Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood Part 38

{142d} "Ill.u.s.trations of English History."

{143a} "Lansdown MSS." 27, Art. 41.

{143b} This would be the present Halstead wood, on the western side of Stobourne; the ditch, or s...o...b..urne, running between the two is the bourne or boundry of the two parishes, Woodhall and Stixwould (or Halstead), where the Welbys lived at that time. The first syllable of s...o...b..urne would be "stow" or "stoc" a "stake" or post, marking the boundary; oftener used as a suffix than a prefix, as in Hawkstow, Chepstow, Woodstock, &c.

{143c} Thomas Metham of Metham. The chief seat of the Methams was Bullington Priory. A George Metham was executor, with Andrew Gedney, to Sir William Skipwith's will proved 31st March, 1587. Metham's letter, quoted above, is given in the "Lansdown MSS." 27, Art. 32.

{144} "Lansdown MSS." 27, Art. 41.

{145} These details are given in a Paper on "The feuds of Old Lincolns.h.i.+re Families," by Lord Monson ("Proceedings of Archaeol.

Inst.i.tute, Lincoln," 1848).

{146} There is a common tendency to give a far-fetched origin to ancient structures and things, to make them more remarkable; but the skill and economy of the old builders often lay in utilising and making the most of material at hand. The bricks of Tattershall Castle have been said to be Dutch, and brought up the Witham from the "Low Countries" in exchange for other commodities; but a geologist a.s.sures me that both the bricks and the mortar at Tattershall, when examined, shew a native origin; and, so, doubtless, the bricks of Halstead are "born of the soil" of the locality.

{149a} To show that I am not here speaking "without book," I may cite the following:-Some years ago a bundle of papers were found among the Archives at Lincoln, st.i.tched together, and much damaged by time. They proved to be "Letters of indulgence," issued by Bishop Dalderby of Lincoln, in which he instructed the Deans to enjoin the clergy throughout their deaneries to make it known, on Sundays and other festivals, that money was needed to complete the central tower of the Cathedral, and that indulgences and other privileges would be granted (indulgencias multiplices, et alia Suffragia) to any who should contribute to this object (qui ad constructionem campanilis contulerint subsidia.) This mandate was dated Stowe-park vii. 1d. Marcii A.D. MCCCVI. Among these papers was found a letter of indulgence from John, Bishop of Carlisle, dated Horncastle, May 12, 1305 (that Prelate then having a palace at Horncastle, on what are now the premises of Mr. Lunn, grocer), and a similar doc.u.ment from Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury, dated Lincoln, Oct. 11, 1314; shewing that the practice was a universal one. The Indulgences were, in each case, for forty days. We may look with admiration at our Cathedral, "fabrica tam n.o.bilis, et honorifica toti regno," as the Bishop calls it; but surely it takes not a little gilt from the gingerbread, when we reflect that this grand edifice was not entirely the product of the piety of our forefathers, as we have too fondly supposed, but due largely to the episcopal sanction of what with all charity, can hardly be called a pious fraud; and that it was really paid for by "the wages of sin." The individuals were granted their forty days' "fling" of iniquity, with the episcopal pledge of exemption from its penalty, provided they responded to the episcopal call-a system of "Do ut des," based on a "superst.i.tio d.a.m.nabilis,"-Bishop Dalderby's Memorandums, 101 b. Quoted "Archit. Soc. Reports," vol. iv., pt. ***., pp, 42, 43. The author of a book recently (1904) published on "French Cathedrals," says that many of them were "built in expiation of wrong deeds."

{149b} "Ayen-bite of Inwyt," by Dan Michel (Early English Text Society), edited by R. Morris, Esq.

{151a} This being in a fragile condition was recently removed to the wall of the east end by the late Vicar, and forms a rather fine reredos.

{151b} The device on this stone was a cross, within a circle. On the four arms of the cross were the capital letters LX-DI-ST-VRA, and in the centre the letter E. Taking this letter as common to all four arms, we get Lex., Dei, Est, Vera; the law of G.o.d is true. A similar device is graven on one side of the font in Dunsby church, near Bourne.

{152a} "Itner. Cur.," vol. i., p. 88.

{152b} "Monast.," vol. i., p. 486.

{152c} "Stikeswalde Prior. Monial Cistert. Collectanea," vol. i., p.

92.

{152d} The Rev. Thos. c.o.x, in his "Lincolns.h.i.+re," calls it a Gilbertine Priory, and Dugdale, in a second notice of it (vol. ii., 809), also places it among the Gilbertines. Further, Dr. Oliver, on what authority he does not state, says that the nuns were habited in a white tunic, with black scapulary (bands across the back and shoulders), and girdle, with a capacious hood, called a culla; whereas Dugdale has an engraving of a nun, in black cloak, under skirt, and culla. Probably they wore different attire on different occasions.

