Original Documents.
EXTRACTS FROM THE ANCIENT ACCOUNTS OF METTINGHAM COLLEGE, SUFFOLK.
COMMUNICATED BY THE REV. C. R. MANNING.
The college of St. Mary, at Mettingham, was originally founded at Raveningham, in Norfolk, by Sir John de Norwich, in the year 1342, for a master and eight chaplains, to officiate in the church of that place. It was removed some years after to Norton Subcourse in the same county, where a new chapel was built; and in 1382, again removed to the chapel within the castle of Mettingham, in Suffolk, was endowed with the said castle, and the number of chaplains increased to thirteen. This translation was retarded, chiefly by the nuns of Bungay, who were appropriators of the parish church of Mettingham, and it was not effected until about 18th Richard II., 1394. It continued there until the dissolution. The last master was Thomas Manning, also prior of Butley, and suffragan bishop of Ipswich.
The accounts are well preserved, filling six folio volumes, extending from 4th Henry IV., 1402, to 5th Henry VIII., 1513. They formerly belonged to Thomas Martin, the antiquary, from whom they came to the late Thomas Manning, Esq., of Bungay. The following extracts are taken from the first volume, and from those parts only, in each year, which relate to the expenses of the capella, and the construction of the new chapel at Mettingham. The several heads of expenditure are,
Dona' Minute Expense, Custus domorum, Custus carectarum et carucarum, Blada et staura empta. Expense capelle, Forinsece expense. Expense Magistri, &c., with wages and annual pensions.
Accounts of Receipts and Expenditure by John Wylbeye, Master of the Chantry of Metyngham, 6 Hen. IV.[1]
Michaelmas 1405, to Michaelmas 1406, Expense capelle.—Item, solut' pro panno steynyd empto pro lectrin', 10d. Item, solut' pro Freston empt' pro capella, 3l. 6s. 5d. Item, solut' pro 2 carectis conductis ad carriandum freston, 2s.—Item, solut' pro 12 pilliis oblongis emptis pro Capellanis, 3s. 10d. Item, solut' pro faccione co'i sigilli Cantarie de Metyngham, 20s. Item, solut' pro 2 tortys et 1 preket, ponder' 23l. di. 11s. 4d. Item, solut' pro 1 preket empto pro parva capella, 17d. (fol. 23.)
1406-1407.—Solut' Thome Browderer pro emendacione vestimentorum et pro Bokeram, lyowr et filo, 2s. 5d.—Item, solut' Thome Wrythe pro deposicione tecti cori do Nortone, 26s. 8d. Item, solut' pro 2 carectis conductis ad carriandum tectum cori a Nortone usque Metyngham, 2s.—Item, solut' pro pede crucis facienda et pingenda, et pro baculo ejusdem, 7s. 8d. Item, solut' pro cordis carect' emptis apud Nortone, et deposic' tecti cori ibidem, 6d.—Item, solut' Stephano kynnere, pro amusis furrandis, 8s.—
- ↑ Blomef. Hist. of Norfolk, vol. viii. p. 52. A list of masters is given, and reference made to the Chartulary of Mettingham.
