Robert
Ricart's Chronicle of Bristol, 1450-1508
Source: Transcribed by Evan Jones
(2004)
Manuscript: Bristol Record Office, 04720
Note: A printed and digitised version of this chronicle, which
contains most of the information contained in the extract below, can be found
in:
Lucy Toulmin Smith (ed.), The Maire of Bristowe
is Kalendar by Robert Ricart,
Town Clerk of Bristol 18 Edward IV (Camden New Series, Vol. V, 1872).
This page contains an extract from Bristol's official town chronicle - a
document generally known as 'Ricart's Kalendar'. Bristol's town clerk, Robert Ricart, began this chronicle in 1479, having first
recorded the town's history since 1217. He then went on to chronicle the
important events of the town over the next three decades. The last entries in
Ricart's handwriting were made in 1506, although he
appears to have remained Town Clerk until at least 1508 (Toulmin Smith, 1872,
p.iii). Later town officials then maintained the
chronicle until 1898.
Since this chronicle was kept as a reference document for the civic
authorities of Bristol, Ricart and his successors
emphasised those matters they deemed to be of greatest importance to the life
and governance of the town. From the point of view of the town clerks, the
most important information to record was the names of the mayors, sheriffs
and bailiffs who presided over Bristol during its civic year. This
information was valuable because it would, in later years, facilitate the
dating of official documents that might contain only the name or signature of
one of the officers of the town. On the other hand, the chronicle was not
merely an administrative document. Below each annual entry, a half page (c.10cm) was left blank for recording events of importance
to the town (see photo). Other entries concern:
major political events in the life of the nation (such as the birth of a
prince), notable developments in the town (for instance the paving of
Bristol's streets), and extraordinary happenings (such as a great storm or
flood). In many years nothing was recorded. This might be because little of
note happened that year. Or it might also be because, like bad diarists, the
town clerks often simply forgot to update the chronicle.
One interest of the extract of Ricart's Kalendar given below is that it covers the period of
Bristol's 'discovery voyages' of 1480-1508. The entries up to 1506 are in Ricart's own hand, indicating that they were made within
a few years, or at most a decade or so, after the events took place. The
chronicle includes detailed entries for the years in which John Cabot made
his three voyages, during the summers of 1496, 1497 and 1498. Since the
chronicle is dated according to Bristol's civic year, which ran from 15
September, the relevant entries are those for 1495, 1496 and 1497. What is
significant about the entries for these years is that they make no mention of
the discovery voyages.
What the absence of any reference to the Cabot voyages indicates is, of
course, open to question. Nevertheless, it is inconceivable that Ricart would not have known about them. Cabot had a royal
patent for the expeditions, Bristol had a population of just 10,000 people
and Ricart himself was intimately connected to the
town's political and mercantile elite. The men who financed, equipped and
manned Cabot's expeditions would thus have been well known to Ricart. Indeed, it also seems likely that Ricart would at least have met John Cabot during the two
or three years in which the Venetian navigator lived in Bristol. The absence
of any reference to Cabot's voyages, or any of the other discovery voyages of
this period, thus suggests that Bristol's official record keeper simply did
not regard them to be of sufficient note to be worth
recording.
That the Cabot voyages should not be mentioned in Bristol's official town
chronicle may seem extraordinary, given that Cabot's 1497 expedition is
regarded today as one of the great events of Bristol's history. These days, a
statue of John Cabot stares over the entrance to Bristol's quays, while
visitors to the City's Art Gallery and Museum are greeted by a large
painting, which depicts the mayor and bishop, in full ceremonial regalia,
sending Cabot off on his 1497 expedition. Yet, Ricart's
chronicle suggests that the importance of the voyages was not recognised at
the time they occurred.
