And from this swarm of fair advantages
You took occasion to be quickly woo'd
To gripe the general sway into your hand:
Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster.

Shakespeare does not state where in Doncaster the oath was taken. The Chronicle of Kirkstall Abbey states that it was in the Carmelite Priory.

Hardyng speaks of "his oth made in the White Fferes at Doncaster to the seid erle of Northumberland and other lordes."

Ther sware the Duke upon the sacrament

To claim no more but his mother's heritage.

He was

1407. John Marre was buried in this Priory. born at Marr, near Doncaster, from which place he took his name. He went to Oxford, and the University bestowed much honour upon him. He was a Carmelite Friar and was a warm opponent of Wickliffe, and wrote much against his opinions. The University of Oxford conferred upon him the Doctor's degree. He died March 18, 1407, and was buried in the Convent of Carmelites at Doncaster. About 1440, John Colley, a Carmelite Friar of Doncaster, an eloquent preacher, flourished.

1430. Oliver Woderow of Wolley, left to the Carmelites of Doncaster 6s. 8d. for a trental of masses for his soul.

1449. Constance Bigod, relict of Sir John Bigod of Settrington, left a girdle worked with silver and gilt to the fabric of Blessed Mary of Doncaster.

Hunter says, about 1450, William and Ellen Leicester were buried here. The will of William Laycestre of Doncaster, was dated Sep. 18, 1449, and proved Nov. 12.

1451. Oct. 3, Elizabeth Amyas of High Melton, directed in her will that she should be buried in the Friary of B. M. of Mount Carmel, in Doncaster, before the image of Blessed Mary.

1452. Thos. Wombewell of Wombewell, arm. To the Friars Carmelites of Doncaster, 13s. 4d.

About the middle of this century, another Friar of this house flourished, who is memorialised by Fuller in his "Worthies." This was Henry Parker. Fuller says of him: -Henry Parker was bred from his infancy in the Carmelite Convent at Doncaster, and became afterwards Doctor of

Divinity at Cambridge. Thence he returned to Doncaster, and well it had been with him if he had staid there still, and not gone up to London to preach at Paul's Cross, where the object of his sermon was to prove, that Christ's poverty was the pattern of human perfection; and that men professing eminent sanctity, should conform to his precedent, going on foot, feeding on barley bread, and having no houses of their own, &c. He drove this nail so far, that he touched the quick, and the wealthy clergy winced thereat. His sermon offended much as preached; more as published. He granted the copy thereof, to any that would transcribe it; for this, the Bishop of London put him in prison, which Parker patiently endured (in hope, perchance, of a rescue from his order), till being informed that the Pope effectually appeared on the part of the prelates, to procure his liberty, he was content at Paul's Cross to recant. Not as some have taken the words, to say over again the same; but he unsaid with (at least seeming) sorrow, what he had said before. However, from this time, we may date the decay of the Carmelites' credit in England: who, discountenanced by the Pope, never afterwards recruited themselves to their former number and honour, but moulted their feathers, till King Henry VIII. cut off their very wings and body too at the dissolution. This Parker flourished under King Edward IV. an. 1470.

1469. King Edward IV. came to Doncaster, and Sir Robert Welles was beheaded there, and another great captain. This was in connexion with the rising in Lincolnshire, and after the battle of Stamford. Sir Robert's confession before execution may be found in the Harl. MSS., 283. Lady Elizabeth, his widow, directed in her will, dated Oct. 2, 1470,

My body to be buried in the Church of the Friars at Doncaster, where the body of my Lord and husband is interred.

Hunter states that they were buried in the Church of the Carmelites. For full particulars of Sir Robert Welles's rebellion, and death, and confession, see "The Camden Society's Miscellanies," vol. i.

1473. John Sutton, a Carmelite of Doncaster, Doctor of Divinity, Oxford, 27th Provincial of his Order in England, died and was buried here.

1485. Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, killed near

Thirsk, and buried at the east end of Beverley Minster, £20 to the White Friars of Doncaster, to do two trentals within a month of his death, and a yearly obit on the day of his death, to find security. This was the Earl for whom Bolingbroke pledged himself.

King Henry VII., during his first progress to the north, after his coronation, came from Nottingham to Doncaster on a Saturday, rested there on the Sunday, and heard mass at the Carmelites, and evensong at the Parish Church. The next day he removed to Pontefract.

1503. John Twisilton, buried in the Church of Darrington. I leave my silver gilt crown to the image of the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the monastery of the Friars Carmelites of Doncaster.

In 1503, the Princess Margaret, daughter of King Henry VII., then in her 14th year, journeyed in great state through England to Edinboro' to be married to King James of Scotland; her journey lay through Grantham, Newark, Tuxford, Doncaster, Pontefract, and York. She arrived at Doncaster, July 13, being met outside the town by the Mayor, John Mullerliffe, Aldermen, and Burgesses on foot, who received the Princess, and accompanied her into the town. The Friars and Clergy met her in their vestments, in procession, and she was taken to the house of the Carmelites and lodged there for the night. On arriving at the house, the Bishop of Norwich, who was in her train, gave her the Crucifix to kiss, as at other places on the route. The next day she moved on to Pontefract; the Mayor, Aldermen, aud Burgesses of Doncaster, being at the town end as she departed.

