Appendix 13 Letter patent of 2 April 1557, and Lincolnshire lands to be returned to the Hospitallers
Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1557–8
Philip and Mary, 8 March 1557, Greenwich
Whereas the king and queen have it in their thoughts to make it known to the world that as by the best right they profess themselves defenders of the faith, so in very act and deed they are defending and fighting for the faith; and remembering that before the dissolution of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland a great part of its possessions and revenues was wont to be allotted by the prior and brother knights to the defence of Christians and to fighting Turks, infidels and others who openly attacked the Catholic faith, they desire to restore the hospital and adorn it with all its ancient possessions which have come to their hands and have asked from Cardinal Pole, papal legate de latere, apostolic authority for so doing; and he has asserted and instituted the priory and hospital under the title St John of Kilmainam which it had before the dissolution and has appointed Oswald Massingberd to be prior.
Philip and Mary, 2 April 1557, Greenwich
Whereas the king and queen, desiring to be in very deed defenders of the faith and remembering that the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in England, which was dissolved by Henry VIII and whose possessions are now in their hands by hereditary right, devoted a great part of its reserves to the defence of Christians and fighting against Turks and infidels, have asked Cardinal Pole, papal legate de latere, to restore the hospital to its ancient state, which he has done and erected it under the title of St John of Clerkynwell which it had before its dissolution and has ordained Thomas Tresham, knight, to be prior and Richard Shelley, turcopolier, commander of the commandery of Slebiche and Halston, Peter Felizes De La Nuca, bailiff of the bailiwick of Aquila, Cuthbert Laithen of Newland, Edward Browne of Templebruer and Oliver Starkey of Quenyngtono be commanders or preceptors.
That the said erection may be effective in law, grant that the priors, bailiffs and commanders for said hospital and any other priors, bailiffs and commanders for the time being, be a body corporate by the name of the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in England and have a perpetual succession, that the prior and his successors be able to plead and be impleaded in all courts and places of the crown and in all cases, real, personal and mixed, and spiritual and temporal; and that the prior and brethren be able to hold, receive and purchase lands and other possessions and to grant, alienate and lease the same as other corporations within the realm; and grant of a common seal […] rents, lands, etc. [described etc.] in Willoughton, Hemswell, Glentworth, Lee, Blyton, Yawthorpe, Coryngham, Wnnterton, Appulbye, Goykwell, Waddingham, Owmby, Epworth, Spitle in le Streyte, Bromby, Asbye, Walcote, Buryngton, Bulwyke, Sturton, Merton, Stowe, Hackthorne, Skampton, Astbye, Barkesworke, Withcall, Gayton, Foderby, Mershe Chappell, Grynolby, Teylby, Thorganby, Osgarby, Mydle Reysen, Est Reysen, Snelland, Claxbye, Normanby, Herbye. Sybsey, Bolyngbroke, Mynigsbye, Kyrkeby, Glentham, Skendelbie, Skyckforth or Styckforth, Hagworthingham, Hundelby, Gresby [sic] in Spyllesby, Taynton superior, Toynton inferior, Wayneflete, Halton, Wester Kele, Esterkele in Westerkele, Wotton, Caborne, Coxwold, Lasbye, Erbye, Coxbye, Serbye, Parva Lymber, Haybourghe, Stalingburgh, North-ganesbury, and Morton, co. Lincoln. All wich were late of Willoughton preceptory.
[…] rents, lands, etc [described etc] in Southwytham, Sewston, Eston, Wollesthorpe, Westby, Hanthorpe, Bilchesfeld, Ednam, Aslatby, Harlaston, Aslakby, Althorpe in Aslakby, Dowesby, Byngston (or Ringston), Harmethorpe, Mareton (or Moreton), Bolby, Stanesflete, Repinghall, cathorpe., Normanton, Kyrkebygrene, Scopwyke, Dunston, Medringham, Blankney, Byllynghey, Tymberland, Merton, Thorpe, Bloxholme, Derington, Riskington, Northrawceby, Southrawceby, Cranwell, Sylkeby, Digbye, Quarrington, Swarby and Calverthorpe, Ankaster, Spanby, Walcott, Threckingham, Evedon, Iwardbye, Awsthorpe, Asgarbye, Wynkell, Hekingham, Baughton, Grantham, Barrowbye, Bothby Panell, harlaston, Denton, Allington, Barston, Bynyngton, Westborgh, Gonwarbye, Beckingham, Fenton, Stupton, Welborne, Navenby, Wellingor, Broughton, Fulbeck, Claypole, Brandon, Skellington, Stampford, Braceby, Belchesford, Hakenby, Willoughbie, Kyrkeby, Creston and Asterby and the lordships and manors of Aslackeby and Northrawceby, co. Lincoln, all late of the preceptory of Temple Bruer.
