avas in consequence of the
Sanitary Authority having ordered the supply to be
stopped on the ground that the water " showed marked
" indications of animal contamination, and was a source of
" public clanger." Dr. Cook afterwards reported to the
Vestry, as the result of his analysis, that " the water is
" remarkably free from organic impurity, and may be
" safely used for drinking purposes.''
The property of the Black Friars was sold to William
Chester, of Bristol, merchant, by royal grant, dated 23rd
June, 1540, Avhich conveyed the site of the late house, Avith
buildings, gardens, orchards, churchyard, &c. (containing
6 acres 3 roods) together Avith 4s. yearly rent of a garden
in the site, late in the holding of Richard Abbingdon, and
6s. 8d. rent of a house and garden in the tenure of John
Jerdeyne, also a void plot of land outside the Avail of the
orchard of the house, 73 feet long and 18 feet broad at the
Avest end and 6 feet at the east end, let to Francis
Stradlinge, Esq., Jan. 12th, 1537-8, for fourscore years, at
the yearly rent of 20d., Avith the Avater conduit and all
other rights. To be held by the said William Chester by
the service of a fief and the rent or tenth of 4s. 2d. 
(Palmer's "Friars Preachers or Blackfriars of Bristol").
[Note.— The " void plot of land outside the Avail of the
"orchard of the house" was the place from which the
supply of water was obtained, (see will of Nicholas

of Mendicant Friars. • 101
Excestre, p. 101) and its position points to the probability
that the inhabitants of the neighbourhood avciv alloAved to
take the water.] The Friars Avere oiiginally supplied Avith
Avater by means of a conduit from Paniwell (or PaniAvell),
afterAvards modernized into PennyAvcll, hence the name
of the road (formerly a lane) in the parish of St. Philip (out).
The King gaA*e the Friars a license to make and have the
conduit on the 18th December, 1232 (Pat. Rolls 17 Hen. III.
m. 8), but in the year 1391 they made an exchange
Avith the Mayor and Commonalty of the toAvn, to Avhom the
Friars granted their conduit and the spring called Penywell
in consideration that they Avere to be alloAved to have
a feather (i.e., a branch pipe) from the town pipe leading
from its source at Baptist Mills to the keypipe. The
branch pipe issued from the main near " the Bars " (after
wards called Barrs Lane, but noAv called Barrs Street), and
the Friars Avere thus secured an abundant supply of good
Avater without the expense (to Avhich they had been
previously subjected) of keeping the conduit in order, it
having been arranged that the toAvn should for ever there
after bear the expense of keeping the Friars' branch pipe
and the toAvn pipe in order (Pat. Rolls 15 Rich. II., p. 1,
m. 24). — (Palmer's " Friars Preachers of Bristol.")
In the Avill of Nicholas Excestre, burgess of Bristol, dated
16th September, 1434, reference is made to "a garden and
" close annexed thereto in the suburbs, iux' les Barrez (The
" Bars or Barrs Lane) between the little lane ' in qua iacet
" Seint Marie Well ' and the common gutter by the Avail of
" the Friars Preachers' orchard and the late close of William
" Cary," &c. ..." extending from the King's Avay* to
" the Frame." (Bristol Wills, No. 225.)
* Now known as "King Street." " Meichant Street " was formerly
Mareshalle or Marshall Street (i.e., the place where the Castle troops
Avere marshalled, preparatory to the march to the exercising ground
at King's Down).

102 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
The property of the Augustinian* Friars Avas conveyed,
Avith other property belonging to the dissolved religious
houses (including property in the county of Kent, &c.) to
Maurice Dennys.
(Extract from Pat. Roll 30 Hen. VIIL, P. 14, M. 14.)
The King, etc. Kuoav ye that Ave, for the sum of
£536 14s. paid to us by our beloved and faithful servant
Maurice Dennys, Esq., have granted to him (inter alia) " all
" that, site, sept, circuit, and precinct of the late house, some-
" time of the Augustinian Friars, within the city or town
" of Bristol, Avith all their rights and appurtenances what-
" soever, all the cemetery of the said late house, the close
" of pasture within the said site now in the tenure of
" Thomas Wynsmore, and all those our houses, buildings,
" orchards, gardens, stables, dove-cots, ponds, lands and
" soil. Avithin the said site, as fully as the last prior or
" warden of the said late house sometime of the Augustinian
" Friars held the same in right of the said house and in
" such ample manner as the said house came to our hands
" by reason of the dissolution, suppression or surrender of
" the said house. Excepting to us and our heirs all lead
" roofs and all the lead on and upon Avhatsoever buildings
" Avithin the said site of the said house, except the lead
" gutters and the lead in the windows. To hold the said
" site (etc.) to the said Maurice Dennys and his heirs for
" ever of us and our heirs in chief by the service of the
" 20th part of a knight's fee ; he paying yearly to us and
" our heirs for the said site and other the premises to the
" said house belonging 20d. yearly."
" Witness the King at Westminster 22 March."
The Austin Friars derived their supply of Avater from a
spring called "Ravenswelle," which feeds a reservoir situate
* See ante p.p. 79, 80-3,

