The Cornburgh Family
Agnes (Cornburgh) Chambre
1425(6) to 1426(7)
_____ Chambre
"Agnes Chambre" is named as an heir of her brother, Alured, in Alured's post
mortem inquisition in March 1486(7)
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Henry VII
vol 1 pp104-5 (1898)
237. ALFRED
CORNBURGH, esq.
Writ 15 Feb., inq.
Tuesday 13 March, 2 Hen. VII.
...
He died 2 Feb. last. His sister Agnes Chambre, aged 60 and more,
and John Crafford, aged 40 and more, son of Dame Alice Crafford his
other sister, are his next heirs.
ESSEX. Manor of Goseys, 6 messuages, 20 cottages, 40
tofts, 500a. arable, 100a.
meadow, and 500a. wood, worth
20 marks, and a rent of 10 marks, in Haveryng, Rumford, and Hornchirche,
held of the King in socage, as of the manor of Haveryng-at-Bowre, by
fealty, and 40s. rent yearly.
A third part of the manor of Dovers, in Haveryng, and in the
parishes of Hornchirche, Boures, Gyfford, Reynham, and Alvetheley, worth
7l. held together with the two
other parts, of the King, by fealty and 20s.
rent.
C. Series II. Vol. 2. (79.)
Agnes is left a legacy in the will of her niece, Isabell (Crafford) Rawson,
dated 1 September 1497, held at The
National Archives PROB 11/11/70, in which she is referred to as "Agnes
Chambre, one of the Sisters of Elsing spital".
Elsing
Spital was a medieval hospital "intended as a refuge for blind beggars
of both sexes, paralysed priests & if space was still available
then beggars who wandered about the city were admitted". It was administered
under the care of Augustinian Canons.
Alice (Cornburgh) Crafford
_____ Crafford
"Dame Alice Crafford" is named as a sister of Alured, in Alured's post
mortem inquisition in March 1486(7). The honorific indicates that she was
likely styled Lady Alice Crafford before her husband's death, and that he
was likely a knight or member of the nobility.
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Henry VII
vol 1 pp104-5 (1898)
237. ALFRED
CORNBURGH, esq.
Writ 15 Feb., inq.
Tuesday 13 March, 2 Hen. VII.
...
He died 2 Feb. last. His sister Agnes Chambre, aged 60 and more,
and John Crafford, aged 40 and more, son of Dame Alice Crafford his
other sister, are his next heirs.
ESSEX. Manor of Goseys, 6 messuages, 20 cottages, 40
tofts, 500a. arable, 100a.
meadow, and 500a. wood, worth
20 marks, and a rent of 10 marks, in Haveryng, Rumford, and Hornchirche,
held of the King in socage, as of the manor of Haveryng-at-Bowre, by
fealty, and 40s. rent yearly.
A third part of the manor of Dovers, in Haveryng, and in the
parishes of Hornchirche, Boures, Gyfford, Reynham, and Alvetheley, worth
7l. held together with the two
other parts, of the King, by fealty and 20s.
rent.
C. Series II. Vol. 2. (79.)
Alured Cornburgh
|
|
Possible effigy of Alured Cornburgh
This figure (18½ inches high) wears a long gown girt at the waist
by a belt from which hangs a gypcière and a twelve-beaded rosary.
This may possibly be the effigy of Avery Cornburgh, Esquire, 1480,
to whom and his wife Beatrice, there was (according to Weever) in
1631, a monument in Romford Chapel, with a very long inscription
which Weever gives.
|
also spelled Avery, Alvred and Alfred
Beatrice (Lynne) Oxney
Beatrice was the daughter of William and Alice Lynne. She married, firstly,
Thomas Oxney and had at least one child, also named Thomas. Beatrice died in
1501. Her will, in which she is described as a widow of Saint Dunstan in the
East, City of London, was proved on 17 May 1501, and is held at the
National Archives, Kew (PROB 11/13/3). In her will, Beatrice requests
to be buried "within the parish church of Saint Dunstan" near to the burials
of her father and mother, rather than in the tomb provided for her in
Romford by Alured Cornburgh. A detailed study of Beatrice is Another Medieval London Widow: The Story of Beatrice
Cornburgh by Margaret Connolly
Alured was Yeoman of the Crown
and Chamber 1455-74; Squire of the Body and Sea Captain 1474-85;
Under-Treasurer of England 1483-7; Keeper of Great Wardrobe 1486-7.
