Full text of "A history of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight"

THE

VICTORIA HISTORY

OF THE COUNTIES
OF ENGLAND

HAMPSHIRE AND
THE ISLE OF WIGHT

WESTMINSTER

ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE

AND COMPANY LIMITED

This History is issued to Subscribers only

By Archibald Constable & Company Limited

and printed by Butler & Tanner of

Frame and London

INSCRIBED

TO THE MEMORY OF

HER LATE MAJESTY

QUEEN VICTORIA

WHO GRACIOUSLY GAVE

THE TITLE TO AND

ACCEPTED THE

DEDICATION OF

THIS HISTORY

A HISTORY OF

HAMPSHIRE

AND THE ISLE
OF WIGHT

VOLUME TWO

WESTMINSTER

2 WHITEHALL GARDENS

1903

DA
670

H2HS

CONTENTS OF VOLUME TWO

PACE

Dedication ............... v

Contents ............... ix

List of Illustrations .............. xi

Preface xiii

List of Abbreviations ............. xv

Ecclesiastical History ... By Rev. J. C. Cox, LL.D., F.S.A. I

Religious Houses ....

Introduction .............. 104

Priory of St. Swithun, Winchester . . . . . . . . . .108

New Minster, or the Abbey of Hyde . . . . . . . . .116

Nunnaminster, or the Abbey of St. Mary, Winchester . . . . . .122

Abbey of Romsey . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Wherwell 132

Quarr . .137

Beaulieu ........ .140

Netley . .146

Priory of Wintney ....... ..... 149

Christchurch Twyneham .... .... 1 5 2

St. Denis, Southampton ..... . . 160

Southwick ........ .... 164

Breamore . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Mottisfont . . . . . . . . . . . .172

Selborne . .175

Oratory of Barton 180

Abbey of Titchfield 1 8 1

Preceptory of Baddesley or Godsfield . . . . . . . . .187

Dominicans of Winchester . . . . . . . . . . .189

Franciscans ........... 191

Austin Friars ........... 192

Carmelites 193

Franciscans of Southampton . . . . . . . . . . 193

Hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester . . . . . . . . -'93

St. Mary Magdalene, Winchester . . . . . . . .197

St. John Baptist ........ 200

St. Julian or God's House, Southampton ...... 202

St. Mary Magdalene ...... 205

God's House, Portsmouth ........... 206

II ix b

CONTENTS OF VOLUME TWO

Religious Houses (conttnueJ) PACE

Hospital of St. John Baptist, Basingstoke . . . 208

Fordingbridge .211

College of Marwell ... .211

St. Elizabeth, Winchester . 212

Chapel and Gild of the Holy Ghost, Basingstoke . .214

Priory of St. Helen . . . 215

Hayling ... . .... 216

Hamble ..... ....... 221

Andwell ...... ....... 223

St. Cross, I. of Wight .......... 225

Monk Sherborne ........... 226

Ellingham . ........ 229

Carisbrooke ... ........ 230

Applcdurcombe . . . . . . . . . . .231

Early Christian Art and Inscriptions. By J. ROMILLY ALLEN, F.S.A. .... 233

History of Schools . . . . By A. F. LEACH, M.A., F.S.A ..... 250

Forestry and the New Forest . . By J. NISBET, D.OEC. and The Hon. GERALD W.

LASCELLES ....... 409

Topography : Alton Hundred. Compiled by W. J. HARDY, F.S.A.

Alton Hundred . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 1

Alton . . Architectural description of Church, by W. H. ST. JOHN Horn, M.A. 473

Binsted .. ,, 483

Bramshott C. R. PEERS, M.A., F.S.A. . 491

Chawton . W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, M.A. 496

Manor House, by C. R. PEERS, M.A., F.S.A. 496

Froyle Church, by W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, M.A. 501

Greatham C. R. PEERS, M.A., F.S.A. . 506

Hartley Mauditt W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, M.A. 508
Holybourne and

Neatham ,, C. R. PEERS, M.A., F.S.A. . 511

Kingsley W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, M.A. 515

East Worldham n 5 , 8

> ,, 521
Indei of Parishes in Topographical Maps . . . . . . . . .524

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Winchester. By WILLIAM HYDE

Cardinal Beaufort .

Bishop Waynflete

Marprelate Tract

Episcopal Seals

Seals of Religious Houses

PACE

. frontispiece
full-page plate facing 46

two full-page plates 102

. full-page plate

140

>,> ... 1 60

Font, South Hayling Church 1

Saxon Rood, Romsey Abbey J

Font, Winchester Cathedral ........ 240

Winchester Cathedral ........ 242

St. Mary Bourne Church ...... two full-page pLites 244

St. Michael's Church full-page plate 246

Porchester Church ")

l ........ 248

East Meon Church J

William of Wykeham ......... 261

Archbishop Chicheley . 262

Winchester College Statutes Title-page ...... 264

John Kent .... . 274

Winchester College in 1460 ........ 290

Eminent Wykehamists ......... 292

Prince Arthur with Catherine of Aragon ...... 294

Archbishop Warham ......... 296

Bishop Ken . . . 338

Joseph Warton 348

Sydney Smith. 352

Dr. Goddard . 354

Lord Chancellor Hatherley . . . . . . . . 356

Archbishop Howley. ......... 358

Chief Justice Erie .......... 360

Lord Chancellor Cranworth ........ 360

Viscount Cardwell .......... 362

Roundell Palmer, Earl of Selborne . . . . . . . 362

Robert Lowe, Viscount Sherbrooke ....... 364

James Edwards Sewell ......... 366

General View of Alton ............. 473

Corner of the Market-Place, Alton . . . . . . . . . -473

Plan of Alton Church full-page plate facing 480

Arches of the Old Central Tower, Alton Church . . . . . . . .481

Interior of Alton Church looking West 1 ,

full-page plate facing 482

Interior of Alton Church looking East J

Binsted Wyck ..... ........ 484

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Binsted Church from the South-East . . 4 8 7

Interior of Church . ... . ... 488

Monument of Richard de Westcote \ fall-page plate facing 488

Arches in Binsted Church

Glass in Lancet Window of the Baptistery at Binsted 4 8 9

Bramshott Place . . ' 49

Royal Anchor Hotel, Liphook . -493

Chancel of Bramshott Church from South Transept . . . 494

Chawton House (from an old picture) . 497

Chawton House . . 499

Entrance Doorway to Stables ... . 5

Church of St. Nicholas of Chawton .... . . .501

An Old Timbered Cottage at Froyle . ... 502

Coldrey House . 53

Church and Manor House at Froyle . . 54

Window in Froyle Church . . . full-page plate facing 504

Ruins of the Old Church, Greatham .... S7

South Doorway of Hartley Mauditt Church full-page plate facing 508

The Round House, Hartley Mauditt 59

Bell Turret on Hartley Mauditt Church full-page plate facing 510

Holybourne Village . . . . . . . . . . . . -5 11

Source of the Holybourne . . . . . . . . . . 5 ' z

The Mill, Neatham 513

Lode Farm, Kingsley ... . . ..517

Old Church of St. Nicholas of Kingsley 517

Chancel of Church, East Worldham . . . 520

Doorway in East Worldham Church ...... full-page plate facing 520

Hammond's Farm, West Worldham . . . . . . . . . . .522

St. Nicholas' Church, West Worldham 522

LIST OF MAPS

Ecclesiastical Map of Hampshire ......... facing 101

Index Map to the Hundreds of Hampshire ....... ,,471

Index Map to the Hundred of Alton .......... 472

Index Map to Sections of the Topographical Map . . . . . . . 527

Topographical Map of Hampshire in six sections at end of volume

[The Shields of Arms have been drawn by Mr. J. Forbes Nixon, under the direction of
Mr. Oswald Barren, F.S./t.]

PREFACE

IN placing the second volume of the History of Hampshire and the
Isle of Wight before their readers the editors feel that an apology is
due from them for the long interval which has been allowed to
elapse since the publication of the first volume.

As the history of this county was the first in the series of which
it forms a part the scheme for the whole undertaking has had to be devel-
oped in the course of the preparation of the present volume. The small
amount of original research which has hitherto been made for Hamp-
shire was in itself a serious obstacle to rapid progress ; but in the course
of the work it was found necessary to revise very largely the system of
dealing with original research for the Victoria History Series as a whole.
Experience proved that many classes of records would have to be ex-
hausted for all the counties in order to obtain the information needed for
the compilation of the articles contained herein. Further difficulties have
arisen owing to changes in editorship. With the exception of a few local
investigations the present volume does not contain any contributions by
the Rev. G. H. Gotley, who was originally appointed joint topographical
editor with Mr. W. J. Hardy. Mr. Gotley's connection with the
Victoria History was severed before any portion of the topography of
Alton Hundred was completed.

In the course of a work which deals on a great scale with English
armory, and more particularly with its ancient forms, the difficulty must
be met at the outset of reconciling the conflicting methods of blazonry
offered by the many handbooks of modern armorial writers. The editors
have therefore decided to adopt throughout the work the simple and
easily understood blazon used in mediaeval times, following as far as is
possible the neglected and historic English form of phrases.

The succeeding volumes will continue, until it be completed, the
topographical and municipal history of the county, and thereafter will
follow articles on maritime, political, social and economic history, sport
and biographies.

For permission to reproduce certain of the illustrations in this
volume the editors beg to thank the Viscount Dillon, Mrs. Wickham,

xiii

PREFACE

Messrs. C. Butler, William Curtis, Montagu G. Knight, the Wardens of
New College and All Souls College, Oxford, and the Society of Anti-
quaries. The editors are also under special obligations to Mr. Montagu
G. Knight for presenting a drawing of Chawton House, and to Mr.
Knight, Sir J. C. Hubert Miller, Mr. Henry J. Button, Mr. Henry
Wheeler, and the clergy and numerous individuals throughout the
hundred for affording help in the manorial history of several parishes.

Finally, the editors wish to acknowledge gratefully the contributions
on architecture voluntarily made by Mr. C. R. Peers and Mr. W. H.
St. John Hope.

XIV

TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS

Abbrev. Plac. (Rec.

Com.)

Acts of P.C. . .
Add ......

Add. Chart. . .
Admir .....

Agarde ....

Anct. Corresp. .
Anct. D. (P.R.O.)

A 2420
Antiq .....

Arch

Arch. Cant.
Archd. Rec.
Archit
Assize R. .
Aud. Off.
Aug. Off. .
AylofFe .

Bed

Beds

Berks ....

Bdle

B.M

Bodl. Lib. . . .

Boro

Brev. Reg. . . .

Brit

Buck

Bucks . . . .

Cal

Camb

Cambr

Cant

Cap

Carl

Cart. Antiq. R.
C.C.C. Camb. . .

Certiorari Bdles.

(Rolls Chap.)
Chan. Enr. Decree

Chan. Proc. . .
Chant. Cert.

Chap. Ho. . . .
Charity Inq. .
Chart. R. 20 Hen.
III.pt. i. No. 10
Chartul.

Abbreviatio Placitorum (Re-
cord Commission)

Acts of Privy Council

Additional

Additional Charters

Admiralty

Agarde's Indices

Ancient Correspondence

Ancient Deeds (Public Record
Office) A 2420

Antiquarian or Antiquaries

Appendix

Archaeologia or Archaeological

Archaeologia Cantiana

Archdeacon's Records

Architectural

Assize Rolls

Audit Office

Augmentation Office

Ayloffe's Calendars

Bedford

Bedfordshire

Berkshire

Bundle

British Museum

Bodley's Library

Borough

Brevia Regia

Britain, British, Britannia, etc.

Buckingham

Buckinghamshire

Calendar

Cambridgeshire or Cambridge

Cambria, Cambrian, Cam-
brensis, etc.

Canterbury

Chapter

Carlisle

Cartae Antiquae Rolls

Corpus Christ! College, Cam-
bridge

Certiorari Bundles (Rolls
Chapel)

Chancery Enrolled Decree
Rolls

Chancery Proceedings

Chantry Certificates (or Cer-
tificates of Colleges and
Chantries)

Chapter House

Charity Inquisitions

Charter Roll, 20 Henry III.
part i. Number 10

Chartulary

Chas

Ches

Chest

Ch. Gds. (Exch.
K.R.)

Chich

Chron

Colch

Coll

Com

Com. Pleas .
Conf. R. . . .
Co. Plac. . . .

Cornw

Corp

Cott

Ct. R

Ct. of Wards . .

Cumb

Cur. Reg. .

D. and C. . . .
De Bane. R. . .
Dec. and Ord.
Dep. Keeper's Rep.

Derb

Devon ....

Doc

Dods. MSS. . .
Dom. Bk. . . .

Dors

Duchy of Lane.
Dur

East

Eccl

Eccl. Com.

Edw

Eliz

Engl

Engl. Hist. Rev. .
Epis. Reg. . . .
Esch. Enr. Accts. .
Excerpta e Rot. Fin.

(Rec. Com.)
Exch. Dep. . .
Exch. K.B. . .
Exch. K.R. . .

Exch. L.T.R. . .

Exch. of Pleas, Plea

R.
Exch. of Receipt .

Charles

Cheshire

Chester

Church Goods (Exchequer

King's Remembrancer)
Chichester

Chronicle, Chronica, etc.
Close Roll
County
Colchester
Collections
Commission
Common Pleas
Confirmation Rolls
County Placita
Cornwall
Corporation
Cotton or Cottonian
Court Rolls
Court of Wards
Cumberland
Curia Regis

Dean and Chapter
De Banco Rolls
Decrees and Orders
Deputy Keeper's Reports
Derbyshire or Derby
Devonshire
Documents
Dodsworth MSS.
Domesday Book
Dorsetshire
Duchy of Lancaster
Durham

Easter Term

Ecclesiastical

Ecclesiastical Commission

Edward

Elizabeth

England or English

English Historical Review

Episcopal Registers

Escheators Enrolled Accounts

Excerpta e Rotulis Finium
(Record Commission)

Exchequer Depositions

Exchequer King's Bench

Exchequer King's Remem-
brancer

Exchequer Lord Treasurer's
Remembrancer

Exchequer of Pleas, Plea Roll

Exchequer of Receipt

TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS

Exch. Spec. Com. Exchequer Special Commis-

FeetofF. . . .
Feod. Accts. (Ct.

of Wards)
Feod. Surv. (Ct. of

Wards)
Feud. Aids . . -

fol

Foreign R. . . .
Forest Proc. . .

Gen

Geo

Glouc

Guild Certif.
(Chan.) Ric. II.

Hants

Harl.

Hen.

Heref.

Hertf.

Herts

Hil. .

Hist.

Hist. MSS. Com.
Hosp .....
Hund. R. . . .
Hunt .....
Hunts . . . .

Inq. a.q.d. .

Inq. p.m. .

Inst ......

Invent .....

Itin

Jas. .
Journ.

Lamb. Lib.

Lane

L. and P. Hen.
VIII.

Lansd

Ld. Rev. Rec. . .

Leic

Le Neve's Ind.

Lib

Lich

Line

Lond

m. . . .
Mem. . .
Memo. R. .
Mich. . .
Midd. . .
Mini. Accts.

sions

Feet of Fines

Feodaries Accounts (Court of

Wards)
Feodaries Surveys (Court of

Wards)
Feudal Aids
Folio

Foreign Rolls
Forest Proceedings

Genealogical, Genealogica,

etc.

George

Gloucestershire or Gloucester
Guild Certificates (Chancery)

Richard II.

Hampshire

Harley or Harlcian

Henry

Herefordshire or Hereford

Hertford

Hertfordshire

Hilary Term

History, Historical.Historian,

Historia, etc.

Historical MSS. Commission
Hospital
Hundred Rolls
Huntingdon
Huntingdonshire

Inquisitions ad quod dam-

num

Inquisitions post mortem
Institute or Institution
Inventory or Inventories
Ipswich
Itinerary

James
Journal

Lambeth Library
Lancashire or Lancaster
Letters and Papers, Hen.

VIII.

Lansdowne

Land Revenue Records
Leicestershire or Leicester
Le Neve's Indices
Library
Lichfield

Lincolnshire or Lincoln
London

Membrane
Memorials
Memoranda Rolls
Michaelmas Term
Middlesex
Ministers' Accounts

Misc. Bks. (Exch.
K.R., Exch.
T.R. or Aug.
Off.)

Mon.
Monm.
Mun.
Mus.

N. and Q. .
Norf. . .
Northampt.
Northants .
Northumb. .
Norw. .
Nott.

N.S.

Off. . .
Orig. R.
Oxf. .

Palmer's Ind. .
Pal. of Chest. . .
Pal. of Dur. . .
Pal. of Lane. .
Par ......

Parl ......

Parl. R .....

Parl. Surv. . . .

Partic. for Gts.
Pat ......

P.C.C .....

Peterb .....
Phil .....
Pipe R .....
Plea R .....
Pope Nich. Tax.

(Rec. Com.)
P.R.O .....
Proc .....
Proc. Soc. Antiq. .

Pub.

Rec. . . .
Recov. R. . .
Rentals and Surv.

Rep

Rev

Ric

Roff. . . .
Rot. Cur. Reg.
Rut. .

Sarum
Ser. .
Sess. R.
Shrews.

Miscellaneous Book (Ex-
chequer King's Remem-
brancer, Exchequer Trea-
sury of Receipt or Aug-
mentation Office)

Monastery, Monasticon

Monmouth

Muniments or Munimenta

Museum

Notes and Queries
Norfolk
Northampton
Northamptonshire
Northumberland
Norwich

Nottinghamshire or Notting-
ham
New Style

Office

Originalia Rolls
Oxfordshire or Oxford

Page

Palmer's Indices

Palatinate of Chester

Palatinate of Durham

Palatinate of Lancaster

Parish, Parochial, etc.

Parliament or Parliamentary

Parliament Rolls

Parliamentary Surveys

Particulars for Grants

Patent Roll or Letters Patent

Prerogative Court of Canter-
bury

Peterborough

Philip

Pipe Roll

Plea Rolls

Pope Nicholas' Taxation (Re
cord Commission)

Public Record Office

Proceedings

Proceedings of the Society of
Antiquaries

Part

Publications

Roll

Records

Recovery Rolls

Rentals and Surveys

Report

Review

Richard

Rochester diocese

Rotuli Curia Regis

Rutland

Salisbury diocese
Series

Sessions Rolls
Shrewsbury

xvi

TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS

Shrops ....

Soc

Soc. Antiq. .

Somers

Somers. Ho.

S.P. Dom. . . .

Staff. ....

Star Chamb. Proc.

Stat

Steph

Subs. R. . . .

Suff.

Surr

Suss

Surv. of Ch. Liv-
ings (Lamb.) or
(Chan.)

Topog

Trans.

Shropshire Transl. .

Society Treas.

Society of Antiquaries Trin.

Somerset
Somerset House
State Papers Domestic
Staffordshire

Star Chamber Proceedings
Statute
Stephen
Subsidy Rolls
Suffolk
Surrey
Sussex

Surveys of Church Livings
(Lambeth) or (Chancery)

Translation
Treasury or Treasurer
Trinity Term

Univ University

Valor Eccl. (Rec. Valor Ecclesiasticus (Record

Com.) Commission)

Vet. Mon. . . . Vetusta Monumenta

V.C.H Victoria County History

Vic Victoria

vol. Volume

Warw. .
Westm. .
Will. .
Wilts .
Winton.
Wore.

Topography or Topographi-
cal
Transactions Yorks

Warwickshire or Warwick

Westminster

William

Wiltshire

Winchester diocese

Worcestershire or Worcester

Yorkshire

xvn

ECCLESIASTICAL
HISTORY

AMPSHIRE possesses the most interesting relic of the
Romano-British church that has as yet been found in England.
The foundations of the little fourth century Christian church
within the walls of Silchester, uncovered in 1893,* together
with the gold ring bearing a Christian inscription, 2 and the leaden seal
stamped with the Chi-Rho monogram, 3 have been already described and
illustrated.

Though archaeology is thus definite in its evidence as to early
Christianity in the shire, history has nothing to say, for the tales of
King Lucius and of Constantine's college at Winchester are but pious
inventions of the fifteenth century.

Of the archaeology of the Anglo-Saxon Church, from the seventh
century downwards, Hampshire has abundant evidence in the structure
and stones of many of her churches, as will be elsewhere shown ; but
for this period history speaks plainly.

The story of the conversion of Wessex and the establishment of the
bishopric in Hampshire is easier to follow and much less involved than
the like tale in many other English shires, particularly in those of the
outlying parts of Mercia. This arises to some extent from Wessex
becoming the most important of all the petty kingdoms, which naturally
brought about a greater care and fulness in its chronicles.

Wessex, or the kingdom of the West Saxons, was founded by
Cerdic about 519 ; but it was not until 634 that the missionary bishop
Birinus, with a little band of evangelists, is said to have begun the
work of converting the south and west of England. The remnants
of that Celtic church, which once had foothold in Hampshire, had long
ago been driven elsewhere, mainly to the extreme west. Reports as to
the outer darkness of most of this country appealed to the missionary
instincts of Birinus, and offering himself to Pope Honorius he was
consecrated bishop at Genoa and sent forth, as Bede expresses it, ' to
sow the seeds of the holy faith in the innermost parts of pagan Britain.'
Landing on the coast of Wessex (probably at Porchester), Birinus at first
intended to push on into Mercia where there was as yet no bishopric ;
but finding heathendom absolutely dominant among the Gewissas he
deemed it best to tarry at the court of King Cynegils. He preached the

1 Supra, i. 278, 364-5. * Ibid. i. 223. s Ibid. i. 284.

II T I

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

faith with such earnestness at Winchester that in the following year the
king, with his son Cenwalh and many of the chiefs, was baptized. At
this function the duty of chief sponsor, who gave the newly baptized
Christian his hand as he left the water, was undertaken by Oswald, the
famous king of Northumbria, the devoted adherent of the Scottish
church. Thus was brought about at this historic baptism a most happy
blending of the Christian influences of Celtic and Italian origin, each of
which had their share in the enlightenment of Wessex. It may be
suggested, without in the least impugning the reality of Cynegils' accept-
ance of the truth, that state policy possibly showed the advantage of a
Christian alliance. The baptism was shortly followed by the marriage
of Oswald with the king's daughter.

Winchester was not however made the first seat of the West
Saxon bishopric. Cynegils, in conjunction with his royal son-in-law,
decided that the bishop's stool should be placed at Dorchester-on-the-
Thames. It seems at first sight curious that the centre of the see
should be placed on the verge of the kingdom, but anticipations as to
the future development of their respective kingdoms, which were not
afterwards fulfilled, afford the probable solution of this decision of the
two friendly kings. Bede tells us how zealously Birinus laboured, build-
ing and dedicating churches, and winning much people to the faith.
He died in 650 and was buried at Dorchester.

Although Winchester was not as yet the ecclesiastical capital of
the kingdom, Cenwalh built there a great church dedicated to Saints
Peter and Paul, the parent of the future cathedral church, and established
a monastery whence Christianity radiated into parts that could but rarely
be visited by Birinus.

Into the diocesan divisions connected with the short episcopates of
Agilbert, Wini and Leutherius there is no occasion to enter ; suffice it
here to say that in 676 Bishop Haedde transferred the episcopal seat
from Dorchester to Winchester, and translated the body of Birinus to
the cathedral church of the city that had witnessed the royal baptisms
of 634. Haedde's great piety secured for him the honour of canoniza-
tion, and Bede records many miracles at his tomb. On his death in 705
the growing diocese was divided ; Hampshire with the Isle of Wight,
Surrey and Sussex forming the diocese of Winchester, whilst the more
recently converted parts further west were placed in the charge of a
bishop established at Sherborne.

With regard to the Isle of Wight, it may be remarked that as it
lay opposite the division between the two kingdoms of Wessex and
Sussex there was much dispute as to its ownership, it being at one time
considered part of Wessex and at another of Sussex. Bishop Daniel
(7 5-44) was the first person to exercise episcopal authority in the
island. Bede's language implies that up to that period it had not
received Christianity. 1 From that date onwards it has always remained
a part of the diocese of Winchester.

1 Bede (Engl. Hist. Soc.), iv. 16.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

The Isle of Wight, conquered by the Jutes, received its Christianity
from another source. In the strange vicissitudes and wanderings of
St. Wilfrid, that bishop sought shelter in 687 in the kingdom of Sussex
under the Christian king Ethelwald. Here he laboured successfully for
some years and befriended Cedwalla, an exiled member of the royal
house of Wessex. When Cedwalla came to the throne of the West
Saxons in 686 he gave to Wilfrid for the church a fourth part of the
Isle of Wight, which had been the last stronghold of paganism. At
this time Wilfrid was returning to the north of England, and he com-
mitted the charge of this property and the spiritual necessities of the
island to Bernwin, one of his clerks, and to a priest named Hiddila. 1

The kingdom of Sussex, or the South Saxons, not only for some
time possessed the Isle of Wight, but also the Jutish settlement of the
Meonwaras on the mainland. When the Jutes arrived simultaneously
with the West Saxons, one of their tribes made their way up the Meon,
a tributary of Southampton Water. Along the borders of that stream
they established little colonies or settlements, and became known as the
Meonwara or men of Meon. They held themselves rigidly aloof from
their neighbours, and had not been touched by the Christian teaching of
Birinus and his successors. Here, at the end of the seventh century,
Wilfrid also laboured with conspicuous success, founding several churches
and christianizing this wedge of Jutish territory which had long before
been driven into the heart of Hampshire. The archaeologist finds many
traces of pre-Norman church fabrics along the banks of the Meon. At
Warnford a most interesting double inscription on the church, of a date
a generation or two after the Norman Conquest, still testifies to the
missionary zeal of St. Wilfrid, telling of the rebuilding of this seventh
century church by a great Hampshire landowner, Adam de Port, in the
time of Henry II. The inscriptions run as follows, the first on the
porch and the second on the north wall :

(1) FRATRES ORATE PRECE VESTRA SANCTIFICATE
TEMPLI FACTORES SENIORES AC JUNIORES

PRIVAVIT WILFRIT FUNDAVIT BONUS ADAM MODO RENO[VAVIT].

(2) ADAM me DE PORTU sous BENEDICAT AB ORTU GENS CRUCE <SIGNATA

PER QUEM SUM SIC RENOVATA.

Returning to the episcopate of the West Saxons, it should be noted
that Bishop Daniel, within a few years of his consecration, was the
better able to administer his diocese by the formation (in 711) of the
new diocese of Sussex, leaving only Hampshire, with the Isle of Wight
and Surrey, in his charge. This, with some slight modifications, has
ever since remained the extent of Winchester diocese. Daniel was the
contemporary and friend of Bede, and of much assistance to him in those
parts of his history that relate to Wessex and Sussex. He was a man
of much learning and devotion and of many gifts.* He was also able to

1 Bede (Eng. Hist. Soc.), iv. 16.

8 The author of the life of St. Aldhelm, the contemporary Bishop of Sherborne, writes of Daniel
as vir in multis itrenuisissimus.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

give much advice and counsel to Winfrid of Crediton, who had been
educated in the Hampshire monastery of Nursling, and who afterwards
became so well known, under the name of Saint Boniface, as the great
Christian missionary to the heathen tribes of Germany. After ruling
his diocese for forty-two years, Daniel's health and eyesight failed ; he
resigned his see and spent the last months of his life in retirement at
the monastery of Malmesbury, of which house he had originally been a
monk.

There is nothing noteworthy pertaining to the ecclesiastical history
of Hampshire or the bishops of Winchester during the last half of the
eighth century, but the cathedral city and hence the county rose to great
importance when Egbert came to the throne in 802. His reign is a
distinct epoch in English history, for it was then that the sceptre of
English rule departed from Northumbria and Mercia and settled for a
considerable period in Wessex. By 829 Egbert was practically king of
England, with his capital at Winchester: though other subject rulers
kept for a time their titles of kings they all accepted Egbert as their
over-lord. Egbert made numerous grants of land to the great minster
of St. Peter and St. Paul at Winchester, the chief Hampshire gifts being
at Droxford and Worthy, as well as at Calbourne in the Isle of Wight. 1

In 835 the peace of his kingdom was disturbed by a great invasion
of Scandinavian pirates, who landed from thirty-five ships at Charmouth
in Dorset. Egbert gave them battle and there was a great slaughter.
The English chronicle states that the Danes held the field, and 'Herefrith
and Wigthun two bishops died.' It is supposed that both these eccle-
siastics were bishops of Wessex, and that one was the suffragan of the
other.

In 838 Helmstan, a monk of Winchester and tutor of Egbert's
younger son Ethelwulf, was consecrated bishop. Another ecclesiastic,
Swithun, was associated with Helmstan in the tutelage of Ethelwulf.
His clerical tutors had such influence over the prince that he received
orders, but by the time he had advanced to the sub-deaconship his
elder brother and father both died. A papal dispensation was obtained,
and in 837 Ethelwulf was called to the throne. On the death of
Bishop Helmstan in 852 the king summoned his old tutor Swithun to
succeed him. The ten years of St. Swithun's episcopate were remark-
able for vigour of administration. William of Malmesbury delights to
do this prelate honour, and much of the glory of Alfred's subsequent
reign was attributed to the bishop's wise counsel. He is described as
a diligent builder of churches in the diocese and a repairer of those
that had been ruined, 1 and as so humble that he always went on foot in
his visitations, and preferred travelling by night so as to attract less
attention. The celebrated and oft disputed charter, popularly supposed
to be for the general establishment of tithes, attested by the king and
his two vassal kings of Mercia and the East Angles in 854 and placed

1 Kemblc's CoJex Diplomatictu, v. 73-87.

* About fifty old churches arc dedicated to St. Swithun, seven of which are in his old diocese.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

on the high altar in the cathedral church of Winchester, is the most
memorable event during Swithun's episcopacy. 1

In 857 Ethelwulf was succeeded by his son Ethelbald, and it was
Swithun who persuaded the latter to fortify the church and monastery
of Winchester in readiness for any sudden attack on the part of the
Danes. The advantage of this timely act was realized in the reign of
his brother Ethelbert, for in 860 a great army of Norsemen landed at
Southampton and made an onslaught upon Winchester. Most of the
city was plundered and burnt, but the new defence works saved the
minster and the cloister, together with all the citizens who had fled there
for safety. In 862 the good bishop died, and is said to have been buried
in the churchyard that the rain of heaven might fall upon him.

Wessex was now the only kingdom strong enough to resist the
Danes. Ethelred, the third son of Ethelwulf, came to the throne in 866,
and with the powerful assistance of his youngest brother Alfred fought
gallantly and continuously against the foe and their treacherous allies.
In the hottest of the strife in 871, Ethelred was slain, and the charge of
the almost ruined kingdom devolved upon the heroic Alfred. To eight
years of war succeeded eighteen years of peace, during which the
Church flourished, chiefly through the education of her clergy, to
which Alfred gave special attention.

Amongst other continental men of learning, the king invited to
Winchester St. Grimbald, purposing to found for him a new monastery
(New Minster) in the cemetery to the north of the cathedral church. 2
He had already founded at Winchester the abbey of St. Mary for Bene-
dictine nuns, commonly known as the Nunnaminster. This grand group
of three great minsters with their conventual buildings, which filled up
the south-eastern angle of the city of Winchester, must have formed for
many a generation one of the finest architectural spectacles of all
Christendom.

On the death of Alfred in 899," one of the first acts of Edward the
Elder was to carry out his father's promises and complete the New
Minster, which was shortly afterwards dedicated by Archbishop Plegmund
of Canterbury. Edward also completed the Nunnaminster, to which
his mother Ealhswith betook herself, following the religious life with
such ardour that she was afterwards canonized.

There was a considerable re-division and extension of dioceses at
the beginning of the tenth century, when it is said that seven bishops
were consecrated at the same time. Though the dioceses of the west

1 The phrase of the chronicle is, ' He booked (gebocade) the tenth part of his lands to God's praise
and his own eternal welfare.' The gift therefore was expressly limited to the king's lands. Professor
Maitland thinks it may have been a case of ' beneficial hidation.' Cf. Earle's Land Charters, p. Ixxiii. n,
and Lord Selborne's facts and Fictions concerning Tithes.

* The name New Minster distinguished it from the cathedral church or ' Old Minster,' but in the
time of Henry I. it was removed to Hyde Meadow and was subsequently known for the most part as
Hyde Abbey.

3 Eng. Hist. Rev. xii. 71. Bishop Stubbs accepted the argument set forth by Mr. Stevenson in
this article as conclusively establishing the real date of Alfred's death.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

of England and in the south of Mercia were much altered about this
period, the limit of Winchester remained as before. Frithstan, a monk
of much piety who had been a scholar of St. Grimbald, was at this time
appointed to the bishopric of Winchester. Having ruled his diocese
with faithfulness for twenty years, like his predecessor Daniel, he resigned
the see in 931 to end his days in devotion, and died the following year.
The splendid stole and fanon of this good bishop, with numerous figures
of Old and New Testament saints and inscriptions embroidered in gold,
crimson, blue and green, are in the capitular library at Durham ; an
inscription on both stole and fanon says that 'dirked caused it to be made
for the pious Bishop Frithstan.' They were discovered in 1 827, when the
coffins of St. Cuthbert were ransacked. ./Elflaed or Ethelfled, who died in
o 1 6, was queen of Edward the Elder. It seems likely that these vestments
were the gift of Athelstan, illegitimate son of Edward the Elder, to the
shrine of the saint on the occasion of his visit to Chester-le-Street in
934. 1 Frithstan nominated Beornstan as his successor, who had been his
brother monk of the New Minster; Beornstan left behind him a blessed
reputation for charity to the poor and earnestness in prayer. William
of Malmesbury pictures him as walking about daily through the church-
yards of the city praying for the dead that he had known, whose lives
had been such as grieved him.

Alphege the Bald, a monk of Glastonbury, best known as being an
uncle of Dunstan, was the next bishop. On his death Dunstan was
offered the see, but refused. After two short and insignificant episco-
pates came Athelwold (963-84), afterwards canonized, a monk of
Glastonbury and the son of a wealthy citizen of Winchester. His
industry in church building equalled his piety, learning and zeal as a
preacher. It was through his personal exertions and superintendence
that the great churches so cruelly used by the Danes up and down the
country were renovated, as at Abingdon, Chertsey, Ely, St. Neots,
Peterborough, and Thorney. He rebuilt his cathedral church at Win-
chester, removing the bones of St. Swithun from the churchyard to a
shrine in the church on 15 July, 971. The terrific thunderstorm and
downpour of rain that gave rise to a weather tradition which seems to
be imperishable are inventions of a comparatively late date. The monk
Wulfstan, who had watched the growth of this great and then won-
drous pile of buildings, celebrated it in rough elegaic verse. He
describes the chapels, aisles and columns as being so numerous that
a man might easily be lost in their maze, and tells how it was
crowned with a mighty tower having pinnacles and balls of burnished
gold, the whole surmounted by a glistening weathercock which, when
it caught the morning sun, filled the traveller descending to the city
with amazement. The Benedictional of St. Ethelwold, that priceless gem
of the Chatsworth library, yields in the background of one of the illu-

1 Rom illy Allen's Monumental History of the British Church, pp. 240-3 ; see also Thorpe's Difhma-
tarium, pp. 321-4, for an account of the visit to Durham of Eadwine, a monk of New Minster, Win-
chester, for the investiture of the body of St. Cuthbert.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

minations a contemporary drawing of this noble tower, with the golden
weathercock above the swinging bells. 1

Ethelwold also rebuilt the Nunnaminster and assisted King Edgar
in the renovating and extending of Romsey Abbey, which had been
founded by Edward the Elder.

In Ethelwold, Dunstan,then primate, found an energetic lieutenant for
that monastic revival which was the special characteristic of the last half of
the tenth century. After making every allowance for the exaggerations
and prejudices of the monkish chronicles, there can be no doubt that
the condition of the leading secular clergy of those days was often dis-
reputable. The clergy of the cathedral church of Winchester were
secular canons, and the bishop, with the support of King Edgar, re-
solved to replace them by Benedictine monks. On the first Saturday
in Lent, 964, Ethelwold went into the quire of his cathedral church
accompanied by one bearing a number of Benedictine cowls. After
an exhortation to holiness of life, the bishop urged the canons at once
to adopt the cowls as pledges of a change of life. Only three assented;
the remainder were dispossessed of their benefices, monks from the
abbey of Abingdon (whence Ethelwold had come to Winchester) being
put in their place. An embittered strife, of some duration, ensued be-
tween the regulars and seculars and their friends throughout the kingdom.

An interesting memorial of this eminent tenth century bishop was
his cup, which was greatly esteemed in the house of St. Swithun down
to the dissolution. It was the use of the monastery, on the day of the
deposition of that saint, for the keeper of the refectory to carry into the
frater St. Ethelwold's cup at dinner time with a pitcher of wine. After
it had been kissed by all the brethren there assembled, the cup was
carried to be kissed by every one at the tables of the farmery, and then to
the prior's hall for a like salutation from the prior and his guests. 2

On the death of Ethelwold in 984 the dispossessed canons tried
their best to recover their position, but Dunstan secured the episcopal
throne of Winchester for Alphege II., a keen supporter of the monastic
rule. Some of the most stirring events in the life of this saintly prelate
occurred during the twenty years that he presided over the see of Win-
chester. In 994, when Ethelred (the degenerate successor of Edgar and the
short-lived Edward the Martyr) reigned, Olaf of Norway and Sweyn of
Denmark, after ravaging the western districts, wintered at Southampton.
Ethelred decided to make terms, and sent Bishop Alphege to offer
tribute and friendship. Olaf had already received baptism at the hands
of English missionaries in his own land. The exhortation of the bishop
greatly impressed the Norwegian king, who not only submitted to the
rite of confirmation but promised that he would never make another
raid on England. But Sweyn, an apostate and fiercely opposed to
Christianity, refused to join in any pledges, and on the death of Olaf
in the year 1000 he returned to the English coasts and ravaged Hamp-

1 Arthatloga, xxiv. pi. 32.

* A Consuetudinary of the Fourteenth Century, edited by Dean Kitchin in 1889, pp. 1 1, 20.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

shire right up to the walls of the city of Winchester. Then came the
wickedness of the massacre of St. Brice's Day (13 November, 1002),
when, after all allowance for exaggeration, the murder of a great number
of Danes throughout the kingdom was accomplished. The cruel work
began at Winchester, whence the order emanated. Prompt and
bitter was the vengeance. The next year brought Sweyn, with the
young Cnut his son, back to England to avenge their kindred. For
four years Sweyn marched backwards and forwards through southern
and eastern England in a continuous march of pillage and slaughter.
Southampton was sacked ; the abbey of Romsey was pillaged, the abbess
and her nuns escaping to Winchester. Waltham was burnt, and most
of the churches of the county were rased to the ground. In 1006 the
Danes had mastered all central England and made the Isle of Wight their
permanent winter quarters. They were bought off from time to time
by immense sums, but only to be succeeded by fresh bands. In 1014
Canterbury was sacked and burnt; and St. Alphege, who had been trans-
lated from Winchester to Canterbury in 1005, was murdered. In the
following year, 1015, Winchester had to ransom herself and give host-
ages.

To this terrible gloom, which had settled down more darkly over
Hampshire than over any other part of the country, there now came
unexpected relief. Sweyn died in 1014, and the feeble Ethelred returned
from Normandy with his heroic son Edmund Ironside. Cnut's main
strength was in Wessex, and he established his capital at Winchester.
On Ethelred's death in 1016, the Witan at Southampton accepted Cnut
as their king, whilst the burghers of London stood by Edmund. After
some months of fierce fighting between the rivals the two kings agreed
to divide the kingdom, with Winchester as the capital of the Dane's
dominion ; but immediately afterwards Edmund died, and Cnut became
the sole king of England. The Christianity of the young king seems
to have been genuine. As an act of reparation for the murder of Saint
Alphege by his countrymen, he caused the remains to be enshrined at
Canterbury and took an important part in the ceremonial. Winchester,
as the seat of his government, became the place of the greatest import-
ance in the kingdom. Cnut was lavish in his gifts both to the Old and
New Minsters, and on his death at Shaftesbury in 1035, at the early age
of forty, his remains were brought back for burial in the Old Minster. 1

Cnut had taken to wife Emma, daughter of the Duke of Nor-
mandy and widow of Ethelred, and after the succession and death of
their sons Harold and Harthacnut (the last of the Danish race of kings),
England joyfully called to the throne the surviving son of Ethelred and
Emma. This son, best known as Edward the Confessor, was crowned
at Winchester on Easter Day, 1043, by the Archbishops of Canterbury
and York and a host of suffragans. Alwine, a Norman by birth and
related to Queen Emma, was at this time Bishop of Winchester. The

1 His bones, with those of Emma his queen, are in one of the coffers on the screen of the
cathedral church.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

scandals once generally accredited, as to Emma and Alwine, and the
story of the ordeal of the red-hot ploughshares in the nave of the Old
Minster are now regarded by all scholars as mere myths.

Bishop Alwine died in 1047, and Stigand, Bishop of Elmham, was
translated to Winchester. His appointment was a victory for the anti-
Norman party at the court achieved by Earl Godwin. All the Norman
bishops but one were banished, and five years later Stigand, though still
retaining Winchester, was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. The
appointment was however uncanonical, Robert of Jumieges being illegally
dispossessed of the archbishopric, and Stigand's claims were opposed by
successive popes. He was covetous and unscrupulous, and even his
friend Harold, nominated by Edward the Confessor as his successor in
1066, refused to accept coronation at his hands. After the defeat and
death of Harold, Stigand took part in the selection of Edgar Atheling ;
but meeting the Conqueror at Wallingford submitted to him. When at
William's request the papal legates visited England in 1070, Stigand was
cited before them. He was condemned on three counts for usurping
the archbishopric in Robert's lifetime and using his pall ; for receiving
his pall from a schismatical pope ; and for holding the see of Win-
chester in plurality. He was deprived of both sees and placed by the
king in custody at Winchester, where he remained till his death in
1072.

In connection with Winchester and the critical battle of Hastings,
there is a picturesque story of the abbot of New Minster fighting with
twelve of his monks in coats of mail over their monastic frocks, but Mr.
Round has shown that it rests on slight foundation. 1 The Conqueror
naturally hastened to Winchester, so long the imperial city, and there he
met with no resistance. Two years after his crowning at Westminster,
the coronation of William and his wife Maud was repeated in the
cathedral church of Winchester.

Under the Normans the imperial importance of Winchester as a
city began to wane ; though its state importance was duly acknow-
ledged by the earlier Norman kings, London and Winchester divided
the honours between them. But from that day to the present the
bishopric of Winchester has continued to be considered one of the first
in all England. On the deposition of Stigand, Walkelin, a Norman,
a zealous adherent of the Conqueror and said to have been his kinsman,
was consecrated in his place as Bishop of Winchester. In 1079 he
began to re-build his cathedral church on a stately and majestic plan of
which much yet remains. The bishop was also energetic in parochial
church building, renovating or rebuilding the various churches on his
Hampshire manors. At East Meon he built himself a palace which
became his favourite residence.

As to Domesday Survey nothing need be here stated, save that no
fewer than 132 churches are named on the 300 manors ; but it must
always be remembered that no mention of a church is not proof of

1 Vol. i. p. 417.
II 92

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

its non-existence. About two-fifths of the total rental of the county
then belonged to the Church.

It was not until 1093 that the new cathedral church, with its
accompanying conventual buildings, was sufficiently completed for con-
secration in the presence of nearly all the bishops and abbots of the
kingdom. Walkelin was present at the consecration of Battle Abbey in
the following year, when the Red King granted him St. Giles fair and all
the royal rents in Winchester. But though Walkelin was a great bishop
as a builder, and in some respects as a diocesan, his intimacy with Rufus
made him a zealous supporter of the royal caprice and a staunch oppo-
nent of the saintly Anselm. At the council held at Winchester on
15 October, 1097, Walkelin was vehement against the archbishop and
his proposed appeal to Rome. ' Walkelin,' says Dean Kitchin, ' does
not come out well by the side of this strong hero of the church.
Anselm lost all of what was right, and, as his protest against the scandals
for the reign, Walkelin was made joint regent with Ranulph Flambard,
and became partaker of his iniquities.' 1 Flambard, the king's friend and
evil genius, had long made Winchester his home, where he presided
over the royal treasury. He was the chief abettor of the king's
favourite plans of keeping the preferments of the church vacant and
taking the revenue, or else of selling them unblushingly to the highest
bidder. When Walkelin died, in 1098, this wealthy and most important
see remained unfilled till after the death of Rufus in iioo, whilst the
unprincipled Flambard was made Bishop of Durham (1099-1 133).

When Henry heard of the death of Rufus he hurried to Win-
chester, and was elected king by the Witan on the very day of his
brother's unhonoured burial. His first act as king-elect was to fill up
the vacant see of Winchester by the appointment of William GifFard, a
Norman of noble birth, well versed in the court life and statecraft of the
day. GifFard was the first Bishop of Winchester who was also chan-
cellor of the kingdom, an office that was filled by nine of his successors,
this diocese being the most prolific in supplying statesmen of the first
rank from among its prelates.

The king's next step was to recall Anselm. The first important
act of the archbishop on his return was closely connected with Hamp-
shire. Edith (who afterwards took the name of Maud), the great-
granddaughter of Edmund Ironsides, was living in the abbey of Romsey,
over which her aunt Christine presided. The king desired to marry
Edith, urged thereto by reasons of policy as well as of affection. The
abbess warmly protested, asserting that the girl had made her profession
as a nun ; this was as warmly denied by Edith, who said that she only
occasionally wore a religious habit to pacify her aunt, but when the
abbess had left her she would throw it on the ground and trample on it.
The matter was referred to Anselm, who frankly accepted the girl's
story, and married the royal couple on St. Martin's Day, 1 1 oo, thus
uniting the houses of Rolf and Cerdic.

1 Historic Towns, Winchtster, p. 66.
10

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

A considerable difficulty, however, arose about the consecration of
Giffard which redounds greatly to the credit of that prelate. The
important dispute as to lay investiture was now at its height. A Lateran
Council of 1099, when Anselm was present, had declared any bishop
excommunicate who should accept investiture from a king. Anselm
was ordered by Henry to consecrate Giffard and two others nominated
respectively to the sees of Salisbury and Hereford. The archbishop
refused, save in the case of GifFard, who had declined to accept the ring
and crosier at the king's hands. Henry thereupon commanded the Arch-
bishop of York to consecrate the three bishops-elect, to which Gerard
consented. But the bishop-elect of Hereford declined, returning to the
king both ring and staff, the recognized symbols of spiritual power.
The king ordered Gerard to proceed with the consecration of the bishops
of Winchester and Salisbury; but in the very midst of the ceremony
Giffard's conscience asserted itself, and suddenly interrupting the service
he declared his agreement with his brother of Hereford, and that he
could not do this indignity to Anslem by accepting consecration from
Gerard of York. GifFard was then banished from court, and his pro-
perty seized by the Crown. The dispute was not settled until 1 1 07,
when on 1 1 August, at Canterbury, GifFard was at last consecrated by
Anselm, assisted by Gerard and divers other bishops.

For twenty-eight years GifFard now ruled the diocese with much
zeal. In the episcopal city the bishop made a considerable change by
removing the New Minster from its position so closely adjacent to the
Old Minster that the two interrupted each other's plain song to Hyde
Meadow, leaving a fine open space that still remains to the north of the
cathedral church. At the close of his episcopate, in 1129, Bishop
GifFard conferred a great blessing on his diocese by being the first
English bishop to recognize the spirit of religious revival and devotion
as shown forth in the Cistercian order, which did something to redeem
the bitterness of the coming days of anarchy and bloodshed. The
bishop in that year founded the first English monastery of Cistercians at
Waverley, close to the borders of Hampshire, in the northern part of
the great forest of Andred. Three years later the second English house
of this order was founded in the Winchester diocese, for in 1132 a
Cistercian abbey was established at Quarr, Isle of Wight. Some seventy
years later the great abbey of Beaulieu was founded, and from thence, in
1239, went a colony to establish Netley on the other side of the South-
ampton Water, so that Hampshire had three Cistercian abbeys within its
borders as well as one on its immediate confines. By the end of the
century this reformed order of earnest Benedictines had 1 20 houses in
Great Britain.

The episcopate of Henry of Blois, the son of the Conqueror's
daughter Adela, and the king's brother, extending from 1129 to 1171,
is one of the most striking in the annals of the see. There was far
more of the princely baron about Henry of Blois than of the Christian
bishop. He spent most of his great income in the building of castles,

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

particularly on his Hampshire manors of Farnham, Merdon (Hursley)
and Waltham, and converted the episcopal residence of his predecessors
in the city of Winchester into the strongly fortified castle of Wolvesey.

This proved to be most disastrous, so far as Hampshire was con-
cerned, in the prolonged and awful civil strife between the forces of
Stephen and Maud. If it had not been for these castles the soil of
Hampshire would have been spared much bloodshed, for not a little
of the struggle naturally centred round strongholds held by so influential
a personage of the royal line. The bishop was to be found now on one
side and now on the other, a line of conduct that was eminently dis-
astrous to the peace of his diocese. Having solemnly sworn fealty and
obedience to Maud, in the name of the Church and as papal legate at
a synod of his assembling at Winchester in 1 141, he very soon became
an equally energetic partisan of Stephen. This brought about a sicken-
ing warfare of seven weeks' duration in the very heart of the city of
Winchester. The bishop held Wolvesey Castle and the cathedral pre-
cincts for the king, and with fireballs deliberately burnt down the
recently erected New Minster at Hyde, the abbey of St. Mary and
twenty churches, as well as the royal palace and a great number of
houses.

There is one redeeming feature in the warlike career of this militant
bishop that does him no small credit. He held a council as papal
legate at London in the presence of the king in 1142, at which it was
resolved that ploughmen and ploughs should during the war be held as
sacred as clergy and churches, and solemn excommunication was pro-
nounced upon all who should attack or injure those engaged in agricul-
ture, who were to be esteemed as much in sanctuary in their fields as if
they were in churchyards. 1

Through pride in his legatine authority Bishop Henry was led to
endeavour to make Winchester an archbishopric, as the metropolitical
see of the old kingdom of Wessex. His prayer was however rejected
by Pope Innocent II., and on that pontiffs death in 1143 Henry ceased
to be legate and the honour was more appropriately conferred on Arch-
bishop Theobald. On the accession of Henry II. the bishop fled to the
continent, and the king dismantled three of his four Hampshire castles,
namely those of Wolvesey, Merdon, and Waltham. However a speedy
reconciliation ensued, but the bishop's overweening influence in state
affairs had departed. He was the consecrator of St. Thomas of Canter-
bury, and in the great controversy between the king and the archbishop
Henry of Blois always supported the latter. During his episcopate the
Austin priory of St. Denis was founded at Southampton ; but the best
memorial of the soldier-bishop is the noble foundation of the beautiful
hospital of St. Cross.

Henry II., in violation of the solemn pledge given at his enthrone-
ment, kept the see of Winchester vacant for two years, appropriating

1 Rog. de Wendover, Flares Hiitoriarum (Engl. Hist. Soc.), ii. 232; Matt. Paris, Hist. Angl. (Rolls
Scries), i. 270.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

its revenues. At last in May, 1 173, he gave leave to the monks of St.
Swithun's to proceed to an election, and their choice fell upon Richard
of Ilchester, a native of Winchester, and at that time Archdeacon of
Poictiers ; but his consecration was not effected until 6 October, 1 1 74,
at Canterbury, when the sees of Ely, Hereford, and Chichester were also
filled. Bishop Richard had formerly been a headstrong opponent of the
archbishop, but after the canonization of St. Thomas he showed his
penitence by causing the newly erected churches of his diocese to be
dedicated in honour of St. Thomas of Canterbury. 1 It has also been
supposed that he founded the hospital of St. Mary Magdalene for the
sick and infirm at Winchester in further expiation of this offence.
These were bad days for the successful working of the diocese, even
if much was done by proxy. To a soldier-bishop had succeeded a
lawyer-bishop, and the inner working of the Church's life must have
suffered grievously. Bishop Richard was appointed justiciar of Nor-
mandy in 1 1 76, justice itinerant for Hampshire and other counties in
1179, and eventually justiciar of England. The bishop died in 1189,
the same year as his master, Henry II.

To the lawyer-bishop succeeded Godfrey de Lucy (11891205),
himself the son of a chief justice. The most memorable event of this
episcopacy was the establishing, in 1202, of a gild or fraternity for the
renovation of the cathedral church, which was to exist for only five
years for the purpose of collecting alms. To this gild is probably due
much of the present beautiful east portion of St. Swithun's. To the
same period belongs the Cistercian abbey of Beaulieu, founded and
enriched by King John in 1 204 during an abnormal fit of penitence for
his iniquities.

In 1 207, two years after Bishop Godfrey's death, John paid his first
visit to Winchester, where he tarried for a twelvemonth, and there was
born the son who succeeded him. When the contest between John and
the Church was at last settled and the exiled bishops returned to
England they went straightway to Winchester. The miserable king
met the archbishop and his suffragans outside the walls, and falling on
his knees before them shed an abundance of tears. To the minor strains
of the Psalm of royal penitence the procession passed into the chapter
house, where John received absolution and swore to revive the laws of
the Confessor. Then Stephen Langton led the king into the great
church and sang mass, and John presented a mark of gold. The more
solemn the vows, the more did the faithless king delight to break them,
and no sooner was the ceremony over than John renewed his schemes
against both Church and barons. In their despair at this renewed
treachery, the barons invited the young Prince Louis of France to come
to their aid. John retreated to Winchester, but the city thrust him out and
welcomed Louis, who soon established himself in the castle of Wolvesey.

1 Several of the churches in this diocese usually assigned (as in the Diocesan Calendar) to St. Thomas
the Apostle are really dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury. This is the case with at least two of the
Hampshire churches, Bedhampton and Portsmouth.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The bishop who followed Godfrey was Peter des Roches, a Poitevin,
sometimes termed Peter de Rupibus. To Winchester diocese belongs the
disgrace of having the only bishop who abetted the king in his evil
ways, and who as a foreigner counselled John to resist the national will.
But Peter of Winchester, though the king's justiciar, proved no match
for Stephen of Canterbury ; and John, finding himself at last in Odiham
castle with a miserable following of only seven knights, was compelled
to give a reluctant assent to the Great Charter.

On the death of John there was a miserable beginning to the reign
of his successor. Henry III. (usually termed Henry of Winchester
from the place of his birth), a lad of nine, was crowned at Gloucester
in October, 1216, by Bishop Peter des Roches. Archbishop Langton
was at Rome, whilst London and Winchester were both in the hands
of the French. The Bishop of Winchester proved as evil a councillor
to the youthful Henry as to his father, and was alternately in favour or
disgrace. He died at Farnham Castle in 1238.

It is pleasant to be able to add that Bishop Peter's gross neglect of
his spiritual obligations brought upon him, even in those lax days, not
only the stern rebuke of his metropolitan, but a singularly severe censure
from the Roman pontiff. A bull of Innocent III. upbraids the Bishop
of Winchester in such vehement terms of rebuke that it seems best to
give its exact terms, particularly as it has hitherto escaped attention :

Innocencius papa III. Episcopo Wintoniensi. Si uera sunt que de te nobis
nunciantur non est timor del ante oculos tuos set abiecisti cum illo proprie forme
curam pariter et Salutis. Nostramque de te fiduciam et expectacionem penitus
fefellisti. Expectauimus enim vt ad regimen assumptus feruenti studio ecclesie sua
uira et ecclesiasticam non solum impenderes verum eciam defenderes libertatem debito
ad id pontificalis officii inductus nostre quoque gracie beneficio intitulatus. Tu autem
ut dicitur conuersus es in artum prauum et in sensum reprobum datus, earn crudelitate
tirannica opprimis et affligio ac in pessimam conaris reducere seruitutem eandem liber-
tantem (sic) conculcando : casque suscitando questiones consuetudinum contra ipsam
que non modum sopite verum eciam sicut dignum erat prorsus abolite sperabantur.
Ac uelud in corde tuo dixeris non est deus eo quod circa ecclesiam euis presumis
attemptare que ipsi quoque laici detestantur, et pro quibus euertendis ab ea deberes si
opus esset uitam tuam exponere : machinaris inducere super earn deo displicere non
metuens dum valeas homini complacere sicut ad nos certa relacoine pervenit et cedula
presentibus inclusa poterit edocere. Quam idcerco tibi duximus transmittendam vt hoc
speculo considerans uultum tuum de tue mentis tribunal! indices te ipsum. Paruis tibi
profecto est labor noster quam toleratum tot annis pro libertate et statu anglicane
ecclesie tu evacuare moliris tarn facile tamque cito efficere, ut in pace tot desiderata
suspiriis totque procurata laboribus amaritudinem suam amarrissimam conqueratur.
Hies igitur tacti doloribus cordis intrinsecus et circa tue presumptionis audaciam non
iniuste commoti et obtentu gracie immo sub pena indignacionis nostre et precipiendo
mandamus et mandando precipimus quatinus et excessus in present! cedula comprehensos
quantum que ualuens studeas emendare et attemptare similes decetero non presumas
pro certo sciturus quod nisi a talibus omnino duxeris desistendum nos tue temeritatis
insolenciam taliter curabimus castigare. Quod pena tua erit aliis in exemplum. 1

Though neglecting so much the spiritual affairs of his diocese, the
memory of Bishop Peter is associated with the momentous introduction
of the friars into his diocese. He was the founder of a house of

1 British Museum Add. MS. 34254, f.
14

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Dominican or Black friars, who planted themselves within the walls of
Winchester, on the north side of the city, about 1230. Winchester was
one of the twelve places in the kingdom that had all the four chief
orders of these town missionaries established in its midst. The Fran-
ciscans or Grey friars were placed here, near the east gate, by Henry
III. about the same period. The Carmelites or White friars had a
house found for them in 1278 opposite the church of St. Michael by
Peter, the parish priest of St. Helen's, Winchester. The Austin friars
also had a house near the south gate, founded in the time of Edward I.
Hampshire possessed one other friary, namely a house of Franciscans,
founded at Southampton in 1240.

It may be well here to give a few further particulars relative to the
friars of Hampshire gleaned from subsequent episcopal registers. The
common notion prevalent as to the friars is that they were one and all
armed with power to oust the secular beneficed priest from his pulpit
and to hear confessions just as they listed. But the Winchester registers,
as well as like episcopal records show that they were often under the direct
control of the diocesan. In the register of Bishop Pontoise (128213 4)
towards the end of the book, is an undated entry, but apparently per-
taining to the beginning of his episcopacy, which gives the names of
fifteen Dominican friars licensed to preach in the diocese. 1

On 8 March, 1318, Bishop Sandale directed his mandate to Robert
de Wamberge, commissary of the bishop's official, to license the warden
of the Franciscans of Winchester and eight other of the friars, together
with six Franciscan friars of the Southampton convent to preach and
hear confessions, who had been duly presented by their wardens ; but as
the three friars last named on the list, from the Winchester convent,
were unable through age and infirmity to go outside the doors of their
house, they were licensed to preach and hear confessions within the
priory precincts. 2

In May, 1318, the bishop gave leave to the prior and convent of the
Austin friars at Winchester for the consecration of the site, upon which
their church was to be built, by any bishop of the Catholic Church.
Immediately after its consecration, and before the church could possibly
have been built, the friars began to use the ground for burial. As the
site was adjacent to the most crowded and poorest part of the city, this
action would doubtless interfere with the burial fees of the secular clergy
of the adjacent parishes. On remonstrance, the bishop directed his
official to inhibit the Austin friars from using this cemetery, contrary to
his intention, as a common burial-place for those who wished to be there
interred. The bishop directed that the ground was only to be used for
the burial of friars and their servants. A month, however, had only
elapsed when the bishop found himself obliged to remove the interdict

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., John of Pontoise, f. zo6b. The names are Robert de Bromhierd, Stephen de
Winton, Robert de Forton, John de Hursley, Henry de Weston, Adam de Winton, Robert de Nomes,
Walter de Overton, William de Woxebrigg, Henry Trenchard, Reginald de Stackton, Richard de Basing,
John de Chireton, and Thomas de Basing. * Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. 26.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

on the friars' cemetery, it having been proved that such action was con-
trary to the papal privileges granted to this order. 1

During the short episcopate of Bishop Asserio (1320-3), who
was so constantly absent from England, the affairs of the diocese were
chiefly administered by Peter, Bishop of Corbavia. This bishop was a
Franciscan who had been consecrated to act as suffragan in the diocese
of London, but also fulfilled many episcopal duties in the dioceses of
Winchester, Rochester, and Canterbury. The fact of this active suf-
fragan being a Franciscan naturally gave considerable prominence to the
friars.

In August, 1321, license was granted to the Carmelite friars to
preach in the cathedral church every third turn in conjunction with
the Dominicans and the Franciscans. They were also authorized by the
same license to preach the Word of God, ' verbum Dei,' in the parish
churches throughout Hampshire and the rest of the diocese. As this
license however stipulated that the friars were not to preach in the
cathedral church if one of the monks of St. Swithun desired to do so, it
may naturally be concluded that the same rule applied to the parish
churches, and that Hampshire incumbents (provided they were them-
selves licensed preachers) were not obliged to yield their pulpits to the
friars if they desired personally to occupy them. 2 A fortnight later in
the same month, a further license was granted to those of the Carmelite
friars whom the provincial chapter might select for the purpose of hearing
confessions within the diocese, with the usual exception of reserved cases,
and with an indulgence of thirty days of all who availed themselves of
their ministrations. On 13 September, 1321, Nicholas de Morton, an
Austin friar, was appointed penitentiary for the diocese till fifteen days
after the ensuing Easter.

In November, 1322, license was granted to William de Corfe, a
Franciscan, to hear the confessions of Sir James de Norton, Sir Nicholas
de Spurshot and Sir Robert de Harnhull, as well as those of nine other
manorial lords and their wives who were all of first rank among the
county families. Sir James de Norton, who was lord of the manors of
Norton, Nutley, and East Tisted, was sheriff of the county on two
separate occasions. Sir Nicholas de Spurshot was one of the knights of
the shire from 1309-13, and was also steward of the abbey of Hyde.
The license also authorized the Franciscan to hear the confessions of the
rectors of Amport, Abbots Anne and Compton. .

A similar license was granted on the same day to Adam de Stokes,
a Dominican, to hear the confessions of Sir John de Insula, his wife and
children. Sir John was one of the barons of the Exchequer and gover-
nor of the Isle of Wight, and he had been sheriff of the county.

In 1325 Bishop Stratford formally authorized certain friars of each

F the four orders in his diocese to preach and hear confessions, and

instructed the parochial clergy to grant them the necessary facilities.

1 Winton. Epi5. Reg., Sandale, ff. 3 ob, 3,, 3 ,b. Ibid. Asserio, ff. 5 b, 8.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

This license was extended to William de Horseleye, prior of the Domini-
cans of Winchester, and nine of his brethren, one of them being
Nicholas de Stratton, doctor of theology ; to William de Sutton, warden
of the Franciscans of Winchester, and six of the friars ; to five of the
Franciscans of Southampton ; to Simon de Scaleby, prior of the Austin
friars of Winchester, and six others of that convent ; and to Thomas de
Gnosham, prior of the Carmelites of Winchester, and six of his convent.
As a proof that this was no rash licensing of every friar as a matter of
course, it may be noted that in this register several of the names have
been erased and others interpolated at a later date in Bishop Stratford's
episcopate.

The bishop issued a monition just before Lent, 1325, to the dean
(rural) of Winchester, enjoining that all the parishioners of the city
should be urged to attend the preaching of the friars on Ash Wednesday
in the cathedral church. 1

William of Wykeham, amidst all his other duties, found time to
hold the office of conservator of both the Dominican and Franciscan
friars throughout England and Wales. Although he was not called
upon to exercise the duties of this position in his own diocese, it was by
no means a sinecure. His registers afford proof that on various occasions
he had to interfere for the protection of friars and their interests in other
dioceses. 2 The custom of using friars as the chief diocesan confessors
had waned in most English dioceses in Wykeham's times. In 1393 the
bishop appointed John Cole, a Dominican, to hear confessions throughout
the diocese and to act even in reserved cases, but with him he associated
Thomas Nevyle, a monk of St. Swithun's who was afterwards prior. 3
Their treatment at the dissolution obtains later mention.

To return to the episcopal history. On the death of Peter,
Henry III., who had recently wedded Eleanor of Provence, tried to
secure the rich bishopric of Winchester for his wife's uncle, William
of Valence. The monks of St. Swithun stoutly resisted the king ;
they did not desire to have another soldier-bishop and termed
William of Valence a man of blood. Their choice fell upon William
of Raleigh, Bishop of Norwich, and afterwards on Ralph Nevill,
Bishop of Chichester, both of whom were favourite royal chaplains.
The king resisted, and the diocese was bishopless for five years.
At last William of Valence died, and the monks re-elected Raleigh,
notwithstanding the outrageous and continued violence of the king,
who actually on one occasion manacled the monks of Raleigh's party
in pairs and imprisoned them in a squalid den outside the city. The
monks of St. Swithun, on appealing to Rome, obtained from the pope
a confirmation of their right of free election ; they were not at the
king's bidding to elect any foreigner or person odious to England, but
to choose freely for bishop the man they deemed best for the post.

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 15.

* Wykeham's Registers (Hants Record Society), pt. iii. pp. 266, 271, 318, 347, 384, 534.
8 Ibid. pt. i. f. 157.
II 17 3

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Raleigh having his election thus ratified by Innocent III. came down to
Winchester to take possession, but the king insisted on the mayor
closing the city gates and refusing him admission. The bishop re-
taliated by laying an interdict on the cathedral and other churches, and
excommunicated all the officials, lay and cleric, who had any part in
denying him access to the city. The king rejoined by sending letters to
the clergy threatening them with the loss of their benefices if they
obeyed their diocesan. They listened however to the spiritual rather
than the temporal power, left the city and closed the churches. The
bishop crossed the seas ; but in 1244 the king relented, William of
Raleigh returned, all his opponents submitted, the interdict was removed,
and Henry, in token of reconciliation, dined at the bishop's table.

On William's death in 1250, the rapacious Henry put forward
another Poitevin, his half-brother Aymer of Valence, for election.
Aymer, who was a younger son of Isabel, King John's widow, by her
second husband Hugh le Brun, Count of La Marche, already possessed
through the king's pressure the income of four rich livings, as well as
innumerable pensions from other benefices. He was only in acolyte's
orders, was not of canonical age for consecration, possessed neither
learning nor character, and knew not the English tongue. At first the
monks of St. Swithun resisted, but the king appeared in person in their
chapter house, thrust himself into the abbot's or bishop's seat, and thence
addressed them with stern threats intermingled with blandishments.
The unhappy monks at last gave way, subject to papal dispensation.
The dispensation was soon granted, and not only so, but the pope
permitted this high-born intruder to retain all the revenues he had
drained from the Church of England prior to his election as bishop.
Matthew Paris said : ' It is believed that there was not one great
church in England from the breasts of which he did not suck the milk.'
These were sorry days for the Church in Hampshire. The timorous
monks had betrayed their trust by being cajoled into electing a youthful
prodigal as nominal bishop, the only redeeming point being that the
blasphemy of a consecration of Aymer was never performed in England.
They suffered severely for their cowardice, as Aymer greatly oppressed
the monks from time to time, subjecting them to inconceivable indigni-
ties, and filling their house with the riff-raff of the continent. Win-
chester's miserable plight was reflected in many other parts of the
country, and at last in 1258 came the Parliament of Oxford, which made
short work with the foreign intruder. Aymer's brother fled to his castle
of Wolvesey, dreading the wrath of Earl Simon. The barons attacked
the castle and drove Aymer from the kingdom, stripping him of his
possessions. A worse and more deservedly hated man never left the
walls of Winchester. Expelled from France, Aymer reached Rome and
actually obtained consecration at the hands of Pope Alexander IV. in
May, 1260. Setting out to return to this country he was taken ill at
Pans, where he died on December 4 to the unmistakable joy and relief
of the English.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

When the question of a successor to Aymer came before the
chapter of the monks of St. Swithun, fifty-four votes were recorded for
their old and misused prior, William of Taunton, whilst seven voted for
Andrew of London, who was nominated by the remnant of the foreign
party. The pope refused to ratify the election of either, and consecrated
John Gervais, Chancellor of York, who was then at Rome. On reach-
ing Winchester, Bishop John ejected the rival Prior Andrew of London,
and placed him in confinement in the abbey of Hyde. Thence he
escaped, and put about the tale that he had been miraculously delivered
by St. Thomas of Canterbury. He hung up his fetters by the shrine at
Canterbury, where they remained duly inscribed for many a generation,
but the Winton annalist states that they were kept there in sport as no
one believed a word of his tale. Meanwhile Winchester, and conse-
quently the diocese, was in a miserable plight through the civil strife,
the bishop being the warm partisan of Simon de Montfort the younger.
In September, 1265, soon after the battle of Evesham, the king came in
triumph to Winchester, and there summoned a parliament. The
cathedral church and eventually the city were laid under an interdict,
and Ottoboni, the papal legate, suspended Bishop John on account of his
popular sympathies, together with his brother prelates of London and
Chichester. The three bishops crossed the sea to appeal to Rome.
The Bishop of Winchester died at Viterbo in January, 1268, and the
pope, as he had died at the court of Rome, claimed the canonical right
to appoint his successor.

Setting aside the election by the chapter, Clement's choice fell
upon Nicholas of Ely, Bishop of Worcester, who had been Chancellor of
England in 1260 and in 1263. Nicholas, though an avowed sym-
pathizer with the barons, was a man of moderation and peace, and was
one of the six selected by the king at Kenilworth, in 1266, to arrange
terms with the disinherited nobles. At last Hampshire and the rest of
the diocese enjoyed a certain time of peace, and Nicholas in the second
week of Lent, 1271, began a complete and sorely needed visitation of his
spiritual inheritance. On Monday he visited the cathedral church and
priory of St. Swithun, on Tuesday the abbey of Hyde, and on Wednes-
day the nunnery of St. Mary. On the following day the parochial
visitation of the archdeaconry of Winchester was begun. When Henry
died Nicholas was one of the magnates who wrote to Edward to tell him
of his peaceful succession, and in the following year he went with the
Bishop of Exeter to meet Edward I. at Paris on his return from the
Holy Land. His episcopate was however much marred by a long and
obstinate dispute with the chapter of St. Swithun.

Bishop Nicholas died in 1 279, and the pope again, after much strife
with the chapter, contrived to secure the appointment. The papal
choice was however a good one, John of Pontoise, who had been
Chancellor of Oxford and was at that time Professor of Civil Law at
Modena, being consecrated Bishop of Winchester at Orvieto on 14 June,
1282. He made a good beginning when he reached his diocese by

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

coming to terms with the monks of his cathedral church. In 1284
the bishop yielded to the prior the right of appointing and re-
moving the officials of the monastery. In return the priory sur-
rendered to the bishop the manors of Droxford, Alverstoke and
Havant.

The glories and the troubles of Winchester now came for the most
part to an end. The city ceased to be a favourite royal residence. The
chief events of the church history of Hampshire are no longer to be
gleaned from among the bloodstained annals of royal struggles, but are
henceforth to be found in the quiet volumes of episcopal registers,
stored in unbroken succession from 1282 down to the present day on the
shelves of the diocesan registry.

John of Pontoise's beautifully kept and detailed register gives a
considerable insight into the working of the diocese, and shows that
there was a most genuine oversight throughout the twenty-two years of
his episcopate.

The first entry records the institution, in 1282, of Thomas de Anne
to the vicarage of Amport, on the presentation of the Dean and Chapter
of Chichester. Various other Hampshire vicarages had been founded
before this episcopate to which there are institutions or collations in this
register. Such are the vicarages of Chilworth, the rectory being appro-
priated by the priory of St. Denis of Southampton ; of Crondall and
Twyford, appropriated by the hospital of St. Cross ; of Eastmeon, by
the abbey of St. Swithun ; of Eling and Somborne, by the priory of
Mottisfont ; of Hayling, by the abbey of Jumieges ; and of Porches-
ter, by the priory of Southwick.

It is not possible in this diocese, as is the case with the great diocese
of Lincoln, 1 to give definite particulars and dates as to the earlier vicar-
ages, as the older registers or rolls are missing. A considerable propor-
tion of the churches of England were in the hands of the monasteries
in the twelfth century. Where the living was a good one, the monks
or canons who had control of the revenue of the benefice usually hired a
clerk or chaplain to serve the cure on the best terms that they could
arrange for the interests of their own house. These parochial chaplains
were mere servants of the convent and dismissible at will. This custom
practically withdrew such parishes from episcopal control, in addition to
other evils, and hence was resisted by the bishops. The custom of
ordaining vicarages that is, making the appointment perpetual and
subject to episcopal institution, and assigning a definite income to the
vicar began to come into force here and there in the latter half of the
twelfth century,' and was enjoined by the third Lateran Council of
1179.

The more powerful monasteries throughout England resisted how-
ever all attempts to control their action in such cases, notwithstanding the

| The extant Liber Antlqum Hugoni, WM (1209-35) deals solely with vicarages.

which w^ fo, S ; rrnedTn 6 n^T' ** " *" f '"^ ^-P^ire, *. vicarage of

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

yet more definite pronouncement on the subject by the fourth Lateran
Council of 1215. But no sooner had that energetic Bishop of Lincoln,
Hugh Wells, become firmly established in his important see than he
determined to bring the matter to a definite issue. He boldly attacked the
powerful Austin house of Dunstable, taking the instance of their treat-
ment of the church of Luton as a test case. The pope appointed a
commission of inquiry and judgment, who gave a decision in 1219
entirely in the bishop's favour. Four years later this decision was still
further strengthened by the Council of Oxford, and henceforth the
English episcopate insisted on definitely ordained vicarages for appro-
priated churches.

In forming an estimate of the respective conditions of a parish in
mediaeval days, where the parish priest was a rector or a vicar, it should
always be remembered that vicarages were only allowed where the total
income of the benefice was large, that not a few of the smaller rectories
were of less value than vicarages, and that the rectories themselves were
often, through plurality and non-residence, in the hands of a poorly
paid and removable chaplain or curate, and were therefore worse off,
from the parochial point of view, than those appropriated to the
monasteries.

Notwithstanding the number of her religious houses, Hampshire
never had as large a proportion of vicarages as other shires. They
slowly but steadily increased throughout the fourteenth century, as will
be noted. In the midst of John of Pontoise's episcopate came the
important Taxatio of Pope Nicholas IV. In 1288 the pope gave up
his annual tax of one-tenth of the Church benefices to Edward I. for
six years for crusading purposes. To insure accuracy a new assessment
basis or valor was drawn up, which was completed for the province of
Canterbury in 1291. This taxation continued to be the basis of all church
assessments down to 1535, when a new -valor took its place. From this
return we find that there were then thirty-seven vicarages in Hampshire
and the Isle of Wight out of 233 churches. These were distributed as
follows : In the deanery of Alresford, Easton and Bishop's Sutton ; in
the deanery of Alton, Alton ; in the deanery of Andover, Andover,
Nether Wallop, Shipton, Hurstbourne Priors, and Combe ; in the deanery
of Basingstoke, Basingstoke, Bromley, Herriard, Crondall, Heckfield and
Odiham ; in the deanery of Droxford, Hayling, Warblington, Porches-
ter, Wymering, Fareham, Hambledon, Eastmeon, and Portsea ; in the
deanery of Fordingbridge, Fordingbridge, Sopley, Milford and Boldre ;
in the deanery of Somborne, Somborne, Micheldever, Longstock and
Wellow ; in the deanery of Southampton, Eling ; in the deanery of the
Isle of Wight, Shalfleet, Carisbrook, Brading and Arreton ; and in the
deanery of Winchester, Sparsholt and Twyford. 1

1 The proportion for the whole diocese of Winchester was 53 vicarages out of 338 churches. In
the adjacent dioceses the proportion of vicarages was considerably larger : in Salisbury 104 out of 493, in
Chichester 1 12 out of 286, and in Rochester 31 out of 108.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Some of these appropriated Hampshire benefices were very valu-
able, and their vicarages much out of proportion.
Here are some instances :

Rectory

Vicarage

Rectory

Vicarage

Fordingbridge .
Alton . . .
Micheldever

L ' d -

60 o o
60 o o
66 13 4

,. d.
568

6 13 4
10 13 4

Andover .
Hayling
Crondall .

i ' d.

73 6 8
80 o o
80 o o

{. ' d.
6 13 4
13 6 8

6 13 4

In addition to the appropriated rectories the religious houses drew
small pensions from certain of the Hampshire rectories. These varied
in 1291 from jTi 6s. Sd. down to a single shilling.

By the time that the revised Valor Ecclesiasticus of Henry VIII.
was drawn up, the vicarages of the ten Hampshire deaneries had increased
from thirty-seven to seventy-one.

Now and again in most dioceses it is found that vicarages of early
foundation were re-arranged at a later date, the income assigned to the
vicar being found to be insufficient. Brading in the Isle of Wight is an
instance of this ; although entered as a vicarage in the Valor of 1291,
the rectory was re-appropriated to the priory of Breamore in 1301, and
the vicarage formally reconstituted in 1 304.* At the latter date there
were assigned to Thomas Sutton, as vicar, with much detail, all altar
oblations and obventions, the tithes of lambs, calves, cheese, milk, geese,
pigs, pigeons, fowls, apples, eggs, honey, beet, flax, hemp, gardens and
crofts tilled by spade husbandry, also of fish and mills, and of the hay
of certain meadows. The vicar was also to have three acres of land near
the church for his house and appurtenances, which he was to build at his
own expense.

In 1301, Bishop Pontoise founded at Winchester a great chapel or
college, in honour of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, for a provost, six chap-
lains, six clerks, and six choristers. This was a chantry on a great scale,
and was an endowment for masses for the souls of the Bishops of
Winchester and the faithful in general. There were to be three sung
and three plain masses daily. 2 This foundation led to the ordination of
two more vicarages, the rectories of which were given by the bishop to
the chapel of St. Elizabeth. These were Amport and Hursley. 3

Under Bishop Pontoise begins the licensing of oratories for manor
houses, which increased considerably under subsequent bishops. One of
the earliest mentioned is that for the manor of Tichborne. 4 These

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, ff. 31, 44!}.

* John of Pontoise's Register, f. 32. There was not much distinction between the larger chantries
and some of the later collegiate churches or colleges. Hence the chapel of St. Elizabeth was in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries sometimes called the college of St. Elizabeth. The name has thus
deceived some writers as to the intention of the founder. The Diocesan Histoiy of Winchester (p. 1 1 6)
says that the bishop founded it ' for the purpose of promoting learning amongst his clergy '

Ibid. ff. 3 2b, 35. * Ibid. f. 88.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

oratories, notwithstanding the abundant supply of churches and chapels
in proportion to the population, are interesting proofs of the reality of
the faith of the laity of the times.

Henry Woodlock, prior of St. Swithun's, was raised to the episcopate
of Winchester in 1305, just about the time when the quarrel between the
king and Archbishop Robert of Winchelsey was at its height. Espousing
the cause of the archbishop, who had been his consecrator at Canterbury,
Woodlock was outlawed with the primate. On the death of Edward I.
in 1307 the two prelates were recalled by the young king. The arch-
bishop was too ill to hasten home for the coronation, and issued a com-
mission authorizing any one of three of his suffragans to act in his
behalf. Of the three named, Edward II. selected the Bishop of
Winchester, and Henry Woodlock had the honour of crowning Edward
and Isabel at the magnificent ceremonial at Westminster, when the
favourite Gaveston carried the crown of England before the monarch.
Woodlock, on his return to Winchester, caused his registrar to enter
various documents pertaining to the coronation in his register, including
the copy of the bishop's formal protest that no prejudice is intended to
the church of Canterbury by his officiating on that occasion. 1

Woodlock's register presents several points of interest. His careful
rule over the religious houses under his' sway is shown in their subse-
quent outline history. In the first year of his episcopate there is the
confirmation and strengthening of a former ordination of the vicarage of
Andover, which was granted by Bishop Ralegh in 1 246, and which
is, we believe, the earliest ordering of a vicarage of this diocese now
extant. 2 There was also an ordination of the vicarage of Alton in 1312.
In 1310 the rural dean of Basingstoke was ordered to cite the parish-
ioners and vicar of Basing to appear, on the third day after the feast of
St. James, about a dispute between them as to two chalices and a pyx of
silver. 8

The register of this episcopate affords proof of considerable laxity
of patronage in various directions. Pope Clement, in 1313, granted
the bishop a dispensation for appointing six clerks under the canonical
age to benefices, a power that Woodlock made haste to exercise in
favour of youthful relatives. 4

It was for a long time the custom of the Bishops of Winchester to
hold their ordinations at various centres, frequently in the chapels of
their numerous castles and manor houses. During his episcopate
Woodlock held ordinations in Hampshire at his manors of Marwell
(his birthplace), Waltham, Esher, Highclere, Hursley, and Bishop's
Sutton, as well as in the conventual church of Breamore, in the chapel
of St. Cross, Winchester, and in the parish churches of Bitterne,
Micheldever, Alresford, Basingstoke, and St. Mary's, Southampton.

The short episcopate of John Sandale (131620) is not memor-
able so far as Hampshire or his diocese was concerned. His career,

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, ff. 77-9. * Ibid. ff. 38b, 39.

Ibid. f. 88. * Ibid. f. 167.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

however, affords a favourable example of a zealous civil servant of the
crown, whose large stipend was mainly drawn from ecclesiastical bene-
fices, an absolute perversion of the tithe system. Clerks in the king's
service, by ' ancient prescription,' a vague term usually employed to
cloak an abuse, were permitted to hold almost any number of benefices
in plurality, and were exempt from residence or service provided they
appointed substitutes to do their duty. The worst of this scandal was
that the proxies in these benefices were not duly appointed perpetual
vicars with stipulated salaries, but were mere clerical hacks or chaplains
removable at will. In September, 1314, when the king made Sandale
chancellor of the kingdom, he held ' no fewer than two dignities, eight
prebendal stalls and ten rectories, the taxed annual value of which
amounted in the aggregate to close upon 850.'* Nor was there the
excuse of this high office being unsalaried, as the salary of the chancellor
was 5' so tnat Sandale's income at the then value of money was
enormous.

When the vacancy occurred at Winchester the monks at once
obtained the royal conge (Felire, but the king's persuasions frequently
prevailed in such elections. On this occasion Edward II. was deter-
mined to win. He wrote, though not in the dictatorial shape of a
modern ' letter missive,' to the chapter, entreating them to elect his
chancellor, and persuaded the queen and other magnates of the realm to
write in a similar sense. Edward also wrote two letters to his cousin
Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, urging him to proceed at once
to Winchester, and to use his utmost exertions with the monks to secure
Sandale's appointment. The chapter of St. Swithun's complied with
these earnest solicitations and elected the chancellor. He was conse-
crated at Canterbury by the archbishop on 31 October, 1316. Not-
withstanding the other calls upon his time he was exceptionally diligent
in the work of his diocese, employing no suffragan, and holding all his
ordinations personally. 2 Although he did not make use of the services
of a suffragan, an interesting case occurred of another bishop officiating
in his diocese. On 4 February, 1317, Bishop Sandale granted a special
license to John Drokensford, Bishop of Bath and Wells, to consecrate
the high altar and other altars of the parish church of Droxford (which
had been removed and re-erected on the reconstruction of the church),
in consequence of the latter bishop's particular affection for the church
in which he had been baptized. 3 In the following April, Sandale granted
his brother bishop letters dimissory for ordination on behalf of five of
his relatives, Philip, Andrew, Nicholas, Richard and Thomas de
Droxford, who were all subjects of the diocese of Winchester. 4 The

Baigent's Introduction to Sandale's Register, p. xxxii. These benefices were : the chancellorship
of St. Patrick's, Dublin ; the treasurership of Lichfield ; prebends at Dublin, Wells, Beverley, Lincoln,
London, York, Glasgow and another ; and the rectories of Chalk, Dunbar, North Creake, Ratcliffe-
on-Soar, Simonburn, Solihull, Stillingfleet, Stoke-upon-Trent, and Wimbledon.

8 Tbt Dioceian History of Winchester, p. 119, gives a very brief and strangely wrong notice of
Sandale s episcopate, stating that there is hardly anything recorded except that he neglected his diocese '

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. yb. * Ibid. f. 54.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

licenses for non-residents were unusually numerous during this short
episcopate. For the most part these licenses were for a year or two
years for study, and were granted to enable those in minor orders to
prepare the better for their priesthood. Among those granted for
exceptional reasons may be mentioned leave of absence for a year to the
rector of the churches of Nutshelling (Nursling) and West Tytherley,
that he might accompany the Archdeacon of Winchester to the Roman
court ; to the rector of Crux Easton, that he might go on pilgrimage to
divers religious places beyond the seas ; to the rector of St. Michael's,
Southampton, that he might be in attendance on the Lady Mary
(daughter of Edward I.), who was a Benedictine nun at Amesbury ; to
the rector of Minstead, to be in attendance on Dame Sibil, Abbess of
Romsey ; and to Gerard de Seysiniaco, to be in attendance on the
Archbishop of Lyons.

It was rather awkward for Sandale, who had himself been so great
a pluralist, that Pope John XXII., moved by a spirit of righteous
reformation, suddenly withdrew the numerous dispensations of plurality
granted by his predecessors, and commanded the immediate surrender of
all benefices with cure of souls save the one where the incumbent was
resident. Moreover each bishop was enjoined to make a return of the
names and value of such livings, together with the names of the incum-
bents and the churches which they had resigned or from which they
had been dismissed. Whatever might have been his views Sandale
yielded prompt obedience to the pontiff. On 31 March, 1318, he
directed the Archdeacon of Winchester to certify the names of all
pluralists and their benefices, and on 29 May he forwarded a letter to
the pope certifying that his new constitution against pluralists had been
carried out, and enclosing a schedule giving the required particulars.
The benefices thus vacated in the county of Hampshire through this
righteous ordinance were those of West Tytherley, Farley, Warnford,
Bedhampton, Itchenstoke, Freshwater, Atherton, Michelmarsh and
Church Oakley. 1 Sandale joined with the Archbishop of Canterbury
and the rest of the prelates of the southern province in a letter which
was sent to the pope on 30 May, thanking him for this reform, but
stating that, in consequence of his reservation of the churches thus left
vacant, many were without pastors. They asked for facilities to enable
them to fill up these benefices, or else that the pope would himself
confer such benefices on one or other of the clerks named in separate
schedules which were forwarded to him by the respective bishops.
This action of the pope seems to have stirred the bishop to look
generally into the question of non-residence, and early in March, 1318,
he directed his archdeacons to admonish in high-toned scriptural
language non-resident incumbents (apart from plurality) to return
within three months and to take up continued residence, so as to sustain
hospitality and the other burdens of their cure. The archdeacons were
to furnish him with the names of non-resident rectors before Easter. In

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, ff.
n 25

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

the following October he appointed a special commission to take pro-
ceedings against non-resident incumbents. 1

Bishop Sandale evidently looked closely after the efficiency of his
clergy. In November, 1316, the bishop addressed the king's justices,
informing them that he had pronounced sentence of excommunication
against the prior of St. Helen's, Isle of Wight, for various offences and
contumacy. There seems to have been some serious objection to the
bishop's authority in that part of his diocese, for two years later he
directs a letter to the king for the arrest of certain rectors and vicars
of his diocese who had been under sentence of the greater excommuni-
cation, and contumacious for forty days and more. These were chiefly
incumbents in the Isle of Wight, and included the prior and warden of
St. Helen's, the rectors of Motteston, Shorewell and Newchurch, and
the vicars of Shalfleet and Brading. 2

A dispute having arisen between the parishioners of the chapel of
Northwood and the vicar of Hayling as to neglect of services, the bishop
intervened, and ordered the vicar to fulfil his obligations at Northwood,
whereby he was to provide full services in the weeks of Christmas, Easter
and Whitsuntide, and on all double feasts, as well as on every Sunday,
namely, mattins, mass, evensong and compline, together with mass on
every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. 3

On two occasions he directed his Hampshire rural deans, taking
with them a sufficiency of rectors and vicars of the deanery, to hold
local inquests as to age and infirmities of incumbents, and whether they
were competent to discharge the functions of their sacred calling. One
of these related to the vicar of Whitchurch in Andover deanery, and the
other to the rector of Eastrop, in the deanery of Basingstoke. 4

The only ordination of a Hampshire vicarage during this episco-
pate was that of Eastmeon, the rectory of which pertained to the Bishop
of Winchester. Richard de Wardington, the vicar, complained that the
late bishop (Henry de Woodlock) had made certain provisions for the
vicarage, but these had proved far too slender and the bishop was about
to augment them when death intervened. Bishop Sandale made certain
arrangements for the augmentation in February, 1318, and issued a
formal instrument of ordination in June of the same year. By this it
was provided that the vicar and his successors should receive all the
tithes, great and small, of the hamlet of Froxfield and the chapel of
Westbury, and all the oblations of the church of Eastmeon and its three
chapels of Froxfield, Steep and Our-Lady-in-the-Fields ; also that every
tenant of the parishes should pay five eggs at Easter ; also that five
quarters of corn and ten acres of arable land should be assigned to the
vicar from the episcopal granges. Thus far was the old vicarage endow-
ment ; to this Bishop Sandale added, in augmentation, the small tithes
of the whole parish and chapelries, namely those of milk, cheese, calves,
fowls, pigs, geese, eggs, milk, honey, hay, pigeons, flax, hemp, gardens,

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, ff. z6b, 31. Ibid. ff. 5, 27. * Ibid. f. 21.

4 Ibid. ff. 5 b, 2 3 b.
26

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

and everything else tithable of right or according to the custom of the
parish ; but the tithes of wool, lambs and apples were reserved for the
bishop and his successors, save the tithes of wool of the chapelry of
Westbury, which pertained to the vicar. 1

The bishop, as visitor, also found time to supervise with boldness
the religious as well as the secular clergy of Hampshire. On 29 March,
1318, he wrote a formal letter to the Abbot of Hyde, complaining in
strong but dignified language of his negligence in the rule of his monas-
tery, and of the frequent breaches of the rule committed by the monks.
The bishop did not hesitate to say that the continuous insubordination
of the monks was chiefly owing to their superior's lukewarmness (ob
tepiditatem vesfri regiminis), and warned him that if matters were not
remedied severe proceedings would be taken. 2 On 20 July, 1319,^6
bishop sent a letter of citation to the prior and convent of St. Swithun,
announcing his intention to hold a visitation of their monastery on
30 August, requesting that all who were absent should be recalled, so as
to be present in chapter on that day. Similar citations for visitations to
be held in the month of August were also dispatched to the priories of
Christchurch and Breamore, and to the abbey of Wherwell ; but these
visitations had to be postponed through the bishop's ill-health. 3 The
last act noted in Sandale's register is a letter of October to the prior
and convent of Christchurch, requiring them, on the authority of a bull
of the previous December, to receive into their community as a clerk
Stephen de Stapelbrugge, brother of the late order of Knights Templars,
who had only received the first tonsure. 4

On 2 November Bishop Sandale, who, much indisposed during the
previous two months, had been sojourning at Wolvesey, Farnham and
Esher, died at Southwark. On the day of his burial at the conventual
church of St. Mary, Southwark, there was an immense concourse. The
household expenses (in addition to the great dole to the poor) included
the cost of 14 carcasses of beef, 78 sheep, 24 pigs, 22 calves, 8 swans,
140 geese, 240 fowls, 19 partridges, 206 pigeons, 1,300 eggs, and large
quantities of pike, conger eels and herrings. The drink included 320
gallons of wine, 695 gallons of ale at \\d. and 448 gallons at id.

It may seem that more space has here been assigned to the acts of
Bishop Sandale than is justified by so short an episcopate, but his register
gives in a brief compass a remarkable and exceptional insight into the
working of an English mediaeval diocese by a zealous prelate. 6

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, ff. zjb, 31.

* Ibid. f. 27. This was Abbot William de Odiham ; he had only been appointed abbot in 1317
and he died in 1319.

3 Ibid. ff. 33b, 34.

4 Ibid. f. 34b. This is followed by a copy of the bull of John XXII. (17 December, 1318)
addressed to the bishops to prevent the scandal of brothers of the suppressed order going back into the
world and behaving like laymen, enjoining them to place them in religious houses, the house to receive
the pension that had been assigned.

