Biography of Robert Barnes 1495-1540
In 1495 Robert Barnes was born.
Letters 1536. 10 Feb 1536. Vienna Archives. 283. Chapuys (age 46) to Granvelle.
This notable and good Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, in his preaching on Sunday last, among other blasphemies against the Pope, proposed to prove that all the passages in Scripture about Antichrist referred to his Holiness, and, to injure at a blow the Holy See and the Imperial authority, cited one author who said that Antichrist should come when the empire was ruined. This, he said, it was now, because of all the monarchy only a small portion of Germany obeyed the empire; and he decried the Imperial authority as much as he could, ending by saying that the Pope was the true Antichrist, and no other need be looked for. Thus you may see the virtue and honesty of this apostate, and what has come of the good treatment shown him when he was with his Majesty, and what good cause I had to send my man to Bologna when his Majesty was there to prevent the Pope from allowing his promotion. I must not forget to say there are innumerable persons who consider that the concubine (age 35) is unable to conceive, and say that the daughter said to be hers and the abortion the other day are supposititious. Eight days ago the goods of the Dantzic merchants, which the King had sequestrated, were released. London, 10 Feb. 1535.
The King has lately given a Bishopric to one who some time ago abandoned the Augustinian habit1, and like a Lutheran fled to Germany, where it is said he has a wife. Fr., from a modern copy, p. 1.
Note 1. Barlow, who was about this time promoted to the Bishopric of St. Asaph, was certainly an Augustinian originally, but there seems here to be some confusion between him and Barnes (age 41).
Letters 1536. 22 Mar 1536. Add. MS. 28,588, f. 228. B. M. 528. Dr. Ortiz to the Empress.
Has received her letter of 25 Feb. The ambassador in England wrote on 9 Feb. that the Princess was well, and had been removed to another house, smaller, and not so good as the first. La Ana feared that the King would leave her, and it was thought that the reason of her pretending the miscarriage of a son was that the King might not leave her, seeing that she conceived sons.
A monk of Monte Sion, who had been brought by fear to the errors of the kingdom, preached before the King that there was no purgatory. Another monk said publicly in a sermon that the former did not speak the truth. He was immediately arrested, and it is expected he will suffer martyrdom.
An Austin friar (age 41), who formerly fled the kingdom on account of his being a Lutheran, is now so favored that he has been sent to Lubeque and Anbur (Hamburgh) to pervert the people there, that they may make an alliance with the King. The King has given him a Bishopric1. Books are publicly printed against purgatory, images, and worship of saints. A roll has been made of monasteries and abbeys which they intend to suppress (deshazer) and give the rent to seculars. Rome, 22 March 1536.
Sp., pp. 2. Modern copy.
Seen 283 Note.
Letters 1536. 15 May 1536. R. O. 878. Rochford (age 33), Norris (age 54), and Brereton. Lord Rochford's lands. Account of their yearly value.
Farms:—Manor of South Kent, and honor and lordship of Rayley, Essex, sold to the Earl of Wiltshire (age 59); manor of Grymston, worth £10 a year. Offices:—Stewardship of Beaulyu, Essex, £10 and keeping of the new park there, £4 10s. 3d.; keeping of the house of Our Lady of Bethlem without Bishopsgate, without account; keeping, &c. of the parks of Rayley and Thundersley and the bailliwick of the hundred of Rocheford, £16 20d.; keeping of the park of King's Hatfelde, 100s. 10d.; keeping of the manor, &c. of Beaulyu, Essex, and baileywick of the m[anors] of Newhall, Dorehame, Walkefare hall and P[ower]s, [See Vol. IV., 4993 (15).] Essex, £21 5s. 10d.; stewardship and other offices of Tunbridge, receivership and bailliwick of Brestede, keeping, &c. of the manor and park of Penshurst and the parks of Northleigh and Northlands, Kent, £28 15s. 10d.; constableship of Dover and keeping of the v. ports, —; constableship of Kelingworth, £13 6s. 8d.; keeping of Kelingworth park, 60s. 8d.; portership of Kelingworth castle, 30s. 4d.; bailiff and feudary of the liberty of the duchy in Warwickshire; keeping of the King's woods at Kelingworth, £4 11s. Annuities:—One of 50 mks., of the bp. of Winchester £200, and of the abbot of St. Albans £133 6s. 8d.
Grand total, £441 10s. 9d.
ii. Lands, &c. of Henry Norres, Esquire to the Body.
Account of Edmund Asshefelde, his receiver, for the year ending Michaelmas, 27 Henry VIII.
Arrearages, £692 8s. 2¾d.