M.P. Cornwall 1463-5, 1467-8; (? a Cornish seat 1472-5); Plymouth 1478, 1483
Jan.; (? a Cornish boro’ 1484); Plymouth 1485-6. He was Sheriff of Cornwall
in 1465 and 1469, and Sheriff of Essex from 9 November 1472 until 5 November
1473 (List
of High Sheriffs of Essex). In 1485 he was under-treasurer of England.
History Of Parliament (1439-1509) p121
(Josiah C. Wedgwood, 1936)
CORNBURGH, AVERY (1430-1487);
of Bere-Ferrers, Devon, and of Dover’s, Essex, esq.; Yeoman of the Crown
and Chamber 1455-74; Squire of the Body and Sea Captain 1474-85;
Under-Treasurer of England 1483-7; Keeper of Great Wardrobe
1486-7. M.P. CORNWALL 1463-5, 1467-8; (? a Cornish
seat 1472-5); Plymouth 1478, 1483 Jan.; (? a Cornish boro’ 1484);
Plymouth 1485-6.
M. Beatrice, probably
da. and h. of John Brewster and Margaret his wife of Dover’s, Essex.
Cornburgh was already yeoman of the Crown when made controller of
Mines in Cornwall, 23 Mar. 1455. Pardoned, 20 Jan. 1458, “late of
Bere-Ferrers, Devon, yeoman of the Crown, alias
late of London, alias of the
King’s household ” (m.42). The Yorkists secured him his 6d.
a day out of Devon, and made this yeoman of the Crown keeper of
Launceston, eschr. of the Duchy in Cornwall, and water-bailly of
Plymouth, Nov. 1460. Pardoned, 5 Nov. 1461. He had livery of clothes
with 46 others “of the Chamber”, and was exempted by Parliament 1461,
1464. Paston was suspicious of Cornburgh, yeoman of the chamber, in July
1462. The King “entreats” him in June 1463 to pay out of his own money
for buying the John Evangelist
of Dartmouth and for 100 men for victualling, tackling and manning it
for the Navy. J.P. Cornwall, 6 July 1463 to 10 Dec. 1475; and on Cornish
comns. 1461 to Sept. 1483; sheriff, Cornwall 1464-5, 1468-9; elector,
Essex, 1467, when returned for Cornwall. J.P. Essex, 23 July 1468 till
death, and on Essex comns. from 1472, including all those of 1483-4;
sheriff, Essex and Herts., 1472-3, 1477-8; pardoned, 14 Jan. 1471; and
again 10 Dec. 1471. It is possible that he went into exile with King
Edward, for Gerard van Wesel writes from Antwerp to “his friend”
Cornburgh in London about the Cologne merchants, 22 June 1473.
Parliament looked after his interests in 1472-5, when he probably sat
for Cornwall or a Cornish boro’. By 1474 he is called Usher of the
Chamber, but when he went to France in 1475 with 2 men-at-arms and 40
archers it was as Sq. of the Body. The Squire and the Archbp. of Armagh
mustered the archers for Ireland at Chester 1477. The Squire commanded
the Grace Dieu with 500 men in
the King’s fleet to keep the narrow seas, Nov. 1480.
Richard III continued the Sq. of the Body, and when Vaughan was
beheaded, Cornburgh again became controller of tin mines in Devon and
Cornwall, 9 Sept. 1483. Pardoned, 2 July 1484. By Apr. 1485 he had been
made Under Treasurer of England, and was mustering an army in the north.
Audley had been Treasurer since 1483; probably Cornburgh’s appointment
as Under Treasurer dates from the same time, if we may judge from his
pardon, 14 Dec. 1485. He continued Under Treasurer under Henry VII,
prospered by the change, for he had 50 marks “reward” in Oct. 1485.
Cornburgh, Under Treasurer of England, and Bray had licence to export
lead and tin, 8 Mar. 1486. Parlt. exempted him, “constable of Restormel
and keeper of the fishery of Fowey”, etc. He was made keeper of the Gt.
Wardrobe, 27 Sept, 1486, but retained still the post of Under
Treasurer—“ sub treasurer to Thomas Lovell esq., chancellor of the
Exchq.”, 19 Nov. 1486.
He was keeper of the Gt. Wardrobe only five months, for he d. 2 Feb. 1487, and his widow
Beatrice rendered the account of those months. His heirs were—his sis.
