The Great Pestilence (A.D. 1348-9)

194

Reg. Edyndon, i, fol. 19b.

195

Any doubt about the pestilence to which this letter refers is removed by the dates of the deaths of these last two named. John de Hampton died 4th August, 1356, and William Fyfhide on 18th May, 1361.

196

Winchester Cathedral Archives, Book ii, No. 80. In Book i, No. 120, is an "Exemplification of the record and proceedings by the Bishop of Winchester against the Mayor and others concerning the limits and boundaries of the churchyard, where the abbey of Hyde once stood, called the cemetery of St. Peter," Anno 23 Ed. III. (1349).

197

The following table will give the Institutions for Hants: —

198

Table of Institutions for Surrey: —

199

Reg. Edyndon, i, fol. 38.

200

R. O., Originalia Roll, 23 Ed. III., m. 37.

201

Pipe Roll, 23 Ed. III., m. 23.

202

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 28 Ed. III.

203

B. Mus. Cole MS., 5,824, p. 78 (from Reg. Lisle, fol. 24).

204

Rot. Pat. 27 Ed. III., pars. 1, m. 4.

205

At p. 92 of the printed edition of this chronicle the author describes the breaking out of the plague in France, just after the taking of Calais by the English. He attributes the truce between the French and the English to the epidemic.

206

Chronicon Galfridi Le Baker de Swynebroke, ed. E. M. Thompson, pp. 98–9.

207

R. O., Originalia Roll, 24 Ed. III., m. 8.

208

R. O., Rot. Claus., 25 Ed. III., m. 9.

209

R. O., Clerical Subsidy, 21/1 (51 Ed. III.)

210

The author seems to imply that the plague reached Ireland in 1348. It is, however, probable that 1349 was in reality the date, for in that year, on July 14, Alexander de Biknor, the Archbishop of Dublin, died, and also the Bishop of Meath in the same month (cf. Gams, Series Episcoporum, 219.)

211

Dalkey in the margin.

212

Friar John Clyn's Annals of Ireland (ed. Irish Archæological Society, 1849).

213

Rot. Pat., 25 Ed. III., pars 2, m. 19.

214

Ibid., 26 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 11.

215

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 27 Ed. III., Hilary term, m. 7.

216

The following is a table showing the Institutions in some months: —

217

Nash, Worcestershire, i, p. 226.

218

Green (Worcester, p. 144) speaks of the measures taken by the Bishop for the public safety as relieving the city "from an alarming evil," and by it the parishes of St. Alban, St. Helen, St. Swithun, St. Martin, St. Nicholas, and All Saints, "whose churchyards were very confined and not equal to the reception of the parochial deceased, were permitted to partake of the same advantages of sepulture… Hence St. Oswald's burial ground has accumulated that prodigious assemblage of tumulation which, at this time, cannot be viewed with indifference by the most cursory beholder."

219

Dated October 26th, 1352.

220

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 26 Ed. III.

221

Ibid., 28 Ed. III., Mich. term, m. 19.

222

The following table gives the number of Institutions in some months: —

223

Dugdale, Warwickshire, (ed. Thomas), p. 147.

224

Wood, History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford (ed. Gutch), p. 449.

225

Harl. MS., 1900, fol. 2. Trevisa's translation of FitzRalph's Propositio coram Papa: "So yt in my tyme, in ye University of Oxenford were thrilty thousand scolers at ones, and now beth unneth six thousand."

226

Gascoigne, Loci ex Libro Veritatum, ed. J. E. Thorold Rogers, p. 202. The editor on the passage says: "They (i. e. the students) come from all parts of Europe. The number seems incredible, but Oxfordshire was, to judge from its rating for exceptional taxation, after Norfolk, then at the best of its industries, the wealthiest county in England by a considerable proportion… This concourse of students was diverted by the great plague… I see no reason to doubt the statement about the exceeding populousness of Oxford in the first half of the 14th century."

227

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 23 Ed. III., Mich.

228

Six Centuries of Work and Wages, i, p. 223.

229

The Coming of the Friars, pp. 166–261.

230

The following is a table of the Institutions during four months: —

231

Ibid., p. 200.

232

Ibid., p. 203.

233

Blomefield, History of Norfolk (folio ed.), ii, p. 681.

234

F. Seebohm, The Black Death and its place in English History (in Fortnightly Review, Sept. 1st, 1865).

235

Fuller, Worthies, ed. Nicholas, ii, p. 132.

