1915] on The Archives of Westminster Abbey 469 



lawyer, who sends a whole pipe of wine as a reminder that he would 

 have no objection to administerino; Colchester's estate in due course, 

 as he had administered Cardinal Lano^ham's ; and, most pathetic of 

 all, two women " of mj lord's kindred, as they affirm," with a gift 

 of six capons. The point is that each one of these eightv-three 

 contributions is entered by the Seneschal at its market price, from 

 the pipe of wine at 53s. 4^/. to the six capons at 2s., and the total 

 value £14 lis. Gd. was added by the steward to his receipts for the 

 year. Prudent housewifery — if the word may pass in a celibate 

 context — can hardly go further. 



It is natural to ask if there are signs of luxury or excess. Not 

 in his furnishing. In 1401 he was adding to the accommodation 

 of his London manor, la Neyte. For the new parlour he procured 

 a cupboard at 10s., tAvo chairs for 4s. Qd., six stools for 4s 4cd., and 

 a deal table for the like sum. The word is not quite clear, but it 

 looks as if his study window had a curtain, costing Is. Sd., and there 

 must have been a fire-place in the parlour, for his Seneschal spent 

 sevenpence on coal for it. Nor was it wine and strong drink, for his 

 outlay on that was about a sixth part of Avhat he spent on corn and 

 meat. Nor, again, did he use his position to enrich his relations ; 

 it may be that we can detect a poor kinsman in one John Colchester, 

 who was given 3s. Ad. by my lord's command at la Neyte in March, 

 1389, and it was quite possibly for his sister-in-law — it was at any 

 rate for the wife of Thomas Colchester — that he ordered a gift of 

 an "anulus de auro cum diamandys" on May 31 of that year at a 

 cost of 40s., perhaps because it was her birthday. 



He liked to have one or two of the younger monks staying with 

 him, especially Thomas Merke, afterwards Bishop of Carlisle and his. 

 fellow-conspirator against Henry IV. They went his errands for 

 him, and on occasion he would give Merke and another half a mark 

 between them " pro gaudiis," that is, for a treat — the word " gaudy " 

 is still applied in Oxford to those college entertainments which for 

 the moment are in patriotic suspense. 



Even on his travels the Abbot maintained no extravagant state. 

 There must be formal visits to the manors. There must be " com- 

 mand visits " to the King, and the fact that he had to wait upon 

 Henry TV. three times in 1402-3 at Ware and at Windsor and at 

 Berkhamstead does not give countenance to the idea that he was 

 then regarded as a plotter against the new regime ; but I mention it 

 because the three occasions cost only £4. And when his Seneschal 

 comes to give Is. 8^. to a countryman for guiding my lord out of 

 the forest of Rockingham I can only conclude that the Abbot's 

 retinue was so small as to make him nervous of the attentions of 

 Bobin Hood. Certainly he can hardly Ije blamed if he was frequently 

 visited on business by officials who were not averse from a tip. They 

 mostly accepted less than the 20s. imparted to the Remembrancer 

 of the Exchequer, but the three-and-fonrpences mounted up when 