Agnes Chambre, aged 60, and John Crafford, aged 40, s. of Dame Alice
Crafford, his other sis. With his w. Beatrice he had been enfeoffed
jointly of Dover’s manor, Essex, by John and Margaret Brewster. Will,
dat. 1 Feb., pr. 19 Feb. 1487.
This permanent official survived every change of govt., every
revolution—1455, 1460, 1470, 1471, 1483, 1485—combining practical
experience of arms on land and sea, with mining, engineering and
accounting, and all with an adaptability beyond the dreams of the vicar
of Bray.
Henry VII p121 (Stanley Bertram Chrimes,
1999)
Alfred
Cornburgh had been a servant of the Crown from 1455, as a yeoman of the
chamber and controller of mines, as a sheriff, and as a soldier by land
and sea. He served Edward IV well and became under-treasurer by April
1485 and remained in that office until his death in 1487, and was keeper
of the Great Wardrobe as well during his last year. He was a member of
parliament at least five times, but was essentially the permanent
official, whose career survived and bridges all the political
vicissitudes from 1455.
Yorkist Lord: John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, c. 1425
-1485 pp161-4 (Anne Crawford, 2011)
During the
previous month, February 1481, Howard received an n appointment ...
which may have appealed to him even more. He was given command of a
fleet that was to attack Scotland in concert with a land invasion which
Edward initially intended to lead himself, but then delegated to his
brother. ... Howard's indenture made on 23 February to do the king
‘servisse opon the see, and to be his liefenant & capteine’ was for
a term of 16 weeks with a complement of 3,000 men, ‘landsmen and
mariners’, for whom he was to receive payment of 15d. per man per week
for their wages and 12½ d. per week for victuals, a total, according to
his own accounts (which recommence in 1480) of £5,500. The fleet was to
be divided in two sections, the larger under Howard sailing for
Scotland, but equally importantly, the smaller, under the command of
Avery Cornburgh, was to remain in the south patrolling the Channel to
protect the English coast against raids by the French and prevent them
sending aid to Scotland. Cornburgh indented directly with Howard for 300
mariners and 350 landsmen, and was to have the Grace
Dieu, the largest of all the English ships, as his flagship and
a force of five smaller ones, including the new acquisition, the Trinity.
... The exact date of sailing is unknown, but Howard left his wife at
Harwich on 20 May, to rendezvous with Cornburgh at Sandwich, and it was
probably a few days later that the fleet raise anchor;
Syllabus of Rymer's Fœdera vol 2 p545
(Thomas Duffy Hardy, 1873)
1474
Dec. 8.
Alfred Cornburgh is ordered to arrest ships in Devon, Cornwall,
and Bristol, and send them to the Thames for the transport of the K.'s
army to France. O. xi. 839. H. v. p. iii.
54.
Calendar of the patent rolls 1476-1485 p545
(1901)
1477
July 13. Westminster.
General pardon to Alvred Cornburgh of the parish of St. Helen,
London, esquire, alias ‘gentilman,’ one of the esquires of the body, alias late sheriff of Cornwall, alias late keeper of the gaol of
Launceston, co. Cornwall, alias
late one of the occupiers of mines in the counties of Devon and
Cornwall, alias late sheriff
of Essex and Hertford, alias
late usher of the king’s chamber, alias
late one of the yeomen of the crown of the late king, alias
late one of the yeomen of the crown of the present king, late constable
of the castle of Launceston and feodary or escheator of the duchy of
Cornwall within the counties of Cornwall and Devon, alias
late captain of 100 men at arms beyond the sea, alias
late captain of 2000 men at arms at sea, of all offences committed by
him and all issues, fines, amercements, debts, accounts and arrears due
from him to the king. By p.s.
Calendar of the patent rolls 1476-1485 p545
(1901)
1485
April 8. Westminster.
Commission, until 31 August next, to Alvred Cornburgh, esquire,
under-treasurer of England, Thomas Rogers, Thomas Bulkeley, John
Crafford, Thomas Gale, Thomas Crafford and Henry Palmer to take muster
in any convenient places within the realm of George Nevyll, knight,
captain, and the men at arms, armed men, archers and others of a force
which the king has ordered to go to sea to resist his enemies, and to
certify thereon to the king.
