Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Maidstone, Clement
MAIDSTONE or MAYDESTONE, CLEMENT (fl. 1410), theologian and historical writer, was son of Thomas Maydestone. Tanner speaks of him as a Bridgettine friar, but he was a member of the house at Hounslow, which belonged to the Trinitarians, and Maidstone therefore probably was a friar of the latter order. He was at Hounslow previously to 20 Sept. 1410, when he was ordained sub-deacon. He was ordained deacon on 20 Dec. 1410, and priest on 19 Sept. 1412 by Richard Clifford [q. v.], bishop of London (Reg. Clifford ap. Tanner). He and his father were both living after the death of Henry IV, when they heard at Hounslow the narrative of the alleged disposal of that king's body by throwing it into the Thames.
Maidstone wrote: 1. ‘Historia martyrii Ricardi Scrope Archiepiscopi Eboracensis,’ MS. C.C.C. Cant. M xiv., printed in Wharton's ‘Anglia Sacra,’ ii. 169–72. This history contains the narrative alluded to above. 2. ‘Directorium Sacerdotum,’ commonly called ‘Pica Sarum.’ From the preface to this version of the Sarum use we learn that Maidstone, finding the common version to contain sundry errors and omissions, obtained leave to revise it. This revision was given the name of ‘Directorium Sacerdotum,’ and forms the text printed by Caxton, first edition, 1487? of which there is a unique copy in the British Museum, second edition, 1489? of which there is a unique copy in the Bodleian Library. The two little tracts, ‘Defensorium ejusdem Directorii,’ and ‘Crede mihi,’ appended to this recension, may be by Maidstone. It is noticeable that the old use of St. Paul's was discarded for that of Sarum by Maidstone's diocesan, Richard Clifford, on 15 Oct. 1414.
[Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib. 500; Wharton's Anglia Sacra, ii. 169–72; Blaydes's Caxton, ii. 193.]