ࡱ> QSP%` GbjbjNN 4V,,>< < < 8t $ XB  $h`D] ] ] DD ] D D ] DD gd< 0B*D vD T D   B] ] ] ] XXX< XXX< XXXDDDDDD Translation by M.G. Underwood of Letters Patent of 7 August 1509, from Harleian Manuscript 7039, fols. 54-8, as printed (from a transcript by Thomas Baker of a copy in a register in St. Johns College Archives, D91.23, pp.52-9) in Documents of the University and Colleges of Cambridge (London, 1852), vol. III , pp.221-9. Words in ( ) represent the original; words in [ ] are my additions for clarification. Henry, by the Grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland, to all to whom the present Letters shall come: Greeting. Know that we have learned, on the evidence supplied by our most beloved grandmother Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby, lately deceased, and by other trustworthy public sources, that the House or Priory of the religious brethren of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, whose patron is James Bishop of Ely in his episcopal right, with all its lands, tenements, rents, possessions, buildings and goods, plate, jewels and ornaments of its church, assembled through ancient piety, has been wasted and spoiled and reduced to poverty, so that it cannot be maintained, by the the bad administration of the Prior and Masters of the said House and the brethren. Moreover for a long while there have been only two persons in the said House or Priory, who have wandered away from its bounds to the grave offence of God, the injury of their Order, and scandal of the Church, so that the House or Priory has been left desolate. For these reasons the aforesaid Countess, our most beloved grandmother, in order to foster greater dedication to the worship of God, and the increase of virtue and knowledge, and defence of the Christian Faith to which her life bore witness, has humbly petitioned us to grant licence to her or her executors and assigns to alter the said House or Priory, with all its manors lands, tenements, rents, services, hereditaments and possessions spiritual and temporal, into a College of Scholars in the University of Cambridge, perpetually studying and serving God there, and to establish it as such according to the ordinance and appointment of our aforesaid grandmother her executors or assigns; and also to annexe, and cause to be annexed and united to it once founded and established, all manors, lands, rents, possessions, hereditaments, goods, plates and other ornaments of that House or Priory. We therefore, bowing to the devout request of our most beloved grandmother, and bearing in mind her aforementioned holy dedication, have of our special grace, certain knowledge and free will, granted and given licence, and do grant and give licence, for ourselves our heirs and successors, as far as lies in us, by these presents, to Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester, John Bishop of Rochester, Sir Charles Somerset Lord Herbert, Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Henry Marney, Sir John St. John, and Henry Hornby and Hugh Ashton clerks, that the same executors of our aforesaid grandmother, or their assigns or any of them, shall have, hold, enjoy and possess perpetually the said House or Priory, and all lands tenements, rents, reversions, serices, payments, portions and other possessions and hereditaments whatsoever of the same or to the same belonging or anciently given, conveyed or annexed to it or parcel of it; whether the said House or Priory be our foundation or of any of our predecessors of any other person; or whether the aforesaid manors, lands, tenements, rents, services and other things aforesaid, or any parcels of them, be held from us or any of our predecessors or anyone else, in as much as of the Prior and brethren, or of the Prior and a brother, or of the brethren of the House or Priory aforesaid and their successors, or of the aforesaid Bishop of Ely and his successors, or of any other persons whatsoever. Furthermore that the executors of our aforesaid grandmother, their assigns or any of them, may be able forever to change and establish, and cause to be changed and established the same House or Priory, in honour of Almighty God, The Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. John the Evangelist, into a college of a Master, Fellows and Scholars, to the number of fifty persons or thereabouts in the liberal arts, civil and canon law, and Sacred Theology, studying and praying, and conducting Divine service each day within the said College, in perpetuity, for the soul of our aforesaid