of Mendicant Friars. 103
near the junction of the roads leading to Bath and Wells
respectiA'ely." The fountain-head is in a high cliff upon
the River Avon. There are at present tAAro entrances to
the aqueduct from the rocks on the west side of the river.
The pipe may be seen from the river at the point where it
emerges from the caArern heAvn in the solid rock. There is
an old-fashioned wooden door Avhich encloses the passage,
and within a few yards from the outside of this door there
is a plug inserted in the pipe for flushing purposes.
FolloAving the course of the subAvay the pipe may be traced
for about 168 feet when the visitor finds himself again in
the open. Here it will be discovered that the excavations
made in connection with the recently-constructed loop or
goods line from Pile Hill to Brislington have destroyed a
portion of the original subway. [We may easily imagine
the surprise that must have been caused when, after
carrying away a portion of a hill and constructing a cutting
of considerable depth, the engineers met with an underground
passage high enough for persons to pass through, but this
by the way.] The pipe is carried under the railway line,
and a doorway recently constructed in the embankment
enables us again to pursue our journey through the subAvay.
At a short distance from the newly-constructed entrance
will be found the reservoir or tank, AA-hich is a very solid
'and substantial construction, the measurement of which is
about 45 feet by 2 feet 6 inches. This is supplied Avith
Avater from tAvo sources, one of Avhich is reached by a branch
subway on the same level, but the source of the main supply
can be seen by traversing a branch subway which is about
>£5jQ-fo^l)in length, at the head of Avhich the springs bubble
forth, and the water is conveyed 1 >y an aqueduct to the
before-mentioned reservoir. The reservoir and subways exist
as monuments to the great industry and intelligence of the

104 Dissolution of the Four Bristol Houses
constructors. Since the excavations for the loop line, the
subAvays have been left open and the pipes are liable to be
tampered Avith. (On the occasion of our recent visit, persons
employed by the raihvay company had lighted a fire in one of
the subways.) Pipes have been inserted in the main, and the
Avater is used by the railway company, and an original
entrance from the river-side has been blocked with debris.
Barratt (p. 553) states that " Sir John de Gourney granted
" the ground for an aqueduct ' for the use of the Friars,' and
'• that Thomas Lyons, Esq., 5 Hen. IV., granted them leave
" to carry it through Brandiron Close, otherwise Long
" Croft." The friars allowed the parishioners of Temple
the right to take the water from a cistern or reservoir,
which Avas placed just outside their house at Temple Gate.
Thomas Blount, burgess and merchant of Bristol, by his
will, dated 26th May, 1441, piwided that, if the parishioners
of Temple "shall hereafter convey, or cause to be conveyed,
" the Avater of a certain conduit noAAr being at the gate
" called Temple Gate, from the said conduit, in leaden pipes,
" to the Cross of the Temple aforesaid, they are to have
" [from testator's effects] 500 pounds of lead for that work."
This Avill sIicavs that the desirability of bringing the
Avater from Temple Gate to a place more convenient for the
parishioners of Temple had been recognised." It is very
probable that the testator's Avishes Avere carried into effect
shortly after his death. In the year 1508, Stephen
Forster, by his Avill, gave legacies " towards the reparation
" of Temple pipe, and the conduits of Redcliff, All Saints' and
" St. John's in Bristol"— (Brisk 1 Wills, No. 288). The distinc
tion made by the testator betAveen pipe and conduit tends
to prove that, at the date of the AviU, the pipe only was the
property of the parish. After the dissolution of the house
of the Austin Friars, in the year 1538, the fountain-head,

