FRIARIES
15. KING'S LANGLEY PRIORY
The Dominican priory within the royal
manor of Langley was founded in 1308 (fn. 1) by
Edward II in fulfilment of a vow made when
in peril. (fn. 2) On 1 December the king made the
friars a grant of £100 a year until further
orders (fn. 3) ; on 20 December he gave them his
garden near the church and land there for
building, (fn. 4) and the next day assigned to them as
a dwelling until the priory could be built a
place called 'Little London.' (fn. 5) The first prior
was John de Warefeld, who had for some time
belonged to Edward's household, (fn. 6) and in
August 1315 became his confessor. (fn. 7)
The king in March 1312 gave the brothers
700 marks for building expenses, (fn. 8) and in the
summer of that year the conventual church
was dedicated and a cemetery consecrated. (fn. 9)
Possibly, however, the church was not yet
finished, for the body of Piers Gaveston, who
was killed about this time, (fn. 10) was not buried
there until the end of 1314, (fn. 11) when the ceremony
took place with much state, the Archbishop of
Canterbury and four bishops as well as many
other ecclesiastics taking part in the funeral
rites. (fn. 12)
In October 1311 the king increased the
annual income of the house to £150 to provide
for fifteen friars added since the foundation, (fn. 13)
so that his grant in September 1312 of 500
marks during pleasure may have been intended
for building purposes. (fn. 14) He gave the friars in
June 1315 a house with closes in his manor of
Langley (fn. 15) and leave to take wood for fuel and
other necessaries from Chipperfield Wood
(Chepervillewode). (fn. 16) During some years of
scarcity he also supplied them with corn. (fn. 17)
The king, however, felt that this state of
dependence on the Exchequer was unsatisfactory, and wished to endow them permanently. To overcome the difficulty that
friars-preachers could not own property he
proposed to found a house of Dominican nuns,
who were to hold lands in trust for the brothers,
and in 1318 he sent two friars to the pope for
his authorization. (fn. 18) Robert de Duffeld, the
second Prior of King's Langley and the king's
confessor, had been dispatched in October 1316
to the master of the order, (fn. 19) apparently on the
same errand, but nothing was done in the
matter for years.
The drawback to allowances is shown in the
complaint of the friars to Edward III in 1345 (fn. 20)
that owing to the irregularity of the payments
from the Exchequer they had not wherewith
to live, carry on the works they had begun, and
pay their debts. On this occasion, at their
request, the money due to the king from the
alien priory of Harmondsworth was assigned
to them in part payment.
Edward III seems to have been as much
interested in the house as his father had been.
In 1346 he granted the friars part of a quarry
in Shotover for their works, (fn. 21) and in 1347 gave
them leave to enlarge the ditch round their
close 3 ft. in breadth and 2,000 ft. in length. (fn. 22)
He gave them in April 1358 the fishery of his
water of King's Langley with permission to
have a weir in that water, and free entrance
and exit to and from the weir through his park (fn. 23) ;
also the head of a stream in Abbots Langley
with leave to dig up his land in making an
aqueduct underground to their house. (fn. 24) In
January 1361-2 he gave them, moreover, £20
a year during pleasure to their new work. (fn. 25)
Personal feeling seems to have prompted his
grant in 1358 of 4 tuns of wine a year, (fn. 26) and the
gift in 1377 of forty mazers, one of which was
called the Edward. (fn. 27) The wish of Edward II
was at last carried out in 1349, and a house of
Dominican sisters founded, which, although
at Dartford in Kent, was regarded as the
complement of Langley priory (fn. 28) ; and in
December 1356 the prioress and nuns had
licence to acquire in mortmain property to the
value of £300 for the sustenance of themselves
and the friars of King's Langley. (fn. 29) Here
the brothers possibly owed something to the
influence of John Woderowe, the king's confessor, who in June 1356 is mentioned as their
prior. (fn. 30)
Still, the foundation of Dartford for some
time did not change materially the financial
position of Langley. The king in October
1363 granted to the convent of twenty brothers
200 marks a year of his alms—viz., to each
friar 100s. for his maintenance and 33s. 4d.
