FRIARIES
19. HOUSE OF FRANCISCAN FRIARS, AYLESBURY
The house of Grey Friars at Aylesbury was
founded by James Butler, Earl of Ormond, as
late as 1386. (fn. 1) At the dissolution there were
only seven friars there, (fn. 2) but it is possible that
at the foundation there may have been a
larger number.
At a time when friars did not rank very high
in popular esteem these Minorites of Aylesbury seem to have shown something of the
same independent and fearless spirit as their
brethren of the strict observance in the sixteenth century. Richard II. had been a
benefactor of this house, and at the beginning
of the next reign a friar was accused by one of
his own brethren of spreading a report that
the late king was still alive. He was brought
before Henry IV., but the story of his ending
cannot be better told than in the words of the
mediaeval chronicle, whether strictly historical or no. (fn. 3) It happened at the time 'when
the people began to grudge against King
Harry, and bear him heavy, because he took
their goods and paid not therefore,' that the
friar of Aylesbury was brought into the royal
presence. Said the king to the friar, 'Thou
hast heard that King Richard is alive, and art
glad thereof.' And the friar answered, 'I
am glad as a man is glad of the life of his
friend, for I am holden to him, and all my kin,
for he was our furtherer and promoter.' But
the king said, 'Thou hast noised and told
openly that he liveth, and so thou hast excited and stirred the people against me.'
'Nay,' said the friar. But the king went on,
'Tell me the truth as it is in thine heart: if
thou sawest King Richard and me in the field
fighting together, with whom wouldst thou
hold?' 'Forsooth with him, for I am more
beholden to him, 'replied the bold friar.
'Then thou wouldest that I and all the lords
of my realm were dead?' 'Nay,' said the
friar again. 'What wouldst thou do with me
if thou hadst the victory over me?' 'I
would make you Duke of Lancaster,' answered the friar. 'Thou art not my friend,
and therefore thou shalt lose thine head,' was
the king's reply: and the poor friar was
'dampned befor the justice, and drawe and
hanged and beheddid.'
At the dissolution the house at Aylesbury
was a very poor place, and in debt; the church
however was in good condition, and had
lately been repaired. (fn. 4) Dr. London reported
to Cromwell that there was scarce money
enough, even after the sale of the plate and
lead, to 'dispatch the friars honestly.' (fn. 5) No
attempt was therefore made to provide them
with pensions: but London desired special
capacities for them to serve cures. (fn. 6) Whether
these were granted or no remains uncertain.
The guardian of the house in 1535 was Edward Ryly (fn. 7) ; the one who signed the surrender was Henry Meyn. (fn. 8) The Deed of
Surrender, which is dated 1 October, 1538, is
identical with that of the friars of Bedford,
and therefore obviously not of their own
composition. The acknowledgment which it
contains—that, after profound consideration,
the brethren had discovered that their religion consisted mainly of pharisaical ceremonies—is in consequence quite as formal
and meaningless as the ordinary Deeds of
Surrender.
The Valor Ecclesiasticus gives the clear income of the friars at Aylesbury as £3 2s. 5d. (fn. 9)
London valued the whole property—close,
fields, garden and site—at £6 2s. 4d.; the
timber round the house was worth £6 13s. 4d. (fn. 10)
Pointed oval seal, red in colour and chipped
at the top, attached to the Deed of Surrender
dated 1 October, 1538. (fn. 11) The impression,
which is somewhat indistinct, represents St.
Francis to the right beneath a tree lifting up
the right hand and holding in the left hand a
pastoral staff. In the branches of the tree are
two birds before him and on the left a friar
kneeling. The whole may represent the story
of St. Francis preaching to the birds. Legend:
. . . COVŪNITATIS: FRA . . . UM: AYLESBURIE.