austin friars – CAROLINE ANGUS

While this is a short and ultimately unimportant letter, it has one thing others lack, the signature of Thomas Essex. Thomas Cromwell received the title of Earl of Essex on 17 April 1540 and was styled as such from St George’s Day, 23 April, but this is the only surviving letter bearing the signature of Thomas Essex. This letter is to John Capon alias Salcot, who took over from Nicholas Shaxton as Bishop of Salisbury, who was living in semi-exile outside London after quitting his bishopric over the Six Articles in 1539. There are other surviving letters from Cromwell after 31 May 1540, but all are drafts that bear no signatures. Cromwell would be arrested only 10 days after sending this simple note.

John Capon alias Salcot lived until he was least 90, and oversaw some of the most brutal religious changes in England. Salcot was religiously neutral until Henry VIII, doing whatever the king wanted, was Protestant under Edward VI and then Catholic under Mary, overseeing some of the most high profile burnings of Protestants, men had had befriended and supported in years past. Had he lived long enough to see Elizabeth on the throne, he may not have died just of old age. A man of weak morals, Cromeell never particular liked or supported Salcot, nor supported Salcot’s promotion to Bishop of Salisbury, but was unable to influence the appointment as he was ill and away from court in 1539.

Austin Friars manor and gardens as they would have looked when Cromwell became Earl of Essex in 1540, with its oriel windows by the front entrance. c Nick Holder and Peter Urmston

LORD CROMWELL TO THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY, 31 May 1540 (LP xv no. 717)

To my veray good ld the Bp of Sarum

After my right hearty commendations unto your good lordship, these be forasmuch as my friend John Walgrave, esquire, patron of the parsonage of Hilperton in the Comitatu (county) of Wiltshire and in your diocese, has presented unto you a sufficient clerk to be parson there upon the death of the late incumbent, to require you to admit the said clerk without any delay as to your office does appertain. Whereby, besides that you shall do therein that right and reason requires, you shall administer unto me right thankful pleasure, which I shall be glad in semblable ways to requite. Thus, heartily fare you well. At my house in London the last day of May.

Your lordship’s assured

THOMAS ESSEX