236

Ed. Nasmith, p. 344.

237

Professor Seebohm thinks that Yarmouth had probably a population of 10,000 before 1349. This seems much too low. It had 220 ships.

238

R. O., Rot. Claus., 26 Ed. III., m. 5d. This is repeated on two occasions in the next year.

239

B. Mus. Cole MS., 5,824, fol. 73. Extracts from Reg. Lisle.

240

Ibid., fol. 76.

241

The following table will give the number for some months: —

The total number of benefices in the diocese at this time was 142.

242

Cole MS., ubi supra.

243

Bentham, History of the Cathedral Church of Ely, i, p. 161, has the following note: Register L'Isle, fol. 17–21. Hinc obiter notandum duxi, numerum clericorum parochialium in tota Diocesi Elien. hoc tempore fuisse 145, aut circiter; ex hoc autem numero, constat ex Registro 92 Institutiones fuisse infra annum 1349 (anno incipiente 25 die Martii).

244

Clerical Subsidy, 21/1.

245

Six Centuries of Work and Wages, i, p. 223.

246

Hist. MSS. Comm., Sixth Report, p. 299. This document is dated 27th May, 1366, and consequently may refer also to the effects of the plague of 1361.

247

R. O., Duchy of Lancaster, Mins. Accts., Bundle 288, No. 471.

248

It was this church which some years later was declared to be in a ruinous state.

249

Cole MS., 5824, fol. 81.

250

R. O., Originalia Roll, 23 Ed. III., m. 6. Among the Ministers' Accounts (Q. R., Mins. Accts., General Series, 874, No. 9) is a set belonging to a Ramsey manor at this time. "Many holdings of natives" are said to be in hand "on account of the pestilence," and in one place "22 virgates of land" for the same reason.

251

R. O., Chancery Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III., No. 88.

252

The following table will show the number of Institutions in Northamptonshire for some months; before May and after October, 1349, some 34 institutions are recorded: —

253

R. O., Rot. Pat., 28 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 16.

254

R. O., Chancery Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III., No. 88.

255

Escheator's Inq. p. m., Series i, File 201.

256

Twysden, Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores Decem, col. 2699.

257

Rymer, Fœdera, v, p. 729.

258

R. O., Escheator's Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III., Series i, file 240.

259

Originalia Roll, 25 Ed. III., m. 11.

260

The following table will give the number of Institutions in the diocese of Hereford for some months:

261

Reg. Trileck, fol. 103.

262

Owen and Blakeway, Shrewsbury, i, p. 165.

263

Ibid. The Inquisition is to be found in the Record Office; Chancery Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III., No. 78.

264

Chancery Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III., No. 79.

265

B. Mus. Harl. MS. 2071, ff. 159–160.

266

R. O. Clerical Subsidy, 51 Ed. III., 15/2.

267

R. O., Q. R. Mins. Accts., Bundle 801, No. 14.

268

Ibid., No. 4.

269

Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire. Introduction, p. viii.

270

R. O., Q. R. Mins. Accts., Bundle 801, file 3.

271

Seebohm, Black Death, in Fortnightly Review, Sept. 1, 1865, p. 150.

272

Vatican Archives, Reg. Pontif., Rubrice Litterarum Clem. VI.

273

Chronicon de Parco Lude (Lincoln Record Society), pp. 38–39.

274

R. O., Rot. Claus., 24 Ed. III., m. 7.

275

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 25 Ed. III.

276

Ibid., 28 Ed. III., Trinity term.

277

Raine, Historical Papers from Northern Registers (Rolls series), p. 395.

278

Ibid., p. 399.

279

Seebohm, Fortnightly Review, Sept. 1st, 1865.

280

Joseph Hunter, Deanery of Doncaster. The following table will give the institutions in this deanery for some months of 1349: —

281

B. Mus. Harl. MS., 6971, fol. 110b.

282

Raine, Historical Papers from Northern Registers, p. 491.

283

Chronicon Monasterii de Melsa (Rolls series), iii, 37.

284

Cf. for example Mins. Accts. Yorks., Holderness, 23–25 Ed. III., Bundle 355.

285

R. O., Chancery Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III., 1st series, No. 72. Cf. also No. 88.

286

Rot. Pat., 28 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 3.

287

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 25 Ed. III.

