Biography of Edmund Dudley 1462-1510

Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1509. Apr 1509. Will of Henry VII (age 52):

At his manor of Richmond, Surrey [Map] March 24 Henry VII., the King makes his last will, commending his soul to the Redeemer with the words he has used since his first "years of discretion," Domine Jesu Christe, qui me ex nichilo creasti, fecisti, redemisti et predestinasti ad hoc quod sum, Tu scis quid de me facere vis, fac de me secundum voluntatem Tuam cum misericordia, trusting in the grace of His Blessed Mother in whom, after Him, has been all his (testator's) trust, by whom in all his adversities he has had special comfort, and to whom he now makes his prayer (recited), as also to all the company of Heaven and especially his "accustumed avoures" St. Michael, St. John Baptist, St. John Evangelist, St. George, St. Anthony, St. Edward, St. Vincent, St. Anne, St. Mary Magdalene and St. Barbara, to defend him at the hour of death and be intercessors for the remission of his sins and salvation of his soul.

Desires to be buried at Westminster [Map], where he was crowned, where lie buried many of his progenitors, especially his granddame Catharine wife to Henry V and daughter to Charles of France, and whereto he means shortly to translate the remains of Henry IV in the chapel [Map] which he has begun to build (giving full directions for the placing and making of his tomb and finishing of the said chapel according to the plan which he has "in picture delivered" to the prior of St. Bartholomew's beside Smithfield, master of the works for the same); and he has delivered beforehand to the abbot, &c., of Westminster, £5,000, by indenture dated Richmond, 13 April 23 Hen VII, towards the cost.

His executors shall cause 10,000 masses in honor of the Trinity, the Five Wounds, the Five Joys of Our Lady, the Nine Orders of Angels, the Patriarchs, the Twelve Apostles and All Saints (numbers to each object specified) to be said within one month after his decease, at 6d. each, making in all £250 and shall distribute 2,£000 in alms; and to ensure payment he has left 2,£250 with the abbot, &c., of West-minster, by indenture dated (blank) day of (blank) in the (blank) year of his reign.

His debts are then to be paid and reparation for wrongs made by his executors at the discretion of the following persons, by whom all complaints shall be tenderly weighed, viz, the abp of Canterbury (age 59), Richard bp of Winchester (age 61), the bps of London and Rochester (age 39), Thomas Earl of Surrey (age 66), Treasurer General, George Earl of Shrewsbury (age 41), Steward of the House, Sir Charles Somerset Lord Herbert (age 49), Chamberlain, the two Chief Justices, Mr. John Yong (age 44), Master of the Rolls, Sir Thomas Lovell, Treasurer of the House, Mr. Thomas Routhall, secretary, Sir Ric Emson (age 59), Chancellor of the Duchy, Edm. Dudley (age 47), the King's attorney at the time of his decease, and his confessor, the Provincial of the Friars Observants, and Mr. William Atwater, dean of the Chapel, or at least six of them and three of his executors.

His executors shall see that the officers of the Household and Wardrobe discharge any debts which may be due for charges of the same.

Lands to the yearly value of above 1,000 mks have been "amortised" for fulfilment of certain covenants (described) with the abbey of Westminster.

For the completion of the hospital which he has begun to build at the Savoie place beside Charingcrosse, and towards which 10,000 mks in ready money has been delivered to the dean and chapter of St. Paul's, by indenture dated (blank), his executors shall deliver any more money which may be necessary; and they shall also make (if he has not done it in his lifetime) two similar hospitals in the suburbs of York and Coventry.

Certain cathedrals, abbeys, &c., named in a schedule hereto annexed [not annexed now] have undertaken to make for him orisons, prayers and suffrages "while the world shall endure," in return for which he has made them large confirmations, licences and other grants; and he now wishes 6s. 8d. each to be delivered soon after his decease to the rulers of such cathedrals, &c., 3s. 4d. to every canon and monk, being priest, within the same and 20d. to every canon, monk, vicar and minister not being priest. His executors shall bestow 2,£000 upon the repair of the highways and bridges from Windsor to Richmond manor and thence to St. George's church beside Southwark [Map], and thence to Greenwich manor, and thence to Canterbury.

To divers lords, as well of his blood as other, and also to knights, squires and other subjects, he has, for their good service, made grants of lands, offices and annuities, which he straitly charges his son, the Prince (age 17), and other heirs to respect; as also the enfeoffments of the Duchy of Lancaster made by Parliaments of 7 and 19 Henry VII. for the fulfilment of his will.

Bequests for finishing of the church of the New College in Cambridge and the church of Westminster, for the houses of Friars Observants, for the altar within the King's grate (i.e. of his tomb), for the high altar within the King's chapel, for the image of the King to be made and set upon St. Edward's shrine, for the College of Windsor, for the monastery of Westminster, for the image of the King to be set at St. Thomas's shrine at Canterbury, and for chalices and pixes of a certain fashion to be given to all the houses of Friars and every parish church not suitably provided with such.

Bequest of a dote of 50,£000 for the marriage of Lady Mary (age 13) the King's daughter with Charles Prince of Spain (age 9), as contracted at Richmond (blank) Dec. 24 Henry VIII., or (if that fail) her marriage with any prince out of the realm by "consent of our said son the Prince, his Council and our said executors.".

Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1510. 15 Aug 1510. S.P. Hen. VIII., 2, f. 4. R.O. 559. [1212.] Will of Edmund Dudley (age 48), attainted of High Treason.

