John Manyngham, a priest, sued Edmund Caryngton after Caryngton failed (or so Manyngham alleged) to repay 20 shillings the priest had given him as a loan. As a debtor took an oath to repay the creditor, this kind of case could come into the church court as a breach of faith. Manyngham produced four witnesses in the case, each of whom claimed to have witnessed Caryngton’s solemn oath and “handfasting,” the ancestor of the handshake, in the churchyard of St. Katherine Cree parish church in London. The first two witnesses were rather vague about when this happened; notably the second two witnesses, called about two weeks later, were more precise that it had taken place around June 1491. In his response, Caryngton not only denied having taken such an oath or borrowed the money, but accused Manyngham of orchestrating the suit to compensate for the bad debt of a third party, identified here only as a carpenter. Many credit transactions in late medieval England were made orally, as at least Manyngham alleged this one was, before witnesses, whose testimony was considered at least as valid as a written record. Churchyards were often used for the oaths regarding these loans, as a place both public and sacred, emphasizing the solemn nature of the oath.
[Collin Bonnell]
LMA, MS DL/C/A/001/MS09065, fols. 120v-121r, 123v-124v, 125v
Testimony of John Palmer, Witness for the plaintiff, 4 Dec. 1492
4 December, in the Consistory place, by the lord Official, in my, Richard Spencer’s, presence
On behalf of John Manyngham against Edmund Caryngton
John Palmer of the parish of St. Katherine Cree of the city of London, where he has lived for seven years, and before that time in the parish of St. Peter Westcheap for sixteen years and more, illiterate, of free condition, fifty years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Sir[1] John Manyngham for six or seven years or thereabouts, and Edmund Caryngton he first saw and knew on a certain day about which he will depose below, which was before the feast of last Easter, but which day he cannot further specify. To the first article, he says that on a certain day about the middle of the year, before Michaelmas [29 September] a year ago, which day he cannot further specify, in the morning about nine o’clock, this witness was present in the cemetery of the aforesaid parish church of St. Katherine, together with Sir John Manyngham, Richard Woodlake, Richard Knyght, Edmund Caryngton, and a certain Christopher whose surname this witness does not know. After many things were discussed between them, Edmund Caryngton promised Sir John, giving his faith with handfasting, saying, “I promise you by my faith and troth to pay you twenty shillings by Easter next coming.” And to its other contents he has nothing to depose. To the second and third articles, he says that has nothing to testify regarding its contents. To the fourth article, he says that he cannot testify whether he is of the parish of St. Michael or not, because he had never seen him except on the day and place about which he testified above. To the fifth article, he says that what he said above is true, and he has nothing to testify regarding the fame.
Testimony of Richard Woodlake, Witness for the plaintiff, 4 Dec. 1492
Richard Woodlake of the parish of St. Katherine Cree in the city of London, where he has lived for seven years, and before that time in the parish of Whitechapel [Middlesex] for twenty years, literate, of free condition, forty-seven years old and more, as he says. Inducted as a witness, etc., he says that he has known Sir John Manyngham for seven years and Edmund Caryngton he first saw and knew around the middle of the year before the feast of last Easter. To the first article, he says that on a certain day around the middle of the year and well before the last feast of Easter, and as he recalls between the feasts of the nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June] and Michaelmas [29 September] a year ago, at nine o’clock in the morning, which day he cannot further specify, this witness was present in the cemetery of the said parish church, that is in […] where the procession usually takes place, together with Sir John Manyngham, Richard Knyght, John Palmer, and Edmund Caryngton, and a certain old man whose name or surname he does not know. After many things discussed between them, Edmund promised in the hands of Sir John, by pledging his faith, to pay Sir John twenty shillings that he owed him by the feast of Easter last past. To its other contents he has nothing to testify. To the second and third articles, he says that has nothing to testify. To the fourth article, he agrees with the first witness examined above. To the fifth article, he says that what he said above is true. Concerning fame, he has nothing to testify.
Testimony of John Palmer, Witness for the Plaintiff, 4 Dec. 1492
John Palmer. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above. To the second interrogatory, he responds negatively to all its contents. To the third interrogatory, he says that he was present there at the request of Master John Manyngham. Concerning the colour of the clothes he and the witness wore, he knows nothing to testify. To the others he responds negatively. To the fourth and fifth interrogatories, he has nothing to testify concerning their contents.