In 1460, Alured Cornburgh was a plaintiff in a plea of debt in the Court of
Common Pleas. His name appears at the end of the first line on this page: http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/H6/CP40no799/aCP40no799fronts/IMG_0593.htm
Alured received a bequest in the will of Sir
Thomas Cooke, a fellow landowner in Romford, dated 15 April 1478.
Illustrations of Jack Cade’s Rebellion p19
(Benjamin Brogden Orridge, 1869)
To Aluere
Cornebourgh‡ he bequeaths his tenement called “Willotys” (in which
Bernarde Tilemaker is described as then dwelling), on condition that he
pay his executors 5l., and also discharge his heirs for ever of
all quit-rents going out of his manor of Gidea Hall, or otherwise the
said tenement to remain to Philip his son.
‡ Avery Cornburgh, of Gooshays, in the parish of Romford, died
1486.
Notes and Queries 9th series vol 2 pp423-4
(26 November 1898)
ALURED
OR AVERAY CORNBURGH.—The Athenæum of 29 October, in a notice
of the first volume of the ‘Calendar of Inquisitions post Mortem,’
writes :—
“A name which excites comment is that of ‘Alfred’ Cornburgh whose
Inquisition post mortem occurs
in this volume. Was ‘Alfred’ a name then in use, or has the editor taken
on himself so to render ‘Aluredus’? We ask because this man, who was a
squire of the body to Henry VI. and Edward IV., and who founded a
chantry at Romford, occurs also in the recently published Calendar of
Edward IV., Patent Rolls, where the editor indexes him as ‘Alfred’ and
treats ‘Averay Corneburght’ as a different person. The form ‘Averay’ is
there taken from a document in English, and is, we believe, the name the
man really bore. The point is of interest because antiquaries have
always been puzzled by the name ‘Aluredus,’ which is common enough in
Domesday. Mr. Freeman looked on those who bore it as Alfreds and
Englishmen; but it was really a Breton name, and seems to represent
Auvré.”
I have been long interested in Alured Cornburgh; and in the hope
of ascertaining something further concerning him, I ask permission to
give the following particulars gathered some years since :—
“In the thirty-third year of the reign of Henry VI. (1454-5)
‘Alueridus Corneburgh’ was appointed by patent ‘Controrotulator omnium
minerar’ auri, argenti, &c. Regis in comitatibus Devon et Cornub’ ad
p’litum Regis’ (‘Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium,’ p. 296 b) and in
1460-1 (39 Henry VI.) there was further granted by that king to
Alveredus Corneburgh ‘Custodiam Castri de Launceston, ac Officium
Feodarii & Escætoris Regis, Ducatus Cornubiæ ad Vitani,’ &c.
(Originalia, 39 Henrici VI., Rotulo 10, Jones’s ‘Index to the Records,’
vol ii., Addenda). This was the last year of Henry VI.’s reign, but
Corneburgh was evidently in equal favour with the victorious Yorkists
who overthrew that monarch. As ‘Alver Cordburgh’ he figures in the
accepted list of Sheriffs of Cornwall as having held the shrievalty in
1465 and 1469; and his name twice occurs as the collector of a subsidy
during the reign of Edward IV. Among the ‘Lay Subsidies of the
Exchequer’ one (87-102) is the account of ‘Alvered Cornebury,’ late
Sheriff of Cornwall, of the ‘Alien Subsidy’ granted at Reading, March
6th, 31 Henry VI. (1453), the collection being from Michaelmas 4 Edward
IV. (1464) to the next Michaelmas, William Beare (or Bere), the Sheriff
for 1465-6, being the next to account; while another (87-101) is the
account of ‘Alvered Cornburgh, esq.,’ Sheriff of Cornwall, collector of
the alien subsidy of 16d., 6d., 40s.,
and 20s., granted at the date
and place before mentioned, and collected from Michaelmas 8 Edward IV.
(1468) to the next Michaelmas. The accepted list of sheriffs gives Sir
John Colshull Tremadart as Bere’s successor in 1466-7; but in the
Launceston Mayor’s accounts of 6 Edward IV. (1466-7) is an entry of a
payment for wine given to Aluered Cornburgh, Sheriff of Cornwall
(Peter’s ‘History of Launceston,’ p. 148). And in the ‘Grants, &c.
from the Crown during the Reign of Edward the Fifth’ (published by the
Camden Society in 1854) it appears (p. 44) that Alveredus Cornburgh was
appointed to the controllership of the coinage of tin in Cornwall and
Devon, May 19, 1 Edw. V. (1483); and he seems from the Harleian MSS.
