Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 4.djvu/281

 18 S. IV. OCT., 1918.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

275

9th week of the 4th quarter of 1433-4 68, 36, 6, 8, 17, 25, 33, 44, 47, 52, 55, 62, 65 66.

6. In The Wykehamist for April 12, 1917 (No. 562), I gave the details of a like epi- demic which occurred in 1430-1. No fewer than 26 Scholars died during the course of that year, 5 of them succumbing between the 1st and the 9th of March, 1431.

7. As the brass at Headbourne Worthy states, John Kent was son of Simon Kent of Reading. In 1447 the College, having

' received 100Z. from Cardinal Beaufort's executors in order that his obit might be kept here annually, invested the money by purchasing the manor of Buttys in the parish of Barkham, Berks. The purchase is recorded in an extant deed of Nov. 6, 1447, whereby the College undertook to keep the obit. But about two years later the manor had to be sold, the College being in dire straits for ready money wherewith to maintain its establishment. Simon Kent was concerned with the latter transaction, if not also with the former. We hear also of a John Kent :

" Et solutum pro prebenda equorum Johannis Kent venientis ad collegium pro evidenciia de Buttis supervidendis, iiiid." ' Custus necessarii,' 1447-8.

" Et de centum libris receptis de vendicione manerii de Buttes ad vices hoc anno ad solvendum servientibus Collegii, xiiK." ' Beceptio forinseca,' 1449-50.*

" Et in ii virgatis panni coloris de secta genero- sorum datis Simoni Kent de Bedyng cum xxviii radiatis .antiquis pro laboribus suis habitis in vendicione manerii de Buttys, hoc anno tantum, precium virgate iis., iiiis." ' Custus liberate,' 1449-50.

" Et de veteri apparatu camere, scilicet panno lineo apportato de manerio de Buttis, vendito hoc anno, iiis. iiiid." ' Beceptio forinseca,' 1451-2.

" Et de Simone Kente in parte solucionis xvK. debit. Collegio per eundem pro diversis omptis per eundem in vendicione manerii de Buttys, iiiiK. vis. viiid." Ibid., 1452-3.

8. If I rightly understand the story as told in a somewhat disjointed fashion in our Account -rolls, the relations between the College and Simon Kent had by now ceased to be friendly. He was seeking to escape payment of the 151., and the College was suing out writs for its recovery :

" Et solutum pro original! pone per vadium et distringas et pro brevibus de alias et pluries distriugas versus Simonem Kent, iiiis. id

which the 121. was taken, amounted in 1447-8 to 14L 14s. 4d.
 * The servants' wages, towards payment of

Item pro brevi de pluries distringas versus Simonem Kent predictum, xd." ' Custus pro litibus defendendis,' 1451-2.

" Et solutum eidem [i.e.f Bampston, the College attorney in the Common Bench] pro brevi de districtione et continuacione vernus Simonem Kent, xiiid." Ibid., 1453-4.

I cannot say whether the balance of the 151. was eventually extracted from Simon Kent.

9. About the same time there was a Robert Kent who acted as proctor for the College in the Court of Arches :

" Et in solutis mro. Boberto Kent procurator! Collegii in curia de Arcubus pro scriptura unius inhibitionis directe Archidiacono Herfordie [i.e., Hereford] pro ecclesia de Tytteley, cum iiis. iiiid.

pro sigillacione eiusdem, iiiis. viiid Et in

datis mro. Boberto Kent procurator! Collegii in curia de Arcubus pro amicitia sua habenda pro tenentibus Collegii in curia Ameralli, vis. viiid." ' Oustus necessarii,' 1450-1.

10. On Nov. 28, 1460, the Crown ap- pointed commissioners to inquire within Hampshire into the misdeeds of one Thomas Child and other persons. " John Kent, Mayor of Winchester," was a member of this commission. See ' Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1452-61,' p. 656.

11. This John Kent may be safely identified with the John Kent who was for many years the College chandler. Here is an example of his annual bill :

" Et in solutis Johanni Kent chaundeler pro Iviii libris cere de Ppleyne emptis ab eodem, precium libre vd., xxiiiis. iid. Et solutum eidem pro factura et reiteracione ccix librarum cere antique et nove factarum in cereos, capit pro factura libre obolum, viiis. viiid. ob. Et in solutis eidem pro factura Ixix librarum cere antique et nove factarum in Torchis, Torchettis et Colpons, capit pro factura libre id., vs. ixd. Et solutum eidem pro vi duodenis candelarum de cepo, precium duodene xvd., viis. vid. Et solutum eidem pro xi lagenis et i potello olei emptis pro lampade in choro, precium lagene xiid., xis. vid. Et solutum eidem pro iiii libris [ncensi emptis ab eodem, xxd." ' Custus capelle,' 1461-2.

John Kent is named in our accounts as the College chandler as early as 1442-3, and as late as 1477-8. In 1479-80 candles were bought from Emmote Kent, who was oerhaps his widow. In 1481-2 they were nought from Rafe Cradok and John Mugge.

12. From 1465-6 to 1477-8 John Kent, presumably none other than the chandler, was a College tenant. He paid Is. 8d. a year as the rent of a tenement near the Westgate (prope portam occidentalem). Henry Snelling was the tenant there in 1479-80, and John Warlond in 1481-2. As John Kent ceased to be tenant and also