grandmother, and of our father the most worthy Prince Henry the seventh lately King of England, and of our grandfather Edmund late Earl of Richmond, and for the souls of the founders of the House or Priory aforesaid, and of all the faithful departed, and performing other works of mercy and devotion according to the ordinances and decrees of the executors of our aforesaid grandmother or their assigns; and erect, make, bring forth and establish, and cause to be erected, made, brought forth and established, the College from the same House or Priory, with all its rights and appurtenances, or parcels of the same, for all ages. Furthermore the aforesaid College, made, erected, brought forth and established, founded by Richard Bishop of Winchester, John Bishop of Rochester etc. executors of the will of Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby, mother of King Henry the seventh, shall be called perpetually the College of St. John the Evangelist in the University of Cambridge; also the Master, Fellows and scholars of the aforesaid college and their successors, the college having been made, erected, brought forth and established, shall be called and known as the Master, Fellows and scholars of the College of St. John the Evangelist in the University of Cambridge, founded by Richard Bishop of Winchester, John Bishop of Rochester etc. executors of the will of Margaret Countess of Richmond, mother of King Henry the seventh; and by the name of the Master, Fellows and scholars of the College of St. John the Evangelist in the University of Cambridge, founded by Richard Bishop of Winchester, John Bishop of Rochester etc. executors of the will of Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby, mother of King Henry the seventh, they may sue and be sued, answer and be answered, prosecute,defend and be defended, in all manner of courts and places, and before all manner of Justices and Judges, spiritual or temporal; and that they may be one Body Incorporate in fact and name, and may have perpetual succession, and a common Seal, to perform and expedite the business of the aforesaid college; and that they may be persons fitted and capable in law to acquire and receive lands, tenements, rents, reversions, payments, annuities, liberties, franchises, view of frankpledge, and all manner of hereditaments and other possessions from all manner of person or persons wishing to give, bequeath, grant or assign [the same] to them, to have and to hold them forever. Moreover we have, of our more fruitful grace and from certain knowledge and free will, granted and given licence, and by these presents do give licence and grant, to the aforesaid executors of our aforesaid grandmother, their assigns and to any of them, and to the aforesaid bishop and his successors, and likewise to the aforesaid Prior and Brethren of the aforesaid House or Priory, and to any other person or persons singly and severally, that the same executors of our aforesaid grandmother or their assigns or any of them, the aforesaid bishop and his successors, or the aforesaid Prior and Brethren of the aforesaid House or Priory, and any other person or persons, may be able to give, grant, annexe, unite and consolidate to the aforesaid College, made, erected, brought forth and established, and its Master, Fellows and Scholars, the said House or Priory, and all manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions and services, payments, portions and other possessions and hereditaments whatsoever of the same House or Priory or parcels of that House or Priory in whatsoever way pertaining to it, whether anciently granted, given, conveyed, spiritual as well as temporal, with all rights, liberties and franchises; on one occasion or on many, whether the same manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions and services, possessions and hereditaments and other the aforesaid, or parcels of the same, are held from us or anyone else; to have hold and enjoy to the same Master, fellows and scholars and their successors in free, pure and perpetual alms, forever. And we have given licence and granted, and do give licence and grant by these presents, to the same Master, fellows and scholars and their successors, once the said College has been made, erected and established as aforesaid, to have, hold and enjoy and possess, in pure and perpetual alms, without any hindrance, claim, injury or harassment of us or our heirs, Justices, Escheators, Sheriffs, Coroners, Bailiffs or other of our officials or heirs, the said House or priory, and all