(433 art. 1421) to have been also under-treasurer of Cornwall.”—Western
Antiquary, vol. x. p, 40.
To these particulars I would now add that “Alveredus Corneburgh,
armiger,” was returned for Cornwall to the Parliament of Edward IV.
summoned to meet at Westminster on 3 June, 1467, and as “Alfredus
Cornburgh” was elected for Plymouth to the Parliament summoned for 16
Jan., 1477/8. It is further to be noted that in a letter of 15 July,
1462 (?), from John Russe to John Paston, referring to one Thomas
Chapman, “an evyl disposyd man al wey ayens you,” the writer adds :—
“The seyd Chapman supporters is Blakeney, clerk of the sygnet,
and Avery Cornburght, yoman of the Kynges chaumbre. He hathe here of
Avereyes xxiiij. tune wyn, whereof at the long wey he shal make the seyd
Averey a lewd rekenyng.”—Gairdner's edition of the ‘Paston Letters,’
vol. ii. p. 107.
DUNHEVED.
Notes and Queries 9th series vol 2 p534 (31
December 1898)
ALURED
OR AVERAY CORNBURGH (9th S.
ii. 423).—Alured or Avery Cornburgh was a considerable landed proprietor
in Romford, and he probably made it his residence, at least during the
latter portion of his life. He died 2 February, 1486, and some years
before his decease he founded and endowed a chantry in Romford Chapel,
where masses were to be said for the souls of himself, his wife
Beatrice, his sister, and others ; he also built a chantry house in the
south-east angle of the churchyard as a residence for the officiating
priest. This is now the “Cock and Bell” inn. He also erected in Romford
Church a large altar tomb in memory of himself, his wife Beatrice, his
sister Elizabeth Hanys, and Dr. John Crowland, upon which were the
effigies of himself in armour between his wife and sister. On the
monument were inscribed nine stanzas of verse containing an abstract of
the foundation deed of the chantry, with the duties of the chantry
priest and the mode of his election. This inscription is given in full
in Weever’s ‘Ancient Funeral Monuments.’ At the visitation in 1634 a
description of the tomb was made by the Heralds, which is preserved in
the College of Arms, by which it appears on the verge of the tomb there
was an inscription in brass recording the burials of Avery Cornburgh,
his wife, sister, and Dr. Crowland, with blank spaces left for the
insertion of the dates of their deaths ; but this, it seems, the
executors neglected to attend to, as at the visitation of the Heralds
170 years after the inscription was still incomplete. There appears to
be no record of the date of the removal or destruction of the tomb.
Neither Salmon nor Morant notices it. Avery Cornburgh died possessed of
the manor of Gooshays, Romford, which, Morant says, contained 6
messuages, 20 cottages, 40 tofts, 500 acres of arable, 100 acres of
meadow, 500 of wood, and 10 marks rent of the king in socage as of his
manor of Havering. Salmon says :—
“He also held the third part of the manor of Dovers (in
Hornchurch), with the appurtenances in Havering, and in the parishes of
Hornchurch, Bowers Gifford, Reynam, and Alvethley (Aveley). Agnes
Chamber, sister of the said Alured, sixty years old, and John Crafford,
son of the Lady Alice Crafford, another sister of the said Alured, forty
years old, are his heirs. Thomas Urswick, who died 19 Ed. IV., held
lands here of Alured.”
In the Transactions of
the Essey Archeological Society, old series, vol. iv., there is a long
account of Avery Cornburgh, with a full transcript of his will. The
transcript was made by Mr. E. J. Sage, of Stoke Newington, who also
contributed from his valuable Romford collections other notes which are
included in the article. THOMAS BIRD.
Romford
2 February 1486(7)
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Henry VII
vol 1 pp104-5 (1898)
237. ALFRED
CORNBURGH, esq.
Writ 15 Feb., inq.
Tuesday 13 March, 2 Hen. VII.
He enfeoffed Richard Nevyll, late Earl of Warwick, William
Hastynges, late Lord Hastynges, knt., Roger Ree, Thomas Oxney, John
Boys, John Gobyon, Thomas Carewe, and John Trotte, now deceased, and
James Lord, chaplain, Thomas Hierd, John Wright, and Thomas Grayson, who
survive, of the undermentioned manor of Goseys, and lands in Haveryng,
Rumford, and Hornchirche, in fee, to the use of himself, and his heirs
and assigns, and to the use of his last will.