for clothing, (fn. 31) and in March 1371 ordered that
the money should be paid to them from the
issues of the alien priory of Burstall. (fn. 32)
But the appropriation of the church of
Langley in 1374 to the nuns of Dartford (fn. 33) is
the beginning of a new arrangement. In
October 1376 Edward III made over to John
Duke of Lancaster, Simon Archbishop of Canterbury, and others in trust for the convent at
Langley the hundred and manor of Preston
and the manors of Overland in Ash, Elmstone,
Wadling in Ripple, Packmanstone in Newchurch, Harrietsham, 'Godmeston,' (fn. 34) Beaurepaire, Waldeslade in Chatham, Ham and
Westgate in the Isle of Thanet, co. Kent, (fn. 35)
and these were granted to the friars from Easter
1382 for forty years, (fn. 36) with the idea that during
this term they might be secured to them in
frankalmoign. (fn. 37) The convent let them to Simon
de Burley, who shortly afterwards received a
grant of them in fee simple from Richard II. (fn. 38)
The brothers in 1383-4 represented to the king
that the rent was much in arrears, and begged
that King Edward's intention might be fulfilled
and the lands given to them in mortmain (fn. 39) ;
but this was not done, for in September 1386
the king assigned to them the farm of the
alien priory of Ware instead of the manors held
by Burley. (fn. 40) After Burley's execution and
forfeiture in 1388 the friars were allowed
possession of the property pending inquiry into
the king's right, but complained that they and
their sureties were harassed by the Exchequer,
while large sums due from Burley were still
owing. (fn. 41) The desired Letters Patent were not,
however, granted until 24 April 1399, when
the king considering that the house of King's
Langley 'was not yet sufficiently built and
endowed, and as the foundation required,' gave
the manors to the nuns of Dartford in frankalmoign to hold for the friars. (fn. 42) Five years
earlier they had acquired in the same way from
Richard II the advowson of Willian, co. Herts., (fn. 43)
and from John Waltham, Bishop of Salisbury,
and Warin Waldegrave that of Great Gaddesden, (fn. 44) co. Herts., with leave in both cases to
appropriate the churches to their own uses.
When Richard died in February 1400 he was
at first buried at Langley priory (fn. 45) ; afterwards,
however, his body was removed by order of
Henry V to Westminster Abbey. (fn. 46) But the
conventual church of Langley still retained a
sign of the priory's connexion with the royal
family in the tomb of Edmund of Langley,
Duke of York, interred here in 1402 beside his
wife, the daughter of Peter, King of Castile. (fn. 47)
Henry IV in 1399 (fn. 48) and Henry V in 1413 (fn. 49)
confirmed the grants made to the friars, who
therefore could easily prove their title to the
Kentish manors, when the escheator seized
them in 1420 on the expiration of the term for
which they had originally been given. (fn. 50) The
experience showed the expediency of royal
confirmations, and the prior and convent
obtained the ratification of their charters
from Henry VI in 1424, (fn. 51) Edward IV in
1466, (fn. 52) Henry VII in 1486, and in 1510 from
Henry VIII. (fn. 53)
The house seems to have been now provided
with an income, not only assured but sufficient.
The certain livelihood it offered is said to have
been the reason why Richard Wycherley, a
former prior promoted to be Bishop of
'Olivence,' asked to be appointed prior again
about 1497, and this time for life. (fn. 54) He
promised that he would live under the obedience
of the provincial, enrich the house with his own
possessions, require only the same living as
priors usually had, and render due account of
the revenues of the priory. The post was given
to him, but according to the story of his successor the appointment was not to the convent's
benefit: after four years of office he was £64
in debt to the house. In his last illness he
desired that the sum should be paid, and in
further recompense of charges on the priory
caused by his episcopal dignity he bequeathed
to the convent his crozier and mitre worth £40.