Farms:—In co. Linc., the lordships of Barton upon Humber, £65, and Thursway and Tewelly, £13; in co. Notts., manor and lordship of Stokebardolph, Shelforde and Gedlyng, £45; cos. Beds. and Hunts., manor and lordship of Tylbroke and Southoo, £36 10s.; cos. Berks. and Dors., divers lands, £36; co. Rutl., lordship of Longhame, £81; co. Kent, lands in Greenwich, £15 10s.; co. Oxford, lordship of Duklyngton Fryngforde and Barley park, £32 10s.; manor of Mynster Lovell, £46; co. Bucks, "lands with the park which was never rented," nil; co. Surrey, house in Kewe never rented, nil. Total, £370 10s.
Offices:—Of the "Exchequireship" to the Body, £33 6s. 8d.; mastership of the Hart hounds, £18 5s.; Black Rod, £18 5s.; "gravership" of the Tower, £20; collectorship of the subsidy in London, worth 80 marks a year, sold to Richard Hill his deputy for ready money, nil; mastership of the hawkes, £40; keeping of the manor of Pleasaunce at Green wich, £24 17s. 8d.; stewardship of Mynsterlovell, £4 13s. 4d.; of Burfor town, £8 12s. 4d.; chamberlainship of North Wales, £20; constableship of Wallingford castle, £50; "wayreship" (weighership) of Southampton —; baileywick of Watlington, £6 20d.; mastership of the game of Whichewoode with Cornebury park, £27 2s. 6d.; keeping of Windsor little park, £4 11s. 3d.; of Foly Johns park —; of Ewelme park and manor, &c., £12 3s. 6d.; constableship, &c. of Donyngton castle and park, £16; baileywick of Kydlington, 100s.; of Buckl . d, —; of Newnam, 60s.; lieutenantship of Waltham forest —; keeping of Copped Hall park, —; of Hoknorton park, —; mastership of game and fee-farm of the lordship of Eltam, —; stewardships of Banbury, £6, of Osney, £4; and of the seven hundreds of Circetor, £6 13s. 4d.; fee of my Lord of Northumberland, £13 6s. 8d.; of lord Conyers, 66s. 8d.; of the abbot of Welbeke, 66s. 8d.; office of Sunyng, of the gift of the bp. of Salisbury, £13 6s. 8d.; stewardship of Abendon, £10; of Reading abbey, 100s.; of Brewan abbey, 66s. 8d.; of Malmsbury abbey, £10; of the University of Oxford, 100s. Total of offices, £395 5s. 7d.
Annuities:—Out of the Exchequer, £33 6s. 8d.; of the see of Winchester, £122; from the chamberlain of North Wales, over and above 40 marks for the constableship of Bewmares castle given to Richard Bowkeley, £360; out of the King's receipt, £26 13s. 4d.; of lord Dacres of the South, £20 Total, £562
Total "ultra arrerag," £1,327 15s. 7d.
iii. Lands, &c. of William Brereton, Esquire. Account for the year ended Michaelmas last 27 Henry VIII.
Lands in farm of the King:—To him and my lady in survivorship, lordship of Echells, £68 6s. 3½d., manor of Alderlaie, £20 12s. 5½d., and manor and lordship of Aldeford, Chesh., £53 14s. 1½d., with lands of Aldeforde, in Flintshire, 106s. 8d.; in all £47 clear, and the King paid. Lordship of Mottrom in Londendale, £46 19s. 2d., to him and his brother Uryan in survivorship, manor and lordship of Shotwyks and Sage Hall, £22 12s. 8d.; lands in Chester, parcel of Mottrom in Longdendale, 20s., to him and his heirs; manor of Lesnes, —; lands in Charleyton, Chesh., £6 14s. 8d.; ferries of North Wales, £20 2s. 4d. clear; lordship of Fyncheley, Midd., £25 19s. 4½d.: total £271 7s. 9d. Lands in farm of the Duke of Richmond (age 16):—Demesnes of Holt Castle, with the "weyre houks" and other pasture in the lordship of Bromefeld, £19 17s. 9d.; the horsemill in Holt town, 33s. 4d.: total, £21 11s. 1d. Farms:—of the Earl of Derby, of marshes in Alford, Coddington, and Twylston, Chesh., £18 19s., worth £8 10s. 8d., the King paid; of lord Audelay, the lordship of Tatenhall, co. Chester, £38 3s. 4½d., "worth nothing;" gift of Sir Randall Brereton, his father, lands in Malpas, &c., of the annuity of William Brereton, Esquire, 64s. 1d.; of Sir Anthony Browne, the lordship of Newhall, Chesh., £65 17s. 6d., "worth nothing by the year:" total, £120 3s. 11½d.
