The deposicioun of Iohn Breame, carrier, of Wenlock-by-Severne
taken in the priorie parlour the xvjth day of May, anno xxx Henry viij, before the said Mr Iohn Carleton, gent., commissarie; the said Iohn Breame being sworne vpon the booke. Iohn Wace, clerke.
Deposicio Iohannis Bream carectarii super sacramentum suum. — Wace scripsit. Latine vt potui.
The said Iohn Breame, being asked of his fetchings to and from the gate of the late priorie of S. Helene this Lent and Easter terme last past, sayth and deposeth as followeth, viz. —
- That he came at the gate fower or fyve seuerall tymes betwene Candelmasse and Whitsone-tyde, with cheese and butter for the kytchen, and with a bolt of cloth for the sacristane at Mid-Lent.
- That on a daye in Lent, the same beinge a Wednesdaye to his best remembraunce, and the moone newe, there came forth to him at the gate not the porter but a man of the priorie's seruice, whose name he knoweth not but hath seene about the place these ij yeres, beinge of mydlinge stature and with a markt on the lefte cheeke as of a brennynge. The said man gaue him into his keepinge a smalle cofre of wood, bound with iron, no more then a foote in length, sealed with red wax in two places, and bad him carry the same to the gate of Sir Iohn FitzHardy at Astley, paying him iijd before and saying that a like summe shold be paid him at thother ende. Whiche he did, and was so paid, by a servyngman of the same Sir Iohn.
- That the cofre was light for its bignesse, not aboue a halfe stone by his guesse. That he opened it not. That he saw no nunne at the gate nor on the rode. That he asked nothing and was tolde nothing.
- Being further asked whether he so carryed any other thinge betwene this house and the said Astley, he sayth — none.
- Being further asked whether he hath spoken of this carryage to any other person before this daye, he sayth — to his wief onely.
Manus + Iohannis Bream. (he maketh his marke, beinge a crosse.)
So depposed and signed before me, the daye and yere aboue-writte.
— Iohn Wace, clerke.
[in the visitor's hand, in the margin, larger:]
Quaere de homine cum cicatrice.