After his death his executors sued the prior
and convent for some of his property—viz., a
silver ewer and holy water stock, (fn. 55) a counterpane and a dozen napkins. The friars declared
that they belonged to the house, and the bishop
had them in pledge, and asked that the trial
of the case in Worcestershire might be stopped
as detrimental to their interests. The friars
may have been wronged, but it must be owned
that their tale is not very plausible, for it is
unlikely that they would pawn goods to a
person in their debt.
The house was subjected to an attack on its
rights and property from — Verney in 1533, when
Cromwell showed himself disposed in their
favour. (fn. 56) Richard Yngworth, (fn. 57) the prior, on
16 December (fn. 58) sent him a present of apples,
and thanked him for his help and counsel to
the provincial (Hilsey), by which he himself
was enabled to serve God quietly and keep his
study and office without trouble. Verney
several months later was still causing the convent annoyance and loss, but the prior would
not take steps against him without Cromwell's
leave. (fn. 59) Yngworth's attitude here expresses
his policy, which was complete subservience to
Cromwell, naturally for his own advancement.
In April 1534 he went on a visitation to the
eastern counties to secure the acknowledgement by the friars of the king's claim to be
supreme head of the English Church, (fn. 60) and
later made himself useful to Hilsey elsewhere in
the same business. (fn. 61) The convent at Langley,
needless to say, made the formal declaration
required. (fn. 62)
Yngworth's labours were not unnoticed.
When Hilsey was made Bishop of Rochester, (fn. 63)
Thomas Bedell wrote to Cromwell recommending that the Prior of Langley, 'who had
taken great pains in the king's matters,' should
have the office of provincial (fn. 64) ; Russell also
urged his appointment. (fn. 65) The post, however,
was not vacant, and Yngworth had to wait for
preferment until December 1537, being then
made Suffragan Bishop of Dover. (fn. 66) Probably
he ceased to be Prior of King's Langley from
that time. (fn. 67) He was commissioned by the king
in February 1538 to visit all friaries in England, (fn. 68)
and in May he was ordered to put their goods
into safe custody and take inventories of
them, (fn. 69) evidently in preparation for suppression. Langley was surrendered towards the
end of that year. (fn. 70) Many of the friars were
very old and poor, (fn. 71) but it is doubtful whether
any provision was made for them. Yngworth
begged for the house immediately, (fn. 72) and in
February 1540 it was granted to him with most
of its lands, to be held until he obtained ecclesiastical benefices worth £100 a year. (fn. 73) The
priory was reckoned in the Valor of 1535 as
worth £122 4s. a year clear, (fn. 74) a fairly accurate
estimate, to judge from the statement at the
Dissolution. (fn. 75) Its gross annual value was
then said to be £130 16s. 8d., but to this
must be added £11 13s. 4d. for the obits
of Sir John Cheyne and Sir Ralph Verney,
so that its net income after the deduction of
£18 6s. 8d. for salaries and other payments
was £124 3s. 4d.
It is impossible to ascertain the size of the
convent at any period. Edward II intended
the house to hold a hundred, (fn. 76) but there is no
proof that it ever did. His allowance of £50
extra for fifteen brothers in 1311 (fn. 77) implies that
there were then forty-five here. Edward III
in 1356 gave licence to the nuns of Dartford to
acquire land sufficient to maintain forty sisters
and sixty friars, (fn. 78) but the number he actually
provided for at Langley from the Exchequer
did not exceed twenty, apparently increased by
twenty under his will. (fn. 79)
The priory of King's Langley was refounded
by Philip and Mary in June 1557 (fn. 80) as a house
of Dominican sisters, at the request, and for
the benefit of seven nuns, formerly at Dartford.