Sir John Savage's lands in farm of the King during the nonage of John, son and heir of the said Sir John, with my lady his wife's jointure:—In co. Chester, the lordship of Shipbroke, £85 2s., manors and lordships of Clyfton, £27 11s. 4d., Bradley, £14 9s. 11d., Makkelfeld, £12 2s. 8d., Huxley, £7 13s. 8d., Barrowe, £67 19s. 4½d., Chedell, £74 10½d., Coulle and Hurleston, £20 11s. 8½d.; in co. Shropp., lordships of Edelburnell, £13 16s. 7d., Crofton (with the manor), £7 13s. 8d., Sutton, £6 10s. 11d., Wotton Ovenbury, £14 4s. 7d., Hopebowdler, 55s. 1d., Wycus Malbus (Nantwich) for the barony there, 30s.; in co. Derby, lordships of Stanby, 34s. 17s. ½d., Elmeton, £16, Ilkeston, £37, Holmeffeld, £13 6s. 8d.; lordship of Graundby and Sutton, Notts, £36 4s. 7d.; lordship of Dowre, Derb., "nil, for he hath not accounted;" castle and manors of Gryse, Notts., "nil, in the hands of Richard Savage, the elder;" in co. Stafford, manors and lordships of Rossheton, £18 6s. 7¼d., and Tayne, £12 7s. ½d.; lordship of Shepfeld, Leic., £10; a meadow and tenement in Leicester, "nil, in the hands of John Savage:" total, £534 4s. 3¾d.
In farm:—of Dr. Chamber, tithe corn of Pykyll, £13 6s. 8d.; of the abbot of Vala Crucis, tithe corn of Ruabon, £26 13s. 4d., "for the which he paid nothing:" total, £40 Offices by the King:—chamberlainship of Chester, £22 10s., and Randall Brereton for the fee of chamberlain, £26 13s. 4d., £49 3s. 4d. clear; constable of Chester castle, £18 5s.; escheator of Chester, £10 10s.; rangership of Dalamer forest, £4 11s. 3d.; stewardship of Halton, 100 [s.]; comptrollership of Chester and Flintshire, £12 3s. 4d.; stewardship of Bromefeld, £20; receivership there, £13 6s. 8d.; master fostership, 60s.; office of serjeant at Paxe there, £4; of improver there, 60s. 10d.; keeping of Mersley park, 60s. 10d.; stewardship of Crykeland, £10; receivership there, 100s.; annuity of Denbigh, £6 13s. 4d.; sheriffship of Flintshire, £20; keeping of Halton park, 60s. 10d.: total, £190 15s. 5d. Other offices:— stewardship of lord Audeley's lands in Chester, £6 13s. 4d.; receivership of Newhall, Coulle, and other lands of Sir Anthony Browne, 50s.; annuity of the abbot of Norton, £4 13s. 4d.; of Anthony Kingeston, 53s. 4d.; the abbot of Chester, £20; abbot of Vala Riall, £20; stewardship of Sir William Brereton's lands in Malpas, 40s: total, £58 10s.
Grand total of Brereton's lands, &c., 1,2361. 12s. 6¼d.
Large paper, pp. 16. 3 blank leaves.
R. O. 879. Norris and Brereton.
Grant to Henry Norres, squire of the Body, of the stewardship of the manors of Lewesham and East Greenwich, with a yearly fee of £3 6s. 8d. [A.D. 1532.—See Vol. V., 1065 (22)]. Lat. Draft, pp. 2. Endd.
R. O. 2. Draft warrant to the Treasurer and Chamberlains of the Exchequer, in behalf of Thomas Brigges, deputy to Henry Norres, to whom the rangership of Whichwood Forest, Oxon, was granted by patent 24 Nov. 21 Henry VIII., with 6d. a day out of the issues of cos. Oxon and Berks,—to levy £17 arrears of the said 6d., which are unpaid since 5 June 26 Henry VIII. through insufficiency of the said issues, out of the petty custom of the port of London. [Date apparently 16 April 1536]. Pp. 2. Draft, mutilated. Endd.: £55 12s. 6d.—£28
R. O. 3. A list of William Brereton's offices; viz., chamberlain of Chester, escheator, baron of the Exchequer [i.e., of Chester], receiver general and surveyor, constable of the castle. "Also he maketh the coroners." Steward of Halton Castle and keeper of the prisoners there, steward to all abbeys and priories within the shire. "Steward to the king of Mottram in Longdendale, wherein he hath great manrede; steward and farmer of Echees, .... and Alderly, and farmer for the King of the same .... £100 by the year," &c. P. 1. Mutilated and defaced by damp. Endd.:
William Brereton offices.