Testimony of Richard Woodlake, Witness for the Plaintiff, 4 Dec. 1492
Richard Woodlake. To the interrogatories, he agrees with John Palmer, though it is extended.[2]
Testimony of Christopher Lewty, Witness for the Plaintiff, 20 Dec. 1492
Further on behalf of Master John Manyngham c. Edmund Caryngton 20 December by the lord Official in the cemetery called Pardon Churchyard.[3]
Christopher Lewty of the parish of St. Alban Wood Street in the city of London, where he has lived for four weeks, and before that time in the parish of St. Bride [St. Bride Fleet Street] for two years, and before that time in the parish of St. Dunstan[4] for a year, and before that time in Westminster for four years, illiterate, of free condition, sixty years old as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Sir John Manyngham for twenty years and Edmund Caryngton for three years. To the first article, he says that on a certain day around the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June] two years ago, which day he cannot further specify, around eight o’clock at the time of matins, this witness was present together with many others whose names and surnames this witness does not know in the cemetery of the parish church of St. Katherine Cree. After many things were discussed between them, Edmund Caryngton promised, giving his [faith], that he would pay Master John Manyngham the twenty shillings that he owed him, saying in English, “I promise you by my faith and troth to pay you twenty shillings at Easter next coming.” And he has nothing to depose concerning its other contents. To the second and third articles, he says that he knows nothing to depose concerning their contents. To the fourth article, he says its contents are true. To the fifth article, he says that what he said above is true, and concerning the fame he has nothing to depose. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above. To the second and third interrogatory, he says that he does not favour one party more than the other, and concerning victory he would like the party that has right to win and not otherwise, and to their other contents he responds negatively. To the fourth interrogatory, he says as he said above, and to its other contents he responds negatively. To the fifth interrogatory, he says that he knows nothing to depose concerning its contents.
Testimony of Richard Knyght, Witness for the Plaintiff, 2 Jan. 1493
2 January by the lord Official in the cemetery called Pardon Churchyard, in my, Richard Crome’s, presence.
Richard Knyght of the parish of St. Katherine Cree, city of London, where he has lived for twenty years, illiterate, of free condition, sixty years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Sir John Manyngham for twenty years, and he first saw and knew Edmund Caryngton on the day about which he will depose below. To the first article, he says that on a certain day around the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June] two years ago, which day he cannot further specify, before noon on that day, this witness was present in the cemetery of the church of St. Katherine together with Sir John Manyngham, John Palmer, Richard Woodlake, Edmund Caryngton, and a certain man commonly called a cooper. After many things were discussed between them, Edmund Caryngton promised Sir John, giving his faith in his hands, to pay Sir John the twenty shillings that he owed him, saying in English, “I promise you by my faith and troth to pay you twenty shillings by Easter next coming.” To its other contents he knows nothing to testify. To the second and third articles, he says that Master John Manyngham said to this witness that he asked Edmund to pay him the twenty shillings that he had promised with his hands in the presence of this witness and the others named above, and Edmund refused to pay the twenty shilllings, and he knows this because Master John told him. To the fourth article, he says that he agrees with John Palmer examined above. To the fifth article, he says that what he said above is true, and concerning fame he knows nothing to testify. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above. To the second interrogatory, he responds negatively to all its contents. To the third and fourth interrogatories, he says as he said above, and he says that he was present there at the request of Master John Manyngham, and he has nothing to testify about the colour of the clothes of the parties and the witnesses other than he testified above. To the fifth interrogatory, he knows nothing to testify other than he testified above.
Response of Edmund Caryngton, Defendant, 18 Jan. 1493
Responses made personally by Edmund Caryngton, 18 January
Edmund Caryngton, sworn etc. on the positions etc. To the first position, he does not believe it. To the second and third positions, he says that John Manyngham never asked this witness, but he says that on a certain day between the feasts of All Hallows [1 November] and Christmas three years ago, he was summoned at the instance of Master John to appear at the court called Paul’s Chain,[5] and when he was summoned, this witness went to Master John and asked him why he had had him summoned. Master John answered that he wanted to get twenty shillings from him that a certain man, called a carpenter, whose name and surname this witness does not know, owed to Master John. This witness answered him that he owed him nothing and he did not want to pay. He said moreover that if Master John would drop his suit this witness would pay him ten shillings, even though he owed him nothing. Master Manyngham answered that he did not want to take ten shillings when he could receive twenty shillings, and this witness responded that if Master John would not drop his suit then he would pay him nothing. And moreover he says that Master Manyngham around the last feast of Michaelmas [29 September] sent his servant to this witness, who was in his house in the parish of St. Michael Cornhill, and he asked him, “Why will you not pay my master the twenty shillings you owe him?” And this witness answered that he owed him nothing and that he would pay him nothing. To the fourth position, he says that its contents are true. To the fifth position, he says that what he said above is true, and he does not believe the fame.
[1] The title “Sir” was used for priests as well as knights in late medieval England.
[2] The original is “tamen extendatur”; it’s unclear to me what this means.
[3] Pardon Churchyard was a cloister, with a chapel, on the north side of St. Paul’s cathedral, east of the bishop’s palace. W. Sparrow Simpson, ed., Registrum Statutorum et Consuetudinem Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli Londiniensis (1873), xxiv, online: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=49123. It is interesting that in December the proceedings in this court process were taking place out of doors.
[4] There were two parishes of St. Dunstan, St. Dunstan in the East, and St. Dunstan in the West, on Fleet Street. Perhaps the latter was meant as he moved from there to the neighbouring parish of St. Bride.
[5] Paul’s Chain (Powlescheyne) was a lane leading out of St. Paul’s Cathedral churchyard. Caryngton refers here to the Bishop of London’s Commissary court, which heard cases of petty debt.
Consistory 