of Mendicant Friars. 105
the conduit, and pipes became the property of the
parishioners of Temple. In the will of John Giyffyn,
dated 20th April, 1587, the testator refers to " the cundj'te
" of the said p'ishe of Temple "—(Bristol Wills, No. 406).
There were two feathers in the Temple pipe at one time,
supplying Dr. White's Hospital and Temple Vicarage
respectively, but the supply has been discontinued for
many years. The Rev. W. Hazledine, the present A7icar of
Temple, states that, in the year 1777, the repair of the
conduit was undertaken at considerable expense, and
" Neptune," a large leaden statue, Avhich stood in a corner
near the tower of Temple Church, was supplied with
water. " Neptune," in his new position at the junction of
Old Temple Street and Victoria Street, is now supplied
with water from the mains of the Bristol Water Co. At
one time a portion of the profits of the fair formerly held
in Temple parish was appropriated towards the repair of
this conduit. The Rev. W. Hazledine, whose kind assistance
is acknowledged, states that the supply to Temple parish
has been discontinued, and that, in the year 1883, " an
" arrangement was made with John Hare & Co., through
" whose premises (in Bath Road) the pipe was laid, for the
" payment of a yearly sum for the use of the water." It is
to be hoped that this valuable supply of water will be
restored to the parishioners of Temple. The present condition
of the entrances adjacent to the new railway cutting can
only be characterised as unsatisfactory. Notwithstanding any
statement to the contrary, there exists a never-failing flow
of pure water. This little Avork may aptly be brought to
a conclusion by respectfully and earnestly appealing to those
in whom this conduit is vested to take practical steps for
its protection and restoration without delay.
finis.

Summary? of Contents.

PACE.

INTRODUCTORY.
St. Francis, the founder of the order of Friars
Minors, his birth, death, and canonization, his first
and second General Chapters v., a-j
Gift of the Church of Portiuncula by Benedictine
Monks of Monte Subiaco A'i
Official recognition by the Pope of Order Aii
Designation of the Friars of St. Francis vii
Colour of Habit* vii
Early Franciscans viii
Brother Agnellus, the first Provincial Minister of the
Order, and eight companions conveyed from France
to Dover at the expense of the Benedictine Monks
of Fescamp ix.
Arrival of the Friars in England a iii., ix.
Reception of the Friars by the Benedictine Monks
of Canterbury ix.
Convents of Franciscans at Canterbury, London and
Oxford ix.

Progress of the English ( hder

ix., x.

CHAPTER I.
Bristol Friars Mixous.
The Friars Minors of Bristol, their establishment in
Bristol — Seyer's references thereto 11,12
The approximate date of the foundation of the
Bristol house 12
* After the Reformation the English Franciscan Friars changed the
colour of their habit from gray t<> brown.

¦ *w*,i,

108 Contents.

PAGE.
Visitation at Bristol 13
Death of Brother Agnellus 13
His successor in office 13
Gifts of avoocI from King Henry III. to the Bristol
Friars Minors 14
'Declaration by Brother Haymo de FeA'ersham 14
Change of Site of the Bristol Convent 1 5
Dr. BreAver's reference to Bristol Convent. His
conjecture as to the establishment in the suburbs.
References thereto and to the Benedictine Monks
of St. James's Priory 15-18
Appointment of Reader to Bristol 1 9
Progress of English Order 1 !)
The Bristol Convent a Chief Custody of the Order ] 9
Details of Seven Custodies of the Order, A.D. 1399.
As to the office of " Warden " or " Guardian," and
the Seal of the Bristol Convent 19-21
Stevens' references to Bristol Church and Convent 21, 22
William of Wycestre's measurements of the Friars'
Church 22
Ordination in Friars' Church 22
The Site of the Conventual Buildings, Gardens,
Orchards, &c. 23-26
Imprisonment of James, Lord Berkeley, in the
Bristol Convent, A.D. 1416 26
Outer Boundaries of Friars' Inclosure (see also p.p. 95, 96) 27
Description of Outer Boundaries. Extracts from
Itinerarium of William Wycestre 27-32
Remains of Work and Buildings of Bristol Friars.
The Friars' Conduit (now All Saints' Conduit, see
also p.p. 51-3). Sketches of Remains, Conjectural
Plan of Friars' Inclosure 32-41

