The Proceedings of the Abbat and Convent of Winchester against Joan of London, A. D. 1285. From an old MS. Fragment of that Age, given to the Publisher by Thomas Ward, Esq;.

Officialis curiæ Cantuariensis religioso viro priori reverenter salutem in Christo Ihesu. Sua noverit religio, ubi abbas & conventus Winchester peticione monstrarunt, quod vos, prætendentes à sede apostolica vobis esse commissum, ut in monasterio suo de Winchester, Johannæ de London, mulieri conversæ, ad sui sustentacionem, suo perpetuo de tanto faceretis annis singulis providere, quantum unus de monachis, ibidem existentibus, pro suis alimentis percipit, annuatim eidem Johannæ, octos. sterlingorum, percipiendos per annum, quoad

'F. octo scilicet libras sterlingorum, percipiendas.

vixerit,

vixerit, de monasterio Wynchester memorato, certis terris, pro æqualibus porcionibus, nomine sustentacionis hujus religiosa, ipsis ad hæc nullatenus evocatis, nec de ipso mandato apostolico, seu de provisione ipsa, per citacionis seu denunciacionis modum, quicquam scientibus, sed ignorantibus, immo nulla super facultatibus dicti monasterii, seu super æstimatione vel valore exhibicionis seu sustentacionis cujuscunq; monachi domus ejusdem per annum, inquisicione præmissa, in ipsorum religiosorum, ac suæ domus, præjudicium non modicum & gravamen, præsertim cum in inmensum ære alieno fuerint ornati, non absq; juris offensa, inique & temere providistis, à qua vestræ provisionis hujus sentencia, tanquam ab iniqua, quam cito id ad notitiam eorundem pervenit, sedem apostolicam, & pro tuitione sedem Cantuariensem legitime, ut asserunt, applicuerunt. Quare vobis inhibemus, & ceteris omnibus, quibus exigit inhiberi, ne, pendente in curia Cantuariensi hujus tuitionis appellationis negocio, aliud hac occasione acceptetur seu acceptare faciatis, in partis pæjudicium appellantis, quo minus liberam habeat prosecutionem appellationis suæ, prout justum fuerit utriusq;. Citetur eciam, seu citare faciatis peremptorie par

Sic cum duobus punctis sub u, perinde ac si utrisque legi debeat.

tem

tem appellatam, quod compareat coram nobis, vel commissario nostro, in ecclesia beatæ Mariæ de arcubus Londoniæ, tercio die juridico post Octavas Sanctæ Trinitatis, factura & receptura super præmissis, quod postulaverit ordo juris, & pariter ad procedendum in principali, si viderit expedire. De die vero receptionis præsentium, & quod super præmissis feceritis, nobis, vel commissario nostro, dictis diè & loco constare faciatis, per litteras vestras patentes harum seriem continentes. Dat Londoniæ quarto Nonas Maii, anno Domini M°. CC. octogesimo quinto.

Num. IX. Vide Præf. §. XI.

A Letter concerning the reputed Nunnery at LittleGidding in Huntingdonshire. From a MS. lent to the Publisher on July 6th, 1724. by Thomas Ward, of Longbridge near Warwick, Esq;. The Coppie of my Letter to Sr. Thomas Hedley, Kt. Serjeant at Lawe, upon his Request to certifie, as I found, concerninge the reputed Nunnerie att Giddinge in Huntingtonshire.

Good Mr. Serjeant,

I cann give you but a short Relation of my, not two howers, staye at the reputed (at least

re

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reported) Nunnery at Giddinge, and yet must leave out three partes of our passages, as fitter for Relation then a letter. I came thither after terme, and found a faire house fairelie seated, to which I passed through a faire grove, and sweete walkes, letticed and gardened on both sides, their livelihood. 500l. per annum (as my Lord Mountague tolde mee.)

Aman servant brought me into a faire spacious Parlour, whether soone after came to mee the olde Gentlewoman's second sonn, a batchelor of a plaine presence, but of able speech and parts, whoe (after I had, aswell as in such case I coulde, deprecated anye ill conceipt of mee, for soe unusuall and bolde a visite) entertayned mee very civilly, and with humility, yet saide, I was the first that ever came to them in that kinde, though not the first that they had heard of, that determined to come. After Deprecations and some Complements, hee said, I shoulde see his mother, if I pleased. I shewinge my desire, hee went upp into a Chamber, and presently came his mother, a tall, straight, cleare complextioned, grave Matron, of. 80. yeares of age) his eldest brother married, (but wheather 'Widdowe or noe, I asked not,) a short, blacke complextioned man, his apparrell and hayre soe fashioned, as made

2

him

him shewe Preist like, and his sister married to one Mr. Cooles, by whom shee hath. 14. or. 15. Children, all which are in the howse, which I sawe not yet; and of these, and two or three mayde servants, the Familie consisted. I saluted the mother, and daughter, not like Nunnes, but as wee use to salute other women; and after wee were all sett circular wise, and my Deprecations renewed to the other three, I desired that, to their favour of entertayninge of mee, they woulde add the givinge of mee a free libertie to speake' ingeniouslie, what I conceived of any thinge I shouldė see or have hearde of, without any distast to them. Which beinge graunted,

I first tolde them what I bad heard of the Nunnes of Giddinge; of two watchinge and prayinge all night; of their Cannonicall howers; of their crosses on the outside, and inside of their Chappell; of an Alter there richly decked with plate, tapestry, and tapers; of their 2 Adorations, Iniculations at their entringe therein, which I objected might savour of Superstition and Popery.

Heere the younger sonne (the mouth for them all) cutt mee off, and to this last answeared,

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Sic. F. Adorations, Genuflections, and Geniculations. Nam sic infra libello impresso.