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16. THE FRIARS MINORS OF WARE

The Franciscan priory of Ware owed its
foundation to Thomas second Lord Wake of
Liddell, who received the king's permission in
February 1338 to give to the Friars Minors a
messuage and 7 acres of land in Ware for an
oratory, houses and other buildings. (fn. 1) In September 1350 the pope confirmed the acceptance
of the site by the minister-provincial and Friars
Minors in England. (fn. 2) Land for the enlargement
of the priory was granted to the friars in 1372 by
Blanche Lady Wake. (fn. 3) For their maintenance
the community depended mainly on alms. They
thus came into collision with the Franciscans of
Cambridge, on whose complaint they were
forbidden by the pope in August 1395 to extend
their bounds for begging and preaching within
5 miles of any place, except Puckeridge, which
before their house was founded had belonged
to the district of the Cambridge friars. (fn. 4)

Henry IV, after the death and forfeiture of
Thomas Holland Earl of Kent, allowed them
the underwood of an acre of wood near Ware,
two cartloads of hay from the meadows there,
and the fishery of the water along the priory
during such time as the late earl's property
remained in his hands. (fn. 5)

They must have derived some advantage from
burials in their church, (fn. 6) from legacies (fn. 7) and
probably from obits, though only one is recorded,
that of Thomas Hyde, established in 1525. (fn. 8)
But the house must always have been small
and poor, and its obscurity was perhaps the
reason why Roger Donwe or Dewe, the ministerprovincial, removed for just causes in 1430, (fn. 9)
was sent here to end his days. (fn. 10)

The royal supremacy was duly acknowledged
by the convent in May 1534. (fn. 11) The warden seems
to have been friendly with Lord Hussey in
1537, (fn. 12) but there is no evidence to connect him
with the religious troubles. The surrender of
the priory took place in the autumn of 1538. (fn. 13)
Its lands, including the site, (fn. 14) were worth only
29s. 8d. a year.

Wardens Of The Friars Of Ware

The contemporary seal (fn. 17) is a pointed oval.
On the right kneels the founder, Lord Wake,
in armour, with a shield of his arms; opposite to him is his wife, Blanche of Lancaster.
The object of their adoration seems to be the
Crucified. The field is powdered with stars;
there is a little tree between the two worshippers
and a larger one at each side. Below, under
a four-centred arch, the warden is represented
in prayer. Legend: s' GARDIANI (FRATRVM)
MINORVM DE WARE.

13. The Bishop of Rochester wrote to Cromwell
27 Sept. 1538 offering to bring about its
surrender (ibid. xiii [2], 437), which was made,
however, to the Bishop of Dover (ibid. 1021). It
seems to have been in the king's hands about
Michaelmas 1538 (Mins. Accts. Hen. VIII,
no. 1617).