6 The writer of this section knows well all the episcopal registers of Lichfield and York, and has a
fair knowledge of those of Lincoln and Canterbury. He has no hesitation in saying that he is not
aware of any other two or three years of an English pre- Reformation episcopate that can compare in

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The bishop resigned the great seal in June, 1318, having held it
for about eighteen months after his consecration. This he did to secure
more time for his diocesan work ; but the king refused to spare him
altogether from affairs of state, and for the last year of his life he held
the office of treasurer. In this position he was of great service in the
grave financial difficulties connected with the war with Scotland ; never-
theless his episcopal supervision over Hampshire and Surrey was remark-
ably thorough, earnest and minute. As he went through the streets of
his cathedral city his attention was drawn to a young cleric walking about
in a parti-coloured dress (vestem pub lice defe rens sfragu/atam) , and learning
that his name was John Ashley, subdeacon of the abbey church of St.
Mary, he at once issued a formal mandate to the abbess and convent,
drawing their attention to this scandal to their convent. Nor was it mere
trifling that caused him to order his registrar to enrol this mandate in his
act book, but rather as a token that he expected all his clergy to be sober
in their habits. At another time we find Sandale issuing his mandate
to the Archdeacon of Winchester to order special prayers to be said in
every church on Sundays and festivals that God, of His divine mercy,
may direct and prosper the king and his army, and restore peace to the
realm ; and this in no mere formal or perfunctory manner, but request-
ing in beautiful language that the people may be instructed to be assi-
duous at mass and in prayer, and also in almsgiving, fasting and other
works of charity, without which they could expect no heavenly bless-
ing. 1

On the death of Sandale a prolonged dispute between the monks
and the king resulted in the pope nominating Rigaud de Asserio, an Italian
who knew this country well, having been papal nuncio for some years
to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. He was not consecrated until
November, 1320, and was enthroned at Winchester on Whitsunday, 1321.
Early in December of the latter year, when the young bishop had only
had seven months' experience of his important diocese, he was dis-
patched by the king on affairs of state to the Roman court. Asserio
tarried in the south of France till his death in April, 1323. Just before
leaving England, the bishop issued a special commission to Peter of
Bologna, Bishop of Corbavia, who already acted as suffragan bishop of
London and Canterbury, to discharge the necessary episcopal functions
during his absence.

As Asserio died at the papal court, the pope claimed the right of
appointing his successor, and nominated John Stratford, a distinguished
lawyer, who had been made Dean of Arches by Archbishop Reynolds in
1321. Stratford played an important part in the revolution of 1327,
and was one of the twelve special councillors of the vounp- kine
Edward III.

chronicled efficiency with that of Sandale. It has been admirably reproduced and edited by Mr Baigent
in the Hants Record Series. There is another remarkable example of episcopal energy in Thomas's
account of the contemporary Bishop of Worcester, Walter Maidstone, 1 3 1 3-7.

' There are three of these mandates for diocesan prayer for the year 1317, viz. June q, August 12
and November 3.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Incurring however the wrath of Isabel and Mortimer, the bishop
fled to his Hampshire manor house of Waltham, and there sought
security in the neighbouring forest, where it is said that Stratford caused
his chaplains to chant the daily offices under the greenwood tree. On
the fall of Mortimer he was restored to honour, and received the great
seal as chancellor in November, 1330. In Stratford the statesman pre-
dominated over the ecclesiastic, and it would be foreign to our present
purpose to follow, even in meagre outline, the incidents of his dis-
tinguished life. There are two matters however which cannot be
passed over. England owes some share of her national liberties to this
Bishop of Winchester. It was not until 1332, through the direct action
of Stratford, that the elected knights and burgesses were permitted to
form a separate and independent house during the sitting of parliament.
It was too on Stratford's advice that a proclamation was issued before
the assembling of the parliament of 1332, prohibiting the wearing of
arms or armour throughout London and Westminster during its session.
It henceforth became customary to issue a like proclamation before the
meeting of each parliament. Another considerable and useful change
that Stratford effected was the making the Court of Chancery stationary
at Westminster ; this court had hitherto been vaguely itinerant, for the
chancellor sat wherever the king might be holding his court.

During the ten years of his Winchester episcopate Stratford, in
addition to his other state duties, was frequently absent from the
kingdom on embassies to France and other powers. The episcopal
functions in Hampshire and Surrey were for the most part discharged
by that useful suffragan Peter, Bishop of Corbavia, and after his death in
June, 1332, by Benedict, Bishop of Sardica, prior of the Austin friars
of Norwich, and suffragan bishop of both Winchester and Norwich up
to his death in 1346. At the same time Stratford's beautifully kept
and comprehensive register at Winchester shows that he took a larger
share in diocesan administration than could have been expected, and
that the routine work was by no means neglected by his various officials
or deputies. In 1327 the bishop held a visitation of the clergy and
people of the deanery of Southampton ; the rural dean received with the
citation a schedule to forward to each parish, giving the names of those
who were personally cited. The visitation was held in the parish
church of Waltham. 1 In 1329 the bishop gave a special commission
to John de Leah, his official, to hold visitations in his name throughout
the whole of the archdeaconry of Winchester. 2

Among the more exceptional licenses for non-residence in this
register two may be mentioned. In 1326 Walter, vicar of Portsmouth,
was granted leave of absence for a year because the sea air did not suit
his health. 3 In 1332 William Knight, vicar of Micheldever, was per-
mitted to leave his benefice to visit the apostolical court on account of
the irregularity of a marriage that he had celebrated. 4

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 33. 8 Ibid. f. 50.

3 Ibid. f. l8b : propter aerii inttmperiem juxta mare. * Ibid. f. 74.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In 1330 there were considerable disturbances in the parish of
Alton, and the bishop promptly interfered in the interests of reverence
and order. From the long documents relative to this case it would
appear that the image of St. Lawrence l (the saint in whose honour the
church was dedicated) was moved from its position by the high altar
just before the annual parochial feast of 10 August. The bishop there-
fore ordered the official of the archdeaconry of Winchester to publish
at once in the church of Alton a monition of censure on the offenders,
warning them against any repetition of the offence. This action seems
to have been taken in consequence of the clergy striving to suppress the
grossly irreverent custom of holding a fair at this season in church or
churchyard, and other grave disorders which ensued. 8 On Sunday,
19 August, immediately after the octave of St. Lawrence, Bishop
Stratford, in all episcopal pomp, having with him the prior of St.
Swithun, the abbot of Hyde, the prior of Selborne, and the rural deans
of Alton and Basing, pronounced in the parish church of Alton solemn
excommunication against John de Aulton and John his son, John de
But, Nicholas Upchepyng, Alan Bat and many other ' satellites of
Satan ' whose names were unknown, for infringing the liberties of the
church by their gross and violent behaviour. This was followed by
an inhibition of all fairs or any sale of merchandise in the church or
churchyard of Alton, or in any church or churchyard throughout the
whole diocese of Winchester. This once prevalent custom had been
long ago stamped out in most English dioceses, though now and again
it sprung up anew in certain places at a much later date. It was
stringently forbidden in the time of King John throughout the Lincoln
diocese. On the death of Archbishop Meopham in 1333, Bishop Strat-
ford was translated to Canterbury.

The unhappy and pitiable ending of the kingship of Edward II. is
the saddest dramatic episode in England's history during the fourteenth
century. In that scene Stratford's successor in the bishopric, Adam
Orlton, then Bishop of Hereford, played the most important part. The
commission appointed by parliament to depose the king consisted of
three bishops, two earls, four barons, two abbots and two justices, with
a certain number of citizens and burgesses. Of this commission Orlton
(the oldest by consecration of the three prelates) was appointed pro-
locutor. On 25 January, 1327, the commission arrived at Kenilworth,
where the king was a prisoner. Edward, unattended, in ordinary civil
dress, entered the chamber round which the silent commissioners were
placed. Orlton stepped forward to address him, and when the king
saw that their mouthpiece was his implacable enemy, his heart failed
him and he fell to the ground in a dead faint. The queen and her
paramour Mortimer showed their gratitude to him, whom Dean Hook

1 The patronal image of a church was always placed in the chancel, usually on the north side of
the high altar. It is here expressed that the image had been removed a loco summi a/fans ubi de consuetu-
tfint approbate ene deberet.

* Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, ff. 510, 52.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

rightly describes as ' their agent, the unprincipled Orlton,' ' by pro-
moting him to Worcester in 1327, and through papal favour he was
translated to Winchester in 1333.

A most striking incident happened on 2 April, 1333, in the
cathedral church of St. Swithun, when a solemn protest was made
against Orlton's translation, coram populo, and in Orlton's own presence, by
one John Pritchare. The bishop was charged by his accuser with
implication in the murders (in 1326) of Walter Stapleton, Bishop of
Exeter, and of Robert Baldock, the chancellor, whom it was also alleged
he had imprisoned and tortured. He was further charged with treason
to the late king, inasmuch as he had preached to Oxford University that
Edward II. was an immoral tyrant, and that he carried a dagger in one
of his boots to kill Queen Isabel, and had said that if he had nothing
else he would kill her with his teeth (dentibus strangularef) . The bishop
answered that Baldock was a traitor, and after being condemned by a
secular judge had been handed over to his custody as a criminous clerk,
but that the people of London broke open his prison and put him in the
city gaol ; that he had called Despencer immoral, and not Edward II. ;
and that what he had said about the late king and his queen was by
order of Edward III. and his mother and at the request of the council.
Edward III. had, on 23 March, instructed the sheriff of Hampshire, Sir
John de Scures, that Orlton having obtained the bishopric by papal pro-
vision was to be proceeded against, and meanwhile was not to be obeyed
as bishop. The bishop had to set out for Rome, whence he wrote to the
Prior of St. Swithun to implore his aid. It was not until late in 1334
that the temporalities were restored, and the bishop made his peace
with his predecessor in the see of Winchester, the Archbishop of
Canterbury. 2

Orlton's was an uneventful episcopate of twelve years. His registers
have no very special interest. They contain however a copy of the
ordination of Maldon vicarage in 1279 by Bishop Ely, which is of
value, as the earliest extant registers do not begin till 1282. Soon after
his appointment to Winchester, namely in November, 1334, the bishop
visited all the religious houses of Hampshire which were subject to his
jurisdiction, and the text of the sermon that he preached to the inmates
in each chapter house is entered in the first of his registers.

Bishop Orlton suffered from blindness during the latter part of his
life. He died on 18 July, 1345, and Edward III. at last succeeded in
overcoming opposition to his appointment to the bishopric of William
Edendon his treasurer, who was at that time master of St. Cross. Bishop
Edendon was not consecrated till 14 May, 1346. His well deserved
fame as a great and generous church builder is elsewhere described.
The age of demonstrative chivalry had reached its zenith just at the
time of the new bishop's consecration. Edward III., in instituting the
Order of the Garter, showed his regard for Edendon by appointing him

1 Hook's Archbishops of Canterbury, x. 9.

* Chartulary of St. Swithun's, Nos. 233-44, 2 ^-

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

chancellor of the new order. It was also ordained that this honour
should be passed on to his successors in the see of Winchester for ever ;
and to this day the Bishop of Winchester is prelate of the order.

Edendon seems to have been not indisposed to take his full share
in the pageantry of the times. The utter defeat of France at Cressy in
1346, and the taking of Calais in the following year, had intoxicated
England and England's king with a fervour of extravagant patriotism.
When the triumphant Edward landed at Sandwich on 14 October, 1347,
the country went wild with joy. Of this national excitement Hamp-
shire had by far the largest share. The king and queen, instead of
proceeding to London, made a triumphal progress through the county,
visiting the castles of Porchester, Southampton and Winchester.

Chroniclers tell us that at this time there was hardly an English
household of the upper or trading classes to be found which was not
decked with the costly spoils of Caen, Calais and other French towns
from across the seas. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with their
wide seaboard, felt the effects of this incursion of riches far more than
most parts of the kingdom. It was the same wide seaboard that
rendered them specially liable to the attacks of the seeds of pestilence
that now swept over the same waters. Close upon the heels of this
outbreak of martial magnificence and extravagant pomp came an awful
avenger, which was nowhere more direful in its devastating force than
within the limits of Hampshire.

Towards the end of August, 1348, this terrible visitor reached our
shores, first effecting a landing at the port of Melcombe Regis (Wey-
mouth). It soon began to spread throughout the west and south of
England. On 24 October Bishop Edendon issued from Southwark
Mandatum ad orandum pro Pestilentia to the prior and chapter of Win-
chester, speedily followed by others to the archdeacon of Winchester
and to the archdeacon of Surrey. 1 This mandate to his clergy, made
through the archdeacons, is no mere official direction, but the excep-
tional and pathetic vigour of its language shows that the terrible news
of the havoc wrought by the Black Death on the continent had stamped
itself on the bishop's mind.

The mandate for the archdeaconry of Winchester is addressed to
the whole of the abbots, priors, chaplains of chantries and colleges,
rectors of parishes, vicars and parochial chaplains. The bishop charges
them to see that all are exhorted to frequent the sacrament of penance,
' and on all Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays to join in the saying of the
seven penitential psalms and the fifteen gradual psalms devoutly kneel-
ing, and also to take part, barefoot, in procession, reciting the greater
litany in towns through the market places, and in villages in the
churchyards round about the churches.

As the plague crept nearer and nearer to his diocese, Bishop
Edendon made further spiritual provision against its approach. On
17 November the bishop, who was then at Esher, granted facilities to

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, No. n, p. 17.
32

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

absolve in all reserved cases, and the people were to be reminded of ' the
approved teaching of the Holy Fathers, that sickness and premature
death often come from sin, and that by the healing of souls this kind
of sickness is known to cease.'

At the same time the superiors of all convents were authorized to
appoint two or three suitable priests to hear the nuns' confessions in case
of the sudden death of their authorized chaplain. By Christmastide
the plague was in the county of Southampton. On 19 January, 13489,
the bishop announced that the pope, in response to his request, had
granted to all those of his diocese, religious or secular, ecclesiastics or
laymen, who should confess their sins with true repentance to any priest
of their choice, a plenary indulgence at the hour of death if they
departed in the true faith. The indulgence was to last till Easter, but,
as the plague did not abate, the bishop announced that the pope had
granted its extension till Michaelmas.

The deaths in January in the city of Winchester were so numerous
that great difficulty arose as to burials. The clergy were anxious to
restrict the interments within consecrated churchyards, but to this some
of the citizens objected (probably with a wise regard for sanitation), and
to enforce their objections a party of unruly townsfolk set upon and
wounded a monk of St. Swithun's who was engaged in the burial rites
in the central churchyard of the city. The bishop promptly excom-
municated those engaged in the affray, and ordered the prior of Win-
chester and the abbot of Hyde to have sermons preached on the doctrine
of the resurrection of the body, evidently fearing that the grievous times
might bring about some open repudiation of the Church's faith, as
had already been the case in certain continental towns. At the same
time the bishop gave special facilities for the enlarging of graveyards
and the dedication of new ones, so ' that the people of the various
parishes may have every opportunity for speedy burial.'

In this diocese, as elsewhere, an examination of the institutions in
the episcopal registers at this dread season tends to show that the state-
ments of the chroniclers as to the terrible death-roll in England are not
one whit exaggerated. In Hampshire, including the Isle of Wight,
the average annual number of appointments to benefices recorded in the
act books for twelve years prior to the pestilence was twenty ; but in
the fateful year of 1340 this number was increased more than tenfold,
the institutions that were registered mounting up to 228. Judging from
the institutions, the plague came into the diocese from Wiltshire as
well as from the seaboard, for it was on the western side of the county
that several vacant livings had to be filled up in the month of February.
The deanery of Basing, in the north of Hampshire, suffered most
severely ; by far the greater part of the benefices falling vacant in
March and April. The southern coast of the county round Portsmouth,
Hayling and the Isle of Wight suffered chiefly in the same months.
In this dire distress the bishop did not hesitate to collate speedily to
livings not in his own gift, in order to save time in providing for
ii 33 5

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

spiritual necessities. The bishop specifically alleged this as the reason
for his appointing on 14 January, 1349, to the vicarage of Wandsworth,
which was appropriated to the abbey of Westminster.

In short, almost every catholic usage and canonical rule had to
be set aside owing to the stress of circumstances. This was specially
the case with regard to ordinations. The Quatuor Tempora of the Ember
seasons had to be quite disregarded. Bishop Edendon held six large
ordinations in 1349, and the like number in 1350. In addition there
were many quasi-private ordinations of one or two candidates without
any papal or other dispensation, as well as numerous instances of
cumulative ordinations on the same day. Thus on 5 March, 1349,
a single candidate was ordained from first tonsure to the priesthood per
saltum ; on 6 March four were admitted to the first tonsure, and two
were ordained sub-deacons; on 10 March a sub-deacon was ordained
deacon and priest, and the same was repeated for another candidate on
20 March.

The numbers at the usual ordinations leapt up after an astonishing
fashion. The following are the figures that Bishop Edendon's registers
supply for his March ordinations in 1347, 1348 and 1349, and they
may serve as a sample of the contrasts :

Year

March, 1347
1348
'349

Acolytes

Sub-deacons

Deacons

Priests

Total

9
48

22
25

22
23

75
158

With regard to the religious houses of Hampshire much may be
gleaned from the episcopal registers as to the effect of the great pesti-
lence. In the city of Winchester the prior of St. Swithun's and the
abbess of St. Mary's both died, and it is safe to assume that the death-
rate in these communities would be very large. Up to 1349 the
average number of the monks of the cathedral church of St. Swithun
was sixty ; after the great pestilence until the dissolution the average
was about thirty-five. The monks of the neighbouring abbey of Hyde
were reduced by the same cause from about thirty-five to twenty. The
financial distress of the nuns of St. Mary's Abbey not only reduced their
numbers by half, but threatened the destruction of the convent. Bishop
Edendon came so generously to their rescue that they described him
as their second founder. The appointed rents of their slender endow-
ments remained unpaid or were considerably diminished through the
dearth of tenants owing to this unheard-of and unwonted pestilence. 1
The bishop rendered like assistance to the nuns of Romsey in July, 1351,
saving them also from collapse. 2 At the election in the year 1333 of
the abbess of Romsey (who fell a victim to the plague in May, 1 349)
there were ninety nuns present to record their votes, but from the date

1 Iiuo/ita et Inaudita pestilentia, Close, 28 Edw. III. m. 3.

Ibid. m. 6.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

of the pestilence up to the suppression their numbers never rose above
twenty-five.

The friars, who lived in the main on the alms of the faithful, were
materially affected by this staggering blow, and nowhere more so than
in Hampshire. Between September, 1 346, and June, 1 348, the Austin
friars of Winchester had presented four of their number for ordination
to the priesthood ; from that date until Bishop Edendon's death in 1366
only two more were ordained, both of them in 1358. For the two
Franciscan houses of Winchester and Southampton three priests were
ordained in 1347 and 1348, but only two more received orders during
Edendon's episcopate, both of those in 1359. It was the same with
both the other orders of friars. The Dominican house at Winchester
could only find a single subject to present to the bishop for ordination
in the ten years following the plague. The Carmelites of the same city
presented eleven of their number to Bishop Edendon from 1346 to 1348,
but there were only three more Carmelites ordained during the remainder
of his episcopate.

Bishop Edendon in January, 1353, appointed commissioners to
inquire into the condition of things in the monastery of St. Swithun
and the priory of Christchurch, both houses having become involved in
debt and lax in fulfilment of their obligations as the result of the
grievous pestilence. 1

Although in Hampshire, as elsewhere, the majority of the clergy,
both secular and religious, doubtless distinguished themselves by devotion
to their duties, as seems proved by the special severity of their death-
rate, still there were those who, in their alarm for their own persons,
fled from their cures. In April, 1350, when the scourge had abated,
the bishop issued a general admonition to his clergy as to residence in
their parishes. Reports, he says, had reached him of some priests shame-
fully absenting themselves from their cures to the danger of many souls,
so that even the holy sacrifice for which the churches had been built
and adorned had not been celebrated. He complained further that in
some cases the churches had been left to birds and beasts and were
becoming ruinous, and ordered all absentees to return within a month. 2

In July of the same year the bishop issued a joint letter of the
archbishop and bishops of the southern province ordering priests to serve
the churches at their previous stipends, and that no parish church must
have more than one chaplain so long as any remain unserved. 3

The Close and Patent Rolls afford abundant and painful testimony
to the exceptional extent of the suffering through the Black Death in
Hampshire among other than clerical communities, especially round

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, ii. ff. 27, 28. * Ibid. ii. f. 22b.

3 Ibid. f. 236. The numerous plague entries in Bishop Edendon's registers are quoted fully and
after a most interesting fashion in Abbot Gasquet's The Great Pestilence (1898). Though the original
registers have been consulted, we desire to express our great indebtedness to that work. In the tables of
institutions in the notes to pp. 112, 113 ' Hants ' has been substituted for ' Surrey,' and vice versa.
Edendon set a good example to his clergy during those fearsome times. He held his ordinations during
the period of the visitation up and down the diocese, two of them (Waltham and Highclere) being in
Hampshire.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. From the extant
documents of both Church and State it is safe to assert that half the
population of England was swept away by the plague within a twelve-
month. In parts of Hampshire there seems no doubt that the death-rate
was still more awful. Of Hayling Island it was definitely shown that
'the greatest part of the population died whilst the plague was raging.' 1

In 1351 an important step was taken in defence of the rights of
the Church of England against papal encroachment by the passing of
the first Statute of Provisors, which made the obtaining of a benefice
by reservation or provision from the pope, in derogation of the rights
of the true patron, an offence punishable by fine or imprisonment.
Edendon, as the king's treasurer, gave this statute his hearty support,
and his diocese reaped therefrom much benefit. When Islip, Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, died in 1362, Edendon was offered but declined
the primacy. Four years later he died.

This is not the place for an attempt at an outline life of that dis-
tinguished prelate, William of Wykeham. 2 Our reference to him is
confined to his action as diocesan and in connection with the county,
and has no concern with his important secular offices or influence in
national affairs. It is however of initial interest to remember that he
belonged to Hampshire, having been born in 1324 at Wickham, a
small village between Bishop's Waltham and Fareham. About 1347
he passed into the king's service, and though not even in minor
orders in accordance with the grave abuses of the times he was
appointed a royal chaplain, and presented in 1 349 to the rectory of
Linstead, Suffolk. His business capacities led to his being ap-
pointed surveyor for the works at Windsor, and eventually of other
royal castles at Leeds, Dover and Hadleigh. In 1360, Wykeham
became keeper of the privy seal and secretary to the king, and though
he received an extra allowance of a pound a day on account of his great
labours and expenses, it was thought fit to continue to reward him
lavishly with church benefices, so that he became the greatest pluralist
of the age. Being already a rector twice over, a prebendary and a dean,
Wykeham was offered and accepted from the king no fewer than
thirteen more prebends during 1361-2, the plague of that date having
caused many vacancies. At last he took orders, being ordained acolyte
in December, 1361, and priest in the following June.

When the see of Winchester became vacant in October, 1366, the
king found no difficulty in persuading the chapter of St. Swithun's to
elect Wykeham. The pope for some time withheld his consent, so that
his consecration did not take place till October, 1367, and it was July,
1368, before he was enthroned at Winchester. From that time until
his death in 1404 Wykeham resided in his diocese almost continuously,

1 Originalia Rolls, 29 Edw. III. m. 8.

This can best be gleaned from the two volumes of Wykeham 's Registers (Hants Record Society,
1896, 1899), edited, with introductions, by Mr. T. F. Kirby, F.S.A., in connection with Rev. G. H.
Moberly s Life of William of Wykeham (1887), and Mr. Leach's History of Winchester College (1899).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

tarrying in turn at his various Hampshire manors of Highclerc,
Marwell, Bishopstoke, Bishop's Sutton, Waltham and Wolvesey, but
staying chiefly at Waltham during the latter part of his life. Waltham
was his favourite Hampshire residence. 1

Wykeham almost invariably conducted his diocesan ordinations until
the last years of his life, when Henry Twillowe and John Britt, successive
Bishops of Annadown (Ireland), and Thomas Merks, ex-Bishop of Carlisle,
acted for him ; but even on these occasions the aged bishop was generally
present. Earlier in his episcopate he had the assistance of suffragans,
duly commissioned for a given period ; but their work was to be supple-
mental to his own. 2 In February, 1382, Wykeham commissioned Thomas,
Bishop of Annadown, to act as his suffragan in the Isle of Wight and
other exterior parts of his diocese 3 ; and in March, 1386, Simon, Bishop
of Achonry, a Cistercian monk of Quarr Abbey, was commissioned to
act as suffragan for the Isle of Wight and the deanery of Fordingbridge. 4
This appointment was renewed in 1388.

In the thirty-seven years of his episcopate, Wykeham ordained 1,334
acolytes, 1,382 sub-deacons, 1,360 deacons and 1,273 P r i ests -

As a first proof of the unflagging zeal of his administration, the
bishop immediately on his enthronement began the difficult and costly
process of effecting a reformation in the fine foundation of the hospital
of St. Cross, whose funds and property were being shamelessly plundered
by a succession of masters, who denied his right to interfere. After six
years' struggle Wykeham secured a complete victory by the final
decision of the papal delegates.

In 1373, in addition to visiting all the religious houses of his
diocese, William of Wykeham cited all the secular clergy, beneficed
and unbeneficed, to a visitation which was held in sequence in each
rural deanery. He began with the deanery of Winchester, the clergy
appearing before him in the cathedral church on the Thursday after the
feast of the Holy Trinity. They were called upon to exhibit their
letters of orders and their titles if beneficed. The rural dean had also
to cite to the visitation six or four (according to its size) of the most
trustworthy men of each parish to reply to interrogatories as to the due
celebration of divine worship. At the same time notice was to be given
for the children to be assembled for confirmation. 6 In the following year
the bishop sent a commission round the diocese, with powers to correct
and reform the irregularities or abuses that had been detected during the
visitation. This commission was wisely drawn exclusively from outside
the diocese, and consisted of the Chancellor of Lichfield and three canons

1 Wykebam's Itinerary, Register, ii. 621-9.

8 Wykeham in his commissions to suffragans usually stated that he was much occupied with the
affairs of the king and the kingdom, but this was evidently a form current in the diocese, and did not
imply much absence even when chancellor. For instance, when Henry, Bishop of Annadown, was com-
missioned with this plea on 5 May, 1399, to act till November, Wykeham conducted his own ordina-
tions during that period. ,

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, pt. i. f. 129. * Ibid. pt. iii. ff. 222, 232.

6 Ibid. pt. iii. f. 90. The visitation is described as undertaken by the bishop personallter et
actualiur.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

belonging respectively to the chapters of Sarum, Bangor and Lincoln. 1
Like visitations were held in 1380 and 1387.

Wykeham did his best, after his consecration, to check the abuses
of the day in connection with preferment, but he was powerless to
prevent the appointment to benefices of those in minor orders. There
are various entries in his registers excusing residence for the definite
purpose of further instruction, and these licenses are of a more precise
kind than those to be found in some episcopal registers of the period.

In 1381 William Wichot, rector of the church of St. Peter-
without-Southgate, Winchester, was instituted to the church of Newn-
ham on the presentation of the king ; but he had to take his oath to
the bishop that he would regularly attend a grammar school at the hours
of reading and study, that he would use all diligence in acquiring enough
grammar for his station and as much plain song as possible, and that
during the interval of four years till priest's orders he would provide a
sufficient chaplain to serve the church of Newnham, under the penalty
of loos, a year for each year if he should make default. 2

The bishop was constantly on the watch to insist on the residence
of all who could not claim or had not obtained due leave of absence. In
January, 1368, he required his archdeacons to cause three proclamations
to be made on Sundays and festivals in the churches of the absentee
clergy, ordering residence within two months. 3 In November, 1379, a
mandate was directed to the official of the archdeaconry of Winchester
to admonish certain Hampshire beneficed absentees, whose names were
annexed in a schedule, for continued absence notwithstanding previous
warnings, the result being that divine worship was much lessened, hospi-
tality was not exercised, the devotion of the people ceased, and church and
parsonage fell into decay. 4 On i March, 1400, another mandate was
issued to the non-resident clergy of Hampshire through the archdeacon. 6
In November, 1403, abuses of this description were more limited in the
county, and the bishop contented himself with directing the rural dean
of Droxford (who was at that time rector of Warnford) to admonish the
vicars of Hambledon and Eastmeon to return into residence. 6

Whatever may be the truth with regard to the early tripartite
division of tithes in English dioceses, insistence on the duty of hospi-
tality and care for the poor as a chief part of the obligations resting on
the beneficed clergy is continually set forth by the mediaeval bishops.
This comes out with much emphasis in Wykeham's official instruments.
When the bishop granted John Edendon, archdeacon of Surrey and
rector of the Hampshire living of Ringwood and the Surrey living of
Farnham, leave of absence for three years to go across the seas, he was
not only ordered to find suitable priests for the spiritual needs of the two
parishes, but it was expressly stipulated that the incomes of both benefices

< Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, f. 1 1 2. * Ibid. pt. i. f. 1 18. 3 Ibid pt i;i f 6

Ibid. pt. in. f. i8ib. These defaulters are described as per nonnulla temfora te abientarunt per
aivenat munJi panes miserabiHter evagando.

6 Ibid. pt. iii. f. 319. Ibid. pt. iii. f. 36ib.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

were to be taxed according to the bishop's judgment for largess for the
poor parishioners. 1

Exchanges of benefices are a usual feature of mediaeval registers,
but they were remarkably frequent in Winchester diocese during the
episcopate of Wykeham, particularly in Hampshire. One out of every
five of his institutions in that archdeaconry was of the nature of an
exchange. It has been conjectured that these changes were chiefly
owing to a spirit of unrest that was then abroad and the absence of local
ties among a celibate clergy. But such reasons would equally affect
other dioceses and other periods, and we are inclined to think that Mr.
Moberly is right in attributing the chief cause to the bishop's great
interest in his diocese, which led him to believe that five or six years in
the same cure was sufficiently long for the average parochial priest. 2
There are in Hampshire instances where the same church changed hands
seven and even eight times during Wykeham's episcopate of thirty-seven
years.

None of the superiors of the various religious houses of Hampshire
(save the Premonstratensian abbot of Titchfield, who was exempt from
ordinary episcopal or diocesan control, and the alien priories) could be
appointed without the house having first obtained a conge <felire from the
bishop, and the formal submission of the superior elect to episcopal
benediction. Such matters received special attention from Bishop
Wykeham, and are set forth with much detail in his registers. Even
the abbots of the Cistercian order, though exempt from diocesan
visitation, made a qualified submission to the bishop on appointment
and received his benediction.

On Sunday in Passion week, 14 March, 1372, brother Henry
Inglesham, abbot-elect of the Cistercian house of Netley, made the
vow of canonical obedience to William of Wykeham in the chapel
of Waltham. The bishop, after mass, bestowed his episcopal benedic-
tion on Inglesham, giving him a book of the rule of St. Benedict, and
placing a crosier in his hand. The abbot at the same time read out
publicly his vow of obedience to the bishop and his successors, ' salvo
ordine meo,' affixing his signature and signing it with the sign of the
cross. The forms of the petition from the monastery to the bishop for
leave to elect, and the presentation of the abbot-elect to the bishop, are
appended to the account of the ceremony of the benediction of Abbot
Inglesham. 8

On Saturday, 20 October, 1375, before Master John de Bukyngham,

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, pt. iii. f. 6. It would seem that the rule in all cases of licensed
non-residence was for the bishop to assign some portion of the income to the poor, but that it depended
much on the zeal or laxity of the particular bishop. According to Archbishop Peckham's Constitutions
of 1279, the share for the poor was to be p'mguis fordo, the exact amount of which was to be deter-
mined by four trustworthy parishioners. Wilkin's ConciRa, ii. 33 ; Lyndwwd, p. 133.

3 Moberly's Life of Wykeham, p. 246. Of course, now and again, the exchange was made from
self-interested motives. In Archbishop Courtney's denunciation of various abuses among the clergy, as
to non-residence, etc., special mention is made of what he terms ' Choppe churches.' His injunction of
5 March, 1392, is copied into Wykehanfs Registers, pt. iii. f. 254.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, pt. iii. f. 38.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

canon of York, the bishop's commissary, seated on the tribunal in the
chapel of the parish church of Farnham at the hour when judges are
wont to sit, came Sister Cecilia de Lavyngtone, abbess-elect of Wherwell,
praying confirmation, which, on production of evidence of the election,
was granted. On the following day the abbess presented herself at the
episcopal chapel of Farnham, and having made and duly signed her vow
of canonical obedience received the bishop's benediction immediately
after the reading of the gospel during mass. The bishop afterwards
directed letters of confirmation to the new abbess, letters enjoining
obedience to the convent, letters to the archdeacon of Winchester to
instal her, and letters to the king for restitution of the temporalities. 1

Wykeham was rightly very stern in maintaining the sanctuary
privileges of the Church which so materially alleviated the severity of
the mediaeval criminal law. One of the most curious cases recorded in
his register refers to an incident in connection with the parish church of
Overton. On a Sunday evening about Michaelmas, 1390, one John
Bentley was attending evensong. He was known to be a stranger, and
from his excitement was judged to be there for sanctuary purposes. He
was asked if he was a thief or a robber, and he replied that he was
neither, but had had the misfortune to kill a man. Bentley then went
out into the churchyard, and whilst there was hailed by one, Robert
Dingle, who was standing by the open south gate. Whilst speaking to
Dingle, a shoemaker of Overton suddenly pushed him from behind out
of the churchyard into the highway. Bentley struggled to re-enter, but
some of the villagers dragged him away, put him in the stocks, and after-
wards took him to Winchester gaol. The case was reported to the bishop,
who issued a commission to his official, in conjunction with the prior of St.
Swithun's and the abbot of Hyde, to punish the offenders and compel them
to replace Bentley in sanctuary. At the same time the bishop petitioned
the king for Bentley's discharge from gaol. The outcome of this case
is not to be gathered from the register, but judging from a somewhat
similar case in the diocese four years later the penance would be a severe
one. The offenders in the Streatham case had to endure the following
penance on three successive Sundays. They walked in the procession
stripped to their shirts and drawers and carrying lighted tapers. One of
the clergy, clad in a surplice, following and flagellating them with a rod,
declared to the people at the same time the cause of the penance, after
which the penitents knelt in the middle of the church at high mass,
repeating the Magnificat in audible voices and praying forgiveness. The
authorities of a church when sanctuary was claimed were expected to
provide the offender with necessary food. In a case where this was
neglected in 1 377, Wykeham did not hesitate to excommunicate those
responsible for this grave breach of sanctuary law. 8

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, pt. iii. f. 66.

* Anyone who had committed a felony and for the safeguard of his life fled to a church or church-
yard could remain there in security from arrest for forty days. If within that period he confessed the
felony before the coroner of the district and took an oath of perpetual exile into some foreign country,
he could claim safe conduct to the port that was assigned to him, provided he kept to the highway and

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

The question of alien priories (which will receive further attention
under the respective houses) somewhat particularly affected Hampshire,
as the number of cells or small priories owing allegiance to foreign
mother-houses was considerable in this county. Their revenues had
from time to time been seized in the reigns of John, and Edward I.
Edward III., during the long struggle with France, continually appointed
to churches in their gift until the peace of 1361. Although the com-
plete suppression of these houses was not accomplished until the days of
Wykeham's successor in 1415, nevertheless the matter was much agitated
during this episcopacy. There can be no doubt which way Wykeham's
strong national sympathies would run. In 9 March, 1370, the bishop
directed a mandate to his archdeacons, asking for a return by Easter of
the number of aliens, secular and religious, beneficed in their arch-
deaconries, with their names and the annual value of their benefices. 1 A
like mandate was issued in February, 1385. The return to this latter
mandate gave the following :

Priory of Carisbrook : Thomas de Val Osoul, a monk of Lire, prior : 130 marks.
Priory of Apuldercombe : Peter de Mouster, a monk of St. Mary de Montebourg,

Normandy, prior : ^45-

Priory of Andover : Denys Chanon, a monk of St. Florent, Anjou, prior : 80 marks.
Church of Combe : Prior of Okeborne, an alien monk, rector : 10.
Priory of West Shirborne : Inguerand de Dinno, a monk of St. Vigor's, diocese of

Bayeux, prior : ^23 3*. %d.
Priory of Andwell : In the hands of Thomas Driffelde and Elienora his wife :

2O marks.
Priory of Hayling : John de Ousqueto, a monk of Jumieges, Normandy, prior : i io. 8

A writ for a return of all presentations to alien priories recorded in
extant episcopal registers was issued in 1401. The return from Win-
chester begins with Pontoise's registers, and records the presentation and
institution during a little more than a century of the following priors of
the alien houses of Hampshire : Andover, seven ; Carisbrook, seven ;
Ellingham, five ; and H amble, five. 3

Though of a gentle disposition, Wykeham felt bound to join in the
movement against the extravagances of Wycliffe and his followers. On
21 May, 1382, the bishop directed his mandate to the vicar of Odiham
and to all the chaplains ministering in the parish church or any of its
chapels, inhibiting Nicholas Hereford, John Ashton, Robert Alynton,
Lawrence Bedeman of Cornwall and others their accomplices and followers
from preaching or teaching in the church of Odiham or elsewhere in
the diocese, under pain of excommunication. 4 Wykeham had been one
of the ten bishops present at the council held at Blackfriars, London,
only three days before (18 May), when, amidst an earthquake, considered
ominous both by the Lollards and their opponents, ten of Wycliffe's

did not stop two nights in one place. On arrival at the port he was to seek diligently for passage, and
if he could not obtain it he was to go daily into the sea up to his knees as though essaying to pass over.
If within forty days he could not get passage he was then again to place himself in sanctuary in the
nearest church. See Sanctuaries, by T. J. de Mazzinghi (1887).

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, pt. iii. f. 323.

a Ibid. pt. iii. f. 213. 3 Ibid. pt. iv. pp. 39, 40. * Ibid. pt. iii. f. 1940.

ii 41 6

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

statements were pronounced heretical and fourteen more erroneous. The
announcement of the formal condemnation of these views, with the
threat of excommunication against any one teaching them or permitting
them to be taught, was not drawn up by the archbishop and issued to the
province until 30 May, so that Wykeham's action on 21 May showed
great determination and vigour on his part. In his mandate to the vicar
of Odiham the bishop stated that it was a matter of common notoriety
that those named had been recently preaching in his church, so that it is
evident that that corner of Hampshire had been selected by the Wycliffite
leaders for some special effort. Hereford, Ashton and Bedeman were the
Oxford leaders of the movement, and next in importance to Wycliffe
himself; Hereford had preached before the university on 16 May. Not-
withstanding the patronage of the Chancellor of Oxford, the archbishop
and bishops were strong enough to secure the suspension of Hereford,
Ashton and Repingdon (who is not mentioned here), and their eventual
condemnation as heretics by the end of June. 1 They all recanted ;
Repingdon became Bishop of Lincoln and a cardinal, and Hereford died
a Carthusian monk. Bedeman gave way directly he was suspended,
being formally restored to his functions in the following October, and
ended his days as a Devonshire rector. 2 If Robert Alynton is the same,
which is probably the case, as Robert Alyngton of C^ueen's College, who
was Chancellor of Oxford in 1394, he afterwards became a writer
against Wycliffe. 3

The mandate against John, vicar of Odiham, is followed in Wyke-
ham's register by the entry in full, under date of 30 May, of the
twenty-four doctrines condemned by the Blackfriars' synod and by the
archbishop's circular denouncing excommunication against Hereford
and Repingdon. 4 Wykeham's conscientious determination of judgment
is shown by his decision with regard to Bedeman, dated at Southwark,
22 October, 1382, when he formally dismissed the charges of heresy.
The bishop frankly admits that he had vehemently suspected Lawrence
Bedeman, alias Stephen, of preaching in his diocese various heretical and
erroneous doctrines contrary to the decision of the Church ; but that
when summoned before him and certain doctors of law and divinity as
assessors, they found him a true Catholic. Bedeman swore that he had
never held, taught, or preached the errors with which he was charged,
wherefore the court granted him full absolution and discharge. 6

The elaborate and carefully kept registers of Wykeham afford much
information on the subject of special prayers. The parish priest of
England of those days was frequently called upon by his diocesan to use
spiritual intercession for the affairs of state. The bishop took action
in three ways : most frequently he received a privy seal from the
Crown directing his conduct ; occasionally the order reached him from

1 Walden's Fasciculi Zizaniorum, pp. 273-5, 309-11.

2 Fox the martyrologist blunders in naming Bedeman as one who ' suffered a most cruel death.'
Bedeman's name seems really to have been Stevine (Boase's Reg. of Exeter Coll. p. 17, ed. 1894).

* Wood's Fasti, p. 34 ; Bale, cent. i. 519.

' Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. ff. 196, 197. Ibid.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

the archbishop, coming through the Bishop of London as dean of the
province ; and thirdly, the bishop had power to enjoin such prayers
ipso motu on his own clergy.

The first instance in Wykeham's episcopate was the issuing of his
own mandate on 20 September, 1368, for prayer for the soul of Blanche,
Duchess of Lancaster. The mandate begins with a phrase from the
Apocrypha that ' it was an holy and good thought to pray for the
dead.' 1 In December of the same year a privy seal was issued for
prayers for the soul of Lionel, Duke of Clarence. Queen Philippa died
at Windsor on 15 August, 1369, and Wykeham (without waiting for
any orders) issued on the following day his mandate to the two arch-
deacons and to the prior of Winchester for solemn masses for her soul
on the day of her burial and on the following day. The mandate is
couched in terms of the greatest grief at her loss and of the most tender
affection for his queen, of whom he writes with profound esteem, parti-
cularly for her humility and her personal devotion to the poor. In
February, 1393, Wykeham, at the request of Archbishop Courtenay,
ordered prayers for the soul of the Countess of Devon, the archbishop's
mother. On 22 June, 1394, the bishop ordered prayers for the soul of
Queen Anne of Bohemia, reciting the privy seal of 1 3 June to that effect,
but giving utterance to no opinion of his own with regard to the first
wife of Richard II.

The defeat and disaster which the English experienced between 1370
and 1375 in the French wars caused the issue of many commands for
masses, litanies and other devout prayers for peace, and in favour of
particular expeditions of the king and his sons. Six of these were
issued in Winchester diocese. The most noteworthy was that sent forth
by Wykeham on 30 May, 1375, ' at a time of shame and suffering such
as England had never known.' 2 The bishop recited the king's writ, but
went at length into the matter, making special reference to the defeat off
Rochelle, and to the nation's need of a spirit of humility and devotion.
Solemn processions were ordered for Wednesdays and Fridays.

In connection with the accession of Richard II. special prayers
were asked for his guidance and protection by writ of i July, 1 377, and
the Bishop of Winchester's mandate for the same was dated 6 July.
On 12 April, 1380, prayers were ordered on Wednesdays and Fridays in
connection with the king's expedition to France. When Richard II. 's
queen came from Bohemia in January, 1382, no sooner had she set foot
on our shores than a fearful storm arose, and her ship, with many others,
was dashed to pieces in the harbour.

From that time onward for some months the weather was most
tempestuous, and the plague broke out. On 30 May the archbishop
enjoined prayers on the whole province for fair weather, peace and
preservation from pestilence. Three special collects were issued for use
at mass, which are transcribed in Wykeham's register. When the king

1 2 Maccabees xii. 45. * Green's History of the EngKsh People, v. 2.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

planned an expedition into Scotland in July, 1385,^6 archbishop en-
joined the use, on Wednesdays and Fridays, of special masses, sermons
and litanies, which were duly ordered for the churches of Hampshire
and Surrey.

The king's uncle, Thomas Duke of Gloucester, prepared an ill-fated
expedition in the autumn of 1391, and Wykeham issued a mandate,
dated 20 November, for prayers on his behalf, ad partes externas et
remotas contra inimicos Cbristi pugnaturus ob devocionem pergrandem.

In August, 1391, the bishop enjoined prayers on behalf of the
king's coming expedition into Ireland, and in the following October a
writ was issued by Edmund, Duke of York, as custos Angltee, for the
king's success, which was circulated in Hampshire and Surrey on
1 1 November.

In 1399 came the revolution that resulted in the deposition of
Richard II. The course of prayers enjoined this year throughout
Hampshire must have somewhat bewildered the simpler country folk.
Richard was in Ireland, and on 4 July Henry of Lancaster landed at
Ravenspur, Yorkshire, and was at once joined by the Earls of Northum-
berland and Westmorland. When the news of this serious outbreak
reached William of Wykeham, then at Farnham Castle, he issued man-
dates to his archdeacons and to the prior of Winchester, dated 19 July,
for prayers (with forty days of indulgence) for the preservation of the
king and his kingdom in safety, prosperity and tranquillity. Thousands,
doubtless, of the good folk of Hampshire followed the guidance of the
now aged prelate who had lived amongst them, universally respected,
for so many years. Richard returned from Ireland, only to be im-
prisoned in the Tower, and formally deposed by parliament on 30 Sep-
tember. 1 Archbishop Arundel's mandate for prayers for Henry IV. was
issued from Lambeth in October, couched in most extravagant language,
and was duly entered in Wykeham's registers. It is, however, possible
that the bishop issued no mandate for its promulgation. On 30 Septem-
ber Bishop Merks of Carlisle is said to have been the only one of sufficient
faith and spirit to defend Richard and to deny the right of parliament
either to depose him or to pass by the next prince of the blood, with the
result of his deprivation and temporary imprisonment. The appoint-
ment shortly afterwards of Bishop Merks as suffragan of Winchester is
significant.

The story of the founding and building of Winchester College by
Wykeham will be told elsewhere, as well as the rebuilding of the
Norman nave of St. Swithun's.

It only here remains to note that his extraordinary liberality
brightened the worship of the churches throughout Hampshire. Irre-
spective of the numerous bequests of that character in his will, he gave
during his lifetime one hundred and thirteen chalices and a hundred sets
of vestments to the parish churches of his diocese and repaired a large

1 Moberly (Wykeham, p. 257) is mistaken in saying that Wykeham attended the parliament that
deposed Richard ; he was conspicuous by his absence.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

number of the fabrics. As to charity, almost his first act as bishop was
the excusing of his poorer manorial tenants of their customary payments
to the amount of 500, while open house was kept for the poor through-
out his long episcopate. His will was characteristic of his large-hearted-
ness, for by it great minsters and humble village churches, collegiate
foundations and mendicant orders, noble friends and household retainers,
high-placed officials and poor prisoners alike profited.

At the end of Wykeham's episcopate, when his strength was failing,
Bishop Merks, who was deprived of the see of Carlisle in 1400, acted as
suffragan. He died in 1409. From 1407 to 1417 William, Bishop of
Selymbria, was suffragan of Winchester, during most of which period
he also acted as suffragan of Sarum. John, Bishop of Cyrene, was sub-
sequently for a time responsible for Beaufort's episcopal duties. 1

At the beginning of the fifteenth century the next to Archbishop
Arundel in influence in the government of the country was Henry
Beaufort, a child of John of Gaunt, born of his adultery with Catherine
Swinford. The famed Lord Cardinal of Winchester became in rapid
succession Dean of Wells (1397), Bishop of Lincoln (1398), Chancellor
of England (1403), and, upon the death of Wykeham, Bishop of Win-
chester, though not yet thirty years of age. The kingdom saw far more
of him than the diocese, and his long episcopate (1404-47), a most
sad contrast to that of Wykeham, requires here but brief notice. Con-
secrations and ordinations were for the most part discharged by suffragan
bishops.

In 1407 Archbishop Arundel summoned a provincial council to
meet at Oxford for the purpose of stemming the tide of Lollardism.
Under that word were now comprehended not only a setting forth of
strange doctrine, but a spirit of rampant revolution. This council met
on 28 November, in the priory church of St. Frideswide, and agreed to
a series of thirteen injunctions which were to be binding on all clerks
within the province of Canterbury. These became at once known as
the Constitutions of Arundel. It was thereby ordered, amongst other pro-
hibitions, that no one was to preach in church or churchyard without
the bishop's license ; that no speculations on the subject of the sacra-
ments or articles of faith were to be allowed ; that no tract or treatise
written by Wycliffe was to circulate in schools, halls or elsewhere, unless
sanctioned by twelve doctors and masters appointed by each of the
universities ; and that the scriptures were not to be translated into
English until an authorized version had been put forth by a provincial
council. Oxford was at this time so permeated with freedom of thought
that neither the time nor place were considered suitable for setting forth
these decisions. Eventually they were promulgated in Convocation,
when it met at St. Paul's on 14 January, 1409. Copies were forwarded
to the bishops to be made known throughout their dioceses in the fol-
lowing April. These Constitutions of Arundel are transcribed in full in
Beaufort's register. 2

1 Stubbs' Registr. Sacr. AngRc. * Winton. Epis. Reg., Beaufort, pp. 1 8-20.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In the following year Sir John Oldcastle (Lord Cobham in right of
his wife), as leader of the Lollards, introduced a bill into parliament for
the confiscation to the nation of the Church's property, and identified
himself with most of their extreme views. So long as Henry IV. lived
he was under the king's special protection ; but on the accession of his
youthful successor, in 1413, action was taken against him on mingled
charges of heresy and treason. Sir John laughed excommunication to
scorn, but was at last brought before Archbishop Arundel to answer for
his own views, and charged besides with being the chief supporter and
instigator of the Lollard preachers in the dioceses of London, Rochester
and Hereford. With the archbishops were associated the Bishops of
Winchester, London and Bangor. There was no choice for them but to
condemn an offender, who during the trial warned the people that his
judges were trying to lead them to hell. After sentence was pronounced
and Sir John Oldcastle was handed over to the secular power, the arch-
bishop pleaded for and obtained a respite of fifty days, during which time
the condemned prisoner escaped from the Tower and raised a rebellion.
His capture and execution did not occur until 1417.

It has been more than once surmised or even alleged that Bishop
Beaufort was averse to the sentence on Oldcastle, was almost compelled
to acquiesce in it, and winked at his escape. But the evidence of his
register is in direct contradiction to this idea. Under date of 23 October,
1413, a mandate was issued to the diocese citing the judgment as one
given by the authority of the archbishop and the Bishop of Winchester,
and ordering the process against Sir John Oldcastle to be published in an
intelligible voice by all curates in their churches throughout the city and
diocese of Winchester when there was the largest congregation. In this
mandate the constitutions of the council of Oxford contra detractores
evange/icos are quoted. 1 If Cardinal Beaufort's sympathies had been in
the other direction, it would have been comparatively simple for so
powerful a prelate to have ignored any order for publication of the
sentence in the diocese.

The chief mark that Beaufort afterwards made in his diocese was
his refounding of the hospital of St. Cross on a more generous and
extended basis. The end of his life was spent chiefly at Wolvesey, and
was characterized by some notable acts of charity. Beaufort was doubt-
less a somewhat unscrupulous politician. The terrible character given
him by Shakespeare is however drawn with far too dark a pencil. The
dramatist represents his deathbed as one of black despair :

Lord Cardinal, if thou think'st on heaven's bliss,
Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope
He dies, and makes no sign !

This is contradicted by the thoughtful, considerate and pious tone of his
will, to which he added a codicil with his own hand only two days
before his death. In addition to bequests to the cathedral churches of

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Beaufort, f. 44b : ManJatum contra LollarJos et seminatores zizaniorum in eccle-
ila Dei.

EFFIGY OK CARDINAL BEAUFORT.

(from an old print.)

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Winchester, Lincoln and Canterbury, he left 4 to poor prisoners,
2,000 marks to his poor tenants (to be distributed by men of good con-
science who were to be paid for their trouble), 2,000 to his servants,
100 and plate to his acknowledged daughter, Joan Stralkyng, and the
residue to poor religious houses, to marriage portions for poor maidens,
and for the general succour of the poor and needy.

To forty-three years of Beaufort's episcopate there followed forty
years under his successor, Bishop William Waynflete (1447-87).
Waynflete had been educated at Wykeham's colleges at Winchester and
Oxford, and had been appointed headmaster of the former in 1479.
Afterwards he was successively master of St. Mary Magdalen's Hospital,
Winchester, and headmaster and then provost of Eton. He was a
staunch adherent of the House of Lancaster, but conducted himself so
circumspectly as to win the favour of Edward IV.

Although, like his predecessor, Waynflete gave more time to the
affairs of the State than to those of the Church, he held his own ordi-
nations from time to time and personally visited the religious houses of
his diocese. The canons of Selborne, who had been seriously rebuked
by Wykeham and other of his predecessors for laxity, maintained their
reputation for idleness ; and after many vain remonstrances Waynflete at
last secured, in 1486, a papal bull conveying their revenues to the
Oxford college of St. Mary Magdalen of which this bishop was the
munificent founder. 1 It is most interesting to note that Waynflete
placed his foundation of Magdalen College within his own diocese,
wherein it still remains. The Bishop of Winchester is not only visitor
but ordinary of the college.

It is much to the credit of Waynflete that he took active steps
against non-residence and plurality. Several incumbents who failed to
obey monitions or to answer citation were deprived. 2

The custom of granting indulgences for various corporal works of
mercy was considerably extended during this episcopate. They were
granted in aid of one intending to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
for the relief of Sir Robert Molineux captured by the Saracens, for one
whose goods were burnt, and for the repair of the important Hampshire
bridges of Bedhampton and Stockbridge. 3

In 1475, when Edward IV. made an important expedition into
France, which resulted in the treaty of Pecquigny and the betrothal of
his daughter Elizabeth to the dauphin, the bishop issued a mandate
enjoining public prayers and litanies throughout his diocese for the good
estate of the Church, for a happy issue to the king's expedition, for the
tranquillity of the kingdom, for suitable weather, and for a blessing on
the fruits of the earth and the flocks of the field. 4

1 Charters and Documents relative to Selborne Priory, 2 vols., 1891 and 1894, by Rev. W. Dunn
Macray, F.S.A., Hants Record Society.

* Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, I., ff. 250, 28, 90. 3 Ibid, passim.

* Ibid. ii. 140 : Pro statu et fermitate ecclesie, prosp et felici expeditione Regis et tranqutlitate Regni,
aeris congrua temperie et serenitate, ac fructuum et pecorum ubertate tncremento et coniervatione.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

After the battle of Bosworth Field, in 1485, the aged bishop with-
drew to his manor house at Waltham, where he ended his days on
1 1 August, 1486.

During the civil strife, the powerful family of Courtenay had been
zealous against Richard III., and on the death of Waynflete, Henry VII.
secured the bishopric of Winchester for Peter Courtenay (1487-92),
who had been for nine years Bishop of Exeter.

His episcopate was uneventful, save for recrudescence of Lollardism.
Richard Petefyne, alias Sawyer, of Woodhay, was charged with uttering
heresy during the months of March, April, May, June and July, 1491,
against the sacraments of penance, matrimony, confirmation, extreme
unction and orders, and for saying that no priest ought to have more
than 2d. for the labour of saying mass. The bishop cited the witnesses
to appear in the chapel of Fromond in the college of St. Mary, Win-
chester. Richard Sawyer thereupon confessed to having said that ' the
blessed sacramente was but a pece of dowe bakyn and prentyd betwyxt
Irones and that I cowde make xxx 1 ' of theym w'in a owyr if I hyd such
prentyng Irones,' also to ' buying and conceilyng of Englyshe bokes,'
and to various other charges. Eventually he solemnly abjured his errors
and was absolved. 1

Courtenay died in September, 1492, and was succeeded in the fol-
lowing year by Thomas Langton, who had been successively Bishop of
St. David's and Sarum. He had been Provost of Queen's, Oxford, and
was a thorough supporter of the new learning. Wood describes him as
a Maecenas of learning. He took a keen interest in the education of
boys, and Winchester College has more occasion to remember him
than the diocese at large. When Archbishop Morton died in 1500,
Thomas Langton was (on 22 January, 1501) elected as his successor
in the primacy, but he died of the plague on 27 January, before his
translation could be effected.

John Morton, the aged Archbishop of Canterbury, breathed his
last on 12 October, 1500. His successor, Henry Dean, was not elected
until 26 April, 1501. During the vacancy, the prior of Christ Church,
Canterbury, asserted his right to hold metropolitical visitations, and as
Winchester was vacant at the same time, the assertion of such a right in
that diocese was the less likely to meet with opposition. Master Thomas
Hede, doctor of laws, was appointed to act as visitor by Prior Thomas
of Canterbury.

All the Hampshire houses that were subject to episcopal visitation
were taken in turn. Dr. Hede's first visit was paid to the cathedral
church and priory of St. Swithun. The visitation began in the chapter
house on 27 February, 1501, when the prior Thomas Sylkestede was first
examined. He gave a good account of the order and discipline of his
house, and stated that the statutory number of the monks was forty,
and that their then number was thirty-five, there having been five
recent deaths. His account was confirmed and elaborated by the

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Courtenay, pp. 26-7.
48

lilSIIol' \\~AYM--I.KTK.
(From a fl.tiirf al Ma^lalca CoHr s e, Oxford.)

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

sub-prior, and by various other officials such as the sacrist, treasurer,
chamberlain, precentor, and almoner. Twenty-nine members of the
convent underwent examination, and at the end, after some demur,
Silkestede took an oath of canonical obedience to the prior and convent
of Canterbury, during the vacancy of the archiepiscopal see.

On 2 March, the abbey of St. Mary, Winchester, was visited, when
the abbess, Joan Legh, supported by the prioress, sacrist, precentrix, four
cantrices, librarian, ' senior dogmatista,' and other of the nuns were able
to give a good account of themselves. On the following day a visitation
was held in the chapter house of the abbey of Hyde. Abbot Richard
Hall put in his written replies to the visitation articles, on which they
were afterwards examined. The replies of the different officials, such as
prior, sub-prior, steward, and almoner, gave full satisfaction. Twenty-
two members of the convent underwent this personal examination, of
whom one was a deacon, two sub-deacons, one an acolyte, and three
novices. Dr. Hede proceeded to the priory of Southwick on 12 March,
where a like full examination of the canons there was undertaken.
On the 1 5th he was at the priory of St. Denis, Southampton, where the
examination of the canons proved equally satisfactory, the pawning of a
piece of valuable silver called ' a spice plate ' being assigned by the sub-
prior to the fault of his predecessor.

The next visit was paid on 22 March, to the large and important
priory of Christchurch. Prior John Draper and his colleagues were
able to give satisfactory accounts of their house and its administration.
Twenty members of this community underwent examination, of whom
three were sub-deacons. On 24 March the priory of Breamore was
visited. Five canons, in addition to John Chandler, of this comparatively
small house gave evidence. On 27 March the large nunnery of Romsey
was reached, and here the only scandal (a grievous one) of the whole
visitation came to light and was suppressed. Everywhere else things
appear to have been most creditably conducted ; and we may be quite
sure that a thorough visitation of this kind, undertaken by an outside
and somewhat jealous authority, would have no reason, but the con-
trary, to gloss over faults. On 30 March Dr. Hede proceeded to the
priory of Mottisfont, when satisfactory statements were made by prior
John Edmond and four of his colleagues. The nuns of Wherwell were
visited on the following day. Nineteen nuns, in addition to Matilda
Rouse the abbess, were questioned by the visitor, of whom six were
novices. On 3 April the small priory of Wintney was visited, when
Anna Thomas the prioress, and three of her sisters gave evidence.

In addition to these religious houses, the College of St. Elizabeth
and the New College at Winchester were visited by Dr. Hede on the
same occasion.

The expenses of this visitation are set forth with some detail. In

the first place, Dr. Hede expended 1 8s. ' for iij yards of brode cloth for

a shorte gown for myself.' Three yards of lining for the same cost

3-r. 6d. His servant's gown cost IQJ. jod. The saddle and harness for

ii 49 7

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

his own horse cost 12*., and the shoeing of his two horses before his
journey to Winchester cost 1 6 pence. ' Mete and drynke for himself
and servant, together with horse's mete' and other necessary expenses
from London to Winchester, and tarrying there from 7 to 1 2 February,
and from thence homeward, is put down at 23*. 4^. This was Dr.
Hede's expenditure when he went down to make preliminary prepar-
ations for the official visitation. Amongst the later entries may be
mentioned : ' For fyre and candyll and brede and ale in my chamber
in the Inne by cause I had no chamber in the Abbey of Saint
Swithun's in the tyme of their visitation, ijs. vjd.' 1

Langton was followed by another much translated bishop. Richard
Fox when a young man had done Henry VII. (as Earl of Richmond)
many substantial services. On Courtenay's translation to Winchester in
1487, Fox succeeded him at Exeter ; he was moved to Bath and Wells
in 1492 and to Durham in 1494. The income of the bishopric of
Winchester was at this time greater than that of Durham, and its near-
ness to London made it pleasanter for a confidential friend of the king,
so Richard Fox came south and ruled over this diocese for nearly twenty-
eight years. When he had been Bishop of Winchester for nine years,
Henry VIII. (whom he had baptized at his birth) came to the throne,
but the bishop died before the upheavals that characterized the latter part
of that reign. Fox was most staunchly orthodox, and had some sorry
work to do with the heretics of his diocese. The burning of Thomas
Denys in the midst of the market place of Kingston, on 5 March,
1512-3, is set forth with a great deal of circumstance and detail in his
register. From the same source we learn that Thomas Watt and Anne
his wife of Dogmersfield, and William Wikham and Alice his wife, and
Robert Winter of Crondal, appeared before Bishop Fox in the parish
church of Farnham on 30 September, 1514, on the charge of heresy,
but having confessed and solemnly abjured their errors, penance was
assigned them and they received absolution. 2

Fox was most generous with his great income, but chiefly outside
the diocese. He is remembered as the founder of Corpus Christi
College, Oxford. For nearly the last ten years of his life the bishop
was afflicted with blindness, and lived constantly at Wolvesey, but two
or three years before this trial had begun the bishop had sickened of
court life.

There is nothing more creditable to Fox than the latter part of his
life, when he saw so clearly in advance of his time the inconsistency
of attempting to serve zealously both State and Church. Both Wolsey
and the king had great difficulty in keeping him to his seat at the
council table. In a letter he wrote to Wolsey on 23 April, 1516, he
excused himself from coming to court, as he had the king's license to be

From transcripts of a Register SeJe vacanle at Canterbury, made by Mr.Leland L. Duncan, F.S.A.
Wmton. Epis. Reg., Fox, iii. 69-76. It is not a little curious that the martyrdom of Denys and
the whole of Bishop Fox's proceedings against heretics escaped Fox the martyrologist. A burning at
Kingston-on-Thames would not fail to be notorious.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

occupied in his cure, and to make satisfaction for twenty years of neglect.
He feels sure that Wolsey would not have him serve the world to the
damnation of his soul and other souls committed to him, and assures him
that his absence is not to hunt nor hawk, nor even for quietness of
mind, but to endeavour to do his duty to the flock committed to his
charge. 1

On 30 April, 1522, Fox wrote another touching letter to Wolsey
on the same subject, saying that as an old priest of over seventy years of
age he could no longer have anything to do with the war, that he had no
little remorse of conscience as to the enormities of the war, that if he
should live twenty years longer and do penance every day he could not
make sufficient recompense for his share, that the king had licensed him
to remain in his church, and that that was the least he could do, for he
had been so negligent that of his four cathedral churches he had never
even seen Exeter nor Wells. In the same letter he stated that he had
much diocesan business on hand, both of correction and justice, and that
he visited his cathedral and the monastery of Hyde once every fifteen
days. 2

The bishop seems to have found his diocese in a sadly neglected
condition, for in a third letter to Wolsey, between the dates just cited,
namely in January, 1521, he writes with joy as to a projected scheme of
Wolsey's for the reformation of the clergy, and says that he is endea-
vouring to do within his own small jurisdiction what the cardinal is
proposing to effect throughout the two provinces. The bishop stated
that he had given his whole mind to this subject for nearly three years,
and had found the clergy, and particularly the monks, so corrupted by
the license of the times, that he had almost despaired of effecting any
perfect reformation.*

However, in January, 1528, after a wider experience of his diocese,
and after his careful visiting, he is able to write to his friend Wolsey
from Winchester in a very different strain. He says that he had never
had occasion to deprive any one in any of his dioceses, and that (except
at Southwark, which is under the archdeacon's jurisdiction) there was as
little known crime as within any diocese in the realm. In the same
letter the interesting fact comes out that the various monasteries had
been put to less cost during the twenty-six years of his episcopate than
was usual, for during the whole of that period he had never taken pro-
curations of them in all his visitations. 4

From 1520 the blind bishop, though frequently officiating in
person, had the assistance, as suffragan, of William Barnett, Bishop of
Kildare.

On the death of Fox, the see of Winchester was conferred on his
friend Cardinal Wolsey, who held it in commendam from 6 April, 1529.
Wolsey was merely nominal bishop. He never visited the cathedral

1 Letters and Papers, Henry VIII. (1515-16), No. 1814.

* Cott. MSS. Faust, E. vii. 121. 3 Ibid. C. vii. 216.

* Letters and Papers, Henry Vlll. (1526-8), No. 3815.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

church, and was installed by proxy. His fall was close at hand, and the
beginning of his disgrace occasioned his residence for some months in
Surrey. On 19 October, 1529, he gave up the Great Seal, and
retired by the king's orders to the episcopal manor house of Esher, suf-
fering considerable privations and sickening with an attack of dropsy.
He left Esher in the spring of 1530, being ordered to withdraw to his
northern diocese, and in November of the same year he died.

Just a year after the death of Wolsey, at the end of November,
1531, that shrewd and able statesman, Stephen Gardiner, for some time
secretary to the cardinal, was consecrated to the see of Winchester. He was
learned in civil and canon law, but owed his original advancement to the fact
of being Cardinal Wolsey 's private secretary. During his remarkable epis-
copate, the king's divorces and the general flux of the Reformation changes
absorbed more of his talents and industry than the more prosaic affairs
of diocesan administration. Nevertheless the diocese was by no means
neglected, and we have the evidence of the Scotch scholar, Volusenus,
that at the beginning of his episcopal career Gardiner was most assiduous
in visiting and preaching throughout the parishes of Hampshire and
Surrey. 1 With the singular intermediate position that Gardiner took up
on matters affecting the Reformation, and his remarkable treatise, De Vera
Obedientia t repudiating Roman domination, we have here no concern ; but
mention should be made of his dispute with Cranmer as to a visitation
of Winchester diocese, as this must have caused some considerable heart-
burning and no little bewilderment to many of the incumbents of Hamp-
shire.

The archbishop insisted on his right to hold a provincial visitation,
a course which had, perhaps naturally, been always unpopular with the
suffragans of Canterbury, and which was peculiarly trying at this
crisis. Irrespective of other reasons, the matter of fees made such a
progress a heavy burden on all concerned, whilst materially enriching
the archiepiscopal officials. Moreover it was only five years since
Archbishop Wareham had made a metropolitical visitation of Winchester
diocese, so if any diocese of the southern province ought to have been
exempted or left to the last, Gardiner's was the one. Nevertheless
Cranmer decided on beginning with Winchester, and this to say the
least was a specially unfortunate selection, as there had already been
bickerings and jealousy between the two prelates. Gardiner resolutely
opposed the visitation, an action that was doubtless acceptable to his
clergy. He urged against it the recent costly visitation of Wareham,
and the new and heavy imposition of the tenths, but chiefly contended
that, as the archbishop had abandoned the ancient title of legate of the
apostolic see as being in contradiction to the royal prerogative, he had
no right to the title of Primate of all England, by virtue of which the
visitation was to be held. To all this Cranmer wrote a clever reply to

1 Volusenus dedicated his commentary on Psalm li., published in 1532, to Gardiner, and, for his
energy, holds him up as an example to other bishops.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Cromwell, insisting on the title of Totius Anglle Primas, and persisted in
the Winchester visitation. 1

Meanwhile Gardiner was faithfully working at his share of the
translation of the New Testament, on the scheme projected by Cranmer
in 1533, with which he was occupied chiefly at his quiet manor house
of Bishops Waltham. On 10 June, 1535, he wrote to Cromwell, stating
that he had just finished the translation of the Gospels of St. Luke and
St. John, and being overwrought by his labours intended for a time to
put aside all books and writing. 2

Following on the divorce of Catherine in 1533 came the separa-
tion from Rome in 1534 and the proclaiming of Henry VIII. as the
supreme head of the Church of England, accompanied by the Verbal
Treason Act, by which any one questioning even by ' malicious silence '
the right of the king to such a title was liable to execution as a
traitor. The clergy, secular and religious, as well as members of par-
liament and officials, were ordered to swear allegiance to Anne (Boleyn)
and her children, to acknowledge the supremacy of the Crown, and to
deny that the pope had any more authority in England than any other
bishop. To this stringent oath the now despotic Henry secured the
subscription of almost the whole of the clergy, parochial and monastic.
Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, Sir Thomas More, the late chancellor, and
several Carthusian monks were executed under the Verbal Treason Act.
Gardiner of Winchester hesitated for some time, but at last (on 10
February, 1535)" he signed his repudiation of papal authority, and calling
together his clergy at St. Swithun's induced the falterers to follow his
example.

The foremost and plainest opponents of the king's divorce were the
Friars Observants, who numbered amongst them the best preachers of
the day, such as Peto, Elstow and Forest. The king, who but a few
years previously had declared this order to be the most holy and faithful
in his dominion, now resolved on its suppression. About 200 of the
order were flung into prison without trial, where upwards of fifty died
from the severity of their treatment, whilst their houses were handed
over to the Augustinian friars. The Observants had their origin in a
reformation of the relaxed Franciscan rule, begun in 1400 and con-
firmed by the council of Constance in 1414. The Southampton house
of Franciscan friars was one of the seven English houses that adopted
the reformed rule, and were henceforth Observant friars. On Passion
Sunday, 1534, one, Robert Cooke of Rye, had to do penance for certain
heresies about the sacrament of the altar, and to make public confession
and abjuration in the cathedral church at Winchester. The preacher
on that occasion was Friar Pecock, warden of the Observant convent at
Southampton. He was bold enough to avail himself of the opportunity

1 Cott. MSS. Cleop. F. i. z6o.

8 Letters and Papers, Henry fill. No. 850. The four Gospels were assigned to the Bishops of
Canterbury, Lincoln, Winchester and Ely, and it is a great tribute to Gardiner's learning that the two
longest were eventually allotted to him as his share.

8 Wilkins, Concilia, iii. 780.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

of dealing with ' other dampned heresies,' and exhorted the people to be
steadfast even unto death in their ancient faith and practices. 1 He then
made pointed reference to the story of St. Maurice, who refused
obedience to his prince's command where contrary to the divine law,
and concluded by arguing strongly in favour of the primacy of St. Peter.
This plain preaching was reported to Cromwell. Orders were at once
issued to John Perchard, the mayor of Southampton, to arrest Gabriel
Pecock and bring him up to London. Accordingly on Wednesday in
Easter week the mayor proceeded to the Observant friary at South-
ampton, but found that the warden was still absent on a preaching tour.
A few days later he was apprehended and sent to Cromwell, but at the
same time the mayor and his colleague wrote to the vicar-general in
warm terms as to Pecock's very good behaviour ever since he had been
in Southampton, and also of the good order of his convent. His
popularity at Southampton probably procured his release, or he may to
some extent have recanted ; at all events Pecock, a few months later,
was again at Southampton. 2

During this year the visiting of religious houses by virtue of letters
patent the king considering himself for such purposes the superior of
all the episcopate was first put in practice. Selection was made of two
renegade friars, Dr. Hilsey, a Dominican, and Dr. Brown, an Augustinian,
as ' grand visitors and provincials ' to all the friaries of the kingdom. 8
This action gave rise to imposition, in addition to royal harshness.
More than one self-appointed ' visitor,' with forged letters, went about
to different houses extorting bribes and payments. Friar Pecock, of the
Southampton Observants, had one of these sham visitors on 15 July.
Dressed as a ' father Black friar ' he entered the friary, took the keys
from the porter, rang the bell and assembled the convent in the chapter
house. He said he was visitor by the king's authority, and read a
transcript of the royal letters patent to Hilsey and Brown, certified (as
he pretended) under the seal of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and
passed himself off as Hilsey. As however it was discovered by chance
from one of his servants that he was not Hilsey and was not named in
the commission, they refused to let him proceed. The ' visitor '
threatened them with the king's and Cromwell's displeasure, whereupon
Warden Pecock wrote on the morrow a full account of the whole
occurrence and forwarded it to Cromwell. 1

In 1535 began the suppression of the monasteries. From one point

1 In 1533 Stokesley was president of a commission that condemned and burned two Eucharistic
heretics. In 1535 fourteen Anabaptists were condemned at St. Paul's, and burned in different parts of
England so as to strike a terror throughout the kingdom. Others were burnt for like reasons in 1538,
1540, 1541, 1543 and 1546. At least thirty persons were burned at the stake for their Protestant
opinions in the reign of Henry VIII., and a far larger number escaped the stake, like Robert Cooke, by
recantation. See Wakeman's History of the Church of England, pp. 255-6.

1 Letters and Papers, Henry nil. (1534), 448-50.

* Hilsey was rewarded by being made Bishop of Rochester, whilst Brown was raised to the arch-
bishopric of Dublin.

4 Letters and Papers, Henry Vlll. (1534), 982. In a list of the whereabouts of various leading
friars drawn up in December, 1534, many having escaped over the seas, Gabriel Pecock is named as
being at Lincoln (ibid. 1607).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

of view this was no new idea. Rome itself had not been hostile to
their occasional suppression in favour of some better scheme, as witness
the bulls so recently obtained by Wolsey to find funds for the establish-
ment of his colleges. Moreover no county in England, for its area, had
had a wider and therefore better recollected experience of suppression
in the previous century than Hampshire. But when parliament agreed
to the suppression of the alien monasteries in 1415, their revenues were
assigned to other religious establishments. The twelve cases of suppres-
sion of that year in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight benefited such
institutions as Winchester College or the hospitals of St. Cross and God's
House, Southampton, as will be set out hereafter. In 1486, Bishop
Waynflete was allowed to transfer the possessions of the Hampshire
priory of Selborne to Magdalen College, Oxford. Again, in 1494, Pope
Alexander granted a bull, at the request of Henry VII., for the suppres-
sion of Mottisfont Priory and the annexation of its revenue to his founda-
tion at Windsor, Mottisfont having then only three canons, a number
insufficient for the fulfilment of its religious obligations. There was
now however a totally different spirit abroad ; the king and his courtiers
took advantage of a certain genuine yearning for reform that was exer-
cising the minds of some of the more devout and thoughtful, to enrich
themselves. However diverse may be the opinions of men qualified
to judge as to monasticism having played its part out, or as to the extent
of its decadence, no man can approve of the way in which the dissolution
of the religious houses was accomplished, and of the manner in which
their revenues were used.

To give colour to the policy of confiscation, Thomas Cromwell, as
the king's agent, appointed a commission of visitors to the monasteries.
The first result was the suppression of the lesser houses whose revenues
did not exceed 200 a year, which were pronounced to be the more
corrupt. The preamble to the act of 1536 stated that ' in the greater
monasteries, thanks be to God, religion is right well observed and kept
up.' Some of the condemned houses managed by bribes to stave off the
evil day. The most celebrated Hampshire convent condemned under
this act was the Winchester abbey of St. Mary, of early royal founda-
tion founded by Alfred, extinguished by Henry VIII. The abbess,
Elizabeth Shelley, by paying a fine of 3 3 3 6j. 8</., and by resigning to
Sir Edward Seymour, the king's brother-in-law, the manors of Urchfont
and Allcanning, secured a reprieve, and a new charter was granted in
1 536. The reports of the mixed commissioners of local gentry as to the
lesser monasteries, of which there are but few full returns, certainly did
not justify the suppression of these houses 1 ; and the reports are the more
remarkable, as the visitors were all servants of the Crown in different
capacities. 2

1 Details will be subsequently cited in the account of each religious house.

. * Sir James Worsley was governor of the Isle of Wight and captain of Carisbrook Castle, whilst
the two Paulets (brothers of Sir William Paulet, treasurer of the household) and Berners were Irish
commissioners and officials of the Augmentation Office.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In the account presented on 30 May, 1536, by Sir James Worsley,
John Paulet, George Paulet and William Berners, not a single scandal is
even hinted at in connection with the Hampshire houses. Of the
Cistercian nuns of Wintney, they say that they are by report of good
conversation and all desirous of continuing in religion ; of the Bene-
dictine nuns of Winchester, that the whole number are religious and in
living virtuous ; of the Austin canons of St. Denis, Southampton, that
they are of good conversation ; of the Cistercian monks of Netley, that
they are of good religious conversation ; of the Cistercian monks of
Quarr, that they too are of good religious conversation ; of the Austin
canons of Breamore, that they are of good conversation. 1 Notwithstand-
ing however the nature of these reports of the smaller houses, every one
of them was suppressed before the close of the year. 2

A peculiarly interesting and exceptional point of this return may
here be noticed. The commissioners say of the abbey of Netley, which
was close to the water's edge, that it afforded both to the king's subjects
and to strangers travelling the seas ' great relief and comforte' ; and of the
abbey of Quarr, which was also close to the sea coast, it is reported that
it is ' a greate refuge and comforte to all the inhabitants of the Yle and
to strangers travellinge the sees.' There can be but little doubt that
these expressions refer to the fact that the monks of both Netley and
Quarr kept a fire flaring or a lamp burning at nightfall for the guidance
of ships. 3

The Premonstratensian abbey of Titchfield, valued at the dissolution
at 249 i6j. i</., surrendered on 28 December, 1537, John Salisbury,
the abbot, being made suffragan bishop of Thetford. 4 The superior of
another Hampshire house, the priory of Breamore, was made suffragan
bishop of Taunton.

It is stated in Milner's Winchester that one of the results of the
1535 act was to destroy the four houses of friars at Winchester ; but
this is an error. The friars throughout England (saving the extin-
guished Observants) had escaped because of their honourable condition
of poverty. They had no fixed source of income to which the act could
apply ; they were not even named in its clauses, and there can be little
or no doubt that it was never drafted with any idea of including them.
It seemed however to occur to the king and his agents that even friars
had houses, that their sites were valuable, and that their very poverty
would make their resistance feeble. An attack all along the line was
therefore decided upon in the autumn of 1537. It began in London in
November, 1537, and it reached Winchester in May, 1538. An ex-
friar was made the chief instrument of this action in the west of Eng-
land. Richard Ingworth, formerly prior of the Dominicans of King's

1 P. R. O. Augm. Office, Chantry and College Certificates, in. Owing probably to wrong
classification, this return has hitherto been overlooked.
* Letters and Papers, Henry Vlll. 1536, passim.
s See W. J. Hardy's Lighthouses : their History and Romance (1895).
4 Letters and Papers, Henry Vlll. (1537), li. 1274.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Langley, was consecrated suffragan bishop of Dover towards the end of

1537. Instead of doing episcopal work he at once sought and obtained
a commission as visitor of religious houses, and determined to devote his
chief attention to the extermination of friars. In May, 1538, he visited
the Winchester houses of the Franciscan, Austin and Dominican friars,
and asked directions as to what he was to do with the Carmelite house,
as there were no friars. He reported to Cromwell that he had left all
the stuff pertaining to the Black friars ' in a secular mannys handdes,'
and gave license to the prior to say mass in the church till he heard
from him again. Two months later he again visited Winchester, and
received the formal surrender of the friars' houses on 2 1 July, there
being then twenty-five priests amongst them, all told. 1

Within a letter from Richard, Bishop of Dover, to Cromwell in July,

1538, recording his dealings with the friars in the west of England, was
enclosed a schedule giving lists of friars concerning whom ' I beseche
youre lordeschype to have dyscharge for theys fryers to change ther
apparell.' The reason for this application was, as is explained by the
bishop in other letters, that the friars were too poor to purchase even a
coat in lieu of their religious frocks. The following are those named at
Winchester :

The Grey Fryers off Winchester : Fryer Thomas Parys ; Fryer Wyllyam
Kenett ; Fryer Rycharde Forde. The Austen Fryers off Wynchester : Fryer Johan
Wyhte. The Blacke Fryers off Wynchester : Fryer Rycharde Chessam, doctor of
dyvynyte, prior ; Fryer Robarde Browne ; Fryer Johan George ; Fryer Nycholas
Barker ; Fryer Johan Ynggylbye ; Fryer Robarde Haymys. I want iii or iiii freeres
names of the Austen and Wheyte Freers of Winchester, I left the boke at hom. If
ye wold be so gode as to send me iii or iiii warranties with a space for ther names, I
wer bonde to you.

From this it would appear that the visitor had discovered some White
or Carmelite friars. He goes on to say :

In all placys wher as yet I have ben I have made an inventory indenteid, and
selyd up their common sealys so that thir shall sell or alienate no more of their jewellys
nor other stuffe, wherefor I am suar that within a year the more parte shall be fayne
to giffe up their housis for poverty. 2

The Bishop of Dover was however too mild a man for Cromwell's
purposes, and he soon lost favour and had to make way for rougher
tools. 3 In the suppression of the remainder of the friars the chief agent
was the notorious Dr. London, 4 who, with a posse of his coadjutors,
visited Hampshire in September, 1538, and again in 1539.

In May, 1538, John Draper, the prior of Christchurch, who was
one of the king's chaplains and friendly with several about the court,
petitioned against the suppression of his house. He pleaded that the
church was the parish church for the town and its hamlets, wherein

J Letters and Papers, Henry fill, passim. 2 Cott. MSS. Cleop. E. iv. f. 250, 251.

8 Dixon's History of Church of England, ii. 37-40.

* Dr. London was put to open penance for adultery, and died in prison for perjury (Narratives of
Reformation [Camd. Soc.], p. 35 ; Strype's Eccl. Memorials, i. 175 ; Strype's Memorials of Cranmer, i.
158). Cranmer terms him ' a stout and filthy prebendary of Windsor.' Dr. London was not only canon
of Windsor, but warden of New College, Oxford, and dean of Wallingford.

II 57 8

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

were fifteen or sixteen hundred communicants ; that the country round
about was very barren, and that there was no other place of refuge for
honest men within eight or nine miles, and in some directions sixteen
or eighteen miles, that the poor of the country round were fed there
day by day ; that a school was kept and a master provided for the
children ; and that there was a daily lecture of divinity. 1 This petition
had the result of staving off the evil day for some eighteen months,
and securing the most favourable terms for the prior. But Christ-
church was a wealthy house of ^55 a year and was bound to go. The
surrender was effected on 28 November, 1539, when London and his
colleagues assigned the great pension of jC J 33 &f. %d. to Draper, as
well as the mansion of the prior's lodgings. They reported to Cromwell
that the prior was a very honest and comformable person, and described
with gusto the great value of the gold and silver plate ' mete for the
Kinges majestic is use.' In the same letter the visitors gloried in having
defaced the beautiful chantry chapel but recently erected by the
Countess of Salisbury for the burial of herself and her son, Cardinal
Pole. 2

On 2 April, 1538, Thomas Stephens, the abbot of Beaulieu, and
twenty of his monks were induced to sign a surrender. The site and
possessions were speedily assigned to Sir Thomas Wriothesley, who was
controller of the king's household, and subsequently created first Earl of
Southampton. Its annual value was declared to be 4.28 6s. S^J. 3

On 7 April of the same year the Austin priory of Southwick, of
the annual value of 314 I 7 S - Iod '-> was surrendered by the prior,
William Norton, and twelve of the canons. This house too was
originally assigned to Wriothesley.

These surrenders of houses over the value of 200 were clearly
illegal, but the action of the visitors was subsequently legalized by the
act of 1539.

With regard to Beaulieu, an interesting point occurred which
shows how many awkward questions were involved in the suppression
of these larger houses, and how much this monastic system tended to
alleviate the sternness of the criminal law of the land. On the day
after the visitors obtained the surrender of Beaulieu they wrote to
Cromwell telling him that there were thirty-two sanctuary men within
the bounds of the abbey who were there for debt, felony and murder,
and to whom had been assigned houses where they lived with their
wives and children. They declare that if sent to other sanctuaries they
will be undone, and desire to stay there for the rest of their lives.
On the sixteenth of the same month the ex-abbot Stephens wrote to
Wriothesley begging him to be a good master to the poor men
privileged in the sanctuary of Beaulieu for debt, and stating that they
had been very honest whilst he was their governor. As a cogent

1 Letters and Papers, Henry Vlll. (1538), xiii.(i) No. 1117.
Ibid. (1539), ii. 597 ; Cott. MSS. Cleop. E. iv. 267.
8 Letters an J Papers, Henry Vlll. (1538), xiii.(i) 660.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

argument with such a one as Wriothesley, he added that the houses
these sanctuary men occupied were so poor that if they were turned out
they would yield no rent. On the following day Dr. Crayford, an
agent of Wriothesley, begs his master to obtain the king's protection
for such of the Beaulieu sanctuary men as are debtors, an action which
would much redound to his credit in the neighbourhood. From some
of Cromwell's notes later in the year it is shown that this request in
favour of the debtors was granted by the Crown. 1

The letters of John Crayford and certain of Wriothesley's retainers
sent down to look after his rich Hampshire spoils are distressing to read.
Crayford (one of Cromwell's sub-commissioners) writes to the controller
of Henry's household on 2 January, 1538, as to the extent of the fish-
ponds (four of them a mile in length) and other details of the Titchfield
monastery, only surrendered the previous week. The greed of the
country side to gain some profit is a sorry sign of the times. On the
Sunday following the fall of the house half a dozen neighbours from
Eastmeon, fourteen miles off, came over to inspect, and promised to buy
marble monuments, altars, etc., out of the monastic church. Crayford,
himself in holy orders, tells his patron that ' Mrs. Wriothesley nor you
neither be no meticulous ne scrupulous to make sale of such holy things,
having the example of devout Bishop Alexander of Rome whose
epitaph is :

Vendit Alexander cruces, altaria Christi ;
Vendere jure potest ; emerat ille prius.

He adds that plucking down the church is but a small matter, as he
will build a chapel. Directly Beaulieu comes into Wriothesley's hands
an army of masons, etc., are turned in to change it into a grand mansion
for his residence. The choir and other parts of the church are em-
ployed, being useful to protect him from the sea wind ; but all men of
taste whom he consults decide against the tower of the church remain-
ing. Southwick, which also fell into his clutches, was eventually
assigned to one of his unscrupulous servants, John White. The only
relief to this sorry business is that the church robbers fell out among
themelves.

Sir Thomas Wriothesley not only obtained possession of the abbeys
of Beaulieu and Titchfield on different sides of the Southampton Water,
but also of the site and many of the manors of the abbey of Hyde, of
which he was actually seneschal or steward. He sold the spoils of this
abbey, and personally superintended the rapid extinction of its fabric.
No wonder that his case is chronicled in Spelman's History of Sacrilege.
His acts as a spoiler, particularly at Winchester, brought about the
hostility of Bishop Gardiner, who was his wife's uncle, but Cromwell's
patronage secured him against the bishop's displeasure.

On 21 September, 1538, Wriothesley, with Pollard and Williams,
two of the minor monastic visitors, made an end of the shrine of St.

1 Letten and Papers, Henry PHI. (1538), i. 668, 792, 796, 877.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Swithun in the cathedral church of Winchester. Their joint letter to
Cromwell says that their work was done ' aboutes thre of the clok this
Saturdaye in the mornyng,' so we may conclude that cowardice or
shame caused them to labour in the dark. They bemoan that there
was no gold, and that the precious stones were counterfeits, but they
thought that the mere silver from the shrine was worth 2,000 marks.
They also obtained a cross of emeralds, a cross called Jerusalem, a
cross of gold, two gold chalices and some silver plate. They add :
' We have also this mornyng going to our beddeswarde, viewed th'
aulter, which we purpose to bring with us ; it wol be worthe the
taking downe.' 1 The visitors continue : 'We entende, both at Hide
and St. Marye's, to swepe away all the roten bones that be called
reliques ; which we may not omitt, lest it shuld be thought we care
more for the treasure thenne for avoiding of tha abomynation of
ydolatry.' !

The acquiescence of the abbot of Hyde in the dissolution of that
great historic abbey was secured by considerable promises, which were
shortly fulfilled. He had been made Bishop of Bangor in 1534, and
only held the abbey in commendam. Immediately after the surrender he
was translated to Salisbury. The formal surrender was not signed till
30 April, 1539.

The nuns of St. Mary's, Winchester, held out till 15 November,
1539, when they too surrendered, Elizabeth Shelley, the abbess,
securing a pension of 26 13^. ^d. The wealthy convents of Wherwell
(339 8j. yd.} and Romsey (528 ioj. io|</.) succumbed in the same
year.

So far as the monastery of St. Swithun was concerned, William
Kingsmill, the prior, became dean, and most of the canons and minor
canons were taken from the old body. There seems to have been only
one of the old house provided with a pension, the rest having posts
found for them in the new establishment. 3

Had the officially announced intention which was mainly alleged
for the second act of dissolution of monasteries in 1539 been fulfilled,
the diocese of Winchester would to some extent have profited, for
Southampton, Guildford and the Isle of Wight were places named as
sees of suffragan bishops. Out of the twenty-three promised bishoprics
only six were founded.

St. Swithun's, Winchester, was one of those seven Benedictine
monasteries having the charge of cathedral churches which were
changed at the Reformation into a body of secular canons. 4 Though
the king cared not personally for education, it was the rising European

' The nether part of the high altar, plate of gold garnished with stones, the front above ot
broidermg work and pearl, and above a table of images of silver and gilt garnished with stones ' (Inventory
of St. Swithun's, Harl. MSS. 358, f. i;b).

2 Letters and Papers, Henry V1H. (1538), ii. 485.

3 Winchester Cathedral Documents, 1541-7, Hants Record Society.

1 There had been nine, but Coventry was destroyed, and Bath never received a capitular
establishment.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

question, and could not be ignored in his schemes of reform. In the
new statutes for Winchester it was expressly stated that the monastery
of St. Swithun was dissolved in order that, inter atia, ' the youth of the
realm may be educated in good letters to the advancement of the Chris-
tian faith and piety.' It was also Cranmer's desire and intention to
make use of the cathedral establishments as theological colleges, with
readers in divinity, Hebrew and Greek, and a body of students. This
brave project, so far as Winchester was concerned, dwindled down to
the ordering, in 1 544, that twelve poor scholars in theology should be
constantly maintained in the two universities, six at each, by the dean
and chapter. The total outlay ordered would have amounted to about
100. For the support of these students the king re-granted to the new
body, from the great spoils of the monastery, the manors of Westmeon,
Nursling, Milbrook, Avington and Hoddington. Speedily however
repenting himself of this trifling fulfilment of his pledge to assist
education made so solemnly in the statutes, the king in less than a
twelvemonth insisted on the surrender by the dean and chapter of
these very manors. With their surrender these shadowy students of
divinity vanish into space, having never had aught but a birth on paper.

A few remarks may be here added as to the subsequent history of
the religious houses of the county, though somewhat out of chrono-
logical order. Amongst the five or six religious houses re-established
during Mary's reign was that of the Franciscan Observants at South-
ampton. Mr. Baigent has been able to prove this from bequests in
wills of the year 1558, which show that not only were there ' brethren
of St. Francis' Rule ' in the town, but that they were using their old
church dedicated to St. Francis. 1

It is interesting to note with regard to Dame Elizabeth Shelley,
the last abbess of St. Mary's, Winchester, that it is one of the instances
in which the head of a convent managed to gather together a few of
the dispossessed nuns to live with her in a quasi-community life. The
abbess died in 1 547, leaving twenty shillings to each of the seven nuns
who were apparently living with her at the time of her death. Agnes
Badgecroft, who had been sub-prioress of St. Mary's, died during the
Marian reaction (1556). By her will she left 'my professed ring to the
Blessed Sacrament to be sold, and to buy therewith a canopy for the
Sacrament.' It would appear that the same thing occurred with the
disbanded ladies of the convent of Wherwell : the last abbess, Morpheta
Kingsmill, by her will of 1569, left bequests to seven of her old com-
munity, who were probably living with her at the time of her death. 8

The religious pension list was carefully revised in Mary's reign.
The original results, arranged by counties, are in the British Museum.
The following is an abstract for Hampshire : The monks or canons of
the suppressed houses then receiving pensions were Beaulieu, 8 ; St.
Swithun, i ; Christchurch, 14 ; Hyde, 11 ; Breamore, i ; Southwick, 5.

1 Abbot Gasquet's Henty Fill, and the English Monasteries, ii. 483. * Ibid. ii. 476-8.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The nuns were Wherwell, 13 (including the abbess at 40) > and
St. Mary's, Winchester, 12. The chantry priests numbered 10; the
stipendiary priests, 6 ; and the priests of free chapels, 7. This gives
a total of 88 pensioners for the county.