[…] rents, lands etc. [described etc.] in Hanworth, Bracebridge, Waddington and Willingham, co. Lincoln, Elson, Sesson, Flyntham and Shelford, co. Nottingham, late of the preceptory or bailiwick of Eyle alias Egle.
[…] And all advowsons in the said places or elsewhere in England and Wales which belonged to the late hospital before its dissolution; and all woods, yearly profits, all belonging to the said manors, etc., or to any of the preceptories of the late hospital.
To hold to the prior and brethren and their successors in frank almoign.
Re-establishment of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in England, now entitled St John of Clerkenwell, from the letter patent of Philip and Mary, 2 April 1557, Greenwich
Appointments
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Grand Crosses
Turcopolier
Richard Shelley
Grand Prior of England
Thomas Tresham
Prior of Ireland
Oswald Massingberd
Bailiff of Eagle
Peter Felizes de la Nuca*
Commanders
Slebech (Pembs.) and Halston (Salop.)
Richard Shelley
Newland (Yorks.)
Cuthbert Layton
Temple Bruer (Lincs.)
Edward Brown
Willoughton (Lincs.)
Thomas Thornehill
Yeaveley and Barrow (Derbs.)
Henry Gerard
North Baddesley (Hants.)
George Aylmer
Quenington (Gloucs.)
Oliver Starkey
Templecombe (Som.)
James Shelley
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Content - style replace: * Peter Felizes de la Nuca was a professed Knight of the Tongue of Castile; to be rendered eligible for the bailiwick he was made an English subject.
Location of lands restored to the Order of St John in Lincolnshire
Willoughton, Hemswell, Glentworth, Lea, Blyton, Yawthorpe, Corringham, Winterton, Appleby, Spital in the Street, Brumby, Ashby, Walcot, Buryngton (Burringham or Burton), Bulwyke (Butterwick), Sturton, Marton, Stow, Hackthorn, Scampton, Asbye (Asterby), Barkesworke, Withcall, Gayton, Fotherby, Marshchapel, Grimoldby, Tealby, Thorganby, Osgodby, Middle Rasen, Market Rasen, Snelland, Claxby, Normanby, Hareby, Sibsey, Bolingbroke, Minigsby, Kirkby, Glentham, Skendleby, Stickford, Hagworthingham, Hundleby, Gresby [sic] in Spyllesby, Toynton Superior, Toynton Inferior, Wainfleet, Hatton, West Keal, East Keal, Wootton, Cabourne, Cuxwold, Laceby, Irby, Croxby, Searby, Little Limber, Habrough, Stallingborough, North Gainsborough Morton, co. Lincoln. All of which were late of Willoughton preceptory.
Temple Bruer, South Witham, Sewstorn, Easton, Woolsthopre, Westby, Hanthorpe, Bitchfield, Edenham, Aslackby, Althorpe in Aslackby, Dowesby (Dunsby), Byngston or Ringston (Bingham), Harmethorpe (Hawthorpe), Morton, Bolby, Stanesflete (Stainsfield), Repinghall (Rippingale), Caythorpe, Normanton, Kirkby Green, Scopwick, Dunston, Methringham, Blankney, Billinghay, Timberland, Martin, Thorpe Tilney, Bloxholm, Dorrington, Ruskington, North Rauceby, South Rauceby, Cranwell, Silk Willoughby, Digby, Quarrington, Swaby and Culverthorpe, Ancaster, Spanby, Walcot, Threckingham, Evedon, Iwardby, Austhorpe, Asgarby, Winkhill, Heckingham, Baughton, Grantham, Barrowby, Boothby Pagnell, Harlaxton, Denton, Allington, Barston (Barnstone), Bynyngton (Benington), Westborgh, Great Gonerby, Beckingham, Fenton, Stubton, Welbourn, Navenby, Wellingore, Brant Broughton, Fulbeck, Claypole, Brandon, Skellington, Stamford, Braceby, Belchford, Hacconby, Willoughby, Kirkby, Creston and Asterby and the lordships and manors of Aslackby and North Rauceby, co Lincoln, all late of the preceptory of Temple Bruer.
Eagle, Hanworth, Bracebridge, Waddington and Willingham, co. Lincoln, Elston, Syerston, Flintham and Shelford, co Nottingham, late of the preceptory or bailiwick of Eagle.
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N.B. All place names are accorded modern spellings as far as practicable. Where there is doubt a place name is written in italics and a reasonable suggestion offered in brackets. In a small minority of cases no modern name can be identified.