The royal writ

Rex venerabili in Christo patri Iohanni, eadem gratia episcopo Herefordensi, salutem. Quibusdam certis de causis nos specialiter et intime moventibus, vobis sub fide et dilectione quibus nobis tenemini firmiter iniungendo mandamus, quod omnibus aliis praetermissis et excusatione cessante quacunque, in propria persona vestra sitis apud villam nostram Oxoniae, die Lunae proximo post Conversionem Sancti Pauli proximo futuro [27 January 1399], ad dicendum et declarandum consilium et avisamentum vestrum de et super quibusdam materiis nefarium schisma in ecclesia Dei, quod dolendum est, multipliciter iam regnum tangentibus per universitatem nostram Oxoniensem ministrandis et ad consentiendum his quae tune de avisamento et consensu cleri nostri contigerit affirmari, et hoc nullatenus omittatis. Teste rege apud Westmonasterium, secundo die Ianuarii anno regni vicesimo secundo [2 January 1399].

Acts of the convocation

[15r] Convocatio praelatorum et cleri Cantuariensis provinciae facta per reverendissimum in Christo patrem et dominum Dominum Thomam, permissione divina Cantuariensem archiepiscopum, totius Angliae primatem et apostolicae sedis legatum, in ecclesia Sancti Pauli Londoniarum, decimo septimo die mensis Februarii anno Domini millesimo quadragesimo nono secundum cursum et computationem Ecclesiae Anglicanae, indictione tertia, pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo patris et domini Domini Alexandri, divina providentia papae quinti anno primo, et translationis eiusdem reverendissimi patris anno quartodecimo [17 February 1410].

Monday 17 February 1410

Dicto decimo septimo die mensis Februarii, praefatus reverendissimus in Christo pater archiepiscopus antedictus de hospitio habitationis suae vulgariter dictae ‘Wharton's Inn’ iter arripiens porrexit ad ecclesiam Sancti Pauli antedictam, et missa inibi de Sancto Spiritu per venerabilem patrem Dominum Richardum, Dei gratia Londoniensem episcopum ad summum altare eiusdem ecclesiae pro feliciori et uberiori expeditione inchoandi negotii primitus, ut moris est, solemniter celebrata. Idem reverendissimus pater cum ceteris venerabilibus confratribus suis coepiscopis suffraganeis dictae suae provinciae, videlicet Henrico Wintoniensi, Iohanne Eliensi, Edmundo Exoniensi, Roberto Cicestrensi, Nicholao Bathonensi, Roberto Sarum et Alexandro Norwicensi, ex parte australi dicti summi altaris, ac Robertus Herefordensis, Henricus Menevensis et Benedictus Bangorensis ex parte boreali eiusdem summi altaris episcopis pro tempore dictae missae sedentibus, dictaque missa solemniter finita, idem reverendissimus pater Cantuariensis archiepiscopus, cum confratribus et suffraganeis suis antedictis accessit ad capellam Beatae Mariae eiusdem ecclesiae, et facta ibidem collatione per religiosum virum Magistrum Iohannem Langdon, monachum ecclesiae Christi Cantuariensis sacrae paginae professorem, sumpto sibi pro themate: ‘Stellae dederunt lumen’ etc. Ipsa collatione finita, exhibitum fuit certificatorium dicti reverendissimi patris Domini Richardi Londoniensis episcopi, cuius tenor sequitur et est talis:

Reverendissimo in Christo patri ac domino Domino Thomae, permissione divina Cantuariensi archiepiscopo, totius Angliae primati et apostolicae sedis legato, vestrisve locum tenentibus seu commissariis quibuscunque, Richardus, permissione divina Londoniensis episcopus oboedientiam et reverentiam debitas tanto patri. Mandatum vestrum reverendissimum decimo octavo die mensis Ianuarii proximo praeterito [ 18 January 1410] recepimus tenorem continens subsequentem:

Thomas, permissione divina [Cantuariensis archiepiscopus, totius Angliae primas et apostolicae sedis legatus,] venerabili fratri nostro Domino Richardo Londoniensi episcopo, salutem et fraternam in Domino caritatem.