The chantries named in this roll are those of Andover, ' le Vyne '
in the parish of Shirborne St. John, Newport, Bisterne, castle of
Southampton, free chapel of Boldre, St. Mary in Southampton, Marwell,
* le Charnalhouse in Ebynton ' and Godshill. The stipendiary priests
were at Alton, Odiham, Shirborne Monachorum, Carisbrooke, and two
at St. Cross in Southampton. The free chapels named were those of
Boldre, St. Martin's Briddlesford, St. Mary Magdalen's Godshill,
Froberry in the parish of Kingsclere, Esteflede, Christchurch, and
Wilberton in the parish of Brading.

An interesting and exceptional manuscript gives a full list of the
names of curates and other stipendiary priests, 324 in number, in the
diocese of Winchester at Christmas, 1541. They are arranged under
parishes in the several deaneries, together with the names of the rectors,
vicars and others by whom their stipends were paid. 1 There were
twenty-five in the deanery of Winton four for the church of St. Faith,
paid by the master of St. Cross ; five for the chapel of St. Elizabeth,
paid by the provost of the chapel ; one for the church of St. John, paid
by the vicar ; three for Twyford with the chapelry of Ouslebury ; two
paid by the vicar and one by the mayor of Winchester ; the curate
of Weke by the rector, of St. Bartholomew by the vicar, and of St.
Lawrence by the rector ; the two for Hursley by the vicar ; the curates
of Chilcombe, Compton and Headborne Worthy by their respective
rectors ; the curate of St. Nicholas by Mr. Nicholas Harpsfield ; the
curate of Hunton by the rector of Cronsley ; and the curate of Littleton
by the Dean of Winchester. In the deanery of Basingstoke there were
thirty-five curates, of whom there were two for Basingstoke, three for
Odiham and the rest singly for different parishes. In the deanery of
Andover there were twenty-nine, three being for Andover and two for
Hurstbourne Priors. In the deanery of Alton there were fifteen, two
each for Alton and Colmer. In the deanery of Alresford were twenty-
one, two each for Medstead and Kilmeston. In the deanery of Ford-
ingbridge there were seventeen, two each for Harbridge, Fordingbridge,
Wilford and Lymington. In the deanery of Somborne there were
seventeen, two for Romsey. In the deanery of Southampton there were
seventeen, three for St. Cross, Southampton. In the deanery of Drox-
ford there were thirty-three, two each for Havant and Waltham
and three for Eastmeon. In the Isle of Wight there were twenty-one,
two for Godshill. This gives 230 as the total of curates for Hampshire
and the Isle of Wight.

In March and April, 1543, a visitation was held of Hampshire
and the Isle of Wight by Nicholas Harpsfield, official of the arch-

1 Add. MSS. 34, 137. This return was made for the Chancellor of the Court of First-fruits
and Tithes.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

deacon of Winchester. 1 The .centres of the visitation were Basingstoke,
Alton, Martyr Worthy, Andover, Romsey, St. Cross Southampton,
Southwick, the chapel of Newport, Lymington and St. Mary Calender
Winchester. To this visitation were summoned all impropriators,
rectors, vicars, curates, chaplains and laymen (churchwardens) of, the
respective deaneries. Their names are all entered in the rough minutes
of the visitation under their respective parishes. Several of the curates
who had neglected to bring with them their letters of orders were
warned to produce them at Winchester on a given day. The rector of
St. Peter's Cheesehill (Winchester) being in default with his induction
fees was threatened with the sequestration of his benefice. The wardens
of Alverstoke, Niton, King's Somborne and Whitwell were ordered to
repair their church windows ; those of Holybourne, Froyle, Steventon
and Fordingbridge to repair the churchyard walls ; those of Carisbrooke
the church walls ; and those of Andover the roof of the church. The
wardens of Bighton were warned to procure a font ; those of Hurst-
bourne Tarrant to procure a portifer or breviary ; and those of Amport
to provide by Whitsuntide a clerk (aquce-bajulus) at the cost of the
parish, under pain of the church being interdicted. A particular day
was named within which the work ordered was to be done, it being
in most cases the nativity of St. John the Baptist.

At the funeral of Henry VIII. the Bishop of Winchester was the
celebrant ; but with the accession of Edward VI. Gardiner was excluded
from the council, and protested against having to accept a renewal of
his episcopate at the boy king's hands. The Duke of Somerset as
Protector was determined to push on a religious revolution, and paid
no heed to Gardiner's protests. On 25 September, 1547, the council
sent Stephen Gardiner, the ex-chancellor, as a prisoner to the Fleet,
on the charge of having ' spoken impertinent thinges of the Kinges
Majeste's Visitacion and refused to set forth and receyve the injunctions
and Homelyes for that as he sayd they contayned thinges dissident with
the Word of God.' On 8 January, 1 548, the bishop was sent for from
the Fleet prison, and was told by the council that he had remission of
his offences under the general pardon of the previous month, ' where-
upon having minstred to him a good lesson and admonition, he was
discharged of emprisonment.' He returned to his diocese, making
Winchester his headquarters, but was not long permitted to exercise
any episcopal functions in Hampshire. Somerset was determined to
overthrow him, and adopted the not unusual but none the less
ignoble expedient of summoning him to London in May (1548) to
preach before the council. His sermon on St. Peter's day at Paul's
Cross naturally failed to satisfy his censors, and on the morrow he was
summoned before Somerset, the archbishop, and three other of the
privy council, and committed to the Tower. In the statement set forth
in 'the council's act book it is alleged that on his return to his diocese
in January the bishop ' began forthewith to sett foorth siche mattiers

1 4<U.MSS. 12,483.
63

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

as bred again more strife, variance, and contention in that one small cite
and shyre than was almost in the holl realme.' They also charged him
that when they sent down godly and learned men to preach God's
Word at Winchester, in order to disappoint disgrace and hinder them,
* he dyd occupye the pulpit himself.' '

Recognizing the gravity of such an act towards a well known
statesman, the council on the next day (i July) communicated with all
the ambassadors of the foreign powers, setting forth in detail their
reasons for sending the bishop to the Tower. 2

After an imprisonment of two years the council on 8 June, 1550,
agreed that it was time to speak to the imprisoned bishop and promise
him release if he would repent of his former obstinacy. Somerset and
others were appointed to visit him. During the next six weeks several
visits were paid to Gardiner in the Tower, and various declarations
drawn up for him to sign ; but so soon as he had signed certain state-
ments others of a much more advanced nature were presented to him. 3
It is quite clear that the action of the council at this time was only
intended to conciliate the considerable weight of opinion against his
long imprisonment. On 19 July sentence of sequestration from his
bishopric was pronounced. 4 Burnet admits that the bishop's treatment
was now 'much censured as being contrary to the liberties of Englishmen
and the forms of all legal proceedings.'

At last the council could no longer resist the remonstrances of
Gardiner and his friends, and he was brought to trial at Lambeth before
a special commission presided over by the archbishop. The trial began
on 15 December, 1550, and ended on 14 February, 1551, the court
having sat twenty-two days. 6 A good deal of the evidence turned upon
what the bishop had really said on certain controversial matters in his
sermon at Paul's Cross, there being many conflicting statements. There
was also a great body of evidence on behalf of the bishop from Hamp-
shire, clergy, gentlemen and tradesmen (in addition to many of the
bishop's servants) vying with each other in protestations as to Gardiner's
peaceable conduct and endeavours to secure due obedience to constituted
authority. The warden of Winchester College, the master of St. Cross
and several of the cathedral clergy, as well as the verger, described the
nature of the bishop's sermon at St. Swithun's on Palm Sunday. Much
evidence was also given by people of all ranks, who had heard the
bishop preach in the parish church of Farnham on St. Matthew's day,
1548, when on his way to Winchester, after his release from the Fleet.
William Locking (vicar of Farnham) deposed that the bishop tarried
at the vicarage on St. Matthew's eve, and that he preached the following
day on the virtue of obedience and submission, to quiet men's minds
who had been much disturbed by the recent visitation of the king's

1 Acts of Privy Council, 1547-50, pp. 131, 157, 208-10.

* Dm. State Papers, Edward VI. vol. iv. No. 20.

I 1* c f p 'y c un 1 ' IS50-2, pp. 43, 44, 48, 65, 67, 69, 70, 72, 73, 76, 78.

Ibid. pp. 84-7 ; Dom. State Papers, Edward YI. vol. x. No. 14.

1 The trial is set forth at length in Fox's Acts and Monuments, vi. 93-266 (Townshend's ed.).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

officials and their action in the removal of images. Thomas Williams
(vicar of Andover), who was at that time curate of Farnham, made
a similar deposition. Evidence was also given as to the courtesy shown
to the king's visitors by the bishop's officials. The bishop's chancellor,
Dr. Steward, was further proved to be most zealous (at the bishop's
instance) in urging obedience to the various injunctions. As an instance
it was shown that the order prohibiting the carrying of candles on
Candlemas day was so zealously obeyed that, though it only reached
Winchester on Candlemas eve, it was circulated far and wide. At
Southampton the order came on Candlemas day when the service had
begun, and the priest stopped hallowing the candles and left them in
the church. No evidence was produced at the trial that in any degree
supported the previous contention of the Privy Council that Gardiner
had made any disturbances at Winchester or in Hampshire, but the
commissioners seem to have had no hesitation in pronouncing him
guilty, and on 14 February, 1551, he was formally deprived of his
bishopric. On the following day the council (including the Archbishop
of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely, two of his judges) were ungenerous
enough, on the plea that he had called his judges ' hereticks and sacra-
mentaries,' to decide that the aged bishop ' should be removed from the
lodging he hathe nowe in the Tower to a meaner lodging and none
to waite upon him but one by the Lieutenante's appoinctement, in suche
sorte as by the reasorte of any man to him, he have not the meanes to
sende oute to any man or to heare from any man ; and likewise that his
bookes and papers be taken from him and seen, and that from hense-
forthe he have neither penne, inke nor paper to write his detestable
purposes, but be sequestred from all conference, and from all meanes
that may serve him to practise anywaie.' '

One of the articles that the council in vain tried to induce Gardiner
to put his signature to in July, 1550, was to the effect that the king
did upon just ground ' and reason suppress, abolish, and take away the
chantries and such other livings as were used and occupied for main-
tenance of private masses, and masses satisfactory for the souls of them
that are dead, or finding of obits, lights, or othere like things,' and
further that it was a good thing to change them to other uses.

Hampshire did not feel the suppression of the chantries quite so
keenly as some shires, for the number of the endowed chantries was
small when compared with its area and the number of the parishes. 2
Nevertheless it was a severe blow, and grossly unjust in the manner of
its execution. It is true that the original idea of a chantry (which
began in England about the close of the thirteenth century, Bishop
John of Pontoise's great chantry of St. Elizabeth of 1301 being a notable

1 Acts of the Privy Council, 1550-2, pp. 213, 214.

* There were but two or three chantries, and those served by the monks, attached to the great
cathedral church of Winchester, yet Lincoln Minster had 36 ; St. Paul's, London, 37 ; Chichester, 12 ;
and Sarum, 1 1. Chantries seem to have been discouraged in those minsters served by Benedictine monks
(Cults' Parish Priests and their People").

H 65 9

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

example) was the offering up of prayers for the souls of the founder
and his family, and for other Christian souls. This was the primary
motive of the great majority of the founders of the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries. It was probably always understood, and in very
many cases it can be proved, where the foundation charters exist, that
the chantry priest had duties assigned to him which sometimes corres-
ponded to those of an assistant curate of to-day, and sometimes involved
the definite teaching of the children of the parish. Other chantries,
as Dr. Cutts points out, were really chapels-of-ease to outlying districts,
and were founded in that shape to avoid legal difficulties. 1

In 1545, an Act was passed empowering Henry VIII., for his life,
to dissolve chantries and like foundations, but under it few of these
were dissolved. A new Act was therefore passed in 1547, which swept
away all chantries, collegiate churches, and obits which were temporary
chantries, as well as stipendiary priests (within whose duty were masses
for the departed) and lands left to a parish church on condition of certain
lights being maintained. If there had been merely a desire for the sup-
pression of practices termed superstitious, it would have been perfectly
simple to check them, and to use the endowments otherwise ; but that
would not have filled the royal coffers.

The particulars given in the certificates of the suppression will be
found set forth under the respective parishes.

John Ponet, who was translated from Rochester to Winchester on
Gardiner's deprivation, was the first of the bishops consecrated under
the reformed ordinal. 2 He was a great scholar, and at Cranmer's right
hand throughout the reign of Edward VI. ; but Hampshire was
probably never under the religious rule of a man so destitute of even
decency of character. He obtained the see of Winchester (8 March,
1551) by barefaced simony, the condition of his appointment being that
he should give up to the crown the episcopal manors, and be content
with a fixed income of 2,000 marks. 3 The Protector having secured
possession of such ancient Hampshire endowments of the see as the
manors of Marwell, Highclere, Bitterne and Twyford, at once gave
them to his brother, Sir Henry Seymour. Seymour took up his
residence at Marwell palace, and seems to have well deserved the title
of ' hideous ruffian ' bestowed on him by Canon Benham. 4 On one
occasion, it is said, he rushed forth from Marwell into the church of
Owslebury and dragged out the priest who was celebrating the Holy
Communion. The priest, on being liberated, returned to the church
and solemnly denounced the sacrilege, whereupon Sir Henry's servants,
by his order, shot him dead.

Ponet in 1 549 published A Defence for Marriage of Priests by
Scripture and Aunciente Writers. His own experiences of marriage were
curious. When Bishop of Rochester he went through the form of

1 Cults' Parish Priests and their People, p. 442. 8 Strype's Cranmer, pp. 274, 363.

3 Acts of Privy Council, 1550 and 1552, pp. 231, 358, 359.
4 Dioc. Hist, of Winchester, p. 169.
66

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

marriage with the wife of a butcher of Nottingham, but was divorced
soon after his translation to Winchester. 1 The divorce took place at
the end of July, and in the following October he was married again to
one, Maria Raymond, in the parish church of Croydon, in the presence
of Archbishop Cranmer and a great concourse of people. 2

It was really a happy thing for Gardiner that he was a prisoner in
the sixth year of Edward VI., and could not be a witness of the way in
which the Hampshire parish churches were stripped bare of the beautiful
gifts of Bishop Wykeham and of other adornments. The council having
had their appetites whetted by previous spoils resolved to complete their
earlier work, which had in some parts been only superficially performed.
On 3 March, 1551, they decreed 'That for as muche as the Kings
Majestic had neede presently of a Masse of Mooney therefore Com-
missions should be addressed into all shires of Englande to take into the
Kinges handes such churche plate as remaigneth to be emploied unto his
Highness' use.' 3 A body of the gentry of every shire and important
town was named to take inventories of church and chapel goods, to
compare them with those of the former visitation, and to commit
to prison any who resisted them. The commissioners for Hampshire
were the Lord Treasurer, Sir Richard Cotton, Sir Henry Seymour, Sir
Richard Winxfeld, William Kelloway, Richard Worsley and John
Kingsmill ; for Winchester, the bishop, the mayor, John Kingsmill,
Thomas White and John Norton ; and for Southampton, the mayor,
Sir William Barkley, Sir Francis Fleming, Thomas Wells and Thomas
Pacy. 4

On 8 October, 1552, the Privy Council directed Bishop Ponet and
John Kingsmill to certify what was the value of the ' embeselled Churche
goodes,' and what they had recovered. 6

' In this,' says Canon Dixon, ' we may justly rejoice, since private
robbery was no more illegal than this infamous public abuse of power.
The loss which the arts and crafts sustained in the destruction of so
many exquisite vessels and fabrics of gold and silver, of cloth of gold
and tissue of silver, of brass and iron, of stitched work, of Naples fustian
and Arras tapestry and Bruges satin, a loss which was disregarded or
unfelt by the vigour of that new barbarism, may be lamented and cannot
be supplied by culture.' e

The original inventories of 6 Edward VI. of almost the whole of
the churches of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are still extant at the

1 This scandal has been denied, but there is no doubt of its truth. Henry Machyn, in his diary,
(p. 8), under 1551, enters : 'The xxvii. day of July was the newe bishope of Winchester devorcyd
from the bucher wyff with shame enogh.' The Grey Friars Chronicle (p. 70), says : 'On 27th July,
1551, Poynet, the bishop of Winchester, was divorced from his wife in Paul's, the whiche was a
butchers wife of Nottingham, and gave her husband a certain sum of money a year during his life,
as was judged by the law.'

Collect. Tof. et Geneal. iv. 91.

8 Acts of Privy Council, 15 50- 2, p. 228.

4 Deputy Keeper's Reports vii. Appendix ii. p. 309.

6 Acts of Privy Council, 1552, 4, 139.

8 Dixon's History of Church of England, iii. 453-5.

6 7

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Record Office. 1 These are for the most part fuller than in other
counties. Hampshire was certainly what would now be termed a High
Church county, and most of the parishes seem to have retained all they
could up to that date. Two of these inventories are given as examples.

ALVERSTOKE.

Imprimis. In the staple iii belles and a santus bell. It' a beadmans bell and iii
lytell belles. It' iii chalyces of Sylver w'' patenes. It' a sylverne pec * to drynke yn.
It' broken sylver to ye Value of vid. It' iii Rynges of Sylver. It' a gyrdyll of grene
Sylke v/ buckell stud and pendant of Sylver. It' a Cope of purple velvett. It' a veste-
ment of blew Satyn. It' a vestement of Whyt Cruell. It' iiii old vestementes of
dornex. It' iii albes w l chesibles. It' ii tynycles of chang'ell sylke. It' ii hangynges
of blew Chamlett, and tawny. It' a pawle of clothe of Crewell. It' a banner clothe
of Sylke w' a pelow of Red Sylke. It' iiii table clothys w l a shete. It' viii Ker-
chiffes. It' a pyx of latyn. It' iiii candle-styckes of latyn. It' ii prycketts of latyn.
It' a holy water pot of latyn'. It' ii hanginges of dornex. It' i crosse of lattyn. It'
a sensor of lattyn w'' a shyp of the same. It' a kaneype of Sylke. It' ii kanapes
of nedell work to hang ye pyx yn. It' iii lynnyn stremores staynyd, w'' iii other
staynyd clothys. It' iiii cofferes and ii payer of harness. 3 It' iiii cruettes and ii
Corporas casys. The residew of the goodes specyfyed in the old Invyntory ys stolen
as playnly shall be declaryed. It' sold for reparacyon of the Churche xxx Ii of waxe
and xx Ii of olde yarn.*

EXTON.

Fyrst i pyx of copper and gylt stolen owte of the Churche. It' i chalys parcell
gylt w'' a patten. It' i crosse of copper gylte. It' i payr of crewettes of tynne. It'
i oyle box of tynne. It' ii candlestyckes of latten. It' iii belles in the tower. It'
i lytle bell and i sanctus bell and ii sacryng belles. It' i payer of vestment w'' strakyd
velvet w'' albe and chyseble. It' i payr of vestment of red satten. It' i olde vest-
ment of red velvet. It' i vestment of red Sylke. It' i vestment chaungeable sylke.
It' i cope of red satten of Bruges. It' iii corporas w'' iii cases. It' i banner of sylke
chaungeable. It' i aulter cloth of whyte fustian braunchyd. It' i surples. It' iiii
rotchets. It' v aulter clothes of playn lynnen. It' iii towelles of lynnen and dyaper.
It' ii font clothes of lynnen. It' i latten censer. It' i basyn of tynne. It' j holy
water pot of latten. It' i pax of glasse. 6

Amongst other churches that had been robbed by unknown thieves
during the interval between the two inventories may be named Meon-
stoke, which lost a cope of black satin of Bruges, a green vestment of
satin of Bruges, a tawny vestment embroidered with gold, and a white
vestment of sarcenet ; and Sopley, from whence were taken a set of
blue damask vestments, a cope of baudekin, an altar cloth of satin of
Bruges, and a set of white baudekin vestments. In some cases the
parishioners or churchwardens had parted with some of the goods for
other church purposes. At Warblington the parishioners had sold

1 There is now an excellent MS. index in two volumes to all these church goods inventories
arranged under counties. Those for the Isle of Wight have been given in extenso in the appendix to
Mr. Percy G. Stone's Architectural Antiquities of the Isle of Wight.

' This ' pec ' or piece of old silver might be the calamus or pipe through which the communicants
received the wine before the cup was denied to the laity. But a more probable explanation is that it
was a cup used at bridals.

3 Parish armour for the two men they had to supply.

1 The wardens often had large stores of wax and yarn for making the great tapers (' serges ' or
' torches ') for mortuary use, and for the big sacring tapers lighted at the mass. These were now
forbidden.

^ The pax was generally of metal, occasionally silver, but more often latten. Glass is a most
unusual material. Chicheley gave one of glass to his college of All Souls', Oxford.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

two chalices worth 5 IQJ. o</., also a cross of wood covered with
silver, a pax, and an altar cloth to the value of 4 IO.T. od. ; the money
had been spent in church repairs. At North Hayling one of the two
silver chalices had been sold by the churchwardens for 3 (a sum which
went towards the repair of the church), but without the consent of the
parish.

With regard to colours there seems to have been an occasional love
of strong contrasts. Southwick church possessed a vestment of yellow and
red with St. Andrew's cross ; whilst at Kingsyate the inventory thus
describes the carpet and dossal of the altar :

It' ii clothes of chamlett that dyd hang one benethe the aut. and a nother
above red and yellow.

The Titchfield inventory mentions ' a chasuble of whyte fustyan for
Lent.' At Fordingbridge, which was a well furnished church, mention
is made of an organ. At South Hayling there were ' ii masers in the
Church House for ale.'

The Isle of Wight had a separate commission. This is the heading
of their report :

The Certificatt of the viewe of All Church Goodes plate Jewells vestyments
bells and other ornaments within the Isle of Wight takene by Richard Worsley
Capteyn of the said Isle, John Mewce, George Wyllis, John Worsley, and
Edward Lee Comyssyoners the first day of August in the sixth yeare of the reigne
of ower Sovraine Lorde Edwarde the Sixthe. Churches xxiiii. Chappelles v.

These Isle of Wight returns are most carefully drawn up in book
form, all in one hand. The stock of kine and sheep belonging to almost
every parish church is duly recorded ; occasionally a cow or a few sheep
had been sold since I 549. The great majority of these parishes, appa-
rently recognizing the object of the first inventory, and being desirous
of utilizing the worth of the goods within their own limits, had sold
silver plate and vestments since 3 Edward VI., and particularly their
second chalice and censers and paxes. Carisbrooke had parted with
chalice and pipe, pax and cross, and two bells for which they received
47 ioj. od. The wardens also sold (i Edward VI.) a pair of censers
and a ship of silver, ' wherewith they bowght xii half hakes and vii
sheffes of arrowes.' The wardens of Godshill had sold two candlesticks,
two cruets, a chalice, and a pyx for 23 js. jd., and a cross and pax (all
silver) for 11 zs. \d. Arreton had sold silver plate to the value of
32 6s. 6d., and brass ornaments for 36^. %d. Brading possessed a
valuable cross of silver and gilt, which was sold in 1 549 to Ellen
Pocock for 23 2 s - 4^-> anc ^ at tne sam e time obtained 15 from a
London goldsmith for a pair of silver censers, a ship and a pax. But
by far the largest sale in the island had been effected by the chapel
wardens of Newport, which must have been exceptionally richly
furnished. Silver was sold to the extent of 47 u- 3^-, whilst a
great variety of vestments and altar linen realized a considerable sum,
and two bells 19 i6s. od. Every item, with the name of the pur-

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

chaser, is set out in detail down to ' iid. one olde clothe.' The most
interesting of these is * Item to Richard James the Good Friday's whit
vestments for v'- iid.'

The churches of the island were exceptionally rich in vestments.
The following may be named : ' One olde cope of Redde velvet and
a vestment of the same bordered w t- Imagery and powdered over w t-
flowers and Angeles w'- the Albe to the same ' (Shorwell) ; ' One cope
of Redde bawdkine bordered w'- grene velvet powdrid ower w'- byrdes
bestes and flowers ' (Chale) ; and ' One sewt of grene sylke bordered
and crossed w'- embrothery of Tissewe and spangled abrode w t- the
same the Albe and everything to the same ' (Carisbrook). The Arreton
inventory includes ' iiii narrowe sepulker clothes of Arris worke the
story of the passione.'

The following curious entry ends the Yarmouth inventory : ' One
of their belles was takine owt of the styple by the parishe in an iiii
E. Vlth. to be solde and the solders of the Castell supposing hit shoulde
be convayed ower the seas arrested it and so it remayneth upon their
chardge.'

On 4 July, 1553, the young king died, and whatever may have
been the forebodings of many, there was much satisfaction among all
the decent folk of Hampshire that this death at once relieved them of
the presence of Ponet. The bishop joined in Wyat's attempted revolu-
tion, and on its failure fled across the seas to the house of Peter Martyr
at Strasburg, with whom he tarried till his death in August, 1556. In
the year of his death he published, on the continent, A Sborte Treatise
of Politike Power, under the initials D.I. P., B.R.W., which stand for
Doctor John Ponet, Bishop of Rochester and Winchester. In this
treatise he advocated tyrannicide in the plainest and most direct terms,
instancing the cases of Jezebel and Athalia as appropriate to that of
Mary Tudor. It was evidently written as a popular appeal, for Ponet,
though no mean astronomer for those days and the constructor of a
curious dial for Henry VIII., did not disdain to instance recent frequent
eclipses among the signs of heaven's wrath with England. 1

On 3 August, 1553, Mary visited the Tower, and Gardiner was at
once released after five years of captivity. Two days later the old man
was ' sworne of the Queens Highnes Prevy Councel ; 2 on the 8th he
said mass for the king's soul before her ; and on the 23rd was declared
Chancellor of England. In the strange vicissitudes of his fortune, it

1 Hallam (Literature, ii. 39-42) has given this extraordinary booklet some fame by his praise of
the vigour of its prose, though he adds that it is ' not entirely free from the usual fault, vulgar and
ribaldous invective.' This is very mild censure, for many parts are far too disgusting to bear quotation.
It must have been very trying to Ponet in his exile to think of Stephen Gardiner having been again
installed in the bishopric of Winchester ; but what manner of soul could a man have who would thus
write of an opponent who had been dead for some years. ' See how nature had shaped the outwarde
partes, to declare what was within. This doctour hade a swart colour, an hanging loke, frowning browes,
eies an ynche within the head, a nose hooked like a bussarde, wyde nosetrilles like a horse, ever snuffing
in to the wynde, a sparowe mouthe, great pawes like the devil, talauntes on his fete like a ryfre, two
ynches longer than the naturale toes and so tyed to with sinowes, that he coulde not abyde to be touched,
nor scarce suftre them to louche the stones.'

* dels of Privy Council, \ 5 5 2-4, p. 311.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

also fell to Gardiner's lot on i October to crown the queen at West-
minster, the archbishop having now taken his place in the Tower on the
charge of high treason. As a statesman he took the patriotic view of
the queen's marriage with a British subject, which he strongly urged
upon her ; but the circumstances of his diocese almost necessitated his
taking the leading part in the queen's unhappy alliance with Spain. On
20 July, 1554, Philip landed at Southampton with 160 sail. Thence he
proceeded to Winchester, and became the bishop's guest at Wolvesey.
On the 25th this ill-fated marriage was celebrated in the cathedral
church of Winchester, the bishop officiating. There is much con-
troversy as to Gardiner's share in the severity of the earlier part of
Mary's reign ; but at all events he did his best to save Cranmer's life,
and prevented the committal of Peter Martyr to prison.

In 1556, under Philip and Mary, warrants were issued by the
Crown for the restoration throughout Hampshire of the ornaments
seized by Edward VI. 's commissioners, or the return to the church-
wardens of their money value when the ornaments were not forth-
coming. These returns prove that in some cases the church goods
that had been sent up to London at the end of the young king's reign
were not sold or melted down to provide ' the masse of money ' so much
needed, but remained docketed with the name of the parish from which
they had been purloined. Among the restorations in kind were :
Alresford, two chalices and patens and a cross of silver ; Alton, ' one
swete of vestment of blewe velvet ' ; Andover, a suit of vestments
of white damask ; Basingstoke, vestments and copes, valued at
)Ti2 1 3-f. od. ; Beaulieu, 'one oyle box of silver' ; Christchurch, a
pax of wood covered with silver ; Fordingbridge, a cross, a pyx, a
pair of censers and ship, a sacring bell, and a pax, all of silver ; Mil-
brook, a silver cross ; Nether Wallop, a pyx of silver and a suit of
vestments of blue velvet ; Newton, a pyx of silver ; Ringwood, a cross,
two candlesticks, a pyx, a pair of censers and ship, a sacring bell, two
cruets and a pax, all of silver ; Romsey, a chrismatory and a little bottle
and cup of silver ; and Whitchurch, two chalices and patens, a pair of
censers, a pair of cruets, and a pax, all of silver.

A far larger number of Hampshire churches, however, received the
money value of the goods of which they had been spoiled, ranging from
26 Ss. od., the sum paid to the wardens of Winchfield, down to 3^. \d.^
which was obtained by those of St. Bartholomew's, Winchester. The
commissioners' charge for this work of partial restoration was 8 1 3^. 4^.,
which included the sum of 3 ys. od. for riding up to London to bring
back the money. 1 Hampshire is the only county of which any trace of
restored church goods remains at the Public Record Office. This
restitution was not generally carried out throughout the country ; the
results in Hampshire were probably brought about through the in-
fluential position of Bishop Gardiner. He died of gout at Whitehall

1 Land Revenue Records (Church Goods), 1392/60, 445/1.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

on 17 November, 1555, and was spared the worst of the persecutions
that throw such a gloom upon Mary's reign.

The successor of Gardiner in the bishopric of Winchester was John
White, a native of Hampshire and warden of Winchester college. He
was one of Gardiner's executors, he preached at the requiem mass and
went with the funeral procession in February, 1556, that conveyed his
predecessor's remains from Southwark to Winchester. He had been
consecrated Bishop of Lincoln by Gardiner at St. Saviour's, Southwark,
in 1554, and soon attained an evil name in the pursuit of heretics. He
presided in September, 1555, at the trial of Ridley.

White was appointed to the bishopric of Winchester on 1 5 April,
1556, and on the same day Cardinal Pole appointed Dr. Steward, Dean
of Winchester, and Dr. Stympe, who succeeded White as warden of the
college, to visit the diocese of Winchester. 1 The bulls for his translation
were however delayed, and the conge (felire did not reach the chapter
till 1 6 July. Hampshire rallied to the 'old religion' during the grievous
and bitter years of Mary's reign, so that the county was happily almost
entirely free from persecution. In the long list of martyrs arranged
under counties during the four years of the burnings given in Strype's
Memorials^ Hampshire is not once named. Nevertheless there was one
county burning during White's episcopate a few months before the
Queen's death. Thomas Benbridge, a gentleman of position, after
examination before the bishop, was condemned to the stake at Win-
chester on 29 July, 1558. When the fire reached him the pains
caused him to recant, and the sheriff released him and sent him back
to prison. On 4 August the Privy Council sent a letter of severe
rebuke to Sir Richard Pexsall, the sheriff of Hampshire, for having
released Benbridge without authority, and at the same time wrote to the
bishop to insist on the execution of the sentence. Meanwhile Benbridge
retracted his recantation, was once more led to the stake and martyred. 2

Though he suffered at Smithfield, and was examined by Bonner,
John Philpot, 3 Archdeacon of Winchester, may also be mentioned here as
a Marian martyr. He was born at Compton, Hampshire, and was third
son of Sir Peter Philpot. It is probably to his credit that he quarrelled
with his diocesan, Bishop Ponet, but the Privy Council intervened and
told him to pay his dues to the bishop, and not to trouble the people
with a visitation during harvest. 4 He was a voluminous writer of the
reformed school, and was burned for his doctrines on 18 December, 1555.

On 13 December, 1558, White preached the funeral sermon on
Queen Mary. For certain slighting expressions that he was supposed to
have used towards Elizabeth, he was commanded to keep his house ; but
on 19 January, 1559, he was called before the council, and ' after a good

1 Strype, Eccl. Mem. iii. pt. i, 481, 487.
Fox, viii. 490 ; Acts of Privy Council, 1556-8, p. 361.

3 Philpot was one of the three brave men who in the Marian Convocation defended the Prayer
Book.

4 Acts of Privy Council, 1 5 5 2-4, p. 99.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

admonition geven him, was sett at lyberty and discharged of the said
commandement of keping his house.' 1

In March he voted in parliament against the Supremacy Bill, and
at the end of the month took part in the Westminster Abbey conference
between nine supporters of the late queen's policy and nine reformers.
It was characteristic of the spirit of the day that at the end of the
conference, which concluded on 3 April, the Bishop of Winchester,
together with the Bishop of Lincoln, who were the most conspicuous
disputants, were sent to the Tower and their goods sequestrated. 2 On
26 June, White was formally deprived of his bishopric, but in conse-
quence of ill-health was released from the Tower on 7 July, and suffered
to live with his brother, an alderman of the city of London. Bishop
White died in 1560, and was buried in his cathedral church. 3

For refusing the oath of supremacy Dean Steward of Winchester
was also deprived, as well as Prebendaries Hill, Bilson, Harding, Lang-
ridge and Hyde, and Edmund Mervyn, Archdeacon of Surrey. The
number of clergy throughout England who were ejected for declining
to subscribe to Elizabeth's ecclesiastical supremacy was larger than is
generally supposed. The number of Hampshire incumbents deprived
in the early years of Elizabeth, in addition to the dignitaries, was
twenty-four, serving the following parishes : Alresford, Ashley, Beau-
lieu, Compton, Crawley, Catherington, Cliddisden, Clanfield, Ewhurst,
Freshwater, Farley, Hursley, King's Worthy, Nateley-Scures, North
Stoneham, Portsea, Sutton, Sparsholt, Sherfield-English, St. Lawrence
(Isle of Wight), Titchfield, Wonsington, Wootton (Isle of Wight), and
Wootton St. Lawrence. 4 To these must be added John Marschall,
Fellow of New College, Oxford, who was second master at Winchester
College. Prebendary Hyde, named above, was head master. This gives
a total for the county of thirty-three.

The queen was no sooner settled on the throne than Cecil and
other advisers urged a general royal visitation of the dioceses of England
and Wales, on the lines of the one carried out when her boy-brother
came to the kingship. The visitors were, in the main, leading Eliza-
bethan statesmen ; but they were accompanied by certain of the clergy,
who were chiefly named to act as preachers during the visitation circuit.
Dr. Robert Home was nominated as a preacher-visitor for the southern
province in June, 1559, and he was also visitor for Cambridge University
and Eton. Winchester was one of the two dioceses that escaped this
general visitation. The reason was that it had been already decided to

1 Acts of Privy Council, 1558-70, p. 45. The sermon preached by White at Queen Mary's
funeral is set forth in Brit. Mus. Sloane MSS. 1578 ; there is a careless copy of this in Strype's Memo-
rials of >ueen Mary, app. Ixxxi. The proverbial comparison quoted by the preacher between ' a live
dog and a dead lion' was twisted by some to refer to the two queenly sisters ; but the whole sense and
argument of the sermon is destroyed by any such strained interpretation. * Ibid. p. 78.

3 Cal. Spanish State Papers (1558-67), pp. 46-8 ; Cal. Venetian State Papers (1558-80), p. 65.
There is no evidence to be found in support of the story that White threatened to excommunicate
Elizabeth (Gee's Efizabetkan Clergy, p. 32).

4 Ibid. pp. 285, 292. Chancellor Martin is generally named as deprived at this time, but it is an
error.

11 73 10

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

put Home in White's place, and it was thought that he might well be
left to do his own visiting.

Robert Home, who had been Dean of Durham under Edward VI.,
was not however consecrated Bishop of Winchester by the archbishop
until February, 1561. He held the see for almost twenty years. The
power for good or evil that follows the possession of a vast income was
now much changed so far as this bishopric was concerned. An act of
parliament was passed to strip it of those possessions which had been
alienated with the connivance of Ponet in the days of Edward VI., but
recovered in those of Mary. 1 Moreover, a general Act had become
law by which the Crown, in the event of any see falling vacant, could
issue a commission to survey its castles, manors or lands, and to take
to itself whatsoever seemed good, giving in exchange impropriations
or tithes to a like amount. The proviso of exchange was however a
delusion, and readily made void ; even Burnet styles this ' an act for
robbing the Church without enriching the Crown.' At Durham, Home
had destroyed with his own hands not only what were technically
' superstitious monuments,' but much that was purely artistic, so that
of him it was written by one of his own chapter that ' he could never
abide any ancient monuments, acts, or deeds that gave any light of or
to godly religion.' 2 In his new diocese the destruction that he wrought,
particularly with Wykeham's work at Winchester, was piteous. Much
detail could be given from various contemporary writers and from letters,
but it may suffice to sum it all up in the words of Wood : ' Bishop
Home was a most zealous and active Puritan, and one of the greatest
enemies which the monuments of art and the ancient rites of religion
found at the Reformation.' 3

No sooner had Home established himself in his diocese than he
began a general visitation with the object of securing uniformity.
Surrey was his first care. On 8 June, 1561, the bishop wrote to Cecil
stating that he had completed his visitation of Surrey and a great part
of Hampshire, and was about to go forward to Southampton and the
Isle of Wight. As to those who had appeared at his visitation, he had
not found any ' repugning to the ordering of the realme concerning
religion,' or any ministers declining to subscribe to the declaration. But
he complains that many were absent, and many churches destitute of
incumbents. He intended to have all absentees summoned before him
when his visitation was complete. 4 In August of the same year Home
wrote again at length to Cecil, expressing his bounden duty to report
to the council, since the queen had entrusted him with a considerable
amount of civil jurisdiction in Hampshire, as well as that which per-
tained to his spiritual office. The letters lately sent from the council
had struck no small terror into men's minds, and were useful in forcing

1 i Eliz. c. 4. Rites of Durham (Surtees Soc.) pp. 59, 65.

Wood's Athena, \. 180. See also Warton's Life of Sir T. Pope, appendix 10, and Kitchin's
Winchester, p. 1 80.

* Dam. Stale Papers, Eftz. xvii. 23. The various references to the State Papers are to the
originals ; where only the printed calendars have been used it is so stated.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

them to live in order ; but their zeal must not be slackened. He
thought the common sort of people could be easily brought to conform
themselves, but the better sort required constant pressure, and the
justices must be kept up to the mark. In conjunction with Sir Henry
Seymour and Mr. Foster, he had called together the constables of the
hundreds in their charge, and appointed days for their supplying lists on
oath of recusants in each parish and tithing. Through this civil pro-
cedure he had gained far more knowledge of religious disorders than
through the churchwardens at his visitation. By diligent action he had
driven out of the hundreds in his charge many idle and evilly-disposed
persons ; but they merely moved to other hundreds where there was not
such discipline. He complained that ' the great man that had rule the
last yeer in this shere being resyaunt here ' was bitterly opposing him. 1

In his next letter to Cecil, dated 12 January, 1562, from Waltham,
he recites the great and diverse pains he had taken to reduce the
inhabitants of Winchester to a good uniformity in religion. The
churches had not been frequented as they ought for common prayer
since ' the massing tyme,' and he had difficulty in finding ministers to
preach sound doctrine. Many of the city livings were very small, and
he had arranged with the mayor for certain churches to be united
(' altho' the common sort be against it'), otherwise he could not get
them well served. Some of these livings were in the queen's gift, and
some in his ; and so he craved assistance from the Crown in this
amalgamation. As it was, some even of the cathedral priests were still
inculcating popery and superstition. He complains that he finds the
citizens of Winchester ' very stubborne, whose reformation wolde helpe
the greatest part of the shere.' 2

In November, 1 567, a body of Walloons who had fled from the Low
Countries to escape the horrors of the Inquisition petitioned the mayor
of Southampton for leave to establish themselves in that town and to have
a church assigned to them ' where to learn to reverence God and the
Magistrates.' The mayor referred the latter question to the Bishop of
Winchester, before whom the refugees stated they were willing to make
a confession of their faith ; but he raised certain difficulties with regard
to their other requests, mainly with regard to servants and apprentices.
On receipt of the mayor's detailed reply the Walloons forwarded it to
Bishop Home, and he at once wrote strongly in their favour to Cecil,
with the result that the queen authorized the settling at Southampton of
twenty families of Low Country aliens, with ten menservants for each
household. 3 The bishop assigned to them for worship, with the sanction
of Queen's College, Oxford, the chapel of St. Julian or God's House. In
1712 this congregation conformed to the Church of England, and
still continues 4 to use its liturgy.

1 Dom. State Papers, Eliz. ix. 36. Ibid. xxi. 7.

3 Ibid, (addenda) xiii. 8o-z, xliii. 16 and xliv. 8.

4 The registers of this Walloon church, which began in December, 1567, are peculiarly interesting.
The first baptism suivant La Liturgie Anglicane was on zi April, 1714. They were printed in extenso for
the Huguenot Society in 1890.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Hampshire, from the number of recusants, who increased rather
than diminished under the bishop's vigorous treatment, was more
troubled than most shires by repeated tests of uniformity. In November,
1569, the justices of Hampshire send to the council a formal certificate
of their obedience to the Act of Uniformity, willingly subscribed to by
' the moste parte of us nowe presentlie in Commission.' They reported
that Lord Chidiock Paulet objected to sign, as he did not agree with
receiving the Sacrament ; that Sir John Berkeley was absent, but wrote
promising to subscribe ; that of those who were heretofore in the com-
mission, Richard Dowse excused his coming through sickness, Thomas
Shelley cannot be found by the constable, and ' Anthonie Cope (an
excommunicate person) refuseth to subscribe most obstinately.' The
document is signed by nine justices, the first two being Bishop Home
and Henry Seymour. 1

A communication from the bishop to Cecil and the council, dated
24 October, 1577, shows what a considerable number of influential folk
still clung to the Roman obedience in Hampshire. He forwarded a list
of Hampshire recusants of substance, with the value of their property or
goods, and promised shortly to send one of Surrey. The list of these
recusants is headed with the name of the Earl of Southampton, but the
bishop does not attempt any valuation of his property, as he says it will
be so well known to the council. Forty-four names are given, without
counting the wives of the recusants. At Warblington, George Cotton,
Esq., and wife are mentioned, who had jC3 a vear m lands, and Mrs.
Bullaker, a widow, whose goods were worth .500. Henry Shelley,
gent., and wife, who had 200 in goods and 100 a year in lands, are
enumerated under Buriton. Amongst others in this list are Lady
Elizabeth Paulet of Crondal ; Peter Tichborne, gent., and wife, of Por-
chester ; and Mrs. Tichborne, widow, of Westerton. 2

Home died in 1 579, and was succeeded in the same year by John
Watson, who had taken an Oxford M.D. degree, and originally practised
as a physician. Afterwards he was ordained, and being known as a
reformer he was appointed a prebendary of Winchester. Watson seemed
well able to adapt himself to changing circumstances, for he not only
retained his prebend through Mary's reign, but was instituted to the
Hampshire rectory of Winchfield, to another benefice, and to the
chancellorship of St. Paul's. When Elizabeth succeeded her sister,
Watson again managed to keep in favour and received further prefer-
ment. He was made Archdeacon of Surrey in 1559, rector of South
Warnborough and master of St. Cross in 1568, and Dean of Winchester
in 1570. Watson held the bishopric for only a little over three years,
for he died in January, 1584. It was scarcely to be expected that one
who had changed his own religious views so frequently would be very
stern with either ' papists or sectaries,' and it is generally supposed that
he was lax in his administration of all episcopal duties. The Privy

1 Dam. State Papers, EKz. lix. 46. * Ibid, cxvii. 10, 101 (i).

7 6

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Council were constantly reminding him of the work they expected him
to do.

In August, 1580, when Watson was only bishop elect, the council
wrote to him concerning the examination of certain notorious papists
lately apprehended in that county, and ordered that they should be
committed to Winchester gaol and kept apart from others. He was urged
to use his ' best indevours from tyme to time to boulte owte all such
matters as he shall thinke may by anie good meanes be gotten at their
handes.' 1 In the following October the bishop hears again from the
council that they are informed that many of the wives of those who had
been reduced to conformity ' do not only contynue obstinate by refusing
to come to the Churche to Common Prayer, but also do use at their
ordinarie meetinges among themselfes verie unreverende speeches of the
Relligion nowe established in this realme, defacing the same as much as
in them lieth ; he is therefore required not only to take bandes of every
the husbandes of the said offenders that their wifes shall kepe themselves
in their houses, and that no corrupte persons of Relligion shall have
accesse unto them untill they shall be reduced to follow the example of
their husbands in yelding due obedience to her Majesties lawes, but also
for the speedy bringing them thereunto it is thought meete that they
laye a convenient mulcte upon them from tyme to tyme, which may be
imployed either for the setting fourthe of the House of Correction or
some suche like charitable use.' 2

In November, 1580, there was considerable excitement over the
arrest in Hampshire of Elizabeth Sanders, ' a professed noone,' and sister
of the celebrated Roman controversialist and historian, Dr. Nicholas
Sanders. She refused to say where she had been harboured since she
came to England, and the bishop was ordered to detain her in the House
of Correction and examine her straitly as to the place of her residence
when in London. Another of Dr. Sanders' sisters married Henry Pitts
of Alton, Hants, a family constantly in trouble for recusancy. 3

When however the bishop did do his best to please the council by
showing zeal against recusancy, he did not always give satisfaction. In
compliance with their order of October, 1580, Bishop Watson com-
mitted one John Goldsmith of Exton, gentleman, to the common gaol,
because his wife was ' obstinate in her Poperie ' and would not come to
church, whilst he refused to enter into bonds for her conformity. Gold-
smith was sufficiently influential to get the ear of the council, and the
result was that in February, 1581, the bishop was ordered to release him
for the following quaintly expressed reasons : ' their Lordships are
credibly given to understande, that the said Goldsmithe is not hable to
overule his wiefes pevish disposicion in that behaulf, he is required to
give order presently for his enlargement, and that the correction of her
obstanacie be layed uppon her owne carcas, in case she shall contynue
willfull disposicion in refusing to come to the Churche.' *

1 Acts of Privy Council, 1580-1, p. 133. 2 Ibid. p. 244.

8 Ibid. p. 270 ; Don. State Papers, Eliz. cxlvii. 74. * Ibid, cxvii. 232.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The council were better pleased with the bishop in the following
September, when they wrote expressing their pleasure that he had
reduced some recusants to conformity by conferences of learned and godly
men, and instructing him to commit others to take their trial at Quarter
Sessions. 1

In a list drawn up in June, 1582, of ' the notablest recusants yet
remayninge prisoners in Winchester and elsewhere ' occur the names of
' William Burley, gent, in Queene Maries tyme a justice of peace ' ;
' Nicholas Scroope, gent, Thomas Owen, gent, a bachelor of the Civile
lawe ; Symon Cuffolde, gent ; Gilbert Welles, gent,' who were all at that
time in Winchester gaol. In a later hand to this list is added, ' Tiche-
burne gent prisoner in Bekonsfelde gent.' *

On 8 August, 1582, Bishop Watson wrote to Walsingham requesting
instructions how to proceed with one, John Chapman, ' a Seminarie and
Massing Priest.' He forwarded the little he had got him to confess,
and wished to be directed whether he should still detain him or send
him to the assizes at Andover. ' He is in the meane tyme comytted to
a safe place in the Correction Howse. The Gaole hath many backward
People, that we thought not goode to Comytt nether the Priest nor the
Widdowe Mrs. Bullacre 3 thither.'

The examination of John Chapman, taken before the Bishop of
Winchester, and Francis Cotton and William Wright, esquires, testifies
that he was ordained by the Bishop of Wells and held the living of
Langton Herring, Dorset, which he served six years ; that he left the
ministry through doubts engendered by reading, without formal resigna-
tion ; that he went to London and saw one, Blewet, a prisoner at the
Marshalsea, and was directed to cross the seas to Rheims ; that after a
year's sojourn with the seminaries at Rheims he was ordained priest ;
that he landed in England about midsummer twelvemonth ; and that
after visiting various parts of the west of England he came to Mrs.
Bullacre's of Warblington. He acknowledged taking an oath to the
pope at his ordination, but only such as all catholic priests take, and that
he is the queen's subject in all causes temporal. 4 Hampshire knew more
of these seminary priests than almost any shire, because of its extensive
seaboard whereon they might stealthily land from small vessels, and
because of the residence in the county of not a few of substance who
were thankful for their ministrations.

In January, 1583, a sudden search was made by order of the
council in the chambers of Winchester gaol occupied by Warnford,
Howard, Slade, Body, Travers and Mercy Deane. The inventory

1 Dam. State Papers, Eliz. 1581-2, p. 203.

* Ibid. cliv. 38. The Tichbornes, as one of the leading Hampshire families, were perpetually
harassed, fined and imprisoned throughout Elizabeth's reign for their recusancy. The Diocesan History,
strangely enough, instances them as a loyal Roman Catholic family, who were allowed ' to exercise
their religion at home unmolested.' Ibid. civ. 8.

1 The college of Douay, afterwards transferred to Rheims, was founded in 1568 to supply secular
English priests to secretly serve the English Catholics of the Roman obedience, as the old 'Queen Mary
priests ' were beginning to die out or had become infirm.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

and goods that were seized were sent up to London, included a super-
altar, a cope, five pieces of massing ornaments, a vestment, a stole, a set
of beads, two great wax candles, and ' a greate masse booke in Latin.' '
They also took from the prisoners a variety of devotional and contro-
versial works of theology, and one work of more serious import, Allen's
Defence of English Catholics, wherein the lawfulness of killing Elizabeth
is maintained, though not in such plain or virulent terms as those used
by Bishop Ponet for the killing of Mary.

The end of this episcopate was stained by two martyrdoms. John
Slade, educated at Douay, followed the profession of a schoolmaster at
Winchester. John Body, a Wykehamist and master of arts, was another
Hampshire schoolmaster. After a long confinement in gaol they were
condemned at the Winchester assizes for denying the queen's supremacy.
Slade was butchered as a traitor at Winchester on 30 October, 1583, and
Body at Andover on 2 November of the same year. 8 They were both
laymen. 3

But it was not only the perverse Romanists who were a trouble to
Bishop Watson. An extreme and extravagant section of the Anabaptists,
who became known as the Family of Love or the Familists, established
themselves in England towards the end of Edward VI. 's reign. There
seems no doubt that they often offended grossly against decency and
order. On 3 October, 1580, a proclamation was issued against 'the
Sectaries of the Family of Love,' and a form of abjuration of their
various heresies was issued by the council, to be administered to its
members. A letter was sent to the Bishop of Winchester on 10 October,
directing him to call to his assistance Sir William Moore, Sir Thomas
Browne, and such other learned men as he thought meet for the sup-
pressing and punishing of the ' Familie of Love.' 4 The dioceses of
Winchester, Ely and Norwich were the chief centres of the sect.

On the death of Watson a more distinguished man and considerable
scholar succeeded to the bishopric of Winchester. Thomas Cooper, the
son of a poor Oxford tailor, educated as a Magdalen College quire boy,
eventually through his diligence became fellow and master of the school
where he had been pupil. His greatest work was the Thesaurus, or
Latin dictionary, first published in 1565, which won Elizabeth's special
esteem. He was also a considerable theologian and controversialist.
Cooper was successively Dean of Christchurch and Gloucester and Bishop
of Lincoln, and was translated to Winchester in 1584, where he was
noted for his learning and personal sanctity. When the famous series of
Martin Marprelate tracts attacking the English prelacy in 1588-9 were

1 Dom. State Papers, Eliz. clviii. 9.

* Stow's Annals ; Challoner's Martyrs (Law's ed.) i. go-z.

3 One of the most astounding mistakes in Green's Short History (which fully acknowledges the
cruelty and extent of the Elizabethan persecution fostered by the wicked bull of Pope Pius) is his state-
ment that under the penal Act of 1 5 8 1 'no layman was brought to the bar or to the block . . . the
work of bloodshed was reserved wholly for priests.' The fact is that fifty-seven laymen and laywomen
were done to death under its provisions in addition to upwards of 100 priests.

* Acts of Privy Council, 1580-1, p. 233.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

provoking rejoinders of a vulgar and coarse character, the Bishop of
Winchester issued a scholarly and temperate rejoinder entitled An
Admonition to the People of England, which was published under his
initials. 1

The reply of Martin to this dignified rejoinder surpassed the
scurrility of the previous six tracts issued from this itinerant press. The
title page of ' Hay any worke for Cooper,' of which a facsimile is given,
with its coarse wit affords a good sample of the contents of its forty-eight
pages. There is a certain kind of humour in styling Cooper 'Tom
Tubtrimmer of Winchester,' but it is mere virulence to write down this
scholar as ' a beastly defender of corrupt church government and not
only a traitor to God and his Word but an enemy to her majesty and
the state.' The Bishop of Gloucester is termed * that olde stealecounter
massepriest John of Gloucester,' while the coarsest of personalities are
indulged in as to the unmarried state of the Archbishop of Canterbury
and the Bishop of Peterborough. The bishops collectively are termed
wretches, sots, gross beasts, senseless and undutiful beasts, false apostles
like Judas, incarnate devils, vicars of hell and bishops of the devil !

Although Bishop Cooper's name is chiefly identified with the
Marprelate controversy, he had but little trouble with ' sectaries ' in
Hampshire or elsewhere in his diocese. He was a good administrator
of his diocese in both spiritual and temporal matters, but made it a
matter of conscience to keep down and continuously harass the numerous
Romish recusants of Hampshire throughout his episcopate. The bishop
was no doubt the greatest persecutor of the recusants during Elizabeth's
reign, outside the council, but this was mainly owing to the presence of
papists in such large numbers in the Hampshire part of his diocese.

In December, 1585, Bishop Cooper wrote to Walsingham begging
that no favour might be shown to Mrs. Pitts of Alton, who at his
instigation had been sent up to London and committed by the council
to the Clink. 2 He wrote that she was a very obstinate person, and
reminded their lordships that she was a sister of ' Nicholas Saunders the
traitor.' He considered that her return to Winchester would do more
harm than ten sermons would do good, and with regard to her husband,
who had conformed, he laid down the ruling that no man whose wife is
a recusant could possibly be himself sound. 3

Early in the year 1586 Robert Anderton and William Marsden,
two priests from Rheims, landed in the Isle of Wight. They were at
once arrested, and acknowledged themselves priests. They were sent to
Winchester gaol and tried at the Lent Assizes. The judge showed
special sympathy, as they had neither of them spoken a word on English
soil before their arrest, but had to condemn them to death under the Act

1 For a full account of this able and exhaustive treatise see Arber's reprint (1883), with an intro-
duction from the Puritan standpoint.

1 The Clink was the prison that adjoined the Southwark palace of the Bishops of Winchester ; it
often went by the name of ' the hall of Winchester."

8 Dom. State Papers, EKz. clxxxv. 1 7.

Hay any worke for Cooper :

ft Weft $tftle itirecteti bplMpeof mt

IjitWtcation to fl)c rclicrenfce asptyoppg/ counfelluig

tljcm/iftlKj? Vf ill nccfca be barrelled op/ fo? fraw of fintiiuior
in t?K itaf!rr i(\ af Ijcr /Katf fh'c {t 1;c ^Sfatc/tljat r^cp tooulb
fc rijc abutfc of uecctiO /hatrin/fo; tl;ep:aiDin0of t^rie
<roopcc.<3craufe tfjc mtrtoifc T, c.(lr to^i'cl) mifficaU
io wnfcctfleeb/f ptftcr rtjc Uou

) toUcf an
full and a bcccrtfull

UDfjerem Ujoitl^r ^artm qmr0 bimfrtfe lifee a man

JK twarraiit pou/in rf;r moocft Dcfrurcof i^ta fdfc ani) ^(a
Icarnrti ptftlro/anti maJiro tl^c Cooprto
to fif c off/ant

TITLE PAGE OF ONE OF THE MARPRELATE TRACTS.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

of 1581. A respite was obtained, and they were sent up to London to
the council and examined. After some weeks in a London prison, the
council on i o April sent a letter to Sir George Carey, Governor of the
Isle of Wight. In this letter it is stated that the council had decided,
notwithstanding the respite, to proceed with the execution of Anderton
and Marsden in the Isle, either at the place of their landing or some
other fit place. The under-sheriff of the county was .to confer with him
as to the best site for the execution, and declarations giving the reasons
why the queen was now moved to suffer the judgment of the law to take
place were to be fixed in public places, in view of the people. On the
1 7th of the same month the council furnished Thomas Tailour, a
servant of the knight marshall, with a ' placard ' for aid and assistance in
conveying the bodies of the two priests to Winchester. The execution
took place at the sea coast on 25 April. 1

In May, 1586, Bishop Cooper, as though anxious for more victims,
forwarded to the council a petition ' for certaine Orders to represse the
bouldness and waiewardnes of the recusants in the Countie of Southamp-
ton.' His petition or suggestions resolved themselves into four heads.
In the first place he asked that there should be diligent supervision of
the seaside and creeks ' for the coming in or passing foorth of ill-disposed
persons.' The next suggestion was that the sheriff should once in a
month or three weeks suddenly make a privy search in sundry places
where it is suspected that Jesuits or seminary priests lurk. The third
and most notorious of these requests was that ' an hundred or two of
obstinate recusants lustie men well hable to labour, maie by some con-
venient Commission be taken up and sent into Flaunders as Pioners and
labourers, whereby the Country shall be disburdened of a compaine of
dangerous persons, and the residue y' remaine be put in some feare
y* theie maie not so safe revoke as now they doe.' The fourth request
was to the effect that those gentlemen who might gain their liberty by
compounding, in accordance with recent orders, might not be suffered
to remain in Hampshire, but in some other place, for they had ' stollen
awaie the peoples hartes mightilie and dailie doe continue so to doe, for
even this late Easter, upon some secret fact purposelie wrought 500
persons have refused to communicate more than before did, which
bouldnes assuredlie will fall out to great inconvenience if it be not pre-
sentlie mett withal.' 2

The council listened to these suggestions, and actually wrote to the
Earl of Leicester in the Netherlands, citing the bishop's letter and asking
if he would find employment in his army for that number of Hampshire
recusants as labourers. At the same time they also wrote to the sheriff
and certain of the justices of the shire authorizing the suggested sudden

1 Acts of Privy Council, 1586-7, pp. 26, 57, 58 ; Challoner's Martyrs, i. 121, 275. Two other
priests, Thomas Hemerford and John Adams, were both arrested in Hampshire about this date, but they
were sent up to London, and were there condemned and disembowelled at Tyburn, solely for the sin
of being Roman priests.

2 British Museum, Egerton MSS. 1693, p. 117.

II 8l II

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

searches, and ordering them to follow the bishop's directions and infor-
mation. 1

In September, 1589, we find the bishop again inciting the council
on the question of recusancy. A gentleman of the county, Henry Carew
of Tadlethorp, was cited to appear before the bishop to answer for non-
attendance at church. Carew treated the summons with contempt,
whereupon Cooper reported the matter to the council. Their lordships
immediately ordered Carew to appear before them in London, committed
him to the Marshalsea for a month, and then released him on his
entering into bonds to duly appear before the Bishop of Winchester
within twenty days. 2

In the spring of 1590 the bishop again wrote to the council at
length, sending in the names and worth of the Hampshire recusants, and
begging that order might be taken for ' restraining the most dangerous
personns and of greatest likelyhood.' In their reply of 7 April it seems
possible to detect a little weariness with the bishop's persistence, and
smiles must have passed over the faces of the Lord Chancellor, the Lord
Treasurer and others as they dictated to the secretary the terms of their
answer. Their lordships, writing jointly to the bishop and the Marquis
of Winchester, recognized the gravity of the case, and whilst authorizing
the detention in the common gaol of the worst characters, they con-
tinued : ' We are to praie your Lordship the Bishop of Winchester
seeing the matter doth concerne the cause of God and the estate of the
realme that you will be contented to spare your house of Farnham Castle
where those named in the enclosed scedule may be restrayned, with such
others as your Lordships shall in your discretion thinke fit to be added
unto them, to remayne under the charge of some discreete and well
affected gentleman such as you shall make choice of for that purpose.' s

The bishop had to comply, and for some time Farnham Castle
became the gaol of the quieter of the recusants. Before the end, how-
ever, of April, Cooper was yet again in communication with the council,
this time accusing George Vaux, the under-sheriff of Hampshire, of too
great laxity towards the recusants in his custody. Vaux was summoned
to London, but on his promise to amend and to keep all recusants for
the future close prisoners he was discharged with a warning. The
bishop further complained that very many of the Hampshire recusants,
to the number of 300 or upwards, were yet at liberty, and that ' by
lurkinge in howses and in the confines and owtcorners of the shire '
conveyed themselves out of his jurisdiction. Thereupon the complacent
council issued letters to the lord lieutenants of the adjacent counties
ordering them to yield all assistance, and to arrest those escaping out of

1 Acti of Pr-ivy Council, 1586-7, p. 125. The Rev. G. H. Cassan, in his Lives of the Bishops of
Winchester, a poor compilation published in 1827, shows that the spirit of religious persecution was not
then dead ; for after citing Cooper's deportation proposals (ii. 47) and calling them admirable, Cassan
adds : ' What a pity that some such plan could not be adopted at the present time I do not mean
against the Catholics, but against the numerous Sectarian teachers, that now infest almost every town and
village, and alienate the minds of the people from their legitimate spiritual guides.'

* Ibid. 1589-90, pp. 123, 199. 3 Ibid. 1590, p. 27.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Hampshire and to commit them, both men and women, to safe and close
restraint, those of the best quality to Farnham Castle and the rest to the
common gaol at Winchester. 1

In January, 1591, the bishop caught one, Richard Johnson, a
seminary priest, in the act of saying mass, and caused him and his con-
gregation to be at once imprisoned. He immediately reported the good
news to the council, and was ordered to send up Johnson and another to
London. 2

On 7 July, 1591, Roger Dickinson, a priest from Rheims, was
executed at Winchester. The specially piteous thing about this execu-
tion was that a pious old labourer, Ralph Milner, was butchered at
the same time for aiding and assisting the priest. He left behind a
wife and seven children. 3 Seven maiden ladies of Winchester and the
neighbourhood, at whose houses Dickinson had been in the habit of
celebrating mass, were also sentenced to death, but they were re-
prieved.

Bishop Cooper lived to see yet another religious execution in his
cathedral city. This time it was a lad of nineteen, James Bird, the son
of a gentleman citizen of Winchester. Becoming a convert to Romanism,
he went abroad for his education to Rheims, as it could not be attained
in England. On his return he was arrested, kept for some time in
Winchester gaol, and on persisting in his refusal to go to church was
executed on 25 March, 1593, and his head stuck on a pole over one of
the city gates. 4

Bishop Cooper, who died in the spring of 1594, was followed by
two successors of very short and uneventful reigns. In May, 1597,
Thomas Bilson, who had been a prebendary of Winchester and warden
of the college, was translated from Worcester to this bishopric. He
was a considerable scholar, and had won the queen's gratitude by writing
at her command a treatise entitled Of the True Difference between Christian
Subjection and Unchristian Rebellion. Its aim was to justify the queen in
taking up the cause of the Netherlanders who revolted against Philip. It
served its purpose, but was afterwards much used, with fatal results, to
justify the resistance to Charles I.

In September, 1599, Bishop Bilson secured the arrest of one,
Edward Kenyon. The bishop, who was at Waltham, committed him
to Winchester gaol, charging the keeper in writing to keep him closely
as a traitor, for he had confessed to being a seminary priest, and was
therefore guilty of high treason according to the Act of 27 Elizabeth. 6

Shortly after this Kenyon escaped from Winchester gaol, and the
bishop wrote to Cecil complaining of the gaoler's dissolute carelessness
in the keeping and dismissing of recusant prisoners, and urged that he
should be severely punished. He pointed out that the manor of Wood-

1 Acts of Privy Council, 1590, pp. 105-6. 8 Ibid. 1590-1, p. 234.

3 Challoner's Martyrs, i. 173-4, z8o-z. Milner was offered his life if he would but promise to
attend church.

4 Ibid. i. 193-4. 6 Dm. State Papers, Eliz. cclxxii. in.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

cot, Hants, was given to the ancestor of one, Anthony Uvedale, lately
dead, for the safe keeping of the gaol, and that he was a recusant. He
bequeathed the inheritance of the gaol to his daughter's son, Anthony
Brewning, a minor of seven years of age, both of whose parents were
recusants. He suggests that as the child is a ward for this tenure, the
manor and its duties can be administered by the Crown till the lad comes
of age, even if the releasing of prisoners does not forfeit it to the queen's
hands. The bishop stated that the conveyance of this manor could be
readily found, as the maker and executor were two of his own officers.
With this communication he enclosed a number of examinations and
statements made before him as bishop or before Dr. Ridley as chancellor
of the diocese. Thomas Canterton, alias Grove, alias Steven, alias Bale,
stated he was a prisoner in Winchester gaol for religion, but was absent
by leave of Mr. W. Uvedale, returning every sessions and assizes.
Richard Brewning, Esq., and William Uvedale admitted releasing certain
poorer recusants to get their living, and prayed time to get them back.
Richard Joy, of East Meon, had been a recusant for twenty years and
most of that time a prisoner in Winchester gaol. Seven years ago he
obtained leave from Mr. Uvedale, deputy keeper of the gaol, to go to
his house at East Meon and has not since returned. Valentine Noyse,
under gaol keeper, gave evidence as to the details of Kenyon's escape,
stating that he never had any irons on him whilst in gaol. Andrew
Valence, who was in gaol as a debtor, deposed that baked venison and
fresh fish were often sent to Kenyon, and that he was allowed to see and
converse with whom he pleased. 1 The whole of these long depositions
show that there was a remarkable amount of sympathy with the recu-
sants at Winchester among almost all classes, which twenty years of
severe treatment had engendered rather than suppressed.

In 1 60 1, Thomas Tichborne, of the well known Hampshire family,
was arrested, sent to London and executed at Tyburn for being a Roman
priest. In the same year his kinsman, Nicholas Tichborne, was also
executed at Tyburn for attempting to release Thomas. There was
scarcely a year of Elizabeth's reign that did not find one or another of
this staunchly Roman family either in Winchester gaol or in one of the
London prisons. Another Nicholas Tichborne, of Hartley Maudit,
died in Winchester gaol after nine years' imprisonment, in 1589.'
This Nicholas describes himself as the younger son of a younger son.
His father was Henry Tichborne of Owslebury, a younger brother of
Nicholas Tichborne of Tichborne, the grandfather of the first baronet.
Henry had at least ten children. Nicholas, who died in 1589 ; and
Peter, his brother, also spent much of his life in gaol together with
his son Chideoke. We believe that Thomas, the martyr priest, was
one of the sons of Nicholas (ob.

1 Dom. State Papers, cclxxiii. 23 to 23 viii. A nearly full abstract is given in the printed calendar.
' Abbot Gasquet's Essays (1897), pp. 3779.

8 The pedigree with this large number of sons is much complicated (Visitation of Hants in
1576 and Harl. MSS. 1139, f. 21).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

It is not a little remarkable to note that the then head of the Tich-
borne family, Benjamin Tichborne, himself like the rest a recusant, was
knighted by Queen Elizabeth on 14 September, 1601, the very year in
which two of his immediate kinsmen of Hampshire were executed.
This knighting took place when the queen was at Basing, and in a par-
ticularly good humour, during one of her last progresses. 1 Now and
again Elizabeth singled out specially distinguished and high placed recu-
sants for favourable distinction after an illogical and a capricious fashion,
but on this occasion no fewer than ten knights were made at once.
Probably the queen was scarcely aware of his recusancy, and Sir
Benjamin Tichborne of Tichborne was very possibly as astonished as
any one at the dignity conferred upon him.

Elizabeth died on 24 March, 1603. The news reached Winchester
in a few hours, and Sir Benjamin Tichborne of Tichborne, who was
then sheriff of the county, instantly hurried to Winchester and pro-
claimed James I. King of England without waiting for any direction
from the council in London, who were then debating the question of the
succession. There is no doubt that the Roman Catholics expected great
things from his rule, and these expectations would have been realized
had it not been for parliament. James was delighted with the conduct
of the Hampshire sheriff, and when the stress of the plague speedily
drove the court to Winchester he heaped favours on Sir Benjamin
Tichborne, made him a baronet in 1621, and knighted all his four
sons. 2

Bishop Bilson took a prominent part in the Hampton Court Confer-
ence of 1604, but Hampshire seems to have been exceptionally free from
any overt display of puritanism. The bishop died in 1616 and was
followed by James Montagu, who was translated from Bath and Wells
and only held the see for two years.

As the number of recusants in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.
was far larger (in proportion to its area) and the value of their estates
far higher in Hampshire than in any other shire, it will be well to here
furnish some further particulars as to their treatment. 3

The public executions and imprisonments were after all only a
small part of the continuous persecution experienced by the recusants,
as is made manifest in the impartial pages of Hallam. The legislation
immediately after the accession of Elizabeth imposed a fine of 1 2d. on
all absentees from the parish church on Sundays and holy days. In 1581
this punishment was much intensified ; it was actually laid down that a

1 Nichols' Progresses of ERzabeth, iii. 567.

2 The king stayed at Tichborne in 1603, 1615, 1618 and 1623 (Milner's Winchester and Nichols'
Processes of "James I. i. 1 16).

3 In 1584 the clerk of the peace for Hampshire complained to the Privy Council that the number
of recusants indicted at every session was so great (' seven score at the least ') that not only had he and
his deputy to employ much extra assistance to draw up and engross indictments, judgments and pro-
cesses for days before and after the sessions, but that this work so occupied the justices that all other
causes and grievances throughout the shire were being neglected (Dm. State Papers, Eliz. clxxxiii.
83).

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

penalty of 20 a month was to be imposed on all absenting themselves
from church, and such as could not pay the fine within three months of
the judgment were to be imprisoned till they conformed. The Crown,
by further legislation, had also the power of seizing two-thirds of the
offender's land and all his goods in default of payment, nor were the
penalties of these acts mere paper enactments. In Hampshire at all
events they were from time to time most rigidly enforced. The Recu-
sant Rolls at the Public Record Office begin in 1590; the roll for that
year shows that the tenants of various properties in the county had paid
two-thirds of their rents to Crown collectors because their owners were
recusants and had not paid their fines. The case of Richard Warnford
is an example. He was in arrears for his non-churchgoing fines to the
extent of jf 1,540. The property of Gilbert Wells of Bambridge, near
Twyford, had been farmed for a like reason to a Crown-appointed tenant
as far back as 1571. Other instances of the loss of two-thirds of their
rental are Thomas Poundes (who spent nearly three years of his life in
prison) of Beaumont, Farlington ; Anthony Uvedale (the hereditary
keeper of Winchester gaol) of Woodcote, near Alresford ; Edward
Bannister of the manors of Idsworth and Bannisters Court ; and Stephen
Vachell of Heath House, Buriton.

The record of the same year (1590) of those who paid the 20 a
month fine is a long one. The first is George Cotton of Warblington,
who paid 260, at the rate it will be noted of lunar months. A
large number paid 140 f r seven months' recusancy, and another
group 80 for four months. When it is recollected what the pur-
chasing power of a penny was at the end of Elizabeth's reign, it is
marvellous that so many gentlemen and yeomen were able to pay it.
The fines it is true, save in the two-third cases imposed on all big
estates, were not collected regularly year by year, but somewhat fitfully.
The recusant roll of the second year of James I. yields the names of 500
Hampshire offenders who owed 120 f r not appearing at church for
six months. The list includes not only yeomen, but millers, tailors,
husbandmen, shoemakers, blacksmiths, fishermen and labourers, as well
as widows and spinsters. It is absolutely impossible that more than a
small percentage of these could have paid so great a sum, but their
being entered on the roll made them convicted recusants. The next
step was for the Crown officials to distrain on their goods and chattels
for the amount of their fines. These poor folk were then often sold up :
farm or trade implements, hayricks, furniture, and their very houses.
Even in cases where pity prevailed to some extent they had to continue
their work or business under the depressing weight of knowing that
their goods could be seized at any moment by the Crown officials or by
the authorized farmers of the recusant fines. Sometimes the more
wealthy managed to pay the enormous fine regularly year by year. Thus
Abbot Gasquet, who has thoroughly analysed the Hampshire rolls, has
shown that George Cotton of Warblington actually paid 20 a year
from 1587 to 1607, handing over therefore to the Crown in twenty

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

years a sum that corresponded to about 50,000 of our money for the
privilege of not attending his parish church. 1

Although the sums that came to the Crown from recusant fines
during the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. were so considerable that
they formed a fiftieth part of the whole revenue, nevertheless the amount
actually exacted was far larger. The evil system prevailed not only of
occasionally farming out these fines in a given area for a fixed sum, leav-
ing the farmer to make what profit he could, but of actually conferring
what was termed ' the value of the recusancy ' of particular Roman Catho-
lics on court favourites or court officials. This was done to a great extent
in Hampshire, particularly in the reign of James I. Two or three
examples will suffice. In 1609 Walter Toderick had the grant of the
value of the recusancy of Widow Chamberlain of Titchfield conferred on
him. 2 John Corbet in the same year obtained the valuable grant of the
recusancy of Richard Cotton of Warblington. 3 In the following year
Thomas Pinchey, Anthony Dodsworth and Jerome Metcalf, servants
of the prince, obtained the benefit of the recusancy of Henry Shelley
of Petersfield, Thomas Lane of Silksted, Elizabeth Hedger and Elizabeth
Norton of Barden, and Thomas Likehorne of Boyatt. 4

We now turn back to the episcopal annals of Hampshire. Bishop
Montagu died at Greenwich on 20 July, 1618, and the very same day
the king nominated the saintly Launcelot Andrewes to the vacant
bishopric. His translation from Ely to Winchester was soon accom-
plished. Of Andrewes it may be said that he belonged, more than any
other bishop of the seventeenth century, to the whole Church of England
rather than to the special dioceses which he successively held of
Chichester, Ely and Winchester. 6 Year after year, though in one sense
no courtier, he preached sermons to the court on the verities of the
faith on all the great festivals of the Church. Nevertheless he dis-
charged his episcopal functions with dignity and assiduity, and Hampshire
must have felt the blessings of his rule, more particularly as he refused
at all hazards to institute to certain benefices priests whom he believed
or suspected of having obtained presentations through simony. For
this he had to suffer considerable loss in expensive law suits.

At the time of the Reformation, when the old office books were
being revised, there was a singular omission with regard to a pontifi-
cal. The service now generally used at the consecration of churches
and churchyards is based upon that drawn up by Bishop Andrewes when
consecrating Jesus Chapel on Pear Tree Green near Southampton, on
Sunday, 17 September, 1620. Some bishops follow this form much

1 The above facts were taken from Abbot Gasquet's The Old English Bible and other Essays (1897),
pp. 31982, but have been verified by reference to the Rolls. The receipts from recusant fines through-
out the country from 1583 to 1602 brought over 120,000 to the Crown.

* Dom. State Papers, James I. xliii. 95.

3 Ibid. xlix. 45. * Ibid. pp. 54-80.

6 In 1 60 1 the lease of Alton Rectory, Hants, was assigned by the Crown to Sir Francis Walsing-
ham, and he assigned it to Launcelot Andrewes, towards his better maintenance at the University (Pat.
23 Eliz. p. z, m. 3).

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

more closely than others. At eight in the morning the bishop, attended
by his two chaplains, Matthew and Christopher Wren, came out from
the chapel and greeted Captain Richard Smith, who gave to the registrar
the instrument praying for the consecration. The following is an
extract :

I present unto you the state of the village of Weston and the hamlets of Itchin,
Wolston, Ridgeway, and the part of Bittern manner (being all of the Parish of S.
Maries neer Southampton in the Diocese of Winton) as well in his own, as in the
name of the Inhabitants of the said village, hamlets, etc., wherein are many Hous-
holds, and much people of all sorts who not only dwell far from the Church, but are
also divided from the same by the great River of Itchin, where the passage is very
broad, and often dangerous ; and very many times on the dayes appointed for Common
Prayer and that service of God, so tempestuous, as the River cannot be passed ; and
so the people go not over at all ; or if any do, yet they both go and return back in
great danger, and sometimes not the same day. Besides, in the fairest weathers at
their return from Church, they press so thick into the Boat for haste home, that often
it proves dangerous, and even fearful, especially to women with childe, old, impotent,
sickly people, and to young children ; many times also they are forced to baptize their
Children in private Houses, the water not being passable ; and when they lye sick,
they are without comfort to their souls, and dye without any Ghostly advice or
counsel ; their own minister not being able to visit them, by reason of the roughness
of the water, and other ministers being some miles off remote from them. 1

After entering the chapel the bishop separately consecrated the font,
pulpit, reading desk, altar, the place of matrimony, and the pavement
with reference to bodies that might be interred beneath. In the after-
noon the chapel yard was consecrated, the instrument presented by
Captain Smith stating that through difficulty in crossing the water bodies
had often to be buried in the open fields.

The Hampshire residence that Bishop Andrewes most frequented
was Waltham, and it was here that he had a dangerous illness in 1624.
It was here too that he had his beautifully appointed chapel adorned
with what Prynne terms ' popish furniture.' Laud had inventories made
of the fittings of Andrewes' chapels at Ely and in Winchester diocese,
and reproduced them at Lambeth. These included silver candlesticks
with tapers on the altar, censer and incense boat, cruets for water as well
as wine, and ' a Bason and Ewer for the polluted Priests and Prelates to
wash in before consecration.' '' The good bishop died in September,
1626, at Winchester House, Southwark. One of the earliest panegyrics
on him says that he was ' Doctor Andrewes in the schools, Bishop
Andrewes in the diocese, and Saint Andrewes in the closet.' a

These were emphatically the days of bishops moving from one
diocese to another, and Winchester, from its income and status, was
peculiarly subject to translations. Richard Neile, the successor of
Andrewes, who held this see for five years, was a striking example of

1 This form and particulars were printed in a small 24010 book in 1659. British Museum, press
mark G. 2260. It was afterwards reprinted in Bishop Sparrow's Rationale,

* See Prynne's Canterburies Doome (1646), pp. 121-4, with plan of the chapel and furniture.

3 Isaacson's Life and Death of Andrewes, first printed in 1659 ; see also life by Rev. A. T. Russell
1863.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

this shifting policy. He successively filled six bishoprics, namely those
of Rochester, Lichfield, Lincoln, Durham, Winchester and York. Neile
is said to have been anxious to maintain the beauty and dignity of wor-
ship in the churches of Hampshire and Surrey that had been so much
aimed at by Andrewes. He had the honour, when laymen began to sit
in judgment on the doctrines and practices of bishops, of being bracketed
with Laud (then Bishop of Bath and Wells) in a vote of censure passed
by the House of Commons, as inclined to Arminianism and favouring
popish doctrines and ceremonies.

On the translation of Neile to York, in 1631, Walter Curie, who
had only held two previous bishoprics, was moved from Bath and Wells
to Winchester. He was in thorough sympathy with Archbishop Laud
and heartily supported him in putting down the gross irreverence that
had come about where the holy table was placed in the body of the
church. In the royal chapels and in most of the cathedrals the altars
had remained continuously in their old position. The rubric of the
Prayer Books of 1552, 1559 and 1603 had left the position apparently
optional, and puritan feeling in many parish churches had removed it to
the body of the church and had placed it east and west near the centre
of the building, 1 but it had been decided that the question of its posi-
tion was to be left to the ordinary. Laud's contention was that Elizabeth's
injunctions plainly ordered that the holy table in every church was to be
set in the place where the altar stood, 2 and he also pleaded the 8 2nd
canon. We can find no case of Hampshire resistance to the ordering of
the holy table being placed altarwise in the chancel and railed in, though
in some parts of England this was fiercely contested. 3 In Laud's metro-
political visitation of 1635, the see of Winchester is reported as being
' well ordered.'

In 1639, Bishop Curie held the last of his triennial visitations.
There is a copy extant of ' The Articles to be enquired of by the
Churchwardens and Sworn-men.' The queries are unusually elaborate
and exhaustive. There are eleven articles touching the church ; thirty-
three as to the ministry, service and sacraments ; two touching school-
masters; five as to the parish clerk and sexton; twenty-six as to parishioners;
and ten touching churchwardens and sworn-men.*

In the days of the Civil War the great families of Hampshire were
divided in their allegiance to the king or the parliament. Some of the
most stirring incidents of the strife took place on Hampshire soil, notably
the thrilling sieges of Basing House. The parish churches suffered

1 The rubric (which still stands) said : ' The Table shall stand in the body of the churche or in
the chauncell where mornyng prayour and evenyng prayour be apointed to be sayd.' It was held that
this meant that if the chancel was disused (owing to the considerable diminution of assistant priests) and
prayers said at the east end of the nave, the holy table should then be in the nave.

8 This is clearly the case (Wilkins* Concilia, iv. 138).

3 Laud's Works, iv. 121, 225-7, vi. 59-64. Bishop Davenant of Salisbury, of strong Calvinistic
leanings, thoroughly supported Laud's view on this question. On the whole controversy see Hacket's
Life ofWURams and Heylin's Life of Laud.

* They are of particular interest with regard to the liturgical and parochial customs of the day
(British Museum, press mark 698, H. 20). The ' sworn-men ' were the sidesmen.

II 89 12

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

grievously in many districts, but chiefly through being held as strongholds
by the one party or the other during the stress of war. On 1 2 Decem-
ber, 1642, the parliamentary forces under Waller besieged Winchester,
which soon yielded. The city compounded for 1,000 to be saved
from any general sack, but much violence was done to the cathedral
church and its fittings. In March, 1643, Waller was again at
Winchester, and levied 600 fr m i ts inhabitants. Bishop Curie, Dr.
Heylin and other distinguished churchmen remained in the county
supporting the royalists. In October, 1 645, Oliver Cromwell approached
Winchester to effect its complete reduction. The castle was successfully
assaulted, and the clergy of the close, together with the bishop and his
chaplains, were suffered to depart. Bishop Curie retired to his sister's
house at Soberton, where he died in 1647.

On two occasions (1642 and 1646) the muniment room of the
dean and chapter was ransacked by 'the soldiers, but the zeal of the
chapter clerk, John Chase, recovered a considerable number of the
documents. In 1 649 the deanery and prebendal houses, which had been
stripped of their lead, were given to various friends of the parliamentary
party. In 1651 a parliamentary committee advised that all cathedral
churches, where there was sufficient other church accommodation, be
surveyed, pulled down and sold for the use of the poor. Winchester
in alarm petitioned, through their recorder, against this proposal, and
nothing came of it. In 1654 there was a small collection made in the
city towards the repair of its glorious minster, headed by some of the
principal parliamentarians. 1

The abolition of episcopacy by parliament in 1641, the making
even the private use of the Prayer Book penal, and the imposition of the
Directory for Worship in 1644, made little impression on a considerable
portion of Hampshire where loyalty and Church principles were in the
ascendant. But after the driving forth of the clergy from Winchester in
1 645-6, the general ejection of all from their livings, save those who
thoroughly abandoned episcopacy, was ruthlessly carried out. Their
number and their sufferings were larger in Hampshire than in most
counties, owing no doubt to the sustained resistance of the royalists in
many parts of the county. 2

In 1648 the dean and chapter estates throughout England were
sold. From the general sum thus realized grants were made of 150
each for nine months' service to Leonard Cooke and Humphrey Ellis,
the two ministers appointed by parliament to serve the cathedral church
of Winchester. 8

1 Documents relating to the Hist, of Cath. Church of Winchester in Seventeenth Century (Hants Record
Society, 1897).

2 See Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, passim, and Dioc. Hist. ch. xv. Peter Heylyn, the historian,
rector of Alresford, is the most interesting case. He had been so active a supporter of Laud that Waller,
when the first parliamentary army entered the county, sent a troop of soldiers to arrest him, but he
escaped and joined the king at Oxford. His house and library were stripped and he was reduced to
destitution. Nominally the ejected clergymen and their families were entitled to a fifth of the living,
but this rule worked very fitfully and had many exceptions.

3 Shaw's Hiit. of the English Church during the Commonwealth, ii. 543.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

The elaborate Presbyterian system, with its classis organization,
which existed on paper for the whole country, took firm hold for a time
in certain shires. Hampshire was one of those counties that was the
least affected by it. Evidence is forthcoming of ordination by presbyters
at Newport, Isle of Wight, and at Bishopstoke, near Southampton, so
there may have been a classis in the Isle of Wight and another on the
mainland. 1 Independency had the upper hand in Hampshire from 1646
to 1660.

In 1650 an important survey of the whole of the benefices of
England was undertaken by the Commonwealth, most of the returns
being now at Lambeth Library. The report on Southampton was drawn
up on 20 June, when evidence was given before the mayor (Christopher
Walleston), aldermen and burgesses. The value of St. Mary (with St.
Paul) was declared at 3- Of this sum 170 went out of the
parish, Roger Turner of Jesus Chapel having 40, the residue being
equally divided among the ministers of the town 'for there paynes in
preachinge by turne in the Parishe Church.' The balance went to
Walter Bright, who is described as the parson of St. Mary. All Saints
was returned as a rectory worth 22, and without a minister ; St.
Lawrence, a vicarage, 31, Nathaniel Robinson, minister ; St. Michael,
a vicarage, 18, John Toms; and St. John, a vicarage, 7, and no
minister. The chapel of God's House was used by the French congre-
gation, who paid their minister, Daniel Savage. The commissioners
recommended that St. Mary and All Saints, St. Cross and St. Lawrence,
and St. Michael and St. John should be respectively united so as to form
three parishes instead of six. 2

Occasionally these returns present special points of interest, of
which the following will serve as an example :

The returne for the parishe of Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight concerning the
inquiry to be made for preachinge ministers and mayntenance for them &c. There
is a small Parsonage here only belonginge to this Towne. The said Parsonage is not
worth above twenty markes per annum, one yeare with another at utmost. There is
one Master Richard Faulkener, a feeble old man who was onley a Reader here for
neare thirtie yeares till he was putt out by order sixe or seaven yeares since for his
debility and insufficiency and hath and doth receive the profittes of our Parsonage for
his livelyhood, having noe other meanes to mayntain him. Wee have noe preaching
minister here at all, neither have had a long tyme albeit there are about foure hundred
soules in our Towne and all the howses compact neere together, and noe other
Church within a myle of us, and that is a very small one twoe, and if the tide be up
it is above twoe miles thither. Wee have onely one Church in our Towne which is
large enough and well fitted for all our congregation, onely wee want a godlie preaching
minister which is rare, and the Towne's humble desire may be speedily obtayned for
the glory of God and the comfort of our poore soules. Thomas Byles. William
Prickett. John Griar. William Hide.

The differences between Presbyterians and Independents brought
about an agitation for the abolition of tithes, which came to a head
in 1653.

1 Shaw's Hist, of the English Church during the Commonwealth, ii. 30, 393.
8 Commonwealth Surveys, Lambeth, xv. 476-95.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

' The humble petition of the County of Southampton, subscribed at
the late Assizes held at Winton, by the Grand Jury and neer 8000 of
the Gentry, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the said County ' set
forth, in a wordy preamble, that a learned and godly ministry such as
now for the most prevailed, though amid much opposition, was the
greatest blessing that England enjoyed, and prayed definitely, under four
heads, that (i) the universities with other schools and nurseries of
religion and learning might be continued ; that (2) tithes and other
settled maintenance for ministers may be upheld ; that (3) ' unsavory
salt may be cast out, and such as know not the worth of souls and are
only skilful to destroy them may be removed ' ; and that (4) there may
be a settled order established for the admission to the ministry of those
who are orthodox and fitly qualified. On Friday, 8 April, 1653, Major
Hooker, Captain Terry and Captain Chase, who had been desired by the
justices and grand jury and the other Hampshire petitioners to represent
them, presented this county petition personally in the House of Com-
mons. After the petitioners had withdrawn, the House resolved that
the petitioners be recalled and that Mr. Speaker should give them the
thanks of the parliament, and to let them know that some of the other
matters contained in the petition were already under consideration and
that the rest would be considered in due time. 1

After an ineffectual attempt by the minority to abolish tithes, a
committee was appointed on 10 July to consider the propriety and
legality of their payment. It did not report until the following Decem-
ber, and meanwhile Hampshire again petitioned.

On 28 September, 1653, Mr. Hooker, the recorder of Winchester,
with four other esquires of the county, presented a petition to the parlia-
ment from ' many of the well-affected of the County of Southampton
and town and county thereof in favour of the continuance of tithes.
The recorder's speech and the petition itself both allege that they were
moved to take this action because of a petition in the contrary sense
lately presented from the county of Kent. They argued that tithes were
of above 500 years' growth and had been confirmed by Magna Charta,
and that their abolition would be grievous both to ministers of the
gospel and to impropriators and to their respective families. The
petitioners withdrew and after a short debate were again called in, and
the Speaker made the following meaningless answer : ' That the House
had commanded him to give them thanks for their good Affections ; and
that the particulars by them petitioned for were under debate, and the
Parliament will proceed therein as God shall direct them.' *

It is a mistake to imagine that the Commonwealth was a period of
toleration. The Presbyterians and the Independents found it necessary
to conclude a truce, which also embraced the Baptists ; but for Anglicans,
Romanists, Quakers and Unitarians there was nothing but persecution.
The Quakers suffered most severely, though their continuous interrup-
tion of the worship of others was most provocative.

1 Brit. Mus., King's Pamphlets, E. 693, iv. * Ibid. 714.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

In 1655 'the priest of Basingstoke,' in company with a justice of
the peace, caused certain Quakers to have the oath of abjuration tendered
them, and on their refusing they were committed to gaol for fifteen
weeks. In 1656 Ambrose Rigg, 'for uttering a Christian Exhortation
to the people in the place of publick Worship at Southampton ' or, in
other words, for interrupting authorized service was sent to prison,
where he was soon joined by others, including two women, for a like
cause. In the same year other Quakers were imprisoned at Winchester
for giving ' Christian Advice ' in the steeple-houses at Southwick and
Baughurst. Between 1658 and 1660 divers Quakers were imprisoned
and ill-used for refusing to pay tithes or steeple-house rates, and for
declining the oath of abjuration at Winchester, Southampton and
Portsmouth.

Their treatment did not improve with the restoration. At the
Winchester Sessions, January, 1663, a pitiful petition was presented to
the justices from six of the imprisoned Quakers at Portsmouth, com-
plaining bitterly of their treatment, and of the foul places at Portsmouth
where they were detained ' in Felton's Hole the waves of the sea have
so beat in on one of us in winter seasons that he has stood in water up
to his ankles, for the which things the Lord God hath and will visit
them that were the actors therein.' In the next few years many were
imprisoned, especially in the Southampton district, under the Con-
venticle Act, and usually provoked the magistrates by insisting on
wearing their hats in the courts. The cattle of others were seized at
Bramshott and Headley for refusing to pay towards the charge of the
militia. In 1672 nine Quakers were released from prison in this county
in accordance with the King's Declaration. Distresses for tithes and
occasional imprisonments for attending meetings continued year by year
in different parts of the county up to I688. 1

When the restoration of monarchy and episcopacy came in 1660,
Bishop Curie was dead, as well as Dean Young, and just half of the
whole cathedral staff. A considerable number of the old beneficed
clergy were at once reinstated in their former livings, but upwards of one
half of the parochial clergy of Hampshire had been appointed during
the Commonwealth, many of them by the direct interference of parlia-
ment, who claimed to present to all the livings whose patrons were
delinquents. Nine of the old bishops survived. Among them was the
pious Brian Duppa, who had been successively Bishop of Chichester and
Salisbury. He had lived in privacy during the Commonwealth at
Richmond, Surrey, being chiefly engaged in the writing of doctrinal
books, and in secretly preparing and ordaining young men for the
ministry. At the restoration, he was translated to Winchester, but only
held the see for two years.

His successor was George Morley, who went into exile during the
Commonwealth, and acted as chaplain at the Hague to the Queen of

1 Besse's Quakers, \. ch. 1 6.
93

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Bohemia, sister to Charles I. At the restoration, he was first appointed
Bishop of Worcester.

An elaborate series of articles of the primary visitation of his
diocese were issued and printed by Bishop Morley in \66z. 1 They go
more into detail than some others of the same date. Inquiries are made
whether the font is of stone and if it has a good cover, also if there is
* a Bier with a black Hearscloth for the Burial of the dead.' Inquiries
were also made if the clerk or sexton kept the church ' clean from dust,
cobwebs, and other annoyance,' and if the churchwardens saw that none
' sit, lean, or lay their hats upon the Communion-table,' and also permitted
' no minstrels, no morris-dancers, no dogs, hawks, or hounds to be brought
or come in to your Church to the disturbance of the Congregation.'

