Item 2 - Cardinal Wolsey & nunneries

Identity area

Reference code

SJCR/SJAR/1/1/Metcalfe/2/7/2

Unique identifier

GB 1859 SJCR/SJAR/1/1/Metcalfe/2/7/2

Title

Cardinal Wolsey & nunneries

Date(s)

  • 1521 (Creation)

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Item

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1 item, paper

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(c 1474-1539)

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Letter, n.d., John Wylbor, Master of Newark hospital Strood Kent to Nicholas Metcalfe, reporting Fisher's opinion on the offer to SJC of one of two nunneries (one of them Higham) or a thousand marks, by Cardinal Wolsey.

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Publication note

Printed Eagle vol 36 p 4 Notes Fourth Series vol 36 no.165 p 104

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Note

John Fisher thought that the offer by Wolsey of a single nunnery or 1000 marks was not sufficient. Fisher was warned that if he refused the Cardina's offer all might be lost; Fisher replied (modernised) 'if you lose it the scholars must live the more hardily' and he would 'refer the matter to God'.

Note

The `matter' of my lady lord of Devonshire is mentioned. This probably refers to the profits from Lady Lisle's lands lost to the College (to whom they had been assigned) when she died, a minor between 31 March & 12 May 1519. (Complete Peerage ed. Doubleday & De Walden, vol VIII p.62)

See also Notes Fourth Series vol 36 no.167 p 254.

Note

This letter was sent to Metcalfe at `Mr Hudsunys at Pollys Wharf'. This was doubtless the Master Hudson of London, a brewer, dwelling in Thames Street who gave the College a maser, one of the items redeemed from the executors of Dr.Robinson .

However according to Dr Richard Rex this letter might not date from 1521, but rather from 1519. As I Rex found in Metcalfe's accounts an entry for May 1521 noting 2s paid 'for making a boke to my shewe to my lorde of devonshire', which (despite the ungrammatical 'my' in the middle of the entry), surely relates to that brief. In which case, the reference in Wylbor's letter to Metcalfe to 'my [lady] (erased) lord of Devonshire' is more likely to refer to their use of him as a lobbyist. It is merely that, when Wylbor was writing, his mind slipped back to the wardship issue - hence the slip of lady, corrected to lord.

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Former Ref.

D105.163

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  • Box: 118/COLLEGE