288

Hunter, Deanery of Doncaster, i, p. 1. The Inquisitio post mortem of John FitzWilliam is in 1350.

289

Ibid., ii, p. 125.

290

Rot. Pat., 27 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 18.

291

R. O., Clerical Subsidy, 15/2.

292

R. O., Exchequer, Treasury of Receipt 21a/3, in English Historical Review, v, p. 525 (July, 1890).

293

Rot. Pat., 23 Ed. III., pars 3, m. 25.

294

e. g., Escheator's Inq. p. m., series i, 430.

295

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 28 Ed. III., m. 9.

296

R. O., Rot. Claus., 25 Ed. III., m. 16.

297

R. O., Durham Cursitor Records, Bk. ii, ff. 2b, seqq.

298

Rot. Claus., 27 Ed. III., m. 10d.

299

Rot. Claus., 24 Ed. III., pars 2, m. 5.

300

B. Mus. Cott. MS., Vitell., E. xiv, fol. 256.

301

Dr. Creighton (History of Epidemics in Britain, p. 119), speaking of Scotland, says: "The winter cold must have held it in check as regards the rest of Scotland; for it is clear from Fordoun that its great season in that country generally was the year 1350."

302

B. Mus. Cott. MS., Vitell., A. xx, fol. 56.

303

B. Mus. Harl. MS. 6979, f. 64.

304

Institutiones clericorum in Comitatu Wiltoniæ, ed. Sir J. Phillipps.

305

Originalia Roll, 23 Ed. III., m. 37.

306

Rot. Pat., 23 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 20.

307

R. O., Chancery Inq. p. m., 23 Ed. III. (1st numbers), No. 77.

308

Ibid., No. 78.

309

Ibid., No. 74.

310

Ibid., No. 87.

311

Escheator's Inq. p. m., Series i, File 95.

312

Ibid.

313

Records of the Manor of Gillingham, which I was permitted to examine by the kindness of the present Steward of the Manor, R. Freame, Esq., of Gillingham.

314

B. Mus. Add. Roll 24, 335.

315

B. Mus. Add. Rolls 15961–6. Perhaps the Richard Hammond capellanus who had a mill and six acres, and who is reported as among the dead, may have been the scribe.

316

Rot. Pat., 28 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 20 (16th January, 1354).

317

Rot. Pat., 29 Ed. III., pars 2, m. 4 (October 5th, 1355).

318

R. O., Escheator's Accts., 828/20.

319

R. O., Duchy of Lancaster Mins. Accts., No. 817.

320

Ibid.

321

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 28 Ed. III. (Trinity Term).

322

Judging by the ordination lists in the London Registers, the proportion of non-beneficed clergy was very large. In the twelve years, from 1362 to 1374, Bishop Sudbury ordained to the priesthood 456 regulars and 809 non-beneficed clergy, against 237 beneficed priests. According to this proportion, the non-beneficed would be six times as numerous as the beneficed.

323

R. O., Escheator's Inq. p. m., Series i., file 165. Also ibid., file 166. Esch. Accts., 838/23; 846/31. Cf. also, Exch. Q. R. Mins. Accts., Bundle 869, No. 9.

324

T. Cromwell, History of Colchester, i., p. 75.

325

R. O., Originalia Roll, 25 Ed. III., m. 10.

326

Escheator's Inq. p. m., Series i, File 165.

327

Rot. Pat., 25 Ed. III., Pars 3, m. 4.

328

B. Mus. Cole MS., 5824, fol. 86. Cf. Dr. Cunningham, Growth of English Industry and Commerce, p. 305.

329

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 27 Ed. III. (Hilary term), m. 7.

330

Rot. Claus., 26 Ed. III., m. 7.

331

Hist. MSS. Comm., Fifth Report, p. 444. These lands were apparently the Appledore Marshes, which subsequently cost the monastery £350 to reclaim.

332

Sussex Archæological Society, Vol. xxi, pp. 44, seqq.

333

Reg. Pontissera, fol. 143.

334

This may be considered the number in the previous century from the Annales de Wintonia.

335

Reg. Wykeham, ii, fol. 226.

336

The following are the number of monks belonging to Winchester Cathedral Priory at the annexed dates: —

337

Harl. MS., 1761, f. 20.

338

Rot. Claus., 28 Ed. III., m. 3d (dated February 6th, 1353).