After two years of grace the beneficed ministers were required,
under pain of deprivation, ' to declare their unfeigned assent and consent
to all and everything contained in and prescribed by the Book of Com-
mon Prayer,' and those who had not received ordination were to submit
themselves to the bishop. On St. Bartholomew's day, 1662, in Hamp-
shire as elsewhere, a considerable number of beneficed ministers (though
certainly a smaller number than the previously ejected episcopalians) had
to withdraw from their cures. 2 All honour to those, whether prelatists
or nonconformists, who preferred freedom of conscience to the allure-
ments of a settled income and a cosy parsonage. The men in those
changeful times to be really pitied were those who clung to their
benefices right through that period, easily changing their profession of
faith in accordance with that of the dominant power.

Among those Hampshire incumbents to be honoured for their
consistency in declining conformity was Nathaniel Robinson of All
Saints, Southampton, who had been one of Cromwell's chaplains, and
had arranged the marriage between Richard Cromwell and Dorothy
Mayor of Hursley ; John Warren of Romsey, who is said by Calamy
to have refused two bishoprics ; and Walter Marshall of Hursley, who
was a fellow of New College and author of an appreciated book, The
Gospel Mystery of Sanctiftcation. These and many others speedily became
the founders of Presbyterian or Independent congregations. Just at first
these nonconformists were left alone and allowed to form themselves into
congregations for worship, but Charles II. 's desire for toleration was soon
overcome by the parliament, who dreaded the reintroduction of popery.

The Church was outwardly strengthened but inwardly and spiritu-
ally weakened by such legislation as the Five Mile Act, the Conventicle
Act and the Sacramental Test Act. The severity of treatment accorded
to the Quakers during this period, already mentioned, applied almost
equally to other nonconformists of Hampshire, particularly about South-

1 There is a copy in the British Museum, press mark 5155, C. 52.

' Green's account of the causes for expelling parsons during the Civil War is another of the grave
blots on his history. He must have known that the use of the Prayer Book in public or private was
prohibited, and that no orderly minded ordained priest could possibly have retained his benefice under
such conditions (Hiit. of Eng. People, viii. ch. i).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

ampton, which was their stronghold. Isaac Watts, deacon of the
Independent Meeting House of Upper Bar, 1 Southampton, was in the
gaol of Southampton for a religious offence at the time of the birth of
his son Isaac in 1674, as well as in the following year. It is to the
young Isaac Watts, son of a Southampton clothier, born in the stress of
a bigoted persecution, that the whole Church owes that noble rendering
of Psalm xc., * Our God, our help in ages past.' This inspired hymn of
the Hampshire lad was first sung from manuscript, line by line, in the
humble Southampton meeting house where his father was deacon. Surely
it is a sign of more generous days that this truly catholic hymn was the
one selected to be sung at the great commemorative service for Arch-
bishop Laud in All Hallows Church, Barking, on 10 January, 1895,
before Bishop Creighton's sermon ; and that on 17 January, 1901, it
was again sung by archbishops and bishops, king's representatives and
lord mayors, round the grave of Bishop Creighton in the cathedral
church of St. Paul.

The licentious Charles was fond of Winchester, and Wren began
for him here a magnificent residence on the lines of Versailles. Oft as
the story has been told, it must here be chronicled how bringing with
him, on one of his last visits to Winchester, Nell Gwynne, he requested
Prebendary Ken to receive her as his guest, but Ken flatly refused.
Soon afterwards (1684) Bishop Morley died, and Peter Mews was trans-
lated to Winchester. There were many applications for the see vacated
by Mews. ' Where is the little man who would not give poor
Nelly a lodging,' said the king ; ' give it to him.' In this worthy way
the saintly Ken became bishop of Bath and Wells.

The suspension, by the king's indulgence in 1672, of the penal laws
against worship other than that of the Church of England, which was
however speedily set at nought by the parliament, brought to light the
strength of nonconformity in Hampshire. Licenses had to be obtained
from London for permission to assemble. The returns show that there
were 39 licensed for Presbyterian worship or as residences of their
ministers, 26 Congregational and 5 Anabaptists.*

The boldest application made for a license was for one in the centre
of the cathedral city. Samuel Tomlins, Presbyterian minister of Upham,
applied for a license to hold services in the house of Anne Complim,
* over the market house, Winchester.' 3

1 The records of the Independent chapel of Upper or Above Bar, Southampton (founded in 1652),
of which Cromwell's chaplain Robinson became the minister in 1662, show that it was originally a
curious amalgam of Presbyterianism and Independency, there being both elders and deacons at the
same time (From information kindly supplied by Mr. Charles Cox, sen. deacon).

9 Presbyterian at Alton, Andover (2), Ashmansworth, Bredland, Brocklehurst, Clatford, Crondal (2),
Christchurch (2), Easton (2), Emsworth, Eling, Farnborough, Fordingbridge, Godshill, Gosport, Havant,
Hayling (2), Kingsclere, Lymington (2), Lower Clatford, Longstock (2),Longparish, Odiham, Portsmouth,
Ringwood, Romsey (3), Sopley, Southampton and Winchester (2). Congregational at Andover,
Binsted, Castlehold, Droxford, Fareham, Gosport, Hayling, Hythe, Lymington, Nether Wallop, New-
port, Odiham, Romsey (2), Southampton (2), Sutton, Southwick (2), Titchfield, Wherwell, Weston,
Westcourt (2), Upper Wallop and Yarmouth. Anabaptist : Broughton, St. Mary Bourne, Waltham (2),
Whitchurch and Upper Wallop (Calendar of State Papers, Charles II. 88 b. 88 c. passim.).

s Dom. State Papers, Charles II. cccx. 71.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In the Salt Library, Stafford, is an invaluable MS. return of the
population of the province of Canterbury over sixteen years of age, for
the year 1 676, divided into three classes : ' Conformists, Papists and
Nonconformists.' It was drawn up by order of Henry Compton, Bishop
of London, and was obtained from the clergy at the archidiaconal
visitations. The following are the figures for the ten rural deaneries of

Hampshire :

C. P. N.

Andover 8,027 2O 2 55

Basingstoke ">045 73 2I 4

Alton 4,785 24 392

Droxford 13,526 . 188 538

Southampton 453 26 43**

Fordingbridge 7,129 . 127 625

Isle of Wight 8,964 . 7 129

Winchester 4,545 . 243 177

Alresford 2,845 .105 8 1

Samborne 5,578 . 33 865

70,660 846 3,714

The proportion of Roman Catholics may not seem large, but it is
nearly the largest of any county in England. 1 Although this little known
and seldom cited return is probably not exactly correct, and most likely
somewhat understates the numbers of both papists and nonconformists, it
is found when tested by other returns to be approximately accurate. To
form a general total of the whole population, when the numbers given
are of those over sixteen years of age, it is necessary to add about forty
to every hundred.

The parishes or chapelries where the proportion of Roman Catholics
was the largest were : Bedhampton, where there were 12 papists to 45
conformists and 2 nonconformists ; Twyford, where there were 70
papists and 430 conformists ; Tichbourne, where the papists numbered
24 to the conformists' 79 ; and Otterbourne, where the papists were 54
out of a total population (over sixteen) of 189. The proportion of
nonconformists was largest at Romsey, where they numbered 777 to 3
papists and 1070 churchfolk ; and at Porchester, where they numbered
140 to 5 papists and 175 churchfolk.

Bishop Mews was a remarkable man. He was an Oxford graduate,
and for a time president of St. John's College, who took service in the
royalist force raised by the university in 1642, obtaining the rank of cap-
tain and being one of the numerous prisoners taken at Naseby. He was an
active messenger (being an adept in disguises) between the continent and
England and Scotland in the royalist interest during the Commonwealth.
The date of his ordination is not known. After the restoration he
obtained rapid and abundant promotion. Soon after his translation to
Winchester the militant bishop had an opportunity of displaying his

1 The papists of Derbyshire were somewhat higher in proportion ; the figures for that county were :
C. 47,151 ; P. 588 ; N. 918. The diocese of London had 2,069 papists, but the conformists were
263,000 ; the diocese of Lincoln had 1,244 papists out of 215,000 conformists.

9 6

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

warlike proclivities. The Monmouth rebellion obtained considerable
support in parts of Hampshire, the mayor of Lymington, Colonel Dore,
proclaiming him king and raising a troop in his service. The Bishop of
Winchester, though over seventy, at once took the field. At Sedgemoor
it was the bishop's horses that drew the cannon and the bishop's hands
that directed the decisive fire. Mews received at Sedgemoor a wound
from which he suffered during the remainder of his life. It is pleasant to
know that he afterwards interceded for the lives of the rebels, bearding
even the ruffian Jeffreys. This rebellion led to perhaps the most infamous
execution that has ever disgraced Winchester. Alice Lisle, of Ellingham,
a widow of three score and ten, the second wife of John Lisle, ' a regicide,'
but one of the most distinguished men in the Commonwealth service,
gave shelter to John Hickes, a dissenting minister who had been an active
supporter of Monmouth, but whom Lady Lisle believed to be escaping
from a warrant for illegal preaching. She was arrested for harbouring a
traitor, and Jeffreys, at the special commission at Winchester in August,
1685, surpassed himself in brutal browbeating and bullied the jury into
finding her guilty of this capital charge. On 28 August, Jeffreys sen-
tenced her to be burnt alive the same afternoon. The bishop's pressure
secured a respite of a few days, and an alteration in the sentence. The
aged lady, daughter and heiress of Sir White Beckenshaw of Moyles
Court, Ellingham, was beheaded in the market place on 2 September,
' the victim of a judicial murder.' *

At the revolution of 1688, Mews took the oaths to William and
Mary. The nonjuring movement did not take much hold of the
Hampshire clergy. The following were those who were then deprived :
William Hanbury, rector of Botley ; Edward Worsley (son of Sir
Edward Worsley), rector of Gatcombe ; Charles Buchannan, vicar of
Farnborough ; Mr. Flood, curate of Ringwood ; and Mr. Kilback. Of
Mr. Buchannan it is said that he was ' first a Complier, then a Recanter,
afterwards complied again.' 2

Bishop Mews died in 1706, at the age of eighty-nine, and was
followed by Sir Jonathan Trelawney, translated from Exeter. During
the time that he held the see of Bristol, Trelawney was one of the
seven bishops who were put on their trial for resistance to the indulgence
of James II. But his opinions underwent strange changes. In his
visitation charge on first entering Winchester diocese he announced
that he was equally hostile both to papists and the ' furious sects of
dissenters." Trelawney finished the rebuilding of the palace of Wol-
vesey, which had been begun by his predecessor, and resided there when
in Hampshire.

The most distinguished clergyman in Hampshire at this time was
Joseph Bingham, author of that classical work, The Antiquities of the

i Sidney Lee, Diet, of Nat. Biog.

Lift of Kettleuiell (1718), Appendix 6. The British Museum copy has MS. additions and altera-
tions. Bowies' Life of Bishop Ken, ii. 18*.

8 This charge and a sermon were privately printed in 1877. British Museum, press mark 4473,

P. 4.

u 97 *3

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Christian Church, in ten volumes. He held the small living of Head-
bourne Worthy until Bishop Trelawney collated him in 1712 to Havant.
On Trelawney's death in 172 1 Bishop Charles Trimnell was translated
from Norwich to Winchester, but only survived the change for two years.
From the dedication that Bingham prefixed to the last two volumes of
his Antiquities, it may be gathered that he was a zealous and conscien-
tious administrator of his new diocese. He was a prolific writer of the
Whig school, and held most pronounced latitudinarian views on the
subordination of the Church to the State.

To the same school belonged Bishop Richard Willis, who had pre-
viously held the sees of Gloucester and Sarum. Benjamin Hoadly, who
succeeded to Winchester in 1734 and who had been successively Bishop of
Bangor, Hereford and Sarum, was far more of a vehement controversialist
of the extreme latitudinarian and political school than a diocesan adminis-
trator. The value that he set upon the office that he held can be judged
from the fact that during the six years he held the bishopric of Bangor
and drew its emoluments the diocese never once saw him, and it is sup-
posed to have been the same with Hereford. To him belongs the shame
of being the cause of the suppression of Convocation for nearly a century
and a half. Two years after his acceptance of Winchester he endeavoured,
in a charge, to allay the feeling of his clergy against him by a laboured
defence of his writings, particularly of the painful Plain Account of the
Nature and End of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The mere list of his
printed pamphlets, sermons and controversial books occupies thirty columns
of the British Museum catalogue. He much neglected his diocese, and
died in 1761 at the age of eighty-five.

Whilst the spiritual interests of Hampshire were being thus
neglected in high places the warmth of the personal preaching
of John Wesley naturally made itself specially felt. In 1753 this
great itinerant preacher records his first impression of Portsmouth,
where he preached on the Common on Sunday evening, 8 July.
Wesley was favourably impressed, and describes the people as the
most civil of any seaport in England. He does not give too good
an account of the inhabitants of Newport, whom he visited on the
following Tuesday. In October Wesley again visited the Isle of Wight,
Portsmouth and Southampton. He was not here again till October,
1758, when he preached in Mr. Whitefield's tabernacle at Portsmouth.
In 1767 his journal records another visit to Portsmouth in the month of
October, and from that year down to 1790 Wesley hardly ever let a year
go by without his annual October visit to the great seaport and the Isle
of Wight. Winchester was also visited with some regularity between
1766 and 1789. Wesley was at Winchester on Friday, 10 October,
1783, when he entered in his diary that ' a clergyman having offered me
his church, I purposed beginning at five ; but the key was not to be
found ; so I made a virtue of necessity, and preached near the Cross
Street ; probably to double the congregation which would have been in
the church.'

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

The sad condition of things engendered by the lax administration
and neglect of the Whig Bishops of Winchester throughout the eighteenth
century was not improved by the translation to this see, on the death of
Hoadly, of John Thomas, who had obtained his preferment through
being tutor to George III., and who had already occupied the sees of
Peterborough and Salisbury.

Brownlow North, who was successively Bishop of Lichfield, Wor-
cester and Winchester (1781), owed his promotion to being half-
brother of the premier, Lord North. The current tradition, cited in
the Diocesan History, that Bishop North once examined certain candi-
dates for ordination on the cricket field is as much a reflection on the
laxity of the age as on that of the individual bishop. Nevertheless there
was some real church life in the county under Bishop North, especially
when the nineteenth century had opened. Between 1804 and his death
in 1820, the bishop consecrated new churches at Dogmersfield, Whip-
pingham, East Stratton, Micheldever, Chilworth, Fareham, Wyke and
Baddesley. It would be doing a wrong to Church history to be silent as
to the flagrant nepotism of this episcopate. Long leases of Church pro-
perty were granted by Bishop North to members of his family on
nominal fines. He appointed a nephew and namesake (afterwards a
well known lay preacher) to a lucrative patent office when a babe in
arms. The mastership of St. Cross bestowed on his son Francis, after-
wards Earl of Guildford, and the outrageous misuse of the hospital funds,
became a public scandal. A public inquiry in 1853 resulted in the
Master of the Rolls declaring the matter ' a manifest and probably
wilful breach of trust ' and that the distribution of the revenues was
' in direct opposition to the evidence and documents in their own
custody.'

To the tutor of George III. and the brother of a prime minister
succeeded the tutor of William Pitt. Sir George Pretyman Tomline
was appointed to the bishopric of Lincoln and the deanery of St. Paul's
in 1787, and thence (after Pitt had failed in his efforts to promote him
to Canterbury) translated to Winchester. He ruled the diocese for
seven years with some zeal, but will be chiefly remembered for Sydney
Smith's caustic attacks on his nepotism.

A far happier era began in 1827, with the translation from Llandaff
of Charles Richard Sumner, whose earnest episcopate lasted for forty
years. 1 His very first act on his translation was an augury of the interest
Bishop Sumner took in his work, for he was enthroned in his cathedral

1 His first clerical promotion gave rise to a cabinet crisis and nearly to a change of ministry. In
May, 1821, Lady Conyngham, George IV.'s favourite, asked the king to give Mr. Sumner a vacant
canonry at Windsor and the king assented. Lord Liverpool, when he heard of it, posted down to
Brighton and said that if he was not allowed the distribution of patronage he should resign. The Duke
of Wellington and all his colleagues joined in the remonstrance against the presentation of Mr. Sumner
and it was cancelled. However in 18*6 the king gave Mr. Sumner the bishopric of Llandaff and next
year that of Winchester without consulting the premier or ministers of a weaker cabinet (The Greville
Memoirs, i. 467, 117; Correspondence of Duke of WeKngton, i. 195). It is however kindly and justly
said by the editor of the Greville Memoirs that if C. R. Sumner ' owed his early advancement to
questionable influence, no man ever filled the office with more unaffected piety, dignity and goodness.'

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

church in person. By the middle of the century any other action would
have been considered a scandal, but it is a fact that from the Reforma-
tion until 1827 every Bishop of Winchester had been enthroned by
proxy. An earnest and conscientious evangelical, and confining his
preferments to clergy of that school, Bishop Sumner was nevertheless
respected and esteemed by the whole of his diocese. He held an
exhaustive visitation of Hampshire and the rest of the see in 1828.'

From that date until 1868, when seized with paralysis he resigned
the see, the good bishop's life was one of continued faithfulness and
vigour. In a ' Conspectus' that he drew up in 1864 it was shown that
up to that date Bishop Sumner had consecrated in Hampshire eight new
churches as well as sixty-five which had been rebuilt.

During his time extensive changes were made in the arrangements
of the see of Winchester. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners, appointed
in 1836, at the very threshold of their work ordered that 3,600 a year
should be paid by Winchester towards the augmentation of the smaller
sees, and in 1851 the bishop's income was fixed at the next avoidance at
7,000. This was afterwards diminished to 6,500 by Bishop Browne's
assignment of 500 to the new bishopric of St. Albans. In Victoria's
reign the boundaries of the see have been altered at three different dates,
but those changes have not affected Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Four grand and eminent examples of different schools of thought
within the Church of England were closely connected with Hampshire
during the nineteenth century. Legh Richmond (1772-1827), the pious
evangelical divine, was ordained to the curacy of the parishes of Brading
and Yaverland in the Isle of Wight ; his narratives of The Dairyman's
Daughter and The Young Cottager were at one time the most popular
religious works in England. John Keble (17971866), poet and divine,
was rector of Hursley from 1836 to the end of his life. Charles
Kingsley (1819-75), Christian socialist and author, was rector of
Eversley from 1844 to the time of his death. Richard Chevenix
Trench (1807-86), poet and divine, held curacies in Hampshire from
1835 to 1844 when he was appointed to the rectory of Itchenstoke,
which he resigned for the archbishopric of Dublin in 1863.

Of the three last well known Bishops of Winchester, Samuel
Wilberforce, Edward Harold Browne and Anthony Wilson Thorold,
and of Randall Thomas Davidson, the present occupant of the see, it
will suffice here to say that in their administration of a high office
Hampshire and the diocese at large have been exceptionally favoured.

1 The life of the good bishop issued by his son in 1876 falls into several mistakes in his contrast
of Suraner's energies with his predecessor's laxity. For instance it is stated as to visitations that ' no
queries had been officially issued in the diocese since 1788.' This is quite wrong ; it is due to Bishop
North to state that visitation articles were issued and printed in 1801.

100

HAMPSHIRE

Showing Ancient Rural Deaneriw nd Kelitfious Houses

Scale

: ALRESFORD {

22. ZyZ5. Z6, .,

WINCHESTER

BENEDICTINE MONKS
i The Old Mmster, Winchester,
a. The New Minster, Winchester

BENEDICTINE NUNS.

5. Nunnammscer, Winchester
4. Roniscy Ahbe).

$ Wherwcll Abbey.

CISTERCIAN MONKS

6. Ouarr Abbey.

7. Beaultcu Abbey.
B. Netlcy Abbey.

CISTERCIAN NUNS.

9 Wiptney Pnory

AUSTIN CANONS

0. Christ Church Priory.

1. St. Denis' Pnory, Southampton.
3. Southwick Priory.

3. Breamore Pnory.

4. Mottisfont Priory.

5. Selborne Priory.

6 Barton Priory or Oratory, Isle of
W.ght.

PREMONSTRATENSIAN CANONS.
7 T.tchfield Abbey.

KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS.

1 8. Baddcsley Preceptory.

FRIARS.

19. Winchester, Dominican.

20. Franciscan.
11. Austin.

21. Carmelite.
13. Sourhampton, Franciscan.

HOSPITALS.
24. Winchester, St. Cross.

HOSPITALS. (Contfl
Winchester, Sr. Mary Magdalen.

,, ST. John Baptist.
Southampton, God*s House.

St.Mary Magdalen.

. Poi tsrnouth, God's House.
Bastngstolce, St. John Baptist.
Fordingbridge, St. John Baptist.

COLLEGES.
College of Marwell.

St. Elrzabeth, Winchester.
Guild of the Holy Ghost, Ba.singstokc.

ALIEN HOUSES.
St. Helen's, Cluniac, Isle of Wight.
Hayling, Abbey of Jumieges.
Andover, ,, Si. Florcnt, Saumur,
Hamble, ,, Trion, Chartrrs.
Andwell,

St. Cross (I. of Wight),
Monk Sherborne, Abbey of St. Vigor,
Cerisy.

Ellingham, Abbey of StSauveur.Vicomtc.
Carisbrook, ,, Lire-
Appuldurcombe, Abbey of Montebourg.

[The Victoria History of the Counties of England]

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

APPENDIX NO. I
ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY

The district now known as Hampshire was during the middle part
of the seventh century in the diocese of Dorchester. In 676 Bishop
Haedde moved the seat of his bishopric to Winchester, and in the diocese
of Winchester this district has always been from that date, although the
bishopric was in 705 divided into the dioceses of Winchester and Sher-
borne, 1 and again in 709 the then existing bishopric of Winchester was
divided into the dioceses of Selsey and Winchester. 1

From 1291, the date of Pope Nicholas' taxation, 3 till the arch-
deaconry of the Isle of Wight comprising the whole of that island was
formed in 1871,* the county was co-terminous with the archdeaconry of
Winchester. The rural deaneries within this archdeaconry were, in
1291, ten in number, namely Alresford, Alton, Andover, Basingstoke,
Drokinsford, Fordingbridge, the Isle of Wight, Sombourne, Southamp-
ton and Winchester. 5 According to the Valor Ecc/esiasticus* taken in
1535 they were at that date the same, except that the rural deanery
of Alresford was included in that of Andover, but this is clearly
a mistake caused by the omission of the heading of the former rural
deanery, as all the parishes in Alresford deanery are taken together
at the end of that of Andover. The rural deaneries remained practi-
cally unchanged till 1850, when the Isle of Wight was divided into
the rural deaneries of East Medina and West Medina. 7 About 1856
the archdeaconry of Winchester was re-constituted and the rural
deaneries were increased to twenty-four, namely Alresford, Alton East
Division, Alton West Division, Andover North-East Division, Andover
North - West Division, Andover South - West Division, Basingstoke
South- West Division, Basingstoke North-East Division, Chilbolton,
Droxford North - East Division, Droxford South - East Division,
Droxford South -West Division, Droxford North - West Division,
Fawley, Fordingbridge East Division, Fordingbridge West Division,
Micheldever, Odiham, Somborne, Southampton, West Meon, Win-
chester, East Medina and West Medina in the Isle of Wight.
Some further alterations were made about fifteen years later when the
deaneries were reduced to twenty-one, namely Alresford, Alton, Alver-
stoke and Portsea, Andover North Division, Andover West Division,
Andover South Division, Basing South- West Division, Basing North-
East Division, Bishop's Waltham, Fawley, Fordingbridge East Division,
Fordingbridge West Division, Havant, Odiham, Petersfield, Romsey,
Southampton and Winchester. By order in council of 18 April, 1878,
the rural deaneries of Surrey were reconstituted, and the parish of Bentley

1 Jngh-Saxm Chron. (Rec. Com.), i. 68.

1 Bede, Hut. Eccl. (Mon. Hist. Brit.), v. 1 8, and Matth. Paris, Cbron. Maj. (Rec. Com.), i. 313.

3 Popeti'ub. fax. (Rec. Com.), zio. 4 London Gazette, 22 Dec. 1871.

8 Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 210. Valor Ecclei. (Rec. Com.), ii. 7, etc.

7 Clergy List, 1851, p. *8i.

101

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

in the rural deanery of Alton was transferred to the rural deanery of Farn-
ham in Surrey. 1 The rural deanery of Alverstoke was by order of 4
February, 1879, divided into the rural deaneries of Alverstoke and Port-
sea Island. 2

By an order in council of 9 May, 1892, the whole of the rural
deaneries of Hampshire within the archdeaconry of Winchester were
reconstituted and made eighteen in number, namely, Aldershot, Aires-
ford, Alton, Alverstoke, Andover, Basingstoke, Bishop's Waltham, Christ-
church, Kingsclere, Landport, Lyndhurst, Petersfield, Portsmouth,
Romsey, Silchester, Southampton, Stockbridge and Winchester, and the
archdeaconry of the Isle of Wight was divided into two rural deaneries
of East Wight and West Wight. 3 On 7 August, 1900, the name of the
rural deanery of Landport was changed to Havant and a few parishes
were transferred from one deanery to another. 4

APPENDIX NO. II
SOME TYPICAL SEALS OF THE BISHOPS OF WINCHESTER

The fine pointed oval seal of Richard of Ilchester (1174-88)
(plate I.) represents the bishop standing on a platform, with right
hand lifted in benediction and crozier in the left hand. In the field
on the left hand is a hand holding a crozier, and on the right a
pentacle. Legend : RICARDUS : DEI : GRATIA : WINTONIENSIS : EPISCOPUS.

The reverse (plate I.) is a small pointed oval counterseal, with
full length small figures of Sts. Peter and Paul, each having one foot on
an orb. Legend : + SUNT MICHI SINT Q BONI PETRUS PAUL^Q
PATRONI.

The oval seal of Peter des Roches (1205-38) (plate I.) gives the
bishop standing on a corbel with right hand raised in benediction, and
left hand holding a crozier. Legend : PETRUS : DEI : GRATIA : WINTONI-
ENSIS : EPISCOPUS.

The pointed oval seal of John of Pontoise (1282-1304) (plate I.)
gives a full length figure of the bishop in the usual attitude. In the
field, on the left, is a fleur-de-lis, and on the right two small flowers.
Legend : + s. IOHANNIS : DEI : GRA : WINTONIEN : EPISCOPI.

John Stratford's seal (1323-33) (plate II.) is a somewhat rude
representation of the bishop in the customary attitude. Legend : SIGIL-
LUM -jo ...

William of Wykeham's (1367-1404) circular priory seal (plate II.)
shows excellent workmanship of its date. In the upper canopy are the
Virgin and Child in a niche; below them are two other saints. In
larger niches on each side are figures of St. Peter and St. Paul. In
base is a shield of arms, two chevrons between three roses. Legend :

SECRETUM : WYLLELMI : DE : WYKEHAM I EPI : WYNTTON.

1 London Gazette, 7 May, 1878. ' Ibid. 14 Feb. 1879.

8 Ibid. 13 May, 1892. * Ibid. 14 Aug. 1900.

I O2

HAMPSHIRE EPISCOPAL SEALS. I.

PETER DBS ROCHES. (1205-1238.)

RICHARD OK ILCHESTER. (1174-1188.)

9S,

RICHARD OK ILCHESTER. COUVIERSEAL.

JOHN OF PONTOISB. (1282-1304.)

HAMPSHIRE EPISCOPAL SEALS. II.

JOHN STRATFORD. (1323-1333.)

WILLIAM WAYNFLETE. (1447-1486.)

WILLIAM OF WYKEUAM. (1367-1404.)

HENRY BEAUFORT. (1405-1447.)

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

The circular privy seal of Henry Beaufort (1405-47) (plate II.) has
quarterly the arms of France and England within a bordure compony.
Legend : SECRETUM : HENRICI : DEI : GRATIA : WINTONIEN : EPI.

The large oval seal of William of Waynflete (144786) (plate II.) is
an example of the overloaded and enriched seals of that date. In three
elaborately canopied niches are figures of Sts. Paul, Peter and Swithun ;
in smaller niches on each side are two angels. In the base the bishop
with crozier is kneeling, between the arms of the see of Winchester and
of France and England. The group at the top of the seal is obliterated.
Legend: SIGILLUM : WILLELMI : WYNTONIENSIS : EPISCOPI.

103

THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES
OF HAMPSHIRE

INTRODUCTION

So much interest is taken in the history of the various religious
foundations which were suppressed in the days of Henry VIII. and
Edward VI. that it is thought better to treat of them in a separate
section, arranged according to the Order to which they belonged, apart
from the topographical history. 1 This arrangement will suit the con-
venience of readers who may be specially interested in the story of the
religious houses generally, or of any particular branch ; for there will
be no necessity to look them up under a number of separate parishes
scattered throughout the different hundreds. The account of the site
or the condition of the remains and ruins will be given in the parochial
history.

Hampshire, with Winchester as its centre, was so pre-eminent in
the making of England and of England's Church, that it is not surprising
to find that .various large and influential Benedictine houses of royal
foundation were established in its midst at an early date. Such were
the Old Minster (643) and the New Minster (901) for Benedictine
monks at Winchester, and the three large houses, with canonries
attached, for Benedictine nuns at Nunnaminster, Winchester (circa 899),
and at the abbeys of Romsey (circa 907) and Wherwell (circa 986).

The Cistercian or White monks had three houses in the county,
namely Beaulieu (1204) and her daughter Netley (1239) on the main-
land, and Quarr (1131) in the Isle of Wight. There was also a convent
of Cistercian nuns at Wintney (twelfth century).

The Austin canons had seven houses, namely the great priory of
early foundation, termed Christ Church (eleventh century ?), which was
of such importance that it absorbed the name of Twyneham, where it
was established; St. Denis, Southampton (circa 1124), founded by
Henry I.; Southwick (1133) of like royal origin, but originally
established at Porchester Church ; the smaller houses of Breamore
(close of reign of Henry I.), Mottisfont (circa 1200), and Selborne
(1233), and the Oratory of Barton (1275) in the Isle of Wight.

There was but one house of Premonstratensian or White Canons,

1 For convenience of reference the Houses are numbered in accordance with the numerals on
the map.

104

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

namely that of Titchfield (1222), remarkable for its well-arranged
library.

The military orders of both the Templars and the Hospitallers had
property in the county, but it was only at North Baddesley (twelfth
century) that there was a preceptory of the latter.

The four chief mendicant orders of itinerant friars had houses at
Winchester (Dominicans, 1231-4; Franciscans, circa 1235; Austin
Friars, temp. Edward I.; and Carmelites, 1278). The Franciscans
were also established at Southampton about 1237.

The old hospitals of England were invariably closely connected
with religion, and were not infrequently under the control of a master
and brethren, or master brethren and sisters who followed the Austin
rule ; hence they were occasionally termed priories, and the master a
prior. They were for the accommodation and relief of poor wayfarers
and for the more permanent relief of the sick and infirm ; hence they
were found in or near towns, or, if for lepers, on the outskirts beyond
the gates. Winchester had its three hospitals : the richly endowed St.
Cross (1136), whose funds were often so grievously misused ; St. Mary
Magdalen (circa 1 17489) ; and St. John Baptist (1275). Southampton
had one of special interest in God's House (circa 1197), as well as the
lazar house of St. Mary Magdalen (1173-4). Portsmouth had another
Maison Dieu (12358) ; Walter de Merton turned the old hospital of
Basingstoke (123040) into a resting-place for aged and infirm priests ;
and there was another hospital at Fordingbridge (before 1282) of which
but little is known.

Of colleges and collegiate churches Hampshire had but three
examples, in addition to the great educational establishment of William
of Wykeham. The usual college or collegiate church was in no sense
a place of education, save that provision was occasionally made for the
instruction of the quire boys. The college, though no two foundations
were exactly alike, was a collection of secular priests, guided in their
life by certain statutory rules which ensured a certain amount of common
life, and whose chief occupation was the rendering of a continuous round
of choral worship and the celebration of masses for the souls of the
founders. Occasionally the chaplains or fellows had poor brethren living
in the college or infirm and sick under their charge, but they were
in the main large chantry foundations. The small country college of
Marwell owed its origin to Bishop Henry de Blois (1129-71), and the
later and more important one of St. Elizabeth (1301) at Winchester to
Bishop Pontoise. To these must be added, in its later development,
the Gild of the Holy Ghost at Basingstoke (before 1244).

The chief feature however of the religious houses of the county
was the number of alien priories. They were more numerous in Hamp-
shire than in any other county, which was doubtless chiefly owing to the
easy accessibility of so much of the shire, with its extensive seaboard, to
visitors from Normandy.

The influence of these foreign monks from the great abbeys of
H 105 M

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Normandy, ruling their large estate in the interest of parent com-
munities that owed direct allegiance to a power with which England
was so frequently at war, constituted at times a genuine national danger,
and must have been a constant cause of local irritation.

There was probably a general feeling of satisfaction throughout
Hampshire when these alien priories, that had been ruled with so much
fickleness for more than a hundred years, were finally suppressed at the
beginning of the fifteenth century ; more especially as their revenues
were merely transferred to other religious purposes.

The island of Hay ling was owned by the powerful abbey of
Jumieges, where the abbot established a priory probably in the twelfth
century, the site of which is now beneath the sea ; the abbey of St.
Florent, Saumur, established a priory at Andover during the same
period ; St. Vigor, Cerisy, at Monk Sherborne (1100-35) ; St. Sauveur
Vicomte, at Ellingham (1160); whilst the abbey of Tiron, Chartres,
had three houses, namely at Andwell (early in twelfth century), Hamble
(1098-1128), and St. Cross (1120) in the Isle of Wight. In the Isle
of Wight the abbeys of Lire and Montebourg also respectively con-
trolled the small priories of Carisbrook (circa 1156) and Appuldurcombe
(circa iioo), whilst the house of St. Helen's (circa 1090) was of Cluniac
foundation. Not one of these ten houses were conventual, that is, the
inmates had no voice in the appointment of their superiors, who were
sent across the seas by the Norman abbots and who could be withdrawn
at pleasure.

The constitution of these alien priories has already been referred to
in the ecclesiastical section, and their individual peculiarities are subse-
quently briefly discussed under their respective houses ; but a word or
two may here be permitted as to their treatment by the English Crown.
It is easy to understand how they sprang up in England under the first
kings of the Norman dynasty, but they soon became settlements of
foreign monks, whose sympathies naturally centred in their homes across
the seas, and whose main duties were the collecting and guarding of
English rents and tithes that were sent year by year out of the kingdom
to the parent house. King John was the first to seize the priories that
were dependent on foreign houses, compelling them to pay into the royal
treasury the sums or tribute usually termed apport which they had
been in the habit of forwarding to the continent. In 1295, when
Edward I. made war upon France to recover the province of Guienne,
he had great difficulty in procuring the necessary funds for the campaign.
He seized all the alien priories, numbering about a hundred, and used
their revenues to fill his war chest. In order to prevent the foreign
monks of the Isle of Wight and on the seaboard of Hampshire and else-
where on the coast giving possible help to invaders, he deported many of
them to other religious houses that were twenty or more miles from the
coast. Edward II. subsequently followed this example, taking the alien
priories into his own hands, but he not infrequently appointed their
priors custodians for a consideration, obliging them to pay to the Crown

106

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

the apport due to their superiors. If other custodians were appointed,
reservation was however always made of a minimum sufficient to sustain
the prior and the two or three monks who dwelt with him. When
Edward III. came to the throne he restored many of the alien priories
to their original owners and remitted the arrears of payments due to the
Crown. But ten years later, when war broke out again with France, he
reverted to the policy of his predecessors, and again seized the property
of these French aliens. For twenty-three years these foreign houses
remained in his hands ; but with the peace of 1361 most of them were
restored, only to be again sequestrated eight years later when the war
was renewed. In the time of Richard II. the alien priories continued
mostly in the hands of the Crown ; they finally came to an end under
Henry V. in 1414, when those that had not been already assigned with
the Pope's assent to other religious purposes, were suppressed and
their estates vested in the Crown. The Crown however in the great
majority of cases recognized its responsibilities and transferred the pro-
perty to other monasteries, such as the Carthusian house of Sheen, or to
colleges and schools for educational purposes. 1

A large number of the religious houses of Hampshire were subject
to diocesan visitation, but the three Cistercian monasteries, the house of
White Canons, and the alien priories, as well as the priories of the
mendicant orders and the preceptory of the Hospitallers, were exempt.
It is a little remarkable to find that the Cistercian nunnery of Wintney
was subject to the bishop. There were in the county, exclusive of the
hospitals and colleges, thirteen houses visited by the Bishop of Winchester,
whilst twenty were visited by commissaries of their own order.

The record of the visitations made by the commissary of the prior
of Canterbury in 1501 is given under the respective houses for the first
time,* nor have the valuable reports of the ' mixed commission ' of 1535
been hitherto printed. Numerous references to monastic visitations have
also been obtained from the episcopal registers of Winchester. The lists
of superiors have in several cases been materially extended from those
supplied in the modern Monasticon. Information has been sought not
only from the episcopal registers, but from original chartularies, and
from the stores of the British Museum and Public Record Office.
These sketches of the different religious houses make no pretence to
be exhaustive in their treatment. Several of the Hampshire foundations
well deserve monographs which have yet to be written.

1 There is a good summary of the history of the alien priories in Gasquet's Henry VIII. and the
Monasteries, vol. i. ch. 2.

* Kindly supplied by Mr. Leland S. Duncan, F.S.A.

107

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

HOUSES OF BENEDICTINE MONKS

i. THE PRIORY OF ST. SWITHUN,
WINCHESTER

The history of this monastery has been
already so much dealt with in the Ecclesiasti-
cal History of the county that there is com-
paratively little to add. This monastery,
is said to have been founded in honour of
Sts. Peter and Paul, by Cenwalh, King of
Wessex, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
in 643,* and according to the Annals of Win-
chester in 639,' and was known after the
foundation of Newminster or Hyde as the
Old Minster.

It was probably after the rebuilding of the
cathedral church by Bishop Athelwold in 971
that the church and the monastery received
the additional dedication in honour of St.
Swithun by which it was afterwards known,
though the joint dedication to Sts. Peter and
Paul and St. Swithun lingered on for some
time in official documents.

There was apparently no distinction in
early times between the lands of the bishop
and the lands of the monastery. Grants
were made to the church generally, but the
lands granted appear to have been under the
control of the bishop. About the middle of
the tenth century certain lands seem to have
been allotted for the maintenance of the
monastery, but they remained still under the
management of the bishop. 3 At the time of
the Domesday Survey the lands allotted for
the support of the monks were mostly held
by the bishop, those in Hampshire being
Chilcomb, Nursling, Chilbolton, Avington,
Whitchurch, Freefolk, Witnal in Whitchurch,
Hurstbourne Priors, Clere, Crondal, Droxford,
Polhampton in Overton, Exton, Alverstoke,
Worthy, Wonston, Brainsbury in Barton
Stacy, South Stoneham, Milbrook, Hinton
Ampner, Fawley, Itchingswell, Hannington
and Hoddington in Upton Gray. 4 The
monks themselves held Boarhunt, Wootton
St. Laurence, Hayling Island, Brockhampton
and Havant. 8 The lands of the bishop and
prior formed a great fief for which the bishop
owed, at the end of the twelfth century, the
service of sixty knights. 8

1 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Rolls Series), i, 48, 49.

Annalet Monastic} (Rolls Series), ii. 5.

3 See Athelstan's charter to Winchester A.D.
938, enrolled on Charter Roll, 1 2 Edw. II. No. 48.

4 V.C.H. Hampshire, i. 463.

Ibid. 468.

Red Book of the Exchequer (Rolls Series), i. 72,
91, etc.

There are two chartularies in the British
Museum of the priory of St. Swithun, both
of which were unknown to the compilers of
Dugdale's Monasticon.

The first of these, acquired in 1844 from
the dean and chapter of Winchester, con-
tains a large collection of royal and other
charters in Anglo-Saxon and Latin, from the
reign of Cenwalh of Wessex, 688, to the
time of Edward the Confessor, with the
addition of a few Norman charters granted
by William I., Henry I. and Stephen. It is
beautifully written and in good preservation
in the original stamped binding; it is sup-
posed to have been compiled between 1 1 30
and 1150.'

The other chartulary, acquired in 1873,
opens with a brief history of the church to
the year 967, followed by a notice of the
bishops up to Egbald, 793. This is followed
by charters from the time of the Confessor
to 1242. Among the other entries are
agreements with the monasteries of Canter-
bury, Peterborough, Worcester, Gloucester,
Reading, Tewkesbury, Chertsey, Burton, Ely,
Abingdon, St. Albans, St. Pancras at Lewes,
Glastonbury, Durham, Merton, Malmesbury,
Bury St. Edmunds, Westminster, Wherwell,
Romsey, Bee (Normandy) and Battle, as to
mutual masses for the dead ; a list of plate
and vestments, the gifts of Bishop Henry de
Blois ; notices of the deaths and benefactions
of Bishop William de Raleigh (1243) and
Bishop John of Exeter (1262); copies of
charters and agreements between priors and
bishops, and as to pensions or oblations of
parochial clergy from 1284 to 1334; together
with the consuetudines elemosine and other cus-
toms of the church. The chartulary con-
tains eighty-three folios, and was compiled in
the thirteenth century, save that there are a
few fifteenth century entries towards the
end. 8

The prior furnished Thomas Cromwell,
on his appointment as general visitor, with
a succinct account of the early history of their
house from the year 604, giving what
they termed the annals of their first, second,
third and fourth foundations. There is a
copy of this in the Harley manuscripts. 9

In September, 1243, the monks of St.
Swithun obtained papal sanction to wear caps
(pilleis) in quire on account of the cold, pro-

7 Add. MS. 15,350.

8 Ibid. 29,436.

8 Harl. MS. 358, fo. 600-64.

108

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

vided that due reverence was shown at the
gospel and the elevation. 1 In the same month
Innocent IV. issued his mandate to the priors
of Rochester and of Holy Trinity, London,
in a matter affecting this priory. The con-
vent of Winchester had complained that, on
the voidance of the priory (1239), Andrew, a
monk, by secular force and by the assistance
of the archdeacons of Winchester and Surrey,
had obtruded himself into the office of prior.
Andrew was therefore excommunicated by
the Archbishop of Canterbury ; but of this he
took no heed, and introducing an armed band
into the cloister by night, ill-used, bound
and imprisoned Richard de Triveri and many
other monks. Further, at his instance, the
archdeacon of Winchester issued sentences
of excommunication and suspension against
many members of the convent. The pope
ordered the two priors to go to Winchester,
to relax provisionally the archdeacon's sen-
tences, and if, on examination, the facts justi-
fied it, to provide a prior by canonical elec-
tion. At the same date a papal faculty was
forwarded to the sub-prior and convent of
Winchester to use their privileges, although
they had not done so for a long time on ac-
count of their ignorance of the law, the dis-
turbance of the realm, and the change of
prelates of the see. This was accompanied
by a general licence to the priory to administer
their property, wherein is recited the particu-
lars of their manors, advowsons, pensions
and other rights.*

The monks paid dearly for yielding to the
pressure exercised by the Crown in the mat-
ter of the election of Aymer to the bishopric.
Soon after his election Aymer treated them
with the utmost indignity and violence, driv-
ing the- prior and his obedientaries from the
house. In 1254 Prior William de Andrew
visited Rome to lay his grievances before the
papal court. Innocent IV. treated him with
every consideration, and granted to him and
his successors the use of mitre, ring, tunicle,
dalmatic, gloves and sandals; the right of
blessing chalices, altar palls and other church
ornaments ; the giving of the first tonsure ;
the conferring of the minor orders of door-
keeper and reader ; and the giving of solemn
benediction in divine offices and at table. 3

The disturbed state of the unfortunate
monastery at this period of its history is
shown by a patent issued by Henry III. in
July, 1255. It took the shape of a precept

1 Papal Registert, i. 200.

1 Ibid. 200, 20 1. The licence or bull is set
forth at length in the Monasticon, \. 21 1-2.
' Papal Register!, i. 305 ; Ann. Winton. 95.

to the abbots and priors throughout England,
inhibiting them from receiving into their mon-
asteries and houses any of the monks of
Winchester, very many of whom of their
own will and pleasure wander all over England
in contempt and despite of monastic religion,
and to the peril of their own souls, unless by
letters of permission from the elect of Win-
chester or the prior of the same place. 4

It was not until 1256 that this quarrel be-
tween bishop and prior was temporarily settled.
The right of the monks to elect their own
prior was formally conceded in 1258,* but
this was again disputed in 1266, and once
more settled in their favour in 1273."

On 4 May, 1264, the citizens of Winches-
ter rose against the monks and burnt the
priory gateway, the gate called Kingsgate, the
upper part of the church (ecclesia) of St.
Swithun, and all the houses near the wall
that belonged to the convent. The annalists
do not mention any cause for this popular
tumult, which was sufficiently severe to cause
the death of several of the prior's servants. 7

Considerable disputes again arose between
the Bishop of Winchester and the prior of St.
Swithun's at the beginning of the rule of
Bishop Pontoise, as to the appointment of the
obedientaries or officials of the monastery. In
October, 1282, the bishop appointed Ralph
Chaunterel, one of his attendants, to the im-
portant office of kitchener to the priory, stating
in his register that it was on account of his
faithful service to him. 8 In the following year
the bishop collated John de Nortwold to the
still more important office of cellarer ; this
appointment is entered in his register among
other collations and institutions to benefices."
This last nomination gave rise to vigorous re-
monstrance on the part of the prior and con-
vent. Eventually in July, 1284, the bishop
covenanted to yield to the prior the liberty of
appointing and removing obedientaries and
secular servants ; but the priory did not ob-
tain this covenant in their favour without
making a substantial concession. On the
same day and year that this episcopal ordin-
ance was issued the prior and convent con-
ceded to the bishop the very valuable manors
of Droxford, Alverstoke and Havant. 10 As

4 Pat. 39 Hen. III. m. gd.

5 Annales Monaitici (Rolls Series), iv. 122.
8 Ibid. ii. 122, 389.

7 Ibid. ii. 101, iv. 450.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 100.
Ibid. f. 2.

10 Ibid. 106-9, Maneria de DrokensJbrJ, Alvare-
stok cum Gosport, et Havante cum tencnt'ibus eorum de
Hellng et Hamelettam tie Conoel.

109

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

the Crown had on several occasions appointed
obedientaries and sergeants for the monastery
during the vacancy of the see, it was thought
well to obtain royal sanction for this episco-
pal ordinance. Consequently Edward I., in
September, 1284, granted letters patent con-
firming the episcopal covenant, and also grant-
ing to the prior the power of appointing to
the sergeanties or other secular offices pertain-
ing to the house. At the same time the
chapter was granted the custody of the priory
during voidance. 1

About ten days after the sealing of the
covenant between the bishop and priory,
through the resignation of William de Basing,
there was a vacancy in the office of prior, and
the bishop, with the unanimous assent of his
brethren, put the custody of the house into
the hands of Nicholas de Merewell, the sub-
prior. On the same day (13 July) the bishop
issued a letter to the retiring prior and the
obedientaries giving them absolution after
certain scandals, the nature of which is not
stated. On 1 8 July the sub-prior and chapter
asked leave of the bishop to elect a new
prior ; in the bishop's letter of sanction he
referred to the resignation of Prior William,
stating that it was not caused through any
crime or conscious fault, but for the sake of
humility and true religion.*

On 25 August, 1284, the bishop gave his
assent to the election of William de Basing
as prior, and issued the usual injunction to
the sub-prior and convent to yield him due
obedience. 3 From this it would appear that
the ex-prior was, with episcopal assent, re-
elected. 4

Bishop John of Pontoise was probably anx-
ious to see if the re-election was satisfactory,
for on 1 4 September he issued notice of a per-
sonal visitation of the cathedral priory to be
held at the ensuing Michaelmas. As no injunc-
tions were issued consequent on this visitation
it may be assumed that everything was found
to be satisfactory. 6

By 1291 the possessions of the prior seem
to have been definitely separated from those
of the bishop, and the estates of the former
had considerably increased. The total yearly
value was 701 CM. jd* At the same time

1 Pat. 12 Edw. I. m. 3.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, 70, 7ob.

3 Ibid. f. 73.

1 The Monasticon and other printed lists of priors
make out that there were two successive priors
called W. de Basing ; but this seems improbable if
not incorrect.

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontissera, 73.

Pope Nick. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 213.

it will be noticed that as late as 1346 the
bishop owed the service of five knights' fees
for his own land and also for all the lands of
the prior. 7 From the aid for making Edward
the Black Prince a knight in this year we find
that the prior of St. Swithun's held with John
Frilende half a knight's fee in ' Nywenton ' ;
he held also with two others half a fee in
Stoke in St. Mary Bourne (Crokerestok), and
half a fee in Long Sutton. 8

On the death of Prior William in May,
1295, leave to elect was applied for and
granted by the bishop. The monks on this
occasion elected by way of ' compromise.'
The chapter appointed William de Hoo,
Adam de Hyde, Roger de Entingham, Henry
Bacun, Henry de Merwell, Nicholas de
Tarente and William Wallup to act as elec-
tors. Their choice eventually fell upon
Henry de Merwell alias Woodlock, and the
bishop's assent was given on 7 June. The
particulars as to this election are set forth in
the episcopal register with much detail. 9

On 13 June, 1305, Bishop Henry granted
leave to fill up the vacancy in the priory,
caused by his own elevation to the episcopate,
and gave the custody during the vacancy to
William de Somborne, John de Donketon and
Ralph de Canne. On 31 July entry was
made in the episcopal register of the process
of election, and a week later the bishop's
consent to the appointment of Nicholas de
Tarente was signified, and he was duly in-
stalled. 10 The bishop visited the priory in
1308, and apparently found nothing to
correct.

In 1297 mandate was issued by the Crown
to the justice of the forest to permit the
prior to grant and make stable-stands, accord-
ing to the term of the king's charter to him
and his successors, in the demesne lands
and woods where they had chases in Hamp-
shire, and to carry away venison, and to
keep their dogs not expeditated, but on
condition that they set or stretched no nets for
taking such venison. 11 John de Ford, monk
of St. Swithun's, received a royal pardon in
June, 1344, for taking a doe and a sorel in
the New Forest and carrying them away. At
the same time Prior Alexander was pardoned
for receiving the said doe and sorel. 1 *

The various acta relative to the election
of Richard de Eneford as prior are briefly

7 Feudal 4 iJ}, ii. 335.

8 Ibid. 325, 330, 333.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, 16, 17.

10 Ibid. Woodlock, 9-1 1.

11 Pat. 25 Edw. I. pt. 2, m. 14.
13 Ibid. 1 8 Edw. III.pt. i, m. i.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

cited in Henry de Woodlock's register under
the date of 8 September, 1309. *

An important visitation of the priory of
St. Swithun's was held by the bishop in 1315,
which resulted in a considerable number of
injunctions. The greater part of these are
of the usual character, and partake more of
enjoining a careful observance of the rule
than of dealing with any particular delin-
quency. Such were orders to attend all the
offices, night and day ; frequent celebrating
by the monks in priest's orders ; silence at the
appointed time and places ; never to break
bounds without leave ; to speak to no
women, religious or secular, save in public ;
to wear nought save the statutory dress ;
and juniors to respect seniors. Others
related to the due keeping of the cloister
gate, to the custody of the seal, and to the
annual rendering of accounts by obedientaries
and bailiffs. Two or three are less usual,
and probably refer to specific faults, such as
directions against selling surplus food, and
that parents or relatives visiting the inmates
were to be invited to contribute according to
their means. One order has a decidedly
local touch, by which all the monks, save the
sacrist and his servants, are forbidden to go
out of the monastery by the gate called
' Redebreck ' * The bishop had the advan-
tage in this visitation of full personal know-
ledge of the house during the ten years that
he was prior.

In the second year of Bishop Stratford's
rule (1325), a complete list of the monks of
St. Swithun was drawn up. It begins with
Prior Richard ; the second name, presumably
the sub-prior, is Adam de Hyde, and then
follow the names of sixty-two other monks. 3

Bishop Stratford held two visitations of
St. Swithun's during the ten years that he
administered the see. In the last case
penalties were imposed and then taken
off. 4

The priory was visited in February, 1410-1,
by John Cattyk, chancellor of the diocese.
He visited as the commissary of the dio-
cesan, Bishop Henry Beaufort stating that he
was not able personally to visit owing to the
pressure of other arduous affairs. 6

The earlier episcopal registers are for the

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 1 1 3b.

* Ibid. 23 (zd. numbers).

3 Ibid. Pontoise, f. 143. It is curious that
this list should be entered on a blank leaf of
an earlier register ; it was probably an error of
the scrivener who made the entry.

* Ibid. Stratford, ff. i3b, I9b, I7ib~4.
8 Ibid. Beaumont, 32 (2d. numbers).

most part somewhat sparing in their reference
to the work and administration of the cathedral
priory, but the entries are frequent in William
of Wykeham's days.

The rectory of the church of Littleton
was appropriated to the office of guest-master
of the priory in the year 1171. In March,
1373, Bishop William of Wykeham licensed
John Hyde, the monk guest-master, to hear
confessions and to administer the Eucharist at
Littleton during Lent and at Easter, for the
depression of the times prevented the parish-
ioners employing a parochial chaplain to assist
the vicar. The licence was to expire at the
end of the Easter octave. 6 This temporary
and useful licence was renewed to the guest-
master year by year up to 1379.

Hugh Basing was prior when Wykeham
was elected bishop. On his death in 1384
Dr. Robert Rudborne succeeded, and he
was followed in 1394 by Dr. Thomas
Neville. The friction between bishops and
priors is illustrated by the action that took
place during Wykeham's episcopate with
regard to a comparatively trifling but very
interesting custom dating back to time imme-
morial. According to this ancient custom
whenever the diocesan visited Wolvesey, or
any other residence in Winchester, the
domicellus of the priory presented him with
eight loaves of fine wheat flour and four
gallons of wine, saying at the same time
these words in French : ' Mounseigneur, Seint
Pere et Seint Paule vous envoient.' Prior
Hugh set the example of reducing the
offering to a single loaf and one gallon of
wine, and his example was followed by Prior
Rudborne and by Prior Neville for the first
four years of his office. But in 1398, other
disputes having arisen, a covenant was made
between Wykeham and Neville for the
resumption of the full customary offering of
bread and wine, and that the ancient words
should be said in French, Latin or English.
At the same time it was agreed that disputes
between the tenants of their respective estates
should be tried in the bishop's or prior's court
and not in those of the king ; that the priory
should maintain the bridge over the Lock-
burn in College Street, and halve the expense
with bishop of the bridge over the river ;
and that the priory should abstain from
feeding sheep or taking rabbits in the epis-
copal chase and warren at Morestead. 7

In June, 1373, Wykeham visited the priory
and was apparently content with its condition,
as no injunctions were entered.

8 Ibid. Wykeham, iii. f. 88b.
7 Ibid. 323.

Ill

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Another visitation of the cathedral priory
was arranged by the bishop to be held in the
autumn of 1386, but in November a
mandate was issued postponing it, in conse-
quence of urgent business, to 10 February. 1
On 6 February, 1386-7, Wykeham addressed
a letter to the prior and convent on the
serious reduction in their numbers, and two
days later he directed his official and another
to conduct the visitation on 10 February.*
It was at this time that the bishop issued a
code of directions or revised rule for the
guidance of the monks, providing in various
ways against laxity. 3 The number of the
monks was at that time reduced to forty-six.
It still stood at that figure during a third
visitation, 1393, and though Wykeham
again specially insisted on the raising of their
numbers, the roll had fallen to forty-two at
the time of his death. 4

Much of the administration of the priory
can be learnt from some of the old account
rolls that still survive. A fourteenth-century
roll in the possession of the dean and chapter
contains an interesting account of the obliga-
tions of the officers of the priory in connec-
tion with the frater. 6 The prior was bound
to provide the frater with bread, beer, wine,
salt, cheese and butter ; also with the
necessary rush-woven mats and with straw
litter for the floor. Cheese was to be served
daily at dinner and supper from Easter Day
to Quinquagesima Sunday, and butter on
Wednesdays and Saturdays from i May to
14 September. New mats were to be fur-
nished on the vigil of All Saints, and fresh
straw seven times a year. The chamberlain
provided a new cloth for the high table every
Palm Sunday, and canvas cloths for the other
tables as often as necessary ; he had also to
find old cloths for cleansing the silver and
other vessels. The sacrist had to send the
fraterer fifteen wax candles on the vigil of
All Saints, to be renewed as often as needful
down to Maundy Thursday. The precentor
and his fellows, who on Sunday and other
feasts at 12 o'clock (after nones) have said
the Placebo, were to have a ' punchard ' of
good beer. The almoner was to give the
fraterer a clapper (signum) on Maundy Thurs-
day. The kitchener was to receive his food
daily with the under-cooks, but was to sit at

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f.

3 Ibid. f. 226.

8 Moberly's Life of Wykeham, pp. 737-9, citing
New College MSS.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 2550.

* A Consuetudinary for the Refectory tf the
House ofS. Stvithun, edited by Dean Kitchin.

the high table and have a punchard. The
gardener was to provide apples on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays in Advent and
Lent ; the sub-prior, third prior and fourth
prior, the fraterer and other officers were
to have ten apples each ; if the prior was
present he was to have fifteen. The same
was to be done on St. James' Day, when there
was the blessing of apples. At the east end
of the frater, between the windows, stood a
celebrated old cross or crucifix, from which,
according to tradition, a voice proceeded,
deciding the controversy between St. Dunstan
and the ejected secular canons. The guar-
dian of the altar of Our Lady and the
keeper of the cloister garth had to provide
tapers to burn before this cross on certain
high days, and the fraterer to provide
seven branches to burn in the like place
daily during the second collation. The
custom of carrying round the ancient cup of
St. Athelwold to be kissed by all on his
festival has been already described.* The
cellarer had his meals with the community ;
it was his duty to provide meat and drink and
food of every kind, to produce and keep in
repair all the necessary vessels for the cellar,
kitchen and frater, to attend to the lighting
of the chandelier and of the three flat lamps
that hung before the cross. A curious entry
further records that he was to have the care
of all the animals acquired by different
brethren. Pet animals were frequently found
in religious houses : occasionally visitors
ordered their expulsion, particularly squirrels
and birds in cages, from nunneries. The cur-
tarian looked after the due allowance of bread,
and the corrodies or due provision for bishops,
kings and other visitors. It was the porter's duty
to clean out the frater against Easter, and to
make the fire on the hearth in snowy weather.
The daily life of these Benedictine monks
can be traced from point to point in the
large number of Obedientary Rolls of the
different officials of the house that still survive
of the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries. 7 The obedientaries were monks
told off to fulfil certain duties, and to super-
intend particular parts of the administration
of the convent and its property. Their duty
at St. Swithun's was essentially connected
with the exercise of hospitality ; their priory
lay in a chief city on one of the most
important highways in England, and it was
their well sustained boast to keep open house

" r.C.H. Hants, ii. 7.

7 Compotus Rolls of the Obedientaries of S/.
Swithun's Priory, edited by Dean Kitchin (Hanti
Rec. Soc. 1892).

112

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

for all comers. In this and in other respects
the monks of the cathedral priory of the
diocese maintained on the whole an excellent
character. The ideal number of monks at
which all the large Benedictine houses was
supposed to aim was seventy ; but this was
seldom attained. In 1325, as has been stated,
the roll reached to sixty-four ; but the priory
never recovered from the staggering blow of
the Black Death. The numbers, even under
the stirring episcopate of Bishop Wykeham,
did not exceed forty-six, and at his death
were only forty-two. Only once did they
subsequently rise, and that by a single figure,
the total in 1533 being forty-three. The
Obedientary Rolls show that the lowest
level was in 14956, when the numbers were
only twenty-nine.

Dean Kitchin, in his introduction to the
Obedientary Rolls, makes a helpful division
of the monastic officials of St. Swithun's into
four groups, a division which applies broadly
speaking not only to other Benedictine houses,
but to most of the other religious orders:

(a) Round the Prior (the most dignified per-
sonage, the bishop acting as abbot) were grouped
the Subprior, the third Prior, and the fourth
Prior, who all had definite claustral duties to fulfil.
This group was responsible for the general order
of the house. With these may be associated the
land Steward, who was not a monk, and who is
usually described as the prior's steward.

(6) The second group was attached to the
church, and included the Sacrist and Subsacrist
who had charge of all material things pertaining
to the services ; the Chanter and Subchanter, who
were responsible for the actual conduct of divine
worship ; the Anniversarian, who had charge of
the obit days of benefactors ; and the Warden of
the Works, who looked after all repairs of the
church and other buildings.

(c) The internal officers of the house were the
Receiver, to whom were paid the rents of the
several estates ; the Hordarian, who had charge of
the material resources of the convent supplying
the frater, etc., and also having charge of estates
and income specially assigned for such purposes ;
the Refectorian who received all the eatables, pass-
ing them on to the Kitchener ; the Chamberlain,
who had charge of the furniture ; the Cellarer who
looked after the beer and wine and took charge of
all the outbuildings and stables ; the Almoner
who distributed to the poor in kind and money ;
and the infirmarer, or physician monk in charge of
the farmery.

(if) The fourth was a little group of officers
dealing with external affairs, as the Outer and
Inner Porters, and the Guestmaster.

The extant Obedientary Rolls of St.
Swithun's are most numerous in connection
with the office of hordarian, of which there
are fifteen, and of the almoner, of which

ii I

there are thirty-two. The Diet Roll for 1492
describes precisely how the Winchester monks
fed at their two meals, apart from beer and
vegetables, which are not entered. On an
ordinary day, such as the Monday before
Christmas, they had on the table a dish of
marrow and grated bread, eggs, venison, beef,
mutton and calves' feet. On Christmas Day
they had in addition onion broth, the total
cost being IQJ. gd. against 8;. \d. of the
previous Monday. On a day of strict fast,
such as Friday in Passion week, they had salt
fish, figs and raisins, and rice. Another
interesting item is that the monk gardener of
St. Swithun's was bound to provide flowers to
deck the church at certain festivals, as well as
to find the apples for Advent and Lent con-
sumption.

Bishop Fox visited St. Swithun's on 26
August, 1521, and subsequently (i February,
1521-2) issued a variety of injunctions that
tell of some disorder. The injunctions open
with blaming the chanter and subchanter for
lack of quire books, and that those in use were
torn (rupta) and out of repair. The most
interesting rebuke to the monks was that they
neglected to choose scholars to send to the
University of Oxford in accordance with the
Benedictine constitutions. 1

The election of Henry Brook as prior in
the time of Bishop Fox is set forth with great
circumstance in his registers. Application for
licence to elect was made in December, 1524,
but the new prior was not installed until 7
March, I524~5. 2

Dr. Hede, commissary of the prior of
Canterbury, during the vacancy of the sees of
both Canterbury and Winchester, visited St.
Swithun's on 27 February, 1500.

In addition to Thomas Silkstede, the prior,
the following office holders were examined at
the visitation : Thomas Manhouse, sub-prior ;
John Dorsett, third prior ; John Pury, gar-
dener; Richard Aunstell, sacrist; Philip
Yong, almoner ; Thomas Cyan, hordarian ;
John Stonkton, master of the works ; Walter
Hyll, firmarius ; John Beste, hostilar ; John
Cerne, depositarius ; John Wodesun, warden of
Our Lady ; Peter Marlow, chanter ; Arnold
Gylbert, chamberlain ; John Westbury, cur-
tarian ; Henry Broke, fourth prior ; and Tym-
pany Alt, depositarius. Twelve others were
also examined, giving a total of twenty-nine
who appeared before the visitor. Of these three
were deacons, one a sub-deacon, and one an
acolyte. Two are simply entered as professed
of the order of St. Benedict, and were novices:

1 Winton, Epis. Reg., Fox, iv. ff. 67,
1 Ibid. Fox, v. ff. 74-83.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Thomas Manydon, aged 16, who had been
three weeks in the monastery, and Fulk
Hampton, 18, who had been there for a like
period ; neither of them had as yet received
the first tonsure. The evidence was wholly
in favour of the order and administration of
the house. The statutory number of the
monks was at that time reduced to forty, and
there were then only thirty-five, but the
treasurer reminded the visitor that there had
been five recent deaths. At the close of the
evidence Dr. Hede's only injunction was as to
the speedy filling up of the full number of the
monks. The visitor called upon the prior to
take an oath of canonical obedience to the
prior and convent of Canterbury during the
vacancy of the see, and to the Archbishop of
Canterbury when the see was filled. Prior
Silkestede however declined, unless the prior
of Canterbury took an oath to observe the
rights of the cathedral church in the same
way as the Bishop of Winchester did at the
time of his consecration. The question was
adjourned till the following day, when Silke-
stede submitted. 1

The story of the end of St. Swithun's as a
monastery, and the desolation effected in the
church in September, 1538, has already been
told in the Ecclesiastical History.

At the time of the dissolution the monas-
tery held the manors of Nursling, Mill-
brook Morecourt, Hursley, ' Oxenbridge,'
Avington, Exton, ' Hadington,' Bransbury,
Upsomborne, ' Henton, Wymanston,' the city
of Winchester and the soke, and lands and
rents in Dean and Lovington in Hampshire ;
and the manors of ' Hynxton,' Overton with
the rectory, Alton with the rectory, Stocke-
ton, Patney, Westwood ' Langfischedide ' next
Endford, and Shipton Bellinger in Wiltshire ;
and the manor of Bleadon in Somersetshire,
as well as pensions from divers churches. 2

The steps by which the ancient Benedictine
house of St. Swithun was turned into a dean
and chapter in 1539-42 have been already
mentioned in the Ecclesiastical History. A
whole series of documents touching this
change, eleven in number, are extant at
Winchester, and have been printed and edited
by Dean Kitchin. 3 The first letters patent
formally establishing the new body are dated
28 March, 1542.

On i May, 1542, the newly-formed dean
and chapter were endowed with the following

1 Sede Vacante Register, Christ Church, Canter-
bury.

2 Dugdale, Monasticon, i. z 1 7.

3 Documents relating to the Foundation of the
Chaffer of Winchester (Hants Record Soc. 1889).

manors and lands, most of which had pre-
viously belonged to the prior and convent,
viz. Avington, Berthon Priors, Bransbury,
Chilbolton, Crondall, Exton, Haddington,
Hanton, 'Littleton,' Manydown, Millbrook,
Moorecourt, Nursling, Silkstead, Button,
Upsomborne, West Meon, Whitchurch and
'Wonsington' in Hampshire ; and Alton, Ham,
Hinton ' Langefysshehre ' near Endford, Over-
ton, Patney, Shipton Bellinger, Stockton,
Westwood, ' Winnaston' and Wroughton in
Wiltshire, and Bleadon in Somerset. 4

The possessions of the dean and chapter
in 1682 consisted of the Hampshire manors
of Barton and Newhouse, Sparsholt and
Wyke, Compton, Sparkford and ' Fulfludd,'
Chilcombe and Morstead, ' Wynall,' Ovington
and ' Brixden,' Crondall, Sutton, Manydown,
' Boghurst,' Hannington, Whitchurch, Free-
folk, Charlcott, 'Wonsington,' Bransbury,
Chilbolton, Littleton, Upsomborne, 'Thur-
munds," Silkstead, Exton, Hinton Ampner,
Shipton, Morecourt and Oxenbridge, Loving-
ton, the city of Winchester, office of woodward
and the liberty of the fair of St. Mary Mag-
dalene ; in the county of Wilts the manor
of Hinton, Ham, ' Bechinstoke,' Botwell and
Longstreet, Wroughton, Little Alton, West-
wood, ' Elmestubb ' and Eversley, and a large
number of churches in both counties. 6

The manors of inheritance, which be-
longed to the dean and chapter and were
handed over to the ecclesiastical commis-
sioners in 1 86 1, were Crondall with Sutton,
Warblington, and Hinton Ampner. 6

PRIORS OF ST. SWITHUN OF WINCHESTER

Brithnoth, about 970, made abbot of Ely
Brithwold, about 1006, became Bishop

of Winchester
Elfric Puttoc, 1023, made Archbishop

of York

Wulfsig, died 1065
Simon or Simeon, 1065-82, brother to

Bishop Walkelyn, made abbot of

Ely 7
Godfrey, 8 1082-1107. A volume of

his epigrams is among the Cott.

MSS. Vit. A. xii.

Geoffrey, 9 1 107-1 1. He was deposed
Geoffrey II., 10 1111-4, ma( ^ e abbot of

Burton, Staffordshire

4 Dugdale, Monasticon, i. 70.

5 Documents relating to the Church of Winchester
(Hants Record Society), ii. 182.

6 Information supplied by Mr. Hugh de B.
Porter, Deputy Steward.

7 dnnales Monastici (Rolls Series), ii. 33.

8 Ibid. 43. " Ibid. 10 Ibid.

114

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Eustace, 1114-20

Hugh, 1 1 20

Geoffrey III., died in 1126

Ingulph, made abbot of Abingdon in
1130

Robert, 1130-6, made Bishop of Bath
and Wells

Robert II., 1 1173, made abbot of Glas-
tonbury

Walter, 3 1171-5, made abbot of West-
minster

John, 3 died 1187

Robert III., surnamed Fitzhenry, 4 1 187
1214, made abbot of Burton

Roger, 1214

Walter II., 8 died 1239

Andrew, 8 1239

Walter III., 1243, resigned in 1247

John de Cauz, 1247-9, ' n latter year
made abbot of Peterborough 7

William Taunton, 1249-56, made
abbot of Middleton in Dorset-
shire, 8 and afterwards elected Bishop
of Winchester, but the election
was invalidated

Andrew of London, 9 1258-61, resigned

Ralph Russel, 10 1261-5

Valentine, 11 1265-76, deprived

John de Dureville, i27& 12 -8 13

Adam de Farnham, 1279," excom-
municated for disobedience July,
1282, and absolved in the following
month

William de Basynge, 1282, resigned in
1284, but was re-elected the same
year ; finally resigned in 1295

Henry Wodelock, alias Mereville, 1295-
1305, made Bishop of Winchester 1S

Nicholas de Tarente, 1 * 1305-9

Richard de Enford, 17 1309, 1326

Alexander Heriard, 18 1327, died 1349

John Merlaw, 19 1349-56

Hugh Basyng, 20 1356-84

Robert Rudborn," 1384-95

Thomas Nevil," 1395

Thomas Shyrebourn "

1 Annales Monastici (Rolls Series), ii. 61.
1 Ibid. Ibid. 63. Ibid.

" Ibid. 323. " Ibid. 7 Ibid. 91.

8 Ibid. 96. Ibid. 99. 10 Ibid. 102.

11 Ibid. 123. " Ibid. 13 Ibid. iv. 475.

14 Ibid. 476.

15 Pat. 33 Edw. I. p. i, m. 17, and Winton.
Epis. Reg., Pontoise, 9.

19 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, lib.
17 Ibid. H3b. 1S Ibid. Stratford, 107.

19 Ibid. 46b, 51. 20 Ibid. 113-5.
M Ibid. Wykeham, 157-9. M Ibid.
53 His name occurs in the Obedientaries Rolls
from 1413 to 1433.

William Aulton, 24 died 1450
Richard Marlborough, 25 1450-7
Robert Westgate, 26 1457-70
Thomas Hinton, 27 1470-98
Thomas Silkested, 28 14981524

Henry Brook, 29 1524-35
William Basyng, alias

1535-9

Kingsmill, 3

DEANS OF WINCHESTER 31

William Kingsmill, D.D., 1541-8
Sir John Mason, knt. (layman), 1549-53
Edmund Steward, LL.D., 1554-9
John Warner, M.D., 1559-64
Francis Newton, D.D., 1565-72
John Watson, M.D., 1573-80

(Bishop of Winchester, 1580)
Lawrence Humphrey, D.D., 1580-89
Martin Heton,D.D., 1589-99. (Bishop

of Ely, 1599)
George Abbot, D.D., 1599-1600-9.

(Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry,

1609; London, 1610; Archbishop

of Canterbury, 1611)
Thomas Morton, D.D., 1610-16.

(Bishop of Chester, 1616)
John Young, D.D., 1616 dispossessed

by the Commonwealth
Alexander Hyde, LL.D., 1660-5.

(Bishop of Salisbury, 1665)
William Clark, D.D., 1666-79
Richard Meggott, D.D., 1679-92
John Wickart, D.D., 1693-1721
William Trimnell, D.D., 1722-9
Charles Naylor, LL.D., 1729-39
Zachary Pearce, D.D., 1739-48.

(Bishop of Bangor, 1748)
Thomas Cheyney, D.D., 1748-60
Jonathan Shipley, D.D., 17609.

(Bishop of Llandaff, 1769; St.

Asaph, 1769)

Newton Ogle, D.D., 1769-1804
Robert Holmes, 1804-5
Thomas Rennell, D.D., 1805-40
Thomas Gamier, D.C.L., 184072
John Bramston, D.D., 1872-83
George William Kitchin, D.D., 1883-

?5
William Richard Wood Stephens, D.D.,

1895-1902

4 His name occurs in the same, 1435 to 1447.
25 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wainflete, i. 29-34.
8 Ibid. 85. " Ibid. ii. i.

28 His name occurs in the Obedientaries Rolls
from 1498 to 1517.

29 Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, v. 83.

30 His name occurs in the Obedientaries Rolls
from 1536 to 1537.

31 List from Woodward's Hants, vol. i., collated
with Dioc. Calendar and Dioc. History.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

NEW MINSTER, OR THE
ABBEY OF HYDE

time also the church was enriched with the
relics of St. Judoc or Josse the confessor, which
The abbey of the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Were brou g ht the re by certain monks of
Virgin Mary, and St. Peter of the New Min- nthleu who fled to England from Danish
- raiders.

Shortly after the dedication of the church
the remains of Alfred were carried in solemn
procession to the New Minster from their
temporary resting-place in the church of St.
Swithun or the Old Minster in Winchester
and buried on the right side of the altar. In
the same tomb were also interred Edward's
mother, Queen Ealhswith, foundress of Nun-
naminster, and afterwards the bodies of
Edward and his two sons, Ethelward and
Elfward, were buried in a tomb adjoining
that of his parents. At a later date the New
Minster became the burial place for several
members of the Saxon royal house. 8

The church was served by secular canons,
who, as it is said by the later chroniclers that
had no sympathy with the seculars and mar-
ried priests, permitted great laxity of discipline
and were the cause of scandal. About 963
Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, with the
approval of King Edgar and St. Dunstan, as a
part of his scheme for monastic reform in his
diocese, insisted upon the adoption of the
Benedictine rule by the inmates of New Min-
ster under pain of expulsion, and King Edgar
supplied a series of laws to be used by the
monastery. 9 The majority of the house re-
fused to accept the new rules and were
driven from the monastery, their places being
taken by regular monks from Abingdon, over
whom Ethelgar was placed as abbot. Ethelgar,
like most of the Church reformers of this
date, was a man of distinct individuality ; he
had received his monastic training under
Ethelwold at Abingdon and upon his appoint-
ment to New Minster he took in hand the
reform of the monastery with the zeal copied
from his late master. Not only did he look
to the rule of the house, but he carried
out various works on the buildings including
the erection of a tower, said to be of great
height and beauty, and a richly carved ceiling.
He became Bishop of Selsey in 980 and suc-
ceeded St. Dunstan as Archbishop of Canter-
bury in 988.

King Cnut was a great benefactor to the
Minster, not only in lands but by the gift of
the golden cross richly adorned with precious
stones with two great images of gold and
silver and sundry relics of saints. Among
other benefactions received by the monastery

8 Neviminster (Hants Record Soc.), Pref. xvii.

ster l in Winchester was founded in 901 by
Edward the Elder in accordance with the
wishes of his father King Alfred. It would
appear that towards the close of the ninth
century Alfred, being anxious to promote the
better education of the children of his nobles,
summoned Grimbald, a learned priest and
monk of St. Berlin at St. Omer in Flanders
to assist him in- this work. Grimbald arrived
in 893,* but it was not till the last year of
his reign that Alfred told him of his inten-
tion to build a new monastery at his royal
borough of Winchester. 3 The king only
lived long enough to purchase the site for the
monastery in the open churchyard immediately
to the north of the cathedral or the Old Min-
ster from Bishop Denewulph and the canons
of the Old Minster and others. 4 It was left
to Edward the Elder to carry out his father's
intention to build the monastery and to place
Grimbald 6 there as the first Abbot. The
Church was consecrated in 903 6 and in the
same year Edward endowed the monastery
with considerable possessions, including the
land of Micheldever and lands of Stratton,
' Burcote,' Popham, Woodmancote, Candover,
Cranborne, Drayton juxta Nunneton,- Swar-
raton, Northingtone, Norton juxta Selborne,
' Slastede,' Tatchbury, Abbots Anne, ' Colen-
gaburna,' 'Ceoseldene' and Durley. 7 At this

1 According to Edward's first charter the dedi-
cation was to the honour of the Holy Trinity only,
but in his second the dedication was as is given
here (Liter de Hyda, Rolls Series, Introd. xxix.).
At a later date the dedications to the honour of
St. Saviour and St. Grimbald appear (see a table
of the dedications at various periods in Netvminster
and Hyde Abbey, Hampshire Rec. Soc. Pref. viii.).
* Liber de Hyda (Rolls Series), 36 ; see also
Hist, of the Engl. Church, by W. Hunt, 275 ; and
Diet, of Nat. Biog. under ' Grimbald.'

' These facts and most of the particulars given
in this sketch are taken from the Liber Vita: or
register and martyrology of the abbey, edited for
the Hants Record Society by Dr. de Gray Birch,
and the Liber de Hyda, edited by Mr. Edward
Edwards for the Rolls Series.

4 There is some doubt whether Alfred or his
son purchased the land for the site (Diet, of Nat
Biog. 'Grimbald').

6 Grimbald died in 903. He became a tute-
lary saint of the foundation attaining to a place
in the English calendar in the next century (Plum-
met's Life of Alfred the Great, 137-9).

6 jingh-Saxoa Chron. (Rolls Series), 181.

7 Cott. MS. Domit. A. xiv. 7*b. and Harl.
MS. 1761, f. 47.

116

etc.

Printed in Dugdale's Monastics, ii. 439.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

at about this time was the gift in 1041 by
Queen Emma, widow ofCnut, of the head of
St. Valentine, which was cherished as one of
the most valuable possessions of the house.

Alwyn, brother of Earl Godwin, became
abbot in 1064. During his abbacy a disas-
trous fire destroyed a considerable part of the
domestic buildings of the Minster on St.
George's Day, 1066. This abbot naturally
took the part of his nephew Harold in re-
sisting the Norman invasion, and according to
the register of the monastery he was slain in
battle on the field of Hastings. Mr. Round
has already dealt with the question of the
supposed active part that the monks of New
Minster took at the battle of Hastings, and
has shown from the Domesday Survey how
considerable are the exaggerations usually
current with regard to the consequent confis-
cations of the Conqueror. 1 At the time of
the Survey the Abbey held in Hampshire,
Brown Candover, Woodmancote, Fullerton
in Wherwell, Leckford, Micheldever, Cran-
bourne, Drayton in Barton Stacey, West
Stratton, East Popham, Abbot's Worthy,
Alton, Worting, Bighton, Bedhampton,
Lomer in Corhampton, Warnford, Lickpit
in Basing, North Stoneham, Kingsclere,
Tatchbury in Eling, Abbots Anne, and Laver-
stoke.*

Not long after the Conquest evil days fell
upon the abbey. On the death of Rewalan
the Red King made his 'infamous chancellor,'
Ralph Flambard, abbot. By an openly simoni-
acal arrangement between the abbot-chan-
cellor and the king, Herbert Losinga, Bishop
of Norwich, bought the New Minster for his
father, Robert Losinga, who was appointed
abbot in 1091. On the death of Abbot
Robert in 1093, the unhappy abbey again fell
into the unscrupulous hands of Ralph Flam-
bard. Relief however came to this scandal
with the accession of Henry Beauclerk in
noo, when Hugh, a monk of St. Swithun's,
was appointed abbot.

The will of the next abbot, Geoffrey, was one
of singular moment to the abbey ; the register
styles him Fundator Hide. In 1 109 the monks
were enabled to leave their crowded site, the
cause of many a serious inconvenience, and
move to commodious quarters on the north
side of Winchester, just beyond the city
walls, known as Hyde Mead. Henceforth
this important Benedictine house was known
as Hyde Abbey. The old site was sur-
rendered into the king's hands, and was
shortly afterwards restored to the cathedral

1 V. C.H.Hants, i. 417.
1 Ibid. 469.

church of St. Swithun. To the monks of
Hyde the king granted another charter,
whereby, amongst other regulations, it was
arranged that a joint procession of the monks
of St. Swithun and Hyde was to be made
year by year. 3 Their new home was speedily
ready for occupation, and in i no the monks
of New Minster carried with them to the
Abbey of Hyde, in solemn procession, their
sacred relics, the great gold cross of Cnut's
benefaction, together with the illustrious
remains of Alfred, his queen and his son.
Henry I. made several grants to the abbey,
among them the churches of Kingsclere and
Alton and 5 hides in Alton which William I.
had given in exchange for land in the city of
Winchester. 4 He also confirmed to them
the right of soc and sac, thol and theam and
other liberties. 5

To Geoffrey succeeded Osbert in 1124.
The length of his rule is somewhat uncer-
tain, but it probably ended in 1135- The
new abbey, however, only lasted for thirty
years, for when the city was fired in 1 141, in
the midst of the fierce civil war between the
adherents of Maud and Stephen, the Abbey
of Hyde perished in the conflagration. 6 Then
for several years there was continuous strife
between the monks of Hyde and the high
born and imperious Bishop Henry de Blois.
By him, say the Hyde annalists, was the
great cross of Cnut burnt, alluding to its loss
in the great fire, when the bishop directed
fireballs to be thrown from his castle of
Wolvesey into that quarter of the city adjoin-
ing the abbey.

In 1142 Hugh de Lens succeeded as abbot
after a vacancy of six years. There was
much internal dissension at this time, and in
11493 large deputation of the monks pro-
ceeded to Rome to complain of their abbot,
as well as to renew their charges against
their diocesan. Hugh was removed, and for
two years the abbey was again vacant, whilst
Bishop Henry endeavoured to persuade the
Pope to convert his ancient see to an archi-
episcopate, and to make Hyde Abbey the
centre of one of his suffragan bishoprics.
The scheme however failed, and Selid was
elected abbot in 1151. In the seventeenth
year of his abbacy, the continuous suits
against the bishop were at last decided in
favour of Hyde, and amongst other acts of
restitution the bishop presented to the abbey
as skilful a reproduction of Cnut's golden

3 Charter R. 16 Edw. IV. m. 9.

* Ibid.

5 Had. MS. 1761 f. z6b.

* Ann. Man. (Rolls Series), ii. 52.

117

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

cross as the art of the day could furnish.
After its destruction by fire some parts of the
abbey were rebuilt, but the work was very
gradual. The thorough reconstruction of the
great church was not even begun until 1 182.

Selid died in 1171, the same year as
Bishop Henry, when there was again a
vacancy for about five years. In 1177
Thomas, the Prior of Montacute, 1 a Cluniac
house in Somerset, became abbot ; he resigned
his office in 1181. He was succeeded by
John Suthill, during whose vigorous rule of
nearly forty-two years the abbey prospered
and enjoyed much internal peace. In 1185
this abbot proceeded to Rome to bring back
the pall for Baldwin, Archbishop-elect of
Canterbury. In 1208 John restored the tem-
poralities which had been taken into his hands
by reason of the interdict. 8 The abbot at this
time owed the service of twenty knights to
the Crown for his lands. 3

The year after SuthilFs appointment (i 182)
the annalists tell of a miraculous appearance
of St. Barnabas at an altar dedicated to his
honour, and it was this incident that gave
an impetus to the church restoration. There
were various other remarkable manifestations
at this altar, which caused the faithful to
flock to the abbey, and the saint became the
object of a special cult at Hyde. Henceforth
the monks were frequently described as monks
of St. Barnabas.

In 1267 there was a serious affray in the
abbey between the servants of the abbot and
those of the pope's legate, Otho, who had
come to Hyde to keep the festival of Christ-
mas with a great retinue, and who observed
the feast with too much conviviality. 4

A curious faculty, which throws some light
upon the condition of monastic life in the
thirteenth century, was granted by Pope
Nicholas IV. in 1288 to this abbey, by which
permission was granted to the monks to wear
caps of sheep or lamb skin at the divine offices
and processions, the cold in those parts, it was
said, having caused paralysis and other diseases
to some of the monks. 5

In 1302 royal licence was obtained for the
appropriation (in accordance with a patent
of 1292) of the church of Micheldever and

1 Mr. Edwards is wrong in styling him, when
editing the Liter de Hyda, Prior of Bermondsey.
The Prior of Bermondsey was made Abbot ofAbing-
don about the same time (see Ann.deWint., p. 61).

* Close Rolls, John (Rec. Com.), p. no.

3 Red Book of the Exchequer (Rolls Series), i, 72,
91, etc.

* Ibid. 14 Hen. III. m. 5d.

8 Cal. of Papal Letten, i. 492.

its chapels, of the annual value of 70, to
which the bishop had already assented, on
condition that the revenue should be applied
to the use of guests and of the poor and in-
firm persons who flocked to the abbey. 8
Various impediments arose to this appropria-
tion, but at last it was confirmed by
Clement V. in 1309, and papal mandates to
that effect were sent to the Archdeacon of
Winchester and to the Chapter of Salisbury ;
in the same year there was the like papal
confirmation of the appropriation of the
church of Alton. 7

There were several visitations of the mon-
astery during the first half the fourteenth
century, and in 1312 Bishop Woodlock had
occasion to inhibit the convent from using
the common seal for any alienation. 8 Again
in 1318 Bishop Sandale addressed a stern let-
ter to the abbot bidding him check the careless
monks who neglected meditation and their
claustral duties, and complaining of the luke-
warmness of his rule. 9 Odiham's rule was
but brief. On 21 May, 1319, the abbot was
seriously ill, and the monks sent their steward
to the king to try and arrange for the custody
of the temporalities during the expected
vacancy. The abbot however died on June 5
before the matter could be arranged, so
that it was not until June 10 that the monks
received the agreement, whereby it was ar-
ranged that the convent might retain the
custody on payment of 200 marks to the
Crown, provided the vacancy did not exceed
two months.

Walter de Fifield, a monk of the house,
had the temporalities restored to him as abbot
(the agreement of June 10 being held to be
void) on August i. Between this abbot and
his convent there were many disputes, the
chief contention of the prior and brethren
being that he was wrongfully increasing the
separate abbatial revenue at the expense of
the house at large. The matter came fre-
quently before Bishop Stratford, with the re-
sult that the abbot was virtually acquitted. 10
The bishop made a formal visitation of the
abbey in February, 1325, and issued as the
result an elaborate series of decrees, which
were in the main of the usual character.
The attendance of all at the night and day
offices was enjoined ; brothers in priest's
orders were to celebrate daily ; close custody
was to be kept of the doors ; the disturbance

6 Pat. 30 Edw. I. m. 16.

7 Cal. of Papal Letters, ii. 51, 63.

8 Winchester Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. I74b, 175.

9 Ibid. Sandale, 27 (vide supra, p. 27).

10 Ibid. Stratford, ff. 162, 163.

118

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

caused by boys chattering on the south side of
the farmery was to be stopped ; the access of
men and women into the church and cloister
at inordinate hours and times was to cease ;
no brother was to frequent the nunneries of
Winchester, Wherwell, or Romsey under
pain of a year's confinement at Hyde ; parti-
cular injunctions were laid down as to eating
and drinking ; playing at chess or dice was
forbidden ; frocks or cowls of fustian or
worsted were not to be allowed, but were to
be of black serge according to their rule ;
cinctures or burses of silk were forbidden ;
nor were they to have lockers save in the
cloister carols. 1 To this visitation and its
consequent decrees the abbot raised formal
objections, but he was overruled.

Bishop Orlton visited the abbey on 7 No-
vember, 1334, preaching in the chapter-house
from ' Ut ambuleth digni Deo per omnia pla-
centes.' The same bishop also visited on
29 May, 1337.*

By the aid of 1346 for making Edward
the Black Prince a knight we find that the
Abbot of Hyde held with Robert Payne an
eighth part of a knight's fee in Abbots Worthy
(Hidebourne Wordy), three knights' fees in
Mitcheldever, a hide in Northington with
Henry de Nonhampton, and half a fee in
Bicton with Roger Gervays. 3

In 1344 there was an outbreak of the
villeins of Chisledon, Wilts, against the abbey
rule, for which they received chastisement at
the abbot's hands. The fearful Black Death of
1349-50 reduced the abbey to penury, so
that in order to avoid utter wreck it surren-
dered itself absolutely into the hands of Wil-
liam Edingdon, Bishop of Winchester and
Chancellor of the kingdom. The annalist
does not proceed to state what measures the
bishop took for the relief of the abbey or how
he administered their funds. It would, how-
ever, appear that after the election of Thomas
de Pechy, the new abbot, in 1362, by good
management the monastery had partly re-
gained its prosperous condition, for in 1377
it was able to lend Richard II. the sum of
50. Nicholas Strode who became abbot in
1417 took a considerable share in the political
affairs of the day, and is described as ' a
man of conspicuous parts and secular activity.'
He died in 1440, and was followed by
Thomas Bramley, to whose election the
royal assent was given early in May. In
March, 1446, this abbot's name appears
among the distinguished signatories to the

1 Winchester Epis. Reg. Stratford, f.
1 Ibid., Orlton, i. ff. lob, 54.
3 Feudal A 'ids, ii. 326, 329, 334.

final foundation charter of Eton College.
In the same year the great bell-tower of
Hyde Abbey, with its eight bells, was de-
stroyed by fire. In 1447 Cardinal Beaufort
died, and left 200 for the repairs of the
church, doubtless in consequence of this mis-
adventure.

Abbot Bramley died in February, 1465,
and was succeeded by Henry Bonville, the
prior. This election caused much dissension
in the abbey. Bishop Waynflete, on appeal,
sent the new abbot to govern the priory of
Boxgrove, Sussex, whilst the new prior of
Hyde, Thomas Worcester, virtually governed
the abbey. In 1471 an arrangement was
made by which Abbot Bonville was to re-
ceive 50 a year from the abbey revenues,
and to attend convocation, council, or par-
liament as abbot ; but he was not to come
near Hyde Abbey for three years. 4 Mean-
while however in 1472 Bonville died, and
Thomas Worcester was at once elected in
his place. 5

On the election of Richard Hall in April
1488 Henry VII. granted a pension, which
a newly elected Abbot of Hyde was bound
to grant to a clerk of the king's nomination
from the abbey funds, to Peter Carmelian.
Peter was a native of Brescia, who had been
naturalized that very month ; he was a court
poet, and chaplain and Latin secretary to
Henry VII. 8

Bishop Wykeham was a firm maintainer
of all the episcopal privileges of the see.
There was an ancient custom that, on the
confirmation of a new bishop, the abbot of
Hyde should present him with a choral cope,
comely and suitable for a bishop's estate, for
use in the cathedral church. On Wykeham's
appointment Thomas Pechy, then abbot of
Hyde, neglected to supply the customary cope,
and ignored frequent reminders. At last, in
October, 1368, the abbot was cited to appear
in the church of St. Mary Overy to show
cause why a cope should not be rendered. 7
The issue is not stated, but doubtless it was
in favour of the bishop. In 1390, Bishop
Wykeham entered in his register the grant
made by Pope Boniface IX. to Abbot Eyne-
sham, authorizing his use of mitre, ring and
pastoral staff; 8 on 8 February, 1387, the

4 Winchester Epis. Reg., Waynflete, ii. ff. 106-
8b.

5 Pat. 4 Edw. IV. pt. ii. m. 2.

8 He also received corrodies or pensions from
other ecclesiastical foundations ; see Diet, of Nat.
Bug.

7 Ibid. Wykeham, iii. f. 15.

8 Ibid. f. 2493.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

same bishop issued an elaborate series of in-
junctions for the better government of the
abbey ; * and by his will left to the abbot
a silver-gilt flagon worth 10 ; to each monk
in priest's order, 2 ; and to each in lower
orders, 1.