its manors, lands, rents, reversions and services, payments, portions and other possessions and hereditaments whatsoever, or parcels of that House or Priory in whatsoever way pertaining to it, whether anciently granted, given, conveyed, or annexed, by the aforesaid executors of our said grandmother or by their assigns or any of them, and by the aforesaid bishop or his successors, or any person or persons wishing to give, grant, acquire, receive the same or parcels of the same, and to annexe, unite and consolidate all and singular to them [the master, Fellows and scholars] and their successors; this notwithstanding the Statute of Mortmain, or Provisors, or any other Statute, ordinance, provision or restriction made, published or ordained to the contrary; without any inquisition or inquisitions on the pretext of any writ or writs of ours, our heirs and successors, of Ad Quod Damnum or of any other commission, command or precept of ours or our heirs and successors, to be returned under us or our heirs and successors into our Chancery or elsewhere; and without any Letters Patent, writs or commands of us or our heirs and successors, concerning the aforesaid or made for any purpose, notwithstanding Statutes acts, ordinances, provisions or restrictions made or published before this date. Know, moreover, that of our grace, knowledge and free will, we have given and granted licence and do give licence and grant by these presents, for Us, our heirs and successors, as much as in Us lies, to the aforesaid Master, Fellows and Scholars and their successors, that they may, once the aforesaid College has been made, erected and brought into being as aforesaid, cause to be incorporated by Apostolic Authority, appropriated, annexed and united [with the College], the said House or Priory and all and singular manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions and services, payments, portions and all other possessions and hereditaments whatsoever of the said House or Priory, being parcel of it or pertaining to it, anciently given, conveyed or annexed, spiritual as well as temporal, with its rights, liberties and all appurtenances; and that they may have, hold and enjoy the said House or Priory, and all and every the manors, lands, tenements and other things aforesaid with their appurtenances, thus incorporated, appropriated, annexed, and united to them and their successors, to their own use forever. In addition We, of our fuller and more abundant grace, have given licence and granted, and do give licence and grant by these presents, for Us and our heirs and successors, in so far as in Us lies, to the aforesaid executors of our aforesaid grandmother , and to their signs and any other person or persons, that the same executors of our aforesaid grandmother or their assigns or any of them, may give and grant to the aforesaid Master, fellows and Scholars of the aforesaid College, other lands, tenements, rents and services to the yearly value of fifty pounds, clear of charges and repayments, in addition to the said House or Priory, its manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, possessions and hereditaments, and the rest as aforesaid belonging to the same House or Priory, or parcel of it or appertaining to it, whether anciently granted, given or conveyed, to have and to hold to the same Master, fellows and Scholars and their successors in pure and perpetual alms forever. And [we have given licence and granted, and do give licence and grant by these presents] to the same Master, Fellows and Scholars, that they or their successors may be able to acquire, receive and hold, from the aforesaid executors of our aforesaid grandmother, or from another person or persons wishing to give or grant to them, lands, tenements, rents and reversions and services to the yearly value of 50 [sic] pounds, clear of charges and repayments, in addition to the said House or Priory, its manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, possessions and hereditaments, and the rest as aforesaid belonging to the same House or Priory, or parcel of it or appertaining to it, whether anciently granted, given or conveyed; to have, hold, possess and enjoy to the same Master, Fellows and Scholars and their successors in pure and perpetual alms for ever; without any hindrance, claim, injury or harassment of us or our heirs, Justices, Escheators, Sheriffs, Coroners, Bailiffs or other of our officials or heirs, the said House or priory, and all its manors, lands, rents, reversions and services, payments, portions and other