Add MS 6275

RENTAL OF LANGLEY ABBEY: rental of the Premonstratensian abbey of Langley, co. Norf.; 14th-16th cent. Latin and English. Origin: England. Contents list, 18th cent., f. 1v. The manuscript was used by Francis Blomefield, the Norfolk antiquary, see a note in Blomefield's hand, dated 1724, f. 118. See the description of Add. 5948, a register of Langley, for references to printed notices of the abbey and its records. The rental was begun in the late 14th cent. Topographical sections were set out in the front part of the MS. up to f. 73, in a neat cursive hand; the latest dated items in this hand are for 6 Ric. II, i.e. 1382-1383 (ff. 60, 65v), indicating a date of compilation around or soon after 1383. This material was heavily annotated, and information was added on blank pages and in the back of the volume (ff. 74-117v), late 14th-mid 16th cent., the latest dated pre-reformation item being for 28 Oct. 1511 (f. 61v). Most of the items are rentals, frequently undated; accounts and miscellaneous material occur, with some conveyances, eg. ff. 13-13v, 52v-55. References to a register book occur, early 16th cent., ff. 51v-52. Fly-leaves also bear rental material, 15th - 16th cent., ff. 2-4, 119-120. Among dated rentals and other administrative miscellanea the following occur: (a) tenants of waters in the marsh 'de lynes' near Chedgrave church; 15th cent. f. 19v;- (b) rental of the manor of Loddon Stubbs; 18 Ed. IV (1478-1479). ff. 55v-60v;- (c) memorandum of receipts at Heckingham, apparently in the hand of William [Kirslow], abbot of Langley; 28 Oct. 1511. f. 61v;- (d) grant from abbot Walter Alpe to Thomas Walsoken, of the administration of Loddon church; 20 Jan. 1499/1450. f. 77v;- (e) rental of Langley manor; 25 March 1498. ff. 93-95;- (f) account of the abbot with various tenants; 22 Jan. 1498. ff. 96-96v;- (g) memorandum concerning rents, 18 Hen. VII (1502-1503). f. 103v;- (h) accounts of payments for anchorage, for watch and ward and for capons and hens; 15th cent. ff. 116-117v. The following items also occur: (a) Verses; early 16th cent. (i) Two lines 'In a longyng as I wais lent'. f. 61;- (ii) two lines: 'Glorious Virgin mari vertuous lili floure'. f. 80. Also drafts, f. 79;- (b) Rental item for Loddon Stubbs; 1568. f. 5;- A memorandum in the same hand, among a number that occur passim, is dated 1575 and initialled T. G., f. 95v. See also ff. 34v-35v, 95;- (c) Names of? post-reformation tenants, e.g. ff. 90v, 117v;- (d) Letter requesting the recipient to send a pair of sows to 'Thysteyn Buts' [Thurton?]; early 16th cent. Copy. f. 75v;-

(e) Note of ownership?; early 16th cent. f. 86v;- (f) Names written; early 16th cent. (i) Wyllyham Whytt. f. 60v;- (ii) John Wryth? f. 120v. At f. 6 is a list of Kings of England and notes on the manuscript; 18th cent., after 1739. Langley was leased to John Berney, Esq., in 1546, and remained in the hands of the family until 1742, see Blomefield, . . .Topographical History of the County of Norfolk . . ., x (1809), p. 151, so it is possible that the family also possessed this manuscript. A note on f. 1v in the hand of William Bray, the Surrey antiquary, states that Loddon Stubbs was held in 1796 by Peter Thompson Botham, a London merchant, who had Surrey connections. In 1796 Botham sold Loddon to the Hon. William Brodrick, F.S.A., M.P., brother of Viscount Midleton of Peper Harow, co. Surr. Brodrick died in 1819, leaving his estate to his wife Mary. Presented to the British Museum by William Bray, Esq., F.S.A., on 8 July 1820. A memorandum in the MS. gives the date as 12 June (f. 1v).

Paper, with vellum fly-leaves; ff. 120. Pagination throughout ff. 5-118 in the 18th cent. hand found on f. 6, uneven numbers only (lacks 5-29, 143, 145, 167). 210 x 130mm. It was not possible to count gatherings as each leaf is mounted on a separate guard, but quire markings indicate gatherings of 6 or 8. Quire marks A-G, foot of rectos, ff. 7, 13, 21, 29, 36, 42, 50, in a contemporary hand. Fly-leaves; vellum ff. 1-4, 119-120, paper ff. 5-6 (f. 1, paste-down). Single columns. Various documentary cursive scripts. Watermarks: (a) Hunting horn. nr. Briquet 7645, 7646. ff. 7-72;- (b) a cup with a lid. ff. 73-117.