Dr. Hede, as commissary for the Prior of
Canterbury during the vacancy of the see,
visited this abbey on 3 March, 1501. Richard
Hall, the abbot, gave written and viva voce
answers to the visitation articles. He stated
that the abbey was in debt fifty marks when
he entered on his office. The common seal
was kept under four keys held respectively by
the abbot, prior, sub-prior and precentor.
Richard Romsey, the prior, said that the
abbot had also placed in his hands the
office of sacrist. John Lavender, sub-prior ;
William Salisbury, almoner ; Thomas Wrigh-
ton, steward ; Thomas Gloucester, guest-
master ; Henry Curtes, precentor ; John
Forest, cellarer (vinetarius) ; William Chusyl-
den, the third prior and infirmarer ; John
Alta, master of the works ; William Win-
chester, sub-chanter ; and various others, who
did not hold office, summed up their testi-
mony in the effective phrase of omnia bene.
Edward London, one of the monks, stated
that the novices and two other young brothers
did not attend the grammar school, and that
it was the fault of the abbot. Anthony
Stavely complained that the prior heavily
punished the young monks and others with-
out cause. There were also certain complaints
on the part of two or three of insufficient
food in the farmery.

Abbot Hall's government was lax. At a
visitation held by Dr. Dowman, the bishop's
vicar-general, in January, 1507, the prior and
six senior monks were summoned to the
chapter-house and faced with various serious
charges as to the access of women to the pre-
cincts, the frequenting of taverns in the city,
and insufficient instruction of the younger
monks. This was followed by the sum-
moning of twenty-five junior monks who
were duly admonished. Then the vicar-
general conferred with the abbot and seniors
as to reformatory measures. The seniors admit-
ted laxity as to egress, alleged their ignorance
of all foundation for the graver charges, spoke
of the difficulty of a strict observance of the
Benedictine rule, but promised vigilance and
increased exertion for the future.*

Two years later the abbot died, and was

1 These are printed in full, from a MS. in the
custody of the Warden of New College, Oxford,
in Dr. Birch's Liber fittr, pp. Ixrvii. xcvi.

1 Winchester Epis. Reg., Fox, ii. f. 42.

succeeded on 19 February by Richard Romsey,
the prior, who was the last of the honestly
elected abbots of Hyde. He governed the
community for nearly twenty-one years under
the episcopates of Fox and Wolsey. During
the latter part of his life the aged Bishop
Fox visited Hyde every fifteen days. In 1522
certain episcopal injunctions were issued
which reveal some irregularities, the gravest
whereof referred to some of the younger
monks practising long-bow archery in the
Hyde meadows. In August, 1526, Abbot
Romsey received a communication from
Wolsey, and wrote asking for a month's
time to deliberate over his proposals. He
pleaded that he was ' somewhat diseased,'
and not well able to travel to see Wolsey,
especially as he was expecting the king in the
following week. The tenor of Wolsey's
letter can be gathered from the reply. He
had acknowledged that Romsey had ordered
his house ' discreetly as yet," but now that he
was suffering from age and weakness he urged
him to resign. The old abbot replied, with
some spirit, that he was not so aged or impo-
tent of body or wit, but that he was able to
exercise his office to the pleasure of God, the
increase of good religion and the wealth of his
house. 3

At the close of 1529 Abbot Romsey died,
and on 28 January, 1529-30, the monks of
Hyde gathered for the last time in their
chapter house for the election of an abbot.
A portion of the community struggled hard
to appoint one of their own number, but
others had been won over to support the
election of John Salcot, alias Capon, who
was already Abbot of Hulme, Norfolk.
After several adjournments, the election of
the nominee of Wolsey and the Crown was
secured. Salcot was a strenuous and ostenta-
tious supporter of the king's divorce. In
1534 he was consecrated by Cranmer, Bishop
of Bangor, and in 1539 translated to Salis-
bury. Among all the absolutely unscrupulous
turncoats and time-servers of those strange
times the last Abbot of Hyde certainly bears
the palm. 4 Salcot on his appointment set to
work to prepare for the end, and in 1534 or
a little later Cromwell designed a strange and
most lax regulation for the fraternity 5 ; but if
ever this came into operation, it was of short
duration. In April, 1538, the surrender was
signed, and in September of the same year

3 Letters and Papers Hen. V11I. iv. 2394.

* See the strong but just account of his career
in Edwards's introduction to the Liber de HyJa,
bciv.-lxx.

8 Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv. 29.

1 2O

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

came the visitors, Pollard, Wriothesley and
others, vandalizing with their own hands.

The number of inmates of the monastery
in 1507 was an abbot, a prior, six senior and
twenty-five junior monks, making in all
thirty-three members. 1 This number at the
time of the dissolution of the house, was re-
duced to twenty-one.* In the eleventh,
twelfth and thirteenth centuries, however, it
would appear from the lists of admissions to
the monastery given in the Liber Vitte, the
number of members was slightly greater.
Pensions were assigned to all those who signed
the deed of surrender. The abbot's pension
probably ceased immediately, as he was re-
warded with the bishopric of Salisbury. The
prior's pension was ^13 6s. Set. a year ; three
senior monks had 10 each, two had 8,
and the rest 6. Annuities were also granted
from the monastic funds to Cromwell, Wrio-
thesley and others. In 1557 there were only
the prior and ten of the monks left in receipt
of pensions. To Wriothesley were granted
some of the richest manors of the abbey,
including Micheldever and Stratton, as well
as a short lease of the entire site of the abbey,
its church and appurtenances. Wriothesley
pulled the abbey down with extraordinary
rapidity and sold the materials ; the rever-
sion of the site, together with the demesne
lands, passed by royal grant to Richard Bethell.

At the time of the dissolution of the house
the monastery held the hundred of Michel-
dever, the manors of Abbots Worthy, ' Slacke-
stede,' Woodmancote, Micheldever with the
rectory ,' Dottesley,' North Stoneham, 'Owers,'
East Stratton, Preshaw, Loomer, Alton East-
brook, 'Bicketon,' Brown Candover, Fullerton
and Leckford, Abbots Anne, Winterbourne,
Pewsey, 'ThiseldonwithBurythorpp,'Colling-
borne, Puddletrenthide, ' Southese, Tytles-
combe,' Heighten and Doughton with the
rectory. The rectories of Alton, Puddletrent-
hide and the chapels of Popham, Northamp-
ton, Stratton, and lands in Winchester and
elsewhere. 8

When Leland visited Winchester in 1539,
so rapidly had Wriothesley done his work
that he could find nothing but the site, merely
recording that ' in this suburb stood the great
Abbey of Hyde.' * In Camden's time there
are said to have remained some ruinous out-
houses, a gateway and a large barn supposed
to have been the abbot's hall. 5 William Cole,

1 Liber de Hyda, Introd. Ixii.

2 Netvminster (Hants Rec. Soc.), Pref. 1.

3 Dugdale's Monasticon, ii. 448.
* Leland's Itinerary, iii. 86.

5 Dugdale's Monasticon, ii. 432.

the antiquary, was here in 1723, and could
merely discover the convent barn and holes
whence even the foundations had been dug.'
In 1788 the county magistrates purchased the
abbey field as the most suitable spot for the
erection of a county gaol ! There seems
good reason to believe that at this time the
grave of Alfred was destroyed and his dust
scattered. 7

ABBOTS OF NEWMINSTER

Grimbald, 903

Beornhelm,

Ethelgar, 965-83

./Elfsige, circa 983-97

Brightwold, 995 or 997-1012

Brithmere, 1012-21

Alnoth, 1021-35

Alwyn, 1035-57

Alfnoth, 1057-63

Alwyn II., 1064-66

Wulfric, 1069-72

Rewalan, 1072-

Ranulf Flambard

Herbert Losinga

Robert Losinga, 1091-93

Herbert Losinga, 8 1093

Hugh, 1 1 00-6

Geoffrey, 1106-24

ABBOTS OF HYDE

Osbert, 1124-35 (?)

Six years' vacancy
Hugh de Lens, 1142-9

Two years' vacancy
Salidus, 1151-71

Five years' vacancy
Thomas, 1177-81
John Suthill, 1181-1222
Walter Aston, 1222-48
Roger of St. Valery, 1248-63
William of Worcester, 1263-81
Robert, or Roger, of Popham, 1282-92
Simon Canning, 9 1292-1304
Geoffrey of Ferringes, 10 1304-17
William of Odiham, 1317-19
Walter of Fifield, 11 1319-62
Thomas Pechy, 18 1362-80

8 Add. MS. 5828, f. 175.

7 Arckteologia, xiii. 309-12.

8 Mr. Edwards in the Introd. to Liber de Hyda,
xliii. states that Ranulph Flambard re-entered after
the death of Robert Losinga.

9 Pat. 20 Edw. I. m. 6.

10 Ibid. 32 Edw. I., m. 4, 3, 2 ; Winchester
Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 46.

11 Register ofSandale (Hants Record Society), pp.
108-9.

ia Winchester Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. 116.

121 l6

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

John of Eynesham, 1 1381-94
John Letcombe, 1394-1408
John London,* 1408-16
Nicholas Strode, 1416-40
Thomas Bramley, 1440-65
Henry Bonville, 1465-72

Thomas Worcester, 1472-9
John Collingborne, 1480-5
Thomas Forte, 1485-8
Richard Hall, 1488-1509
Richard Romsey, 1509-29
John Salcot, 1530-38

HOUSES OF BENEDICTINE NUNS

7. NUNNAMINSTER, OR THE

ABBEY OF ST. MARY,

WINCHESTER

To the north-east of St. Swithun's, and
immediately to the east of the New Minster,
stood the great abbey of St. Mary, the nuns'
minster, usually known as Nunnaminster. It
was founded jointly by Alfred and his queen
Eahlswith, about the close of the ninth cen-
tury, 3 but the buildings were completed by
their son, Edward the Elder. After Alfred's
death, the queen retired to this monastery,
where she died. It would seem probable
that she should have been made abbess, but
Leland describes Edburga the daughter of
Edward, who died in 925, as the first abbess. 4

The endowment of the monastery seems
to have been inadequate for its maintenance,
and it is said to have fallen into great poverty.
King Edred bequeathed to it Shalbourn and
Bradford in Wiltshire; 6 but notwithstanding
this addition to its revenues, Bishop Ethelwold,
possibly on account of its poverty but more
probably with a view of establishing there the
stricter form of Benedictine rule, practically
refounded it in 963^ and apparently re-en-
dowed it.

By the Domesday Book we learn that the
abbess held Lyss, Froyle, Leckford Abbess,
Long Stoke, Timsbury, and Ovington in
Hampshire ; Coleshill in Berkshire ; and Urch-
font and All Cannings in Wiltshire. We
know nothing of the history of this monastery
from this date till the middle of the twelfth
century, when during the civil war between
Maud and Stephen the city of Winchester,
together with this monastery, was burnt in

1 Pat. 4, Ric. II. pt. I, m. I ; 4 Ric. II. pt. ii.
m. 3 3 ; Winchester Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. ff.
113, 114.

3 Winchester Epis. Reg., Beaufort, ff. 4, 5.

8 William of Malmesbury ascribes the founda-
tion solely to Alfred, but the Hyde Chartulary
(Harl. MSS. I76i,f. 14) describes the queen as
fundatrix eccleiie Sancte Marie lanctimmia&um

Ann. Manas Act (Rolls Series), ii. 10.
5 Liber de HyJa, 346 and note.
Ang. Sax. Cbron. (Rolls Series), ii. 93.

H4I. 7 It was a rule that upon the election
of an abbess, the convent was bound to find
in early times a corrody and later a pension
for a person nominated by the Crown, and
in this way it appears that Juliana de Ley-
grave, niece of the king's (foster) mother, Alice
de Leygrave, who suckled him in his youth,
received at the election of Maud de Pecham
in 1 3 1 3 a nun's corrody for life, the value to
be received by her wherever she might be,
and a suitable chamber within the nunnery
for her residence whenever she might wish
to stay there. 8 This prerogative of the Crown
seems to have been exercised at each election
of an abbess, and writs for the payment of
such corrodies or pensions are to be found
among the public records. 9 The Crown also
seems at a later date to have claimed a right
to nominate a nun for admission to the mon-
astery at the coronation of each sovereign, 10
and a like privilege was exercised by each
Bishop of Winchester at his consecration. 11

Besides the professed nuns and their house-
hold the abbey of Nunnaminster supported a
certain number of chaplains or canons who
had prebendal stalls in the abbey. 18 The
original idea of having canons attached to
these old Benedictine foundations seems to
have been to provide the nuns with suitable
chaplains, as well as with priests who could
superintend the management of their tempor-
alities. The canons of Nunnaminster could,
however, as a rule, have been of little or no
service to the monastery, whose income they
drained. For instance, at his own request,
the pope granted Roger Holm, canon of this
monastery in 1349, the church of Elvydon,

7 Ann. Monastic! (Rolls Series), ii. 52.

8 Close, 6 Edw. II. m. 4d.

9 See grant to William de Boiston, clerk, of a
pension in 1337 (Close, 1 1 Edw. III. p. 2, m. $d) ;
and to Richard Withers in 1527 (Letters and Papers,

Hen. rill.iv. 3i3[3])-

10 See the nomination of Agnes Denham in 1418
(Pat. I Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 3).

11 See mandate for the admission of Dyamunda
daughter of Richard de Sutton in 1320 (Winton.
Epis. Reg., Asserio, f. i) ; the same for Joan Test-
wood in 1367 (ibid. Wykeham, iii. f. lob).

11 Dugdale's Monasticon, ii. 452.

122

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

in the diocese of Salisbury, notwithstanding
that he was also the holder of canonries in
Lincoln and London, and was expecting a
benefice from the Abbot of Ramsey. 1 Or
again, Canon Richard of Norwich of this
convent had papal sanction in 1355 to hold
a London canonry, although in addition to
the prebend from Nunnaminster he drew the
emoluments of prebends from Salisbury and
Kilkenny, and held the church of Adesham. 8
Throughout the papacy of Clement VI.
(134252) pluralism was specially rampant,
and there were few worse cases than those of
the holders of prebends in the Hampshire
nunneries of Nunnaminster, Romsey and
Wherwell.

In 1317 papal sanction was obtained for
Roger de Inkepen, a wealthy and beneficent
citizen of Winchester, to found and endow
a chapel in the cemetery of Nunnaminster,
to be served by two priests, the patronage of
which was to belong to him and his heirs. 3
This chapel was dedicated to the Holy
Trinity ; one of the priests was termed the
warden and the other the chaplain ; they
lived together and had a common table ; they
were ordered to say daily mattins and even-
song in the chapel in addition to the masses. 4
In December, 1321, this chapel was defiled
by shedding of blood, when the bishop com-
missioned Peter, Bishop of Corbavia, to recon-
cile it. 5 We have mention also of another
chantry in the monastery founded at the altar
of St. Peter at the east end of the south quire
aisle by Robert de Wambergh, Archdeacon of
Wells, in 1328. It was endowed with lands
at Urchfont for the support of a chaplain to
pray for the souls of Emeline Longspee and
others. 8

During the fourteenth and fifteenth cen-
turies the abbey, like other similar foundations,
seems to have got into pecuniary difficulties.
In 1343 the convent attributed one of the
chief causes of their poverty to the action of
the king in taking the profits of the tempor-
alities during a vacancy, and to assist them
they petitioned the pope for licence to appro-

1 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 152.

8 Ibid. i. 281 ; see also the petition for a
canonry for William de Meon in 1343 (ibid. i.
58). Reference has already been made to the re-
buke by the bishop in 1 3 1 8 of the unseemly dress
of one of the chaplains of the nunnery (supra,
p. 28).

3 Ibid. ii. 1 60.

4 Pat. II Edw. II. pt. I. m. I ; 12 Edw. II.
pt. I, m. 20 ; St. Swithun's Chartulary, ff. 60- 1 b.

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, f. "j\>.
8 Pat. 2 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 1 1.

priate the parish church of Froyle. To this
the pope assented, but ordered that it should
be done through the diocesan. 7 The pre-
liminary arrangements for this appropriation
had been carried out by Bishop Orlton just
before his death ; but on the succession of
Bishop Edingdon, that prelate, with the sup-
port of the Archbishop of Canterbury, re-
fused his sanction. Whereupon the convent
in 1346 again approached the pope, setting
forth the state of affairs, and pleading the
sterility of their lands, the destruction of their
woods, the diminution of their rents, and the
excessive number of nuns and sisters, whereby
they were unable to pay their debts, provide
for the inmates, or repair the buildings.
They further pleaded the reduction of their
temporalities through royal administration.
The pope in reply empowered the Bishop of
Hereford to carry out the appropriation. 8 In
the same year Bishop Edingdon issued an in-
hibition to the abbess not to receive sisters
beyond the ancient number. 9

A few years later in 1349 the monastery
suffered on account of the Black Death. The
abbess, Maud Spine, apparently succumbed to
this plague, at all events there was a vacancy
in that year. 10 The cattle plague which fol-
lowed the Black Death severely affected the
convent. This, coupled with the general re-
duction of their rents and the barrenness of
their lands, caused by the sparsity and dearness
of labour, were among the causes again pleaded
on behalf of Nunnaminster, in a petition to
the pope in 1352, for the appropriation of
the church of Gretford, in the diocese of
Lincoln, valued at 40 marks. The prayer
was granted, and the ordinance of the vicarage
was committed to the Bishops of Salisbury,
Worcester and Wells. 11 Notwithstanding that
the custody of the temporalities during a
vacancy was granted to the prioress and con-
vent at a rent to the Exchequer in I464, 12
which, as we have seen, was a concession
much sought after by the convent, the abbess
and convent in 1468 again complained that
they were so burdened with the repair of their
houses and church, and with the payment of
tenths and other imposts that they could not

7 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 56 ; Cal. of Papal
Letters, iii. 112. The licence had been obtained
for this appropriation as far back as 1330, but it
had never been completed (Pat. 4 Edw. III. p. i ,

m- 39)-

8 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 122.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, ii. f. 3b.

10 Ibid. i. f. 51.

11 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 230.

12 Pat. 4 Edw. IV. pt. 2, m. 7.

123

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

fulfil the obligations of their order as to hospi-
tality. To assist them in their distress King
Edward IV. granted that they should have
view of frankpledge and assize of bread and
ale, with waif and stray at their towns of
Urchfont and Allcannings, in the county of
Wilts, from all their tenants and other resi-
dents. 1 In 1476 a further grant was made, as
the previous one was not so valid as had been
hoped, that the nuns should have all sums of
money and rents due to the king from them-
selves or their tenants or other residents in
the same towns.*

On 24 January, 1370, the bishop excom-
municated certain persons who had been in-
strumental in the abduction of one of the
nuns ; s and in June of the same year he issued
his mandate to the abbess to re-admit a nun,
Isabel Gerway, who had apostatized, but was
then anxious to return.* The name of the
abducted nun is not given in the first of these
documents, and they both probably refer to
the same sister.

Some idea as to the internal rule of the
house can be obtained from the frequent visi-
tations of the bishops of the diocese. In 1 308
Bishop Woodlock commissioned Lawrence,
sub-prior of St. Swithun, and Master Stephen
de Dene, his commissary general, to visit the
nunnery; on 1 6 March, 1309, he issued an
elaborate series of injunctions for the better
government of the house, divided into thirteen
heads. 6 Bishop Stratford (1323-33) also held,
or caused to be held, various visitations of
his monastery, and on two occasions cited the
Abbess Maud for the correction of excesses. 6
It is recorded that Bishop Orlton (1333-45)
personally visited Nunnaminster on 9 April,
1334, when he preached in the chapter
house from the text, ' Deo per omnia placenta.'
In 1336 he commissioned his official to visit
for the correction of excesses (the usual
phrase), and there was a further visitation in
I337. 7 Bishop Wykeham paid considerable
attention to the monastery. In 1384 he ad-
dressed a mandate to the abbess for the cor-
rection of nuns who were disobedient to their
officers, and censured the superior for lack of
discipline. 8 In September, 1396, the bishop
commissioned Nicholas Wykeham, Arch-
deacon of Wilts, and John Elmere, the offi-

1 Pat. 8 Edw. IV. pt. 3, m. 3.
1 Ibid. 1 6 Edw. IV. pt. i, m. 20.

Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 303.

Ibid. 36b.

Ibid. Woodlock, f. 150.

Ibid. Stratford, ff. 56, 57b, 79, 176-7.

Ibid. Orlton, i. ff. lob, 41, 5411.

Ibid. Wykeham, f. 2 1 2a.

cial, to visit the abbey, 9 and on 14 June,
1403, he granted his licence to the abbess
and nuns to hear divine service in their new
Lady Chapel adjoining the quire. 10 By his
will Wykeham left to the abbess five marks,
and each of the nuns one mark.

Dr. Hede visited St. Mary's on 2 March,
1501, when Abbess Joan Legh was able to
give satisfactory evidence as to the order and
administration of her house. The common
seal was kept in a chest, the three keys of
which were in the respective possession of
the abbess, prioress and sacrist. Margaret
Fawcon, the prioress, testified that all the
sisters had their meals in the frater, save one
who was very aged. Agnes Tystede, sub-
prioress, testified that all the convent rose
at night for mattins, save the sick and
aged. Christiane Whytyngton, infirmarer,
stated that the annual balance sheet was duly
presented in chapter. Margaret Bawdewin,
precentor, testified that omnia bene. Agnes
Trusset, the second cantor, Agnes Kyng,
the third cantor, and Agnes Massaw, the
fourth cantor, gave brief evidence to the
same effect, and so also did Alice Tys-
tede, scrutator, Agnes Byrcher, Margaret
Shafte, Agnes Cox, senior teacher (dog-
matista), and Margaret Legh, mistress of the
novices. Elia Pitte, the librarian, was also
well satisfied with that which was in her
charge. 11

The first commissioners appointed for visit-
ing the Hampshire monasteries were Sir James
Worsley, John and George Poulet, and
William Berners. Their report of St. Mary's,
Winchester, was highly favourable. They
visited this nunnery on 15 May, 1536, and
examined on oath Elizabeth Shelley, the
abbess; Thomas Lee, auditor; Thomas Legh,
receiver ; and Thomas Ticheborne, clerk.
They found in the convent 102 persons,
namely, 26 religious, 5 priests, 13 lay sisters,
9 women servants, 20 officials and waiting
servants, 3 corrodiers, and 26 children. Their
names are all set forth in full. Of the re-
ligious persons, all, save four, were professed,
and ' every of them entende to kepe theyr
habits and religion to what house religious
or ever they shall be comytted by the kinge's
highness, Dame Frith Welbek only excepted,
which desireth thanne to be comytted to any
oder house to have capacite.' All the pro-
fessed are termed Dames. The five chaplains
were Master John Hazard, confessor, and
four others.

9 Ibid. iii. f. 291.

10 Ibid. 356b.

11 Sede Vacante Register, Canterbury Priory.

124

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Among the women servants were Jane
Sherley, ' the abbas gentyllwoman,' as well as
a servant. The prioress, sub-prioress and
' sexten ' (sacrist) had each their servant in
their respective houses, and so had ' Dame
Maud Burne in her house.' The other three
were ' lavenders ' (washerwomen) to the
abbess and convent. The officials and servants
were a general receiver, clerk, ' curtyar ' (cur-
tiler), cater, butler, cook, under-cook, baker,
convent cook, under convent cook, brewer,
miller, porter, under-porter, porter of Eastgate,
two 'churchemen,' ' Peter Tycheborne chylde
of the high aulter,' and two servants of the
receiver and clerk respectively. The corro-
diers were Thomas Legh, John Lichfeld and
Richard Yeckley.

The twenty-six ' chyldren of lordys,
knyghttes and gentylmen brought up yn the
sayd monastery ' were : ' Bryget Plantagenet,
dowghter unto the lord vycounte Lysley ;
Mary Pole, dowghter unto Sir Gefferey Pole
knyght ; Brygget Coppeley, dowghter unto
Sir Roger Coppeley knyght ; Elizabeth Phyll-
pot, dowghter unto Sir Peter Phyllpot knyght ;
Margery Tyrell ; Adryan Tyrell ; Johanne
Barnabe ; Amy Dyngley ; Elizabeth Dyng-
ley ; Jane Dyngley ; Frances Dyngley ;
Susan Tycheborne ; Elizabeth Tycheborne ;
Mary Justyce ; Agnes Alymor ; Emma
Bartue ; Myldred Clerke ; Anne Lacy ;
Isold Apulgate ; Elizabeth Legh ; Mary
Legh ; Alienor North ; Johanne Sturgys ;
Johanne Fylder ; Johanne Francis ; Jane
Raynysford.'

The commissioners put on record that the
religious persons of this house ' have been and
are of very clene, vertuous, honest, and charit-
able conversation, order, and rule synce the
furst profession of thym, which is also reported
not only by the Mayors and Comynaltye of
the Citye of Winchester, butt also by the
most worshipfull and honest persons of the
Centre adjoynynge thereunto, which have
daylye made a contynuall sute unto the said
Commyssioners to be suetors unto the Kinges
highnes for tolleracon of the said monastery.'

' Item the said monastery is in a very good
state of Reparacon and standeth nigh the
middell of the Citye of a great and large
compasse envyround with many poor house-
holdes which have theyr only lyvynge of the
said monastery, and have no demaynes where-
by they may make any provysion butt lyve
only by theyr handes, making theyr provysion
in the markettes.'

They returned the monastery as out of
debt, and reported that the convent seal was
put in a bag sealed with the seal of Richard
Poulet, locked in a coffer with three keys,

which remained in the custody of the abbess
and two of the chief governors of the monas-
tery ; that the value of the lead on the
church and houses was 154 IDJ., and there
were five great bells and one little one, worth
28 2s. 6d. ; that the inventory of the jewels,
ornaments, household stuff, stock and stores
amounted to ,486 13*. "]d. ; that 24. 6s. 8d.
was owing to the monastery ; that the annual
value of the lands and possessions was 330
iSs. 6$d., and that the value of the woods
was 231 6s. 4< 1

The Valor of 1535 returned the gross
annual value of the abbey as 245 175. 2^</.,
whilst the clear value was only ^179 Js. 2</.,
which brought it well within the limit of the
Act of the following year for the suppression
of the smaller monasteries. It is difficult to
account for the great discrepancy between this
valuation and that made by the commissioners
in 1536 as given above even after making
allowance for the former being an assessment
value. It was possibly owing to this higher
estimate that St. Mary's escaped the destruc-
tion of those houses whose revenue was less
than 200 per annum, but more particularly
on account of the payment of the great sum
or bribe of 333 6s. 8d. On 27 August,
1536, letters patent placed the establishment
on a new and diminished foundation, the
Wiltshire manors of Urchfont and All Can-
nings being granted to Sir Edward Seymour
(Viscount Beauchamp) and Anne his wife.
Elizabeth Shelley was at the same time con-
firmed in her position as abbess. 8

But the respite was not for long. In
September, 1538, Cromwell's commissioners
proceeded ' to sweep away (from St. Mary's)
all the rotten bones that be called relics.' 3
At last, on 15 November, 1539, the 'sur-
render ' was signed, before Robert Southwell
and other commissioners, pensions being
granted to the abbess of 26 135. \d. ; to the
prioress, 5 ; to two nuns, 4 ; to two, 2
i6s. 8d. ; and to seventeen others, 2 13*. \d.^

In the following years these pensions were
confirmed, as well as 65. 8d. each to twelve
poor women called sisters, and the s ; te granted
to John Bello and John Brarholme. The
'houses' that were recommended to be ' sus-
stained ' were the abbess' lodging, stretching
from the church to the frater on the north,
with its court and appurtenances, the buttery,
pantry, kitchen and larder ; the gatehouse ;
the barn ; the bakehouses ; the brewhouse ;
the garner ; the stables ; and the mills. Among

1 Aug. Off. Misc. Boob, cccc. 24.

9 Pat. Hen. VIII. pt. 2. m. 14, vide supra.

3 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xiii. (2) 401.

4 Aug. Off. Misc. Boob, ccxlv. 96.

125

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

the superfluous buildings was of course the
church, and also the cloister, chapter house,
dorter, frater, farmery, convent kitchen, the
two garners on the south side of the court,
the priest's lodging and the plumber's house.
The lead on the church, quire, aisles, steeple,
cloister and other houses was estimated at 220
fothers. There were five bells, but no
'jewels.' There were 118 ounces of plate,
and the ornaments, goods and chattels had
been sold for 69 1 5*. 4< 1

At the time of the dissolution of the
monastery the possessions included the manor
of Froyle with the rectory, the manors of
Itchen, Leckford Abbess, Timsbury, Great-
ford with the rectory, and Braceborough, and
lands, rents, etc. in the city of Winchester,
Lyss Abbas, Wetham, Godsfield, Shamelhurst,
Swindon/Hacheborne,' Shipton Moyne, Bland-
ford and ' Barnethorpe.' "

In the days of Camden, at the beginning
of the seventeenth century, there were con-
siderable remains of the Nunnaminster ; but
now no traces of it exist save the name and
certain watercourses. It stood between High
Street and Colebroke Street.

ABBESSES OF NUNNAMINSTER

Edburga, died 925

Ethelreda, 963

Edith, in the time of King Edgar

Beatrice

Alice, 3 1084

Avice, 4 1 1 2O

Clarice, 1174

Agnes, 6 1236-64

Euphemia, 8 1265-70

Lucy, 7 1270-87

Christine de Winton, 8 1287-99

Agnes de Ashley, 9 1299-1313

Maud de Pecham, 10 1313-37

Maud de Spine, 1337-49

Margaret Molins, 1349-64

Christiane Wayte, 1364-5

Alice de la Mare, 11 1365-85

Joan Denemede," 1385-1410

1 Aug. Off. Misc. Books, ccccxciv. ff. 1 1-5.
a From the first Minister's Account cited in
Dugdale's Monasticon.

3 Ann. Monastic! (Rolls Series), ii. 34.
Ibid. 52.

5 Ibid. 102; and iv. 455.

6 Ibid. ii. 102.

7 Ibid. 109; and iv. 460.

8 Pat. 1 6 Edw. I. mm. 3, 18, 15.
Ibid. 27 Edw. I. mm. 37, 36.

10 Ibid. 6 Edw. II. pt. 2, mm. 16, 15, 13 ; and
Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 1 80.

11 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. ff. 112,129.
" Ibid. Wykeham, i. f. 161 ; Pat. 8. Rich. II.

Maud Holme, 13 1410-4
Christine Hardy, 14 1414-8
Agnes Denham, 1418-49
Agnes Buriton, 15 1449-86
Joan Legh, 1486-1527
Elizabeth Shelley, 1527-39

4. THE ABBEY OF ROMSEY

The statements with regard to the early
foundation of Romsey are confusing and
conflicting, but it would seem probable that
Edward the Elder founded this house about the
year 907, and that his daughter St. Elfleda
became abbess and was buried there. 16 In
967 Edgar, grandson of Edward the Elder,
reconstituted the abbey, dedicating it to the
honour of St. Mary and St. Elfleda, and
placed there nuns under the Benedictine rule
over whom he appointed Merwenna as abbess. 17
In this reconstitution Bishop Ethelwold (963-
84) took a considerable part. 18

Of Merwenna little is known ; she is said
to have been of noble Irish birth. Elwina,
the second abbess, succeeded about 993, when
Hampshire was overrun by the Danes, and
it is supposed that the abbess and her nuns
had to take refuge in Winchester.

The considerable holdings of the abbey at
the time of the Domesday Survey consisted
of the vill of Romsey, fourteen burgesses in
Winchester, Itchenstoke, Sidmonton, a hide in
Totton and a hide in Sway in Hampshire, and
Edington and Steeple Ashton in Wiltshire.

In 1086 Christine, sister of Edgar Athel-
ing, took the veil at Romsey, as stated in the
Saxon chronicle, and became abbess. To
the same retreat Christine was followed by
her young niece Maud, but she did not take
the vows, and became the Queen of Henry I.,
being married at Martinmas, noo. 18

Mary, daughter of King Stephen, became
abbess here about 1 1 60, and it was her uncle,
Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester (i 129
71), who was probably the builder of the
greater part of Romsey Abbey as it now
stands. Abbess Mary in 1 1 60 left her monas-
tery to become the wife of Matthew, son of

pt. 2, mm. 35, 29, 23 ; Add. Charters, 17, 497-
508.

13 Winton. Epis. Reg., Beaufort Registers, f.
26.

14 Add. Charters, 17, 509.

15 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, f. lob.

18 Liber de Hyda (Rolls Series), 1 1 2, and Lands.
MSS. 463.

17 Florence of Worcester (Thorpe's ed.), i. 141.

18 William ofMalmesbury, iii. 149.
18 Vide Eccl. Hut. supra, p. 10.

126

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Theodoric, Earl of Flanders. By him she had
two daughters, but was afterwards separated
from her husband. According to Matthew
Paris this separation was brought about by
the censure of the Church, and she returned
in penitence to Romsey.

In 1283 this nunnery was visited by the
energetic Archbishop Peckham. Among the
numerous decrees, issued as a result of the
visit, was the forbidding the abbess to have
more than two secular maids ; the loss of
her pittance in the frater by any nun break-
ing silence in the cloister ; forbidding a nun
ever speaking to a man (save in confession)
unless two of her sisters were present ; con-
fessions to be made in the church, either
before the high altar, or at the side of it
towards the cloister ; forbidding the nuns
to eat or drink in any house in Romsey
under pain of a year's suspension ; and the
forbidding of the entry of any male, under
pain of excommunication, into the rooms of
the nuns, save in times of sickness to the
farmery, and then only the confessor, the
doctor, or a near relative. At the same
time Peckham decided a dispute as to the
steward, Richard de Chalfhunte, who held
office against the will of the convent, and
ordered the abbess to take to her aid three
coadjutors from among the nuns, and to
transact no convent business without their
assent, namely Margaret de Verder, Philippa
de Stoke, and Joan de Ronedonne. 1

In August, 1 286,Archbishop Peckham issued
a mandate to William Shirlock, a prebendary
of Romsey, charged with illicit wandering
(inhoneste deuagantem) through the town
of Romsey and elsewhere, not to dare to
enter the cloister nor the abbey church of
Romsey so long as there were probable
grounds of suspicion against him. This was
accompanied by an inhibition addressed to
the nuns of Romsey to hold no manner of
conversation with this prebendary in their
house or elsewhere. At the same time a
mandate was despatched to Master Henry,
official of Winchester diocese, directing him
to inquire into the case of William Shirlock,
accused of disturbing the nuns of Romsey,
and leading a dishonourable and dissolute life. 2

The taxation of 1291 valued the tem-
poralities of the Abbey of Romsey in the
archdeaconry of Winchester at ^78 Js. 6d.,
in the deanery of Potterne (Sarum) at 100,
in the deanery of Wyly, 10*., and in the
archdeaconry of Gloucester at 5, giving a
total of ^183 ijs. 6d. In addition to this

the abbess received a pension of 5 6s. Sd.
from the church of Inmere (Sarum), and
of 9 3*. 4^. from the church of Weston
(Worcester).

In 1301 Bishop Pontoise visited the
Abbey of Romsey, and as a result injoined
that a balance sheet should be audited twice
a year in the chapter house ; that a bell
should be rung for all the hours ; that high
mass should always precede nones ; that the
chaplains should be inhibited from ever cele-
brating after nones ; that the doors of the
cloister and dorter be better warded ; that
the safe custody of the sear be secured ; that
there should be no eating nor drinking with
any religious or secular person in the town
of Romsey ; and that no corrody nor pen-
sion should be granted without the bishop's
sanction. 3

In February, 1305, the abbess found her-
self so infirm that she nominated Roger
Bandet and Roger de Presland to act as her
attorneys for three years ;* and in June, 1307,
a grant was made to the prioress and nuns
of the custody of their abbey on the death,
cession, resignation, or deposition of their
Abbess Philippa. 5 This order was confirmed
by Edward II. on his accession to the throne.

The convent was visited in 1310, and the
decrees consequent on the visitation are set
forth in the bishop's register both in Latin
and French. The decrees were divided
into thirteen heads, and ordered that the
mass of the Blessed Virgin, with at least
eight nuns present, and the farmery mass
should be celebrated daily, and that no secu-
lars of any condition or age should come
within the precincts to hear mass in the
farmery ; that a bell should ring for all the
hours, and that high mass should be cele-
brated before nones ; that no secular women
should enter the convent at any time ; that
there should be a half-yearly balancing of
accounts before the chapter ; that the seal
should only be affixed in chapter to docu-
ments read intelligibly ; that two nuns should
be appointed to assist the prioress in the
receiving and disbursing of rents ; that the
doors of the cloister and the dorter should be
warded, and that there was to be no eating
nor drinking in the frater after compline ; that
children were not to be admitted to the dor-
ter, nor to be in the quire when divine offices
were celebrated ; that curtains (if any existed)
before the beds in the dorter were to be re-
moved ; and that woodmen and other work-

1 Archbishop Peckham's Registers, ff. 231, 231.
1 Ibid. ff. 1223, I22b.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 32.

4 Pat. 33 Edw. I. m. 17.

5 Close R. i Edw. II. m. 19.

I2 7

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

men were to be excluded from the convent.
Special rules were also laid down as to the
dietary of the farmery, and as to blood-
letting. 1

The claim of the Crown to enforce the
payment of corrodies and pensions from
monasteries under its patronage, to persons
nominated by it, was frequently insisted upon
at Romsey. In June, 1310, Juliana la Des-
penser was sent with letters under privy seal
to the abbess and convent to be provided with
fitting maintenance for herself and her maid
during her lifetime.* In 1315 the abbess and
convent were enjoined to give a pension to
Richard de Ayreminn, they being obliged to
grant a pension to one of king's clerks on
account of the new creation of an abbess. 3
For the same reason John de St. Paul obtained
a pension in 1333,* and Thomas Sampson, a
scholar, in 1515. The bishops of Winches-
ter in like manner claimed the right to
nominate a nun to be admitted to the abbey
at their consecration. 6

On 1 1 May, 1315, Alice de Roffa and Mar-
garet de Middleton, nuns of Romsey, brought
news to the king of the death of Abbess Alice,
and obtained the necessary licence for another
election. 7 It was alleged that the late abbess
had come to her end by foul means, and on
28 May the justices, Henry de Scrop, John
Daubernoun and John Bluet, were appointed
a commission of oyer and terminer touching
the persons who killed the late abbess at
Romsey, on the confines of the counties of
Hants and Wilts, from which two counties
the jurors were to be selected. The cause
of death is stated in the letters patent to
have been intoxicationf, which we take to
be drugging or poisoning, and not ' forced
inebriation,' as Dugdale has it. 8 To this
commission John Randolf 9 was added in
July, but the result of the trial has not been
recorded.

Meanwhile the king gave the custody of
the abbey to Master Richard de Clare, but

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 153.

2 Close, 3 Edw. II. m. 3d.

3 Ibid. 9 Edw. II. m. 23d.

4 Ibid. 7 Edw. III. p. 2, I7d.

6 Letters and Papers Hen. 111. ii. 914, 915,
935,942, 1008.

' Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. 2 ; and
Asserio, f. i.

7 Pat. 8 Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 17 Cal.

8 Ibid. p. 2, m. lod ; Dugdale's Monaslicon,
ii. 507. The Calendarist of the Patent Rolls has
also blundered over intoxicatio, as if it meant
drunkenness.

8 Ibid. 9 Edw. II. p. i, m. 3 id.

the prioress and nuns recovered it on paying
a fine of forty marks. 10

On 20 February, 1316, order was issued
to the abbess to examine the rolls, etc.,
of Nicholas de Romsey, late justice-in-eyre
of the forests this side Trent, which were said
to be in her treasury, and all other muniments
touching the said matters in her possession, and
to send them under seal to Westminster. 11

Bishop Orlton visited the house on Novem-
ber 28 and preached in the chapter house
from the text, ' ^ue parate erant intraverunt
cum et> ad nuptias.' 1 *

In 1336 Edward III. granted to the con-
vent the custody of the temporalities of their
house during a vacancy, for which they were
to pay 20 for each month of the vacancy. 13
By the return of the aid for making Edward
the Black Prince a knight it appears that the
abbess held in perpetual alms half a knight's
fee in Sidmanton. 14

In 1370 Bishop Wykeham authorized the
abbess to appoint one or two chaplains, clean
in life and pure in conscience, to confess her-
self and the sisters." Later in his episcopate
the bishop adopted the better plan of himself
appointing the confessors. By an undated com-
mission, apparently circa 1395, Ralph Basyng,
a monk of Winchester, and two other priests
were appointed to confess the abbess and nuns of
Romsey. 18 Basyng was appointed to a similar
position for the nuns of Wherwell in 1393.
At the time of the nomination of Basyng
and his two colleagues as confessors, the con-
fessor's licence held by Friar John Burgeys
was revoked, and a monition was issued to
the abbess warning her not to allow any
secular priest serving in the conventual church
or in the town of Romsey to have access to
her in the rooms or cloister of the abbey, nor
to hold with them any conversation save in
the presence of an honest and trustworthy
sister nun.

On 29 May, 1372, Bishop Wykeham
wrote to the Abbess and Convent of Romsey
desiring them, at the request of William, Earl
of Pembroke, to receive his noble kinswoman,
Dame Elizabeth de Berkele, during the ab-
sence of Maurice Wytht, her husband, on
foreign service with the earl. 17 The letter
was to be taken as an episcopal licence, for

10 Close, 8 Edw. II. m. I.

11 Ibid. m. 25.

12 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. ii.

13 Pat. 10 Edw. III. p. i. m. 43d.

14 Feudal Aids, ii. 331.

16 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 38.
1S Ibid, f. 29 1 b.

17 Wykeham's Registers, iii. f.

128

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

without such leave the reception of a guest
would have been quite irregular. At the
same time a like letter was sent to the nun-
nery of Wherwell, so that Dame Elizabeth
could make her choice of houses or change
her residence during her husband's absence.
The Earl of Pembroke was in charge this
year of the disastrous expedition to relieve
Rochelle, when his ships were burnt by the
Spanish fleet and he himself taken prisoner.

A curious dispute arose in the time of
Bishop Wykeham between the (canon) sacrist
of the abbey church and the vicar of the
parish church of Romsey. An order from the
bishop to the rural dean of Sombourn to in-
hibit the vicar, John Folyot, and his chaplains,
pending the decision of a cause promoted by
the abbess and convent against them, states
that it had been the usage, time beyond
memory, for the sacrist of the abbey church
to bless the palms and boughs of other trees
used at mass on Palm Sunday, and that from
the high altar and not elsewhere ; nevertheless
the vicar and chaplains had interrupted the
sacrist in the exercise of this privilege. 1 The
instruction to the rural dean is dated 13
March, 1372, and as Easter that year fell on
March 20, the inhibition would be in good
time to prevent a scandal on the ensuing
Palm Sunday. The north aisle of the great
abbey church of Romsey was used as the
parish church. The high altar would be in
the nuns' quire. It can therefore be readily
understood that the vicar ministering to the
people would resent the palms being blessed
out of sight of the congregation.

At this time there was also a dispute be-
tween the town and the abbey as to the re-
pair and maintenance of this north aisle or
chapel, and on 15 March, 1372, the bishop
appointed Thomas de Sheptone, canon of
Wells, and two other commissioners to hold
an inquiry in order to settle upon whom this
responsibility lay. 3 On 10 May, 1403, a
faculty was granted to the vicar and parish-
ioners of Romsey to pull down and rebuild
the wall of the north aisle of Romsey Minster
from the transept to the porch in order to
enlarge it. The petition of the parishioners
stated that the aisle was so narrow and con-
fined that on Sundays and festivals there was
no suitable or even decent accommodation for
the worshippers, and they expressed a desire
not only to make their part of the minster
larger, but fairer. The bishop granted the
faculty in language strongly approving of the

beautifying of God's sanctuary, and of pro-
viding fully for the numerous population of
both sexes of the town of Romsey, for whom
this north aisle was their only parish church ;
but he made it a condition that not only was
the work to be done at their own expense,
but it was to be sustained in like manner.
On the day following the grant of this faculty
the bishop sent a letter to the abbess and nuns
of Romsey advising and exhorting them to
show favour and kindness to the project of
the vicar and parishioners. 3

Henry, Bishop of Annadown, acting as
suffragan to Wykeham, was at Romsey abbey
on Sunday, 19 September, 1400, when he
received thirteen novices, Margery Camoys,
Alice Warennere, Joan Stratford, Alice
Northlode, Alice Forester, Elizabeth Sampson,
Maud Lovell, Katherine de la Mare, Alice
Chamberlayn, Isabel Lekforde, Alice Artone,
Juliana Shirnham, and Joan Umfray. 4 From
the names it may be assumed that the abbey
received ladies of position and good birth
among its professed members.

The abbess, Dame Lucy Everard, was ap-
parently ailing in 1402. In August of that
year licence was granted her for a twelve-
month to hear divine service in her oratory
in the presence of one of the sisters and her
servants.

After having held the position for about
thirty years, Elizabeth Brooke, who was
elected abbess in 1472, brought the gravest
discredit on the abbey. The scandal of her
life was naturally accompanied by general laxity
of discipline and by the. decay of the fabric.
In 1494 Archbishop Morton caused Robert
Sherborne (afterwards Bishop of Chichester),
treasurer of Hereford Cathedral, to visit those
religious houses of Winchester diocese that
were subject to diocesan control. Abbess
Brooke confessed on that occasion to a debt
of 80 ; she suspected that the nuns made
egress through the church gates, but denied
that any frequented taverns or suspected
places. Isabel Morgan, prioress, testified, on
the contrary, that some of the nuns did fre-
quent taverns, and went into the town with-
out leave ; she also hinted at a scandal con-
cerning the abbess. Various of the nuns
were examined, and one of them complained
that their sins or faults were not punished,
and that the doors were not kept shut. 5

This nunnery was again visited on 27
March, 1502, by Dr. Hede, the commissary of
the Prior of Canterbury, during the vacancy

1 Wykeham's Registers, iii. f. 6$b.
* Ibid. f. 88b.

3 Ibid. ff. 355, 356.

4 Ibid. f. 328.

5 Archbishop Morton's Register, ff. 90, 91.
I2 9 17

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

of the sees of both Canterbury and Win-
chester. The abbess stated that the statutory
number of nuns was forty, that they did not
take their meals in the frater but in certain
rooms assigned them by the abbess, that there
were no debts and no valuables pledged, that
there was a secular chaplain in the monastery
according to their statutes. Isabel Maryuleyn,
prioress, testified to the due observance of the
night and day offices; that the abbess was
very remiss in correcting the delinquencies of
the sisters. Cecily Reed, sub-prioress, had
but little to say. Joan Skelyng stated that
the abbess was wont to pay certain salaries to
the nuns of IOJ. or 6s. 8d.; that a great
scandal had arisen concerning the abbess and
Master Bryce super mala et suspecta conversa-
tion ; that lately, at the instigation of Master
Bryce, the abbess had been negligent in cor-
recting the sisters. Joan Paten, precentor,
said that tenements in the town of Romsey
belonging to the monastery were in decay
through the fault of the abbess; that since
the coming of Master Bryce the abbess had
conducted herself badly towards the sisters,
and that she would accept no one's advice
but his ; that since his coming she had not
taken her meals with the nuns, and that there
were rumours of incontinence. Thomasine
Ashley, almoner, stated that the bread had
diminished in quantity; that one Gilbert de
Wilshire had certain letters pertaining to the
convent under the common seal without the
consent of the chapter ; that the abbess and
her accomplices had broken open the chest in
which the common seal was enclosed, and
that Joyce Rowse, who had the custody of
one key by the mandate of the late Bishop of
Winchester, could testify to this. Edith
Holloway, cellarer, said that Mary Tystede
and Agnes Harvey wore their hair long.
Anne Rowse, sacrist, said that the abbess was
somewhat remiss in correction, and made
further charges of a pecuniary character
against Master Bryce. Joyce Rowse agreed
with Thomasine Ashley as to the custody of
the common seal and the dismissal of the
holders of the keys ; she further said that
the abbess under the influence of Master
Bryce behaved cruelly towards her sisters and
that there was a great scandal about them ;
that the roof of the chancel was defective
through the fault of the abbess, and she gave
particulars asto various defalcations in the priory
accounts. Maria Fystede, cantatrix, referred
to the condition of the accounts in the time
of the late abbess Joan Brygges, and said that
rents which were then only 90 marks under
the present abbess had grown to 300 marks ;
but that the bread and cheese in the convent

had lessened in measure through the interven-
tion of Master Bryce; that Bryce was sus-
pected of being the father of a girl in Wilt-
shire ; that houses in the town as well as the
dorter and the chancel were in decay through
the fault of the abbess, and that Master
Bryce kept two or three horses at the expense
of the monastery; that he had obtained a
large salary under the common seal as chap-
lain of the farmery, and that he sat at table
with the abbess and that there was common
scandal about them. Ellen Tawke, third
cantatrix, testified that the dorter and chancel
were defective in their roofs ; that the abbess
had been in that office for thirty years, but
what gain she had brought the monastery she
was ignorant, but rather believed that the
annual rents had increased to 1 1 1 marks from
50 ; that the houses of the monastery were in
decay through the fault of Master Bryce,
whose advice was followed by the abbess, and
that scandal had arisen about them. Christine
More, fourth cantatrix, said that the house
was not in debt more than twenty marks, and
that as for the rest it was omnia bene. Avice
Haynow said that the chancel and the dorter
were in decay, so that if it happened to rain
the nuns were unable to remain either in
quire, in the time of the divine service, or in
their beds, and that the funds that the abbess
ought to have expended on these matters were
being squandered on Master Bryce, and that
there was a grave scandal about these two.
Agnes Harvey, sub-sacrist, made similar state-
ments as to the roofs of thg quire and dorter,
and that the actual fabric of the monastery in
the stone walls was going to decay through the
fault of the abbess, and gave further particu-
lars of the expenses incurred through Master
Bryce. She also asserted that Emma Powes
was guilty of incontinence with the vicar of
the parish church. Emma Powes, who had
been professed in a certain priory near Derby,
and from that place had been removed to
another priory in Hereford diocese, where she
had been prioress, and thence had come to
this house, said that silence was not observed
in the dorter, and that the roof of the quire
and the lady chapel were in decay. Alice
Whytingstale, mistress of the school, said that
the abbess at various times had prohibited her
from receiving the Eucharist and from making
her usual confession, and that since the arrival
of Master Bryce the abbess had not conducted
herself amicably towards her sisters. She also
gave evidence as to the faulty roofs, and that
a corrody had been granted to Master Bryce
of the annual value of 20, and that he had
caused a great scandal. The testimony of
six other nuns were also set forth of a brief

130

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

character. The visitation is left incomplete,
much of the last folio being blank. 1

The result of this grievous exposure seems
to have brought about the enforced resigna-
tion of the aged and evil abbess, and in June,
1502, Joyce Rowse was elected abbess and
received the temporalities. 2

It was difficult for the abbey to recover
from the long laxity that had so unhappily
prevailed under Elizabeth Brooke, and in 1506
Bishop Fox had to remove the sub-prioress
and to administer severe censures. 3

Abbess Joyce resigned in September, 1515,
and on the i6th of that month the conge
tfelire was granted to the prioress and convent,
who elected Anne Westbrook, ' sexteyn ' of
the monastery, as their abbess.

Elizabeth Ryprose, the last abbess, was
elected on 15 December, 1523. The docu-
ments relative to this election are set forth in
great detail in the episcopal registers. 4 The
temporalities were restored in the following
month. 6 In November 1537 the abbey,
alarmed at the fate of the smaller houses,
procured an elaborate inspection and confir-
mation of all their royal charters from the
time of Henry I. downwards. 6 But this was
so much waste of parchment and fees.

Sir Richard Lister wrote to Cromwell in
September, 1537, informing him that the
nuns of Romsey, hearing they were in danger
of suppression, were making leases and alien-
ating their goods. He desired to know
whether he was to stay them in this. 7

On 28 December, 1538, John Foster re-
ported to Sir Thomas Seymour as to the state
of the house of Romsey. He pronounced the
house out of debt ; that the plate and jewels
were worth 300; the bells worth 100.
The church is described as a great sumptuous
thing, all of freestone and covered with lead,
and worth 300 or 400 more. The
annual rents are returned at 481 is. 8d.
The names of the abbess, Elizabeth Ryprose,
the prioress, Edith Banester, and the sub-
prioress, Katharine Wadham, are set down,
together with twenty-three other nuns. Mr.
Foster wrote : ' In answer to your letter by
Mr. Flemynge, whether the abbess and nuns
would be content to surrender their house,

1 Sede Vacante Register of Canterbury Priory.

3 Lansd. MS. 963, f. 55.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, iv. f. 80. The
confessions are given of Alice Goreyn for slander
and Margaret Dowman of incontinence.

* Ibid. v. ff. 54-62b.

s Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. iv. 66.

6 Ibid. xii. 1 1 50 (5).

7 Ibid. Jciii. 35*.

the truth is, that, in consequence of the mo-
tion made by your kinswomen and other
friends, they will be content to do you any
pleasure, but they would be loath to trust to
the commissioners' gentleness, as they hear
that other houses have been straitly handled.' 8

Nearly a third of this community had made
their religious profession in July, 1534, very
shortly before the beginning of their troubles.
One of these was Katherine, youngest
daughter of Sir Nicholas Wadham, Governor
of the Isle of Wight, whose sister Jane had
also been for some years a professed nun of
the same abbey. John Foster, whose letter
to Seymour has just been cited, lived at
Baddesley near Romsey, and was convent
steward. His reference to ' kinswomen ' ap-
plied to the two Wadham nuns and to
another nun of the name of Elizabeth Hill.
Sir Nicholas Wadham's first wife was a
daughter of Robert Hill of Antony, and his
second was Margaret, sister to Queen Jane
Seymour and Sir Thomas Seymour. Through
their influence it was hoped that a quiet sur-
render would be made. 9

Whether this was effected or not cannot
now be asceertained, for there is no extant
formal surrender. But the abbess and con-
vent in January, 1539, had licence to alienate
their lordships or manors of Edingdon and
Steeple Ashton and all their lands and tene-
ments in Hampshire and Wiltshire to Sir
Thomas Seymour. 10

The clear annual value of the abbey was
reckoned by the commissioners at 161
js. iod. 11 The lands returned on the first
minister's account after the dissolution of the
house were the manors of Romsey with the
rectory and fair, Moor Abbas, ' Moor Malwyn,'
Itchenstoke with the rectory, Sway, Sidmon-
ton, Holm Lacy (Hunlacey) with ' Torleton
juxta Coates,' and ' Bardolfeston ' in the parish
of Puddle. 12

The parishioners of Romsey managed to
save the fine old conventual church from de-
struction by buying it back from the Crown
in 1554 for ;ioo. This is much below
Steward Foster's valuation ; but it must be
recollected that the parish had an unassailable
right to a considerable portion of it, which
even Henry's counsellors could not ignore.

The pointed oval seal, of late twelfth cen-

B Ibid. xiii. 1155.

9 Abbot Gasquet's Hen. VIII. and the Engfish
Monasteries, i. 3103.

10 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xiv. 191.

11 Aug. Off. Misc. Books, cccxlii. f. 9.

13 Noted in Dugdale's Monasticon, ii. 510.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

tury date, of which an illustration is given,
represents St. Elfleda, the abbess and patron
saint, in full length with crozier in right hand
and book in left. Legend : SIGIL'S MARIE
. . . ROMES' ECL'K.

ABBESSES OF ROMSEY

Elfleda, died in 959

Merwenna, 974

Elwina, 993

Elfleda, 996

Christine, 1086

Hadewis or Avice, 1130-55

Maud, 1 155-60

Mary, 1 1 60

Juliana, 1 died in 1199

Maud Walerand,* 1199-1219

Maud Paria or Paricia, 1 2 1 9-6 1

Amice, 1263

Alice Walrand, 1290-8.

Philippa de Stokes, 3 1298-1307

dementia de Gildeford, 4 1307-14

Alice de Wyntereshulle, 1315

Sibil Carbonel, 1315-33

Joan Icthe, 5 1333

Isabel de Camoys, 6 1352-96

Lucy Everard, 7 1396

Felicia Aas, 8 died in 1419

Maud Lovell, 1419-62

Joan Brygges, 1462-72

Elizabeth Brooke, 9 1472-1502

Joyce Rowse, 1502-15

Anne Westbrook, 1515

Elizabeth Ryprose, 1523-39

5. THE ABBEY OF WHERWELL

The Benedictine nunnery of Wherwell was
founded about 986 by Elfrida, the widow of
King Edgar, in expiation for her part in the
murders of her first husband Ethelwolf and
of her son-in-law King Edward. Here she
spent the latter part of her life in penitence,
and here she was buried.

Elfrida died on 17 November, 1002, and
the nuns ever after observed her obit on that

1 Wharton's Anglia Sacra, i. 304.
Ibid.

3 Pat. 26 Edw. I. m. 17.

4 Ibid. I Edw. II. pt. i, m. 1 8, 14 ; Winton.
Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 69^

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, ff. 8lb, I34b ;
Pat. 7 Edw. III. pt. 2, mm. 30, 25.

6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. f. 75.
1 Wykeham's Registers, i. ff. 260,261.

8 Harl. MS. 6962, f. 148. She was cousin of
Bishop Wykeham.

Pat. 12 Edw. IV. pt. I,m. 13, 10, 5 ; Win-
ton. Epis. Reg., Courtenay, f. 20.

day. An account of the founding of this
abbey and its various obits, as well as an
elaborate transcript of its evidences, is pre-
served in a stoutly bound chartulary, pur-
chased by the British Museum in 1869,
which has hitherto escaped attention. 10

This chartulary of the abbey of Benedictine
nuns of St. Cross, Wherwell, was compiled in
the fourteenth century, and contains copies of
463 charters, records of suits and other docu-
ments, in Latin and French, from the con-
firmation by Henry III. of the foundation
charter to 1364. There are also thirty-two
charters of later insertion, and a few documents
from the reign of Richard II. to that of
Henry V. are copied at the end.

In the year of Elfrida's death, and appar-
ently immediately after its occurrence, King
Ethelred granted a charter of confirmation of
all his mother's gifts to the abbey, which was
then under the rule of the Abbess Heanfled.
This grant included exemption from all earthly
service, and the gift of land and houses at
' Edelingdene,' Winchester and Bullington. u

According to the Annals of Winchester and
Florence of Worcester, Emma the mother,
and Edith the wife, of Edward the Confessor
were both for a time under confinement in
the monastery of Wherwell, but there is some
confusion between the king's wife and mother,
and it seems doubtful whether Emma ever
was sent to Wherwell. 18

The Domesday returns of the abbey pro-
perty, which lay entirely in Hampshire, com-
prised the vills of Wherwell, Tufton Good-
worth, Little Anne, Middleton, Bullington,
and houses in Winchester. 13 The annual
revenue then amounted to 14 I Of.

About 1 1 86 the Abbess Maud 'of sweet
memory,' and of ' good and noble birth,'
began her rule over the abbey, which she
maintained for forty years, dying at the age
of eighty. She was succeeded in 1226 by
her friend and fellow worker Euphemia, in
whose time a large number of undated charters
relative to small gifts or grants was made.

She died on 26 April, 1257. Her bene-
factions to the abbey and her kindly rule
are gratefully acknowledged by the compiler
of the chartulary at considerable length. The
following is a free English rendering of this
important and interesting entry :

On the 6th of the Kalends of May, in the year
of grace, 1257, died the blessed mother abbess

10 Egerton MS. 2104. The account of the
founding is on f. 43.

1 Ibid. ff. 15, 1 6.

2 Freeman's Norman Conquest, ii. note H.
13 y.C.H. Hants, i. 475.

132

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Euphemia, most worthy to be remembered, who,
by our affection and good fellowship, and with
divine sanction, succeeded the late abbess Maud
of sweet memory. It is, therefore, most fitting
that we should always perpetuate the memory, in
our special prayers and suffrages, of one who ever
worked for the glory of God, and for the weal of
both our souls and bodies. For she increased the
number of the Lord's handmaids in this monastery
from forty to eighty, to the exaltation of the wor-
ship of God. To her sisters, both in health and
sickness, she administered the necessaries of life
with piety, prudence, care, and honesty. She also
increased the sum allowed for garments by \id.
each. The example of her holy conversation and
charity, in conjunction with her pious exhortations
and regular discipline, caused each one to know how,
in the words of the Apostle, to possess her vessel in
sanctification and honour. She also, with maternal
piety and careful forethought, built, for the use of
both sick and sound, a new and large farmery away
from the main buildings, and in conjunction with
it a dorter and other necessary offices. Beneath
the farmery she constructed a watercourse, through
which a stream flowed with sufficient force to
carry off all refuse that might corrupt the air.

Moreover she built there a place set apart for
the refreshment of the soul, namely a chapel of
the Blessed Virgin, which was erected outside the
cloister behind the farmery. With the chapel she
enclosed a large space, which was adorned on the
north side with pleasant vines and trees. On the
other side, by the river bank, she built pffices for
various uses, a space being left in the centre where
the nuns are able from time to time to enjoy the
pure air. In these and in other numberless ways,
the blessed mother Euphemia provided for the
worship of God and the welfare of the sisters.
But notwithstanding all this, she also so conducted
herself with regard to exterior affairs, that she
seemed to have the spirit of a man rather than a
woman. The court of the abbey manor, owing to
the useless mass of squalid outbuildings, and the
propinquity of the kitchen to the granary and old
hall, was in much danger of fire ; whilst the con-
fined area and the amount of animal refuse was a
cause of offence to both the feet and nostrils of
those who had occasion to pass through. The
mother Euphemia, realizing that the Lord had
called her to the rule of the abbey of Wherwell,
not that she might live there at ease, but that she
might, with due care and despatch, uproot and
destroy and dissipate all that was noxious, and
establish and erect that which would be useful,
demolished the whole of these buildings, levelled
the court, and erected a new hall of suitable size
and height. She also built a new mill, some dis-
tance from the hall, and constructed it with great
care in order that more work than formerly might
be done therein for the service of the house. She
surrounded the court with a wall and the necessary
buildings, and round it she made gardens and
vineyards and shrubberies in places that were for-
merly useless and barren, and which now became
both serviceable and pleasant. The manor house

of Middleton, which occupied a dry situation and
was close to a public thoroughfare, and was further
disfigured by old and crumbling buildings, she
moved to another site, where she erected perma-
nent buildings, new and strong, on the bank of
the river, together with farmhouses. She also set
to work in the same way at Tufton, in order that
the buildings of both the manor houses in that
neighbourhood might be of greater service and
safer against the danger of fire. These and other
innumerable works, our good superior Euphemia
performed for the advantage of the house, but she
was none the less zealous in works of charity, gladly
and freely exercising hospitality, so that she and
her daughters might find favour with One Whom
Lot and Abraham and others have pleased by the
grace of hospitality. Moreover, because she greatly
loved to honour duly the House of God and the
place where His glory dwells, she adorned the
church with crosses, reliquaries, precious stones,
vestments, and books. And because the bell tower
above the dorter fell down through decay one
night, about the hour of mattins, when by an
obvious miracle from heaven, though the nuns
were at that moment in the dorter, some in bed
and some in prayer before their beds, all escaped
not only death but even any bodily injury, she
caused another bell tower of worked stone to be
erected, conformable to the fair appearance of the
church and the rest of the buildings, of command-
ing height, and of exquisite workmanship. But as
she advanced in years, towards the end of her life,
there was imminent danger of the complete collapse
of the presbytery of the church ; by the advice of
skilled builders, she caused the presbytery to be
taken down to the last stones of the foundations ;
and because the ground was found to be under-
mined and unsafe, she caused the damp soil to be
dug out to a depth of twelve feet till firm and dry
ground was found, when, having invoked the grace
of the Holy Spirit, with prayers and tears she laid
with her own hands the first stone of the founda-
tions. Moreover she rejoiced to have found favour
with God, so that before her last days were ended
she saw this work that she had begun brought to
its desired end. Thus she, who had devoted her-
self when amongst us to the service of His house
and the habitation of His glory, found the due
reward for her merits with our Lord Jesus Christ,
through the prayers and merits of the Blessed
Virgin Mary and of the blessed apostles Sts. Peter
and Paul, in whose honour, at the instigation of
the abbess Euphemia, this church was dedicated,
who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever
liveth and reigneth God through all the ages of
eternity. Amen.

The taxation of 1291 valued the tempor-
alities of the Abbey of Wherwell at the very
considerable sum of 201 181. ^\d. ; and, in
addition to this, the abbess received pensions
of ji IOJ. from the church of Wallop and
jTi 6s. 8d. from the church of Berton.

On 12 August, 1291, Pope Nicholas IV.
granted a relaxation of one year and forty

133

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

days of enjoined penance to penitents who
visited the church of the Abbess and Convent
of Wherwell, on the four feasts of the Blessed
Virgin, and on that of the Holy Cross and its
octave. 1

Bishop Pontoise visited this house in 1301,
and ordered that silence should be better ob-
served, and that there should be more dili-
gence in the care of temporal matters ; he
also rebuked two of the religious for being
quarrelsome.* In 1308 Bishop Woodlock
visited Wherwell, but the visitation did not
result in any injunctions. 3 In August, 1315,
Abbess Isabel, staying in perpetual seclusion
in her house like other abbesses and nuns of
that order, according to a new constitution,
nominated Robert de Cormailles and John de
Swyltenham her attorneys for one year.*

Bishop Sandale, in March, 1317, directed
the Archdeacon of Surrey to make inquiries
respecting a poor clerk, John de Apola, in the
town of Guildford and the district, whence
he is said to have come, whether he was free-
born and legitimate, and of good life and
honest conversation, and whether there is any
papal or canonical obstacle to his holding a
benefice. The result was to be made known
to the Abbess and Convent of Wherwell,
whence it would seem probable that John
was a chaplain of that house, and about to
be presented to one of their benefices. 5

The right of the Crown at each election
of an abbess to nominate a clerk to receive a
pension from the monastery until he should
be provided with a suitable benefice was
exercised from time to time. 8

On 14 August, 1319, the Abbess and Con-
vent of Wherwell were cited by the bishop
to a visitation that he proposed to hold at
their house on the day after the feast of the
nativity of the Blessed Virgin. As this visi-
tation did not lead to any injunctions, it is
fair to assume that the result was omnia bene.

In June, 1321, Bishop Asserio wrote letters
to the convent requesting that Isabel, the
daughter of Richard de Button, might be ad-
mitted as a nun. 7 In December, 1324, the
bishop appointed John Berman to hear the
nuns' confessions. 8

1 Cat. of Papal Letters, i. 540 ; Egerton MSS.
2104, f. 33b.

a Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 32.
3 Ibid. Woodlock, f. 1 59.

* Pat. 33 Edw. I. m. 14.

5 Winton Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. 9.
8 Close, 7 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. $d. and Letters
and Papers Hen. fill. ii. 4031.

7 Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, f. 2b.

Ibid. f. I2b.

At the beginning of the year 1330 Abbess
Isabel Wyntreshull was probably seriously ill,
for on 1 1 January the convent obtained letters
patent granting that whenever her place be-
came void through death or otherwise, the
prioress and convent should have the custody
and full and free administration of the tempo-
ralities. 9 This grant was confirmed two
years later. 10 In March, 1331, the bishop
interfered, and appointed a nun to preside
over the convent in consequence of Isabel's
impotence. 11

There is evidence at this time of the wide-
spread possessions of this convent (confined
entirely to Hampshire at the Domesday Sur-
vey), for mandates for the restitution of the
temporalities of Wherwell in 1333, to Abbess
Maud, were sent to the escheators of the
counties of Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Cornwall,
Devon, Dorset, Hants, Oxford, Somerset and
Wilts. 13

In 1334 an indulgence was obtained for the
altar constructed in the conventual church of
Wherwell in honour of our Lord's resurrec-
tion. 13 On 23 May, 1337, the house was
visited by Bishop Orlton. 14

In the time of the Abbess Maud (1333-40)
an inventory of the ' jewels ' in the custody of
the sacrist was drawn up. It comprised a
cup of silver gilt within and without, the gift
of Abbess Maud, with thirteen gold rings
affixed above, and precious stones affixed to
the foot, pro Corpore Christi ; a cup of silver
not gilt, the gift of Abbess Ellen de Percy ;
a gilt cup for a ciborium ; another gilt cup
in the shape of a tower for a ciborium ;
another cup well gilt within and without for
a ciborium ; a silver pyx pro Corpore Christi ;
a cup (ciphus) of silver, with a foot on which
was depicted St. Thomas of Canterbury ; a
gilt cup which bore the figure of St. Thomas
of Canterbury ; a lesser chalice gilt within
and without ; three small broken chalices ;
two small chalices for the high altar ; a small
chalice for the altar of St. Cross ; a chalice for
the altar of St. Catherine ; a chalice for the
altar of St. Mary Magdalene (the sum of the
chalices pertaining to the church of Wher-
well was eleven) ; two great crosses ; two silver
basins for the high altar ; four silver cruets
for wine and water for the altars ; two silver
cruets for daily use at the high altar ; two
silver candlesticks ; a good censer of silver,

9 Pat. 3 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 5.

10 Ibid. pt. I, m. 34.

11 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 66.

12 Pat. 7 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 5.

18 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. 5.
14 Ibid. f. 54b.

134

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

and two worse ones of silver ; two ships for
incense, with two small spoons ; a small silver
crown, with eleven gold rings fixed in it, for
the high altar ; another better crown of silver,
with nineteen gold rings ; and two silver basins
for the high altar. 1

Wykeham was consecrated bishop on 10
October, 1367, and on the I7th received the
temporalities from the king. He did not lose
much time in making good his right to nomi-
nate a novice for the Wherwell nunnery, for
on 14 October he ordered the abbess and con-
vent to receive Joan Krompe, a lady of good
and honourable condition. 8 In the following
year the bishop sent letters to the Abbess of
Wherwell straitly enjoining her, for the avoid-
ance of scandalous gossip, never to allow friars
nor any other religious or secular men to stay
the nightinthe convent, and threatening canon-
ical penalties if this order was neglected. 3

On 3 March, 1377, Bishop Wykeham
appointed Walter Chapellayne, a Franciscan
of Winchester, to confess the nuns until the
quindene of Easter. 4 This interim appoint-
ment was continued for between fifteen and
sixteen years, when Walter Chapellayne's
confessor's licence was revoked, and the
abbess and convent were admonished, on
i August, 1393, to accept Ralph Basyng, a
monk of Winchester Cathedral, as their con-
fessor. 6

On 30 July, 1378, an inspection and con-
firmation was granted to the abbess and nuns
of Wherwell, on a fee of one mark, of an
unauthentic charter of King Alfred, purport-
ing to grant the nuns the wood of Wherwell
Harewood. 6 And again in December, 1384,
letters patent were granted to the abbess, to
the effect that during the king's life she
should have chattels of fugitives. The abbey
held Mestowe Hundred, and among other
liberties the chattels of fugitives. In the late
king's reign Henry Harold of Wherwell killed
his wife Isabel and fled to the church of
Wherwell. The abbess asserted her right,
and his chattels were seized, to the value of
35 4;. 8d., by Gilbert Josep, her reeve.
The question was tried by the judges of the

1 The sacrist of the church of Wherwell had
various important duties, and there were special
rents, realizing a total of jzs. lod., attached to
the office. The chartulary contains no fewer than
thirty-two charters relating to the office of the
sacrist (ff. 2002-1 ib).

* Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. 1 1 b.
3 Ibid. f. 253.

* Ibid. f. 1 5ob.

6 Ibid. f. 26 1 b, 262.

6 Pat. 2 Ric. II. pt. i, m. 38.

Bench in the late reign, but though judgment
had been found for the abbess to the effect
that the king had no right to such chattels
save in the time of voidance of the abbey,
the decision was not formally delivered by
reason of a difference of opinion among the
justices. The signet letter of Richard II.
also provided that the abbess should not be
molested for the sum seized in the case of the
fugitive Harold. 7

On 1 6 June, 1393, excommunication was
denounced against certain persons unknown
who abducted Katherine Faukener, a nun
of Wherwell. 8 A different colour is how-
ever given to this ' abduction ' by an entry
in the episcopal register seven years later,
namely on 12 April, 1400, when the Ab-
bess of Wherwell was enjoined to receive
Katherine Faukener, who had run away, the
bishop urging that the Church ought never
to shut its bosom to any one returning, in
the firm hope of a fruitful penitence. 9

On 31 March, 1501, the priory was
visited by Dr. Hede, acting as commissary
for the Prior of Canterbury, during the
vacancy of the see. Maud Rowse, the
abbess, testified to the regular attendance
at the night and day hours ; that the yearly
rents had risen to 40 marks ; that the house
was not in debt nor any of its valuables
pledged ; that a balance sheet was presented
in chapter every Michaelmas ; that the com-
mon seal was kept in the treasury within two
chests having six keys, of which two pertaining
to the outer chest and one to the inner were
in her custody, one of the outer and another
of the inner chests in the custody of the
prioress, and the other of the inner chest in
the custody of the sacrist ; and that there
was sufficient store of grain and other things
for the current year. Maud Byrte, prioress,
stated that silence was duly observed at the
customary times and places. Katherine Polton,
sacrist, and Christine Hopkyn, precentor, and
eighteen other members of the convent, in-
cluding six novices, also gave evidence that
omnia bene. 10

The Abbess Maud died on 24 January,
1518; the convent obtained the congl d'ttirc
on 3 February. In a letter of Bishop Fox
to Wolsey, dated 15 February, he thanks the
Cardinal for expediting the king's letters for a
free election of a new Abbess of Wherwell.
As the sisters had made a choice pleasant to
God and true to the king, he begged his

"> Ibid. 8 Ric. II. pt. I, m. 5.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 258.

9 Ibid. iv. f. Jigb.

10 Side Facante Register, Canterbury.

135

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

favour for the bearer to obtain the royal
assent. The sister who carried the letter was
Avelene Cowdrey, the subprioress, selected
by her fellow nuns as their abbess. The
king gave his assent on 26 February, the
bishop confirmed the election on 3 March,
and on 1 3 March the temporalities were re-
stored. 1

In October, 1533, one John Cooke, a con-
fidential servant of the Crown, was commended
to the Abbess of Wherwell for a ' farm ' both
by the king and Cromwell, but the abbess
declined. 8 It was probably owing to this
among other causes that Sir William Poulet
and Thomas Legh were instructed in the
following April to move my lady of Wher-
well to resign her office on an honest and
competent pension, with liberty to stay in
her own house, or in any other place of re-
ligion she liked. 3 In the first instance she
plainly answered that she would in no case
resign until she had spoken with the king him-
self. Disgraceful charges were now made
against the abbess in connection with the
Bishop of London, and she was summoned
to London and appeared several times before
the Council. A commission was appointed
in June, 1534, to examine into the charges. 4
There is no formal record of the result, but
it may be safely taken for granted that the
scandal was rebutted. In September, 1535,
those birds of ill-omen, Thomas Legh and
John Ap-Rice, visited Wherwell monastery
at Cromwell's command, and on the promise
of the large pension of 20 per annum in-
duced the prioress to resign. 5

The election of Abbess Kingsmill on 25
September seems to have been arranged, as
it was expected that she would be a ready
tool in the hands of Cromwell for ' resigna-
tion ' purposes.

The low scheming to get hold of the plums
of the falling abbeys receives apt illustration
in the case of Wherwell. Abbess Kingsmill
wrote in January, 1538, to Wriothesley, beg-
ging him to labour for the advowson of the
prebend of Middleton for Dr. Legh. Now
that it was void, Mr. Cooke pretended to a
title to it, but the abbess hoped that Dr. Legh
might enjoy their gift, for his learning and
excellent qualities may profit her and her
monastery, and not such as may buy it of
Mr. Cooke, who, as she understands, has sold
it to two or three already. 6 On 1 5 June of
the same year, Mr. John Kingsmill, brother

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. ii. 3920,

3952, 3970, 4006. * Ibid. vi. 1361.

8 Ibid. vii. 527-9. 4 Ibid. vii. 907.

6 Ibid. ix. 344, 439. * Ibid. xiii. 8.

of the abbess, wrote to Wriothesley, begging
for the prebend of Bath pertaining to the
house of Wherwell, just vacant by the
death of the prebendary, who was vicar of
Wherwell. The next nomination was in
Cromwell's hands, and if his lordship and
Wriothesley esteemed it too small for them,
he would like it for a friend of his sister
the abbess or for himself. 7

It was originally intended that the house
should be granted to John Kingsmill, brother
of the abbess, but on the eve of its surrender,
Thomas West, Lord de la Warre, made such
strong representations to Cromwell, because
the nunnery stood so wholesomely in the
country where he was born, and that his wife
had no house to dwell in if he should die
before her, that the site and estates of the
house were eventually granted him. 8 Wher-
well was surrendered on 21 November, 1539,
when the complaisant abbess received the large
annual pension of 40, the prioress 6, and
twenty-three other nuns pensions varying from
S to 2 13^. 4d.

At the time of the surrender ' The Houses
and Buyldings assigned to remayne ' were 'the
late abbess lodging with the houses within the
quadrante, as the water leadith from the easte
side of the cloister to the gate, the farmery, the
mylle and milhouse, with the slaughter house
adjoynynge, the bruingand baking houses, with
the granaries to the same, the barne and sta-
bulles in the utter courte. Possession thereof
delyvered to the Lord La Ware by force of
Mr. Chancellor's letters.' The parts ' demed
to be superfluous ' were ' the church, quayer
and steple covered with leade, the cloister
covered with tyles and certain gutters of
leade, the chapitre house, frayter, dormytory,
convent kitchyn, and all th'olde lodgings
betwene the granarie and the halle dore,
covered with tyles.' The commissioners re-
served ' to th' use of the king's magestie '
512^ ounces of silver plate. The ornaments,
goods and cattle of the monastery, reserved
for a like use, realized ^75 18*. There were
five bells in the steeple.

In addition to the pensions, three of the
late religious of the monastery received by
way of ' reward ' or temporary forestalment
of pension 401. each, and four 2Os. each.
The sum of 2 5 3*. was also divided amongst
forty-eight persons who had been chaplains,
officials, or servants of the late monastery.

At the dissolution the lands returned as
belonging to this abbey are the manors of

7 Ibid. xiii. 1190.

8 Ibid. xiv. 425, 1427, 544, 547-9 ; Pat. R.
31 Hen. VIII. pt. 4. m. 4.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Wherwell, Weston, Middleton, ' Totington,'
Bullington, Good alias Goodworth, Clatford,
Little Anne with all the prebend of Good
alias Goodworth, ' Aisshesey ' in the Isle of
Wight, East Compton with the portion of the
tithes in ' Fowleston,' Bathwick, Woolley,
' Mattockesford ' in the parish of Botley, and
lands, rents, etc., in Tetbury, ' Wringmershe,'
Upton, ' Hethefylde ' and * Bromeley,' Apple-
shaw, Wyke, Hursley, Estaston in the parish
of Middleton, Winchester and Southampton.
Also lands, rents, tithes, etc. in ' Hanydon '
and ' Mildeston ' in Wiltshire ; in Newbury
and Inkpen in Berkshire ; in ' Ertingdon,'
Guildford and St. Nicholas next Guildford in
Surrey.

The patronage of churches named by the
commissioners includes the prebends of Wher-
well and Milton and the vicarage of Goodworth
in Hampshire, the vicarage of Compton in
Berkshire, the parsonages of Collingborne and
Everley in Wiltshire, and the prebend of
Bathwick in Somerset. 1

ABBESSES OF WHERWELL

Heanfled

Maud, 1186-1226

Euphemia, 1226-57

Mary, 4 1259

Constance, 6 1261-2

M. de Ticheburne, 6 1262.

Mabel, 1270-81

Ellen de Percy, 7 1282-98

Isabel de Wyntreshall, 8 1298-1333

Maud de Littleton, 9 1333-40

Amice Ladde, 10 1340-61 (?)

Constance de Wyntereshall, u 1361

Joan Cotterell, 12 1361-75

Cecily de Lavyngtone, 13 1375-1412

Alice Parys, u 1412

Sibyl Boolde, died in 1451

Alice Serle, 15 1451-2

Julian Overy, 1452-94

Maud Rowse, 16 1494-1518

Avelene Cowdrey, 17 1518-29

Anne Colte, 18 1529-35

Morphita Kingsmill, 19 1535-39

HOUSES OF CISTERCIAN MONKS

6. THE ABBEY OF QUARR

The Cistercian abbey of Quarr, dedicated to
the honour of the Blessed Virgin, situate on
the northern shore of the Isle of Wight, in
the parish of Binstead, was one of the earliest
foundations of that order in the kingdom. It
was founded by Baldwin, the second de
Redvers, Lord of the Wight, in 1131. By
a charter of that date he granted to Geoffrey,
abbot of his Norman monastery of Savigny,
land on which to build the monastery, the
manor of Arreton, the land of Sheat (Sieca),
'Boccumba,' the mill of Christchurch and the
mill of ' Boleherst.' * This grant was con-
firmed by William de Vernon, Earl of Devon,
the son of the founder, about 1195, together
with various subsequent grants of lands and
salt pits, and of the chapel of St. Nicholas in
Carisbrooke castle ; the grantor also gave
liberty to the monks of Quarr to buy and sell
free of toll in all his lands. 3

Henry, Duke of Normandy, before he came

1 Aug. Off. Misc. Books, ccccxciv. 1 7-2 1 .

2 Worsley's Hist, of Isle of Wight (1781), app. li.
Although there is no extant chartulary of this
abbey, the number of charters cited in the Monas-
ticon and in Madox's Formulart are considerable.
There are also about a hundred original charters
among the calendared 'Ancient Deeds' of the
P.R.O.

8 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., D. 942.

II 137

to the throne, gave to the monks of Quarr
land in ' Locwella ' ad faciendum ibidem
capitalem abbatiam^ from which it is evident
that the island abbey was considered capable,
within twenty years of its foundation, of
dispatching a colony to found another mon-
astery. 80 About 1150 a composition was

4 Egerton MS. 2104, f. 35.

5 Ibid. f. 45b. 6 Royal Letters, 2437.

7 Pat. 10 Edw. I. m. 18.

8 Ibid. 27 Edw. I. m. 27. The Wherwell
Chartulary contains copies of the letter of Prioress
Benedicta to the bishop, asking him to confirm
the election of Isabel (Jan. 25), and of the bishop's
letter of consent dated February 2 (Egerton'sMSS.
2104, ff. 119, ligb, l84b.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 139; Pat. 7
Edw. III. pt. 2, m. n.

10 Ibid. Orlton, f. 87 ; Pat. 14 Edw. III. pt. I,
m. 23.

11 Ibid. Edingdon, f. I lib.

12 Tanner's Notifia, xlii.

13 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. ff. 66, 67.
Reference has already been made to this election
in the Ecclesiastical History section.

14 Ibid. Beaufort, f. 48b; Rymer's F&dera, viii.
764-5.

15 Ibid. Waynflete, i. ff. 40, 50.

16 Tanner's Notitia.

17 Letters and Papers, Henry fill. ii. 3920, 3952,
3970, 4006.

18 Ibid. iv. 5799, 5838.

19 Pat. 27 Hen. VIII. pt. i. m. 44.

20 Dugdale's Monasticon, v. 317.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

entered into between Hillary, abbot of Lire,
and Gervase, abbot of Quarr, by which the
former conceded to the latter, in return for
a yearly pension of 40*., the tithes and
profits of the manors of Arreton, Haseley,
Luccombe, Titchingham and Shalcombe.
This arrangement was renewed in 1239 with
a further sum of los. a year for the support
of the church of Carisbrooke. 1

In 1238 Gregory IX. issued a bull allow-
ing the community to choose a confessor from
their own body.

Edward I. in 1284 granted the abbey free
warren over all their manors in the Isle of
Wight.*

At the time of the taxation of 1291, the
annual value of the temporalities of the abbey
in Winchester, including four mills and the
profits of tanneries in the island, amounted to
96 y. q.d. The abbot had also temporali-
ties at Forwood, in Exeter diocese, of the
annual value of 13 6s. 8d.

The Crown imposed a life pensioner on
the community on 13 April, 1330, when
Benedict de Glannvyll, who had long served
the king and his father, was sent to the abbey
to receive such maintenance for life as John le
Hunte had had in that house in his lifetime,
by the late king's request. 3

On 9 March, 1339, William Trussel,
admiral of the fleet from the mouth of the
Thames towards the west, received orders
from the king to supersede the exaction made
on the abbot of Quarr for finding a ship pre-
pared for war with sixty men, mariners and
others, well armed and supplied with neces-
saries, to set out with other ships under royal
command. The abbot had successfully be-
sought the king to be released from this
obligation, inasmuch as he was already main-
taining ten men-at-arms and no small number
of archers in the Isle of Wight for its defence
at a great expense, and was quite unable to
support any further charge. 4

We find by the feudal aid of 1346 that
the abbot held half a knight's fee in perpetual
alms in Sheat in Gatcombe. 5

In 1366 Edward III. granted the abbey
licence to crenelate as a safeguard against
foreign invasion, and about the same time

1 For these and other early particulars see
Worsley's Hist, of Isle of Wight, app. l.-lxxviii.,
and Stone's Arch. Anfiq. of Isle of Wight, pt. i. p.
1 1 o, note

* Charter Roll, 12 Edw. I. No. 41.

3 Close, 4 Edw. III. m. 36d.

4 Ibid. 13 Edw. III. p. I. m. 35.
8 feudal Aids, ii. 339.

138

letters patent were issued that all wine ships
belonging to the community should come and
go free of duty. 6

The abbots of Quarr held a distinguished
position in the Isle of Wight. When a com-
mission of array was issued in April, 1380,
on information of an intended invasion by
France and Spain, the abbot of Quarr headed
the list of eight gentlemen nominated by the
Crown, preceding even Sir Thomas de
Beauchamp, the governor of Carisbrooke
castle. 7 John Cheselburgh, abbot of Quarr,
occupied a like honourable position, in royal
commissions of 1461 and 1462, to summon
the king's subjects of the island and of the
counties of Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex
to defend the Isle of Wight against the
French. 8

The Valor of 1535 gives the clear annual
value of the house as 134 3*. i id.

In December, 1535, Abbot Ripon wrote
to Cromwell about farms that the lord privy
seal and his nephew Richard had desired to
obtain. The abbot protested that the farms
in question were the demesnes of the monas-
tery by which hospitality and the household
were maintained, and that without them the
abbot could not continue the house. Besides
the demesne, the monastery could not spend
yearly above 120, and fifty persons had to
be kept, besides such as resorted thither from
the country. He trusted therefore that
Cromwell's servant would be contented with
the reversion of any farms he might have to
let, and to secure his favour he would give
the fine to him and his nephew. 9 The last
abbot's anxiety as to his farms was not how-
ever of long duration, for being under 200
of annual value the monastery was dissolved
in 1536.

Special efforts were made in the locality to
secure the king's good will for this monastery
and for Netley on the other side of the
water, but all in vain. The particularly good
report of the county commissioners, Sir James
Worsley and John and George Poulet and
William Berners, presented on 30 May, 1536,
was treated as so much waste paper. They
reported that the abbey of Quarr was : ' A
hedde house of Monkes of the ordre of
Cisteaux beinge of large buyldinge scituate
upon the ryvage of the sees by raporte greate

6 Pat. 39 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 23 ; 40 Edw.
III. pt. i, m. 15.

7 Ibid. 3 Rich. II. pt. 3, m. zid.

8 Ibid, i Edw. IV. pt. i. m. 3d ; 2 Edw. IV. pt.
i, m. i yd (Cal.).

9 Letters and Papers, Hen. VII I. ix. 925.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

refuge and comforte to all th'inhabitantes of
the same yle and to strangers traveillinge
the seid sees'; 156 lOs. id.; 10 monks,
all priests, of good religious conversation,
eight of whom desire to continue in religion,
and two to have capacities ; 39 other inmates,
viz. 10 waiting servants, 7 servants in the
church, 8 officers in the household, 10 hinds,
2 lavenders, 1 6 dairymen, and one 'corodur' ;
church, mansion and building in convenient
repair, lead and bells worth 19 ; plate and
jewels, 481 4*. 3^. ; ornaments, 17 i Os . 8<f. ;
stuff, 23 131. ifd. ; corn and grain, 20 ;
stocks and stores, 220 19*. ; owing by the
house, 55 8s. gd. ; owing to the house,
9 1 8*. ifd. ; woods, etc., ji22 iSs. tfd?

At the time of the dissolution the monas-
tery held the manor of Quarr with the site of
the abbey and the manor of Newenham there ;
the manors of Arreton, Staplehurst, Sheat
in Brixston, Shaldcomb, Newport, Comley,
Fowewod cum Forewey ; the granges of
Compton, Haseley, Lovecombe, Hampstede,
Roughbarowe, Bydeborough, Charke in
Rowner ; the rectory of Caresbrook ; messu-
ages, rents, etc., in Newport, Whippingham,
Newchurch, Southwick, Portsmouth, Christ-
church, Swey, Milford, and tithe of salt in
Lymington. 3

On 17 February, 1537, Thomas Wriothes-
ley, the great devourer of monastic property
in the west, obtained most of the manorial
rights of the abbey by grant from the Crown.
The Devonshire manors and other property
of the abbey were also granted him in the
following November. 4

A lease of the actual site of the monastery,
together with certain tithes of Arreton, was
granted by the Crown to John Mylle of
Southampton in March, 1537.

Much of the stonework of the abbey was
used in 1539 towards the making of two
blockhouses at East and West Cowes for de-
fensive purposes. 8

An illustration of the seal of the abbey is
here given. It is round and shows the Virgin
standing with child on left arm and St. John
Baptist under a double canopy, and below the
half-length figure of an abbot. The legend is

S ' ABBATIS ' ET ' COVETVS ABBATHIE ' SCE '
MARIE ' DB ' QVARRARIA

1 Washermen.

* Aug. Off. Chantry certificates, No. 112.

3 First Mins. Acct. after dissolution, cited in
Dugdale's Monasticon, v. 320.

* Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. xii. (i), 538

(45); i. (2), 1150(7).

5 Aug. Off. Misc. Bks. ccix. f. 44.

* Letters and Papers, Hen. fill. xiv. (i), 899.

ABBOTS OF QUARR

Gervase, 1 1 40

William, 7 1150

Peter of York, 1205

Henry, 8 1228

Philip," about 1235

Augustine, 10 1249

Andrew, 11 1256

'Hel' (Elias), 12 1270

Adam of Arundel, 13 1290

Walter, 14 1323

Geoffrey, 15 1324

William, 16 1359

John of Winchester, 17 1381

Thomas Suell, 18 1397-9

Richard Bartholomew, 19 1399

Robert, 20 1419

Roger, 21 1438

John Cheselburgh, 22 1457-62

John Norton, 23 1466

Geoffrey of Newchurch, 24 1477

John Fonsard, 26 1481

Thomas of London, 26 1493

Richard Tottenham, 27 1508

William Ripon, 1521-36

7 Cal. of Doc. France, 296.

8 Madox, 374.

9 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 115, 890, 3447.

10 Ibid. B. 3692, D. 154.

11 Madox, 222 ; Ancient Deeds, D. 231.

12 Ibid. B. 2642, 2946.

13 Ibid. B. 686, 707, 1 192, 2758, 281 1, 281 5,
2830 ; Madox, 383 (A.D. 1303).

14 Ancient Deeds, B. 1151 ; Madox, 164, 226.

15 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. lib;
Ancient Deeds, B. 710, 1 175, 2713, 2715, 2717,

3793-

6 Ancient Deeds, B. 2680.

17 On 25 January, 1381, Abbot John of Win-
chester received benediction at the hands of Bishop
Wykeham in the chapel of Esher promising canoni-
cal obedience salvo orJine meo (Winton. Epis. Reg.,
Wykeham, i. f. 114, B. 2682, 2684).

18 Thomas Suell was elected unanimously by
his brethren to be abbot, in the place of John of
Winchester, deceased, on 22 March, 1397, in
the presence of the abbots of Wardon and Standing
(Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 268).

18 Richard Bartholomew was elected on 13
November, 1 399, on the resignation of Thomas
Suell, in the presence of the abbots of Rewley and
Netley (ibid. i. f. 299, B. 2683).

ao Ancient Deeds, B. 668, 2834, 3247, D.
887.

21 Ibid. B. 678.

22 Ibid. B. 2843 ; Pat. I and 2 Edw. IV.

23 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, i. f. 1486.
34 Ancient Deeds, B. 3 244.

26 Ibid. B. 107-9, 28 4'-

28 Ibid. B. no, 119, 3248, 3249, 3546.

37 Ibid. B. 2843, D. 486.

139

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

7. THE ABBEY OF BEAULIEU

It would appear that in 1 203 King John
granted to the house of St. Mary of Citeaux,
as the head of the Cistercian order, the manor
of Faringdon in Berkshire, where some monks
of this order had established themselves, upon
the condition that a monastery should be built
there. 1 In the following year the king founded
in the New Forest the monastery of St. Mary
of Beaulieu of the same order with provision
in it for thirty monks. 2 The foundation
charter is dated 25 January, 1 204-5.' By
this charter the bounds of the precincts are
accurately defined, and the monks were
endowed with the manors of Great and Little
Faringdon, Great and Little Coxwell, Shilton
and Inglesham, and the churches of Shilton
and Inglesham and the chapel of Coxwell,
and all that the king had in Langford. Beau-
lieu being thus founded the monks of Faring-
don were transferred to it, and Faringdon
was made a cell to Beaulieu.