possessions and hereditaments whatsoever, or parcels of that House or Priory in whatsoever way pertaining to it, whether anciently granted, given, conveyed, or annexed, by the aforesaid executors of our said grandmother or by their assigns or any of them, and by the aforesaid bishop or his successors, or any person or persons wishing to give, grant, acquire, receive the same or parcels of the same, and to annexe, unite and consolidate all and singular to them [the master, Fellows and scholars] and their successors; this notwithstanding the Statute of Mortmain, or Provisors, or any other Statute, ordinance, provision or restriction made, published or ordained to the contrary; without any inquisition or inquisitions on the pretext of any writ or writs of ours, our heirs and successors, of Ad Quod Damnum or of any other commission, command or precept of ours or our heirs and successors, to be returned under us or our heirs and successors into our Chancery or elsewhere; and without any Letters Patent, writs or commands of us or our heirs and successors, concerning the aforesaid or made for any purpose, notwithstanding Statutes acts, ordinances, provisions or restrictions made or published before this date; because in these presents explicit mention hardly exists about the true annual value, or about any value or certain amount (certitudine) of the aforesaid or any of them, or about any other gifts or grants by our forefathers or our predecessors of our most beloved grandmother before this date, notwithstanding any other Statute, act, ordinance, provision or restriction made published or ordained, or any other affair, matter or cause whatever. And we will and grant by these presents that all and singular the aforesaid may be performed without any fine or fee, or anything else rendered or paid to Us or our heirs in our Hanaper of Chancery or elsewhere. In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made patent. Witness myself [the King] at Otford, the seventh day of August, in the first year of our reign. (KYRKHAM) Enrolled and Registered From an old Register or Cartulary, partly collated with the original Instrument, which I have often seen and partly transcribed. [The preceding sentence in the printed version was added to the Harleian copy by Thomas Baker] MGU 18.07.2006      FILENAME \p M:\Bursary General\Governance\Charter\Letters Patent 1509(Mills Reeve)_Translation.doc  @OPp A B C  ` g ;<=z56y )-8FMQhs4hh-l'hxh: khhhf&fh_hrnh_hHh huhhu56hh)5 h5hhu5hh5hhH5<B C <=""//C4D4+C,C D DDDEEEvFFFgdRuR$a$gdFGlhr # 9 !!"""""""####$$Q&R&D(F()))**+,,,hs hrUhRhhhP0hxhAhAh5 h_5hAhA5 hrU5hAhl5hAhY5hAh_5hAh;j5hAh_25h;jhh_2hu hs4h6,,!-./////[1111111113B4C4D4516?718:8;8997989e9|99999;;;#;4;==nAuAvAAAAAABBBBB*C+C,CC D DŽŹŵhS6Ghp: hc86hkhc8h!LhxhRuRhRuR6hRuR hpyhpyhpyhI'hehdhR>hiYh hhh=%hrUhs ? DDDDEEEEFuFvFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFGGGGGGƻƮƻhDh|CJaJmHnHuh|h|CJaJjh|h|CJUaJh:0jh:0UhRuR hc8hS6Ghuhhh hS6GFFFFFFFFFGGGG 21h:p|/ =!"#^$^% @@@ NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DAD Default Paragraph FontViV  Table Normal :V 44 la (k(No List 44 Header  !.).  Page Number4 @4 |Footer  9r ?VBC< = ''C,D,+;,; < <<<===v>>>>>>>>>>>?? ?0000000000000000000000000000@0X0@0X00X00X0@0 ' ?$$ ?B*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagscountry-region8*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsCity9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsplace=*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags PlaceType=*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags PlaceName GOae_hadnuUb|  4 ;  2 8  % T a )(5<\c  !!!!["e"*#7#$$T%]%@&F&?(F(S(Z([*h*,,,,/#/F0M0g0n0n2{23344A6G6667799x<~<W>_>>>>>>>>>>>>>>?? ?f27;;<Z<=>>>>>>>>>>>>>>?? ?33333OPmm2C; < ''B,C,11*;+;< <<<======>>>>>>>>>>>>>>?? ?opB: C ''A,L,);5;<<<====>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>? ?<;kus u =% &-l'+:0P0c8p:R>Z>S6G}3I NIMRuRrUiYf&f: krnx?z|I'pydUI8@ )8HmgA_ l6s4RhY!LD_2?e_;j@H'?p@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial"1hFF*̦V ;5qV ;5q ^4r>r>2HP ?H22Translation of the Letters Patent of 7 August 1509Malcolm UnderwoodTut002Oh+'00 @L l x  4Translation of the Letters Patent of 7 August 1509Malcolm Underwood Normal.dotTut0022Microsoft Office Word@@\V@rUd@rUdV ;5՜.+,0, hp  st johns collegeqr>' 3Translation of the Letters Patent of 7 August 1509 Title  !"#$%&'()*+-./012356789:;<=>?ABCDEFGIJKLMNORRoot Entry FgdTData ,1Table4WordDocument4VSummaryInformation(@DocumentSummaryInformation8HCompObjq  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q