Friar John Olyver

III. Friar John Olyver.

The reference to Friar Thomas Wynchelsey shows that the date of this document was before 18 Feb., 1436–1437, and since the chancellor was Bishop of Bath the date must be after 4 March, 1432, when John Stafford took office. Apart from its incidental history of Friar John Olyver, there is little in the document to call for notice beyond the fact that for some reason or other the Queen was in occupation of the Friars' houses; what the occasion for this was does not appear: the Queen may be Joan of Navarre, who at this time possessed the Earl of Northumberland's Inn, the grounds of which adjoined the Grey Friars at the north-east corner; Northumberland Inn was in consequence commonly known as "Queen Jane's Wardrobe." Andrew West may possibly be the person of that name who was Vicar of South Mimms in 1423 (C.P.R. Henry VI, i, 32). The document is printed in Early Chancery Proceedings, i, p. xxxiv (Record Commission, 1827).

Unto a full reverent Fader in God and oure full gracious Lord, the Bishop of Bathe, Chaunceller of England.

Bisechen full mekely your pore bedemen the Wardeyn and alle his brethren of the Covent of the Ordre of Frere Menours in the cite of London, that it please to your gracious lordeship to conceyve and consider how that oon frer John Olyver was professed in the same Ordre, twyes went oute of the saide ordre, oones in Ireland and another tyme at Lewes: and nowe late in his purpos and entent for to have go to Rome cam to London and there fille syke, in which sykenes the saide frer John sent for maistre Thomas Wynchilsee lowly bisekyng him for to be resceyved agein into the same habite and to lyve and dye in the same covent. And because that oure houses were occupied with the Quene, he lay still there as he didde before in the parissh of Seint Thomas the Apostill, where vij dayes after that he dyde; the saide maistre Thomas Wynchilsee in the name of all the covent asked of the parson of the same chirche and of Ser Andrew West that pretendyth hym his executour, deliveraunce of the dede body and of his goodes, the which extended to xxviij li. xiij s. iiij d. And atte the counseillyng of my Lord of London we shuld have had deliveraunce of bothe. And so of the body we have liveraunce and the money aforsaide wrongefully the same ser Andrewe with holdeth from us, not with standyng that before the parson of the saide church he behighte us by accorde y-made bitwene hem and us to have deliverd to us xij marcs, and therto as at that tyme we hilde us content. And such as he seith otherwise avised that we shall have right not therof but if we can gete it by lawe. We as pore men and gretely endetted and being loth to spend on plee, lowely as your pore bedemen in all that we can, bisechen your gracious lordeship to ordeyn due remedie in this case after your full wyse discrecion that we mowe have all that right wille atte the reverence of God and in way of charitee.