RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



HOUSE OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARS 



1 8. THE PRECEPTORY OF BUL- 

 STRODE 



All that is known of the preceptory of Bui- 

 strode is that it certainly existed in 1276, for 

 in that year Brother John, the preceptor, was 

 accused of taking a bribe of half a mark from 

 a certain robber to let him go free. 1 An in- 

 quisition taken in the year 1330 reported that 



the manor of Bulstrode had once formed part 

 of the lands of the Templars, and after 

 the annulling of their order passed to the 

 Hospitallers. 5 It is mentioned again among 

 the lands of the Hospitallers in 1338, but they 

 never had a commandery there : the manor 

 was simply leased on their behalf for 75 

 marks. 8 The Templars had also lands at 

 Radnage 7 and at High Wycombe. 8 



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 1386.2 At the dissolution there were 

 only seven friars there, 3 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 Ayles- 

 bury seem to have shown something of the 

 same independent and fearless spirit as their 

 brethren of the strict observance in the six- 

 teenth 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 histori- 

 cal or no. 4 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 ex- 

 cited 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 



i Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), i. 43. 

 * Pat. 10 Rich. II. pt. ii., m. 6. 

 a P.R.O. Deed of Surrender, 10. 

 4 An English Chronicle of the Reigns of Henry IV '., 

 V. and VI. (Caraden Soc.), 23. 



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,' an- 

 swered 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. 9 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.' 10 No 

 attempt was therefore made to provide them 

 with pensions : but London desired special 

 capacities for them to serve cures. 11 Whether 

 these were granted or no remains uncertain. 



The guardian of the house in 1535 was Ed- 

 ward Ryly 12 ; the one who signed the sur- 

 render was Henry Meyn. 13 The Deed of 

 Surrender, which is dated I 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 reli- 

 gion consisted mainly of pharisaical cere- 

 monies is in consequence quite as formal 



o Close, 4 Edw. III. m. 39. 



8 L. B. Larking, The Knights Hospitallers, 213. 



' Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), i. 45. 



s Feud. Aids, i. 76. 



L. and P. Henry Fill. xiii. (2) 719. 

 1 Ibid. 526. 

 " Ibid. 767. 



" Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iv. 248. 

 > 3 P.R.O. Deed of Surrender, 10. 



391 