1503. Dame Elizabeth Fitzwilliam of Aldewark. Item, I leave to the Prior and Convent of the Friars Carmelites of Doncaster xs.

1505. John Brekuoke of Doncaster, keeper of the Dragon Inn, To the Freerres Carmelites a certayne of bookes which lye in a little chest undre my chamber wyndowe.

1520. Oliver Halton of Doncastre. My wyf to make an obitt yerely within the White Freres of Donecaster.

1522. Thomas Wentworth, of North Elmsall, Esq., left by will... 13s. 4d. to our Lady Freres of Doncastre. 1522. Roger Rokcley, Esqre., left to the White Frears of

Doncastre, during 33 wekes, every Fridaie, to dyner 4d. (a pittance).

1530. Thomas Strey of Doncastre, lawyer. Item, I bequeithe to the Freeres Carmelettes of Doncastre, to pray for me, and for Alice and Elizabethe, my wyffes 20s. in money.

1531. Robert Denton, of Doncaster, chaplain. Item, I wit to the Freers Carmeltanes for one messe of Requiem yerely to be said, and the belman to go, after the custom, 13d.

In 1539, Edward Lee, Archbishop of York, wrote to Cromwell about a contention which had broken out between the Vicar of Doncaster and a light friar there. The friar had preached to favour the reformation. The Vicar, with the Archbishop's authority, inhibited the friar and laid a charge against him before the Archbishop. He refused to attend, and sought counsel's advice in London.

Cooke, the last Prior, surrendered the house, with six friars, Nov. 13, 1538. The original deed is preserved in the Augmentation Office. Cooke took part in the Pilgrimage of Grace, which closed on the mill bridge at Doncaster. He was confined in the Tower of London, where his name may be seen cut in the stone of one of the rooms.

hanged at Tyburn, Aug. 4, 1540.

He was

In a list of " Plate received from divers and sundry late dissolved Monasteries and Priories, and other religious houses by the hands of divers persons within mentioned, Dec. 14. 5 Edw. VI.," is the following:

66

The said late Earl of Essex, of high treason attainted, By the hands of Thomas Thacker his servant, viz :-From the White Friars of Doncaster, in the County of York, in gilt plate 25oz., in parcel gilt plate 109 oz., in white plate (plain silver) 48 oz. Total 183 ounces.

After the dissolution, the Priory was the residence of the Swift family, who had for a short time the title of Lord Carlingford. On their extinction, it was divided and occupied by various proprietors.

OUR LADY OF DONCASTER.

There was a figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary known as "Our Lady of Doncaster." It appears to have been at the Carmelite Priory which was dedicated to her; there would

certainly be a figure of the Blessed Virgin there. The following references occur :

In the "Northumberland Household Book" is this entry: -For fyndynge a light of wax to birne befor Our Lady in the Whit Friers of Doncaster of my Lord's foundation at every mastyme daily throwout the yere xiiis. 4d.

What was "of my Lord's foundation" is not quite clear. 1482. Sir Hugh Hastyngs, going in the expedition against the Scots, made his will. He returned safe, and died in 1489. He left a certain amount of wax to be burned during the celebration of mass in different places. One of the five "verges" so left, was to be given to the White Freers of Doncaster in honour of Oure Lady Marie Virgyn there.

1506. Kateryn Hastinges, widow of Sir John H., son of the above, left to Our Lady of Doncaster, her tawny chamlett gown.

1520, June 20. Alice West, of the parish of Ripon. I wit my best bedes to our Lady of Doncaster.

1521, Aug. 5. John Hewett of Friston-super-aquam.

I bequeath a penny to be offerid at . . . Our Lady of Don

castre.

1524, June 10. Geoffrey, Proctor of Bordley. . Item, I will that Richard Proctour-my son--compell Wm. Dauson, as the lawe will, to delyver unto hym ii girddils and beades that my saide suster delyvered to the wif of the saide Win. Dauson to kepe, and he to gif them to oure Lady of Doncastre and Sancte Wilfride of Ripon as my suster will was.

1536. Bishop Latimer, writing to Chancellor Cromwell in reference to a figure at Worcester (a stone figure of an ecclesiastic rigged up as the Virgin), which he calls the Great Sybil of Worcester, says, "She hath been the devil's instrument to bring many-I fear-to eternal fire. Now she herself, with her old sister of Walsingham, her younger sister of Ipswich, with their two sisters of Doncaster and Penryn, would make a jolly muster in Smithfield."

Authorities:-Hunter's South Yorkshire; Test Ebor, Sur. Soc. i.v.; Test Karleot; Leland's Collections; Archæologia, vol. xx.; De la Pryme's Diary, Sur. Soc.; Speed; Test Vetus; Hardyng, Ellis; Kirkstall Chronicle; Shakespeare, Staunton; Ad quod damnum, Public Record Series Monastic Treasures, Abbotsford Club; Leland's Itinerary; Fuller's Worthies; Camden Society's Miscell., vol. i.