One John Brewster and Margaret his wife, one of the daughters and
heirs of Richard Waldern and Margaret his wife, being seised in her
right of the under-mentioned third of Dovers manor in fee, enfeoffed
William Hastyngs, knt., late Lord Hastyngs, John Elryngton, the said
Alfred, Thomas Oxney, Richard Rauson, and John de Boys, now deceased,
and Beatrix late wife of the said Alfred, William Knyvet, knt., Hugh
Bryce, William Slyfeld, Richard Barley, and Thomas Grayson, who survive,
thereof in fee, to the use of the said Alfred and Beatrix, and the heirs
and assigns of Alfred, and to the use of his last will.
He died 2 Feb. last. His sister Agnes Chambre, aged 60 and more,
and John Crafford, aged 40 and more, son of Dame Alice Crafford his
other sister, are his next heirs.
ESSEX. Manor of Goseys, 6 messuages, 20 cottages, 40
tofts, 500a. arable, 100a.
meadow, and 500a. wood, worth
20 marks, and a rent of 10 marks, in Haveryng, Rumford, and Hornchirche,
held of the King in socage, as of the manor of Haveryng-at-Bowre, by
fealty, and 40s. rent yearly.
A third part of the manor of Dovers, in Haveryng, and in the
parishes of Hornchirche, Boures, Gyfford, Reynham, and Alvetheley, worth
7l. held together with the two
other parts, of the King, by fealty and 20s.
rent.
C. Series II. Vol. 2. (79.)
St Edward, Romford, Essex, England
Transactions
of the Essex Archaeological Society vol 4 pp17-20 (1869)
ANCIENT WILLS (No. 5) by H.W. KING.
Avery Cornburgh, agreeably to the directions contained in this
Will, was buried in Romford Church. The Visitation of Essex in 1634 (c.
21, Coll. of Arms), though three years later than the date of the first
edition of Weever’s “Funeral Monuments,” contains a description of his
tomb which is not recorded by the latter. It is described as “An Altar
Tomb on which is the portraiture of a man in armour, with a sword by his
side and a dagger, lying betwixt his wife and his sister; at the foote
of his sister this writeing, ‘Here lyeth Elizabeth Hanys sister to
Master Avery Corneburgh, ’squire, on whose soules God have mercy. Amen.’
This motto from her mouth ‘Vt
vigilam cu’ xp’o, et requiescam in pace.’ And this from the
man’s mouth, ‘Custodi nos dormientes.’
Inlaid also with brass round about, part thereof defaced, and this only
remayneth.” Then follows the inscription; but as this appears to me to
be more faithfully transcribed by Weever, I shall give his reading :—
. . . . . . yere of owr Lord . . . . 1480 and Beatrice his wyf which
decessid the ——— day of ——— the yere of owr Lord God 1480 ——— and of
Maister John Crowland . . . . who decessid the day of ——— the yere of
owr Lord God, 1480. On whos souls Jesu have mercy.
The following epitaph, preserved by Weever, is recorded by the
Herald to have been at the end of the tomb above the escocheons :—
Farwel my
frendys, the Tyde abydcth no man;
I am departed fro hens, and so sall ye,
But in my pasage the best song I can,
Is Requiem
eternam : now Jesu grant it me,
When I have endyd all my auersite;
Grant me in
Paradys to haue a mansion,
That shed thy blood for my redemption.
The following verses, also preserved by
Weever, were inscribed upon the tomb. I quoted one stanza in a previous
paper; but as the contain a full rhythmical abstract of the foundation
deed of the Chantry, and a very interesting memorial of the duties of
the chantry priest and the mode of his election, I reproduce them, as
probably there are many readers to whom a copy of Weever's work is not
readily accessible :—
The mortall
corses buryed here behold,
Of Avery Cornburgh and Beatrice his wyff,
Sqwire for the body in worship manifold,
With Henry and Edward
Kings in this lyff ;
And vndertreasurer with King Henry
the seuenth full blyff.
Till deth him raft the world as yow may se,
And of Master John Crowland
Doctor of Diuinite
Within this Church to sing perpetuell,
They stablysh a Doctor, or Bacheler of Diuinite,
Or a Master of Art, for nede continuell,
Ten pound for his salerie and chamber fee,
And three pound more, there as you may se :
Yerlie xxs
the liuelode to repare
For euery yere an obit,
the residue is fare.