The small chartulary of 179 folios, in the
Cotton collection,* opens with a transcript of
the charter of King John, dated 2 November,
1203. This is followed by three charters of
Henry III. and an elaborate confirmation
charter of Edward III., dated 23 February,
1328. The particulars with regard to the
different vicarages, and more especially as to
the customs of the numerous manors (Shilton,
Great and Little Faringdon, Great and Little
Coxwell, Langford, Inglesham and Westbrook),
which are given in great detail, are of con-
siderable interest but pertain to the history of
Berkshire.

Among the Harley MSS. is a transcript of
a register or chartulary of Beaulieu, copied
from one in the possession of the Duke of
Portland, in 1739, and collated with the
original in 1836 by Sir F. Madden. 5 It
opens with the long foundation charter by

1 See King John's charter of confirmation to
Beaulieu enrolled on Charter Roll, 53 Hen. III.
m. 1 3, and printed in Dugdale's Monasticon, v.
683.

* Chron. Job. de OxeneJes (Rolls Series), 118.

3 Printed in Dugdale's Monasticon, v. 683. The
legend as to the first establishment of this important
house is to the effect that King John, having grossly
illtreated some Cistercian abbots at a parliament at
Lincoln, was so alarmed at a dream about the crime
and its consequences, that he resolved to found an
abbey of that order at Beaulieu for thirty monks.
The story, as told originally in a Kirkstall chartu-
lary, is not improbable, for the innately cruel are
usually superstitious.

4 Cott. MS. Nero A. xii.

8 Harl. MS. 6603, ff. 253-398.

John, relative to the important cell at Faring-
don. This is followed by the charter of
Henry III., regarding the New Forest, and
confirming the grants of Bishop Peter and
William Briwer. The third charter is that
of the same king confirming 239 acres of land
in the New Forest, granted at the dedication
of the church, when the king and Queen
Eleanor and Prince Edward were present.
The charters referring to the possessions of
the abbey in Berkshire are numerous ; there
are also many pertaining to Soberton, Bucks;
Blacheford, Hants ; the town of Southamp-
ton, and the church of St. Keverne, Corn-
wall.

In 1204 John gave the monks a hundred
marks towards the construction of the abbey,
a gold chalice, and a hundred cows and ten
bulls for their dairy; in 1205 they obtained
the royal gifts of twenty additional cows and
two bulls, further money, and a large grant
of corn ; in 1206 came the first gift of a tun
of wine for the use of the church from the
officers of the king's prisage at Southampton ;
and in 1207 further large grants of oxen
and corn. 6 On 16 August, 1205, the king
sent letters to all the Cistercian abbots entreat-
ing their assistance in the building of the new
abbey. 7

In March, 1 208, came the famous interdict
of Innocent III. over all England which lasted
until the king's submission in May, 1213, at
which time Hugh, the first abbot of Beaulieu,
acted as an intermediary between the king
and the pope. On 4 April, 1 208, the abbot
obtained the royal passport for the conveyance
of himself and servants and five horses across
the Channel at Dover, evidently on a mission
to Rome touching this business. 8 In the
following month the pope issued a monition
to King John to fulfil his promise to the
abbot of Beaulieu to receive the cardinal Arch-
bishop of Canterbury and to make due restitu-
tion, and again in the following August
he instructed the Bishops of London, Ely and
Worcester to warn and induce the king to
carry out at once his various promises made to
the abbot of Beaulieu. 9 Meanwhile the king,
whilst staying at Waverley, the earliest of the
English Cistercian foundations, on the imme-
diate confines of the county, issued an order
by which he restored to the monks all the
lands which had been seized by occasion of
the interdict. Abbot Hugh returned to

8 See entries from the Close Rolls cited in
Woodward's History of Hants, iii. 78-9.

7 Close Roll, John (Rec. Com.), 3zb.

8 Ibid. io8b.

8 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 31.

140

NETLBY ABBEY.

CARISBROOKE I'KIORV.

BEAUUEI- ADUKY.

COLLEGE OF ST. ELIZABETH, WINCHESTER.

QUARK ABBEY.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

England in November, and received from the
king 30 marks for himself, 30 marks for fees
and vails, and 40*. to buy himself a palfrey.

When the trouble of the interdict was over
the building at Beaulieu was immediately
resumed. In 1213 orders were made by the
king for 400 marks towards the building at
Michaelmas, and 500 marks at Michaelmas
of the next year, and in 1214 an additional
200.* In 1214 a prior was elected, Anas-
tasius by name ; to him the second donation
of 100 of that year was addressed, when
the abbot was probably absent. 2 On 9 April,
1215, John made his last donation, 50 marks,
to the monks of Beaulieu. 3

The abbot of Beaulieu was the fourth of
the envoys sent by John to Pope Innocent in
September, 1215 ; and in that capacity, as
one of the king's proctors, he exhibited articles
against the Archbishop of Canterbury at the
fourth Lateran Council. 4

On 24 February, 1219, Abbot Hugh was
consecrated Bishop of Carlisle in York
Minster. 5 He died in 1223. His successor,
Azo of Gisors, was a good deal engaged in
diplomacy, and was dispatched by the king to
France in the year of his appointment.

Henry III. carried on his father's work at
Beaulieu with vigour. On 15 March, 1217,
he instructed the keeper of his herd of horses
in the New Forest to hand over all the profits
to the monks of Beaulieu until November,
1220." In 1 220 the king gave 50 marks, in
1221, iy marks, and in 1222, 100 to the
building. 7

The annals of Waverley, which can scarcely
in such a matter be wrong, describe the monks
of Beaulieu as entering with great joy into
their new church on the vigil of the Assump-
tion, 1227." This entry has been supposed
to clash with the definite statement of the
same annals and of Matthew Paris twenty
years later. The term ecclesia however is

1 Close Roll, John (Rec. Com.), 144, i/5b,
z nb.

1 It is stated in Woodward's History of Hants
that Anastasius was termed abbot in the grant of
100 on 4 November, 1214; unfortunately there
are no references in that history, but the Close
Roll entry of 4 November calls him prior.

3 Close Roll, John (Rec. Com.), 194.

4 Matth. Paris, Hist. Angl. (Rolls Series), ii. 168.

5 Woodward calls him Henry, a mistake made
also by others. There seems a little uncertainty
whether this Hugh was the first abbot or a second
of that name.

8 Close Roll, John (Rec. Com.), 299.

7 Ibid. Hen. III. (Rec. Com.), 44 ib, 457^
486, 521.

8 Annales Monastic! (Rolls Series), ii. 304.

sometimes used to apply to the whole of a
religious house, and the explanation seems to
be that the great conventual church was
opened in 1227, but that the cloister and con-
ventual buildings as a whole were not ready
for occupation until 1246.

The king's generosity to the Cistercians of
Beaulieu continued year by year ; it would be
tedious to reiterate the specific benefactions.
At last the whole of the great fabric was
finished, the monks quitted their temporary
building (doubtless of wood), and on 1 7 June,
1246, the conventual buildings were dedicated
by the Bishop of Winchester in the presence
of the king and queen, the Earl of Cornwall,
and a great concourse of prelates and magnates
of the realm. At the feast of the dedication
the abbot made an offering of 500 marks.
The young Prince Edward was also present at
the dedication, but was seized with illness,
and the queen stayed at the abbey three weeks
to nurse him, in contradiction, as the annalist
says, of the Cistercian rule. As a proof of
the strict observance of their rule, it is recorded
that at the next visitation both prior and
cellarer were deposed from their offices,
because they had supplied seculars with meat
on the occasion of the dedication festival. 9

Pope Gregory IX., in 1231, granted a
licence, at the request of Henry III., to the
abbey of Beaulieu to appropriate the churches
of Shilton and Inglesham, with the chapel of
Coxwell, in the dioceses of Salisbury and
Lincoln. 10 The same pope, in 1235, licensed,
at the request of the king and his brother,
the Earl of Cornwall, the appropriation by the
abbey of the church of St. Keverne, Cornwall,
the patronage of which, together with ten
marks rent in Helston, the earl had already
granted for the health of his soul and that of
his father King John, due provision being
made for a vicar. 11 This appropriation led in
1236 to a dispute between the rector and the
convent as to the right of presentation. The
convent sent a proctor to Rome, asserting
that the Earl of Cornwall had given them
the patronage, and alleging that they needed
money for hospitality ; but they concealed the
fact that they had a ^1,000 of yearly rents,
and being in a desert place had little or no
hospitality to exercise. It was stated on
behalf of the rector that the convent of Beau-
lieu revelled in their goods, which could
support many more monks, and that they
had turned the church of St. Keverne into

9 Ibid. ii. 90, 337 ; Matth. Paris, Chron. Maj.
(Rolls Series), iv. 562.

10 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 129.

11 Ibid. p. 145.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

a grange, and admitted scarcely a single
guest. 1

In the first instance Gregory seems to have
been willing to listen to any attack on the
monks of Beaulieu, and in his original man-
date to the legate Otho (given in full in the
chartulary) he denounces them, writing of
them as debachantes in their monastery.
Naturally the abbot as well as the Earl of
Cornwall protested. The result announced
in the pope's name by Otho in February,
1237, was that Beaulieu retained the appro-
priation, and that the rector was to receive
from the monks a pension of 20 marks until
he obtained a competent benefice. 2

Isabel of Gloucester, the wife of Richard,
Earl of Cornwall, died on 17 January, 1239 ;
and was buried before the high altar of the
new church of Beaulieu, her heart being sent
to Tewkesbury. 3 The Earl of Cornwall,
among his various deeds of piety, founded the
monastery of Hales, for the establishment of
which in 1246 twenty monks and thirty lay
brothers were sent from Beaulieu. 4 About
the same time another party of monks left
Beaulieu to colonize the newly founded
monastery of Newenham in Devonshire. The
monastery of Netley had already been colonized
from Beaulieu in I239. 5

At the end of the chartulary proper, already
referred to, 8 come certain memoranda, among
which is one to the effect that in 1274, at the
general Council of Lyons, when a subsidy for
a crusade for six years was enjoined, the pope
granted to the Cistercians that the abbot of
Citeaux should be responsible for the contri-
butions of their whole order. The abbot,
with the advice of the chapter-general, taxed
each individual house of the order, according
to his will, for the six years. Beaulieu, with
its three daughters of Netley, Hales and
Newenham, for the first and second year were
to pay 26 ; namely Beaulieu, .13 ; Hales,
5 6s. ; Netley, 4 145.; and Newenham,
3. In 1276, when the English Cister-
cian houses paid 1,000 to Edward I., two-
thirds of which were due from Canterbury
province, Beaulieu's share came to ^23 6s. Sd. ;
Netley, 12 ; Hales, 14 13*. ; and Newen-
ham, 5. Beaulieu's share was higher than

1 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 155.

3 Harl. MS. 6603.

3 Annales Monastlci (Rolls Series), i. 113.

1 Ibid. ii. 337.

B Ibid. p. 323. Newenham in Devonshire was
another Cistercian house colonized in the thirteenth
century from Beaulieu. Dugdale's Monasticm, v.

8 Harl. MSS. 6603.

any other of the forty-nine Cistercian houses
of the province ; the next on the list was
Wardon, rated at 22 13*. 4^.

In January, 1275, the takers of the king's
wines at Southampton were ordered to serve
the abbot with three tuns of wine at a cost of
6cw. for use in his church, for the first three
years of the king's reign, in accordance with
claim made under a charter of Henry III.
Order was issued yearly for this tun of wine
until 1279, when a mandate was served on
Matthew de Columbariis, the king's wine-taker
at Southampton, and his successors to deliver
the tun yearly without having to obtain a
special letter or other mandate. 7 In February,
1275, the abbey received a further or second
tun of wine from Southampton, in lieu of the
tun that the king's steward received from the
warden at Beaulieu for the use of the royal
household on the occasion of the king's last
visit. 8

Edward I. frequently sojourned at Beau-
lieu ; he was there in 1275 and 1276, and
again in 1285. It seems somewhat inconsis-
tent with subsequent royal visits to find that
in July, 1276, protection was granted by
letters patent for the abbey of Beaulieu, in
accordance with the ordinances passed in the
first parliament of Edward I., when it was
ordained that no one should be lodged in a
house of religion, or take victuals or carriage
therein, or in any of its manors. 9

About this period the abbots of Beaulieu
were frequently abroad on the business of their
house and order. In March, 1274, the abbot
(probably Dennis), who held the king's licence
to cross the seas, appointed two of his brother
monks to act as his attorneys until the follow-
ing feast of All Saints. In May, 1276, he
appointed two other monks as his attorneys,
for a like reason, until Christmas, unless he
returned in the interval, and in April, 1279,
a like arrangement was made. 10 The abbot
also obtained leave to cross the seas from
8 September to Midsummer in 1282 ; from
7 September to Christmas in 1285 ; and
from April to All Saints in 1286." These
absences would be mainly to attend the
general chapter which was held at Citeaux
every year, opening on 1 4 September. Every
abbot was bound to attend, under pain of a

7 Cal. of Close Rolls, Edto. I. i. 145, 148, 149,
265, 365, 462; Cal. of Patent Rolls, Edtv. I. i.
301.

8 Close, 3 Edw. I. m. 22.

9 Pat. 4 Edw. I. m. 14.

10 Cal. of Close Rolls, Edtv. I. i. 116, 341,

559-

11 Cal. of Pat. Rolls, Edw. I. ii. 35, 191, 236.

142

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

severe penance, unless there was a legitimate
excuse, in which case he was to acquaint some
neighbouring abbot and to send letters. From
this duty of yearly attendance, exemptions
were made from time to time on the score of
the poverty of the house or its distance,
notably at the general chapters of 1260, 1263
and 1270.*

Some light is thrown upon the history of
the monastery as a trading community by the
grant of a protection and safe conduct to the
abbey in 1281 for taking a ship laden with
corn and other goods from time to time to
Gascony and other places within the king's
power, and bringing thence wine and other
goods. 4

From the taxation roll of 1291 we find
that the temporalities ofBeaulieu in the arch-
deaconry were then valued at producing an
annual income of 100, of which the imme-
diate environs of the abbey supplied 66 13*.
4.d. The temporalities in the archdeaconry
of Berks produced an income of g i i s. 8d. ;
those of the archdeaconry of Oxford ^32
is. lod. There was also 11 us. Sd. from
St. Keverne in Cornwall, and 6 135. \d.
from houses and fisheries in Little Yarmouth.
In spiritualities there was the rectory of
Shilton with an income of j 6s. 8d., and
Inglesham with an income of 4 6s. Sd.

In 1312 licence for alienation in mortmain,
in favour of Beaulieu, was obtained for mes-
suages and lands in Upton and Holebury, on
payment of a fine of 30*." 'In 1316 the
abbey obtained a valuable grant of a messuage,
mill, 60 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow,
and 6 acres of wood at Hipley,* and in
March of the following year confirmation
was given to six small grants to the abbey. 5

The advowson of the church of Ringwood
was granted to the abbey in February, 1329,
by Edward III. in fulfilment of a wish of the
late king ; and on condition that four monks
should be maintained beyond the thirty-two
then at Beaulieu, to celebrate mass daily for
the souls of himself, his mother and his heirs. 8
In 1332 this grant of Ringwood made by the
procurement of Roger de Mortimer was
revoked. 7 By the return of knights' fees of
1346 we find that the abbot of Beaulieu held

I See Turks Arch, and Topog. Assoc. Cistercian
Statutes, by J. T. Fowler, ix. 223 ; x. 51, 217,
388, 502 ; xi. 95.

a Pat. 9 Edw. I. m. 6.

3 Ibid. 5 Edw. II. pt. i, m. i.

4 Ibid. 10 Edw. II. pt. i, m. 33.

II Ibid. pt. 2, m. 23.

Ibid. 3 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 35.
7 Ibid. 6 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 12.

one fee in Over Burgate in perpetual alms. 8
In the return for Berkshire for the feudal
aid of 1316 he held the hundred and vill of
Faringdon with Coxwell, Inglesham, and
Little Faringdon, and he and others held
Langford, Shilton and ' Bernynton.' 9

The abbot of Beaulieu, whose predecessors
had sat in Parliament since 1260, by fine of
ten marks, obtained in 1341 the king's
sanction to be freed, for himself and his
successors, from attendance at Parliament,
inasmuch as all the abbey lands were held in
free alms, and not by barony or otherwise of
the king in chief. 10

Abbot Herring presided for twenty years,
and on his death the custody of the abbey
was assigned, on 6 January, 1392, to Thomas,
Earl of Kent, and Tideman de Winchecombe,
one of the monks. 11 After some delay Tide-
man de Winchecombe was elected abbot,
but he only ruled for a very brief period ; for
in August, 1393, he was elected Bishop of
Llandaff, at the instigation of the pope.

A grant of Edward III. in 1468 gave the
monks of Beaulieu a weekly Thursday
market within the precincts, and confirmed
their rights of pasturage in the forests of
Bere and Porchester, with other former privi-
leges. 12

On 15 December, 1483, the abbot of
Beaulieu was summoned, together with two of
his community, by Richard III. to appear at
Westminster, and bring with him all muni-
ments and writings by which he claimed
special sanctuary rights, within six days after
the receipt of the mandate. 13 It has been
conjectured, with much probability, that this
summons arose from the abbey having given
shelter to the enemies of the Yorkist faction.
Every church and churchyard had certain
temporary sanctuary rights pertaining to them ;
but in a few instances, of which Beaulieu was
the most celebrated English example in the
south, these rights were extended for an
indefinite period and over a far wider area
than the actual consecrated site. At Beaulieu
Innocent III. had granted these special sanc-
tuary rights to the whole of the original
grant of land to the monks made by John,
the bounds of which were clearly defined in
the charter. Among those of note who
availed themselves of this sanctuary may be
mentioned Perkin Warbeck, Lady Warwick,

8 feudal Aids, ii. 327.

9 Ibid. i. 51.

10 Pat. 15 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 35.

11 Cole MS. xxvi. f. Syb.

12 Woodward's Hut. of Hants, iii. 86.

13 Harl. MS. 6603, f. 336.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

after the field of Barnet in 1471, and accord-
ing to some writers, Margaret of Anjou.

Abbot Thomas Skevington was consecrated
Bishop of Bangor at Lambeth on 17 June,
1 509, but he continued to hold the abbey in
commendam until his death in 1533-

The abbey's share towards the ' king's
personal expenses in France to recover the
Crown,' in 1522, was the large sum of
66 13,. 4^

In a butlerage account of customs paid on
wine out of various ships at Southampton and
Portsmouth, in 1526, which yielded a sum of
15 i Of. on 155 tuns, it is stated that the
total prisage of wine was fifteen tuns, whereof
five tuns (one tun each) were delivered to
the monasteries of Beaulieu, Tichfield, Netley,
Waverley and St. Denis. 2

The abbot of Beaulieu was summoned to
Convocation in 1529, but he was not present. 3

In a list of ' fines made with divers persons
by the king's commandment' of 1531 occurs
the name of ' the Bishop of Bangor otherwise
called the abbot of Beaulieu,' for the heavy
sum of 333 6s. 8d., for his offences against
the statutes of provisions and praemunire. 4 In
the following year however we find the
abbot-bishop was put on the commission of
the peace for Hampshire. 5

On 17 August, 1533, Abbot Skevington
died, and on the following day Harry Huttoft
wrote to Cromwell begging that the post
might be given ' to one of the same religion,
a good man, the abbot of Waverley,' adding,
' he will do his duty every way, and if you
knew of his manner of living you would be
his assured good master.' On 20 August,
Sir William Fitzwilliam wrote from Windsor
to Cromwell concerning the abbot's death,
and stating that he was in the king's dis-
pleasure for offences against the royal game.
' I chanced, in communication with the king,
to mention one who a virtuous man and a
good husband(man), and had ever been good
to his game though the forests of Wolmer and
Windsor and other places are about his house,
and I thought he would make a good abbot
of Beauley. On his asking who he was, I
replied, the abbot of Waverley. He said it
was truth, and willed me to write to you to
put him in remembrance, on his coming to
London, that he might take order for the
same. I assure you the suggestion came from
myself alone, and not from any solicitation of
the abbot.'

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. iii. 2483.

3 Ibid. iv. 2528. 3 Ibid. iv. 6047.

4 Ibid. v. 657.

5 Ibid. v. 1694 (2).

On the same day Lord Audeley wrote to
the Duke of Suffolk as to the vacancy at
Beaulieu, for which much suit was being
made. He did not make any specific sugges-
tion, but urged that whoever was appointed
abbot should be ' a man of great gravity and
circumspect, and not base of stomach or faint
of heart when need shall require, the place
standeth so wildly ; and it is a great sanctuary,
and boundeth upon a great forest and upon
the sea coast, where sanctuary men may do
much displeasure if they be not very well and
substantially looked upon.' 6 In accordance
with the king's wish John Browning, abbot
of Waverley, the preserver of the king's game,
was speedily made abbot of Beaulieu. In
September Huttoft wrote a grateful letter as
to the appointment to Cromwell.

The Valor of 1535, taken when Browning
was abbot, gave the gross annual value of
Beaulieu as 428 6s. 8^., and the net value
326 135. 2frf.

Under the Act of 1536, dissolving the lesser
monasteries, more than two-thirds of the
Cistercian abbeys were suppressed. Their
inmates were, as a rule, transferred to the
larger houses of the order. In March, 1536,
Abbot Browning died, and Thomas Stevens or
Stephens, abbot of Netley, was appointed his
successor. In the following February Netley
was suppressed, and the whole of the monks
went to their mother house at Beaulieu. 7

Lord Lisle was most anxious to obtain the
fine spoils of Beaulieu, and wrote both in
February and June of 1536 to servants of
Cromwell to endeavour to secure them. On
the first occasion he was told that there was
no likelihood that Beaulieu would be sup-
pressed ; and on the second application he
was assured that it would be lost time to sue
for it, and recommended to try for St. Mary's,
Winchester, or for ' Waverley, which is a
pretty thing.' 8

Shortly after Stevens' appointment as abbot,
we find him eager to curry favour with
Wriothesley. Hearing through a servant
that he wanted a horse ' My Lord of Beau-
lieu said he had nothing but should be at your
commandment, and sent his men to take up
for you his own riding horse, which you will
receive herewith. His only fault is that he
is too. little for you, though the biggest in all
his park.' 9

6 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. vi. 1001, 1006,
1007.

7 Gasquet's Henry Vlll. and the Monasteries, ii.

453-

8 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. x. 339, 1058.

9 Ibid. xi. 1455.

144

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

With regard to the ancient right of sanc-
tuary at Beaulieu, it is not surprising to find
that neither Cromwell nor his royal master
had any scruple as to its violation. In Sep-
tember, 1537, the abbot received a letter
from Cromwell demanding the delivery to
the bearers of the body of James Manzy, a
Florentine. He replied that he would have
done so, but that Manzy had left sanctuary
on the previous Sunday when he was absent
from home. On hearing further from the
Lord Privy Seal, the abbot wrote to say that
in conjunction with Master Huttoft he had
gathered together all the conveyers of James
Manzy, and had so used them that he thought
they would ' love the worse hereafter to steal
sanctuary men from Beaulieu.' Manzy hid
day and night in woods, bushes and old
barns, and the abbot indignantly repudiated
the suggestion that he had connived at his
escape. At the same time Huttoft wrote to
like effect to Cromwell. ' I have made
search with my lord of Beaulieu these two
days, both aboard ship and in all the forest,
and have this night (28 September) found the
said James in a hay loft on a farm besides
Hampton. He was hidden half the mow
deep, and when discovered seemed more dead
than alive. After a while he fell to weeping,
saying his abuse was only for fear of your
lordship, and that his keepers menaced him
to be carried up like a prisoner. I beg you
will have pity on him for he has been
severely handled. The bearer Parpoynt has
spoken many words more than needeth. My
Lord of Beaulieu has used very good diligence
in this matter, and is also much discouraged
by the reports made of him.' *

On 2 April, 1538, the subservient abbot
signed the surrender of this great monastery
of royal foundation to the notorious com-
missioners Layton, Petre and Freeman, and
induced twenty of the monks to do the like. 2
The site was immediately granted to Thomas
Wriothesley (afterwards Earl of Southampton).
Crayford, one of the sub-commissioners for
suppression of monasteries, wrote to him on
17 April, saying that Abbot Stevens, imme-
diately before his surrender, let out the mill,
parsonage, etc., of Beaulieu, and the lodge at
St. Leonard's grange to his sister. 3 On 26
April, the ex-abbot wrote to Wriothesley,
protesting against the detraction of his ' lewd
monks, which now, I thank God, I am rid of.' 4

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xii. (2), 728,
765, 766.

* Dep. Keeper's Reports, viii. appendix ii. 9.

3 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xiii. (i), 750.

4 Ibid. 847, 84.8.

At the time of the dissolution the monas-
tery held in Hampshire the manors of
Colbury, Hilton, Upton, 'Ippeley,' Holbury,
and the manor of Frerencourte in Fording-
bridge, the rectories of Beaulieu, and lands,
rents, etc., in Southampton, Lymington,
' Esthamlode ' in the Isle of Wight, ' Gooreley,'
' Blayshford, Bremmer ' and Avon, and New-
church in the Isle of Wight ; in Berkshire
the manors of Great Faringdon, Little
Faringdon, Inglesham, Shilton and Wyke,
and rents in Westbroke and Langford ; in
Cornwall the manor of St. Kirian, a mill at
Tregonon, and rent in Helston ; and a messu-
age in Southwark in Surrey. 6

Stevens obtained a pension of 100 marks,
but in February, 1540, was instituted to the
rectory of Bentworth near Alton. In 1548
he was collated to the treasurership of Salis-
bury Cathedral, and died in 1550 seized of
both these preferments. Seventeen of the
monks also obtained small pensions.

With the suppression came the end of the
historic sanctuary rights throughout what was
termed ' the Great Close of Beaulieu.' On
the day of the surrender the commissioners
wrote to Cromwell stating that there were
thirty-two sanctuary men there for debt,
felony and murder, who had their houses and
grounds where they lived with their wives
and children. They declared that if sent to
other sanctuaries they would be undone, and
desired to remain there for their lives, pro-
vided no more were admitted. The com-
missioners wished to know the king's pleasure.
The ex-abbot also wrote to Wriothesley,
begging him to be a good master to the
Beaulieu sanctuary men who were there for
debt. He said they had been very honest
while he was their governor, and it would be
no profit to the town if they were to leave,
for the houses would yield no rent. Crayford
also wrote to Wriothesley about the same time,
asking for the king's protection for the ' miser-
able debtors,' stating that all the inhabitants
of Beaulieu were sanctuary men, and urging
the immediate departure of the murderers and
felons as ' hopeless men.' In the end the
debtors were allowed to tarry for their lives,
under protection, at Beaulieu ; and one,
Thomas Jeynes, who had slain a man at
Christchurch, was granted a pardon. 6

The circular elaborate fifteenth century
seal, of which an illustration is given, repre-
sents the crowned Virgin seated in a canopied

5 The first Mins. Acct. recited in Dugdale's
Monasticon, v. 683.

8 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xiii. (i), 668,
792, 796, 877, 1309 (23).

145

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

niche with the Holy Child on left knee ; on
each side, in canopied niches, are five kneel-
ing monks. In base is a crown enfiled with
a crozier. Legend : SIGILLUM : COMMUNE :
MONASTERII : BELLI : Loci : REGIS.

ABBOTS OF BEAULIEU
Hugh, 1 about 1208-19
Azo of Gisors, 1238
Dennis," about 1274-80
William de Gisors, cellarer, 3 1281
Robert de Boclonde, died in 1302
Peter de Chichester *
William de Hameldon 6
John Peres

Walter Herring, 6 1372-92
Tideman de Winchecombe, about

1 392-3
Richard de Middleton, 7 1394-7

John Gloucester, 8 1397-1400
Richard de Middleton, 8 1400
Richard Bartelmelo, 10 1415
William Salbury, 11 1425-9
William Woburn, 1429
Humphrey, 1490

Thomas Skevington, 12 1509, 1533
John Browning, abbot of Waverley,

1533-6

Thomas Stevens, abbot of Netley,
1536-8

8. THE ABBEY OF NETLEY

The abbey of Netley, Letley (L<etus Locus),
or Edwardstow(s<:/ Sancti Edwardi), dedicated
to the honour of the Blessed Virgin and St.
Edward the Confessor, was founded for Cis-
tercian monks by Henry III. in 1239. It
appears that Peter des Roches, Bishop of
Winchester (1205-38), purchased the land
of ' Hanseta ' and ' Cedrigia ' from William,
Bishop of Angers, and the dean and chapter
of Angers ; lands in Wellow from the abbot
of St. Mary de Pratis, Leicester ; lands at
Kingston Deverel from the bishop and chap-
ter of Le Mans; land called 'Ayhsleg' in

1 He was made Bishop of Carlisle in 1219 and
died in 1223.

1 Pat. 6 Edw. I. m. 10.

3 Annales Monastic} (Rolls Series), ii. 395, iv. 479.

* Dugdale's Monasticon, v. 693.

6 Ibid.

6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 42.

7 Ibid. i. f. 232.

8 Pat. 20 Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 6.

8 Ibid. 1 1 Hen. IV. pt. 2, m. 6. Richard de
Middleton had been ejected and was restored.
10 Lateran Regesta, clxxv. 278b.
1 Salbury and the subsequent abbots are given
in the list in the Cole MSS.

3 Made Bishop of Bangor in 1 509.

Dorsetshire from the abbot of Croix St.
Leufroy ; and some other parcels of land,
apparently with the object of founding this
monastery. The bishop, however, died in
1238, before the completion of his object,
and the actual foundation was carried out by
Henry III. in the following year. 13 Hence
the king was usually referred to as the
founder. So soon as the monastery was
completed it was colonized by monks from
the Cistercian abbey of Beaulieu, who arrived
at their new home on St. James' Day, 1239."

In August, 1243, Roger de Clare sold to the
abbey for 300 marks the tilled land and pasture
which lay between their manor of Gomshall
and the highway from Guildford to Dorking,
and also the advowson of the church of Shere,"
which grant was confirmed by John de War-
ren, Earl of Surrey, in 1252.

In 1244 Innocent IV. sanctioned under
certain conditions the appropriation by the
abbey of Netley of the churches of Shere
and Wellow, valued at .30 per annum. 18
The same pope in the following year con-
firmed to the abbot and convent of Netley
the privileges of not being compelled by
bishops or others to attend synods or assem-
blies outside their order, save only pro fide,
and of exemption from sentences of excom-
munication, suspension or interdict. 17

In the same year Robert, abbot of Netley,
released to the Bishop of Winchester the manor
of Esher, with the advowson of the church and
all its appurtenances, save lOOi. worth of land
in Dorsetshire. 18 In August, 1247, tne abbot
and convent of Lieu Dieu, in the diocese of
Amiens, sold to the abbey of Netley for 600
marks their English manor of Nordley, their
rents in Oxford, their rents and rights in
Chaddleworth and their rent of five marks
from the church of Henton. 19

Henry III. on 7 March, 1251, confirmed
to Netley Abbey (Sancte Marie de Loco Sancti
Edward!) the site of the monastery with the
lands of Netley, Hound, Wellow, Totton,
Gomshall, Nordley, Kingston Deverel, Wai-
don, Aynsley and Lacton, with rents in
Charleton, Southampton and Southwark, a

13 Charter Roll, 24 Hen. III. No. 34. The
latter part of this charter is faded and torn. See
also Pat. i Rich. II. pt. 4, m. 35.

14 Annales Monastic! (Rolls Series), ii. 323. In
this Peter des Roches is referred to as the founder.

15 Woodward's Hist, of Hants, iii. 365.
1(1 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 211, 286.

17 Ibid. i. 212.

18 Pat. 10 Edw. II. pt. 2,m. i, cited in confir-
mation at that date.

18 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., D. 153, 302.

146

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

hundred acres in Shere manor and the
church there, as well as many liberties and
privileges. A fortnight later the king
granted to the abbey free warren on their
lands in Netley, Hound, Shotteshale, West-
brook and Sholing (Hants), Waddon and
Aynsley (Dorset), and Gomshall and Shere
(Surrey), a weekly market at Hound on
Monday and a two days' fair at Wellow
on the vigil and day of St. Margaret. 1
Henry III. continued his benefactions to
the abbey, and on 24 July, 1253, granted
to it three carucates of land, of 100 acres
each, in the New Forest, with licence to
enclose and cultivate them; and in 1256
he gave special licence to enclose the same
against the king's deer. 8 He also further
granted to the abbey a tun of wine yearly
out of the prisage at Southampton, to be used
for the celebrations in the abbey. Edward I.
instructed the taker of the king's wines at
Southampton in 1276, 1277 and 1280 to
duly supply this wine according to the late
king's charter 3 ; but in 1281 Edward I.
granted 20s. yearly in alms in lieu of the
wine, as the prisage at Southampton was
assigned to Eleanor, the king's mother, as
part of her dower.*

In June, 1290, Abbot Walter de Chesel-
dene, who had just previously been elected,
obtained permission to attend his general
chapter. 6

The taxation of 1291 gives the income
of the abbey in temporalities in the Win-
chester archdeaconry at ij is. ; namely
Netley Grange 2 2s., Wellow Grange ^3,
Raydon Grange jCi, Gomshall Grange 10,
and 195. of rents in Winchester and South-
ampton. At the same time the rectory of
Hound, with its chapel of Netley, was valued
at 6 135. 4<t. the year. The churches of
Shere and Wellow, which were appropriated
to the abbey, were respectively valued at
23 6s. 8J. and 10. The abbot also held
property in Salisbury diocese of the annual
value of 24. is. The total revenue of the
abbey amounted at that time to the sub-
stantial income of 81 2s. 9

1 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., A. 3239 (i).

2 These charters are cited in an inspection and
confirmation of Edward IV. (Pat. i Edw. IV. pt.
6, mm. 26, 25).

3 Close, 4 Edw. I. m. 1 6 ; 5 Edw. I. m. 8.

4 Pat. 10 Edw. I. m. 21.
6 Ibid. 1 8 Edw. I. m. 25.

6 The editors of Dugdale make the curious
mistake of only noticing the first of these items,
and then estimating the income at ' scarcely more
than 17.'

The abbot of Netley was summoned to
the parliaments of 1295, 1296, 1300 and
1302.

On 10 February, 1311, licence for aliena-
tion in mortmain to the abbot and convent
of Netley was obtained by a fine of loos, for
various plots of land in Wellow and Hound,
together with a salt pit in the latter parish. 7
In the following year similar licence was
obtained for two messuages and 45 acres of
land in East Wellow. 8 And in May, 1328,
Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, obtained
licence by a fine of ten marks to alienate to
the abbey in mortmain the Hampshire manor
of Mansbridge of the yearly value of twenty-
four marks. In return for this the abbey was
to find two monks as chaplains to celebrate
daily mass in the abbey church for the souls
of the earl, his ancestors and heirs ; and the
earl was to obtain licence to present two secu-
lar clerks to the abbot for admission as monks,
promotion to the priesthood and appointment
to the said chantries. 9

Notwithstanding this increase of property,
on 25 May of the same year letters of pro-
tection had to be obtained by the request of
the chapter, as the house was burdened with
debt and impoverished by bad government.
At the same time the king appointed John of
Mere to the custody of the abbey, during
pleasure, by whose advice the abbot was to
apply the revenues to the payment of debts.
Meanwhile no minister nor sherifFof the king
nor any other person was to lodge at the
abbey or in any of its granges, or to meddle
with anything thereto belonging, without the
king's consent. 10 It was probably in conse-
quence of their embarrassed position that the
abbey, soon after this date, parted with a con-
siderable share of its property. Letters patent
of January, 1331, confirmed to Henry Darcy
and Hugh Totehill, his brother, a grant made
by Abbot William and the convent of their
mill at Stone and all their possessions in
Laghton, Morthing, Hoton Ker, Torcroft,
Brokehouse and Stone, absolutely, with vil-
leins, chattels and services of free tenants. 11

The abbot and convent again petitioned the
Crown (as a house of royal foundation) for re-
lief in 1338, alleging as one of the causes of
the impoverishment of this estate the situation
of the abbey on the sea coast and the frequent
coming and going of mariners. Letters patent
were consequently granted enabling them to

7 Pat. 4 Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 24.

8 Ibid. 5 Edw. II. pt. I, m. 13.
8 Ibid. 2 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 9.

10 Ibid. pt. 2, m. 32.

11 Ibid. 4 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 17.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

assign to Roger of Petersfield and Henry
Deverel of Netley and their heirs, at an
annual rental of 40, 30 acres of meadow,
no acres of heath and 40 acres of turbary,
together with their fisheries on Terstwood
and Totton, as well as forty bondmen in
villenage in the same towns. 1

The taxation of February, 1341, shows that
the church of Hound, with the chapel of Net-
ley, was endowed with two messuages, a cur-
tilage, a yardland of arable worth i os. yearly ;
the tithes of milk, hay, fish and salt, valued at
13;. ; the oblations on appointed days, IDS. ;
and tithes of gardens, orchards, pigs and mortu-
aries, i is. The ninths of lambs and wool were
that year i os. below the average, because sailors
and others appointed to guard the coast had
robbed the parishioners of sheep and lambs.
The ninths wanted 8s. of their usual value,
as a good part of the corn land was left fal-
low through dread of foreign invasion and the
marauding of the king's sailors. 8 In 1346
Netley was returned as holding half a knight's
fee in Wellow in perpetual alms. 3

On 7 December, 1461, Edward IV.
inspected and confirmed three charters of
Henry III. and letters patent of Richard II. 4

From a butlerage account of 1526 it seems
that the annual payment to Netley Abbey of
a tun of wine for sacramental purposes, out
of the prisage wine of the port of Southamp-
ton, had been resumed in kind ; at all events
in that year Netley was one of the five monas-
teries that received a tun of wine from the
king. 5

In 1529 Thomas Stevens, abbot of Netley,
was summoned to Convocation ; he did not
appear personally, but was represented by the
prior of Breamore. 6

The ominous Thomas Cromwell appears
on the scene in 1533. In December of that
year he wrote to Abbot Thomas, desiring him
to grant his friend John Cooke a new lease
for sixty years, at the old rent, of the farm
called Roydon ; being near the seaside it
would be convenient for Cooke to serve the
king in his office of the Admiralty in those
parts. 7

A royal commission was issued in 1535,
which empowered Thomas, abbot of Forde,
to visit various Cistercian houses, in-
cluding Netley and all those of Winchester
diocese.

1 Pat. 12 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 4.

1 Woodward's Hist, of Hants, iii. 367.

3 feudal Aids, ii. 323.

4 Pat. i Edw. IV. pt. 6, mm. 26, 25.

* Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. iv. 2528.

Ibid. iv. 6047. 7 Ibid. vi. 1502.

The Valor of 1535 estimated the gross re-
venue of Netley Abbey at \ 60 2s. <)^d., whilst
the clear income was only 100 I2s. 8d. ; it
therefore came under the heading of the lesser
monasteries. Being of exempt jurisdiction, no
particulars are given in the return.

On 30 May, 1536, Sir James Worsley and
his brother commissioners presented their re-
port on the religious houses of Hampshire.
Netley is described as 'A hedde house of
Monkes of thordre of Cisteaux, beinge of
large buyldinge and situate upon the Ryvage
of the Sees. To the Kinge's Subjects and
Strangers travelinge the same Sees great Re-
lief and Comforte.' 8 The commissioners esti-
mated its total revenues at i 8 1 2s. 8d. They
found there seven monks, all priests, ' by Ra-
porte of good Religious conversation, whereof
desieren to Contynne Religiar vj, and to have
capacite j.' There were thirty-two other in-
mates, namely ' ij freeres observantes comytted
by the Kinge's highnes,' four waiting servants,
four officers of the household, eleven officials
of the convent, seven hinds and three ' for the
dayery.' The church, mansions and buildings
were in good repair. The lead and bells were
worth 57 ; plate and jewels, 43 2s. lid.;
ornaments, ^39 4*. 8d. ; stuff, 9 35. 4^. ;
corn,io 175.; stocks and stores, 103 13^.4^.
The woods were worth j8 1. The debts of
the house were 42 3*. 4^., but there was
28 5*. owing to the house. 8

The abbey of Netley retained most of its
early endowments, and at the time of its dis-
solution the lands belonging to it were, besides
the site, the manors of Wellow, Totton, Roy-
don, Nordley, Gomshall, Kingston Deverel and
Hound ; and lands and possessions in South-
ampton, West Setley, Mitcomb Regis, Charle-
ton, Shottishale, Sholinge and Shamelhurst. 10

On 3 August, 1536, the king gave to Sir
William Poulett, the comptroller of his house-
hold (two of whose brothers had been the com-
missioners who reported so favourably of this
house in the previous May), the site and build-
ings of the suppressed abbey, together with
the grange, mill and lands in Netley ; the
manor of Hound ; lands and windmill, etc.,
in Hound and Sholing ; the manor of Town-
hill ; lands, etc., in Townhill and Shamel-
hurst ; and the manor of Waddon and the

8 There seems little doubt that the monks of
Netley, as well as those of Quarr, maintained a
light for the guidance of mariners (vide supra,
p. 56).

8 Aug. Off., Certif. of Coll. and Chant.

112.

10 From the first minister's account cited in
Dugdale's MonasAcm, v. 696.

148

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

farm of Aisheley in Dorsetshire. 1 The manor
of Kingston Deverill (Wilts) was bestowed on
Sir Edward Seymour in the following year. 3
The reversion and rent reserved upon a lease
granted in 1502 by Abbot John Burges of
the manor of Gomshall, Surrey, was given in
1538 to Sir Edward Braye. 3 The tithes of
Wellow rectory and land there were granted
in 1539 to Sir Richard Lyster, chief baron. 4
The pointed oval seal, illustrations of which
and the counterseal are given, of the year 1329
represents an abbot, with crozier in right
hand and book in left, standing between four
monks, two on each side. The legend reads :

COMMUNE ABB DE ' LETTEL .

The reverse has a smaller pointed oval
counterseal. The full length abbot has
crozier in right hand and book in left.

Legend : + s' ABB'IS LOCI sci EDWARDI.

ABBOTS OF NETLEY
Robert, 8 1245

Walter de Cheseldene, 1290
William, 9 1311

Henry de Inglesham, 10 1371-4
John Stelhard, 1374-87
Philip de Cornhampton, 11 1387
John de Glocester, 12 after 1396
Richard de Middleton, 13 after 1396
Thomas, 14 1468
John, 15 1475
Thomas, 16 1496
John Burges, 1502
William, 17 1507
John Corne, 18 1516
Thomas Stevens, 19 152936

HOUSE OF CISTERCIAN NUNS

9. THE PRIORY OF WINTNEY

A small priory of Cistercian nuns, dedicated
to the Blessed Virgin and St. Mary Magda-
lene, was founded at Wintney in the twelfth
century. Occasionally its superiors were
termed abbesses. According to the obituary
of the convent calendar, Richard Holte and
Christine his wife, the daughter of Thomas
Cobreth, founded the house and Geoffrey Fitz
Peter the first church towards the end of the
twelfth century. Leland names Roger Cob-
reth and his son Thomas as the founders. 5
Various members of the Cobreth family were
benefactors; and we find that Dame Diana
Cobreth had her heart buried before the high
altar.

In 1234 the temporary church or chapel
of wood was succeeded by a stone church,
which was dedicated on 4 October. 6 Richard
de Herriard was the founder of this church ;
his obit was kept on April 6. Several other
members of that family, who took their name
from an adjacent parish, were also benefactors
of this convent.

Among the Cotton MSS. is a handsome
twelfth century volume in excellent preserva-
tion which belonged to the nuns of Wintney. 7
Its chief contents is the rule of Benedictine

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xi. 38? (3).
* Ibid. xii. 617(1).

3 Ibid. xiii. 646 (39).

4 Aug. Off., Misc. Books, ccx. f. 59.
8 Leland's Collectanea, i. 69.

Cott. MSS. Claud. B. iii.
1 Ibid.

nuns set forth both in Latin and English in
parallel columns. At the end is a fine calen-
dar, in which are entered the names of bene-
factors, prioresses and sisters of the convent ac-
cording to their several obits. This obituary so
mentions six Bishops of Winchester, beginning
with Godfrey de Lucy (1189-1205); two
Bishops of Bath ; six abbots of Reading, be-
ginning with Elias (1200-13); two priors
of Southwick ; and Adam, abbot of Waverley,
1216-29. There are a few entries of the
fifteenth century. Eleven prioresses of Wint-
ney are named, but in no case is any year
given ; they are in calendar order, Emma,
Sabina, Isilia, Clarice, Lucy, Julia, Alice,
Lucy II., Havisia, Cecily and Rose. The last
prioress commemorated in the obituary is
Alice de Dunmore, elected in 1301. There
is also mention of Maud de Quincy, who
founded the dorter.

8 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 212.

9 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., D. 630.

10 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. 38.

11 Cole's MSS.

18 Dugdale's Monasticon, v. 695.
is Ibid.

14 Pat. 7 Edw. IV. pt. i, m. 22.
' 5 Ibid. 15 Edw. IV. pt. I, m. 26.
i 6 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 2724.
" Ibid. D. 815.

18 Ibid. D. 1216.

19 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. iv. 6047.

20 This obituary was printed, though with many
mistakes, by Thomas Hearne in 1729, among the
notes to Trokelowe's AnnalesEdwardill. pp. 384-

93-

149

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In 1 302 Bishop Pontoise visited the house, 1
and in 1308 the official of the diocese, Peter
de Grunmill, issued a mandate to the convent
citing them to a visitation by Bishop Wood-
lock.* No injunctions followed the visita-
tions of 1302 or 1308, so that the inference
may be fairly drawn that neither bishop found
any cause of complaint. Bishop Woodlock
held another visitation of Wintney in De-
cember, 1315, and in the following January
he sent a series of injunctions of the usual
kind as to stricter observance of their rule to
the convent as the result of the visit.* On
14 May, 1316, only a few weeks before his
death, Bishop Woodlock received a letter
from Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury, as
to the reports that had reached him concern-
ing the nuns of Wintney and the decay of
their house. The archbishop stated in his
letter that through negligence and bad ad-
ministration the affairs of the house were re-
duced to such a state that it might altogether
collapse unless staying hands speedily inter-
vened, inasmuch as the nuns, vowed to
abandon a secular life, were dispersing them-
selves in the world because no proper provision
was made for their food. The archbishop
urged his suffragan to take prompt action to
correct and reform these abuses, and to recall
the scattered flock. 4 Immediately on receipt
of the primate's letter, namely on 16 May,
the bishop issued a commission to Master
Gilbert de Middleton, canon of St. Paul's and
vicar-general of the diocese, associating with
him Master Andrew de Bruges, canon of
Chichester, who frequently acted as bishop's
official, and Master Stephen de Dene, rector
of Abbotstone, to hold a visitation at Wintney,
with full power to correct and to amend
whatever was amiss. 5 Meanwhile Bishop
Woodlock died on 28 June, and commissions
of his appointment ceased to be valid. The
archbishop evidently thought the scandal of
the dispersion of the Cistercian nuns of Wint-
ney a grave and urgent matter, and on 20
July, during the vacancy of the see, he issued
a commission to Andrew de Bruges and three
others with full powers to visit the nunnery
and to inquire, correct, reform and punish the
excesses of delinquents. 6 There is possibly
some degree of excuse to be found for the
deplorable condition of the Wintney convent
and the lack of food for the inmates, when it
is recollected that a most grievous famine

Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 23.
Ibid. Woodlock, f. 85. 3 Ibid. f. 197.

Cant. Archiep. Reg., Reynold, f. 39b.
Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 206.
Cant. Archiep. Reg., Reynold, f. n/b.

afflicted England in 1315 and continued for
three years.

This action seems to have led to a better
state of affairs, and, for the assistance of the
house, letters of protection for the goods and
crops of the prioress and nuns for one year
were granted on 6 February, I32I. 7

In 1367 Bishop Wykeham licensed the
prioress of Wintney to receive Beatrice Pay-
nell as a paying guest. 8 The licence, without
which, according to the Benedictine rule, no
visitor even on payment could be entertained,
describes Beatrice as a woman devoted to God
and honourable, and sister to Sir John Foxley,
a neighbour, a friend, and favourably inclined
to the prioress, at whose special request the
permission was granted. The licence, dated
20 December, was to permit Beatrice's resi-
dence at Wintney until the next feast of St.
John Baptist. Sir John Foxley lived at
Bramshill, about four miles from the priory ;
he was the son of Thomas Foxley, constable
of Windsor Castle, under whose directions
Wykeham had been in his earlier days. Both
father and son were among the bishop's most
intimate friends, and he was doubtless glad of
the opportunity of serving Sir John's sister. 9

Bishop Wykeham licensed John Lydezorde,
rector of Elvetham (a parish adjoining the
priory) in April, 1380, as confessor to the
prioress and nuns. 10

In 1398 the prior of Christchurch was ap-
pointed to collect throughout the diocese the
second moiety of the tenth voted by convo-
cation, with the sole exemption of the priory
of Wintney. 11 A like exemption was made
in favour of this priory when another moiety
of a tenth was being collected in January,
1404. It is there stated that Wintney was
exonerated from the payment because it is a
house of poor nuns heavily encumbered. It
is also stated that the appropriation of the
church of Herriard by the priory in Bishop
Orlton's time was permitted for a like reason. 12

In April, 1404, the bishop commissioned
John Elmere, one of his two recently ap-
pointed coadjutors, and Robert Ketone, his
chancellor, to visit the priory. 13

On 1 6 October, 1420, an inventory was
taken of the goods pertaining to the frater in
consequence of the death of Alice Preston,
who was in charge of the hall. The goods

7 Pat. 1 4 Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 21.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 23.

9 Moberly's Life of Wykeham, 21,22.

Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. iS^b.
11 Ibid. iii. f. 300.
13 Ibid. f. 361.
13 Ibid. f. 394.

150

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

were two worn tapestry hangings for the
wall at the back of the high table ; two choice
seat cushions ; fifteen table napkins ; four
tablecloths of Paris work ; two linen table-
cloths ; ten hand towels ; a worn basin at the
lavatory ; a pewter salt-cellar ; and two latten
and one pewter candlesticks. 1

Wintney was visited on 3 April, 1501, by
Dr. Hede, commissary of the prior of Canter-
bury. Anne Thomas, the prioress, stated that
the income of the house was 50, that on
entering into office the house was in debt
20 marks, 1 5 of which had been paid ; Joan
Swayne, sacrist, testified that in the time of
the former prioress a certain blank form * of
charter under the common seal was given to
the vicar of Herriard without the knowledge
of the sisters. 3

On 7 April, 1534, Henry, Marquis of
Exeter, wrote to Cromwell, understanding
that the election of the prioress of Wintney
was in his hands, begging that he would give
it to his wife's kinswoman ; she was well able
to execute the office, and would fully content
the king in all his wishes. 4

The first commissioners appointed by the
king to survey the religious houses of Hants
were far too favourable and apparently honest
in their views to give any satisfaction to the
intending spoilers. On 23 May, 1536, Sir
James Worsley and John Poulet, George
Poulet and William Berners reported that
they had visited the priory of Wintney, ' a
hedde house of nuns, order of Cisteaux.'
They estimated its annual value at ^52 5*. 8d.
and found there ten nuns, ' by reporte of
good conversation, which trooly desieren to
contynue in the same religion.' The other
inmates were two priests, a waiting servant,
thirteen hinds, nine woman servants, and two
' corediers ' with their two servants. The
church and mansion were in good repair save
the tiling, but the kitchen and brewhouse
were in great decay. The lead and bells
were worth ^28 is. ^d.; the plate and jewels,
^35 os. iod.; the ornaments, ^52 in. 6d. ;
stuff, ^13 os. 6d.; grain of all kinds, 16
igs. 8d.; stocks and stores, 114 4*. 6d. ; and
woods, ^42 131. lod. There was also the
sum of jz 1 6s. owing to the house. 9

On 24 September, 1536, Cromwell's amen-
able tools and commissioners, Dr. Legh and

1 This inventory is on the back of the first folio
of Cott. MS. Claud, B. iii.

a Quedam pecia pergamene vac 1 . 'A blank'

3 Sede Vaeante Register, Christ Church, Canter-
bury.

4 Cott. MS. Vesp. F. xiii. 97.

8 Aug. Off., Certif. ofChantries and Colleges, 112.

John Ap-Rice, were at Wintney, and wrote
to their master from the priory. 6 The actual
surrender took place on 22 July, I536. 7

In August, 1536, Sir William Poulet,
comptroller of the king's household and
brother of two of the commissioners of May,
1536, obtained a grant of the site and lands
of the monastery lately held by Elizabeth
Martyn as prioress of Wintney. 8

In May, 1538, the king granted to Richard
Hill and Elizabeth his wife the house and
site of the dissolved priory of Wintney, with
the church, steeple and churchyard of the
same, the manor and rectory of Hartley
Wintney and all lands pertaining of the an-
nual value of 26 \\s. <)d. y at an annual
rental of 53*. 6d. 9

An undated letter of Richard Poulet, of
the year 1538, to Mr. Hill, sergeant of the
king's cellar, ordered him, in the name of the
king's commissioners, to cease to deface any
of the buildings of the late priory of Wintney
besides those which the king had given him,
which were only the cloister and the dorter. 10

PRIORESSES OF WINTNEY

Lucy, 1225

Cecily, 1294

Lucy II., 1294-

Alice de Dunmore, 11 1301

Christiane, died 1329

Alice Westcott, 12 1329-36

Camina de Mareys, 13 1336

Emma de Wynterburn, 14 1349

Alice Fyshill, resigned 1414

Joan Bunbury, 16 1414

Eleanor Squerell, 1452

Alice Somerset, 16 1452-60

Petronilla Pigeon, 17 1460

Anne Thomas, 18 1497

Elizabeth Martyn, about 1536 19
In addition to the above names we have in
the obituary of the priory the following who
are entered as having been prioresses, but
without date or order : Sabina, Isilia, Clarissa,
Julia, Cecily, Hawisia and Rose.

8 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. ix. 423, 424,.

7 Aug. Off., Misc. Books, cccc. 23.

8 Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. xi. 385 (3).

9 Pat. 30 Hen. VIII. pt. I, m. 16.

10 Letters and Papers, Hen. YIll. xiii. 1 292.

11 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 23.

12 Ibid. Stratford, f. 115.

13 Ibid. Orlton, ii. f. 46b.

u Ibid. Edingdon, i. f. S4b. .
15 Ibid. Beaufort, f. 50.
18 Ibid. Waynflete, f. s8b.

17 Ibid. f. I02b.

18 Tanner's Notitia, xiii.

19 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xi. 385(3).

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

HOUSES OF AUSTIN CANONS

10. PRIORY OF CHRISTCHURCH,

TWYNEHAM

The secular canons of the Church of the
Holy Trinity, Twyneham, had large holdings
in Hampshire at the time of the Survey,
which they held in the time of Edward the
Confessor. These possessions consisted of 5
hides and a virgate in Christchurch Twyne-
ham, a hide in the Isle of Wight, Bortel
Bashley in Milton, and 8 acres in Audret in
the New Forest Hundred, together with cer-
tain tithes in Christchurch, Twyneham, and
Holdenhurst. 1 The establishment consisted
of twenty-four canons, who served their own
minster as well as the churches of Herne,
Burton and Preston. One of them, by name
Godric, was regarded as their head ; but, like
Southwell Minster throughout its history,
the canons did not recognize any one as
dean (of which name even, as the chronicle
says, they were ignorant), but regarded
Godric as the elder and father of their house-
hold. They were accustomed to divide the
mass offerings and the profits from the churches
under their control after an approved and
equitable manner. Meanwhile, Ranulph
Flambard, of infamous memory, obtained
from the king a grant of the church and
town, coveting the possession, as the chronicler
states, because the minster was so prolific in
miracles, and hence abounded in treasures
and relics. He beguiled the canons into
allowing him to appropriate all their incomes,
saving a bare sustenance, in order to build a
greater church. He pulled down the old
church (primitivam ecclesiam), and nine other
churches, or rather chapels, that stood within
the surrounding churchyard. As Godric and
ten of the other canons successively died,
Ranulph suppressed their prebends, and is
said to have applied the income to the church
building.

With the death of the Red King came the
downfall of Ranulph Flambard, who was
imprisoned, and, escaping, fled the kingdom.
He died on 5 September, 1128. The min-
ster of Twyneham, with its poor remnant of
five canons, was granted to Gilbert de Dous-
gunels on the overthrow of Ranulph. He
restored, as much as was possible, the old
order of services, and continued the building
of the church and canonical houses. When
all was finished, Gilbert set out for Rome to
obtain licence for the due refounding of the
house, but died on the return journey.

1 r. C.H.Hants, \. 476.

152

Meanwhile Henry I. gave the manor,
town and church of Twyneham to his
cousin, Richard de Redvers, and Richard
persuaded one of his barons, Roger del Estre,
to give to the canons his manor of Apse in
the Isle of Wight. A clerk, Peter de Oglander,
about the same time gave the manor of King-
wood, and the parishioners of Twyneham
agreed to pay their tithes to the canons.
Then Richard de Redvers appointed Peter
de Oglander dean over the canons, and gave
him the church of Twyneham and all its
privileges, which Ranulph and Gilbert, the
deans, had held, with all the possessions, to
wit, the towns of Herne, the land of Bortel,
Stanpit, Huborne, Stroud and Duslecompa,'
and the two Prestons, Apse, Hampstead,
Ningwood in the Isle of Wight, and certain
churches and chapels. 2

Ralph was the next dean of Twyneham,
and he was succeeded by Hilary, a clerk of
Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester.

Baldwin de Redvers, Earl of Devon, con-
firmed to Dean Hilary and the canons, in a
long charter, all "the lands and liberties, and
all the privileges they enjoyed, which in-
cluded the town school. They were to have
tithe of wreck happening in the de Redvers
fee except great fish, a fishery for their ser-
vants, save the salmon fishing at the junction
of the Avon and Stour, and were entitled to
the first salmon of the season. They could
also claim two cartloads of fuel daily, and a
hundred cartloads of peat annually for use in
the kitchen, provided they had not a sufficient
supply in their own lands, and certain rights
in the market at Christchurch. 8

2 Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. (printed in Dugdale's
Monasticon, vi. 304). This first chartulary of the
Priory of Twyneham, compiled in 1312, was
much injured in the fire that destroyed so much
of the Cotton library, but has been cunningly re-
stored and mounted, and is now for the most part
legible. It consists of 310 large folios bound in
two volumes. Some charters of a later date have
been inserted, the latest being of the year 1459.
The account of the foundation of the priory, and
of the canonical church which preceded it (ff. 193,
194), has been printed in Dugdale. Strange to
say, the larger Dugdale (1830) states that this
chartulary was lost in the Cottonian fire of 1731.
Richard de Redvers' charter is copied on f. 1 33.
There are five pages of excerpts from another
chartulary of this priory in Cott. MS. Claud. A.
viii., but they are of no special importance.

3 Cited in Pat. 3 Hen. V. pt. 2, m. 3 (printed
in Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 304).

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

In the year 1150, Dean Hilary (who had
been consecrated Bishop of Chichester in
1142), in conjunction with the Bishop of
Winchester, petitioned Richard de Redvers
to turn the house into a priory of canons
regular of St. Austin. With the sanction of
Baldwin, Earl of Devon, Richard's father,
this was accomplished. 1 Reginald was placed
at its head as the first prior, and the house
was termed Christchurch. It was arranged
that the secular canons should receive their
prebends for life, subject to good conduct and
obedience to the prior. Those in charge of
churches or chapels pertaining to the priory
were not to be disturbed in their benefices ;
on their death no hereditary claim of parents
or others was to be admitted, but the canons
were to provide for the due service of the
churches. On their establishment as a priory
further charters were granted both by Baldwin
and Richard de Redvers.*

Reginald ruled as first prior of Christchurch
for thirty-six years. Ralph, second prior,
was elected in 1186 ; he died in 1195, and
was buried in the chapter-house.

The date of the consecration of the high
altar and the altar of St. Stephen gives the
time of the completion of the quire of the
great church. On 29 December, 1195, the
altar of the Saviour, the high altar of the
canons, was dedicated by Rainald, Bishop of
Ross, 3 in which altar there were deposited
the following relics : fragments from the
place in which our Lord was born, from the
manger in which He was placed and of His
cradle, from the place where His feet stood,
from Gethsemane and from the place of
lamentation ; also parts of the cloth in
which the cross of Christ was wrapped, and
parts of His sepulchre.

On the same day and year the same bishop
dedicated the altar of St. Stephen. The re-
lics that were placed in this altar were
bones of Saints Stephen, Lawrence, Victor,
Blasius, Hypolytus, and part of the hair shirt,
of the sandals and the cowl of St. Thomas
of Canterbury. 4

It would appear, from the date of altar
dedications, that the building of the nave of
the great church was not finished until about
1234-

1 Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. pt. i. f. 1 3b.

2 There are two lists of the twenty-six priors
of this house given in the chartulary, pt. ii. ff.
3b, I34b. Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 302, only
gives eight.

3 Rainald or Reginald, Bishop of Ross, was con-
secrated 119; and died 1215.

4 Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. pt. ii. f. 149^

On 12 November, 1214, the altar of the
Holy Trinity, which was the parochial altar
in the nave, was dedicated by Walter, Bishop
of Whitherne (120925). The relics placed
in the altar included parts of the manger, the
sepulchre and the table of our Lord. On the
same day the same bishop also dedicated the
altar of the apostles Peter and Paul. The
relics included bones of both those saints, and
of St. Bartholomew and the Holy Innocents.
At the same time a third altar was dedicated
to the honour of St. Augustine. The relics
enclosed were some of the hair of St. Bernard,
some of the bones of St. Columba, part of
the girdle of St. Peter, part of the wood of
St. Martial, and part of the girdle of
St. Malachy. On 7 December of the same
year an altar was dedicated by the same
bishop to the honour of St. John Baptist.
The relics placed therein were exceedingly
numerous, and included parts of the vesture
and robe of our Lord ; part of the vestments
of the blessed Virgin ; bones of St. John
Baptist and of Sts. Peter and Paul ; some of
the blood of St. Stephen ; bones of Sts.
Lawrence, Blasius, Victor, Vincent, Alban,
Hippolytus, Polycarp, Urban, Chrysogonus,
and Holy Innocents ; bones of the martyrs
and confessors, Martin, Julian, Simplicius,
and Joseph of Arimathea ; some of the oil
of St. Nicholas, monk of Rome ; and bones
of the virgin saints, Agnes, Alice, Lucy,
Julianna, Perpetua, Margaret, Agatha, Barbara,
Beatrice and Martha. On the same day and
year the same bishop dedicated a third altar
to the honour of St. Edmund, placing therein
some bones of Sts. Peter, Lawrence, Blasius,
Hippolytus and King Oswald. 5

In 1221, Nicholas, Bishop of the Isles, 6
dedicated an altar to the honour of St. Michael
the Archangel. The relics were remarkably
numerous, and included portions of the manger
and cradle of our Lord, and of the stone upon
which our Lord stood when speaking in the
Temple ; fragments from Gethsemane, from
the Sepulchre and from Mount Sion ; part of
the vesture of the blessed Virgin ; some of
the bones of St. Columba; parts of the chasuble
and altar-pall of St. Remigius, and part of
the shroud in which he rested 400 years; and
a piece of the sepulchre of St. Anne, the
mother of the Virgin.

At the same time Bishop Nicholas dedi-

5 Ibid. vi. f. I49b.

6 ' Episcopo Insu/ari.' Possibly this was Nicholas
of Meaux, Abbot of Furness, Bishop of the Isle of
Man ; see Stubbs' Rfgistrum Sacrum Anglicanum,
pp. 210-1 (2nd edit.).

153

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

cated another altar to the honour of St. Mar-
tin, the relics of which are not enumerated. 1

Whilst Peter was prior, the house had re-
peatedly to entertain an expensive and doubt-
less unwelcome guest. King John tarried at
Christchurch, sometimes for two or three
days, in the years 1200, 1204, 1205, 1206,
1208, 1210, 1212 and 1215.* In January,
1216, the king confirmed to the canons the
gift of the manor of Fleet.

By an undated grant Prior Nicholas assigned
to the Abbot of Quarr land called ' la Gore '
in the manor of Apse, Isle of Wight, and a
yearly rent from the same manor ; in return
for which the abbot granted to the prior and
convent of Twyneham all the lands in the
manor of Fleet, which he had of the gift of
Hawise de Redvers. 3

The chartulary supplies minute particulars
as to the receipts and expenses of the different
manors pertaining to the priory, as well as
customaries, about the year 1270. An entry
of that date gives particulars of the synodals
paid to the bishop and procurations to the
archdeacon, on behalf of different churches
and chapels, by the sacrist of the priory. In
synodals the payment was 4*. \\d. ; namely
the church of Twyneham and the chapel of
Milton, each \$d. ; and the chapels of Holden-
hurst, Winkton and Haytokesle, 7\d. each ;
whilst the archdeacon received 22*. 4^.,
being Js. $^d. from each of the three churches
of Twyneham, Hope and Milford. 4

The taxation of 1291 returned the annual
value of the temporalities of the priory in
Hampshire at 35 171. 2d., whilst the rec-
tory of Twyneham and chapels were esti-
mated at 36 135. 4</. In the diocese of
Salisbury they held temporalities to the annual
value of 32 3*. 4^., with ^4 from the rec-
tory of Fleet, and a pension of ^i from the
church of Iwerneminster and the chapel of
Hinton.

Prior Mawry died in 1302 ; his sepulchral
slab is still to be seen in the south aisle of the
quire. On 3 April the royal assent to the
election of William Quyntyn as eleventh
prior was signified to the bishop, and he was
duly installed. The temporalities were re-
stored on 1 6 April. 6

In November of the same year Peter de

1 Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. f. 150.

2 John's Itinerary, Introduction to Patent Rolls
(i 201-16), vol. i.

8 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O. i. B. 91.

* Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. pt. ii. f. 131.

6 Pat. 30 Edw. I. mm. 27, 24. There is a
fall transcript of all the formalities in Pontissera's
Register, f. 34.

Donewyco, the king's clerk, was appointed
to act in conjunction with the sheriffs of
Sussex, Hants, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucester,
Devon and Cornwall, to induce the bailiff's
and good men of various towns to send ships
furnished with men and necessaries to be ready
to set forth by the feast of the Ascension against
the Scots, at the king's wages. Twenty-five
was the total of the ships demanded from
these shores ; Southampton was to send two,
Portsmouth and Gosport one jointly, and
Yarmouth and Lymington another jointly.
Only three ships were to be supplied at the
expense of the religious houses of this dis-
trict, which embraced the whole of the west
of England. The abbot of Battle was to
supply one, the alien sea-coast houses of
Hamble and St. Helen's another, and the
prior of Christchurch a third. 6 This may
be taken as a proof of the importance and
supposed wealth of this priory, but it was an
honour with which the canons would gladly
have dispensed.

In 1306 a mandate was issued by Bishop
Woodlock interdicting John de Warham,
sub-prior of Christchurch, from leaving the
monastery, and in quire and chapter he was
to be on a level with the rest of the canons. 7
This bishop visited the priory in 1310, on
the Thursday after the feast of St. Benedict. 8
His register contains no adverse decrees.

It was during Prior Quyntyn's term of
office, viz. in 1312, that the very elaborate
chartulary of the priory's evidences and pos-
sessions was drawn up, which is in itself a
proof of vigorous temporal administration.

The priory was renowned for the amount
of its alms to the poor. On each of the
anniversaries of Richard de Redvers the
elder, of Adeliza his mother, of Hadewise his
daughter, of Richard his son, and of Baldwin,
William and Baldwin, Earls of Devon ; of
Lady Joan de Briwere, of Bishop Henry de
Blois, of Roger Martel, of Adeline of
Stampit, and of the priors Reginald and
Nicholas, after solemn high mass for the
benefactors, forty poor persons received a loaf
of bread, a pottle of beer, and a dish from
the kitchen. On the anniversaries of Isabel
de Fortibus, Countess of Devon ; of Nicholas
de Lakinges, sub-dean of Sarum ; and of
Walter de Herford, the mason, one hundred
poor folk were similarly entertained ; on the
anniversary of Ralph Bardolph, sixty poor ;
and on the anniversary of Richard de Ores-
tull, who gave to the priory the church and

6 Pat. 30 Edw. I. m. 2.

7 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, ff. 53b, 56.

8 Ibid. ff. 146, 161.

154

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

mill of Stourpayne, fourteen poor. On the
anniversaries of other priors, thirty loaves and
thirty gallons of beer were distributed. The
total anniversary distributions to the poor for
each year amounted at that time to 1,354
loaves, 467 gallons of beer and 934 dishes
from the kitchen, in addition to broth (pota-
gium).

Up to Prior Quyntyn's time four black (rye)
loaves and four dishes were distributed on the
anniversary of a canon ; but Quyntyn further
directed that on the death of a canon 100
loaves should be given to the poor, fifty on
the obit and fifty on the morrow, the former
from the almonry and the latter from the
cellarage. It was further enjoined that for
the year the deceased canon's corrody in the
frater should be given to the poor.

On the anniversaries of Mabel, Countess
of Devon, and of Hadewyse, daughter of
Baldwin the elder, 6s. 8d. was divided among
forty poor folk. On the anniversary of Peter,
Bishop of Winchester, 5*. worth of bread was
distributed at the gates ; and on the anni-
versary of Edward of Porchester 50*. was
divided among one hundred poor. 1

Every day two masses were said in the
priory church for benefactors, one of our
Lady and one of the Holy Ghost. At the
beginning of each month there was a special
solemn mass for the souls of friends and bene-
factors. The year's total of masses, in addi-
tion to the regular mattin mass and high
mass and private masses, was i,468. 2

In the year 1316 Prior Quyntyn's health
began to fail. He was an old man, for at the
time of his death he had been a canon of
the house for fifty-nine years. In consequence
of his age and feebleness, Bishop Sandale
granted him a dispensation, dated 30 Novem-
ber, 1316, for meat in Advent. 3 He died in
April, 1317, and the convent elected Walter
Tydolneshide, one of the canons, in his place. 4
On 14 August, 1319, Bishop Sandale cited
the prior and convent to appear at his forth-
coming visitation of the priory. 5 As this
visitation is not followed by any decrees,
it may be presumed that everything was
satisfactory. In October of the same year
the priory was ordered by the bishop to
receive Stephen de Stapelbrugge, a brother
of the late order of the Temple, in his first
tonsure. 6

1 Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. pt. ii. ff. 32, 33b.

2 Ibid. f. 32b.

s Winton Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. I.

* Ibid. f. lib.

Ibid. f. 33b.

Ibid. f. 34b (vide supra, p. 27).

155

On 30 April, 1324, Bishop Stratford wrote
a letter of monition to the prior as to the
grave excesses of John de Sandon, one of the
canons, but no particulars are given. 7 In the
following year Canon Thomas de Montague
was excommunicated for laying violent hands
on John Wastour, clerk ; but the bishop
absolved him by commission. 8 A visitation
was held by the bishop in January, 1327, and
various articles of reformation were forwarded
to the prior at the end of the month. These
articles dealt with the attendance at the offices
of all save the obedientaries, steward and
cellarer ; the number of masses at particular
altars ; the appointment by the prior of four
confessors for the monastery ; the observing
of silence, and that talk at permitted times
should be in Latin or French, and on no
account in English ; the custody of the doors
of the cloisters, etc. ; a bell for each service ;
abstinence and dietary ; money affairs and
the steward ; the custody of the seal ; pro-
hibition of games of chess and dice; prohibi-
tion of keeping hounds save by the prior,
according to custom, if he desires it ; and the
prohibition of writing letters or causing them
to be written, without leave from the prior or
sub-prior. The bishop also enjoined on the
prior to finish the new cloister with all
despatch. 9 There was evidently much criti-
cism in the priory of this decree that covered
so wide an area of conventual discipline.
News of this talk reached the bishop, and on
30 July, 1328, he ordered an inquiry to be
held as to certain canons defaming their
diocesan in connection with his recent
visitation and forwarded a citation asking for
names. 10

On i January, 1328, the prior of Christ-
church was ordered to appear before the
king at York, on Monday after the Purifi-
cation, to answer for his contempt in not
obeying the king's late order to come to him
to treat of certain of his affairs. 11

Bishop Stratford inhibited the prior on
19 November, 1331, from celebrating in
the chapel of St. Katharine on the Hill of
Rishton, constructed on the soil of the
priory, on account of the lack of certain
formalities. Licence for celebrations in the
chapel was not granted until i February,
I 3 32. 18

In January 1333 restitution was made by

7 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 46.

8 Ibid. f. I3b.

9 Ibid. f. 179.

10 Ibid. ff. 39b, 40.

11 Close, i Edw. III. pt. 2, m. zd.

18 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, ff. 63b, 68.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

the Crown to Prior Edmund, in mortmain, of
the advowson and lordship of the house of St.
Leonard, Rishton, by Palmersbridge, on pay-
ment of a fine of ten marks. The original
grant of the premises had been made by
Elias Deverel without the licence of Edward I.,
and the king, in consideration of the fine
made by the present prior, pardoned the
trespass committed by his predecessor, Prior
Quyntyn, in entering upon the premises
without licence. 1

On 9 February, 1337, Bishop Orlton visited
Christchurch and preached in the chapter
house from the text, l Aicendmtt *Jesu in
navicu/am, secuti sunt eum discipuli ejus.' *

In the following month Prior Edmund
died, and the convent, with the consent of
their patron, William Montague, Earl of
Salisbury, elected Richard de Bustehorne as
their fourteenth prior. 3 There was clearly
some great irregularity about this prior, for in
July, 1337, after a rule of only a few months,
the bishop ordered the sub-prior to administer
the affairs of the priory, and appointed a
commission to inquire into and punish the
excesses noted in his late visitation. 4 The
bishop held another visitation in July J339- 6

During the previous voidance of the
priory on the death of Prior Edmund, the
Crown ordered Ralph de Middleneye, the
escheator, not to meddle further in the
manors of Piddleton, Little Piddle, Bernardsley,
and Fleet, co. Dorset, removing the king's
hands and restoring the issue. The king
had granted to William Montague and his
wife the castle and manor of Christchurch,
and the escheator had considered that the
custody of the priory (which was appurtenant
to the castle and manor) pertained to the
king during a vacancy, and had not per-
mitted the sub-prior and convent to inter-
meddle with it. For this action the zealous
escheator was reprimanded. 8

In March 1342 licence for alienation in
mortmain was obtained on payment of the
heavy fine of twenty-four marks, by William
Everard and Elizabeth his wife, of a mes-
suage, 60 acres of land, 4^ acres of meadow
and 71*. zd. of rents in Odeknolle, South-
welbergh and Eccinswell, to find a canon
of the priory as chaplain to celebrate at the
altar of St. Andrew in the parish church of
Twyneham for their good estate and their

1 Pat. 7 Edw. III. pt. i, mm. 15, 13.

2 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. 50.
8 Ibid. f. 53 ; and chartulary lists.

* Ibid. f. 56b.
6 Ibid. f. 77b.
6 Close, II Edw. III. pt. i, m. 17.

souls after death, and for the ancestors and
heirs of Elizabeth, and also a wax light to
burn before the altar on the five feasts of Our
Lady, from the beginning of first vespers to
the end of second vespers. The chaplain
was to be paid 131. 4^. beyond what other
canons received, to celebrate the anniversary
of William and Elizabeth as was usual for a
founder of the house, to transmit the obits to
every religious house of the same order in
England, as was wont to be done for a de-
ceased canon, and to distribute early on the
days of the obit and anniversary, bread and
beer and a dish from the kitchen to sixty poor
persons of the town of Twyneham. 7

From a relaxation of penance enjoined on
the canons of Christchurch at a recent visita-
tion, dated 23 May, 1343, we learn that
Bishop Orlton must have held another
visitation shortly before this date. 8

By the feudal aid of 1346, it appears that
the prior of Christchurch held a quarter of a
knight's fee in Whippingham and a twelfth
part in Delbourne. 9

In 1359 Prior Henry made a most interest-
ing and precise statement before the bishop's
official as to the vicarage of Twyneham,
giving the value of all the numerous payments
in kind, and citing the original ordination of
the vicarage and its augmentation in 1312.
It was stated that the annual value of the
corrody for the vicar and his servant came to
jio 145. The vicar received weekly seven
loaves of convent bread, 3^. ; twenty-one
gallons of good beer, 2id. ; and a daily dish
from the kitchen, 14^. His servant received
fourteen loaves (one of oats and one of barley,
daily), l\d. ; three gallons of beer, ^\d. ; and
dishes from the kitchen at \d. per day, $\d.
He received for his horse a share of a meadow
worth 131. 4<f., and oats worth $s. He was
also paid a salary of IOJ., as well as "id. every
Sunday and a candle worth id. As to
offerings, there was a population of 2,000 at
Christchurch, and the confession offerings of
one penny were estimated at 411. 8^., showing
that a fourth were expected to be of age for
that sacrament ; and the pennies at burial
masses, purifications and marriages were
estimated at 10. The parish also gave the
vicar ten quarters of oats valued at 165. 8d.
The rental value of the vicar's manse was
13*. 4^., and it was repaired by the priory ;
so that the profits beyond the corrody were
worth 1 5 13;. a year. The vicar had no
synodal or procuration burdens, nor had he

7 Pat. 16 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 32.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. i zob.

9 feudal Aids, ii. 337,340.

156

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

to find books, vestments, wax, bread or wine.
He also received ten loads of peat yearly,
worth 3.5. \d. ; half a quarter of barley a day,
8s. 8d. ; a robe once a year, 201. ; in pence,
y. ifd. ; legacies, 6d. Moreover, the vicar
had wine on the greater and double feasts and
some other occasions, which was worth on
the average 351. 4^. The prior estimated
the total value of the vicar's portion at the
then large sum of ,21 2s. iod. 1

Prior Henry's eyesight began to fail him
in 1367, and at last his blindness increased to
such an extent that he was unable to discharge
either the spiritual or temporal functions of
his office. In January, 1368, the bishop
formally enjoined the prior to provide himself
within six days with a coadjutor. He nom-
inated Peter Travers, a canon of the house ;
the bishop in sanctioning and confirming this
appointment in the following June described
the prior as wholly deprived, by the will of
the Most High, of the sight of both eyes. 2

About this time one of the brethren, John
Cossham, absconded and assumed a secular
garb. On expressing his penitence, he was
absolved by the bishop and sent back with a
letter to the prior and convent ordering his
readmission with suitable discipline. The
prior however refused to admit him, alleging
that he had been a sower of tares among
them, as well as guilty of a diversity of
crimes. The bishop replied, expressing his
fear of losing a soul, and formally citing the
prior and convent to show cause why the
penitent brother should not be readmitted.*

On 21 March, 1360, Wykeham addressed
a long and serious remonstrance to Sir William
Montague, second Earl of Salisbury, for
quartering his people on the canons of Christ-
church. The prior had complained to the
bishop that the earl, sometimes for a year and
sometimes for half a year, was in the habit of
occupying all the houses of the priory with
his whole household of both sexes, to the
great oppression and considerable disturbance
of the religious, and that his servants kept the
keys of the houses in the earl's absence. He
was further charged by the prior with causing
the convent and their representatives to be
treated unfairly at the hundred and manorial
courts. Moreover, the prior had in the past
kindly permitted a bridge to be made for the
entry and exit of the Lady Katharine, his
mother, now deceased, for her quiet and
honourable use ; but that now it was giving
rise to scandals to religion and to the house.

1 Cott. MS. Tib. D. vi. pt. ii. ff. 228b, 229.

2 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. ff. ^b, loa.

3 Ibid. iii. f. ja.

The bishop reminded the earl that he was
as patron of the monastery not to subject it to
a military thraldom, nor to oppress it, but
rather to defend it from all attacks, and
concluded with a strong appeal to his sense of
religion and charity of heart to cease all this
oppression and wrongdoing, and formally
cited him to remove his family from the
houses of the priory before the Feast of the
Holy Trinity next ensuing. 4

In April 1386 Prior Wodenham received
a mandate from Bishop Wykeham, directing
him to censure severely, and to canonically
punish for any further offence, those canons
who disobeyed the claustral prior. 6 In the
following year a commission was directed by
the bishop to John Sydeforde, the official, and
another, to visit Christchurch amongst other
priories. 6

In February 1402 there was a grievous
rebellion in the priory. Seven of the canons,
Roger Milton, John Andrew, John Manere,
Thomas Portlande, John Wymborne,
Thomas Snoke, and Thomas Corf, animated
by a devilish spirit, entered into a conspiracy
binding themselves by an oath on the Blessed
Sacrament violently to eject the prior and
their other superiors, and afterwards made an
apostate flight, taking with them after a
sacrilegious and furtive manner, certain goods
and valuables of the priory. The bishop
commissioned John Elmore, the official, and
Robert Keeton, to inquire into the matter
and report. The commissioners held the
inquiry, associating with themselves the
priors of two other Austin houses, Mottisfont
and St. Denis, as assessors. They found all
the accused, except Snoke, guilty and
deserving of deprivation, but proceeded to
modify their sentences. Milton, who is
described by them as the ringleader and an
intolerable whisperer of slander and a
scandalous mischief-maker, as well as a thief
of conventual goods, was sentenced to
removal to another priory in the diocese,
there to undergo penance. Manere, who is
called a man of great astuteness, dangerous,
and given to contumely, and the counsellor of
Andrew, himself an evil man, received a like
sentence ; they were both to be kept in
solitary confinement. The others were
sentenced to penance (solitary confinement)
in their own priory, and were disqualified for
holding any office for two years. These
sentences were pronounced on 1 3 March, but
on 22 March the bishop revised the sentences

* Ibid. f. 8b.

* Ibid. f. Z22.

6 Ibid. Wykehara, f. 229.

157

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

on Portlande, Wymborne and Corfe, namely
that they were to be strictly confined to the
cloister and not suffered to speak to any
secular person until Michaelmas ; to receive
discipline openly from the president in
chapter every Friday up to the Feast of the
Holy Trinity ; to receive discipline humbly
and devoutly from the whole convent on the
first Friday after this sentence ; to leave
their stalls in the quire for the like time and
to sit with the servants and novices ; and to
take their share of the menial work ; and for
a whole year after this sentence to fast on
Fridays, Corfe and Wimborne on bread, beer
and broth, and Portlande on bread and
water.

On 3 July of that year, Manere was
released from solitary confinement elsewhere,
and restored to Christchurch, but to undergo
a sentence there like that just detailed on his
three colleagues. 1 Meanwhile Andrew and
the other canons took proceedings against the
prior for false imprisonment in the Arches
Court, and on 8 February, 1403, the prior
was discharged from further observance, and
the matter remitted to the bishop and the
archbishop. 2 Previously to this, however,
namely in November, 1402, the ringleader
Milton, who was undergoing solitary confine-
ment in another Austin house, convinced the
bishop of his penitence, and was discharged
from his obligations to Christchurch, and
received the episcopal licence to enter a
stricter rule of religion. 3

On Wykeham's death the religious houses
of Winchester diocese were visited during the
vacancy of the see by John Maydenhith, dean
of Chichester, acting as commissary for the
Archbishop of Canterbury. Christchurch
priory was visited in November, 1404 ;
amongst the findings of the visitor may be
noted that there were twenty-two canons
instead of the statutory number of twenty-
six ; that there were twelve sick in the
farmery ; and that Prior Borard had not
rendered a proper balance sheet in the
presence of the chapter. 4

Sir Thomas West, who married Jane,
daughter of Roger, Lord de la Warre, by his
will dated 5 April, 1405, ordered that his
body should be buried in the new chapel of
Christchurch, where his mother Alice was
buried. He left 100 to the priory building
fund, as well as large chantry bequests.

Thomas Talbot, the twentieth prior, died

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. ff.
346*.

* Ibid. iii. f. 353b. 3 Ibid. iii. 35 ib.

4 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Arundel, i. 5ozb, 503.

in August, 1420 ; his sepulchral slab is in the
north quire aisle, while that of his predecessor,
Prior Borard, is in the south quire aisle.

An inspection and confirmation of royal
charters was granted by Edward IV. to the
prior and convent of Christchurch on 23
June, 1461, for a fee of five marks, when
charters of William II., Stephen, Henry II.,
John, Richard I., Edward I., Edward II. and
Richard II. were produced at Westminster. 8

On 12 November, 1494, the priory was
visited during the vacancy of the see by Robert
Sherborne of Hereford (afterwards Bishop of
Chichester), as commissary for Archbishop
Morton. At this visitation the prior and each
of the canons were severally examined.
Prior Draper deposed ' nil ' ; the sub-prior
and fifteen other canons followed his example.
It was reserved for Canon Thomas Selby to
make the only complaint to the archbishop's
commissary, which was duly entered in
the metropolitical register, namely that the
convent beer was remarkably weak (valde
tennis}. 6

This priory was again visited on 22 March,
1501, by Dr. Hede, the commissary of the
priory of Canterbury, in the vacancy of that
see. The prior, John Draper, stated that the
attendance at the night and day offices was
regular ; that the sub-prior of the house also
held the offices of sacrist and master of the
mills, of which an annual balance sheet was
furnished ; that the common seal was under
four keys, kept respectively by himself, the
sub-prior, the steward and the third prior ;
that none of the valuables of the house were
pledged, and that there was no debt.
William Eyre, sub-prior, John Warner,
steward, Richard Cogin, third prior, Nicholas
Bryght, precentor, John Baker, almoner,
John Gravy, cellarer, John Gregory, warden
of the frater, William Beaver, warden of the
chapel of St. Mary, Walter Lodge, master of
the works, and various other canons holding
no particular office testified omnia bene.
Robert Godewyn, sub-deacon, stated that the
sick in the farmery did not have what was
necessary for them. The prior expressed his
inability to state the statutory number of the
canons of Christchurch, but Thomas Wim-
borne, one of the canons, on the following day
(for the visitation extended over two days),
testified that the number was twenty-four.

Prior Draper died on 12 November, 1501,
and the convent elected William Eyre, the
sub-prior, in his place. It was afterwards
alleged, on the accession of Henry VIII.,

6 Pat. i Edw. IV. pt. 5, mm. 1 1 and 10.
6 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Morton, f. gib.

158

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

that this appointment was invalid in conse-
quence of the Royal assent not having been
obtained, and an inquisition held by the
abbot of Quarr and others confirmed this
statement. Finally, however, in 1515, this
inquisition was declared untrue, and the
Master of the Rolls was ordered to cancel it. 1
Prior Eyre died on 6 December, 1520. To
him succeeded, as twenty-sixth and last prior,
John Draper II., who was installed on 31
January, I52I. 8

Sir James Worsley and the other com-
missioners first appointed to visit the
Hampshire houses with a view to their over-
throw reported in May, 1536, most favorably
of Christchurch ; and Prior Draper (who was
Bishop of Neapolis/>ar//'ztf infideKum) addressed
an able letter to the king, which has been
already cited, 8 pointing out what a great
convenience and boon the priory was to the
surrounding district. But this priory was far
too wealthy to be treated after any exceptional
fashion. Visitors of a totally different char-
acter to the first commission, including the
notorious Dr. London, paid several visits ;
and by threats and cajolery induced what was
termed a ' surrender.'

The surrender was made on 28 November,
1539. The original letter announcing the
surrender, dated at Christchurch, 2 December,
and signed by Southwell, Carne, London,
Poulet and Berners is extant. The com-
missioners say, ' We founde the prior a very
honest conformeable person, and the house
well furnyshyd with juellys and plate whereof
some be mete for the kinges majestic in use,
as a litell chalys of golde, a gudly large crosse
doble gylt, with the foote garnysshyd and
with stone and perle ; two gudly basons doble
gylt. And ther be also other thinges of
sylver right honest and of gudde valew as
well for the churche use as for the table
reserved and kept to the kinges use. In thy
churche we finde a chaple and monument
curiusly made of Cane (Caen) stone preparyd
by the late mother of Raynolde Pole for her
buriall wiche we have causyd to be defacyd
and all the arms and badges clerly to be
delete. The surveying of the demasnyes of
this house wiche be lardge and baryn and some
parte thereof xx myles from the monastery
wiche we also do survey and mesure hath
causyd usse to mak longer abode at thys
place than we intendyd.' * The visitors
declared the clear annual value to be

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. ii. 1236.

2 Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, iv. ff. 31-6.

3 Supra, pp. 57, 58.

* Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv. f. 324.

519 3*. 6^d. The buildings to be sus-
tained were, ' the late prior's lodging wholly
as it are sette in a quadrauntly,' with hall,
buttery, pantry, kitchen and lodgings over
the same. Also the gatehouse to the base
court, the bakehouse, and brewhouse, with
stable and barn. The buildings deemed
superfluous were the church, cloister, chapter
house, frater, farmery, and sub-prior's lodging,
with outer cloister and gallery, with the
chapel in the same cloister and all the houses
thereto adjoining. The lead on the church,
cloister and buildings was 38 fodders. There
were seven bells, of which five were assigned
to the parish. The ornaments, goods and
chattels sold realized ^177 Of. io</., whilst
there were 26 ounces of gold plate and 1,907^
ounces of silver-gilt, parcel-gilt and silver
plate reserved for the king. 8

The ' conformable ' Prior Draper was
rewarded with the big pension of ^133 6s. 8d.
as well as the mansion house of Somerford
Grange, where there was a prior's lodging, for
life. Robert Beverey, the sub-prior, obtained
a pension of jio, and seventeen other canons
pensions varying from 6 1 35. to 3 6s. 8d.*

There was however sufficient influence in
the county and neighbourhood to save the
splendid church, which Cromwell's visitors
naturally deemed ' superfluous.' The quire,
body, bell-tower, with seven bells, stones,
timber, lead of roofing and gutters of Twyne-
ham priory church, together with the cemetery
on the north side, were granted, in 1540, to
the churchwardens and parishioners. 7

At the dissolution this priory held the manor
of Christchurch Twynham, with the toll of
the fair and the rectory, the manors of
Somerford, Aisshe and South Chewton,
Hinton, Herne, Milford with the rectory,
Lymington, Walhampton, Sway with the
rectory, Ningewood, Shalfleet, Apse, ' Bar-
nerdesligh,' ' Hynbury,' Puddletown, East-
ington, Fleet, ' Odiknolle,' and ' Chameleygh.'
Also the rectories of Buldoxley, Brockenhurst
and Southdown, and land and rents in Gorley,
Brookhampton, ' Gunter,' Rackhams and
Radcliff, 'Swartelinghide,' Boldre, Paynshill,
Northampstead, Easthampstead, Avon and
Ripley. They likewise had the manor of
Clopton and lands at Porton in Wiltshire, the
rectory of Blandford and tithes, etc., in
Hampreston, Westport, ' Penyton,' and else-
where in Dorsetshire. 8

5 Aug. Off., Misc. Books, ccccxciv. ff. 23-8.

6 Ibid, ccxlv. .65.

7 Pat. 32 Hen. VIII. pt. 3, m. 43.

8 The first Minister's Account quoted in
Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 306.

159

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

DEANS OR HEADS OF THE HOUSE

Godric

Ranulph Flambard, to 1128

Gilbert de Dousgunels, 1128

Peter de Oglander

Ralph

Hilary, about 1 1 40

PRIORS

Reginald, about 1150
Julian, 1 1 1 6 1
Ralph, 1 186-95
Peter, 1195-1225 (?)
Roger, 1225
Nicholas de Warham
Nicholas de Sturminster, 1272
John de Abingdon, 1272-8
William de Nitheravene, 1278
Richard Maury,* 1287-1302
William Quyntyn, 3 1302-17
Walter Tydolneshide, 4 1317
Edmund de Ramsbury, 1323-37
Richard de Bustehorne, 5 1337
Robert de Legh, 6 1340
William Tyrewache, 7 1345-57
Henry Eyre, 1357-77
John Wodenham, 8 1377-97
John Borard, 9 1397
Thomas Talbot, d. 1420
John Wimborne
William Norton
John Dorchester, 10 about 1450
John Draper I., 1477-1501
William Eyre, 11 1501-20
John Draper II., la 1521-39

ii. THE PRIORY OF ST. DENIS,

SOUTHAMPTON

The priory of St. Denis was founded by
Henry I. about the year 1124 for Austin
Canons. The foundation charter, directed to
Bishop Gifford, William de Ponte Arche, the
sheriff, and the burgesses of Southampton,
granted to God and the church of St. Denis

I Charter at Belvoir.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 4.

