Parish Priests and Their People in the Middle Ages in England

by Edward Lewes Cutts

Roger Wylkynson, of Swyneshead, yeoman, 1499, leaves to his godson his principal messuage and lands, “to him and his heirs in tail, they keeping my anniversary in Swyneshed Church.”[533]

Thomas Normanton, of Tynwell, 1533, leaves his lands to his eldest son Richard in tail, “he and his heirs to keep my anniversary in Ketton Church for ever.”[534] The “for ever” lasted sixteen years.

John Toynton, of Lincoln, chaplain, 1431, directs his anniversary to be kept ten years for the following alms:—“In the offering at mass, 6d.; in the tolling of the bells to the clerks, 2d.; in candles at the mass, 2d.; in bread at the dirge, 1s. 4d.; six chaplains saying dirge and mass, 12d.—that is, to each 2d.; to poor and needy, 7d.; to the parochial chaplain saying my name in his roll on Sundays at prayers, 4d.; to the chantry priest, Robert Dalderby, of Lincoln [chaplain], a new vestment of ruby satin, with golden letters upon it, and a new vestment of Borde to Alexander the chaplain, for masses.”[535]

Robert Appulby of Lincoln leaves a bequest to the Guild of Clerks at Lincoln that his name may be recited among the names of the departed, and the antiphon Alma Redemptoris Mater.[536]

We gather with some certainty the amount of remuneration which was usually given to a chantry priest for his services. John Coates, we have seen, in 1433, directs that a chaplain shall say mass for him every day for twenty years, and shall have four pounds thirteen shillings and fourpence per annum, besides three shillings and fourpence for wine and wax candles, and shall engage in no other service, spiritual or temporal, on pain of his anathema.[537]

Richard de Croxton, 1383, leaves £50 for masses for ten years; this would be at the rate of £5 a year. Thomas de Roos, lord of Hamlak and Belvoir, in 1412, leaves £400 for ten chaplains to say mass in his chapel of Belvoir, for eight years, which, again, amounts to £5 a year to each. J. de Haddon, Canon of Lincoln, 1374, leaves £21 for two chaplains for two years. Beatrix Hanlay, 1389, leaves 20 marks and a silver cup to Thornton Abbey for masses, and £30 of silver to six priests to celebrate for a year. So that it is abundantly evident that £5 a year was the usual stipend for a chantry priest. Elizabeth Davy, 1412, leaves cc^l. for masses, which is to be kept in some secret place in Lincoln Cathedral, and distributed annually to the chaplains.

Nicholas Sturgeon, priest in 1454, bequeaths to the Church of St. Andrew, Asperton, Herefordshire, a vestment of black for priest, deacon, and sub-deacon of the price of £10 or within; his exequies and obit day to be kept solemnly there during the term of seven years, for the expenses of which he bequeaths 46s., that is, for every year 6s. 4d.

Here is a very curious example of a nun being paid to say prayers for people living and dead: John of Leek, Rector of Houghton, 1459, leaves—

to Isabella Chawelton, sister of St. Katharine’s, Lincoln, 40s. to pray for the soul of her sister Grace, and my soul.[538]

When we refer to the returns of the “Valor,” we are confirmed in the conclusion that £5 was the normal stipend of a chantry priest; but a few, through the liberality of the endowment, received more, like the two chaplains of the Black Prince’s chantry with their £12 a year; and many received less, as may be seen in the volumes of the “Valor” passim.