Of Preests xii, and Clerks vi, alsoo,
Six pens the Preest, and fower pens euery Clerk,
For brede, chese, and Ale in mony there must goo :
To poor folk xl. d. fulfilling this werk :
The Baylie and Wardens of this Church must herk :
To levy the
lyvelode, dispose and employ :
And ech of them yerly for their labour
shall x1. d. enioy.
Moreouer this call to your remembrance anon,
That in the beadroll of vsage euery Sonday redd ;
The sowls of this Avery, Beatrice, and John,
Be prayed for in speciall ; se that owr will be spedd,
And that the Curate of this Church curtesly be ledd
And for his
labour have in reding of that Roll
Forty pens to pray for them any euery
Christian sowl.
The Chantrie Preest in this Church shall bynd him preching,
And in other when he is disposyd Soul helth to avans :
Namely at South Okendon, Hornchurch, Dagenham and Barking;
At euery of them twise a yere, or moo to Goddys pleasans,
And at two times seuerall this is sufficians.
Forty days in
the yere he shall haue to disport,
If his disposition require such comfort.
The Baylie and Wardens of the same town ;
This chantre Preest shall puruay and prouyd,
Within six wekes by ther own election,
But aftyr such seyson if it shall betyd,
To stand lenger vacant, thei shall it not hyd,
The Bishop of
London, and the Archdekon,
As is owr for that on tym shall have ther
election.
But aftyr six wekes a moneth of vacation,
Not elet by them twein, depriuyth ther liberte.
For then shall the King ha gift and nomination,
Namely for that on tym ; we will that so it be.
A chest in the Church with euidenses se,
Concerning the liuelode with Indenture tripartite ;
Remeyning
with the Bishop, and Herres of Auery :
The third with the Wardens trowth to
Annuity.
Now Jesu for thy bitter passion,
Reward the sowls with euerlasting blis
Of them, which caused this Foundation ;
And of thy mercy let them never mis.
And Virgin Mary shew thy
grace in this,
Eternally,
that they may line with the,
Amen, Amen, Amen, for cherite.
Not a vestige of this tomb remains. It appears from the Herald’s Church
notes, taken at the time of the Visitation, that it was ornamented with
escocheons, inlaid in brass at the four corners upon the top, and
repeated upon one side. Over the head of Avery Cornburgh, and at the
foot of his sister, were the Cornburgh arms, Arg. three boars passant
per fess vert and or, on a chief sa. a saltire or. Over the head of his
wife Cornburgh impaling Lynne, Gu. a demi-lion rampant, double queued,
arg. within a bordure az. bezantée. And the arms of Lynne alone were
placed beneath his feet. There is no pedigree of the Cornburgh family in
the Herald’s College.
The will of Avery Corneburgh, proved
on 19 February 1487, is held at the
National Archives, Kew (PROB 11/8/17). The description and
transcription of the will below misreads the date of the will, mistaking
1486 (mcccclxxxvy) for 1436 (mccccxxxvy).
Transactions
of the Essex Archaeological Society vol 4 pp15-17 (1869)
ANCIENT WILLS (No. 5) by H.W. KING.
THE WILL OF AVERY CORNBURGH
OF ROMFORD, ESQ., DATED
1ST FEB., AND PROVED
19TH FEB., 1436-7.