R. O. 4. Accounts of John Norbury, general receiver of the lands of William Brereton in cos. Chester, Flint, and other counties, from 22 to 25 Henry VIII., containing numerous names of tenants, farmers, and officers.
A large folio volume of 41 leaves, numbered in pencil.
S. B. 5. Grant to W. Breerton, page of the chamber, of the wardship and marriage of Godfrey son and heir of Roger Fuljambe. [This S. B. is undated, but was probably issued early in the year 1529. See Vol. IV. 5508 (1). It has accordingly been placed on the file of the 21st year].
R. O. 6. A remembrance to Master Secretary of three offices in the King's gift, which William Brearton late had, in Cheshire; the riding forestership of Dealamer Forest, 4d. a day; keepership of Shotwike park, 2d. the [day]; escheatorship, £10 a year. P. 1. Endd.: [Hen]ry Annesley, Groom of the Chamber.
R. O. 880. Robert B[arnes] to Cromwell. Is informed that through the death of these false men the mastership of Bedlam1 shall be void. Begs for that promotion, which he would rather have than a bishopric. Hears it is worth £40 If he had it, would be near Cromwell, who might be a witness of his conversation. Need compels him to write, for he has nothing and nobody to care for him. Hol., p. 1. Add.: Secretary. Endd.: Anno xxviio.
R. O. 881. Robert Bar [Barnes] (age 41) to Cromwell. Desires to speak two or three words with him. "My matters pertain to God's glory and to the salvation of your soul, which our Heavenly Father ever keep for the sweet bulde (blood?) of his dear Son, Jesus Christ." Hol., p. 1. Add.: Master Secretary.
Note 1. Lord Rochford was master of Bethlehem Hospital. See IV. 5815 (27); also in this Vol., No. 878, preceding. The endorsement is therefore wrong.
In 1540 Robert Barnes (age 45) was burned at the stake.
Chronicle of Greyfriars. Around Apr 1540. Also this same yere at St. Mary Spital, the three days in Easter week, preached the vicar of Stepney one Jerome1; Doctor Barnes2 the second day; and the third Garrard3, parson of Honey-lane, and there recanted and asked the people forgiveness for that they had preached before contrary to the law of God. And Doctor Barnes, that was the Austin Friar, asked there the bishop of Winchester forgiveness openly, and prayed him if he would forgive him that he would make some token and hold up his hand.
Note 1. William Hierome, or Jerome, instituted to the vicarage of Stepney in 1537.
Note 2. Robert Barnes, before mentioned above TBC
Note 3. Thomas Garrard, instituted to the rectory of Allhallows, Honey-lane, in 1537.
Hall's Chronicle 1540. 30 Jul 1540. The thirtieth day of July, were drawn on hurdles out of the Tower to Smithfield, Robert Barnes Doctor in Divinity, Thomas Garard, and William Jerome Bachelors in Divinity, Powell, Fetherston, and Abell. The first three were drawn to the stake, there before set up, and were burned: and the latter three drawn to the gallows, likewise there set up, and were hanged, beheaded, and quartered. Here you must note, that the first three, were men that professed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and were preachers thereof. But wherefore they were now thus cruelly executed, I know not, although I have searched to know the truth. But this I find in their attainder, for you must understand, that after they had Preached at Saint Mary Spittle, as before I have declared, Barnes for learning his lesson no better was committed to the schoolhouse before prepared, which was the Tower, where he was kept, and never called to examination, till his rod that he should be beaten withall, was made, which was a sharp and great fire in Smithfield and for company sake, was sent to the schoolhouse with him, the afore named Caret, and Jerome, which drunk all of one cup. And as I said before, thus much I find in their attainder, that they were detestable and abominable heretics, and that they had taught many heresies, the number whereof was to great in the attainder to be recited, so that there is not one alleged, which I have often wondered at, that their heresies were so many, and not one there alleged, as special cause of their death. And indeed at their death, they asked the Sheriffs, wherefore they were condemned, who answered, they could not tell. But if I may say the truth, most men said it was for preaching against the Doctrine of Stephen Gardiner (age 57) Bishop of Winchester, who chiefly procured this their death, God and he knows, but great pity it was, that such learned men should so be cast away, without examination, neither knowing what was laid to their charge, nor never called to answer.
The last three which were Powell, Fetherston, and Abell, were put to death for treason, and in their attainder, is special mention made of their offences, which was for the denying of the King’s Supremacy, and affirming that his marriage with the Lady Katherine was good. These with other were the treasons, that they were attainted of, and suffered death for.