The prioress and convent were declared a corporate body, having perpetual succession and
power to acquire property and to sue and be
sued at law. They were given the house and
site of the late friary, (fn. 81) the land called 'le
Courte Wike' in King's Langley which had
belonged to the priory, and a house and buildings within 'the old manor' lying near the
pales of the royal park.
On 8 September 1558 (fn. 82) the king and queen
granted to the Prioress and convent of Langley
the reversion of certain tenements in Dartford,
formerly demesne lands of the nuns of that
place, and until the expiration of the lease,
the rent of £30 7s. 7d. They gave also, besides
other demesne lands, the house of the late
nunnery with the property in Dartford assigned
after its suppression to Anne of Cleves, and
it has been supposed (fn. 83) that the nuns now
returned to Dartford. In any case, the convent's
existence was very short. Queen Mary died
in November of that year, and by an Act
passed in Elizabeth's first Parliament all
restorations or foundations of monasteries since
the death of Edward VI were made void, and
their possessions given to the Crown. (fn. 84)
Elizabeth Cressener (fn. 85) was the only prioress.
Priors of King's Langley
John de Warefeld, 1308-15 (fn. 86)
Robert de Duffeld, appointed 1315, (fn. 87) occurs
October 1316 (fn. 88) and 1319 (fn. 89)
Roger de Woderowe, occurs 1329 and 1340 (fn. 90)
John de Dunstable, died c. 1343 (fn. 91)
John Woderowe, occurs 9 June 1356 (fn. 92)
Thomas Walsh, occurs 1374 (fn. 93)
John, occurs October 1384 (fn. 94)
William Syward, occurs January 1394-5 (fn. 95)
Philip Boydon, occurs 1426 (fn. 96)
John Henle, (fn. 97) removed before May 1427 (fn. 98)
John de Hunden, D.D., resigned in 1458 on
becoming Bishop of Llandaff (fn. 99)
William Wignale, S.T.D., occurs 16 July
1458 (fn. 100)
Thomas Welles, occurs 14 July 1466 (fn. 101)
Richard Wycherley, resigned on becoming
Bishop of 'Olivence ' (fn. 102)
Thomas Powel or Poynes, occurs 1494 (fn. 103) c. 1498 (fn. 104)
Richard Wycherley, Bishop of 'Olivence,'
appointed 1498-9, died c. 1502-3 (fn. 105)
Robert, occurs c. 1502-3 (fn. 106)
Thomas Cowper, S.T.B., occurs 1519 (fn. 107)
Robert Mylys or Miles, occurs 1522 (fn. 108)
Richard Yngworth, S.T.P., occurs 1530 (fn. 109) and
December 1537 (fn. 110)
A 15th-century seal of the house, (fn. 111) in shape
a pointed oval, bears a representation of the
Annunciation in a niche of very elaborate
design, below which the royal founder kneels
in prayer. On either side of him is a shield
not of the arms of Edward II, but of France
and England. Of the legend only two letters
survive.
A later seal, (fn. 112) also a pointed oval, represents our Lord in majesty. In the base,
under a carved four-centred arch, is the king
as in the earlier seal. The inner border is
engrailed. Legend: SIGILLUM : COVUNE :
FRATRUM : PREDIB : DE : LANGELEYE.
A 16th-century seal, (fn. 113) of the same shape but
slightly larger, shows the coronation of the
Virgin in a niche with two-arched canopy.
On each side there is a smaller canopied niche;
the one on the left containing St. Margaret,
crowned, standing on the dragon, which she
pierces with a long cross, and holding in her
right hand a book; in that on the right is an
archbishop with mitre and crozier. Below is
the founder on his knees under a carved roundheaded arch; he holds a church and in front
of him on the ground is his crown. Legend:
. . . . VENT . MONAST'II DE LAN . . Y. The
counterseal shows two impressions of a shieldshaped signet with arms, a bend engrailed
between six fleurs de lis with three crosslets
fitchy on the bend, the ownership of which is
unknown.