While there are many references to the Town Clerks small scale business
dealings, the most surprising and interesting are those dealing with truly
large sums and powerful people. The following quotations satisfy my long
held suspicions that the Town Clerk was directly involved privately with
crown finances and affairs, and that the Carpenter family was a major
players in the House of Lancasters rivalry and subsequent armed struggle
with the House of York. Put in simple terms The Carpenter family backed king
Henry Vl financially. The following provides some insight. It is from the
Calendar of Close Rolls for March 20th 1442.
Richard earl of Salisbury, George Lord Latymer knight, William lord Fitz
Hugh knight and James Strangeways the younger to William bishop of
Salisbury, William earl of Suffolk, Thomas Bekyngton, John Carpenter, Henry
Sever clerks and John Hampton esquire. Recognisance for 2,000 marks to be
levied etc. in Yorkshire.
Condition that they shall pay the said bishop and the others 500 L. at
Easter next and 500 L. at Michaelmas following, or within a month after
those feasts. (note: Cancelled upon the acknowledgement of John Carpenter,
in the name of the said bishop and the others.)
Thomas Bekynton was bishop of Bath and Wells, Lord
Privy Seal and secretary to king Henry Vl. Henry Sever
was the first provost to Eton (king Henrys pet project), Chancellor of
Oxford University, Chaplain and almoner to king Henry Vl. Richard earl of
Salisbury was Richard Neville the Kingmaker who eventually dethroned Henry
Vl and placed
a House of York substitute on the throne. James Strangeways was another
early Yorkist who became high sherriff of Yorkshire in 1446. The passage as
a whole shows early enemies of the crown having to pay debts they somehow
incurred, to a group of supporters of the crown that the king owed money to.
In other words John Carpenter and friends lend to the crown and are promised
repayment with the money
owed to the crown, and in this case probably extorted from those you do not
like. 2,000 marks was a huge sum. (Bruce E. Carpenter)