Chronicle of Greyfriars. 30 Jul 1540. And the 30th day of the same monyth was Doctor Barnes, Jerome and Garrard drawn from the Tower into Smithfield, and there burned for their herisies. And that same day also was drawn from the Tower with them Doctor Powell with two other priests1, and there was a gallows set up at St Bartholemews Gate, and there were hanged, headed, and quartered that same day, and their quarters set about the city.
Note 1. Abell, Powell, and Featherstone. Their religious tenets were directly opposed to those of the victims of the preceding day; but they were equally offensive to king Henry in denying his supremacy.
Wriothesley's Chronicle 1540. 30 Jul 1540. This yeare, the thirtith daie of Julie, 1540,g were drawen from the Tower of London into Smythfield theise persons follwinge, that is to saie: Doctor Barnes,h Richard Fetherston, William Jerome, Vicar of Stepney, Doctor Edward Powell, Thomas Jerrard, Parson of Honi Lane, and Thomas Abell,a priestes, of which three of them, that is to say, Barnes, Jherome, and Garrarde, were brent for heresie,b condemned by the whole bodie of the Perliament,c and Fetherston, Powell, and Abell were hanged, their bowells brenned, headed and quartered, in the said place of Smythfield, for treason against the Kinges Majestie,d and condemned of the same by the whole Perliament.
Note g. The King's councils being at this time directed by Norfolk and Gardiner, the law of the Six Articles was enforced with rigour against the Protestants.
Note h. Robert Barnes, D.D. who had been the cause of Lambert's execution. He had drawn upon himself the resentment of Bishop Gardiner by his sermon at Paul's Cross, in which he had bitterlj inreighed against that prelate as a bigoted Roman Catholic.
Note a. Thomas Abley in Fuller's Church History.
Note b. A stranger, standing by, did wonder, as well he might, of what religion the King was, his sword cutting on both sides, Protestants being burnt for heretics, and Papists hanged for traitors.— Fuller's Church History, p. 285.
Note c. They were condemned by a bill of attainder in parliament, without trial.
Note d. For denying the King's supremacy, and affirming his marriage with Queen Katharine to be good, of the which argument Dr. Powell wrote a book, printed in quarto, and I'have seen it. — Stow.
Hall's Chronicle 1540. Dec 1540. In this yere was burned in Smithfeld [Map], a child named Richard Mekins, this child passed not the age of fifteen years, and somewhat as he had heard some other folks talk, chanced to speak against the Sacrament of the Altar. This boy was accused to Edmond Boner (age 40) Bishop of London, who so diligently followed the accusation, that he first found the means to indite him, and then arraigned him, and after burned him. And at the time he was brought to the stake, he was taught to speak much good, of the Bishop of London, and of the great charity, that he showed him and that he defied all heresies, and cursed the time that ever he knew Doctor Barnes, for of him had he learned that heresy, which he died for. The poor boy would for the safeguard of his life have gladly said that the twelve Apostles taught it him, for he had not cared of whom he had named it, such was his childish innocence and fear. But for this deed many spoke and said, that it was great shame for the Bishop, who they said ought rather to have laboured to have saved his life, then to procure that terrible execution, seeing that he was such an ignorant soul, as knew not what the affirming of an heresy was.
Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Thus much he wrote, in the treatise entitled The Exile of Barnes against More; which words of this most meek martyr of Christ, if they would take place in the seditious divisions and factions of these our days, with great ease and little labour men might be brought to a unity in this controversy; and much more concord and love should be in the church, and much less offence given abroad than there is.
Foxe's Book of Martyrs. But now, forasmuch as we treat of the story of John Frith, I cannot choose, but must needs earnestly and heartily embrace the prudent and godly moderation which was in that man, who, maintaining this quarrel of the sacrament of the Lord's supper, no less godly than learnedly, (and so as no man in a manner had done it more learnedly and pithily,) yet he did it so moderately, without any contention, that he would never seem to strive against the papists, except he had been driven to it even of necessity. In all other matters; where necessity did not move him to contend, he was ready to grant all things for quietness' sake, as his most modest reason and answers did declare. For when More, disputing in a certain place upon the sacrament, laid against him the authority of Doctor Barnes, for the presence of the body and blood in the sacrament, he answered unto More and his companions, that he would promise under this condition, that if the sentence of Luther and Barnes might be holden as ratified, he would never speak more words of it: for in that point they did both agree with him, that the sacrament was not to be worshipped; and that idolatry being taken away, he was content to permit every man to judge of the sacrament, as God should put into their hearts: for then there remained no more poison, that any man ought or might be afraid of. Wherefore, if they did agree in that which was the chief point of the sacrament, they should easily accord and agree in the rest.