Maritime record MWX2066 - Welfare

1371 wreck of English cargo vessel which stranded on Kimmeridge Ledges en route from Plymouth to London. She was laden with wine, iron, tin and hake as merchandise, together with the personal effects and goods belonging to a knight, including bags, linen, cloth of gold, bales of silk, clothing, jewels and silver vessels. Constructed of wood, she was a sailing vessel.

During the reign of Edward III, a special commission was called to try no less than 100 persons for their part in robbing the ship WELFARE. She had been in difficulties off Portland and was driven ashore at Kimmeridge where her freight, which included thirty-two pieces of cloth of gold, bales of richly embroidered silk, and other merchandise to the value of 2,000 in the currency of that time. The trial was held at Sherborne at a much later date, when many of the accused were found guilty of robbery. Robert Knolles, the owner of the vessel had been insulted, wounded and maltreated, and the plunderers had been encouraged and assisted by no less a person than Thomas, Abbot of Cerne Abbas, who had the freight taken and stored in buildings at Kimmeridge Manor. Amongst those convicted in 1377 were the Abbot, one of his monks and landed gentry of Purbeck.(3) Owner: Robert Knolles Date of Loss Qualifier: R Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: G id t th P b k C

'1371. Dec. 17. Westminster. Commission to William Filel, John Elmerigge, Alexander de Rixton, clerk, Robert Manyford and William Shike - on petition made on behalf of John de Stodeye, William de Tongge, Nicholas Brambre and Thomas Gysors, merchants of London, and Robert de Knolles, "chivaler", shewing that, whereas they loaded a ship called LA WELFARE of Dertmouth, whereof William Colyn is master, at Plymmuth with 50 tuns of wine, 20 thousand of iron and tin, 10 thousand of "hake", and divers other wares, as well as very many goods, jewels and harness of the said Robert, to wit, wallets, great and small, halls and chambers of linen cloth and silk, robes, vestures and other jewels, and silver vessels in casks for London, and the said ship was broken at Warham, co. Dorset, the goods therein cast ashore and salved, and the mariners came safe to land, nevertheless the wines, merchandise, goods, jewels and harness are occupied and detained by men of that county - to make inquisition in the county touching the premises and restore to the merchants and Robert any goods they can prove to be theirs, in case it be found by the inquisition that they ought not to pertain to the king or other lords of liberties as wreck; provided that the mrchants and Robert satisfy those by whom the goods were salved for their labour and expense.' (4)

"Hake" would appear to indicate the fish of that name, and is recorded in that sense in the medieval period, although "hooks" is recorded from 1488 in the OED, albeit with some doubt. However, iron and fish is not an uncommon combination of cargoes.

"Wallet" = bag, pilgrim's scrip or pedlar's pack, or similar, whence the modern usage. [OED]

'1376. July 20. Westminster. The like [commission of oyer and terminer] to Guy de Brian, Robert Bealknap, Robert Fitz Payn, Hugh Tyrel, Henry de Percehay, William de Lucy and Walter de Clopton, on complaint by Robert Knolles that, whereas he freighted a ship called LA WELFARE of Dertmouth in the port of Plymmouthe with goods for London, and on the voyage the ship was driven by the violence of the sea to Kymerych in Purbik, co. Dorset, Thomas Coupe, William Colle of Luton, William Bouche and others entered his ship at Kymerych, carried away the goods and assaulted his men and servants.' (5)

'1376. Sept. 5. Westminster. Commission of oyer and terminer to Guy de Brian, Robert Bealknap, Robert Filz Payn, Hugh Tyrell, Henry Percehay, William de Lucy and Walter de Clopton, on complaint by Robert Knolles that, whereas he freighted a ship called the WELFARE of Dertmouth in the port of Plymmouth with goods for London, and on the voyage the ship was driven by the violence of the sea to Kymerych in Purbyk, co. Dorset, Thomas Coupe, William Colle of Lutton, William Bouche, Robert Renaud, Thomas Renaud, Henry Pepere, John Pepere, John Hore, Emma, his wife, William Hore, John Pyk of Egleston, Robert Jolyf, Nicholas Chubbe, Hugh Wetherman, Robert Chubbe, William Nyweman, Henry Nyweman, John Adam, Alice Haukynes, John Cull, Juliana Spore, Robert Swanlond, John de Estynham, clerk, Stephen Goue, the younger, Thomas Lonedrym of West Tynham, John Cartere of West Tynham, Nicholas Boys, William Frenssh, Robert Paulyn, Stephen Paulyn, Edward le Duk, Robert Randolf, John Chapelyn, John son of John Sparwe of Estlulleworth, William son of William Hegeman of Stuple, John Kyng of Blakemeston, William Baghe of Stuple, Robert Clerk of Harpeston, John Aliam, William Dofreman, John Antyoch of Warham, "taillour", John Burcy of Dertemuth, Richard Blakeman of Dertemuth, John Jay of Langeton, the younger, Robert Corf, clerk, William Chyke, William Clavyll, the elder, John Remyston, parson of the church of Crychill, Andrew Chyke, William Colneye of Dertemuth, John Rameston "the personysbrother of Corf", Nicholas Stokys, William Wildero, John Ewan of Warham, John Forster, Nicholas Smyth of Warham, John Hakes, John Chapman of Wynburn, Roger Presse of Warham, "webbe", Alan Bakere, Robert Gydemey of Kymerich in Purbyk, William Chaldecote, William Culle of Lutton, Nicholas Wetherman, Nicholas Freyn, John Lovehater, John Neweman, William Pepe, Edward Pypere, William Waleys of Kymerych, John Swanlond, Roger Taillour of Corf, John Morland of Povyngton, John Anderbode of Brynnescombe, Thomas Gerard of Corf Castell, William Wyot of Kymerych, the elder, John Russel of Tynham, John Kyggel, Edward Maundeware of Purbyk, William Pach of Tynham, Thomas Masakell, chaplain, Robert Sendelove, John Hordere, "Jonesservant Shot", John Wetherman, Thomas Chaldewolle, John Chaldewolle, Henry Prest, William Wyot, the younger, John Pepe, Henry Pepe, Nicholas Dyngere, William Blachenwelle, Robert Bledewyne, John Prest of Westynham, William Prest of Westynham, John Godynch of Westynham, John Beaugraunt, John Pyperwhyt, Adam Denys, Robert Vikairs of Byre, William Kemere of Byre and others, entered the ship at Kymerych, carried away his goods and assaulted his men and servants.' (6)

NB: The reporting date of loss in source (3) is simply the year of 1371, but can be given as the more precise 17-DEC-1371 from source (4).

Master: William Colyn (4)
Owner: Robert Knolles (3); of cargo, John de Stodeye, William de Tongge, Nicholas Brambre and Thomas Gysors, merchants of London (4), and Robert Knolles, knight (4)(5)(6)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Reporting date of loss

Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles: Guide to the Purbeck Coast and Shipwreck p33-34

The building date for this vessel is an estimate based on an average age at wrecking of twenty years. This average is derived from those vessels wrecked on the Dorset coast whose age at wrecking is known.

<1> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<2> 1975, Dorset magazine : the county magazine vol. 48, p13 (Article in serial). SWX4573.

<3> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<4> Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, 1370-74, membrane 5d XV p181 (Unpublished document). SDO20500.

<5> Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, 1374-77, membrane 8d XVI p327 (Unpublished document). SDO20500.

<6> Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, 1374-77, membrane 32d XVI p408-9 (Unpublished document). SDO20500.

<7> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 315 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 900412 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 4 2024 4:41PM