{153a} Leland, vol. i., p. 92.

{153b} Dugdale, vol. i., 486 ii., 809.

{153c} Within quite recent times a handsome satin pulpit cloth, embroidered with rich emblematical devices, was still in use in Scopwick church, some 6 miles from Woodhall.

{154a} Candlemas was one of the chief festivals, of which we now only retain the name; but in those days every family contributed its quota, or "shot for wax."-Oliver, p. 65, note 4.

{154b} Oliver, p. 67, note 8.

{154c} It is still on record that Queen Elizabeth, an ardent sportswoman, shot her four bucks before breakfast.

{154d} "Placit. de quo Warrento," 22 Ed. I.

{154e} Matthew of Westminster, "Flores Historiarum," p. 313.

{154f} "Rot. Hund.," p. 317.

{154g} "Rot. Can. Reg.," 6 Rich I.

{154h} Leland, "Coll.," vol. i.. 92.

{155a} The buildings of the Priory must have been on a large scale, as they covered several acres, and of great architectural beauty. Not one stone of them now remains upon another, but, as an ornament, outside the front door of a house in Horncastle, there stands a large "boss,"

formerly in the Priory roof, from which branch off six concentric arches.

It is about 2ft. in diameter, and most exquisitely carved with elaborate foliage. The writer has a photograph of it.

{155b} The Rev. James Alpa.s.s Penny, now Vicar of Wispington.

{156} Bedae Martyrology, D. Kalend, Nov.

{157} Commem. of All Souls. "Golden Legend," fol. 200.

{158} Maddison's "Lincolns.h.i.+re Wills," Series I., p. 32, No. 84.

{159} This collar disappeared about the year 1887, but has since been recovered.

{160} "The Story of Two n.o.ble Lives." Memorials of Charlotte, Countess Canning, and Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, pp. 93, 95, 96.

{161a} It is said that Thistlewood's last words before mounting the scaffold, addressed to one executed with him, were "Courage, brother, we shall soon learn the great secret."

{161b} "The Story of Two n.o.ble Lives," p. 187.

{161c} Compare "Bucks.," Buckinghams.h.i.+re, Buckland, Buckhurst. Taylor's "Woods and Places," p, 321. Beechnuts, it should be remembered, were the chief food of the herds of swine, very numerous in olden times.

{162} A carucate is the extent cultivated by one plough in one year and a day (120 acres). "Villeins" were the lower cla.s.s of labourers, living in the village; "bordars" a better cla.s.s, living in cottages attached to the Manor House, and enjoying certain privileges. "Soc-men" were tenants of the lord, holding their tenures by rent or "service" of various kinds; i.e., freemen.

{165} I am indebted for these particulars to an account given by the Rev. J. A. Penny in "Lincs. N. & Q.," vol. iii., pp, 97201.

{166a} Among the questions asked at Monastic Visitations were, whether the monks were guilty of superst.i.tion, apostacy, treason or thieves, or coiners.-MSS., Cott. Cleop. ii., 59. Henry, Prior of Tupholme, was said to be "very ingenious in making false money."-Monas. Anglic., ii., p.

269. Thompson's "Boston," Append., p. 61.

{166b} Horn was much used for drinking vessels, spoons, hunting horns, the heads of walking sticks, etc.; and, by statutes of Edw. II. and IV., a Horner's Guild was founded and protected by Charter. Thus the Priory might well ply a lucrative, if illicit, trade.

{168a} "Monasticon," vol. i., 142.

{168b} "Itin.," vol. vi, p. 214.

{169a} Dugdale's "Mon.," vol. ii., 848.

{169b} Quoted in Oliver's "Religious Houses on the Witham," p. 87, note 21, ed. 1846. The Venerable Bede relates that while Oswald's body remained outside the Abbey through a night, awaiting burial, protected by a tent, a pillar of light was seen reaching up from the waggon to heaven.

The water in which his remains were washed was poured on the ground in a corner of the sacred place, and the soil which received it had the power to expel devils.-"Hist." vol. iii., c. xi.

{171} Among the monks of Bardney was one known as Richardus de Bardney, whose chronicles are preserved to this day (Anglia Sacra, II., 326).

Among other curious items given by him is one recording the miraculous birth of Bishop Grossetete, so named from his great head. It reads thus, in something better than monkish Latin:-

Impregnata parens pat.i.tur per somnia multum, Quod nihil in ventre sit, nisi grande caput; Et tam grande caput, et tanto robore forte, Quod puer ex utero fultus abit baculo.