339

Ibid., m. 6 (July 8th).

340

Rot. Pat., 23 Ed. III., pars 1a, m. 13.

341

Reg. Edyndon, ii, ff. 27b, 28.

342

Ibid., fol. 28.

343

Reg. Edyndon, i, fol. 49b.

344

Ibid., ii, fol. 23b.

345

Ibid., fol. 22b.

346

Ibid., fol. 23b.

347

Rot. Claus., 27 Ed. III., m. 19.

348

Rot. Claus., 26 Ed. III., m. 12.

349

Ibid., 25 Ed. III., m. 21.

350

Originalia Roll, 29 Ed. III., m. 8.

351

Rot. Claus., 26 Ed. III., m. 19. Cf. Patent Roll, 26 Ed. III., pars 1, m. 6.

352

Rot. Pat., 26 Ed. III., pars 1a, m. 28d.

353

Escheator's Inq. p. m., series i, file 90.

354

Escheator's Inq. p. m., 22–23 Ed. III., series i, file 64.

355

Rot. Pat., 27 Ed. III., m. 17.

356

Ed. Bristol and Gloucester Archæological Society, i, 307.

357

Reg. Heref. Trileck., fol. 102.

358

Bruton Chartulary f. 121b. Prior Henry appears to have spent the money thus raised in the expenses of a journey to Rome and Venice and back. The inquiry was held in June, 29 Ed. III.

359

Escheator's Inq. p. m., Series i, file 240.

360

Escheator's Inq. p. m., Series i, file 103.

361

Rot. Pat., 25 Ed. III., pars 1a, m. 16.

362

Ibid., 28 Ed. III., m. 10.

363

Ibid., m. 3.

364

Quoted in Saturday Review, Jan. 16, 1886, "The Manor."

365

R. O., L. T. R. Memoranda Roll, 25 Ed. III.

366

Cf. T. Amyot, Population of English Cities, temp. Ed. III. (Archæologia, Vol. xx, pp. 524–531).

367

England before and after the Black Death (Fortnightly Review, Vol. viii, p. 191).

368

W. Cunningham, Growth of English Industry and Commerce, p. 304.

369

Fortnightly Review, viii, p. 192. This is, of course, true, but without qualification might give the reader a false impression as to the condition of the English peasant in the middle ages. Most of what Mr. Thorold Rogers says is applicable to all classes of society. Dr. Cunningham (Growth of English Industry and Commerce, p. 275) takes a truer view: "Life is more than meat, and though badly housed the ordinary villager was better fed and amused."

370

B. Mus. Cott. MS., Faust, B. v, fol. 99b.

371

R. O., Originalia Roll, 26 Ed. III., m. 27.

372

Ibid., 27 Ed. III., m. 19.

373

Ibid., 26 Ed. III., m. 25.

374

Ed. Twysden, col. 2699.

375

B. Mus. Cott. MS., Faust, B. v, fol. 98b.

376

R. O., Q. R. Mins. Accts., Bundle 801, No. 1.

377

Introduction, p. ix.

378

Of course, several of these would be ordained for other dioceses, but in the same way Winchester priests would be ordained by letters dimissory elsewhere, so that taking the whole of England we may assume a practical equalisation. In the diocese of London, as already stated (p. 175 ante), the proportion of non-beneficed to beneficed clergy ordained during 12 years, from 1362 to 1374, was nearly six to one.

379

Pope, Essay on Man, lines 107–8.

380

Mr. Thorold Rogers' supposition that the population in 1348 was only about 2,500,000 would, on the assumption that the two sexes were about equal in number, lead to the conclusion that one man in every 25 was a priest; a suggestion which seems to bear, on the face of it, its own refutation.

381

Amyot (Archæologia, xx, p. 531) notes that even soldiers appear to have been better paid than the clergy. A foot soldier had 3d. a day, or 7 marks a year; a horse soldier 10d. or 12d. a day. Chaucer's good parson, who was only "rich of holy thought and werk," might not be remarkable.

382

Ed. Twysden, col. 2699.

383

Mr. Baigent's MS. extracts from the Episcopal Registers. It is of interest to note that in normal times very few were ordained after their appointment as incumbents. Thus, to take the churches in the city of Winchester, besides this period and 1361, when again the mortality among the clergy was very great, only some 8 or 9 were so ordained between 1349 and 1361, as the following table will show: —