Waltham, the citizens of London, and others, as the same by letter had begged to do. m The King gave a mitre to the Provincial, probably for this occasion." The other General Chapter was celebrated here in 1263. On Jan. 10th preceding it, the King ordered that 700 complete habits should be provided from the royal wardrobe for the Friars who would assist at it. ° The Chapter began May 20th, and endured for several days. In it F. Humbertus Burgundus de Romanis was permitted to resign his office as Master-General, after he had governed the whole Order for nine years. License was also given for erecting four new Convents of Friars in England and two in Ireland. P Some of the yearly Provincial Chapters, for the affairs of the Order in England, Scotland, and Ireland, also met here. In 1277, Edward I., whilst at Flint, paid 2s. to one Thomas, for carrying letters to the Prior Provincial and his Chapter assembled Aug. 15th and following days at London. ¶ These letters probably contained the usual writ de orando pro Rege, etc. r The Friars had not enjoyed their establishment in Holborn for many years, when they found it insufficient for their requirements. Their Provincial, F. Robert de Kilwardby, had been raised to the Archbishopric of Canterbury, thereafter to become a Cardinal, whilst the favour which they secured at the royal court gave them a high position in society. This increasing influence both in Church and State rendered it necessary to possess a metropolitan house less straitened in limits and accommodation than the Convent of Holborn, and not so distant from the heart of London. In 1276 they, therefore, secured a new site in the midst of the city; but it was not till June 25th, 1278, that they obtained from the Bishop and Chapter of London the necessary license to erect their new Church and buildings. With Edward I. and Queen Eleanor of Castile as their founders and patrons, and under the charge of F. William de Hotham, Provincial (afterwards Archbishop of Dublin), and F. John de Sevenak, and F. Nicholas, successively Priors, the work of the new house was brought to a successful issue. But all this must be detailed another time. It is probable that the Friars kept up their Holborn house for some short time after they had removed to their better site, carrying with them the body of their first founder, the Earl of Kent. On Mar. 3rd, 1285-6, F. William de Hotham, Provincial, and F. Nicholas, Prior, sold all their place, buildings, and habitation, near 8 m Matth. Paris. Matth. West. n Liberate, 34 Hen. III., m. 7. Rex, Thesaurario et Camerariis suis, salutem. Liberate de thesauro nostro Ade de Basyng viiili. vs. iiijd. pro duabus mitris et uno pare cirotecarum, de quibus una mitra data fuit Priori Ordinis Fratrum Prædicatorum in vigilia Pentecostes, anno eodem. Teste Rege apud Windesore, xxvi. die Maii. The Provincials never claimed anything approaching quasi-episcopal powers even within the Order. This is the only instance on record, of the Provincial having anything at all like a bishop's insignia. • Claus. 47 Hen. III., m. 13. P Quetif et Echard, Scriptores Ord. Præd. Martene, These. Nov. Anecd. r Annales Angliæ: Additional MSS. of Brit. Mus., cod. 5444, fol. 91b. Holeburn, to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln; to be held by all the accustomed secular services due to the lords of the fief. This grant was read and enrolled at the hustings of London on the following day, being the Monday after Ash Wednesday; and Apr. 15th, 1287, it received the royal confirmation. " To the grant were attached three seals, two of which are still nearly perfect. 1. Gone. 2. Vesica-shaped, in red wax: the Crucifixion, with Mary on the right and the legend ECCE FILIVS TVVS, and John on the left with ECCE MATER TVVA. Legend around: s' CONV . . . . . FRM PREDICATOR' LVNDONIEN. 3. Same shape, in green wax: St. John the Evangelist standing on an eagle, holding in his right hand a scroll, and in his left a palm; and straight across the back-ground I O H S. Legends' ORDINIS FRATRVM ........VM LONDONIENSIS. For this purchase the Earl of Lincoln gave 550 marks, which he bound himself to pay in certain instalments, being 50 marks within the quindisme of Easter after the grant, 100 marks on the feast of St. Margaret (July 20th), 100l. within the month of Michaelmas, 125 marks at the following Easter, and 125 marks within the month of the next Michaelmas; and he satisfied his obligation, On the site of the Convent, the Earl of Lincoln built his town-house or Inn. Then Lincoln's Inn became the resort of students of the law, and so continues to be a Law Inn to the present day. And now, after the lapse of 600 years, amidst all the roar of the mighty city, the site of the Friars' house still keeps some air of its monastic tranquillity in the fair gardens of Lincoln's Inn. u Cart. 15 Edw. 1., m. 2, no. 6. ▾ Claus. 