Avery or Alured Cornburgh held the Manor of Gooshays, and a third
part of the Manor of Great Dovers in Romford; the evidence is in favour
of his having lived at Gooshays. He was the founder of a Chantry in
Romford Church, and but for the remarkable and interesting epitaph upon
his monument, preserved by Weever, it would, no doubt, have been hastily
assumed that this foundation was limited to the perpetual celebration of
masses for his soul’s weal. His Will would rather have tended to confirm
the truth of such an assumption. But he had founded the Chantry by deed
prior to the date of his will, and appointed that the Priest who should
be elected to serve the Chantry should be also Lecturer in the church;
and he was bound not only to preach there, but to deliver two sermons,
at least, every year in the churches of South Ockendon, Hornchurch,
Dagenham, and Barking. And such Priest was to be a Doctor or Bachelor of
Divinity, or a Master of Arts. The value of the endowment was fully
equivalent to £200 per annum of modern money. The Chantry House was that
now known as the “Cock and Bell Inn,” standing in the High Street,
immediately east of the church.* The following is the Will of Avery
Cornburgh in extenso :—
In the name of God amen. I Avery Corneburgh, Esquyer, hole of
mynde and sumwhat syke in body, the ffyrst day of the monyth of
ffebruary In the yere of our lord god mecccxxxvi make and ordeyne this
my testament in man’ and forme following, ffyrst I bequeyth my soule to
our lord Ihu Crist to our lady Seint Mary Virgyn and to all the hooly
copany of hevyn and my body to be buried in the church of Sent Edward of
Rumford wtin the pish of hornechurch in the Counte of Essex,
and in that place ther by me a fore prefixd, and over ys
after my Detts paid I bequeeth unto Beatrice my Wife all the residew of
my goods moveabyll and unmoveabyll. And also all my londes tenements
Rents and services wthin England Whersoever they lye, except
certeyn londs and tenements that I have gevyn to the Keeping of a
Chauntrey of oon prest wthin the same church of Rumford for
the wele of my soule my Wife and other my ffrends, to the valur of xiiii
li by the yere whereof xii li for the salary of a priest, xiiis
iiiid for the Reward of the church Wardens of Rumford yearly
for the gadering of the seid summe of xiiii li. and xxs
yeerly for priests, clerkes, brede and ale to be conveniently had at my
yeres mynd, and vjs viiid. the Residew yerely to be destributed for my
sowle in pens among pour people at the seid yeres mynde as in writing
thereof made it is expressed mor at large, and she to dispose the same
my gods londs and tenements as she shall senn best to the pleasure of
god and the helth and profite of my soule. Also I will that noon of my
executo’s underwretyn by hym self make non acquitaunee to any of myn
executo’s wtout thassent of all the other myn executors in
the same my testament named. Also I will that of this my testament and
last will by me now made and of myn other testament by me afore this
tyme made that ther be made a draught and an abstract by thadvice and
Counsell of men lernyd in lawe. That they may reforme and order all
things in the same testaments comprised accordyng to reason and good
conscience, as they shall think moost to the pleasure of god and helth
& profite of my soule. The which Draught and abstracte so by
thadvice of the seid lernyd men made and Drawen out of the said both my
testaments I afferme and conferme for my very testament and last will,
and of this my seid testament and last will and of the said myn other
testament made I make and ordeyne my executo’s Syr Reynolde Bray,
Knyghte, Beatrice my wife, Will’m Hoody, Knyght, and Chefe Baron of the
Kyngs Exchequer, Will’m Knyvett, Knyght, Sir John Crowland, Bachelour in
Divinitie, and p’son of the p’ish church of South Okyntton in the Counte
of Essex, Richard Bowley Esquere, Syr James lorde, P’son of Otrigge.
* Ex. inform. Mr.
Edward J. Sage, to whom also I am indebted for the transcript of Avery
Cornburgh’s Will, the Notes from the Visitation, and other information
respecting him.
Elizabeth (Cornburgh) Hanys
_____ Hanys
"Elizabeth Hanys sister to Master Avery Corneburgh" is named in a
description of Alured Cornburgh's tomb in Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society
vol 4 pp17-20 (1869)
St Edward, Romford, Essex, England,
in the same tomb, now lost, as her brother Alured
Transactions
of the Essex Archaeological Society vol 4 pp17-20 (1869)
ANCIENT WILLS (No. 5) by H.W. KING.
Avery Cornburgh, agreeably to the directions contained in this
Will, was buried in Romford Church. The Visitation of Essex in 1634 (c.
21, Coll. of Arms), though three years later than the date of the first
edition of Weever’s “Funeral Monuments,” contains a description of his
tomb which is not recorded by the latter. It is described as “An Altar
Tomb on which is the portraiture of a man in armour, with a sword by his
side and a dagger, lying betwixt his wife and his sister; at the foote
of his sister this writeing, ‘Here lyeth Elizabeth Hanys sister to
Master Avery Corneburgh, ’squire, on whose soules God have mercy. Amen.’
This motto from her mouth ‘Vt
vigilam cu’ xp’o, et requiescam in pace.’ And this from the
man’s mouth, ‘Custodi nos dormientes.’
Inlaid also with brass round about, part thereof defaced, and this only
remayneth.”
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