The Chronicle
Photograph of Robert Ricart's
Chronicle of Bristol: Entry for Civic Years,
15 September 1496 - 14 September 1498
Note: The years given in Ricart represent the
year to
14 September of the listed year. So the year 1497,
for example, covers the period, by the modern calendar, 15 September 1496 -
14 September 1497.
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1480
Edward IIII, 20
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Edmund Westcotte - Mayor
John Powke - Sheriff
John Greffith & John Weswall
- Baliffs
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1481
Edward IIII, 21
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William Wodington - Mayor
William Toket - Sheriff
Robert Bannok & John Houndesley
- Baliffs
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1482
Edward IIII, 22
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John Forster - Mayor
John Pynke - Sheriff
John Langforde & William Regent - Baliffs
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1483
Edward IIII, 23
|
Robert Strange - Mayor
John Estirfielde - Sheriff
Thomas Spicer & Henry Dale - Baliffs
This yere the viiith
day of Aprile the king Edward the iiijth dyed at
Westminster, and was buryed at Wyndsore the xixth day of the
same moneth
and on Sonday the vijth
day of Jule then next ensewing
Richard
Duc of Gloucester, brother to the said king Edward, was made king
&
crowned at Westminster
Rex
Richardus tercius
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1484
Richard III, 1
And this yere the two sonnes
of King Edward were put to sylence in the towre of London
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Henry Vaghan - Mayor
John Stephens - Sheriff
John Vaghan & William Gamicell - Baliffs
This yere, the xvth
day of Octobre, was the grettest
flode & the grettist
wynde at Bristowe &
in the cuntrey
there abouts that euer
was seen, and grete hurt doon
in
merchaunts sellers in wode & salt. Shippes lost
at Kyngrode
the Anthony of Bristowe & a ship of Bilbowe set a lond
at Holow bakkes. &
other botes & cokkes
lost. Saltmerssh drowned
corne catell &
houses borne awey with the see, And moche
people drowned to the noumebre of CC &
mo. And sone
after Herry Duc of Buks
was bihedded at Sarum.
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1485
Richard III, 2
|
William Wikeham - Mayor
John Wayne - Sheriff
John Heminyng & William Spycer
- Baliffs
This yere Harry Erle of Richmount
londed at Milford
Haven in Wales, and sone after he mette with King Richard
at Bosworth feld, and there gate the feld of King Richard
the xxijth day of August, where the same King
Richard
was slayne. And sone
after there was a sodeyn sikenes
in all places of Englond, called the sweting syknes,
wherof moche people dyed.
Rex Henrieus septimus
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1486
Henry VII, 1
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Edmund Wescote - Mayor
Rais Sherman - Sheriff
Philip Ryngston & Hugh Jonys
bruer - Baliffs
This yere the saide
Edmond Wescote, Maire, dyed
within xv. daies after Mighelmas.
And Herry Vaghan
was elect into his rome. And this yere the King
maryed Elizabeth the eldest doughtir
of King Edward
the iiijth.
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1487
Henry VII, 2
|
William Wykham - Mayor
John Snyg - Sheriff
John Jay & Thomas ap Howell - Baliffs
This yere the Quene
was crowned. And a felde was made this yere
ageinst the king by therle
of Lyncoln, the Lord Louell
& Martyn Swarte
and they all wer slayne.
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1488
Henry VII, 3
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John Esterfeld - Mayor
John Chestre - Sheriff
Nicholas Brown & John Walshe - Baliffs
This yere a grete
ship called the Anthony of Bristowe
was lost at Kingrode, in defaute
of the Master of the same ship \
And this yer the prince Arthur was borne at
Winchester.
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1489
Henry VII, 4
|
John Penke - Mayor
Clement Wilteshire - Sheriff
John Howell & John Hurler - Baliffs
This yere the Kyng
sent an army of vij M men into Brytaign to socour
the Duches of Britaign.
Also this yere the king
sent for
the Maire Shiref & Baillifes
to come to his grace to London.
And they brought vp with them ij. men of Waterford bicause
the Baillifs had taken them & imprisoned them
for brynging
of Irissh money to the town ./
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1490
Henry VII, 5
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Robert Strange - Mayor
Thomas Spycer - Sheriff
John Taillor & Robert Fortey - Baliffs
This yere the Brigge
vpon the Were was newe made.
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1491
Henry VII, 6
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John Stephens - Mayor
William Regent - Sheriff
Geore Monony &
Richard Vaghan - Baliffs
This yere dyuers stretes in Bristowe were new paved.That
is to say Horsstrete, Knightsmyth
strete Brode strete, Highe
strete Redclif strete, Seynt Thomas strete, Temple strete,
Towker strete, the Bak,Baft strete, Seynt Mary strete Lewens
mede. And the High Crosse was peynted
& gilt, which cost xx li.
This yer the King was at Bristow wher he had a beniuolence
of xviij C li [£1800]. Also
this yere Mathew Jubbes
purchaced a ground
of the town in Seynt Nicholas strete
for terme of [blank].