14 Edw. I., m. 2 in ched. THE CHURCH WARDENS' ACCOUNTS OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, WINCHESTER. BY THE REV. I. C. COLLIER, M.A., F.S.A. THE church of S. John the Baptist, in the Soke, Winchester, is certainly the most interesting in the city. Its associations, its architectural structure, its peculiar local position, the details of the architecture, and the remnants of the early building, serve to make it a deeply interesting study to the archeologist. Mr. J. H. Parker, in the Archæological Institute volume for Winchester says, "This church is of mixed styles; the arches are of the time of Richard I., and the original corbels of the roof are Early English, and a tall Perpendicular screen runs across the nave and aisles, and part of the rood loft remains, with the passage through the walls on both sides of the church. At the east end of the church is a recess, probably for the Easter sepulchre, and on each side of the chancel-arch are oblique openings, one from the south aisle towards the altar, the other through the north wall of the chancel looking towards the Easter sepulchre." In Vol. IX. of the Journal of the Archæological Association will be found a full account of the discovery of several ancient fresco paintings on the walls of the church. In the parish chest is kept a book of churchwardens' accounts, commencing in 1549, and containing very curious particulars concerning the parish. By the kindness of the Rev. H. Dickens, the vicar, and of the churchwardens, I have great pleasure in sending for the use of the readers of the "RELIQUARY many interesting extracts from this book: I have not preserved the old spelling throughout. The book is entitled (1). A rentall of the Lands Tenements and Rents Dew to the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist In the soke neer Winchester Recd. by John Dyer and Richa. Burnett Churchwardens there the 6 Day of Jan1y 1549. ... First of Roger Peris for a Garden Plot by the Mill Called Dornegat Mill £0 0 4 Item Of Masys Faryngton 2 6 70 Of John Corf for a Corner Howse ajoining to the Manshen Howse of 4 8 ... Of Brown for a Garden Plot ajoining to the house of undershall of the 6 ... Of John Gilbert for a house and a Garden ajoining to a Tenement of Of John Person Of John Castleman Of John Phillys Of Thos. Hall for his ppler Of Tude Power ... Of Margaret Thomas wido for Quit Rent Of John Caryk 4 0 5 0 6 4 8 0 2 8 5 0 2 8 The account of John Dyer and Rd. Burnett Church Wardens of the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist In the soke nygh Winchester made the fiveth or 5th day of Janty in the yere of our Lord God 1549 and In the Thyrd yere of the Raygn of our Souverign Lord Edward the Syxth by the Grace of God kyng of England france and Ireland defendor of the faythe and of The Church of England and Also of Ireland In Earth the Supreme Head. for on hole yere endyd at Michelmas Last Passyd or Past. The said accomptants yeildeth their accounts of the Rent of all the cottages and Gardens &c. as Appereth by the Rentall thereof before written amounting To Rent of all Money In the Church Box A Challise Sold. 3 17 8 They give account of money In the Church box at The time of their Entre as appereth on the foot of The Last Account 3 11 7 They give account of a Chalice of Silver Guilt weighing 24 Ounces one Quarter and a half sold At 58 4d Pr ounce Of Dolmoney Recd fforyn Receits Paskell money Reed (3) Allowance Bishop Rent The Legacy of James Bilston ... 6 10 0 ... The Said Accomptants Pray allowance of divours sums of Also they Pray Allowance of 178 24 of Rent Of all unpaid and Of Brown for one whole year's Rent ... s. d. 0 6 2 8 ... 6 8 4 bowman of his rent of 8o 0a yet remaineth unpaid 5 They do Owe £8 14 4 (4) ... 042 2 0 0 17 2 Sum totle of the Allowance 6 0 9 The Acount of John Dyer & Rd Burnett Church Wardens Of the Parish Church of St John the Baptist in the Soke nygh Winchester of all their Receits and Payments by them Received Paid and Laid out to the Church behofe from the feast of St Mich The Archangel in the year of our Lord God 1549 untill the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord following in the year Of our Lord god 1550 that Is to Say for one whole year and one Quarter Endeth at the Said feast as hereafter more Plainly Appeareth. First the said Accountants do Give their account of The rent of all the Cottage and Gardens as Appeareth By the Rentall thereof... Rent of all Money in the Church Box Forin Receits Reed of Old Dept Goods Sold ... They Give Account of Receits In the Church Box As ap- 3 17 8 8 14 41 05 10 They give account of 148 receved of R1 Prat In full Payment (5) Allows For The Said Accomptants Pray Allowance of Divours sums of money by them Laid out In and a bout the Church And Cotages and other Charges as appeareth In a Bill Of the Particulars thereof Remaining upon the File of this Year £2 14 9 Also they Pray Like allowance of the Qute Rent Paid to the Bishop of Winton out of the Premesses For one whole year at Michs Last Past before This Account Sum totle of the Allowance which to the said accompts Allowed they do Owe... Money Lent Lent to John Lober to Releve him in his Sickness 4 7 2 19 4 ... 31 10 101 And of rent of all due at the feast of Michs Last Past and Of Marget Alin wido Of Johan Grange wido... Of Tiler for Rent Of Js Skull of his Rent ... 1 0 0 2 0 6 The Account of John Dyer and Rich Burnett Church Wardens From the year 1550 till the year 1551 begining and Ending at the Circumcision of our Lord God. Rent Of all Increse of Rent money In the Church Box First the said Accompts do yeild their accounts of the Rent The yeild account of Money in the church Box as appeareth ... The Give an Account of 6a of the Amercts gone out of a 3 17 8 29 10 4 8 8 9 2 Sum Totle of the Chare 34 6 2 The Said Accompts pray to be allowd of £2 0 0 Lent to Wm They pray allowance of divours sums of money Laid out In They pray allowance of the Quit Rent Paid to the Bishop |