Protests against the verdict in the Guildhall. Wills Sir Andrew Wyndesore and others his feoffees for lands in the Isle of Wight, the manors of Fyndon and Hamfay, the manor of [blank] and lands called the Lyghte near Tortyngton in Sussex, and the manor of East Pullam in Dorset, and also his lands in Lancashire, purchased of Lord Daker of the South, to stand seized to the use of Eliz. his wife, with remainders in tail to his sons John, Jerome, and Andrew, his daughter Eliz., and his brother Peter. His lands in Lincolnshire to be held to the use of his son Jerome and heirs male of his body, howbeit his mind "was to have had him a priest." My Lord of London (Fitz James), Dr. Colet, Sir And. Wyndesore, and Dr. Yonge to have the guiding of his son Jerome till he is 22 years of age; the surplus profits of the lands assigned to him to be given to poor scholars of divinity at Oxford. His lands in Norf., Suff., and Wilts, and his reversion of the manor of Barerch, Suss., bought of Copley, to be held to the use of his son Andrew and the heirs of his body; those in Onershe, Cranley, and Bromley in Surrey, to ... and the heirs male of his body. [Out of those in] Hants, purchased of Sir A. Fortescue, "pay yerely ...ere duryng his lyffe." Much mutilated provision concerning "... starton is nevew and so from broder to broder," lands redeemable by the Earl of Kent, and his (Dudley's) daughter Elizabeth "except she do enjoy the marriage of young ..." Lands in Cheshire to be held to the use of his son John and the heirs of his body; and the residue for payment of debts; the manor of Sheffeld, and lands in Sussex and Surrey, bought of Roger Lewkenor, together with his interest in the manors of Bargham, Ryngewyke, Ham, Gratham, Wymynholl, "and thereabouts," in Sussex, to be restored on certain conditions. With other bequests and provisions respecting Harold Staunton, Mr. Morley of Lewes, his cousin Yonge called Somerset, his cousin Jas. Bemond, his brother Anth. Wynsor, Ric. Lister, "lernedman," Thos. Michell, "late my clerk," Will. Fraunke, "my servant," "Will. Thikepeny, that toke payn with me in the Towre; paying all these folks to be helping and frendly to my wiffe and children."

Debtors:—Edward Lewkenor of Sussex, Richard Hyll of the Custom House of London,—Benett of Chengton in Sussex; W. Butre and—Fuller, mercers of London, for silks; * * *—Coplond, tailor; Will. Nicolson of London;—Hamsted, wax-chandler; "the wife of Will. Pelett of Stenyng in Sussex, £60. that I borrowed of her and her husband; but if [she] enjoy the marriage of young Chaloner for her daughter, then I owe her but £20.;" the executors of Sir R. Bray; Sir David Owen; Kneysworth, alderman of London, for Taner's debt; Sir R. Southwell.

"Things that I am bound in conscience to do perform for the souls of persons deceased," to be performed by the executors with the advice of the testator's cousin, Richard Dudley, priest, and Mr. Brooke and Mr. Lister, learned men, viz.: £50 to poor priests in Oxford and Cambridge, for the souls of his father and mother, and William Dudley, of himself and his two wives. An altar cloth for the high altar of Tortington, Sussex, and another to the Lady altar, his first wife being buried there. To my lord of Arundell a "coppe" (cup?) of 8l., "by my father's will." To a priest to [sing] for the soul of his first wife, to have for salary 10 mks. [and teach the] choristers their grammar. 20l. arising from the goods of W. Nymes, late ald[erman], to be bestowed ...Sums [for the souls] of his sister Ann Hall and John Lewkenor ... "I lowly desire my Lord Steward and my ... son John Dudley, humbly beseeching them ... him married in a honest stock"; also to be good lords "to my poor and loving [wife, to protect] her from wrong, and to yeve to her good counsels as to their poor servant and k[inswoman];" and "I will require my said lords and all other of the King's honourable Council" to be [good] masters to my poor brother Peter Dudley, my near kinsman Jas. Bea[mont, and two] poor men, sometime my servants, viz., Thomas Michell and Will. Franke, who are in danger for my "lewd demeanour," intending to escape from the Tower; they did but their duty as servants, and afterwards refused to assist my escape, and they were the only persons privy to it. He himself did not intend it unless the attainder had passed both Commons, Lords, and King, as he told Brymley, who might have dealt with him better than he did. Bequests to Marion Raylegh, whom Dr. Thompson knows, for her daughter Elizabeth, whom Will. Bookyll of London Bridge bound apprentice with the wife of Mr. Waren, browderer; to the building of Paul's church, and the churches of Chichester, Poynings in Sussex, and St. Swithin's in London "where I dwelt." Desires to be buried in the monastery of Westminster, his wife to find a priest to sing for him for three years, ten marks to be given to the poor on each anniversary of his burial. If Sir William Sandes and others be not discharged of their recognizance of 1,000l. to the late King by a bill which testator delivered to Mr. Lovell and Mr. Heron, desires that they be reimbursed.

"Item wher I gave to Andrew ... folkes of worship, dyvers greate ... if my pardon be had and that I fortune ... be the assent and advise of the ... other ... londes by ther discrecyons as will se my ... ffy ...for me, but if I put (sic) to execucion or ...and paimentes ar utterly discharged for ..."

Item (mutilated) directing that, for their trouble, each of his feoffees and also his "kind lady," Lady Litton, shall have 20 mks.

Concluded with an exhortation to his feoffees (to see this will performed) and a prayer for the King, but this portion is very mutilated.

Orig. much mutilated, pp. 8. Signed at the bottom of each page. Some of the mutilations supplied in the earlier part from the copy, § 2.