That ephemeral and elusive phenomenon of leisure life in London, the Pleasure Garden, shone most brightly in the 18th century. It was not confined to London, and even the names of the London gardens were to be encountered in those provincial cities that adopted the fashion; but the principal London models furnish the greatest number of illustrations, Vauxhall above all. The pleasure gardens can be distinguished from private gardens or public parks since they were run as commercial enterprises which charged for admission. They constituted the principal loci for organised leisure or pleasure al fresco, and Warwick Wroth in his still definitive account of the subject (1896) listed 64, though many were small and no more than pub or spa gardens where bowls or skittles might be played. The pleasure gardens were formal in layout, in order to make optimum use of the confined space, but that does not mean that the new gardening was ignored. Far from it: several elements of the landscape garden were incorporated, particularly trompe l’oeil illusion and theatrical effects.

The purposes of the pleasure garden were to see and be seen; to mix socially; to have assignations; to eat and drink; to listen to music both played and sung; to stroll and inspect the various garden features; to dance; and to enjoy a summer evening, on the disappointingly few occasions when the weather was benign. The season usually ran from May to September, though it varied, and some of the gardens were open during the day. As time went on, further popular entertainments were added – fireworks, balls, exhibitions, juggling, tight-rope walking. Above all, pleasure gardens were about people, as the plentiful images testify, and in some ways this is the antithesis of the landscape garden, which could often be enjoyed in solitude and contemplation. The proprietors took advantage of the crowds by using prints as marketing tools: at Vauxhall, for instance, they were sold in the walks.

The pleasure gardens varied in reputation and respectability. It is still a moot question as to the social range of attendees: the entrance fee of one shilling at Vauxhall, a tenth of a labourer's average weekly wage, would deter all but the well off, but employers would bring their servants in; and those who stood to gain financially from the evening out – pickpockets and prostitutes – would find no difficulty in gaining access.

The royal writ for a parliament

Willelmus, Dei gratia Wintoniensis episcopus, dilecto filio officiali archidiaconi nostri Wintoniensis salutem, gratiam et benedictionem. Breve domini nostri regis recepimus in haec verba: ‘Richardus’ etc. Vobis etiam vigore dicti brevis firmiter iniungimus et mandamus quatenus praemuniatis seu facias praemuniri archidiaconum nostrum Wintoniensem ac clerum archidiaconatus eiusdem, quod idem archidiaconus in propria persona, dictusque clems per unum procuratorem idoneum, plenam et sufficientem potestatem ab ipso clero habentem, praedictis die et loco intersit, facturi et recepturi quod tenor et effectus dicti brevis exigunt et requirunt. Et nos de facto vestro in praemissis, una cum nomine procuratoris a dicto clero electi, citra dictum terminum certificetis literis vestris patentibus habentibus hunc tenorem. Datum apud Waltham vicesimo sexto die Augusti anno Domini MCCCLXXVII [26 August 1377].

Similar letters were issued to the archdeacon of Surrey and to the prior of Winchester cathedral on the same day.

The first royal writ for a convocation

Rex venerabili in Christo patri Simoni eadem gratia Cantuariensi archiepiscopo, totius Angliae primati, salutem.

The proxy of the bishop of Durham

Issued on 10 April 1390 for the synods to be held on the Thursday after the Sunday on which Misericordia Dei was sung (21 April 1390) and on the Thursday after Michaelmas (6 October 1390) to:

John de Beryngton, prior of Finchale.

Thomas de Salkeld.

Hugh de Fletham.

Issued on 14 April 1390 for the synod on 21 April 1390 to:

John de Beryngton, prior of Finchale.

Robert de Ripon.