3 Pat. 30 Edw. I. mm. 27, 24 (There is a full
transcript of all the formalities in Winton. Epis.
Reg., Pontoise, f. 34).

Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. lib.

5 Ibid. Orlton, i. f. 5 3 ; and chartulaiy lists.

6 Ibid. i. f. 95 ; and chartulary lists.

7 Ibid. Edingdon, i. f. 43 ; chartulary, f. 134^
Ibid. Wykeham, iii. f. 86, and also chartulary.

Ibid. ff. 277-9. F uU details of the confirma-
tion and installation are given.
o Ibid. Waynflete, ff. 47)5-53, c. 1450.
1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. ii. j 23 6.

II Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, iv. ff. 31-6.

and the canons serving God there, for the
health of his soul and of the souls of his father
and mother, Maud his wife and William his
son, a parcel of land between Portswood and
the Itchen, having a rental of i is. 6d., together
with another parcel of land near the sea to the
east of the borough, having a rental of 411. 6d.
Girard, the canon named in this charter, was
doubtless the first prior. 13 King Stephen con-
firmed to the canons the grant of land at
Baddesley made by Robert de Limesey."

William son of Audoenus gave to Adelard
the prior and the canons in 1151 the manor
of Northam, which grant was confirmed by
charters of Henry II., Bishop Blois and St.
Thomas of Canterbury. Henry II. also
granted to the canons his chapels of St.
Michael, the Holy Rood, St. Lawrence and
All Saints within Southampton. The posses-
sions of the priory during this reign consisted
of three ploughlands in Portswood, three
groves of woodland, i oo acres of pasture, 40
acres of meadow, and 400 acres of marsh. 15
On 8 September, 1189, Richard I. gave to
the priory Kingsland and the wood called
Portswood. The chartulary has a most
interesting mention of the customary work
which the men of Portswood did for the king
as lord of the manor before Henry I. gave it
to the canons. Subsequently the same ser-
vices were rendered to the prior. 16

Hadewise, Abbess of Romsey (113055),
granted a perpetual corrody of meat and drink,
such as was served for one of their nuns, to her
brothers and benefactors, the canons of St.
Denis. 17 Geoffrey Hose, one of the justices of
Henry II., about 1 1 80 granted to the priory
a parcel of land at Edboldington and the
church of Little Faccombe. 18

In 1 20 1 King John granted a confirmation
charter, and in 1 204 Bishop Godfrey de Lucy
confirmed the gift of William Aliz, which
consisted of a tithe of his yearly rents and
pannage at Aldington, 51. annually from the
mill of Aldington, and pannage in his woods
for thirty pigs. Humphrey de Bohun, Earl
of Hereford, confirmed in the time of Edward
I. the gift made by his father of the church of

13 Dugdale's Monasticm, vi. 213. u Ibid.

15 Add. MS. 15314, f. 100. The references
to the above-named and subsequent charters are
taken from this MS., which is a chartulary of the
priory, of 126 folios, purchased by the British
Museum in 1844. It lacks some folios both at
the beginning and end. Good use was made of it
in Davies' History of Southampton (1883), pp. 433
-42.

8 AddMSS. 15314, f. 99b.

17 Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, p. 241.

18 Ibid. p. 278, also chartulary.

1 60

ST. DENIS PRIORY.

MOTTISKONT PRIORY.

NETLEY ABBEY.

RO.MSEY ABBEY.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Chilworth with all its appurtenances. William
Musard, about 1290 gave 3;. rents in the
village of Eldon on condition of the canons
always burning a wax taper before the Lady
altar of their conventual church, where his
wife Isabel was buried. There were also
numerous bequests of houses, tenements and
messuages in the town of Southampton during
the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. 1

The taxation of 1291 gives the total an-
nual value of the priory in Hampshire at
13 i6s. 8d. In the archdeaconry of Sarum
they held temporalities yielding an annual
income of jCj 4.5. 8d. ; in the deanery of
Marlborough, the rectory of Chiselbury was
entered at jCz 13*. 4^. ; and there was a
holding at Burbage worth an annual rent of
I or.

Henry de Hamelton held the office of prior
for fourteen years. On 18 August, 1294, the
bishop sanctioned his resignation on the
grounds of infirmity of both mind and body. 2
On 2 1 August the king's assent to the election
of Richard de Chacombe, one of the canons,
was sent to the bishop, and on the morrow
the bishop's mandate to the archdeacon to
induct, and to the sub-prior and convent to
obey their new prior were sent forth. 3 At
the beginning of the year 1298 Prior Richard
was in poor health, and by reason of his
weakness obtained leave from the Crown to
nominate brother Robert de Stanham and
Roger de Preselande his attorneys for two
years.* In 1300 the prior, by reason of his
continued feebleness, was allowed to renew
the nomination of the same two attorneys for
another two years. 8 Bishop Woodlock had
to interfere with the rule of this house on
several occasions, whilst the feeble Richard de
Chacombe was prior. In March, 1307, the
selling of corrodies without episcopal licence
was forbidden ; in September of the same year
the bishop wrote about the internal manage-
ment of the house ; in April, 1300, he held a
visitation of the priory and promulgated certain
statutes for its better regulation, and he
caused the house to be again visited by com-
mission in May, 1309.*

Prior Richard resigned at the close of the

1 A large number of these grants are among the
Ancient Deeds of the Public Record Office, which
have been recently calendared.

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 14.

3 Pat. 22 Edw. I. m. 1 1, and Winton. Epis.
Reg., Pontoise, f. 14.

4 Pat. 26 Edw. I. m. 28.
6 Ibid. 28 Edw. I. m. 5.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, (F. 56, 64^

year 1313, and on 23 January the king noti-
fied the bishop of his assent to the election of
Robert de Stonham, cellarer, and the tempo-
ralities were restored to him on 22 Febru-
ary. 7

In 1318, Edward II. sent Walter de la
Marche, who had long served him and his
father, to the priory to provide him with the
necessaries of life in food and clothing. 8 A
return of the same year as to the value and
stock of the episcopal manors at the death of
Bishop Sandale, mentions, under Bitterne,
that the jury reported brother William Fymarc,
a young canon of St. Denis, who had been
ordained deacon in 1316, for breaking into
the lord's warren with four others, and taking
young rabbits. 8

In January, 1328, Bishop Stratford wrote to
the priory stating that as he was about to
attend the meeting of parliament at York, he
could not give immediate attention to the
reformation of the defects he noticed at his
recent visitation, but that, God willing, he
would speedily do so on his return ; mean-
while he enjoined that none be permitted to
leave the house without the express sanction
of the prior or sub-prior. 10 John de Vienne,
clerk, was sent to the priory by the king on
4 March to have such maintenance there as
John de Ash, deceased, had at the request of
Edward I. ; a year later John atte Lane,
yeoman of the king's kitchen, was sent to fill
the same vacancy, so that apparently John de
Vienne 11 went elsewhere.

On 9 March, 1328, the sub-prior and con-
vent obtained licence to elect, on the resigna-
tion of Robert de Stonham, and their choice
fell on Thomas de Newton ; the royal assent
was signified on 12 April. 12 The bishop
however declined to confirm this election for
some irregularity of procedure. It was a
serious matter for a small convent to have a
prolonged voidance, for during that time the
revenues went to the Crown ; but on the
petition of the priory the king granted to them
on 13 May, in consideration of their poverty
and debt, the custody of their temporalities,
save the knights' fees, advowsons and escheats,
yielding to the king for this privilege eight
marks until the feast of the Assumption, and
if the voidance should last longer, then at the

7 Pat. 7 Edward II. pt. 2, m. 25, 24, 21.

8 Close, 12 Edw. II. m. igd.

9 Hants Record Society, Sandale's Register, p.
244.

10 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 34b.

11 Close, 2 Edw. III. m. 14^; 3 Edw. III.
m. 27d.

12 Pat. 2 Edw. III. pt. i,m. 16, 13.

161

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

rate of jio a year. 1 On 28 June the con-
vent gave way to the bishop, and put the
selection of a prior from among their canons
into his hands, with the result that William
de Wareham was appointed, and received the
episcopal benediction on 18 July."

In 1330, the priory received letters patent
granting that on the death of the royal pen-
sioner John atte Lane, who took the place of
John de Ash, deceased, they should not be
called upon to admit any one in his place. 3
This grant was made on 10 May, but on I
June the king insisted on his right to send a
new pensioner clerk on the new creation of a
prior, and sent to them Master William de
Kirkham. 4

Edward III. granted the priory of St. Denis
a charter to secure to them yearly a tun of
wine, between Christmas and the Annuncia-
tion, for use at masses for the souls of the
faithful departed ; and in February, 1334,
Richard de la Pole, the king's butler in the
port of Southampton, had orders to deliver to
the prior a tun of red wine of the first wines
brought to the port. 5

Bishop Orlton visited St. Denis on 22
November, 1334, and preached in the chapter
house from the text, 'Israel shall dwell safely.' 6
In the same month the bishop confirmed to
the priory the appropriations of the churches
of East Tytherley, Shirley and Chilworth,
and the chapels of Holy Trinity and St.
Andrew, Southampton, also pensions from
the following Southampton churches : St.
Michael, bos. ; St. Cross, 135. $d. ; St.
Lawrence, 131. \d. ; and All Saints, 265. 8</. 7

In 1346, Bishop Edingdon licensed for
celebrations an oratory lately built over the
outer gateway in honour of St. Katherine. 8

A commission of three was issued by Bishop
Wykeham in September, 1381, to visit the
priory of St. Denis on the Saturday after
Michaelmas Day ; as no injunctions followed
there could have been no serious defect. 9 In
the same year, John Stamford, one of the

1 Pat. 2 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 5.

2 Ibid. 2 Edw. III. p. 2, m. 29 ; Stratford's
Register, ff. lo8b, logb, no. The bishop's scribe
makes the mistake in two places of describing the
late prior as Peter de Stanham.

3 Pat. 4 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 24.

4 Close, 4 Edw. III. m. 3od.

5 Ibid. 8 Edw. III. m. 37. This order to the
king's butler at Southampton was repeated in 1336,
1337 and 1338. The last time that there is
evidence of the delivery of this wine is in 1528.

Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. 1 1.

Ibid. f. I2b.

8 Ibid. Edingdon, ii. f. zb.

9 Ibid. Wykeham, iii. f. 190.

canons, was appointed coadjutor in conse-
quence of the infirmities of Richard de
Stamford, the prior. 10

On 19 May, 1382, Richard II. inspected
and confirmed in favour of John Machon of
Quidhampton, and Edith his wife, three
indentures for corrodies with the priory of St.
Denis : (a) A grant, dated 1365, for the life
of Edith of a white loaf and a gallon of ale
daily, a canon's pittance of food and drink
daily from the kitchen, and six yards of
coloured cloth of the suit of esquires for her
robe on All Saints' Day, provided that John
did not leave the convent's service. (i>) A
grant, dated 1376, to John Machon and
Margery his daughter for their lives and the
life of the longer liver, of a white loaf and a
black loaf called ' sweynlof ' daily, and of the
reversion on the death of Edith of the livery
granted to her. (<r) A life grant, dated 1372,
to the said John of the chamber over the
middle gate of the priory, with free ingress and
egress for himself and his household, a white
loaf such as a canon had, and a gallon of ale
daily, a canon's pittance daily from the kitchen,
and a robe yearly such as one of the free
servants of the prior had, or i Of. in lieu there-
of, also two cartloads of firewood yearly, with
power, in case of default, to distrain on their
manors in Hampshire. 11

The town of Southampton was a long time
in recovering from the serious damage done in
1338, when a large portion was sacked and
burnt by the French. In April, 1385, pro-
tection was granted to the priory of St. Denis
and its possessions, it being recited that much
of its property had been burnt and destroyed
by the French, putting the convent to
immense cost in repairing their tenements and
in fortifying the town, so that they were
deeply in debt and had not the means to pay
pensions and corrodies or to maintain their
canons. Thomas, Earl of Nottingham, and
three others were appointed to the custody of
its temporalities. 12 The same custodians were
reappointed for two years in 1387."

William of Wykeham left by his will
twenty marks for the repair of the church of
the priory of St. Denis.

In 1465 Edward IV. inspected and con-
firmed to the priory a great variety of charters
from Henry I. to Richard II.

This priory was visited on 15 March, 1501,
by Dr. Hede, the commissary of the priory of
Canterbury, in the vacancy of the sees of both

10 Ibid. f. 1943.

11 Pat. 5 Ric. II. pt. 2, m. n.

12 Ibid. 8 Ric. II. pt. 2, m. 16.

13 Ibid. 10 Ric. II. pt. 2, m. 25.

162

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Canterbury and Winchester. Robert Wode,
the prior, reported that Canon John Somerset
was absent through sickness. He stated that
at the time of his entry into office there was a
debt on the priory of a hundred marks ; the
common seal was kept under three keys, one
in the custody of the prior, and the two others
in the charge of the senior canons. Thomas
Wardle testified that the house in the time of
the predecessor of the present prior was bur-
dened to the extent of j6o, of which the
present prior paid ^30 ; and that a certain
silver vessel called a ' spice plate ' was pledged
by him to one Dorothy of Southampton, but
for what sum he knew not. Brief statements
as to the debts incurred by the late prior were
also made by Canons William Thurley, John
Scott, Walter May and Richard Lynton. 1

On the death of Wode in February, 1509,
Walter May, the last prior, was elected. 3
Soon after this election Bishop Fox visited the
priory, and subsequently sent them a decree
of twenty-four articles, enjoining a stricter
observance of their rule in various details ; the
canons were also ordered to go about two by
two and never to frequent towns, nor were
they to go to Portswood or Southampton to
dine, except by leave, lest by secular conversa-
tion their quiet be disturbed, and they be
tempted to worldly thoughts and desires. 3

The Valor of 1535 gave the clear annual
value of the house as 80 nj. dd. At the
time of the dissolution in the following year
there were nine canons in addition to Prior
May. The prior obtained a pension of
ji3 6s. 8d., and also the free chapel of the
Blessed Mary with its appurtenances for life. 4
The holding of this chapel (which belonged
to St. Denis) was a post of some value, for it
was a place of pilgrimage known as St. Mary
of Graces ; here in 1510 Henry VIII. made
an offering in person of 6s. 8d.*

From the first ministers' account, after the
dissolution of the monastery, we find that it
held various possessions in Southampton, in-
cluding the manor of St. Denis, and pensions
from the churches of the Holy Rood, All
Saints, St. Laurence and St. Michael's, the
manors of Northam, ' Leverley,' ' Berfords,'
' Bremerton ' and Quidhampton, the rectories
of * Estadderley, Aulworth' and Shirley, and
lands, rents, pensions, etc., in Aldington,

1 Side Vacante Register, Christ Church Priory,
Canterbury.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, ii. ff. io8b, no.

3 Ibid. f. 119.

4 Aug. Offic., Misc. Books ccxxxii. i/b ;
ccccxlii. 406.

8 Davies' History of Southampton, p. 231-2.

Portswood, East Dean, Broughton, Houghton,
King's Somborne, Romsey, Ablingeton, Apple-
shawe, Burbage, Chisbury, ' Brinknoll," ' Shre-
ton,' and Stapleford together with Wilton in
the county of Wilts, and Sturminster and
' Lichette ' in the county of Dorset. 8

The site and certain possessions of the
priory were granted in 1538 to Francis
Dautry, namely, the house and site of the
grange and lands at South Stoneham ; two
gardens, the tenement called ' le Bordelhouse'
and three cottages in Southampton, and the
manor of Lockerley in East Dean. The clear
annual value of these was estimated at
^32 15*. (W., and the rental for the same was
65;. 6d. 7

The sole relic of this ancient priory, so
closely connected with the history of the town
for four centuries, is a fragment of grey
ruined wall on the right bank of the Itchen,
about three miles above the dock entrance.

The pointed oval early fourteenth century
seal, of which an illustration is given, repre-
sents St. Denis standing on a corbel, holding
a book to his breast. The background is
diapered lozengy. Legend : . . . LLUM :
COMMUNE : MONAST . . . JUXTA : SUTHAM . . .

PRIORS OF ST. DENIS

Girard, 1 124

Adelard, 1151

Nicholas, 8 resigned in 1280

Henry de Hamelton," 1280-94

Richard de Chacombe, 10 1294-1313

Robert de Stonham, 11 1314-28

Thomas de Newton, 13 1328 (elected, but

not confirmed)

William de Wareham, 13 1328-49
Richard de Stamford, 14 1349-91
John Stamford, 16 1391-97
John Ryal, 18 1397-1412
Thomas Winchester, 17 1412
Thomas Arnewode, 143557
William Norman, 18 1457-62

6 Dugdale's Monastlcon, vi. 214.

7 Pat. 30 Hen. VIII. pt. 6, m. 19.

8 Ibid. 8 Edw. I. m. 9.

9 Ibid. mm. 8, 6.

10 Ibid. 22 Edw. I. m. 11 ; and Winton. Epis.
Reg., Pontoise, f. 14.

1 Ibid. 7 Edw. II. pt. 2, mm. 25, 24, 21.
13 Ibid. 2 Edw. III. pt. i, mm. 16, 13.
13 Ibid. pt. 2, m. 29 ; Winton. Epis. Reg., Strat-
ford, ff. io8b, logb, no.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. f. 43 b.
15 Ibid. Wykeham, ff. 210, 211.
18 Ibid. ff. 280, 281 ; Add. MSS. 15314, f. 80.

17 Ibid. Beaufort, f. 38.

18 Ibid. Waynflete, i. f. 80 ; Add. MSS. 15314,
f. 79 b.

I6 3

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Thomas Robys, 1 1462
John Foster," 1490-99
Robert Wode, 3 1499-1509
Walter May, 4 1509-36

12. THE PRIORY OF SOUTHWICK

Henry I. in 1133 founded in the church
of St. Mary, Porchester, a priory of Austin
canons. The foundation charter assigned to
the canons the appropriation of the church of
Porchester, timber for fencing, building and
fuel, as well as common pasture in the wood
of Hingsdon ; the manor of Candover ; a hide
of land in Southwick, and a hide of land in
Applestead. The charter gave the canons
every possible manorial right over their lands.
This charter was witnessed, amongst others,
by the Bishops of Winchester, Salisbury and
St. Davids, and by the Bishops elect of Dur-
ham and Ely. 6

An undated deed of the early part of the
thirteenth century records a grant by Luke,
the prior of Southwick, to John the goldsmith,
of the plot and house which Robert, the
sacrist of Southwick, built in Portsmouth, in
exchange for half a virgate of land in
Kingston. 6

In 1 204 King John granted the canons of
Southwick a confirmation charter of the manor
of Dean, 7 and in 1214 he issued general
letters of protection for the monastery. 8 In
1234, Henry III. granted the priory a weekly
market and an annual fair.

Pope Innocent IV., in February, 1254,
issued a mandate to Berard de Nimpha, a
papal agent, living in England, to imprison for
life and deprive of their benefices certain
forgers of papal letters, and to cite to Rome
(with six others) the prior of Southwick, who

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynfiete, i. f. iz3b;
Pat. 2 Edw. IV. pt. 2, mm. 18, 13.

2 Winton. Epis. Reg., Courtenay, f. n.

3 Add. MS. 15314, ff. 94b, 101.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, ii. ff. io8b, 1 10.

6 Cited in the Inspection and Confirmation
Charter of Edward III. (Charter Roll, 27 Edw.
III. m. 9, No. 19). Add MS. 32, 280 chiefly
consists of the late Sir F. Madden's transcript of
the greater part of a chartulary of South wick, which
was then in the possession of Mr. Thistlethwayte.
It is described as a large quarto of 271 folios, and
containing copies of 1,016 instruments. It was
compiled in 1396, under the direction of Prior
Hursley. It appears to be strictly a chartulary,
and to contain no narrative account of the house,
or of its buildings and administration.

8 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., D. 100.

7 Charter Roll, 5 John, m. 5.

8 Close, 1 6 John, m. 19.

is mentioned in the letters suspected to be
false, that he may, if possible, prove his
innocence."

Licence was granted to the prior and canons
in May, 1278, after injunction made by the
sheriff, to enclose with hedges and a ditch a
certain way opposite the great gate of their
priory leading southward, upon condition that
they made another way on their own ground
of the same width. 10

In 1280 the prior of Southwick was called
upon to show by what right the convent held
the manors of Dean and Colemore ; where-
upon the prior, who appeared personally,
produced the charter of King John, and the
jurors decided in favour of the monastery.
The prior's right to gallows, a market, and
assize of bread and ale in the town of South-
wick was also called in question by the counsel
for the Crown. The prior produced charters
of Henry III. to substantiate his claims to
gallows and a Wednesday market, but with
regard to the assize of bread and ale he
pleaded a prescriptive title. The jury found
that the prior was only entitled to this assize
on the market day, and that it pertained to
the king on all other days of the week. 11

On i o January, 1281, Archbishop Peckham,
from information he had received, deemed it
advisable to interfere in the affairs of South-
wick priory and removed Prior Andrew from
his post. On his removal the archbishop
drew up an ordinance as to his future treat-
ment. The ex-prior was to receive daily two
loaves called miches, 12 one chopyn, 13 and two
gallons of convent beer, and from the kitchen
and for his clothing the same as were supplied
to the sub-prior. He was also to have com-
mons for one servant. An honorable chamber
was to be selected for his use and that of one
other canon as his companion. He was to
receive half a mark in money on the feasts of
Christmas and Pentecost. The ex-prior was
to be regular in attendance in the quire and
chapter, and on solemn days to take his meals
in the frater with the rest of the convent
This order was dated 12 February, 1282. 14

The energetic archbishop again visited the
monastery of Southwick in 1284 and found it
disturbed in spiritualities and most desolate in
temporalities. He forwarded a long visitation

9 Cat. of Papal Letters, i. 303.

10 Pat. 6 Edw. I. m. 16.

11 Placitade Quo Warranto (Rec. Com.), 767, 768.
la Miche or Micche, signifying a loaf, is used in

Chaucer, etc.

13 Chopyn, probably a coarse wheaten loaf (see
Hallivieirs Diet. ' chobbins ' and ' cob-loaf).

u Cant. Archiep. Reg., Peckham, f.

164

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

decree on 4 February. The archbishop there-
in strongly condemns the late Prior Andrew,
stating that the temporal difficulties of the
priory were chiefly his fault. The ex-prior
is ordered to sleep in the dorter and eat in the
frater the same as the rest of the canons. If
he presumed to eat elsewhere, so often as he
thus offended he was to be excluded from the
church and given a diet of bread and water.
A door communicating from the garden, at-
tached to the chamber where the ex-prior had
been quartered, within the outer court, was
ordered to be built up with stones and mortar.
Andrew was also to be strictly confined to the
cloister and its surrounding offices, until he
could produce in chapter to the satisfaction of
the archbishop or diocesan a proper balance
sheet of his accounts. The lack of observance
of silence by the canons both in quire and
cloister was severely admonished. Any future
offender was to be proclaimed in chapter and
for the first offence to be deprived of the first
pittance in the frater, for the second offence to
have no other drink but water, and for the
third to suffer both of these penalties. 1

In 1289 licence was obtained for an aliena-
tion in mortmain by Richard de Burhunt to
the priory of Southwick of 50 acres of land
and the site of a mill in Southwick, in ex-
change for a mill and 1 5 acres of land there. 2

In 1291 Pope Nicholas IV. granted a
faculty to the prior and convent of Southwick
to wear caps or amices on their heads in
church, which were to be removed at the
gospel and the elevation. 3 The taxation of
this date gave the annual value of the tempor-
alities of the priory in the archdeaconry of
Winchester at 27 ijs. 8d.

In the days of Bishop Woodlock there were
various troubles at Southwick. In 1307 the
papal nuncio in England interfered in the case
of one Richard Spede, a canon of the house,
relative to effusion of blood, and also granted
him dispensation with regard to certain
simoniacal irregularities. 4 On 28 October,
1308, the bishop sent a mandate to the prior
of Southwick against Canon Philip de Winton
on account of scandals, enjoining that he
should not depart from the cloister until the
bishop's visit, that he was to write no letters
nor cause any to be written, that all writing
materials were to be taken from him, and that

1 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Peckham, f. 2320.
Besides the entiy of this decree another copy of it,
on a separate piece of parchment, is stitched into
the register.

3 Pat. 1 8 Edw. I. m. 45.

3 Cat. of Papal Letters, \. 533.

* Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, ff. 75b, 76.

nc secular servant nor outsider was to have
any communication with him, save in the
presence of one of the brethren of the house. 6
On the following Christmas Day, the bishop
gave notice of his approaching visitation
through the archdeacon. 6 On 1 9 February,
1308, the bishop communicated with the prior
as to the liberating from prison of Richard
Spede ; he was not to depart out of the cloister
or the buildings round the cloister. After the
bishop's visitation various injunctions were
forwarded relative to the hours of mass, the
religious habit, talking with women, dietary,
and quarrelling. 7

On the Saturday after the feast of St.
Matthew, 1310, Bishop Woodlock again
visited the priory ; 8 as no decree is entered in
his registers it may be assumed that all was
then satisfactory.

Edward II. maintained his right to send
pensioners to the house of Southwick. On
21 December, 1316, John de Sheford, who
had long served the king, was sent under privy
seal to the prior and convent of Southwick to
receive maintenance in food and clothing. 9
Just a week later William de Spyny, another
old servant of the Crown, was sent to South-
wick priory in like manner. 10

On 14 November, 1334, Bishop Orlton
visited the priory and preached to the canons
in their chapter house from ' Est puer nunc hie
qui habet qulnque panes hordaceos et duos puces'
In 1336, Prior John de Gloucester petitioned
the king to the effect that although his house
was bound to supply sustenance for one only
of the king's servants, he had lately, at the
king's request, admitted Simon Bacoun into
the house in the lifetime of John le Vyneour,
another of the king's servants, and prayed for
an indemnity. The Crown thereupon ordered
an inquisition to be held whether the house
had in the past been charged with one or two
of the king's servants. The jurors found that
the house was liable for one only, and on 2
October letters patent were sent to the prior,
recording the verdict, and granting that the
admission of Simon should not prejudice the
house as a precedent. 11

The priory was excused payment to the
king of tenths or tallages in 1342 for three
years, in consequence of their lands and rents
in Portsmouth and Southampton, wherein

5 Ibid. f. 97b.
8 Ibid. f. 99b.

7 Ibid. fF. 119, 123, I49b.

8 Ibid. f. lS9b.

8 Close, 10 Edw. II. m. zzd.

10 Ibid. m. I7d.

11 Pat. 10 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. ao.

165

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

were their chief means of support, having
being burned and consumed by the French. 1

In July, 1343) the bishop granted absolu-
tion to certain canons of this house, Richard
de Cittesthorn, Henry Dene and Richard
Botiller, who had been guilty of violence. 3

By the return of knights' fees made in* 1346
it is recorded that the prior of Southwick had
two parts of a fee in Ellisfield. 3

The University of Oxford, in 1366, peti-
tioned the pope on behalf of Thomas Cranlegh,
bachelor of canon law, for a benefice to be
reserved for him by the prior and convent of
Southwick. The prayer was granted by
Urban V., as well as a subsequent one of the
same year, for an augmentation of the value
of the benefice in the gift of the priory of
Southwick to twenty-five marks, with cure of
souls, and ten without. 4

At an inquisition held at Southwick before
Thomas de Weston, the escheator of the
county, on 4 May, 1381, on the death of
Prior Richard Bromdene, the jury declared
that the prior, on the day of his death, held,
in Southwick, 10 of rents, 193 acres of land
of the annual value of 321. id. at zd. the
acre, 41 acres of pasture of the annual value
of 3;. id. at id. the acre, and 22 acres of
meadow, Js. 4^., at \d. the acre ; that the
woods and underwoods, the dovecote and
water mill were of no value ; that the perqui-
sites of courts, with two views of frank-pledge,
averaged 31. ^d. ; customary payments averaged
6s. 8d. Particulars were also given of the
various other Hampshire manors pertaining to
the priory. Similar inquisitions are recorded
as held for the possessions of the priory in
Wilts, Sussex and Oxon. The vacancy
lasted thirty days, namely from 28 April to
27 May, and the sum due to the Crown for
that period was 12 "]s. 6d. The entries
conclude with a copy of the restoration of the
temporalities by the king to Prior Nowell. 5

Bishop Wykeham took much interest in
this house and founded therein a chantry for
the souls of John and Sibil, his parents. On
22 August, 1383, Thomas Gervays and
Thomas le Warenner, two canons of South-
wick, were sworn before the bishop to duly
maintain this chantry." Solemn oaths for the
maintenance of this chantry were also renewed
by the canons in 1386 and in 1394.

Another chantry was founded here in

1 Pat. 16 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 2.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. izlb.

3 feudal Aids, ii. 330.

* Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 516, 521.
5 Add. MS. 32,280, f. 506.

Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 2O2b.

March, 1385. Sir Bernard Brocas of Roche
Court, near Fareham, a great friend of the
bishop and his chief parker, granted to Prior
Nowell and the convent of Southwick 5
acres of land and 3 acres of meadow at South-
wick, together with the manors of Hoo and
Havington (with certain exceptions) in free
alms, on condition of finding a chaplain to
say a daily mass at the altar of Sts. Katharine
and Mary Magdalen, on the north side of
the chancel of the priory church, for King
Richard and Sir Bernard Brocas and Katharine
his wife, as long as they should live, and after-
wards for their souls, also for the souls of
Edward III., and of Mary, Sir Bernard's
deceased wife, and his brother, sisters and
benefactors and all the faithful departed. The
priory was also bound to other works of piety :
the prior and his successors were to pay one
penny to the canon who should say mass ;
1005. for celebrating the obit of Sir Bernard
and his wife on the eve of the Annunciation,
with Placebo and Dirige, and the tolling
of the bells, and again on the eve of St.
Michael the Archangel, and the feast of St.
Mary Magdalen ; and 6s. 8d. for distribution
amongst the brethren on each of those three
days. The prior and convent bound them-
selves to the bishop and to Sir Bernard, in
the penalty of 10, to perform the conditions,
and that they should be read aloud every
year on those three days at the meeting of the
chapter. 7

In the like month and year, Prior Nowell
was appointed by the Crown to supervise the
works which the king had ordered to be
executed at Porch ester Castle by Robert
Bardolf, the constable thereof, and to control
all the sums expended. 8 In October of the
same year the bishop issued his mandate to
Prior Nowell forbidding the sale of corrodies. 9

The bishop visited Southwick priory on 6
May, 1397, and had no complaints to record. 10
After Bishop Wykeham's death, the priory
was again visited on 25 October, 1404, by
the commissary of Archbishop Arundel, but
he found nothing to correct. 11

In May, 1465, inspection and confirmation
was granted by Edward IV., to Philip the
prior and the convent of Southwick of all
their 'royal charters from 3 John to 15
Richard II."

On 7 November, 1494, the house was

7 Ibid. f. 213 ; Pat. 8 Rich. II. pt. I, m. 36.

8 Pat. 8 Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 19.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, f. 22ob.

10 Ibid. iii. f. 2923.

11 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Arundel, i. f. 502.
13 Pat. 5. Edw. IV. pt. 3, m. 21.

1 66

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

visited, during the vacancy of the see, by
Robert Shirborne, treasurer of Hereford (after-
ward Bishop of Chichester), as commissary of
the Archbishop of Canterbury. Prior Stan-
brook deposed that all the canons were men of
religion and good morals and conversation, and
that there were two tenements in the town of
South wick belonging to the priory which had
been destroyed by the last high wind. Eleven
of the canons appeared before the visitor, but
had no depositions to make. 1

The priory was again visited on 1 2 March,
1501, by Dr. Hede, as commissary for the
prior of Canterbury, during the vacancy of
the see. John Lawder, the prior, stated that
it had not deteriorated during his time and
that the value of the rents and profits had
grown to 300, and was sufficient to support
all their burdens ; that none of the valuables
of the priory were in pawn, and that the
common seal was kept under the four keys of
himself and the sub-prior and two other of
his brethren. Thomas Kent, sub-prior and
sacrist, said that silence was observed at all
the appointed times and places ; he differed
from his superior as to the number of keys to
the chest in which the common seal was kept,
for he stated there were five, three of which
were kept by the other canons in order of
seniority. William Whyte, another canon,
maintained however that there were only
four keys, whilst Peter Elton, the precentor,
agreed with the sub-prior that there were five.
We wonder whether the commissary ordered
the chest to be produced that he might count
the number for himself. John Pince, the
warden of the chapel of St. Mary, and Thomas
Sketle, the sub-chanter, were content to report
omnia bene. The matter of the keys seemed
to be the only point in dispute.

Henry VIII. passed through Southwick in
September, 1510, and made an offering of
6s. 8d. at Our Lady of Southwick.*

In January, 1514, the Crown granted a
licence to Prior Thomas Kent and the
monastery of Southwick to hold a fair for
three days on the feast of St. Philip and St.
James and the two following days ; instead
of a fair for two days on the eve and day of
the Assumption of the Virgin, which had
been granted by Henry III., and which was
said to injure the neighbouring fairs. 3 Thomas
Annesley, a gentleman with the Queen Con-
sort, in November of the same year, was
granted a corrody in this house, in the place

of Thomas Parker, deceased.* On the sur-
render of this corrody by Annesley it was
granted in October, 1530, to Robert Wen-
ham, master of the children in the collegiate
church of Windsor. 6

There are various letters of Prior Norton to
Lord and Lady Lisle at the Public Record
Office, but they are of no interest as regards
the priory. In 1534 he seems to have retired,
for in September of that year he wrote to Lady
Lisle saying that the visitation of God (the
plague) was very sore and extreme in the
marine ports, and that many of her loving
friends had died ; adding that he was living
peacefully at his hermitage of St. Leonard's.
It concludes, ' scribbled with a comfortless
heart, in cede heremitica dim Leonard!.' *
However, in 1535, when the Valor Ecclesi-
asticus was taken, William Norton is named
' modo Prior' The total clear annual value
of the priory was then estimated at 257
45. \d.

Cromwell found a tool ready to betray the
house in one of the canons, James Gunwyn.
On 20 January, 1536, Gunwyn wrote as
follows to Cromwell : ' We are bound by the
will of William Wykeham to have daily five
masses in our church, which have not been
said for more than forty years. On 26 May
last the Commissioners sat in our place to
ascertain the yearly value of our lands, that a
tenth part might be assessed according to Act
of Parliament, when my master (the prior)
delivered them a book of the yearly rents
which was not in all points made truly.
Also on 22 September last we had a visitation
of our house by Dr. Layton, when we had
certain injunctions given us to be observed,
several of which have been neglected hitherto.
I send you this information in discharge of my
oath of obedience, and would have done it
earlier if I could have had a trusty messenger,
for if my master knew of my writing he would
convey away the plate, money and jewels in
his keeping.' 7

A letter to Lord Lisle of 16 March, 1538,
stated that the priory was to be suppressed, and
that ' Our Lady of Southwick ' was taken
down. On 21 March, John Husee, a solicitor
and servant of the Lisles, wrote to Lord Lisle
that ' Pilgrimage saints goeth down apace as
Our Lady of Southwick, the Blood of Hales,
St. Saviour's and others.' On the following
day the same correspondent wrote to like
effect to Lady Lisle. 8 Leland referred to the

1 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Morton, i. gib.

2 Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. ii.

3 Pat. Hen. VIII. pt. 2, m. i.

I6 7

4 Letters and Papers, Hen. V1I1. i. 5552.

6 Ibid. iv. 6, 1751. B Ibid. vii. 1153.

7 Ibid. x. 138. 8 Ibid. xiii. 514, 564, 580.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

fame of the pilgrimage to Our Lady of South-
wick. 1

On 7 April, 1538, the surrender of this
monastery, with all its possessions in Hants,
Wilts, Oxon and elsewhere, was signed by
the prior, William Norton, and twelve of the
canons. The signature next to the prior's is
that of James Gunwyn. 8 The surrender was
made to the notorious Layton. Two days
later Husee wrote to his master that South-
wick was suppressed, adding, ' I think the
most part will down.'

The lands belonging to the priory at the
dissolution were : the manors of Southwick
with the rectory, Newland, Hannington,
Sutton Scotney, ' Moundesmer,' Preston
Candover, ' Oldfishborne,' Farlington with a
fishery, Denmead Molens, Clanveld and
Aldbourn, Weralles in Dorchester with the
rectory, Colmer, Stubbington, Hoe, West
Boarhunt, Boarhunt, Harbert and Bury ; the
rectories of Nutley, Swindon, Portsea, Ports-
mouth and ' Wanstede,' and lands, rents, etc.,
in Prior's Dean, the city of Winchester and
Andover. 3

The priory of Southwick was assigned to
one John White, a mean, fawning servant of
Wriothesley's. He wrote to Wriothesley five
days after the surrender, saying that by the
provision of God and his master's help he has
attained what he had desired all his life,
namely, an honest house in which to bid his
guests welcome ! He complained however
that the stuff in the house was but slender,
only four feather-beds and the furniture old
and in manner rotten. He also was much
aggrieved with Dr. Layton, for he took from
hence twelve of the best of the twenty bacon
hogs hanging in the roof, which the other
visitors had given him. It is not surprising to
learn that he was in such trouble with the
monastery servants that he knew not what
to do. Not one of the husbandry servants
would stay with him, though they knew in
what need he stood of them for the sowing
of barley. 4

The prior received the large pension of
66 13,. 4 ^. 5

Among the books of this house Leland
noticed during his visit Henricus Huntingdun-
ensis, Beda de die judicii et Historia Bed<e
Saxonice.*

41.

1 Leland's Itinerary, iii. 98.

2 Dtp. Keeper's Report (P.R.O.), viii. app. ii.

3 Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 244.

4 Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. xiii. 748.
6 Ibid. xiv. 1355.

Leland's Collectanea, iv. 148.

No sooner had White gained possession of
the priory, than he imitated his master
Wriothesley at Titchfield, and pulled down
the conventual church, establishing himself
and his household in the prior's lodging and
adjacent parts of the buildings.

PRIORS OF SOUTHWICK

Guy, 7 about 1190-1217

Luke, early in the thirteenth century

Walkelin, died in 1234

Matthew, 1234-66

Peter de Maupol, 126673

Andrew de Winton, 8 1273-81

John de Clere, 8 1281-91

Robert de Hempton or Hewton, 10 1291-

1315

William de Winton, 11 13156
Nicholas de Cheriton, 12 131634
John de Gloucester, 13 1334
Richard Bromdene, 134981
Richard Nowell, 14 1381-9
William Husselegh, 15 1389-98
Thomas Court eys, 18 13981432
Edward Dene, 1432-55
John Soberton, 17 1455-63
Philip Stanbroke, 18 1463
John Lawder, about 1494
Thomas Kent, 1514, 1521
William Norton, 19 1521-38

13. THE PRIORY OF BREAMORE

The priory of St. Michael's, Breamore,
was founded for Austin canons by Baldwin
de Redvers and his uncle Hugh towards the
end of the reign of Henry I. The confirma-
tion charter of that king is cited in inspections
and confirmations of Edward III., Henry IV.
and Henry VI. The charter of Henry I.
enumerates, as the original foundation, three

7 Catalogue of charters in the possession of Lord
Fitzhardinge, p. 37, No. 92.

8 Pat. 2 Edw. I. m. 24.

9 Ibid. 10 Edw. I. mm. 22, 21.

10 Ibid. 20 Edw. I. mm. 28, 27 ; Winton. Epis.
Reg., Pontoise, f. II.

11 Pat. 8 Edw. II. pt. 2, mm. 12, n.

12 Ibid. 9 Edw. II. pt. 2, mm. 32, 30 ; Winton.
Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 2O3b.

13 Pat. 7 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 3 ; 8 Edw. III. pt.
I, m. 42 and pt. 2, m. 31.

14 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. n 8 ;
Pat. 4 Rich. II. pt. 2, mm. 6, 2.

16 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. ff. 197-9.
18 Ibid. i. ff. 288, 289.

17 Ibid. Waynflete, i. f. 76.

18 Ibid. f. I28b. ; Pat. 3 Edw. IV. pt. 2.

19 Pat. 12 Hen. VIII. pt. 2, m. 8.

1 68

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

hides of land at Stanfit, the church of ' Sap-
peleja ' (? Stapeley) with a virgate of land and
6 acres of meadow in that town, the church
of Whitsbury with the tithes of the whole
manor, and lands at Breamore. To this the
king added pasturage for a hundred beasts of
the canons, and pannage for a hundred pigs
in the New Forest, together with as much
dead wood as they required for fuel.

All grants of churches, chapels, lands, tithes,
meadows, mills, fisheries, etc., that had been
made to the canons of Breamore were con-
firmed to their prior Robert by Bishop Henry
de Blois (nag-yi). 1 The same bishop
confirmed to them the appropriation of the
neighbouring church of Rockburne, with the
assent of the patron Manasser Bisset, and of
the priest Crispin, to whom was assigned a
pension of two shillings. 8 Manasser Bisset
was also the donor of 22^ acres to the priory
of St. Michael. He placed in the priory an
additional canon, who was to specially serve
(in masses) him and his ancestors. 3

In the reign of Henry II. a composition
was entered into between Prior Geoffrey
and the canons of Breamore and the lazar
house of Bradley, whereby it was covenanted
that the church of Rockburne, which was
near to Breamore Priory, should pertain to
the canons, but that they should pay there-
from a yearly sum of IOOJ. to the house of
Bradley. 4

Among the ancient deeds of the Public
Record Office is a grant in frankalmoin by
Henry, son of Thomas son of Hugh de
Tarente Keynes, with the consent of Joan
his wife, to the canons of Breamore, of a
curtilage and lands in Pimperne, Dorset, with
pasture for fifty-two sheep, paying 3*. yearly
to the abbess and convent of Tarente. It is
an undated deed, but of the first half of the
thirteenth century. 6

Towards the end of the reign of Henry
III. the priory church of Breamore required
re-roofing, and the king granted ten oaks
in the park of Melchet for the purpose,
and gave orders to this effect to Stephen
de Eddesworth, bailiff of Clarendon. The
canons however only obtained two oaks, and
in the reign of Edward I. petitioned the king
on the subject in 1278, when he was at Win-
chester. The king instructed Roger de Clif-
ford, justice of the forest on this side Trent,
to make inquiries, and if it was so to cause the

1 Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, 39.
" Ibid. 292.

3 Charter at College of Arms, cited by Dugdale.

4 Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, 22, 368.

5 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 2917.

prior and convent to have the remaining
oaks. 6

There are three references to this priory
in the proceedings of g)uo Warranto at the
beginning of the reign of Edward I. The
prior had made claim to wreck of the sea in
regard to his lands in Somerset. As however
neither the prior nor his proctor put in an
appearance for the hundred of Carhampton,
the claim went by default. A like course
of non-appearance, with a like result, happened
with regard to the prior's claim to have
gallows and assize of bread and ale at Langley.
Probably both these cases were too weak to
defend, and were encroachments made on the
royal prerogative in the troublous times of
Henry III. When the prior's claim to a vir-
gate of land at Shirenewton (Newton Tony),
with its appurtenant rights, was called in
question at like proceedings for Wiltshire,
Prior Thomas appeared in person, and pro-
duced evidence showing that this right had
been conferred on the priory by Henry II. and
confirmed by John and Henry III., so that
the jury had no difficulty in returning a
verdict in his favour. 7

On 27 February, 1286, licence was granted
for the alienation in mortmain by the prior
and convent of Breamore to Robert, Bishop
of Bath and Wells, of the advowsons of the
churches of Stanton Drew and Chelworth. 8

At the taxation of 1291, the priory's tem-
poralities in the archdeaconry of Winchester
(Breamore, etc.) were valued at jCj 95. od. ;
in the archdeaconry of Bath (Portbury) at
jf 6 ; in the archdeaconry of Dorset (Pim-
perne) at ,3 i6x. 6d. ; and in the arch-
deaconry of Sarum (Eblesborne and Gorton)
^4 Ss. 6d. There was also a pension of i
payable to the priory from the rectory of
Stanton Drew, making the total annual value
22 14$. od.

In September, 1294, the prior of Breamore,
in common with the great majority of the
heads of the religious houses, received protec-
tion for one year in favour of the persons and
goods of the priory, in consequence of the
convent having contributed according to the
taxation made for a tenth for the Holy Land. 9
A like protection was granted in 1297 on
making fine before the chancellor. 10

In March, 1301, grant was made in free
alms to the prior and convent of Breamore of

6 Close, 6 Edw. I. m. 10.

7 Placita de Quo Warranto (Rec. Com.), 698,
776, 867.

8 Pat. 14 Edw. I. m. 20.

9 Ibid. 22 Edw. I. m. 8.

10 Ibid. 25 Edw. I. m. isd.

169

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

the advowson of the church of Brading, Isle
of Wight, in exchange for the priory remit-
ting to the king 500 marks, wherein the king
was bound to them for corn, stock and other
things in diverse manors. This was done at
the request of Thomas, prior of Breamore,
Richard, prior of Christchurch, and Gilbert de
Knovill, who were the executors of the will
of Isabel de Fortibus, Countess of Albemarle,
and for the good of the soul of the said
countess and her ancestors whose bodies were
buried in the priory church of Breamore. 1

The bishop sent letters early in 1310
announcing his intention to visit Breamore,
and eventually fixed on Saturday next after the
feast of the Annunciation as the day. 2 There
are no entries of decrees after this visitation.

On ii December, 1327, Bishop Stratford
forwarded to the prior and convent his visita-
tion decree. The orders were arranged under
ten heads : (i) That all the canons and
obedientiaries should attend the day and night
hours and the great mass, and four canons the
solemnly sung mass of our Lady. (2) That
the door into the nave of the church be kept
firmly and securely closed ; and that the door
into the quire be kept open until the begin-
ning of the mass of our Lady, and after the
end of the high mass, until the beginning of
vespers, and from the end of vespers until the
beginning of the said mass of our Lady, day
by day ; that the door from the cloister to the
prior's hall be kept diligently by the cellarer ;
and that the sacrist or cellarer be held respon-
sible to the chapter for the due warding of
all the cloister doors. (3) That silence be
observed at the customary times and places,
and that no conversation be held with any
women, secular or religious, save in honest
places, from a reasonable cause, with the
sanction of the prior or sub-prior, and in the
presence of a brother canon. (4) That no
canons of the house, save the obedientiaries
(office holders), depart out of the monastery
precincts without the express sanction of the
prior or sub-prior. (5) That the chantry in
the manor house of Hugh Courtenay be
served by a secular priest at the charge of the
priory ; and that at the times of pilgrimage or
devotion of the faithful at the chapel of St.
Thomas near their house, one of the older
canons or a trustworthy secular be appointed
to collect their oblations. (6) That the prior
or sub-prior should daily visit the farmery to
see that there is suitable food for the infirm and
to superintend the distribution of alms to the
poor ; and that the laudable custom of assign-

1 Pat. 29 Edw. I. m. 19.

- Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, ff. 146, 161.

ing to the poor the goods of a deceased canon
for his soul's sake be maintained ; and that
there be one breviator 3 in the house, accord-
ing to custom. (7) That the beds of the
canons in the dorter be arranged so that they
can be openly seen, and that all curtains or
other impediments be removed and destroyed ;
also that the orologium 4 and lavatory be re-
paired according to the bishop's injunction.
(8) That the common seal be kept under three
keys, one in the custody of the prior, another
of the sub-prior, and the third of one of the
canons chosen by the chapter, and that it
be not used save in the chapter house and
with the consent of the chapter. (9) That
there be two treasurers, namely the sub-prior
and one appointed by the chapter, to have all
dealings with the bailiffs and other servants of
the priory, and to present an annual account.
(10) That the novices should serve in the
frater, and that proper novice masters should
be appointed for their instruction. 6

In June, 1332, the priory received a visit
from Robert de Kelleseye, one of the king's
clerks, bearing a letter to the prior inviting a
subsidy towards the expenses of the marriage
of Eleanor, the king's sister, with Reginald,
Count of Guelders. 6 The canons granted
the sum of 60*., and in the following year
they received an acknowledgment, together
with a pledge that the subsidy should not be
construed into a precedent for them or their
successors. 7

The prior and convent seem at this period
to have been good sheep farmers. In Novem-
ber, 1339, they received letters patent promis-
ing to pay, at the Purification and Easter,
28 5*. $d. for five sacks and thirty-eight
cloves of the better wool at loo*, the sack,
taken by Robert de Popham and his fellows as
collectors of the customs for Hampshire. 8

3 The breviator of a religious house was one of
the brethren appointed for the purpose of carrying
round to adjacent religious houses of various orders
the brief or document testifying to the death of
any professed member, so that the due services
might be offered for his soul. The brief was in-
scribed with the name of each house visited, to-
gether with the date. In certain houses a monk
or canon was nominated by the superior to under-
take this circuit as each death occurred ; in other
houses one of the staider brethren was appointed
beforehand to undertake the duty as necessity re-
quired.

4 Possibly the clock, but more likely the sundial
on the south side of the north wall of the cloister.

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. I78b.

6 Close, 6 Edw. III. m. i6d.

7 Pat. 7 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 12.

8 Ibid. 13 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 37.

170

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

On 13 February, 1336, Bishop Orlton
visited Breamore Priory and preached in the
chapter house. As there was no subsequent
decree the presumption is that the bishop was
satisfied. 1

In 1347 the church of Brading, Isle of
Wight, was transferred by Peter, prior of St.
Helen, to John de Wallup, prior of Breamore,
at the king's request. There are a variety of
deeds relative to this release at the Public
Record Office. 8 The transfer had originally
taken place in 1301, when permission was
granted to Breamore to appropriate the church, 3
and was confirmed in 1315, but there seems
to have been some dispute and uncertainty
about it.

The priory, like most religious houses, had
a fraternity into which laitywere received
as associates. On the Saturday after the
Epiphany, 1348, John, the prior, and the
convent of Breamore, received John de Brom-
more, Gena his wife, and John their son,
into their brotherhood, to partake of all
benefits pertaining to their house. At the
same time the priory undertook to celebrate
their anniversaries with Placebo and Dirige,
and a mass for them, and for John and Agnes
the said John's parents, and would distribute
three shillings' worth of bread to a hundred
and forty-four poor people in Fordingbridge on
their anniversary. 4

Shortly after this there must have been a
vacancy in the office of prior, for in 1356
there was a demise from Thomas, prior of
Breamore, and the convent, proprietors of the
church of Brading, to Walter Burgeys of the
parish of Godshill in the same island, of the
rectory of Brading with all its tithes. 5

In January, 1376, Bishop Wykeham directed
John de Wormenhale, his official, and the
prior of Mottisfont, to hold a visitation at the
priory of Breamore in consequence of the
laxity alleged against them, but there is no
record of any decree. 6 During the vacancy
of the see in 1404, the priory was again
visited (November 3) by the commissary of
Archbishop Arundel. 7

Dr. Hede, commissary of the prior of
Canterbury, in the vacancy of the see, visited
this priory on 24 March, 1501. The visita-

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. 50.

2 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 533, 534, 535,
5 36, 5 39, 677. See also Percy Stone's Arch. Antiq.
of the Isle of Wight, i. 19, 98, 99.

3 Pat. 8 Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 9.

4 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 3593.
6 Ibid. B. 675.

6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 1 36b.

7 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Arundel, i. f. 503.

tion was held in the Lady chapel, for the
chapter house was in a state of decay. John
Chandler, the prior, stated that when he
entered on his office the house was indebted
to the extent of 600 ; that he had paid this
off and had redeemed valuables and corrodies
that had been pledged- by his predecessor for
about 200 ; that the rents had increased to
the annual amount of 206 is. lod. ; that
divers valuables of the house were still in
pledge ; that by their old statute there were
three canons and five brothers in priests'
orders ; that the burdens of the house,
although the debts had been paid, amounted
this year to 102 ids. <)d. Richard London,
the sub-prior, stated that when the present
prior succeeded, the house was burdened to
the extent of joo or thereabouts, of which
the present prior had paid about i oo. Canon
William Ladoke stated that the prior had
redeemed two silver cups that had been
pledged by his predecessor to Sir Hugh
Conwey and paid to him for them 22.
Canons John Wynne, William Tary and
Richard More also testified to the burdens of
the house, and their reduction by the present
prior, but their statements are somewhat con-
tradictory. 8

When Henry VIII. exacted a ' loan ' in
1522 from the spirituality for the king's
personal expenses in France for the recovery
of the Crown, the priory of Breamore paid the
very large sum of ^66 13*. 4^. 9

In 1529 Prior William was summoned to
Convocation, and attended personally. 10

The last prior of the house seems to have
been quite ready to pay court to the civil
power as the storms gathered round the
religious houses. He wrote on 8 August,
1533, to Cromwell, proffering his services,
and offering, if there was anything in their
poor house to pleasure Cromwell, to put it at
his service. 11 In June, 1535, Prior Finch wrote
again to Cromwell in a similar strain, proffer-
ing his service and that of his house, and
desiring a continuance of Cromwell's favour. 12

In that year the Valor Ecclaiasticus was
taken, when the annual value of the priory
was returned at 200 $s. id., together with
two pounds of pepper. Alms and other
obligatory outgoings amounted to ,45 in.,
so that the clear annual value, in addition to
the pepper, was only 154 14*. la^- This
brought the house well within the limit of

8 SeJe Vacantc Register, Canterbury Priory.

9 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. iii. 2483."

10 Ibid. iv. 6047.

11 Ibid. vi. 957.
13 Ibid. viii. 840.

171

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

the first series of dissolutions, and it was sur-
rendered on 10 July, 1 53&. 1

The site of the priory was granted in
November of that year to Henry, Marquis of
Exeter, and Gertrude his wife, together with
all its possessions. The grant particularizes
these as the manors of ' Bulborne Haywode '
(Breamore), ' Robstead ' and Langley, Hants ;
Wilton, and 'Corton with Ostum St. George,'
Wilts ; Canford and Pimperne, Dorset ;
Portbury, Somerset ; and Northcote, Devon ;
with all lands in those places and in ' Bernes,'
South Charford, Hardley, Creech, Fording-
bridge, Gorley and Ibsley, Hants ; Ebbes-
borne and ' Gysardston,' Wilts ; and the
rectories and chapels of Breamore, Rockburne,
Whitsbury and Brading, Hants. The mar-
quis was also to receive as much fuel as he
required out of the New Forest, and all other
rights that had been enjoyed by the prior. A
rental was reserved to the Crown of

The sycophancy of Prior Finch met with
its reward. On 26 June, 1536, he was
assigned a pension of ^18,* and in March,
1538, he was appointed to the suffragan
bishopric of Taunton. 4 He was consecrated
in the Lady Chapel, Blackfriars, by the
Bishops of Rochester, Colchester and St.
Asaph on 7 April ; 8 he died in 1559.

PRIORS OF BREAMORE

Robert, 8 about 1129
Geoffrey, 7 time of Hen. II.
S., 8 about 1244

Thomas de Pimperne, 9 1286, 1301
Thomas Dounton, 10 elected 1308
William le Eyr, resigned 1327
James de Wyttenham, 1327," 1339" (?)
John de Wallup, 1342," 1352"
Thomas, about I356 15
John de Tyneham alias Sussebury, 16
1361-90

1 Aug. Off., Misc. Books, cccc. 23.

2 Pat. 28 Hen. VIII. pt. I, m. 8.

3 Aug. Misc. Books, ccxxxii. f. 17.

4 Rymer's fcedera, xiv. 587.

5 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Cranmer, f. 214.
8 Madox's Formulare Angficanutn, 39.

7 Ibid. 22, 368.

8 Ibid. 84.

Ancient Deeds, P.R.O.

10 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 86b.

11 Ibid. Stratford, f. 10.

12 Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, 92.

13 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. 112.

14 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 61 1.

15 Ibid. B. 675.

16 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, ii. f. 107.

John Berard, 1390-1431

John London, 17 1431

Thomas Hunspill, 18 1435-67

Robert Stokys, 19 1467-90

John Herries, 20 1490

John Chandler, elected before 1501,

resigned in 1508
William Hollyngborne, 21 I5o8-about

I5II
William Finch, 1511-36

14. THE PRIORY OF MOTTIS-
FONT

This priory of Austin canons, dedicated to
the Holy Trinity, was founded by William
Briwere about 1 2O0. 2a His chief gifts were
lands at Mottisfont, Hale and Eldon, and the
churches of Longstock and Ashley. To these
his brother John Briwere added the church
of Little Somborne. King John granted a
confirmation charter of these gifts, dated
23 October, 1204, and added thereto, as his
own donation to the canons, the church of
Eling. On the death of his wife Beatrice,
the founder gave to the priory all his lands in
the adjacent parish of Michelmarsh, and five
marks in rent from Barbache, to keep her
anniversary. William Briwere, the son of
the founder, gave them the church of King's
Somborne, and the mill and 40 acres of land
at Stockbridge, together with rents at Mottis-
font and elsewhere, to keep his anniversary.
Margery de la Ferte, daughter of the founder,
confirmed all these gifts, and also materially
increased the priory's endowment, particularly
with lands at Trusbury and Compton, and
with lands and buildings at Winchester, both
within and without the walls. 23

The obituary of the Mottisfont canons
shows that they observed the anniversary of
Peter de Rivallis, a brother of the founder,
on 23 November. It is stated that he was
known as 'The holy man in the wall,' and
that many miracles were worked through him.
He gave a large sum of money and many
jewels to purchase a rent-charge to secure the
keeping of his anniversary. Queen Eleanor
also conferred many possessions and goods on
the priory to secure the perpetual keeping of

17 Cole MS. and Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B.

3262.

18 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., B. 95, 844.

19 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, i. f. I jb.

20 Ibid. Courtney, f. 8b.

21 Ibid. Fox, ii. f. 99.

M Briwere was a judge of some eminence ; see
Diet. Nat. Blag., vi. 297.
23 Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 481.

172

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

her obit, which was observed by all the priests
of the house. The queen provided that seven
poor widows should daily receive refreshment
in the house in her memory, and that five
poor persons should sit at table on her anni-
versary.

Laurence de Colshull gave a large sum of
money, many jewels, and much furniture, to
provide for the daily saying by a canon of a
mass for him and others, with special collects.
John Forstbury and Joan his wife gave all
their lands and tenements at Westley for their
anniversary. It was provided in their behalf
that each week two canons should celebrate
mass at the altars of the Holy Trinity and
the Blessed Virgin respectively. And Agnes
Betune, widow, gave all her lands and tene-
ments at Ogden and Bentley, for keeping her
anniversary on the first Thursday in Lent. 1

An indult was granted in 1241 by Pope
Gregory IX. to the prior and brethren of
Mottisfont to hold to their uses, on its void-
ance, the church of Somborne, of their
patronage, reserving a vicar's portion. 2

The prior of Mottisfont at this time seems
to have been respected at the papal court, as
he was twice ordered to see to the enforce-
ment of the papal authority in this country. 3

Roger de Clifford, justice of the forest on
this side Trent, was ordered, in January,
1275, to cause the prior and convent of
Mottisfont to have four oaks fit for timber in
the wood of Melchet, which is within the
forest of Clarendon, for the work then in
progress at their church.*

Archbishop Peckham visited this priory on
26 January, 1284, and issued long injunctions
to be observed by the canons. Amongst
them was one permitting the employment of
women over sixty years of age for certain
domestic work. Mention is also made of the
duties of prior, sub-prior, sacrist, chanter, cel-
larer and treasurer. 5

The taxation of 1291 gave the annual
value of the temporalities of the priory in the
archdeaconry of Winchester at 2 7 i QJ. The
church of Mottisfont was at the same time
declared of the annual value of 30. The
priory was also possessed of lands at Kidwelly,
in the distant archdeaconry of Cardigan, which
were worth 2os. per annum.

1 The foundation charters and this obituary were
all cited in Dugdale's Monastkon, ii. 322-5, ex Cod.
MS. in Scacc. penes Remem. Regis ; but there is
no such chartulary now at the Record Office.

a Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 193.

3 Ibid. i. 195, 202.

* Close, 3 Edw. I. m. 23.

5 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Peckham, ff. 29ob, 230.

In the same year, licence was granted for
the alienation in mortmain, by John dc
Rivers the younger, to the prior and convent
of Mottisfont, of an acre of land in Roswyk
in Pengareg and the advowson of the church
of Mullion, Kerrier (Cornwall). 8 This was
confirmed by Edward II., together with leave
to appropriate the church. 7

Licence from the Crown to elect in vacan-
cies of religious houses was only required when
the Crown was patron. Owing to the mi-
nority of the heir of Briwere the founder, the
king claimed the ad interim patronage of this
house in 1291. The patronage is stated to
have belonged to Maud daughter and heir of
Patrick de Cadurcy the king's ward, in 1 294, 8
but soon afterwards it devolved wholly on
the Crown, by whom it was conferred on the
Earl of Lancaster.

From the episcopal registers we find that
Thomas de Barton was instituted as prior on
21 February, 1294, and on the same day the
the bishop's mandate was issued to the arch-
deacon for his induction. The various pro-
ceedings of the election are set forth with
much detail ; the election was by way of
compromise, and eleven canons (the full num-
ber) recorded their votes for him. 9

In 1310 Bishop Woodlock issued his man-
date for visiting this priory, appointing the
Saturday after the feast of St. Matthew as the
day. No decree was issued as the result of
this visitation, so it may be concluded that the
bishop was satisfied.

In April, 1316, licence was obtained for
the alienation in mortmain by William Rus-
sell, to the prior and convent of Mottisfont
of a messuage, 80 acres of land, 4 acres of
meadow, and 5*. id. of rents in Barton Stacey. 10

The documents relative to the election of
John de Dernford as prior in 1330 are set
forth at length in the episcopal registry, and
include the consent of Henry, Earl of Lancas-
ter, as the patron. 11 In 1331, the bishop
issued a mandate to the new prior to report
as to the condition of the priory and to pro-
duce a statement of accounts. 13 On 26
November, 1334, Bishop Orlton visited Mot-
tisfont, and preached to the canons in their
chapter-house from the text ' Omnia honeste et
cum ordine fiantj lz

8 Pat. 19 Edw. I. m. 16.

7 Ibid. 3 Edw. II. m. 26.

8 Ibid. 22 Edw. I. m. 24.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, fF. 13,92, 93.

10 Pat. 9 Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 25.

11 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, fF. I2ib, 122
i 3 Ibid. f. 56b.

13 Ibid. Orlton, i. f. 1 1.

173

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In 1349 Robert de Bromore, sub-prior,
was elected prior, Prior Dernford having prob-
ably died of the plague, and in the following
year Richard de Caneford was elected prior,
on the death of Prior Bromore, probably from
a like cause. In 1352 Ralph de Thorleston,
a canon of Leicester, was made superior, as
there was apparently no suitable priest left of
their own house. 1

In December, 1353, Henry of Lancaster
petitioned the pope for an indulgence
to those who visited the Augustinian priory
of Mottisfont on Trinity Sunday, or who
contributed to it. The petition stated that
the duke's mother Maud was buried in
the priory church. 2 A special effort was
apparently being made to revive the house
after the shock of the Black Death, which
must have greatly reduced the income of the
priory as well as thinned its numbers. Pope
Innocent VI. lent a ready ear to this influen-
tial petition, and in the same month that the
application was received, granted the relaxation
of a year and forty days' penance to peni-
tents who gave helping hands to the priory of
Mottisfont, the indulgence to hold good for
five years. At the same time a relaxation of
a year and forty days of enjoined penance was
granted to penitents who visited this church
on the feasts of the Holy Trinity, the Assump-
tion and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, and
those of the Holy Cross and St. Michael. 3

In July, 1354, Pope Innocent VI. granted
a dispensation to Walter de Bocland, canon
of Mottisfont, being the illegitimate son of a
married woman, to hold any dignity or office
in the Austin order, short of the abbatial. 4

During the vacancy of the see in 1404,
this priory was visited by the commissioners
of Archbishop Arundel on 8 November, when
all was found to be satisfactory. 6

In 1456 a commission appointed by Bishop
Waynflete declared the priory vacant, because
William Marlynburgh, the prior elect, did not
exhibit sufficient title. Whereupon William
Westkarre was elected. 8

Henry VII., patron of Mottisfont (through
the duchy of Lancaster), finding the priory
seriously reduced in numbers and income, and
being desirous to change it into a collegiate
church for a dean and prebendaries, applied
to the pope for a bull for its suppression.
In response to this application Alexander VI.

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. ff. 48b, 6<)b,
74 b.

2 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 253.

3 Ibid. iii. 514. 4 Ibid. iii. 537.
6 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Arundel, i. f. 504.
8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, i. f. 13.

in 1494 issued a bull for the suppression of
the priory, in favour of a college. It is stated
that the priory, instead of supporting eleven
canons, according to the original foundation,
was then only able with difficulty to maintain
three, and that the annual income did not
exceed ^I2O. 7 Henry however changed his
mind and resolved to annex the priory to his
Windsor foundation ; but, changing yet again,
he determined to assign it to his great chapel
at Westminster Abbey. Alexander VI. com-
placently issued another bull, in the year
1500, authorizing the suppression of Mottis-
font priory, together with Luffield priory in
Lincoln diocese for the last of these purposes. 8
But, strange to say, neither Henry VII. nor
the abbot of Westminster availed themselves
of this papal sanction to seize the priory, and
it continued until the dissolution of the lesser
monasteries.

The priory was visited by the commis-
sary of the prior of Canterbury, during the
vacancy of the sees of both Canterbury and
Winchester, on 30 March, 1501. John
Edmunds, the prior, stated that the annual
rents had increased to two hundred marks ;
that when he entered on his office the house
was burdened to the extent of ^40 ; but
that at the present time it was not in debt,
save with respect to 300 marks, due to the
king within a certain time for excusing the
appropriation of the house to the monastry
of Westminster. Richard Wraxton, subprior,
John Colmer, sacristan, Thomas Edmunds,
the cellarer, and Robert Marleys, another of
the canons, were also examined.

The report of the first commission to visit
Hampshire houses, made by Sir James Wors-
ley and his brother commissioners on 30 May,
1536, stated that the priory of Mottisfont
had been ' dissolved and possession thereof de-
livered to Sir William Sandes of the most
honourable Order of the Garter, Lord Cham-
berleyne, according to the King's pleasure.'
It was stated to be of the annual value of
164 1 2s, 6d. ; that there were ten canons,
eight of them priests and two novices ; that
one of them had been committed to the
monastery of Christ Church, Twyneham, eight
given ' letters of capacity,' and 401. ' of the
kinge's reward,' and one novice sent to his
friends with 30;. ; that there were twenty-
nine other inmates who had been discharged ;
that the church and mansion were in conven-
ient repair, but the outhouses in ruin and
decay ; that the lead and bells were worth
155, which had been delivered to the Lord

7 Rymer's Faedera, xii. 562.

8 Ibid. 738.

174

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Chamberlain ; that the plate and jewels
worth 42 31. 8< and ornaments worth
^38 15*. 4</. were reserved for the king ; that
corn, stock and stores worth 6j us. \d.
had been delivered to the chamberlain ; that
the house owed 103 2s. ; was owed
,2 131. 4^. ; and that the woods, etc., were
worth 106 131. 4*/. 1

In 1529 John, prior of Mottisfont, was
duly summoned, with the heads of the other
Hampshire religious houses, to the Convoca-
tion of the province of Canterbury. 2

The Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1535 names
William Christchurch as prior, and gives the
clear annual value as 124. 31. 5^d.

On 26 March, 1536, Harry Huttoft, a
Southampton customs official, when writing
to Cromwell about charges to be levied on
goods at the port, stated that there was much
talk there about the suppression of religious
houses, adding, with the assurance that was
characteristic of most of Cromwell's friends
and tools, ' Let me be a suitor for one, viz.
the house of Mottisfont, where there is a
good friend of mine with as good a master
and convent as is in the country. If none
are to be reserved, but all must pass one way,
please to let me have it towards my poor liv-
ing.' 3 The house was actually surrendered
on 22 May following. 4

Huttoft did not however succeed in get-
ting his longed-for share of the monastic
plunder, for Mottisfont fell to the lot of a
much more influential person, William, Lord
Sandys, K.G., the king's chamberlain. The
grant, dated 14 July, 1536, conferred on
him and Lady Margery, his wife, the site and
the whole of the possessions and advowsons
of the late priory. 6

The prior, William Shepperd, alias Christ-
church, who seems to have been entirely
complacent, obtained the large pension of
20."

Lord Sandys speedily set about the work
of altering the priory for his own conven-
ience. A letter from Mottisfont of August,
1 538, says that the lord chamberlain had been
keeping house there since the beginning of
May and intended to continue there till
Allhallow-tide to oversee his works. The
writer expressed the opinion that he was

1 Aug. Off., Certif. of Colleges and Chantries,

I 12.

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. iv. 6047.

3 Ibid. x. 557.

4 Aug. Off., Misc. Books, cccc. 23.
6 Pat. Hen. VIII. pt. i. m. 9.

6 Aug. Off., Misc. Books, 232, f. 17.

making a goodly place of the priory and in-
tended to lie there most of his life. 7

What had become of the seven poor
widows of Queen Eleanor's foundation, who
were to receive daily food at the house of
Mottisfont, is not stated.

The pointed oval seal of thirteenth century
date (see illustration) affords an unusual method
of representing the Holy Trinity. The Father,
with nimbus, seated holds a half-length figure
of the Son in a cloth extended on His knees ;
overhead is the Holy Ghost in the form of a
dove. On the field is a sun and moon and
several groups of three annulets or stars.

Legend : + L \ ECCLESIE | SANCTE

TRINITATIS | DE MOTESFUNT.

PRIORS OF MOTTISFONT

Henry de Wynton, d. 1294

Thomas de Barton, 8 1294

William, 9 1300

John de Dwineford, 10 131723

Walter de Wallup, 11 1323

Benedict de Wallup, resigned 1330

John de Dernford, 12 elected 1330

Robert de Bromore, 1349-50

Richard de Caneford, 1350

Ralph de Thorleston, 13 1352

John Netherhavene, 14 1356

William Marlynburgh, prior elect, 1456

William Westkarre, 15 1456

John Edmunds, 1501-29

William Christchurch, alias Shepperd,

1535-6
15. THE PRIORY OF SELBORNE

The priory of St. Mary, Selborne, was
founded in 1233 by Bishop Peter des Roches
for Austin canons. The original foundation
charter of the bishop, with the confirmation
of the king, are still extant, together with a
vast store of other evidences pertaining to the
priory, among the muniments of Magdalen
College, Oxford. Selborne is one of the very
few cases in which the entire store of original
monastic muniments have come down to our
own times. They were transferred en bloc to
Magdalen College at the time of its founda-
tion, and are faithfully preserved in the Foun-
der's Tower. They were calendared some

7 Letters and Papers, Hen. Vlll. xiii. 176.

8 Pat. 22 Edw. I. mm. 24, 23.

9 Dod's MS. Ixxvi. 4.

10 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, ff. pb, lob.

11 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Reynolds, p. 301.

12 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, ff. izib, 122.

13 Ibid. Edingdon, i. ff. 48b, 698, 74b.

14 Ibid. i. f. I3ib.

1!i Ibid. Waynflete, i. f. 13.

175

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

years ago by the Rev. W. Dunn Macray,
M.A., F.S.A. 1 In 1891 the Hants Record
Society issued a printed calendar of the
charters and documents relative to Sel-
borne and its priory, the more important of
them being given in extenso, which was
edited, with a valuable preface, by Mr. Mac-
ray. In 1894 this society issued a second
volume, edited by the same gentleman, giving
a calendar of the deeds relating to lands of the
priory in other places than Selborne itself.
To these scholarly volumes we are indebted
for all the information given in this brief
notice, save where it is otherwise stated.
Much, too, of the history of this priory has
long been accessible in the fairly accurate
account given of it by the immortal Gilbert
White in his Natural History of Selborne.

By the foundation charter, dated 2O January,
1233-4, the canons acquired the manor of
Selborne, with every possible privilege, the
lands which the bishop had obtained by the
gift of James de Acangre, James de Norton,
and King Henry III., and the churches of
Selborne, Basing and Basingstoke were at the
same time appropriated to their use. In Sep-
tember, 1235, Pope Gregory IX. confirmed
the foundation and conferred certain pri-
vileges.

The first prior was John, whose name
occurs in charters from 1234 to 1258. In
1250 there is an early instance of a corrody.
Roger de Cherlecole conveyed to the prior, in
free alms, two messuages, a mill, and divers
acres of land and meadow, on condition that
the priory should provide him and his wife
Isabel with the weekly allowance, during
life, of 1 8 canons' loaves, 28 servants' loaves,
15 gallons of the convent beer, 14 gallons of
the second beer, and 120". for meat and
pottage ; the allowance was to be reduced by
one half on the death of either of them.

In July, 1254, the vicarage of Selborne was
formally ordained. The vicar was to receive
the tithes of gardens and plots tilled by spade
husbandry, as well as all the small tithes,
oblations, legacies, and other obventions that
pertained both to the mother church and to
the chapels of Oakhanger and Blakemore.
The vicar was to reside at the mother church,
and pay annually loo*, to the priory. He
was to be provided with a suitable manse near
the church, and also to hold the land with
garden and a curtilage at Oakhanger. The
priory was to be responsible for all episcopal,
archidiaconal, and other dues, to keep the
chancel in repair, and to make good all pre-

1 Hist. MSS. Commission, Eighth Report, pp.
163-4.

sent defects in books, vestments and other
ornaments of the church, for which however
the vicar was to be responsible in the future.

The second prior was Richard of Kent.*
He succeeded in 1261, and ruled the convent
till 1267. Prior Richard granted leave, on
24 June, 1262, to Sir Adam Gurdun and his
wife Constance to construct an oratory in
their manor house at Selborne and to celebrate
mass therein. This Sir Adam Gurdun be-
came the outlawed adherent of Simon de
Montfort, who fought in 1266 his famous
duel with Prince Edward. 3

Whilst Peter de Disenhurst was prior, there
were special bequests for maintaining the
light of the high altar and the light of St.
Katherine in the conventual church. In
1270 Henry III. granted a weekly market
and yearly fair to the priory, to be held in the
town of Selborne in a place called ' La Pley-
stowe,' to the south of the church. 4 In-
quests at the beginning of the reign of
Edward I. show that the prior had the right
to gallows, assize of bread and ale, and view
of frank-pledge on the manor of Selborne,
and also the right of chasing fox and hare
within the king's forests. 6

In 1285 Prior Richard and the convent of
Selborne granted to Lady Ela Longespeye,
Countess of Warwick, in return for 100
marks, that one canon should always celebrate
for her at the altar of Sts. Stephen, John
Baptist, and Thomas the Martyr, specifying
the collects to be used. It was also provided
that high mass should be celebrated for her
monthly at the high altar, that her name
should be written in every missal and in the
martyrology, and her soul mentioned in all
prayers when the soul of the founder was
mentioned ; and that on the news of her
death the classicum with all the bells should be
tolled, as for a prior, every priest-canon cele-
brating thirty masses and saying ten psalters,
and every lay-brother one hundred and fifty
' Our Fathers ' and the like number of ' Hail
Marys.'

In 1290 Bishop Pontoise re-ordained the
vicarage, specifying the small tithes, and
adding to the former endowment 10 acres
of arable land and i acre called Orchard's

2 Dugdale in the Monasticon gives Nich. de
Cantia, which is a misprint for Rich, de Cantia.

3 Mr. Macray corrects the errors into which
Gilbert White fell with regard to the pedigree of
Gurdun of Selborne (Charters and Documents of
Selborne Priory, I. x.)

4 Charter R. 54 Henry III., pt. i. m. 3 ;
Macray's Selborne Charters, i. 64.

5 Hund. Rolls (Rec. Com.) ii. 224.

I 7 6

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Crop which the rector used to hold. The
prior and convent were also ordered, at their
own expense, to erect anew sufficient build-
ings for the vicar, and -yearly to deliver to
him three quarters each of wheat, of barley,
and of oats, good measure, and if three
months in arrear after Michaelmas, to give
double. The priory was to receive all the
great tithes, that is the sheaves only, and they
were to provide candlestick, books, and bread
for the celebration, as well as to repair the
chancel and be responsible for all dues.

The taxation roll of 1291 gives the annual
value of the church of Selborne and its chapel
at 22 ; whilst the priory is credited with an
income of ^9 i6s. 2d. in the archdeaconry of
Winchester under temporalities.

William de Basing, the fifth prior, was
elected in 1299.* His name occurs in the
evidences from 1299 to 1323. Pardon was
granted on n May, 1302, to Prior William
and his convent for acquiring in mortmain 32
acres of land and 5 acres of wood in Bromdene
by feoffment of Walter Launcel, and 1 8 acres
of land there by feoffment of Richard de la
Putte.* In 1305 royal confirmation was
obtained of a grant (made long before the
statute of mortmain) by John de Vernuz to
the priory, of 20 acres of land in East World-
ham and the advowson of the church of that
town. 3 In January, 1307, licence was ob-
tained for the alienation in mortmain, by
William Turner and Alice his wife to the
priory of Selborne, of a messuage and 24
acres of land in La Rode. 4 In the following
May, William and Alice Turner granted to
the priory all their land in La Rode, after the
death of Alice, on condition of their granting
to William and Alice for life the livery of
one canon, namely one white loaf and one
gallon of beer or cider of the better drink of
the convent.

Bishop Orlton visited the priory on 21
February, 1336, and preached in the chapter
house from the text ' Quicunque fecerit voluntatem
Patris me'i qui in ceelisest' 6 In June, 1338,
the bishop wrote to the prior and convent
with respect to the transference to their house,
in consequence of his excesses, of William de
Preston, a canon of Breamore. 6

In January, 1339, Prior Walter entered into
an agreement with Roger Tichborne, son of
Sir John Tichborne, whereby the priory,

Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 22.
Pat. 30 Edw. I. m. 22.
Ibid. 33 Edw. I. pt. I m. 15.
Ibid. 35 Edw. I. m. 40.
Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. 33.
Ibid. 6ib.

in consideration of a grant to them of Roger's
whole tenement in La Rode, with its messu-
ages, gardens, and woods, covenanted to pay
six marks a year to a chaplain celebrating for
the soul of Roger, and John and Amicia his
parents, and their ancestors and successors, in
a chantry which he had established in the
chapel of his manor of Tichborne. The
priory also covenanted to admit from time to
time one fit person, presented by the said
Roger, as a canon of their house, and to pro-
vide a chaplain to celebrate daily in their
conventual church, at the altar of St. Stephen,
for the souls of Roger, John and Amice. In
the same year the king, when at Southampton,
confirmed a considerable number of recent
grants to the priory. 7

On 5 June, 1352, there was another alter-
ation in the ordination of the vicarage of
Selborne, when Prior Edmund and Vicar
Adam Seyncler entered into an agreement,
ratified by the diocesan, for the increase of
the latter's stipend, so as to avoid a lawsuit.
The recent pestilence and the consequent
scarcity of the times had rendered an altera-
tion imperative. The chief additions of a
permanent character were four cartloads of
wood from Priorswood, a cartload of hay
from the tithe hay at Norton, and a cartload
of straw at the courtyard of Gurdun, each
load to be such as three horses could draw ;
and all the tithes, great and small, from the
tenements and lands of the prior and convent
which were formerly Sir Adam Gurdun's,
Alice Roberd's, and of the manor of Rode,
and of the moiety of oblations at the chapel
of Waddon. The vicar was to find a chap-
lain to celebrate in the chapels of Oakhanger
and Blakemere. In addition to this, there
were certain special provisions made for Vicar
Seyncler only for his life, such as a rent of
2s. 6d., and the tithes of wool and the mills,
excepting those of the convent.

In 1376 that energetic diocesan William
of Wykeham suspended Prior Nicholas for
waste and lax administration of the spirituali-
ties and temporalities of the convent, placing
the rule of the priory's affairs in the hands of
the sub-prior and another of the senior canons.
On 7 August the bishop sent his mandate to
the rural dean of Alton to serve the prior
with three formal monitions required by the
canons. 8

Eventually Prior Nicholas resigned through
old age and infirmity on 18 February, 1378.'

On 29 June, 1387, Wykeham commis-

7 Pat. 12 Edw. III. pt. 3 m. 3.

8 Winton Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 1443.

9 Ibid. i. f. 90.

177 2 3

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

sioned Lydeforde, his official, and John Ware
to visit Selborne and other monasteries.
Their report was apparently a serious one,
for it resulted in a personal and searching
visitation made by the bishop himself. On
27 September, Bishop Wykeham issued an
exceptionally long series of injunctions,
thirty-six in number, which afford evidence
of laxity and neglect of rules. Mr. Macray
says, but without sufficient warranting evi-
dence : ' The prior and canons, without being
guilty of any gross and crying scandal, had
become a society of worldly gentlemen living
carelessly and very much at their ease.' The
following is a summary of the injunctions,
which in many respects are the same as those
laid down by Wykeham for observance by
the monks of St. Swithun, and may therefore
be taken as a matter indicating Wykeham's
ideal for a monastic house rather than neces-
sarily directed against specific offences. The
night and day hours and the customary
masses were to be attended by all ; contuma-
cious absentees to fast on Fridays on bread
and water ; the rules of silence to be ob-
served ; masses for founders and benefactors
to be duly celebrated ; the cloister not to be
used by lay persons of either sex on pain of
the greater excommunication ; the doors of
church and cloister to be duly closed ; ignorant
brethren who could not read Holy Scripture
aright were to be duly taught ; the papal con-
stitutions of the Austin Order were to be
read twice a year in chapter, and the novices
were to learn the rule of the order by heart ;
no allowance in money was to be made for
clothes and shoes, and the old clothes were to
be given to the poor ; the canons and brethren
were not to leave the priory without special
leave, nor without a canon as a companion ;
hunting and the keeping of hunting dogs
(saving any customary right) were strictly
prohibited ; two canons were to visit the
manors twice a year ; the full number of
fourteen canons was to be kept up ; the
prior was to inquire twice a year into private
ownership of property on the part of the
canons ; annual accounts were to be ren-
dered ; dilapidated buildings of the priory and
granges were to be repaired ; no corrodies nor
pensions were to be granted without the
bishop's leave ; chantries were to be duly
served ; alms were to be duly distributed to
the poor, as well as the fragments left from
meals ; offenders were to be duly corrected
without respect of persons, officers liable to be
suspended, and special penance inflicted on
the prior for neglect ; pittances on anniver-
saries were to be duly distributed ; no impor-
tant business was to be transacted without the

consent of the majority of the chapter ; the
common seal was to be kept under five keys ;
the statutable boots were to be worn, and not
coloured shoes nor leggings, and all luxurious
dress forbidden in detail ; sacred vestments
and vessels were to be kept clean, and the
sacramental wine to be pure and good and
not sour (acetosum) ; relics and sacred vessels
were not to be pawned ; diligent private
reading of Holy Scripture was to be main-
tained ; and the injunctions were to be
written out, and read before the whole con-
vent twice yearly.

Apparently Bishop Wykeham was satisfied
that his visitation injunctions were being ob-
served at Selborne ; otherwise he could
scarcely have issued a mandate, in March
1389, to the prior and convent of Selborne to
receive John Chertese, a canon of Newark,
guilty of a grave scandal, to do penance there,
and to be kept in seclusion until further orders. 1

Wykeham's registers afford, however, a
better and later proof of that bishop's good
opinion with regard to Selborne. At the
time of the appointment of Weston as prior,
namely in 1377, the generous diocesan had
discharged the debts of the house, which then
amounted to 73 195. lod. Some years after
the visitation Wykeham again saw fit to ex-
tend his generosity to this house, for in May,
1401, Prior Weston sent a formal acknow-
ledgment on behalf of his chapter of the
bishop's great goodness and liberality in pre-
senting them with a hundred marks ; he
promised (though that seems to have been no
condition of the gift) that two of the canons
should for ten years say masses daily for the
good estate of Wykeham, or for his soul when
he died. 8

John Stepe, the twelfth prior, was elected
about 14 1 5, and his name occurs in evidences
down to 1453. Among the Magdalen muni-
ments is an interesting and full inventory of
vestments and church goods delivered to Peter
at Berne, sacrist, by Prior John Stepe, on 7
October, 1442, as well as one of a somewhat
later date. The inventory included sixteen
copes, seventeen chasubles, three white chasu-
bles for Lent, five albes without apparel for
Lent. The relics enumerated are a pax with
a bone of the little finger of St. John ; a gold
ring of St. Hippolitus ; a silver gilt ring of
St. Edmund of Canterbury, and a comb and
pome (calefactorium) of St. Richard of Chi-
chester. 8

The affairs of the priory became much in-

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f.
* Ibid. iii. f. 334 ; Moberly's Life of Wykeham,
262-3.

3 Macray's Seltortte Charters, i. in, 112.

I 7 8

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

volved about the middle of the fifteenth
century. From an estimate of the revenues
and debts of the house, drawn up in 1462, it
appeared that the total income was 86 IQS. 6d.,
and the clear value 71 los. 8d. The house
then sustained only four canons and their four
servants, the cost of whose board and cloth-
ing was estimated at 30 ; divers creditors
had received 15 15*. 4^. ; the repairs of
churches, houses, and the walls and cloister
of the priory had also consumed 15 131. 4^.;
whilst 10 was the annual life pension as-
signed to the prior. In 1463-4 the prior was
twice sued for debts in the sheriff's court.

In 1468 Prior Richard resigned, and John
Morton was elected fourteenth prior. 1 He
held office till 1471, when William Windsor
was appointed ; but owing to irregularity
of election this appointment was almost
immediately annulled, and Thomas Farwill
or Fairwise elected as fifteenth prior in his
place. In 1472 Peter at Berne was re-
appointed prior, and held office for the second
time until 1478. On 21 April, 1478, a
visitation was made of the priory by the
priors of Breamore and Tortington, under the
authority of the general chapter of the
Augustinian Order.

Prior Assheford seems only to have been
appointed to further the suppression of this
overburdened house. On 2 September, 1484,
Bishop Waynflete appointed Richard, prior of
Newplace, and two others to hold a com-
mission for the annexing of the priory to
Magdalen College of the bishop's founding.
The greatest care was taken to justify this
action to the church and the world by the
elaborate nature of the evidence taken on
oath before the commission. The evidence
of the prior (an old man of seventy-two), of
the bishop, and many others as to the hope-
less condition of the priory, which was then
destitute of a single canon and utterly dilapi-
dated, was conclusive, and the decree of an-
nexation was pronounced on 1 1 September.
In the following year the transfer was con-
firmed by Pope Innocent VIII.

On the suppression of the priory an annual
pension of 6 1 31. \d. was assigned to Asshe-
ford, and a chantry priest was maintained at
Selborne, who received yearly from the
College 9 6s. 8d. -The founder of the
priory was also, by Waynflete's order, com-
memorated at one of the quarterly obits
observed at Magdalen College. 8

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, i. f. 1576.

1 The commemoration of Peter de Roches at
Magdalen, long forgotten, has recently been re-
vived, and is now regularly maintained.

An inventory of goods remaining at the
priory in May, 1 490, in the custody of Simon
Hiltofte, chaplain there, shows that there were
then a full equipment of church service books,
altar plate, vestments, and other ornaments.
There were also some books remaining in one
of the chambers, including a copy of the Acts
of the Apostles, and commentaries on the
Gospels and on the Book of Job.

In 1534 a grant was made by the presi-
dent and scholars of Magdalen to Nicholas
Langerige, M.A., of the chaplaincy in the late
priory of Selborne, for forty years, if he should
live so long, to celebrate there for the souls of
all the benefactors of the priory and college,
assigning him an annual pension of 8 with
two chambers on the north side of the chapel,
with a kitchen, a stable for three horses, and
the orchard ; also 265. annually to find a
clerk to serve him at the altar and in other
necessary matters ; and ten cartloads of wood
to be given him at the Easter progress of the
president and fellows, provided he did not sell
or give away any of it. It was further pro-
vided that Nicholas was not to absent himself
from the priory more than two months in the
year without special leave from the college,
and when absent must provide a sufficient
substitute.

PRIORS OF SELBORNE

John, about 1234, 1250
Richard of Kent, 3 1261-7
Peter de Disenhurst, 1267, 1271
Richard, 1277, 1291
William de Basing, 4 1299-1323
Walter de Insula, 6 elected 1323
John de Winton, 1339
Edmund, 1352, 1357
Nicholas de Wynton, 8 1361-78
Thomas Weston, 7 1378-1410
John Winchester, 8 1410, 1413

John Stepe,

Peter at Berne," 1459-68

John Morton, 10 1468-71

3 Dugdale gives Nich. de Cantia, which is a
misprint for Rich, de Cantia.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 22.

B Pat. 17 Edw. II. pt. i, m. 14; Winton.
Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 6. In the margin there is a
curious entry relative to customary episcopal fees in
kind. It is stated that the official who inducted
Prior Walter received, in nomine episcopi, his pal-
frey, saddle, bridle, cloak and boots.

* Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, f. 113.

7 Ibid. Wykeham, i. f. 90.

8 Ibid. Beaufort, f. 23.

9 Ibid. Waynflete, i. f. 6<)b. Peter at Berne
resigned in 1468, and was re-elected in 1472.

10 Ibid. f. 1576.

179

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

William Windsor, 1471, election annulled
Thomas Farwill or Fairwise, 14712
Peter at Berne, 1472-8
John Scherpe, elected 1479
Thomas Assheford, 1484-5

1 6. THE ORATORY OF BARTON

The oratory or priory of Barton, dedicated
to the Holy Trinity, whose priests followed
the rule of St. Augustine, was situated in
Whippingham parish, Isle of Wight. It was
founded in 1275 by Thomas de Wynton,
rector of Godshill, and John de Insula, rector
of Shalfleet. 1 The oratory was endowed with
land in Whippingham, Arreton, Span, Ap-
pleford, Kerne, Rookley, Dolcoppice, La
Snape, Walpan, some pasture on St. Cather-
ine's Down, two corn mills in Newport, and
with some house property at Southampton.

The foundation charter laid down that the
oratory was to consist of six chaplains with a
clerk, who were to live an honest life, follow
the Austin rule, and celebrate perpetually
both for the living and the dead. One of
their number was to be presented to the
bishop to serve as archpriest or superior, and
within twenty days of any vacancy among
the chaplains a fit person was to be chosen
and presented to the diocesan. The chap-
lains were to be under the immediate control
of the bishop, and their servants under the
archdeacon. They were to hold their goods
in common, and the effects of any chaplain
dying were to go to the oratory. There was
to be only one dish, with a pittance, at each
meal, save on great festivals, when there was
to be a third dish. The chaplains were to
be diligent in their prayers and reading ; they
were not to go outside the precincts of the
house without the archpriest's leave; in the
oratory they were to wear surplices with black
copes, and when outside humble habits of one
colour, black or brown (burnet), with a frieze
cloak and cap. At table, the archpriest was
to sit at the head, next him the chaplain who
had celebrated high mass that morning, and
then in their respective order the chaplains
who had celebrated the masses of the Blessed
Virgin, the Holy Trinity, and Requiem.
The chaplains were to sleep in a common
dormitory where silence was to be observed.
In all offices they were to follow the use of
Sarum ; one of the chaplains was to be ap-
pointed precentor and draw up the order of
services. The archpriest was to be respon-

1 Inspeximus of original charter (Stone's Arch.
Antij. 1. W. pt. i. p. 121, note b).

1 80

sible fpr the temporalities of the house.
Thirteen poor brethren were to have their
food daily, for which purpose the revenue
from Crudmore farm, in Carisbrooke parish,
was appropriated.

In the return of knights' fees made in 1346
it appears that the archpriest of Barton held a
quarter of a fee in Span and a seventh part
in Barton. 2

In 1386 the bishop committed the charge
of the house to Gilbert Noreys, one of the
chaplains. 3 In a short time however grievous
complaints reached the bishop with regard to
warden Gilbert's conduct. His brother chap-
lains accused him of having given away or
sold, without their consent, 180 of the best
sheep, worth izd. apiece; 20 of the best
beasts, worth 10, for 10 marks; all the
wool and sheepskins ; a saddle horse for 30*.;
a mare and foal, well worth 2os., for 5*. ;
several barge loads of timber and bricks ; as
well as 30 quarters of barley, 30 quarters of
oats, and 10 quarters of pease. Moreover he
had pawned a chalice and vestments and
other silver. In addition he was accused of
grave incontinence, and of tavern haunting,
requiring an attendant to lead him nightly to
his lodging. Bishop Wykeham commissioned
the abbot of Quarr and two others to inquire
into this charge, with the result that Gilbert
Noreys was removed, and William Love, one
of the chaplains, admitted as archpriest on
7 June, 1387.*

Meanwhile the affairs of the oratory did
not improve, the buildings got into a sad
state, and Love, the archpriest, was taken
prisoner by the French. In his absence his
jurisdiction was formally suspended, and in
1390 the custody of both spiritualities and
temporalities were assigned by Wykeham to his
suffragan, Simon, bishop of Achonry. 6 Soon
after this Love escaped or was released from
his imprisonment across the seas, and resumed
his rule. Under pressure of his diocesan, in
January, 1394, a covenant was entered into
between William Love and Richard Lath-
bury, a tiler and mason, by which the latter
covenanted to keep the buildings in order,
Love providing materials and a labourer, and
allowing Lathbury his victuals and los. a year
and keep for a horse. 6

But the house speedily got into further

3 feudal Aids, ii. 337, 340.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. I72b.