Contents. 109

PAGE.
CHAPTER II.
Bristol Friars Minors.
Difficulties as to History of Friars Minors, Destruction
of their Records, MSS. Books, &c. 4.1
Preaching' of Crusades 44
Thos. de Swinfield, Warden of Bristol A.D. 1282,
1316 45,46
Thos. de Canynge 46
References to Bristol Friars Avho held offices in the
Order 46, 47
The Conduit of the Bristol Friars (uoav the All Saints'
Conduit) — see also p. 32 47-53
Petition in Norman French from the Bristol Friars
to King Ethvard III. as to Conduit 51
King's License to the Friars to hold Conduit 51.-53
Lidiard, John and Joan 51
Grants to Bristol Friars of a Moiety of Prisage of
Fish coming into Bristol 53
The other Moiety of the Prisage belonging to the
Dominicans or Friars Preachers 53
Grant by King Henry VIIL of Prisage of Fish 53, 54
The Mayor's Prisage of Fish 54, 55
Gifts to Bristol Friars Minors by Will, Deed, &c. 55-64
Gift to Friars of a " Toft " 57, 58
References to Gifts by Will to the four Orders of
Friars in Bristol. Examples of Gifts in Kind 04-00
CHAPTER III.
Dissolution of the four Bristol Houses of
Mendicant Friars.
Glance at the pre-Reformation History of Bristol.
The four Orders of Mendicants, their position Avith
townsmen. References to Gifts to the four'Orders
by townsmen. Establishment of Chantries, \:c. 67, OS

110 Contents.

PAGE.
Payments to the four Orders of Friars ly the Bristol
Corporation 68, 69
Annual A-isits of Corporation to the Churches of the
Friars Minors and Friars Preachers 69
Friendly feeling of townsmen and Corporation
towards Friars 69, 70
Attack on Friars by Lollard Preachers 70, 71
Sermons preached by Latimer in Bristol 71
Sermons preached by Hub' ¦ -rden in reply to Latimer's
Sermons 71
Appointment of Commission, ¦¦¦ by King as to
statements made by Latin. >;r and Hubberden 71
The imposture and conspiracy in the year 1533 by
Elizabeth Barton (the " Holy Maid " of Kent) 72
Execution of two Franciscan Friars for participation
therein 72
The Wardens of Richmond and Bristol 72
Opposition to King Henry VIII. by Franciscan Friars 72, 73
Dissolution of the Greemvich Convent of Franciscans 73
Dissolution of four Houses of Mendicant Friars in
Bristol 74
References to the Bristol House of the Carmelites 74
Surrender thereof 75
Inventory of the contents of. the House 76-78
The Friars' Conduit(noAv St. John the Baptist Conduit)
(see also p.p. 98-100) 79
Gift by Carmelite Friars to St. John's parish of a
branch Conduit 7.S, 7J)
References to the three remaining houses of
Mendicants in Bristol 70 80
Surrender of the Augustinian Friars* 80
Inventory of the contents of their house 80-82
References to the Friars' house, gardens, conduit, etc. 82, 83

Contents. Ill

PAGE.
The Temple Conduit (see also p.p. 102-5 82, 83
Surrender of the Black Friars 83
Copy inventory of the contents of their house 84-86
References to their house, buildings, conduits, etc. 86-87
Surrender of the Franciscans 87, 88
Copy inventory of their house 88-90
The King's lease of the Franciscans' house, etc. to
Jeremy Green 91, 92
The first half-yearly account of Jeremy Green 92, 93
Sale of Franciscan & Carmelite houses and tAvo
moieties of prisage of fish by King Henry VIII to
the Bristol Corporation 94
Particulars for grant of Franciscan property to the
Corporation 95-96
Description of Franciscan and Carmelite properties
in the King's letters patent - 97-98
The Carmelite Friars' Conduit (noAv St. John the
Baptist Conduit) 98-100
The description of the Black Friars' property in the
Royal grant to William Chester of Bristol, merchant 100
The Black Friars' Conduit 100-1
Description of the Augustinian Friars' property in
the grant from King Henry VIII to Maurice
Dennys, Esq. 102
The Augustinian Friars' Conduit (uoav the Temple
Conduit) 102-5

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