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1492
Henry VII, 7
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William Toket - Mayor
Henry Dale - Sheriff
John Fuyster & David Cogan - Baliffs
This yere the King went to Calice
with a grete
armye ageynst Fraunce. But peace was made withoute
Bataille
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1493
Henry VII, 8
|
Clement Wilteshire - Mayor
John Drewes - Sheriff
John Popley & Roger Dawes - Baliffs
This yere the saide
Clement Wilteshire deyed
and John
Hawkes was elected to occupy oute his rome.
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1494
Henry VII, 9
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Henry Vaghan - Mayor
Philp Ryngston - Sheriff
John Reyner & Philip Grene
- Baliffs
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1495
Henry VII, 10
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John Esterfeld - Mayor
Mathew Jubbes - Sheriff
William Estby & John Rowlond
- Baliffs
This yere Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain
was biheddid.
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1496
Henry VII, 11
[A later note in a different hand summarises this entry.]
|
William Regent - Mayor
Nicholas Broun - Sheriff
David Leyson & John Johnes
- Baliffs
This yere the King & Qwene
came to Bristowe with dyuers
Lordes spiritual & temporall.
And this yere the Duc of Bedford,
the kinges uncle decessed
at Thornbury on whois sowle
god
have mercy, & was buryed
at Keynesham. And the saide
Maire
& his brethren met with the saide Duc in Kyngeswode with ij M
men on horsbake, all in blake
gownes, & so brought his body
to Keynesham, for the which the saide Maire & his brethern
had
grete thankes of the
King.
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1497
Henry VII, 12
|
John Drewes - Mayor
Hugh Johnes Brewer - Sheriff
Thomas Vaghan & John Elyot - Baliffs
This yere the Cornyshmen
rebelled ageynst the King, and the
lord Awdley arose with them. And the King met
with them
at Blak heth, & ther had Victory of his enemyes
rebelles and
the saide lorde Awdley was taken ther & behedded at [blank]].
The same lord when he was at Wells with the blak smyth callid Mighell Josef
Capteyn of the Cornysh
men, havyng with them xl M [40,000] men,
sent
to the Maire of Bristowe to ordeign
loddgyng & vitaill
for xx M [20,000].
But the Maire sent them worde that they shuld come no nere and
if they wold come ner at their oune aduentur. And then the
Maire
mustred & made redy
to withstond the said rebelles.
And garnished the
town walles with men harnessid
& with gonnes, & brought shippes & botes
aboute the mersshe
garnisshed with men artillery& gonnes. And the
said rebelles hereng of
this chaunged theire
purpose& toke another wey.
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1498
Henry VII, 13
|
Henry Dale - Mayor
Richard Vaghan - Sheriff
William Lane & John Spencer - Baliffs
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1499
Henry VII, 14
|
Philip Ryngstone - Mayor
John Jay - Sheriff
John Vaghan & Thomas Westcote - Baliffs
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1500
Henry VII, 15
|
Nicholas Brown - Mayor
Philip Grene - Sheriff
Richard Hoby & Walter Rice - Baliffs
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1501
Henry VII, 16
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Richard Vaghan - Mayor
Hugh Elyot & John Baten - Sheriff & Baliff
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1502
Henry VII, 17
|
George Monoux - Mayor
Thomas Snyg & Thomas Patnaunt
- Sheriff & Baliff
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1503
Henry VII, 18
|
Hugh Johnes - Mayor
John Colas & John Caple - Sheriff & Baliff
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1504
Henry VII, 19
|
Henry Dale - Mayor
Richard Americk & William Godferd
- Sheriff & Baliff
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1505
Henry VII, 20
|
David Philips - Mayor
William Jeffreys & Thomas Penson - Sheriff & Baliff
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1506
Henry VII, 21
|
Roger Dawes - Mayor
Thomas Elyot & John Harrys - Sheriff & Baliff
This yere the said Thomas Elyot dyed &
Thomas Smyth merchant
was chosen in his rome of Sheref
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1507
Henry VII, 22
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Philip Ryngston - Mayor
William Edwardes & John Welles - Sheriff & Baliff
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1508
Henry VII, 23
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John Vaghan - Mayor
John Edwardes & Simon Gervys - Sheriff & Baliff
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Further Reading:
Peter Pope, The Many Landfalls of John Cabot (Toronto, 1997)
J.A. Williamson, The Cabot Voyages and Bristol Discovery Under Henry VII
(Hakluyt Society, Second Series, No. 120, CUP, 1962)
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