4 Ibid. iii. zzgb, 230.

5 Ibid. i. f. 205 ; iii. f. 245.

6 See Archaologia, Iii. 297-313, for an article
on the evidences of this Oratory among the Win-
chester College muniments by T. F. Kirby, F.S.A.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

trouble ; Love became a prisoner in the Fleet,
we know not on what charge, and in October,
X 394> the custody of the Oratory was com-
mitted by the bishop to the joint care of
Nicholas, rector of Niton, and William Smyth,
vicar of Brading. 1 In 1403 a commission
was directed to the abbot of Quarr and the
rector of Niton to inquire into charges of
apostacy, sacrilege, and other grave offences
preferred against Love, which resulted in his
removal.*

In 1439 Warden Thurbern, of Winchester
College, petitioned Cardinal Beaufort to per-
mit the appropriation of the oratory to the
college on the ground of the insufficiency of
their income, which had been recently much
impaired by a fire among their house property
at Andover. Walter Trengof, the archpriest,
who had just been appointed archdeacon of
Cornwall, his native county, raised no objec-
tion. The cardinal bishop gave his consent,
and the return to writ ad quod damnum was
favourable. On 27 March, 1439, the royal
licence to Walter Trengof to alienate, and to
the warden and scholars of Winchester to ac-

quire and hold in mortmain the possessions of
the oratory was duly sealed.

The college covenanted to maintain a chap-
lain in the chapel of the Barton oratory, to
deliver a pound of wax annually to the war-
den of St. Mary's altar in the minster of St.
Swithun, and to celebrate Trengof's obit in
consideration of his surrender.

The chaplain's stipend of j[6 was duly
paid and service maintained at Barton until
the days of Edward VI., when all divine
worship ceased within its walls.

ARCHPRIESTS OR PRIORS OF BARTON

Jordan de Marisco, 1275

Simon in the time of Edward II.

Nicholas de Alresford, elected 1310

Richard, 1343

Roger Pope of Exeter, 1349

Robert Somborne, 136683

Gilbert Noreys, 1386

William Love, 1387-1403

John Godewyne, 1417

John Bradshawe, 1423-4

Walter Trengof, 6 1424-39

HOUSE OF PREMONSTRATENSIAN CANONS

17. THE ABBEY OF TITCHFIELD

The Premonstratensian Abbey of Titch-
field, nine miles south-east of Southampton,
was founded by Bishop Peter des Roches
in the year 1222, when a colony of White
Canons were invited to settle there from the
Shropshire Abbey of Halesowen. By the
foundation charter the Abbey of St. Mary 8
was endowed with the manor of Titchfield
and its appurtenances, and with lands in
Swanwick, Porchester, Walsworth and Cos-
ham. This was confirmed, with grants of
the fullest privileges, by Henry III. in 1231.*
Other important grants were those of the
manor of Cadlands and lands in Hythe,
Stanswood, and Woodcott and Felde (in
Fawley parish) by Eva de Clinton, daughter
and heiress of Roger de Escures ; the manor
and lands of Inkpen (Berks) by the Mansels ;
the manor and lands of Corhampton and the
wood of Charlwood by the founder ; lands in
Stubbington and Chark by the Rayners, Bretts
and St. Johns.

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 280.

* Ibid. f. 357.

3 The church was dedicated in honour of the
Assumption of the Blessed Mary (Add. MSS. 4935,
f. 6 1).

* Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 931.

The Harley MSS. 6602 and 6603 con-
tain transcripts and extracts from three
Titchfield registers belonging to the Duke
of Portland, which were made in 1739.
Their accuracy is assured, for they were
collated with the originals in 1830-1 by
Sir F. Madden, and corrected in red ink.
The first register gives a large number of
grants and customs of manors ; at the end
is a list of abbots, 6 drawn up about 1390,
when John de Romsey was abbot, and after-
wards brought down to the eve of the dis-
solution. The following is a translation of
the list :

Richard, the first abbot, came from Halesowen
with his brethren in the year 1222, and ruled this
church well and religiously. He died on 16 June,
and was buried before the door of the chapter-house.

Isaac was the second abbot ; in his time the
manors of Cadlands and Inkpen were acquired.
He died on 19 June, and was buried in the
cloister before the door of the chapter-house, on
the right hand of the monument of the first
abbot.

After his death, Henry de Branewyk succeeded
him. He was afterwards sought as abbot of Hales-
owen, and there rested in peace.

6 Stone's Arch. Ant'tq. I. W. pt. i. p. 62.
6 Harl. MS. 6602, pp. 140-3 ; f. 214 of the
original register.

181

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

To him Henry de Spersholte succeeded, in
whose time the manor of Newland was acquired
and lost. He died on 22 September, and was
buried in the cloister.

To him succeeded Brother Yvo, in whose time
the manor of Mirabel was acquired and lost. He
died on 3 March, and was buried in the cloister.

Adam, third abbot of this church, ruled with
honour. 1 He died on 14 September, and was
buried in the cloister on the left of the monument
of Abbot Peter de Wynton.

William de Byketon, the fourth abbot, was a
venerable ruler of the church ; he died on 8
November, and was buried in the church, at the
altar of St. Richard.

John Sydemanton, fifth abbot, ruled well, and
died on 3 December. He was buried in the
cloister, between the door of the library on the
south and the monument of Abbot Wynton on
the north.

Roger de Candever, sixth abbot, ruled this
church honourably and religiously for about
eighteen years. He died on 5 August, and was
buried in the cloister at the entrance to the church
near the altar of St. Peter.

John de Combe, seventh abbot, in whose time
the manors of Crofton and ' Fontelegh-Pageham '
were acquired. He ruled this church for about
twenty years, and died on 5 May, and was buried
in the cloister, at the head of the monument of
Abbot Roger de Candever.

Peter de Wynton, eighth abbot, ruled this house
religiously for one year and six months. He died
on 1 6 July, and was buried in the cloister between
the monument of Abbot Adam on the north and
Abbot Sydemanton on the south.

William de Wollop, ninth abbot, ruled this
church in the best possible way for twenty years,
nine months and three days. In his time the
land and tenement of Markes and ' Brykoresland '
were acquired and appropriated. He also ac-
quired, but did not appropriate, the land and
tenement of Ward, the land of ' Froghemour,' the
land of ' Firsteburyesland ' at Chirk, and the tene-
ments which were John Goudale's in Titchfield.
Also in his days John Edindon gave his manor of
Portsea and ' Copenore ' to the priory. He died
on 23 May, and was buried in the cloister, north
of the monument of Abbot Candever.

John de Thorni, tenth abbot, ruled prudently
over this church for nineteen years, thirteen weeks
and five days ; in his time the lands and tenements
mentioned under his predecessor were all appro-
priated. He died on 30 September, and was
buried in the cloister at the feet of the image of
the Blessed Virgin, which he had erected there in
honour of the Mother of God by a buttress.

John de Romsey, eleventh abbot of this church,
ruled honourably. 8

1 It is not easy to understand why Adam is
called the third abbot when he appears to have
been the sixth ; it may be that the three abbots
before Adam succeeded each other rapidly, and
were never duly confirmed.

* From here the entries are in a later hand.

Thomas Bensteade, thirteenth abbot, ruled well,
and resigned his staff under compulsion.

William Winchestour, alias Fryer, was fourteenth
abbot, and ruled six and a half years.

William Auy ten, fifteenth abbot, ruled this church
well for sixteen years. He built the house com-
monly called ' The Crete Place.' He also restored
the windows of all the chambers, and built another
house near the cross in the body of the town. He
died 25 October, and was buried near the monu-
ment of John Thorny.

Thomas Coyk, sixteenth abbot, ruled for twenty-
one years.

Thomas Blankpayn, seventeenth abbot, ruled for
twenty years, and resigned on a pension.

The Rev. Father John, Bishop of Elphin in
Ireland, abbot in comment/am of Welbeck and
Titchfield, prebendary of York and Southwell
and visitor of the Premonstratensian Order, the
eighteenth abbot, rebuilt the ruinous church.

The second register opens with an account
of the library, as catalogued in the year 1 400.
It is often forgotten how large a portion of his
time the professed monk or canon was ex-
pected to give to the study of the Scriptures
and of other literature. This was particu-
larly the case with the order of Pr&nontre'.
The rule of the White Canon was in this
respect more stringent and definite than that
of the Black Canon, as appears in various
particulars. The office of librarian was joined
to that of chanter in the Austin houses, but
was a separate office in the Premonstratensian
houses. The later canons were distinctly
invited to study not only the Scriptures, but
theology, philosophy and Literte Humaniores
The original statutes are much more precise
as to the times of reading than those of the
Black Canons. The Premonstratensian rule
provided that after sext, which followed im-
mediately after high mass, the time was to
be given to reading (whilst the servants and
reader dined) until the bell rang to enter the
frater. In the winter most of the convent
had light refreshment (mlxtum) after terce,
and dinner was not served until after nones ;
and in that half of the year the long interval
between sext and nones was assigned to read-
ing. Again, after evensong throughout the
year, there was reading until the bell sounded
for collation. 3 The importance of reading is
emphasized by a special chapter being assigned
to Quomodo se habeant fratres tempore lectionis*
All the brothers were to read at the appointed
hour, save those engaged on necessary duties,
and they were to make all speed to attend
lection. They were to sit in cloister when

8 Statute Ordinis Premonstratcrf (printed 1530),
Distinctio I. caps. vi. vii.
4 Ibid. Dist. I. cap. ix.

182

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

reading, conducting themselves with all de-
corum, each reading his own book, save
those who might be singing from anti-
phoners, graduals, or hymnaries, or giving
readings to others. If any one was obliged
to leave he was to replace his book in the
case, or if he wished to leave it on his seat
to signify by sign to a brother sitting near
that he left it in his custody. At all times
of lection the brothers were to wear their
slippers (nocturnal! bus botis). No manuscript
was to be kept in. the cloister carrols nor in
the dormitory chests without leave of the
abbot.

The librarian, called armarius, from the
armarium or case in which the books were
kept, was to mend and care for the books and
to open and shut the case as required. He
was to mutually assign and change the books
as they were wanted, but not without leave
of the abbot or prior, or without making an
entry. He was also required to keep a
numbered list of the books. 1 The Premon-
stratensian rule underwent various changes
on the authority of the General Chapter in
the seventeenth century, and was finally
revised in 1630. The librarian was then
termed bibliothtcarius ; he was ordered to
arrange his books, in the place where they
were kept, according to their subject or
faculty.* This had been done at Titchfield
for at least two and a half centuries before
the passing of this revised statute.

The usual places for books in religious
houses were cases in recesses of the cloister.
It was not until a comparatively late period
that a few of the larger houses thought of
providing a special room or building for the
library. 3 Titchfield was only a daughter house
of no great wealth, and from its having in
1400 so large and valuable a library in a
special apartment opening out of the cloister,
and from the general character of the White
Canons as a reading order, it may perhaps be
assumed that the Premonstratensians usually
had a particular chamber to serve for the
books or manuscripts.

There were in the library of Titchfield, as
is specifically described, four cases (columna)
wherein to place the books. It would seem
that the door was on the west side of the
chamber, for there were two cases against the

1 Statuta OrJinis Premonsteratn' , Dist. II. cap. vii.

* Statuta OrJinis Premonstratensis Renovata (1630),
Dist. II. cap. xiv. p. 109.

8 See Gasquet's Notes on Medieeval Monastic
Libraries (1891) ; James' Catalogue of MSS.,
Peterhouse, Cambridge (1899) ; and Willis Clark's
Customs of Austin Canons (1897).

east wall, a third against the south wall and a
fourth against the north wall. Each of these
cases had eight shelves (gradus\ marked with
a letter of the alphabet, representing a divi-
sion of the library and not the special shelf.
In case I., were the Bibles and the patristic
glosses on the different books ; II., the Fathers
and general theology ; III., sermons, legends,
rules and canon and civil law ; IV., medical
and surgical works, grammar, logic, philosophy
and varia. The alphabet letters gave further
classification ; thus B was affixed to seven
shelves of case I., containing the glosses on the
Scriptures ; and D was marked on five shelves
of case II., whereon stood the works of St.
Augustine and St. Gregory. The first folio
or the cover of each volume contained not
only the shelf letter, but a number indicating
its position on the shelves. The very volume
that gives the library list has on its first page
the mark ' P.x.' On turning to the catalogue
there is found entered Rememoratorium mona-
sttrii et omnium maneriorum de Tychefeld, as the
tenth book on shelf P.

The total number of volumes was 224, but
it must be remembered that many of these
MS. volumes contained a variety of treatises,
which if printed after modern fashion would
make several separate books. 4

Several of the other volumes of this library
must have been of exceptional bulk or un-
usually close writing. Only one book is
named as written in English, viz. a copy of
the Golden Legends (E. vii.) ; but under the
letter Q are various books in French. Among
the more curious theological tracts may be
mentioned : De ortu et educatione Pontil Pilate,
and De ortu "Judee hcaritis. At the end of
the library catalogue a list is given of upwards
of a hundred other volumes pertaining to the
divine office, and usually kept in the church.

The library catalogue is followed by an
itinerary, or distance in miles, of the various
English houses of White Canons from Titch-
field ; the nearest being Durford in Sussex, 16
miles, and the most remote Alnwick in North-
umberland, 276 miles. 8

The next matter that is illustrated in this
interesting register is the very serious way in
which the monasteries, in common with the
rest of the country, suffered from the awful
Black Death of 1349-50. The local anna-
list cites an inventory of the monastery and

4 Thus the library of the great Benedictine
Abbey of Peterborough only numbered 268
volumes, but these contained about 1,700 works.

5 This list corresponds with that of the whole
order compiled in 1320,35 given in Le Paige's
Bibliotbeca Prem. Ord. (1633), p. 33.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

its manors and granges of the year before the
plague. In the eighth year of the rule of
Abbot Peter de Winton, namely on 4 July,
1348, the monastery and its manors had 170
quarters of wheat, 175 of barley, 198 of oats
and 22 of winter wheat ; also 41 horses, 24
draught horses (a/ri), 30 oxen, 9 bull-calves,
182 bullocks, 10 bulls, 93 cows, 118 heifers,
20 calves, 273 swine, 940 muttons, 18 rams,
137 ewes and 768 lambs. In the tenth year
of Abbot John Thorny, namely on 27 June,
1370, the condition of the monastery was so
exhausted and its burdens so heavy that there
was no wheat in the house or in its manors,
and but 5 quarters of barley, 2 quarters of
dredge l and 1 6 quarters of oats. As to live-
stock, they had 23 horses of both kinds, 27
oxen, 21 colts, 190 bullocks, 10 bulls, 66
cows, 44 steers, 38 heifers, 16 yearlings, 24
calves, 9 boars, 2O sows, 50 pigs, 100 hogs,
25 suckling pigs, 780 muttons, 19 rams, 550
ewes and 280 lambs.

The chief reason of the great contrast in
bread stuffs between 1348 and 1370 (when
it might have been thought that the country
would have recovered from the shock of the
plague), was that the great scarcity of labour
and its higher price caused so much of the
arable land to remain unfilled or to be.
changed into pasture.

In 1370 an inventory was also taken of the
plate as follows :

A small cross with foot, silver gilt ; a gospeller
(textus), silver-gilt (cover) adorned with relics ; a
crystal vase for relics ; 17 chalices, of which 9
were gilt ; a silver-gilt pix for the high altar ; 4
silver cruets ; 6 silver bowls, of which 2 are large
and 4 smaller, for double feasts ; 2 pastoral staves ;

3 silver candlesticks, one of which is small for mid-
night mass on Christmas Day ; 3 silver-gilt censers ;

4 silver-gilt cups, 3 with covers ; 3 great silver
goblets (belief) with feet, with covers ; 42 pieces
(pecie) of silver, 5 of which have small feet and
covers ; 5 ' once pedate,' * with silver covers ; 2
flagons (olio) of silver, for wine ; 2 small silver
basins (lavatoria) ; a silver plate with a foot ; a
silver gilt pipe (fistula) for communicating the in-
firm ; and 8 1 spoons.

There was no money found in the treasury,
and the debts of the house amounted to the
serious sum of 202 i6i. gd. 3

At the end of the second register of Titch-

1 Dragium is considered by Thorold Rogers
(Agriculture and Prices, i. 27) to be a peculiar
and inferior kind of barley ; but the term dredge
is still used for a mixture of barley and oats.

a No satisfactory solution of once has been
suggested.

3 A third schedule dated 9 November, 1 390,
is also entered in this register.

field is written out this prayer, to be said with
the greatest devotion on getting into bed :

In Monte Celyon requiescunt Septem Dormi-
entes, Malchus, Maximus, Constantinus, Dionysius,
Serapion, Martinianus, atque Johannes. Per istorum
merita det michi Deus noctem quietam et soporem
quietam. Amen.

To this is added

Haec oratio abunde testatur quibus in tenebris
istud versabatur seculum.

The reference is of course to the beautiful
Syrian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus,
first made known in western literature by
Gregory of Tours.

In the third register of Titchfield, which
is termed a rental, particulars are given of the
customs of their manors.

In 1334 the king's officials of the New
Forest seized certain cattle belonging to the
Abbey of Titchfield, for continuous feeding
within the bounds of the forest to the grave
prejudice of the king. 4 The abbot claimed
through his attorney the right of common
pasture for his beasts of Cadlands in the New
Forest ; the abbot also claimed a parcel of
land within the forest, lying in la Whitefeld
at ' Wyndhall,' as part of his manor at Cad-
lands. The chief forester, on the part of the
Crown, admitted the abbot's right to the par-
cel of land within the forest, but that his cattle
and sheep did not remain there, and strayed
generally in the forest. To this the abbot's
attorney replied that they made an annual
payment of 18*. for this very right, and
prayed a search of the rolls. Search was
made and judgment was given in favour of
the abbey.

By the aid for making Edward the Black
Prince a knight in 1346, we find that the
Abbot of Titchfield held half a knight's fee
in Soberton, half a fee and a quarter of a fee
in Crofton and a third part of a fee in Cad-
lands. 6

The Premonstratensian Order was abso-
lutely free from diocesan visitation or control,
but the energetic Wykeham secured certain
recognition from Titchfield as a house founded
by one of his predecessors in the episcopal
chair of Winchester.

On 2O November, 1390, Richard, abbot
of Halesowen, presented John Romsey, abbot-
elect of Titchfield, appointed by the brethren
of that convent, rightly and canonically,
according to the privileges of their order
(to which house he stood in the position of

Harl. MS. 1603, ff. 130-3.
B feudal Aids, ii. 336, 340.

184

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

father abbot), to Bishop Wykeham, praying
for his benediction. Abbot Romsey made his
due profession to the bishop, describing him-
self as elected and confirmed, recognizing the
bishop as (through his predecessor) the founder
of their house, and promising to do all things
which pertained by right or custom to the
founder and patron of the house. Even to
this recognition of the bishop, the abbot added
the qualifying phrase providing against any-
thing contrary to all the customs and privi-
leges of his order. The bishop thereupon,
when celebrating pontifical mass in his private
chapel, after the abbot had signed a promise
of canonical obedience and reverence, gave
him his benediction. 1

The houses of the White Canons were
visited yearly by the father-abbot, that is, the
abbot of the house from which they had their
origin, save in those years when there was an
authorized visit by commission of the General
Chapter of Prmontr. On 12 June, 1420,
Titchfield was visited by John Poole of Hales-
owen, as father abbot, with the assistance of
the Abbot of Durford, at a time when there
had been a vacancy in the office of abbot, and
when Richard Aubrey, the prior, had been
elected by his fellow canons to fill the post.
Abbot Poole duly confirmed the election.
The visitors found that there was no money
in the treasury, that there was owing to the
house 43 4*., but that the debts amounted
to 62 os. 6d. A return was made of the
valuables both in the sacristry and the treasury.
This inventory corresponds in the main with
that of 1370 ; the silver spoons had increased
from 8 1 to 84, whilst the chalices had de-
creased from 17 to 14. The livestock was:
24 horses, 10 draught horses, 4 colts, 1 54 oxen,
7 bulls, 69 cows, 17 heifers, 10 steers, 28 year-
lings, 29 calves, 381 muttons, 207 ' burtis et
muricis,' 121 hogsters, IOO lambs, 17 boars,
24 sows, 33 pigs, 126 hogs and 89 suckling
pigs. Neither in the granary nor bakehouse
was there anything. There was hay enough,
at a reasonable estimate, to last till the As-
sumption for use at their hospice.*

Titchfield was visited in 1478 by Richard
Redman, Bishop of St. Asaph and Abbot of
Shap, in conjunction with Hubert, commissary-
general. In answer to the set form of visita-
tion questions, it was stated that the Abbot of
Halesowen was their father abbot, that their
church was dedicated in honour of the As-
sumption of the Blessed Virgin, because on
that day one Brother Richard, with other
canons of Hayles, had first come to Titch-

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. ff. 208, 209.
* Dugd ale's Manas ticon, vi. 935.

field, and that they held two churches, the
perpetual curates of which were both canons.*

On 3 July of this year one Thomas Borrell,
canon of the house of Langley, Norfolk, was
sent to the Abbot of Titchfield to undergo in
the latter house forty days of penance for a
grave fault. This was done in accordance
with the decree of Bishop Redman as visitor.
Thomas brought with him sufficient clothing
for his body and bed, to last a year. The
Abbot of Langley commissioned his brother
of Titchfield to hear the penitent canon's
confession.*

The Valor of 1535 gives the gross income
of the abbey at 280 19*. \Q\d. and the
clear value at ^249 i6s. id. John Maxey,
Bishop of Elphin, was then abbot.

John Salisbury, the twentieth and last
abbot, was consecrated suffragan Bishop of
Thetford on 19 March, 1536, by Arch-
bishop Cranmer and the Bishops of Salisbury
and Rochester. 6 In May, 1538, he was
appointed Canon of Norwich, and in the
following year dean ; in 1 5 J I he was made
Bishop of Sodor and Man, and died in 1573.

On i May, 1537, the Bishop of Thetford
wrote to Wriothesley saying that he intended
to send his steward to him the next week to
pay his fee for the half year, and desired that
he would continue his favours to his poor
house. 6 The income of the house put it
outside the first Act of Parliament for dis-
solution, and for such cases a variety of
schemes for 'surrender' were devised. Ap-
parently Salisbury had been put in office,
through some cajolery, to secure surrender.
Sir Thomas Audeley, the chancellor, wrote a
letter of reply to Cromwell in December,
1537, touching the dissolution of this house,
and saying that a deed of gift by the abbot
and convent, if they were content to give up
their house, sealed before some judge of re-
cord, would suffice ; but if Cromwell wished
to have a fine or recovery he explained how
it might be taken. T

Meanwhile John Crawford and Rowland
Lathum were made the king's commissioners
to secure the' surrender of Titchfield, which

3 Add. MS. 4935, f. 61. The Premonstra-
tensians possessed the unique privilege of eligi-
bility to the charge of secular parishes without
papal or other dispensation. Bishop Redman,
who held the Abbey of Shap in commendam, was
consecrated Bishop of St. Asaph in 1471, was
translated to Exeter in 1495 and to Ely in
1501 ; he died in 1505.

4 Ibid. 4935, f. 62.

5 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Cranmer, ff. 187-8.
Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. xil. 1108.

7 Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv. ff. 195, 198.

185

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

was promised to Wriothesley. The commis-
sioners wrote to him on 22 December, 1537,
saying they had made careful inquiries of the
state of the monastery and how many grants
had been passed under the convent seal. They
described the church as being most naked and
barren, being of such antiquity, saying that
40* . would buy all except the vestment Wriot-
hesley had given and two old chalices. Evi-
dently the canons had had plenty of warning,
and had before this stripped their church of
its valuables. It would be interesting to know
what became of their library. At Michaelmas
last there were two team of oxen, but now
not one ox. They found a dozen rusty plat-
ters and hangings worth 2OJ., and described
the lands as very ruinous. The abbot and
convent confessed to having granted pensions
to the old abbot and others to the extent of
50 per annum. The debts amounted to
200 ; the abbot and convent expected to
be assured of 135 a year for their lives, 100
marks to the abbot, jT6 135. 4^. to each of
eight priests and ^5 each to three novices.
The house owed the king above 200 marks
for first fruits, and the expense of alterations
would be at least 300 marks ; so the commis-
sioners were right in assuring their patron that
his first entry would be expensive. 1

Though Crawford and Lathum wrote on
22 December of Titchfield as ' the late mona-
stery,' the formal surrender by John, 'perpetual
commendatory of the abbey ' and the convent,
of the house, with all its possessions in Hants,
Berks and elsewhere, was not signed until 28
December. 3 Thomas Wriothesley at once
obtained a grant in fee simple of the site,
church and the whole of the possessions of
the abbey in Hampshire, including the advow-
sons of the churches of Titchfield, Lomer
and Corhampton, as well as of the manor and
lands of Inkpen in Berkshire. 3

On 2 January, 1538, the commissioners,
Crawford and Lathum, wrote to Wriothesley
thanking him for his new year's gift, mention-
ing the sale of marble stones, altars, etc., from
the conventual church, and making light of
the plucking down of the church in a scanda-
lous letter already cited. Later in the same
month Wriothesley received news from Titch-
field that the carpenter had stayed in his work
of pulling down the church because he was
'loath to adventure with him before the change
of the moon, and that the pavement of the
nave was taken up, but scarce the tenth tile
saved because they were so worn.'* Two

1 Letters and Papers, Hen. Fill. xii. (2) 1245.
Ibid. 1274. 3 Ibid. 1311 (40).

4 Ibid. iii. (l), 151.

more letters were written by Crawford to
Wriothesley in the following April, wherein
he described the alterations in progress at
Titchfield, and stated that he had offered
the bells to one Mr. Myls for 6o. 6

At the time of the dissolution the posses-
sions of the monastery were the manor of
Wyker in Porchester, the manors of Titch-
field, Abshot, ' Posbroke,' ' Newcourt Parva,'
Fontley, Swanwick, Crofton, Mirables, New-
land, Walsworth, Portsea, Copner, Cadlands,
Corhampton ; various lands, etc., in Wickham,
' Warishassefeld,' Brooke, Porchester and else-
where ; the rectories of Titchfield, Lomer
and Corhampton, and the manor of Inkpen in
Berkshire. 6

When Leland visited Titchfield he wrote
in his Itinerary : ' Mr. Wriothesley hath
builded a right stately House embatelid, and
having a goodely Gate, and a conducte caste-
lid in the Midle of the Court of it, yn the
very same Place wher the late Monasterie of
Premostratences stoode caullyd Tichefelde.' '

ABBOTS OF TITCHFIELD

Richard, 8 1222

Isaac

Henry de Branewyk

Henry de Spersholte

Yvo

Adam

William de Byketon

John Sydemanton

Roger de Candever

John de Combe

Peter de Wynton, elected about 1340

William de Wallup

John de Thorny, elected about 1360

John de Ramsey, elected about 1379*

Richard Aubrey, 1420

Thomas Bensteade

William Winchestour, alias Fryer

William Auyten

Thomas Coyk

Thomas Blankpage

John Maxey, Bishop of Elphin, about

1535-6
John Simpson, 1536, resigned in the same

year 10
John Salisbury, 1536-7

6 Ibid. 749-50.

6 The first Mins. Acct. after the dissolution,
noted in Dugdale's Monasticon, vi. 935.

7 Leland's Itinerary, iii. in.

8 Most of the names of the abbots are taken
from the transcripts of the registers in Harl. MSS.
1602, 1603.

9 Winton Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. ff. 208, 209.
10 Cole's MS. xxvii. f. 88. He received a

1 86

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

HOUSE OF KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS

1 8. THE PRECEPTORY OF BAD-
DESLEY OR GODSFIELD

Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester
(112971), granted his land of Godsfield to
the knights of the Hospital of St. John of
Jerusalem in England, 1 and in 1207 Adam de
Port gave to the same community all his lands
and manor of Godsfield in free alms. 2 Walter
de Audely also granted lands in Chilton Can-
dover, Laurence rector of the church of Ser-
veton granted his small tithes, and many other
persons made grants of small parcels of land
and houses in Preston Candover and Child
Candover. How early a preceptory of the
Hospitallers was formed here is not exactly
known, but the first preceptor of whom we
have mention is Thomas le Archer, whose
name appears in a deed concerning a tenement
in Fishmonger Street, Winchester, in 1304.
From this date the grants are for the most part
to the brethren of Godsfield, and not as here-
tofore to the parent house in London.

In 1355 John Pavely, prior of the Hospi-
tallers, confirmed to Thomas Purchas a messu-
age and lands in Ibsley at a yearly rent of
I id. to the preceptor or warden of Baddesley.
This is the first mention in the chartulary of a
preceptor of Baddesley ; it probably denotes
the date, soon after the Black Death, when
the headquarters of this preceptory were moved
from Godsfield to Baddesley.

In 1338, when Prior Philip de Thame made
a return to the Grand Master of the possessions
of the Hospitallers in England, full particulars

pension of 20, but in 1538 he offered to re-
sign it if Wriothesley would obtain for him the
living of Horsted in Sussex (Letters and Papers,
Hen. mi. Jim. (i), 381, 7*8.

1 Charter Roll, I John, p. I, No. 1 14, printed in
Dugdale's Monasticon vi. 808.

2 Harleian MSS. 6603 (pp. 141-252). This
is a transcript of a register of the preceptory of
Baddesley, in the possession of the Duke of Portland,
made in the year 1739, and collated with the
original in 1830 by Sir F. Madden. By its title
this register claims to be a calendar of all the char-
ters and muniments of Godsfield, Baddesley, Rown-
hams and all other manors pertaining to the manor
of Godsfield, drawn up by William Hulles, brother
of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England,
and preceptor of Baddesley in the year 1 397. The
register gives extended copies of upwards of one
hundred deeds and indentures. At the end is
added a rental, with a customal of the manor of
Baddesley as it was held in 5 Henry IV., and also
in 9 Henry VIII. when brother William Weston
was preceptor.

were given of the ' Bajulia de GodesfieldJ with
its members of Baddesley and Runham.

At Godsfield there was a messuage with the
buildings in poor repair, with a garden valued
at 3*. ifd. a year ; 300 acres of land worth
585. 4d. ; house rents that were actually fixed
at ,20 35. ifd. were then only 14. los. od.
on account of the sterility of the land and the
firing of Portsmouth and Southampton by
foreigners ; an acre of meadow at Swarton, 2s. ;
harvest work of the villeins, 105. 6d. ; pleas
and perquisites of the court, 135. d. ; pastur-
age for 9 oxen and 6 horses, 1 5*- ; and pastur-
age for 900 sheep, 75*. Another important
item of the income of every preceptory, though
bound to be fluctuating in amount, was the
voluntary contribution from the district, which
was probably regularly collected. The total
of this amount, usually termed confraria, from
the whole of England, even in a bad year like
1338, reached the large sum of ,888 45. ^d.
The voluntary contributions of the Hampshire
preceptory averaged 60 marks ; but that year,
owing to the distress of the country, the royal
exactions, the taxes on tenths and fifteenths
of all movables from year to year, the dues on
wool, the warding of the seas, and many other
oppressions that crop up (emergunt) from day to
day, as the return states, there had been great
difficulty in gathering 40 marks.

At Baddesley there was a messuage with a
garden, the herbs of which, together with a
pigeon cote, were of the yearly value of ids. ;
360 acres of land ; 1 8 acres of pasture ; 40
acres of meadow ; pasturage for 24 oxen ;
pannage for pigs ; pasturage for 30 cows ; pas-
turage for 400 sheep ; with certain rents and
works of tenants. At Baddesley there was
also a wood of large timber, i oo acres in ex-
tent, which was common, so that nothing
could be taken from it for sale, but it was
reserved for repairing the houses of the pre-
ceptory, and of the bailiwicks of Templecombe,
Ansty, and other places of the Templars that
were in decay.

At Rownham there was a messuage in decay
and ruin, of the annual value of izd. ; 80
acres of land ; pasturage for 200 sheep ; pas-
turage for 8 oxen ; and pasturage for 30
bullocks.

The whole realized a total annual receipt of
66 13*. n^d. for the preceptory.

As to the outgoings, the members of the
house were brother William de Multon, the
preceptor, and brother John Couffen, the chap-
lain. The number of the household servants
was four ; and it is noted that the expenses in-

187

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

eluded hospitality to visitors, which they were
bound to exercise according to the will of the
founder of the house. Thirty-three quarters
of corn had been used in the year for making
bread, at 3*. a quarter, 4 1 95. od. ; for brew-
ing beer, 20 quarters of barley at 2s., and 20
quarters of oats at 1 6d., 66 os. Sd. ; flesh, fish,
and other victuals in the kitchen, 104*. ; robes,
mantles and other necessaries for the preceptor
and the chaplain-brother, 69*. ^.d. ; a life cor-
rody to Ralph de Basing of 6 quarters of corn,
at 35., igs. 6d. ; a steward's robes for use at
courts, 2OJ. ; dress for four servants, 325. ; the
wage of a labourer acting as wood-warden, I os. ;
at the visitation of the prior for four days, 4. ;
repair of the houses, 2Os. ; and the stipend of
a chaplain (without board) serving the chapel
of Godsfield, 4 marks. There were also
small payments due every year to the Bishop
of Winchester, the church of Afford, the
abbess of St. Mary's, Winchester, the prior
of St. Swithun's and others. The total of the
expenses and payments came to 30 31. 8</.,
leaving a balance for the treasury of
36 i os. 3*/. 1

The house at Baddesley had the honour of
having among its preceptors three who became
much distinguished in the Order, two of them
being Grand Priors of England. Thomas
Launcelyn, who was preceptor of Baddesley,
and afterwards of Dalby and Rothely, was ap-
pointed Turcopolier by bull of the Grand
Master, dated Rhodes, 3 October, 1421. He
died in 1442." William Tornay, preceptor of
Baddesley and Mayne, became successively
Receiver-general of England and Bailli of
Aquila, and was finally appointed Grand
Prior of England by bull of the Grand
Master, dated Rhodes, 29 August, 1471. He
died in I476. 3

Sir William Weston, preceptor of Baddes-
ley, was elected Turcopolier in the chapter
held in Candia after the expulsion of the Order
from Rhodes in 1523. He commanded the
grand carracque of the Order, and was named
Grand Prior of England by bull of the Grand
Master, dated Corneto, 27 June, 1527.
During his rule came the conflict between
Henry VIII. and the pope, when the Order
resolutely resisted the divorce of Queen Kath-

1 Larking's Knight Hospitallers in England (Cam-
den Society, 1857), pp. 21-3.

J Porter's Knights of Malta, ii. 288.
3 Ibid. ii. 284, 293.

arine. The result was the complete overthrow
of the English Order or Language and a bitter
persecution which lasted from 1534 to 1540,
during which many of the knights died on the
scaffold. In April, 1 540, an act of parliament
vested all their property in the Crown. A
pension was granted to the venerable prior,
but he died of grief at the utter annihilation
of the English Language, on Ascension Day,
1540, in the very year that it was granted.
He had been present at the siege of Rhodes
in 1522, when he greatly distinguished him-
self. 4

The Valor of 1 535 returned the total annual
value of the preceptory of Baddesley, both in
spiritualities and temporalities, at 13 1 14*. id.,
and the clear value at 118 i6s. jd. After
the suppression of the preceptory, its lands
were granted first to Sir Thomas Seymour,
and afterwards, in 1551, to Sir Nicholas
Throckmorton.

It has been conclusively established that the
preceptory of Baddesley, which first bore the
name of Godsfield, had its headquarters in later
years at North Baddesley, and not at South
Baddesley as usually asserted.

PRECEPTORS OF GODSFIELD OR BADDESLEY

Thomas le Archer, 5 1304, 1306
Robert de Coneygrave, 1312
Simon Launcelyn, 1315
William de Basing," 1325
William Hulles, 1388, 1397
William de Multon
Thomas Launcelyn
William Tornay

Sir William Weston, 1518, time of Hen.
VIII.

In addition to the preceptories or comman-
dories, the Order also possessed smaller estates
called camera or chambers, where there was
usually no establishment, and which were as a
rule farmed out. This was the case with
their estate at Woodcote, Hants ; it was farmed
out in 1338, and produced a rental of
13 6;. Sd.

* Ibid. 284, 289, 319.

B This list is compiled from entries in Harl.
MSS. 6603.

6 He describes himself in a deed relating to
North Shorewell as custos humilis et devotus domus de
Godesjeld (ibid.).

1 88

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

FRIARIES

19. THE HOUSE OF THE DOMIN-
ICANS OF WINCHESTER

At the second general chapter of his Order
held at Bologna in May, 1221, St. Dominic
decided to send thirteen friars to England to
establish the Dominicans in that country.
This first missionary band of friars-preachers
journeyed in the train of Bishop Peter des
Roches, who was then returning to his
diocese. The bishop first endeavoured, in
1225, to establish these Dominicans at Ports-
mouth ; but the project fell through, probably
owing to his absence from his diocese from
1226 till 1230. The date of their establish-
ment at Winchester is somewhat uncertain,
but it was between 1231 and 1234.*

According to Matthew Paris, it was one of
these friars who preached the crusade in
Winchester in 1 234, when Richard, Earl of
Cornwall, the king's brother, and many other
magnates took the cross. The site assigned
for their convent was in the High Street,
near the Eastgate, with the river Itchen on
the east and Busket Street on the west. The
ground round the house, exclusive of the
buildings, was about 2| acres, for which they
paid to the Crown the yearly rent of 35. ^d.

Henry III. was their munificent patron
throughout his reign, particularly in helping
them with their buildings. In 1235, he
gave forty oaks for building out of the forest
of Bere ; in 1236, ten oaks out of the same
forest for fuel ; in 1239, loos., and in
1240, 2O marks for building; in 1246, 15
marks for the works; in 1256, ten oaks to
finish the frater ; in 1260, six oaks fit for
timber towards their church, then in progress ;
in 1261, six oaks fit for timber out of Pembere
Forest, which the bailiffs of Southampton were
to deliver; in 1262, ten oaks; in 1265,
twelve oaks fit for timber ; in 1269 ten good
oaks for the repair and ornamenting of the
church*; in 1270, six good oaks for ceiling
the church, then approaching completion ;
and in 1271, ten more oaks, five from
Porchester Forest and five from Pembere, for
the construction of the farmery.

The king further bestowed on the Win-
chester Dominicans other gifts in kind, the
record of which affords information as to
their number. In 1239, each of the twenty-
eight friars received from Henry III. a pair of

1 Reliquary, iii. (n.s.) 207 (Rev. C. F. R.
Palmer).

8 Ad eccksiam suam mde reparandam et lam-
bruiscandam.

shoes and four ells of cloth tor tunics. Like
gifts of clothing were made for the next five
years, when the friars numbered thirty-one.
In 1261 they had a royal grant of^ioto
buy winter clothing and shoes. Cartloads of
wood or dead oaks for fuel were frequently
granted them by the Crown, and on one
occasion a tun of wine. 3

In 1266 licence was granted by the Crown
for the friars to enclose a small lane which
was adjacent to their site.

The church of the friars-preachers of Win-
chester was dedicated to St. Katharine, the
patroness of the Order. The buildings when
finished could accommodate from forty to
fifty of the friars. Edward I. did much
for the house, but now that it was finished
there was not the same necessity for royal
bounty. He gave them on several occasions
leafless or dead oaks for fuel, and in 1298
ten oaks fit for timber out of the forest of
Bere. 4

When the king visited Winchester in
1302, he gave this convent an alms of 385.
for three days' food. When Edward II.
visited the city on 29 April, 1325, he gave
to the forty-six Dominican friars an alms of
1 55. 6d. for a day's food, being at the rate of
Hfd. a head. Edward III. on his arrival in
Winchester on 23 November, 1331, found
thirty-six friars in the convent, and rendered
an alms of 1 2s. for the like purpose. 5

When the provincial chapter was held at
Winchester in 1259, Henry III. gave the
friars IODJ. towards their expenses. In 1315
a provincial chapter was again held at Win-
chester, when Edward gave iocw. or three
days' food for himself, and the like amount
both for his queen and for his son Edward.
When the Order assembled here on 16
February, 1339, Edward III. gave the like
sum of 15 ; and on 21 October he
diverted to the same purpose the 20 which
the Crown usually bestowed on the general
chapter, as the chapter of that year was held
at Clermont, France, with which country
England was then at war. 6

Some information has already been given
with regard to episcopal licences to the
Dominicans and other friars for preaching and

3 The references to the Close and Liberate
Rolls for all these grants are given in Father
Palmer's article on this house, Reliquary, iii. (n.s.)
207-15.

4 Close, 27 Edw. I. m. 13.

8 Expense Rolls, cited by Father Palmer.

Ibid.

189

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

acting as penitentiaries. 1 It may be of interest
to note that the episcopal registers show that
during the episcopacy of Bishop Asserio
(13203) three acolytes, two sub-deacons, six
deacons and six priests were ordained from
this convent ; that during Wykeham's rule of
the diocese (1367-1404) two acolytes, one
deacon and ten priests were ordained ; and
that from 1511 to 1527 thirty-six received
orders from this house.

Various friars of the Winchester convent
were distinguished in their Order. Brother
Matthew was prior or warden of Winchester
in 1 242, and also English provincial. Brother
William of Southampton, who died about
1278, was head of the Winchester house,
and elected provincial in 1272. He was a
distinguished theological writer. 2 Robert de
Bromyard, who was licensed to preach in the
diocese in 1300, was doubtless prior of the
Winchester convent, for he was elected
provincial in 1304 ; he was also penitentiary
of the diocese from 1307 until his death in
1310. Nicholas de Stratton, D.D., who was
provincial from 1306 to 1311, and also
diocesan penitentiary, was a Winchester prior.
William de Horleye was prior in 1326.
Thomas de Lisle, who was ordained in St.
Elizabeth's chapel in 1322, was the next
prior. He was employed in an embassy to
the papal court in 13401, and was conse-
crated Bishop of Ely on 24 July, 1345, at
Avignon, where he died in exile in 1361.
William Alton, born at Alton, Hants, a
renowned preacher and writer, a doctor of
Paris University who flourished about 1350,
was probably of the Winchester convent.
John Payne was prior in 1373. The Court
Rolls of Winchester name as prior John Derle,
1377 and 1387 ; Nicholas Monk, 1404 to
1426; and Walter Alton, 1455.

James Cosyn, B.D., who was prior in the
time of Henry VIII., adopted the most extreme
tenets of the reformers. He preached a
sermon from St. John xvi. 23, in the parish
church of 'Chusel' on 27 February, 1536, of
which the following are passages : ' If thou
put an whole stoup of holy water upon thy
head, and another stoup of other water upon
thy head, the one shall do thee as much good
as the other in avoiding of any sin. As much
other bread of thine own blessing shall do
thee as much good as so much holy bread.

1 Supra, p. 1 6.

2 His works were : Postilla in Isaiam, In mor-
aKa Gregttrii, Sermones de Sanctis, Sermonei de tempore,
Super IV. nbns sententiarum, and Questions Theo-
logictf (Serif tares Ordinis Preedicatorum [1719],
i. 602 b).

And as for confession, I will not counsel thee
to go to any priest to be confessed, for thou
mayest as well confess thyself to a layman,
thy Christian brother, as to a priest, for no
bishop or priest have any power to assoil any
man of any sin. And I myself have shriven
a woman this day here in this church, but I
did not assoil her, no, I will never assoil
none.'

Whereupon this ' soul-murderer,' as the vicar
of Stoke styled him, was arrested and indicted
for heresy, and committed by the sheriff to
the custody of Dr. Edmund Steward, the
chancellor of Winchester. But on 3 1 March
William Basing, prior of St. Swithun, wrote to
Cromwell beseeching his favour ' to a friar
named Cosyn, wrongfully vexed in these
parts.' Soon after a testimonial in Cosyn's
favour was forwarded to the same quarter by
certain gentlemen and yeomen of Winchester.
The result was that on 24 April, Hilsey, the
ex-friar who had just been made Bishop of
Rochester, wrote to Dr. Steward informing
him that ' Mr. Secretary ' had discharged
Prior Cosyn, and allowed him ' to use his
licence to preach by the authority granted to
him by the king, our supreme head next to
Christ.' 3

Cosyn appears to have resigned the prior-
ship, and was succeeded by Richard Chessam,
D.D., who was prior when the convent was
suppressed in 1538, as already set forth in
detail. 4

Richard Ingworth, the suffragan bishop of
Dover, as commissioner for suppressing the
friars, forwarded to Cromwell an inventory of
all the goods of the Winchester Dominicans,
with their value as appraised by Alderman
Burkyn and Master Knight, chosen by the
mayor. The inventory, as might be expected
of a convent of friars, is a singularly poor and
simple one and therefore does them much
credit. So few friars' inventories remain that
it is well to give it in extenso ; it is somewhat
surprising to find a pair of organs in a church
so sparsely furnished. The church goods
were :

Viij corporas caasys wythout the corporas, xxd. ;
iiij surpelys, ij/. ; v Coopys for men and ij for
chyldren, xij/. ; a sute of dune sylke wythout
albys, amycis, or stoolys, iij/. ; Item, deakyn and
subdeakyn of whyet branchyd sylke, without albys,
amycis, or stoolys, njs. \\\}d. ; a sewte of Whyet
chamlet lacking deakyn, xiij/. iiijV. ; a syngle
vestyment of the same, iiij/. ; a complet sute of

3 Cott. MSS. Cleop. E. iv. 127; Cleop. E.
vi. 257 ; Letters and Papers, Hen. Fill. x. 512,
513, 588.

* Supra, p. 58.

190

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Whyet bustyan, lacking ij albys, viij/. ; iiij syngle
vestyments of the same viij/. ; a sewte of red sylke
Xf. ; a sewte of blue sylke xvj/. ; a sewte of coarse
grene xs. ; a complete sute of dune sylke without
fibs, vj/. iiijV. ; a syngle vestyment of blue satten,
iij/. iiij< ; ix vestyments without albys or stoolys,
x/. ; ye hangyngs of ye quere, vjV. ; a paynted
clothe for the Rode, xijV. ; a frontelet, xW. ; an
a | be X'ja'- ; iij aulter clothys, xiiijV. ; ij frontelets,
viijV. ; ij candelstycks, \\ijj. ; a payreof organs, vs.;
an altare (sic) of nedylwerke, x/.

The house contained :

iij fether bedds with iij bolsters ij pillows and j
pillow bere and one blankett, xvj/. viijV. ; vj payre
of scheytts, iij/. ; vj Coverletts, xviijV. ; a flocke
bedde and a mattres, ijt. iiij,/. ; ye hangyngs and
ye tester in ye provyncyalls chamber, iij/. ; iij
table clothys, j towell, ij tabylls, v chearys, ij joyned
stooles, j cupburde, and j oyst' borde, iij formys,
j long cheyar, vij/. ; a chafyng dysche, vjV. ; a
possenet, xijV. ; a pan and a kettell, xij</; iij
platters, iij pottyngers, j sauser, and iij dysshes,
vj/. v\i]d. ; a colender, ij candelstycks, and a sake,
xiiijV. ; ij dryppyng panys, a fryeng pan, and a
gyrdyren, ij/. ; iij broochys, ij/. ; iij brasse potts,
vj/. viijV. ; a baasen and an ewer of laten, xvjV. ;
iiij Cobyrons, iiij/. ; a yeryn and hangells to hange
on potts, xiiijV. ; ij handyryns, vjV.

A special chamber assigned for the use of
the English provincial points to this convent
being considered one of importance in the
Order. The total value of church and
house goods came to only 9 15*. zd. To
the inventory is appended a note in the
suffragan's handwriting to the effect that ' thys
house with ye stuff is in the custody of
Master Arthur Roby and a chalis with it.
Richard Dovoren.' l

The church and the buildings of the cloister,
the prior's lodging (20 ft. in length by 1 6 ft.
in breadth), with the churchyard, gardens and
all within the precincts, were let by the
Crown to Arthur Roby, a fuller of Win-
chester, for 20s. a year. In 1543, Winchester
College, by exchange, became possessed of the
site of all the four Winchester friaries.*

PRIORS OR WARDENS OF THE DOMINICANS
OF WINCHESTER

Matthew, 1242

William de Southampton, elected provin-
cial, 1272, died 1278
Robert de Bromyard, about 1300
Nicholas de Stratton, about 1306
William de Horleye, 1326

Thomas de Lisle

1 Misc. Books, Excheq. T.R. cliii.

* Mins. Ace. 30-1, Hen. VIII. 136 ; Panic,
for Grants, 35 Hen. VIII. ; Pat. 35 Hen. VIII.
m. 1 6.

John Payne, 1373

John Derle, 1377, 1387

Nicholas Monk, 1404-26

Walter Alton, 1455

James Cosyn, in the time of Hen. VIII.

Richard Chessam, 1538

20. THE HOUSE OF THE FRAN-
CISCANS OF WINCHESTER

There is but little to be added to what has
already been stated in the Ecclesiastical History
with regard to the coming of the Franciscans
to Winchester, their recognition by the bishops
as diocesan penitentiaries and preachers, and
the dissolution of their house through the
agency of the ex-friar Richard Ingworth.
Their church was dedicated to St. Francis.

On 4 May, 1278, the keeper of the forest
of Ashley received orders to supply the friars-
minors of Winchester with four oak stumps
for their fuel of the king's gift. 3

During the episcopate of Bishop Sandale
(1316-23), three acolytes, three sub-deacons,
one deacon and two priests were ordained
from the Franciscan house at Winchester.
During the episcopate of Bishop Asserio
(1320-3), five acolytes, three sub-deacons,
four deacons and six priests were ordained from
this convent.

In April, 1330, the pope sent his mandate
to the bishops of Winchester, Lichfield and
London, directing that the body of Edmund,
Earl of Kent, on the petition of Edmund, his
elder son, and of Margaret his widow, should
be exhumed from the Franciscan church at
Winchester and be buried at Westminster ;
the earl having provided by will that the
place of his burial should be left to his
widow.*

The Franciscans, or ' Graye frearys of
Wynchester,' had their goods appraised at the
same time as the Dominicans. The inventory
which seems to betoken a larger church than
that of the Black Friars, is as follows :

A paule and a fruntlet, xijV. ; ij alter clothys,
rviijV. ; iiij crossys, ijs. ; ij seynt Johns headys
ijj. ; j paxe of copper, xvjV. ; ij paxyes of wodd,
iiijV. ; ij pyllows of sylke, viijV. ; ij small candel-
styckes, Tad. ; a crysmatorye, id. ; a desk and a
masse boke (nil) ; ij great candelstyckes, iiij/. ;
Item an holy-watter slope, xJ. ; Item a lampe
hangynge, xijV. ; ij cheyrys for ye quiere, viijV.
The Valans. Item a paule and a fruntlet, ijV. ;
ij altar clothys, vjV. ; ij candelstyckes, vj</.

Saynt Clementtes altar. Item a paule and a
fruntlet, vjV. ; ij altar clothes, vjV. ; j candelstycke,
viij</. ; j payr of crewettes, ijV.

3 Close, 6 Edw. I. m. 10.

4 Cal. ofPafal Letters, ii. 349.

191

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Saynt Fraunces altar. Item a paule and a
fruntlet, m]J. ; Item ij altar clothes, \\\]d. ; a
candelstyck, iij< ; ij crewettes, ijJ.

In ye vestry. Item xviij corporasseys, iij/. ;
iij sudorys, iiij< ; ij paules, vjV. ; v. fruntlettes,
End, ; j small towell, \d. ; Item a cuscheynge of
golde, xxJ. ; Item v settes of vestymenttes, xxviij/. ;
Item ij syngle vestymenttes of Requiem, iij/. ;
Item xiiij syngle vestymenttes with amys and
without, xvj/. viijV. ; A sewt of Requiem without
albys, ijs. ; Item ij grene tewnakyllys (tunicles)
without albys, xvjd. ; ij great altar clothys and ij
small, xiiijd. ; Item vj surples and v coopes, xxx/. ;
vij lent clothes, vj/. viijV. ; ij super altares (nil) ;
Item iij small albys, xxd. ; Item iij flock beddys
and a mattres (nil) ; vj busshels of whete ; Item a
payre of old organes, iiij/.

Kechyn. Item ix platters, iiij/. ; iiij dysshys
and iiij sawsers, xxd. ; ix eyrye (iron) dyssheys,
xv]d. ; a chaffer with ij eyrys, ij/. \]d. ; Item
iij skellets, xxd. ; Item iij panys, ij/. ; Item ij
kettels, x\]d. ; ij fryying panys, ij/. ; Item a
chaffer, ij/. ; ij broochys, xd. ; ij awndyryins,
xviijV. ; a dryppyng pane, \u]d. ; ij trevetts, vjV. ;
Item ij gyrdyrynes, \]d. ; Item ij pothokes, iiijV. ;
Item iij hangars to hang pottes on, xijV. ; Item
a colendar, iijV. ; Item a chaffyng dysche, vj^. ;
Item vj pottes small and great, ix/. ; Item a great
yren, xvjV. ; Item a fumes, v/.

The Buttrey. Item ij tabylclothys and a towell,
xxd.

In Mayster Denhamys chamber. Item a fether
bed a bolster and a coverlet, vs. ; Item ij
cuschyenes, iiij/. ; Item a tester with ij curteynes,
xijV. ; Item ij baasyns and ij ewers, iij/. iiijV. ;
Item a pewter bassyn and ij pottes, x\]d. ; Item
iij candelstyckes, xiiijV. ; Item a carpett, \]d. ;
Item a counter, ij/. ; Item a cobborde, ij/. ; Item
a chayre, iijV. Summa ix//. iijV. 1

There were debts on the house to the
amount of 16*.

The site, with those of the other friaries,
came into the hands of Winchester College.

21. THE HOUSE OF THE AUSTIN
FRIARS OF WINCHESTER

There is but little to add to what has
been said in the Ecclesiastical History with
respect to the establishment of the Austin
friars, or friars-hermits of St. Augustine at
Winchester in the reign of Edward I.

In 1302, Geoffrey Spiring of Fareham
gave to the Austin friars a messuage in the
suburb of Winchester for the enlargement of
their area ; a and in 1313, Hugh Tripacy
granted them a plot of land, 1 2 perches long
by 6 perches wide, adjoining their dwelling
place, for further enlargement. 3

1 Misc. Books, Excheq. T.R. cliii.

2 Pat. 30 Edw. I. m. zi.

Ibid. 7 Edw. II. p. i, m. 8.

Bishop Sandale (1316-20) ordained three
friars from the Austin house at Winchester ;
and his successor, Bishop Asserio (1320-3),
the like number.

In July, 1328, the grant of the Bishop of
Winchester to the Austin friars of the lane
called Sevenetwychene, in the south suburb
without the walls contiguous to their house,
for the enlargement of the site, was confirmed
by the king. 4

In June, 1343, Pope Clement VI. instructed
the Bishop of Winchester to grant licence to
the prior and Austin friars of Winchester to
accept a manse in the city given them by
Oliver Bohun, knight, and Margaret his wife
with King Edward's licence, and thither to
transfer themselves, and build a church and
necessary offices ; their place without South-
gate being in a dangerous, lone and unfit
site." The bishop however, for certain
reasons, opposed this removal ; but in May,
1346, the prior received the pope's sanction
to at once proceed to the new site without
any longer waiting for the consent of the
diocesan. 8 Milner says that the site of this
house after its removal was opposite St.
Michael's church, in a close called College
Mead.

The following is the meagre inventory of
the goods of the friars taken at the time of the
dissolution of the house.

M d this stuffe under wryttyn ys praysed by
Mayster Burkyn, alderman of Wynchester and
Mayster Knyght at the mayorys assygnacion by ye
syght of the kynges vysytor under the lorde privye
seal for ye kynges grace the whyche longyd to the
austen frearys, that is to say : iiij great candel-
stykes ij small, a stop (sic) and copper crosse about
an C and an halffe, vj/. v\\]d. ; Wyll'm Alen bere-
brewar axythe for bere ; iiij aulter clothys,
ij/. iiijV. ; ij payntyd clothys, lid. ; a sensor, xvjd. ;
iiij antepaynys, xxd. ; a surpples and a rochet,
viijV. ; vj coupys, xiij/. iiij</. ; ij towellys, ij^. ;
a myeter, \d. ; ij small crossys coveryd with sylver,
iij/. iiijV. ; a banner clothe, viiji*'. ; ij quysshons,
xijd. ; iiij corporasys with the casys, xvj^. ; a sute
of grene wantynge an albe, v/. ; viij vestymenttes
with ther albes, xx/. ; a crosse and a laten baason
and a paxe, iiij/. ; ij deske clothys, xd. ; viij lent
clothys, iij/. v'njd. ; iij chests, ij/. ; a paxse, ijj. ; iij
fether beedes and a bolster, ix/. ; ij coverys, v']d. ;
iiij brasse pottes and ij panys, xvj/. ; ij cobyrons a
trevet-a pothooke a hoke eyaryn (iron), xviijd. ; a
bason, ij coverys, ij borddes, xxa'. Summa
vB. vij/. ixJ. 7

There were debts on the house to the
amount of 271.

4 Ibid. Edw. III. p. 2, m. 29.

6 Cal. of Papal Letters, iii. 85.
8 Ibid. iii. 191.

7 Misc. Books, Excheq. T.R. cliii.

192

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

22. THE HOUSE OF THE CARMEL-
ITES OF WINCHESTER

Of the Carmelite house that stood near
that of the Austin friars which was founded
in 1278 and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin,
there is little to chronicle.

It seems to have been only a small estab-
lishment. Bishop Sandale ordained six from
this convent, and Bishop Asserio three.

At its suppression, the dwelling and the
land on which it stood only realized a rental
of 6s. 8d. yearly.

There is no inventory extant of the Win-
chester Carmelites. Apparently they were
dispersed before Richard Ingworth's visitation.

23. THE FRANCISCANS OF
SOUTHAMPTON

The Franciscans or Grey Friars were estab-
lished at Southampton probably as early as
1237, as it would appear by certain deeds
printed by Madox. 1 The convent at South-
ampton must therefore have been among the
earliest of their English houses, for they were
not introduced into this country until 1224.
Their house was in the midst of the poor, and
closely adjoined God's House. The Francis-
cans were forbidden by their original rule to
have more substantial buildings than those
made of clay and timber, but the goodwill of
the Southampton burgesses soon supplied them
with a cloister of stone. On this coming to
the knowledge of Albert of Pisa, the provincial
of England, about 1236, he insisted on the
destruction of so strong a building and car-
ried his point.*

In the middle of the eighteenth century,
there existed a brief register of this convent
among the corporation archives of Southamp-
ton, but it has long been missing. Fortunately
Dr. Speed made a transcript of the more im-
portant parts, and they are reproduced by Mr.
Davies in his admirable history of Southamp-
ton. 3

Isabel de Chekebull, who granted the site

for the building, was considered the chief
founder ; she died in 1253. Walterle Flem-
yng, bailiff of the town in 1237, was one of
the earliest benefactors. The first stone of the
chapel was laid on 8 July, 1280, the rigidity
of the rule as to building being now relaxed ;
it was first used on the feast of St. Francis, 1 6
July, 1287. This chapel or church must have
been of considerable size, for Bishop Sandale
held a large ordination therein on 26 February,
1317.* Interments within the church were
much sought after by the burgesses, from whom
the friars received many small bequests. On
Christmas Day, 1291, the friars entered their
new dorter, and in the same year their chapter
house was built.

In 1290 the convent was granted a water
supply by Nicholas de Barbeflet from his manor
of Shirley ; but it was not until 1304 that they
began to bring the water down to their house.
In 1374, John le Fouster and William Putton
obtained licence for giving the convent a toft
with its appurtenances for the enlargement of
their premises ; 6 and in April, 1368, the friars
obtained licence for adding to their cemetery
an area of 1 2O feet by I oo feet, to the west of
their church ; it was consecrated by Thomas,
Bishop of Achaden, acting as suffragan for
Wykeham. 8

Prior Robert Horewood, in 1420, conveyed
to the town all the rights of his house in the
conduit-head and pipes for the supply of water. 7

In July, 1499, h' s Franciscan house was
changed by Henry VII. into a house of the
reformed order of Observant Franciscans.
The curious story of the resistance to a would-
be visitor in 1534 has already been told. 8

After the dissolution the site passed by pur-
chase, in 1545, to John Pollard and William
Byrt, and in 1551 to Sir A. Darcy. Nothing
is now left of the priory buildings.

PRIORS OR WARDENS OF THE FRANCISCANS

OF SOUTHAMPTON
Jordan de Downton, 9 about 1326
Robert Horewood, 10 about 1420

HOSPITALS

24. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. CROSS,

NEAR WINCHESTER
The far-famed hospital of St. Cross, which
still stands about a mile from Winchester, be-
tween the Itchen and the Southampton road,
was founded about 1136 by Bishop Henry de
Blois.

1 Madox's Formulare AngTicanum, 196, 279, and
Davies, Hut. of Southampton, 442.

1 Monumenta Franciscana, Rolls Series, 55.
3 Davies, Hut. of Southampton, pp. 444-8.
II

The small chartulary, or register of St. Cross,
still extant, 11 gives copies of two bulls confirm-

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, ff. 52, 52b; not
on 1 8 March, 1317, as stated by Davies.

5 Pat. 48. Edw. III. pt. I, m. 8.

6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 194,

7 Davies, Hist, of Southampton, p. 115.

8 Supra, p. 54.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, p. 15.

10 Davies, Hist, of Southampton, p. 115.

11 Harl. MS. 1616 ; a thin 8vo volume.

193

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

ing the foundation of the hospital ; one was
granted by Innocent II. in 1137, and the other
by Lucius II. in 1144. The charter of the
founder delivered to Raymond, prior of the
Knights Hospitallers, the hospital founded for
the weal of his soul and those of his predeces-
sors and the kings of England, and provided for
the reception, clothing and entertaining of
' thirteen poor impotent men, so reduced in
strength as rarely or never to be able to raise
themselves without the assistance of another.'
In addition to this a hundred other poor men
of good conduct were to be entertained daily
at dinner, and permitted, on departure, to take
away with them the remnants of both meat
and drink. 1 The first master mentioned, in a
grant of Bishop Blois, was Robert de Limosia.

Serious disputes arose with respect to this
hospital during the next episcopacy (Richard
of Ilchester, 1174-88), between the bishop
and the Hospitallers. At length, on 10 April,
1185, the Order formally gave up the man-
agement to the diocesan, 2 by which agreement
the bishop undertook to provide daily for 20O
men instead of the original i oo. The chartu-
lary shows however that the Order of Hos-
pitallers did their best to recover the manage-
ment, and actually obtained two papal awards
in their favour of the years 1187 and 1189.
In 1197, Pope Celestine III. commissioned
the Bishops of London and Lincoln and the
abbot of Reading to settle the dispute, and they
gave their award in favour of the bishop.
Nevertheless, only two years later King John
again confirmed the hospital to the Hospital-
lers. 3

The decision however of the papal com-
missioners was upheld, and in 1204 the Bishop
of Winchester appointed a master, which right
has since been maintained by the bishops down
to the present day. The Hospitallers never-
theless clung to the muniments and records
until 1379, when the energetic Bishop Wyke-
ham obtained them from Prior Robert Hales.
The prolonged dispute as to the valuable pat-
ronage of this hospital had seriously impeded
the intentions of the founder, and delayed its
completion. The great church was not
finished until the year 1255, when special
appeals were made for assistance. 4

The gross mismanagement of this grandly

1 This charter is in Bishop Stratford's register
(f. 1 86b), as well as in the chartulary. It has been
rendered into English in the 3/th Report of the
Charity Commissioners, and reproduced in Notes
and Queries, 1st ser. xi. 42.

3 Harl. MS. 1616, f. 27.

3 Charter Roll, John (Rec. Com.), 16.

Harl. MS. 1616, ff. 10,29.

conceived foundation, and the alienation of so
large a share of its funds from the poor to
wealthy pluralists, which made the mastership
of St. Cross a scandal and a byword for full six
centuries, began at an early date.

On 16 June, 1321, the Bishop of Winches-
ter received orders from the king to induct the
king's clerk, Geoffrey de Welleford, to the
house of St. Cross, which he had deferred doing,
although he had verbally admitted Geoffrey
at the king's presentation ; pretending that the
house was filled by Robert de Maidstone, the
king having ordered him to admit a suitable
person notwithstanding the claim of the late
Bishop of Winchester, because the king had
recovered in his court the presentation by
reason of the late voidance of that bishopric. 5
The obedient prelate duly inducted Geoffrey,
for the second time, by proxy, on 26 June. 6
This was followed on 28 June by a more im-
perative order to the bishop, telling him to
certify by the bearer if any further resistance
should be offered ; as the king was informed that
when the bishop ordered his commissary to in-
duct Geoffrey's proctor, the commissary found
many persons at the house who actively resisted
him so that he could not execute the order. 7
The resistance continued, and on 3 July the
bishop made a third induction of Geoffrey, with
a solemn warning to all who should resist. On
1 2 July the sheriff of Hampshire was ordered
to take with him sufficient power of the county,
and to go in person to the house of Holy Cross,
and to the churches annexed thereto, and to re-
move all lay or armed force from the house
and churches, and to put Geoffrey de Welle-
ford in possession. He was further instructed
to imprison any one resisting the execution of
the order. In this mandate it was also recited
that the sheriffs bailiff had reported that he
visited the house on Friday after the Transla-
tion of St. Thomas to remove all lay or armed
force, and that he found no force nor resist-
ance, and therefore did nothing in the matter,
'at which answer the king marvels, especi-
ally as it is testified before him by trust-
worthy men that a lay and armed force was
then and is still in the house of St. Cross, and
that the bailiff's answer was made frivolously
and derisively.' 8 The king's next step, in this
determined assertion of his authority and rights,
was to prohibit the archbishop from attempt-
ing anything prejudicial thereto. A further
writ on the same subject was addressed to the

B Close, 14 Edw. II. m. 2d.

6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, f. 15.

7 Close, 14 Edw. II. m. id.

8 Ibid. 15 Edw. II. m. 1 3d.

194

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

archbishop on 23 October. 1 On 4 September
a commission of oyer and terminer was granted
on the complaint of Geoffrey de Welleford,
that, after due induction, Robert de Maidstone,
Nicholas his brother, and divers other persons,
had taken and carried, of the hospital property,
livestock to the value of 100, goods and
chattels to a like amount, as well as charters
and muniments. A second commission, dated
6 November, particularizes the missing pro-
perty, and increases its value to the then great
sum of jsoo. a

The bishop, on 9 February, 1322, issued a
commission of inquiry relative to the dilapi-
dation of St. Cross on the entry of Geoffrey
de Welleford. 3 On 1 1 March, Geoffrey, by
proxy, promised canonical obedience, as master
of St. Cross, to his diocesan. 4 Geoffrey, who
had been thus stormily thrust into this valuable
mastership, died in August, 1322, having never
apparently set foot in the diocese. Bishop
Asserio was now able to make an appointment
of his own ; but it was no improvement on
that of the king. His choice for this valuable
and important preferment fell on his nephew,
Bertrand de Asserio, a clerk of the diocese of
Cahors. He was collated, inducted and in-
stituted (by proxy) on 31 August, 1322, by
his brother Gerald de Asserio, vicar-general, in
the absence at the Roman court of the bishop. 5
There seems no reason to imagine that Bert-
rand ever saw the hospital of which he was the
master, although he held it with a rectory in
the diocese (Freshwater, Isle of Wight), and
a prebend ot Salisbury. In August, 1330,
Bertrand, as warden of St. Cross, nominated
attorneys to act for him, as he was going across
the seas for two years. 8

Provision of the hospital was made in 1333,
by Pope John XXIL, to Peter de Galliciano,
void by the resignation of Bertrand de Asserio,
who had exchanged it for other benefices out
of England. 7 Meanwhile Bishop Stratford
endeavoured to checkmate the papal appoint-
ment by sequestrating the hospital property on
the ground of the blindness and inability of the
new master, and there ensued a strife between
ecclesiastical and civil authorities to the great
bewilderment of the tenantry, 8 the sheriff being
called upon in October, 1334, to assist Peter de

1 Cant. Archiep. Reg., Reynold, ff. 300, 301.
3 Pat. 15 Edw. II. pt. i, m. I5d.
3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, f. zib.

* Ibid. f. 22.
8 Ibid. f. i8b.

Pat. 4 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 10.

7 Cal. of Papal Letters, ii. 385.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 78.

Galliciano, the master, in levying rents due to
him. 9

In 1344, the bishop petitioned Clement VI.,
signifying that when the hospital of his collation
was vacant, he made provision of it to William
Edingdon, the king's treasurer, who restored
the buildings and improved the condition of
the poor therein, spending 1,000; but on the
report that the late Peter de Galliciano, master
of the hospital, was chaplain to Clement V.,
and that the hospital was therefore reserved to
the pope, of which the bishop was ignorant, he
prayed the pope to declare valid the appoint-
ment of William and all that he had done.
To this the pope assented, and remitted the
fruits he had received. 10 In the following year
Edingdon became bishop, and the pope ap-
pointed Raymond Pelegrini, papal nuncio, to
the mastership of St. Cross, which was declared
to be worth 6 13*. 4^." Raymond resigned
in 1346, and was followed by Richard de
Lusteshall and Walter de Wetwang ; both of
which appointments were brief and disputed.

In 1346 Bishop Edingdon appointed his
nephew John Edingdon, a mere lad, to the
mastership, who of course neglected all the
duties pertaining to his office as grossly as his
predecessors. 12 Provision was made in June,
1348, of the hospital by the pope, to William
de Farlee, notwithstanding his holding canon-
ries and prebends of Winchester, Romsey and
Salisbury. 13 But in 1349 the bishop signified
the pope that he had given St. Cross to John
Edingdon, his nephew, who was under age,
and already held two benefices, there being an
ordinance in the foundation that it could be
given to secular clerks ; but that as it was re-
ported that the pope had reserved the same be-
fore Richard's death, he prayed him to confirm
the collation. The petition was granted.

In 1366, Edingdon, having stripped the
hospital and its estates, resigned, soon after his
uncle's death, and was followed, on exchange,
by William Stowell, who in his turn exchanged
the mastership in March, 1368, with Richard
de Lyntesford, for the rectory of Burghclere. 14
In August, 1370, Lyntesford exchanged the

9 Close, 8 Edw. III. m. lod.

10 Cal. of Papal Petitions, 1.51.

11 Ibid. i. 90.

la For the evil character of John Edingdon, and
the manifold preferments conferred on him by his
uncle, see Wilts Arch. Mag. xx. In 1368 he
was cited to appear in the bishop's court for having
embezzled the materials purchased by his prede-
cessor for rebuilding the chancel of the church of
Farnham, of which he was then rector.

13 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 131.

14 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 9.

195

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

mastership with Roger Cloun for the rectory
of Campsall, Yorkshire. 1

The scandals of St. Cross were now to be
arrested. Bishop Wykeham was a very dif-
ferent diocesan to his predecessors. Stowell
resigned on 22 March, 1368, and on the
following day the bishop demanded of him an
inventory of the stock received by him from
Edingdon and handed over to Lyntesford. 3
The story is a piteous one ; whilst episcopal
and royal and papal nominees to this benefice
were spending the hospital's incomes in their
own selfish ways, the great hall had fallen in,
the hundred poor were ejected from their daily
meal, and the thirteen infirm inmates were
turned away to seek shelter where they could.

From 1368 to 1375 Bishop Wykeham, with
rare persistency, followed up the iniquities of
the four living masters, and at last gained the vic-
tory. 3 On 6 January, 1375, Cloun made his
submission to the bishop, and swore he would
render an annual account to his diocesan when-
ever called upon to do so. 4 The bishop how-
ever was now strong enough to refuse the
master any power of administration, and put
in a relative of his own, Nicholas Wykeham,
to superintend the affairs of the hospital. By
this arrangement further peculation was pre-
vented, the buildings began to be repaired, and
the endowments mainly used for the poor.
In 1382, Roger Cloun, the nominal master,
died, and Wykeham appointed his great friend
John de Campeden, rector of Cheriton, to the
mastership. 5

Wykeham's successor, Cardinal Beaufort
(140447), with the consent of Thomas
Forest, then master, and the brethren, added,
in 1445, to the original foundation a hospital
or almshouse of ' Noble Poverty,' the buildings
of which were to be erected to the west of the
church. 8 The troublous times and the triumph
of the Yorkists prevented his intentions being
carried out in his lifetime, and it was left to
Bishop Waynflete to further to some extent
the cardinal's intentions. The bishop pro-
cured an enabling charter in 1455, but it was
not until 1486 that he carried out his plan and
remodelled the statutes. 7 The cardinal's in-
tended endowments were lost, so that the

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 25.
3 Ibid. iii. f. 93.

3 Mr. T. F. Kirby has conveniently gathered
all the instruments relative to this at the beginning
of the znd vol. of Wykeham's Registers (Hants Re-
cord Series, 1899), pp. 28-59. See also Mober-
ley's Wykeham, ch. v. and Harl. MS. 1616.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 103.
8 Ibid. i. f. 131.

Pat. 33 Hen. VI. pt. 2, m. 18.

7 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, ii. f. 132.

additional foundation, designed for two priests,
thirty-five brethren and three sisters, was re-
duced to one priest and two brethren. Those
of the new foundation wore a cloak of deep
red with a cardinal's hat embroidered in white ;
whilst those of the old foundation retained
the black cloak, with silver cross-potent, as
ordained by the Hospitallers.

The Reformation made but little change at
St. Cross. The hospital, though threatened in
the time of Henry VIII., escaped confiscation.
At a visitation held by Dr. Legh, as Crom-
well's commissary, in 1 535, it was directed that
the thirteen brethren should receive sufficient
meat and drink and not money in lieu thereof,
and that the 1 00 men be daily fed, but sturdy
beggars repulsed.

It was further ordained that some discreet
and honest priest of the house should hear
and teach the poor brethren the Our Father
and the Creed in English, which they were
to say together in the church before dinner ;
that the master was to have a library in the
house which was to contain printed volumes
of the Old and New Testaments and the
works of Jerome, Augustine, Theophylact
and others of the most ancient fathers ; and
that mass was to be said for the soul of the
founder and for the good estates of the king
and Queen Anne. 8

In 1696, when Dr. Markland was master,
it was alleged that all documents and registers
pertaining to the hospital had been burnt, and
a ' customary ' (consuetudinariuni) was drawn up
by the master for its future management, and
ratified by the bishop. When the scandals of
the abuse of this charity were brought before
the Queen's Bench in 1851, the judge in de-
livering judgment described this 'customary*
as a ' barefaced and shameless document ' and
' a wilful breach of trust. 1 He was equally
severe on the nineteenth century continuation
of the scandal. The present wholesome
scheme was devised in 18557.

MASTERS OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. CROSS,
WINCHESTER 8

Robert de Limosia, 1136 ?
Roger, 1 185

Alan de Sancta Cruse, 10 1190
Alan de Stoke, appointed 1204

8 Woodward's Hist, of Hants, i. 235 ; and
Humbert's Memorials of the Hospital of St. Cross,
PP- 37, 38.

9 Many of the names of the masters have
been obtained from the register of the hospital
(Harl. MS. 1616).

10 Dean and Chap, of St. Paul, Charter 291.

196

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Henry de Cusia or Susa, 1 appointed 1241
Geoffrey de Fernyng, appointed 1250
Thomas de Colchester, appointed 1260
Stephen de Wotton, died 1275
Peter de Sancta Maria, archdeacon of Surrey,

1289-96

William de Welynger or Wendling
Robert de Maidstone,* 1305-20
Geoffrey de Welleford, 3 1321-2
Bertrand de Asserio,* 1322-33
Peter de Galliciano, 5 1333
William de Edingdon, High Treasurer of

England," 1335-45

Raymond Pelegrini, papal nuncio, 7 1345-6
Richard de Lusteshall
Walter de Wetwang
John Edingdon, 134666
William Stowell, 1366-8
Richard de Lyntesford, 8 1368-70
Roger de Cloune, 9 1370-82
John de Campeden, 10 1382-1426
John Forest, 1426-44
Thomas Forest, 1444
Thomas Chandler, warden of New College,

William Westbury, provost of Eton, 1465

Richard Hay ward, died 1489

John Lichfield, 1489-91

Robert Sherborne, 14911500 ?

Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, 1500-17

John Claymond, President of Magdalene and

Corpus Christi Colleges, appointed 1517
John Incent, appointed 1524"
William Meadow, 1545
John Leefe, 1557
Robert Reynolds, 1557
John Watson, 1559
Robert Bennett, 1583

1 He was afterwards Cardinal Bishop of Ostia,
and one of the most famous canonists of the middle
ages.

1 Cat. of Papal Letters, ii. 3. He also held two
rectories and a canonry of Chichester. He was
deprived in 12 June, 1321.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, ff. I4b, 15.

I Ibid. f. i8b.

5 Cal. of Papal Letters, ii. 385. Provided by
Pope John XXII. on the resignation of Asserio.

8 Pat. 9 Edw. III. pt. I, m. 28. Promoted to
the see of Winchester in 1345.

7 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 90. He resigned in
1346.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 9.
g Ibid. f. 25.

10 Ibid. f. 131.

II He was dean of St. Paul's from 1 540 to 1 545,
during which time he still held the mastership of
St. Cross (Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII. xiv. [2]
310.) He was also master of God's House, Ports-
mouth.

Arthur Lake, 1603
Sir Peter Young, 1616
William Lewis, 1627
John Lisle, 1649
John Cooke, 1657
Richard Shute, 1 660
William Lewis, 1660
Henry Compton, 1667
William Harrison, 1675
Abraham Markland, 1694
John Lynch, 1728
John Hoadley, 1760
Beilby Porteus, 1776
John Lockman, 1788
Francis North, 1808
L. M. Humbert, 12 1855
W. G. Andrewes, 1868

25. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY
MAGDALEN, WINCHESTER

The original site of the hospital of St.
Mary Magdalen was about a mile due east of
Winchester, on the down which was called
after it Magdalen Hill, now Morne Hill. It
does not seem to be possible to trace its first
foundation with any certainty, although the
cumulative presumptions in favour of Bishop
Ilchester (117489) being the founder, in-
geniously put forth by Dr. Milner, 13 seem
highly probable. Moreover the elaborate
drawings made of the remains of its chapel
by Mr. Schnebbelie, 14 in 1788, corroborate
this view, as they show that the main work
was apparently late in the Norman style.
The first mention of the hospital occurs in
the register of Bishop Pontoise (1280-1304),
where it is named in a list of benefices of
which the Bishops of Winchester had been
patrons for a long time. 15 It is mentioned
once in Stratford's register, under the year
1325, when it is called a hospital for lepers. 16
Pope John XXII. in 1333 granted a faculty
to the prior and chapter of Winchester to
appropriate the church of Wonsington, value
40, out of which, however, 25 19*. 4^.
was to be paid yearly to the hospital of St.
Mary Magdalen, according to the prescription
of Henry, late bishop of the see. 17 The

13 All pains have been taken with the list of
masters. It is the fullest yet published. In some
of the earlier instances there is a little doubt (see
the lists in Woodward's Hants, i. 240-2, and
Notes and Queries, 1st ser. x. 299, 473).

13 Milner's Hist, of Winchester, ii. 202-3.

14 Vetusta Monumenta (Soc. of Antiquaries), iii.
plates i, 2, 3.

15 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 107.
18 Ibid. Stratford, f. 1 3.

17 Cal. of Papal Letters, ii. 381.

197

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

foundation at that time consisted of a priest
(master) and nine poor brethren and nine poor
sisters.

On 8 September, 1334, the keepers of the
temporalities of the see of Winchester, then
in the king's hands, were directed to pay to
the master and paupers of the hospital of St.
Mary Magdalen on the hill, the arrears of a
certain fixed sum for their maintenance, as
they had been in the habit of receiving such a
sum during voidance from the king's progeni-
tors. 1 In 1336 the taxers and collectors of
the tenth and fifteenth in Hampshire were
ordered not to molest or aggrieve the master
and brethren of the hospital, and to permit
them to be quit for that turn, as the hospital
was so slenderly endowed that its goods hardly
sufficed for the maintenance of the master,
brethren and sisters, and of the weak and
infirm there, and for other alms according to
the foundation. 2

From Bishop Orlton's registers the interest-
ing fact is established that it was at one time
customary for the bishop to collate not only
the master, but the various inmates of the
house, whether brothers or sisters. Thus in

1338 Bishop Orlton collated William de
Berwick to a portion or share in the house,
with all its rights, customs and pittances. In

1339 the bishop collated Margaret Greenway
to another portion, which had been held by
Henry le Bule, clerk, whilst he remained in
the hospital. In 1342 the same bishop col-
lated William de Basynge, clerk, to the per-
petual custody of the hospital, assigning to the
custodian or master four ' greater portions.' 3
Both in Orlton's and Wykeham's registers the
chapel of St. Mary Magdalen is termed a
chantry, in consequence of the obligations
that rested on the priest and brethren and
sisters to pray for the souls of the founders
and of all the faithful departed.

According to Trussell's MS. history of
Winchester, ' The House of St. Mary Mag-
dalene was founded by Maria de Valentia,
daughter of Guido, Earle of St. Pawle of
Fraunce, wief of Adamore de Valentia,
Earle of Pembrokke, in the dayes of
Edwarde the Third.' * This is of course
incorrect, but it may quite possibly refer
to some special benefaction, or scheme of
refounding. Certain it is that there was a
considerable architectural reconstruction of the

1 Pat. 8 Edw. III. m. 17.

1 Ibid. 10 Edw. III. m. 17.

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. ff. 73, 92 ; ii.
f. 6 7 .

4 Cited in Woodward's Hut. of Hants, i.
4S-

hospital in the first half of the fourteenth
century.

In 1394, John Melton, who was the first
schoolmaster of Winchester College, was col-
lated by Bishop Wykeham to the wardenship
of the hospital and chantry, to which, as
again stated, was assigned the share of four
' greater portions.' 5 The form of collation
reminded the new master of his obligations,
for therein is reference to the >uia contingit
bull of Clement, whereby he was bound to
make an annual return of the goods and
expenditure of the hospital. In the following
year the bishop, on the death of William
Chaloner, one of the brethren, collated Roger
Muleward to his place ; John Melton, the
master, was ordered to induct the new
brother. 8 Much earlier in his episcopate
(1369), Wykeham had collated to this hos-
pital one Adam Coudrich, who is described
as aged, weak, poverty stricken, and unable
with his own hands to gain a maintenance.

Wykeham was as keen to check abuses on
a small scale as those on a larger throughout
his diocese. Encouraged by the successful
issue of his contention with the great hospital
of St. Cross, he next turned his attention to
the much humbler foundation of St. Mary
Magdalen. On i September, 1400, he
appointed John Campeden, Archdeacon of
Surrey, and Simon Membury, treasurer of
Wolvesey, two of his most trusted friends, as
commissioners, with full power to visit and
inquire into the condition and administration
of this hospital. 7 The report showed that
many ' delinquencies, crimes, and excesses ,
had been brought to light ; and Wykeham'
on 20 November of the same year, com-
missioned Campeden and Membury, together
with John Elmore, his official, to punish
canonically the offenders, and even to expel
the master, or any other delinquent, if justice
required it. 8

Among the Harley MSS. 9 is a portion of
a rental of the hospital, with an inventory of
the furniture of the chapel and house, taken
about 1400. The receipts were : 25 19;. 4^.
from the treasurer of Wolvesey ; j6 95. 4^.
from the prior of St. Swithun's ; 22*. from
the abbot of Hyde ; 6oj. from the bailiffs of
Winchester ; and 1 6*. %d. in rents yielding
a total of 37 6s. lid. These receipts were
thus allotted. The sum from Wolvesey was for

6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 231.
8 Ibid. f. 255.

7 Ibid. iii. 238.

8 Ibid. f. 329.

Harl. MS. 328, ff. 26-8. Printed in Vttusta
Monumenta, iii. 1 1 .

198

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

eighteen persons, $d. a week each for victuals,
and 6s. a year each for clothing. From the
entries already cited in the registers of Orlton
and Wykeham, it would seem that four of
these portions were allotted to the master, and
that would reduce the other inmates to four-
teen, or seven of each sex. It is quite clear
from this and other documents that the epis-
copal founder of this house originally designed
it for eighteen inmates, nine of each sex, and
that by the fourteenth century a reduction to
fourteen, in addition to the master, had been
accomplished. 1 The sum from St. Swithun's
was assigned to ten persons, 3^. a week for
each, namely three farthings on Sunday and
on three week days, and nothing for clothing
unless the convent, for love of God, gave
them some old clothes. It would seem as if
this pension, when originally granted, was
intended for the partial relief of ten persons
outside the bishop's eighteen. From the
same source were supplied four flitches of
bacon, namely one on each of the eves of
Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Easter and
Pentecost. The money from the bailiffs and
from Hyde Abbey was for the general sup-
port of the brethren and sisters. There were
also for the support of the house 14 acres of
land, and pasturage for 101 sheep in the
pasture of St. Swithun. The oblations
received at the chapel on the festival of St.
Mary Magdalen were reserved for the repairs
of the house and the walls, save 13*. 4^.,
which was assigned for the reaping and carry-
ing of their corn. Offerings made at other
times were divided equally among the inmates.
The warden's stipend is named as consisting
of four of the greater portions, that is of those
provided from the Wolvesey bequest, and
came to 5 15*. 4^.

The ornaments of the chapel included in
addition to chalices, crosses, vestments, etc., a
rochet for (the image of) Magdalen ; an old
missal ; a new one worth ioos., the gift of
William Basinge, a former master ; a great
noted portifer, worth 6oj. ; two old anti-
phonars ; a legendary of the saints ; a calendar
(tempcraF) ; three psalters ; a collectary ; a
hymnary ; a manual and three graduals ; a
green carpet powdered with birds and roses ;
and five banners for carrying at Rogation-tide.
The inventory of the brass and pewter in the
domestic buildings mentions six houses, besides
the master's house.

1 It is not a little curious that Wavell, Milner
and Woodward (as well as, of course, their mere
copyists) all went wrong about the numbers, and
have assumed that the total of poor inmates was
nine instead of eighteen.

The visitor, according to the list of ques-
tions, was to inquire if the chaplain (master)
duly celebrated and said the canonical hours ;
if he lived chastely and soberly and visited the
sick and punished delinquents ; if he wasted
the hospital's substance, or allowed any
destructions of houses or trees ; and if he
reproved evil livers ; whether husbands and
wives were cohabiting in the hospital or had
a house there ; if the clerk served the church
and chaplain with due obedience ; whether
there were any living in common, or in
separate houses using their portion in any bad
or extravagant way ; if there was any one
disobedient, or quarrelsome, or wandering
contrary to the statutes ; whether the goods
of a deceased inmate went to the works of the
church after the payment of debts ; whether
any one was unwilling to submit to the justice
and discipline of the master ; whether any
brother or sister was not living in Christian
peace ; and finally whether any one entered
into the house save through the treasurer of
Wolvesey.

It seems highly probable, as the rest of this
MS. book pertains to Wykeham, that these are
the very list of questions drawn up for the
guidance of his commissaries in 1400. From
a study of them it seems obvious that there
were at that time six houses, in addition to
the master's house, in which lived those in-
mates who drew major portions, as well as
others, namely the ten provided for by the St.
Swithun's pension, who lived in a common
hall and dorter.

The exact issue of Wykeham's inquiry and
correction cannot be now ascertained ; but it
is fair to assume that the condition of the
hospital was materially improved, otherwise
he would scarcely have made the hospital a
bequest in his will, which was drawn up
about two and a half years after the inquiry
had been held.

Among testamentary bequests to this hos-
pital may be mentioned 6s. 8d. in 1420, by
John Fromond, steward of Winchester Col-
lege under Wykeham, the words of whose
will are : Lego ad distribuendum inter leprous
B. Marie Magdalene, Wynton? This need
not however be taken to prove that the
brothers and sisters were all, or even any of
them, lepers. Like many another hospital
founded for the relief of lepers, as the disease
disappeared the inmates were selected from
other poor and impotent folk. 3 The Valor

2 Arch. 'Journal, xvi. 170.

3 Hist, of Winchester (i/73) " '77- Th e
two small volumes under this title were published
anonymously, but they are known to have been

199

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

f X 535 g ave ^e gross income as ^42 i6s.
William Atkinson was at that time master.

Hospitals were not included in the Act of
Edward VI. for the dissolution of chantries
and other like foundations, and therefore St.
Mary Magdalene's does not appear in the
certificates taken under this Act, but in the
certificate of 1545 its value is entered as
4.1 6s. Sd. t of which 19 7*. 4^. was
divided amongst nine poor men and women.
After other payments, there was a balance
left for the master and the repair of tenements
of 13 gs. ifd. The certificate states that
the hospital was founded by the Bishop of
Winchester ' to pray for the soules of ther
founders and all crysten soules.' The great
reduction in numbers from eighteen to nine is
not such a flagrant instance of mismanage-
ment or peculation as might at first seem to
be the case. By far the larger part of the
hospital's income came from fixed pensions,
and the purchasing power of money had
certainly lessened by one half in the course of
three and a half centuries.

Dr. Ebden, master of the hospital, by
indenture dated 2 September, 1611, gave
10 annually to be divided at the rate of 4^.
weekly to each of the brethren and sisters,
and a gown each at Christmas.

At the time of the great Civil War the
hospital suffered severely from the king's troops.
Out of its little flock of sheep thirty-six
were killed by the soldiers, and the remainder
had to be conveyed away sixteen miles for
safety. Much corn was stolen, and the great
gates, doors, barn and stable fittings, in short
everything of wood was burnt. Even the
furniture of the chapel down to the very
holy table were used for fuel, and horses of
the troopers were stabled in the sanctuary.
The master, brethren and sisters petitioned
Lord Hopton, general of the Royalist forces
in the west, as to the destitution and misery
brought on the inmates. In an order dated
1 9 March, 1643, the general promised inquiry
and redress.

The master and poor folk had not long
been in their renovated houses, when the
government of Charles II., in 1665, chose to
seize it as a place of confinement for the
Dutch prisoners of war, and to order that the
almsfolk were to be removed into lodgings at
Winchester at the king's expense. The
result was most disastrous ; the Dutch
prisoners used all the woodwork, including
that of the restored chapel, for fuel ; and the

written by the Rev. Mr. Wavell, who was at that
time master of this hospital. His account extends
from pp. 1 5 5-2 1 1 in the second volume.

chapel bell, and all iron and lead were carried
away. In short, the hospital was ruined ; and
the master, brethren and sisters found it im-
possible to return when the war was over.
The estimate for rebuilding and repairing
was 650, but the government would only
allow,ioo. Dr. Gulston was at that time
master. His successor, Dr. Darel, who was
also archdeacon of Winchester, purchased, in
1671, some tenements for the poor outcasts
in Colebrook Street, which were left after his
death in trust for the use of the hospital. In
1788 the remnants of the old buildings, in-
cluding the beautiful chapel, still bearing
many traces of wall painting, 1 were pulled
down, and the materials used for the erection
of six plainly built almshouses on the upper
side of Water Lane, in the East Soke.

The old buildings are fully described as
well as illustrated in the Fetusta Monumental
A view of their original state is given at
page 155 of Mr. Wavell's second volume,
before referred to, wherein are shown the
chapel with master's house and common
rooms adjoining, together with the range of
small houses for those who held the major
portions.

MASTERS OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY
MAGDALEN, WINCHESTER

William de Basynge, collated 1342*
John Melton, collated 1394*
William Waynflete, 1438"
William Atkinson, 1535
Dr. Ebden, 1611
Dr. Gulston, 1665
Dr. Darel, 1671
Mr. Wavell, 1773

26. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN
BAPTIST, WINCHESTER

When Leland visited Winchester, about
1538, he saw near the east gate 'a fair Hos-
pital of S. John, wher pore syke people be
kept. Ther is yn the Chapelle an Ymage

1 Mr. Schnebbelie's coloured sketches of the
most noteworthy parts are in the possession of the
Society of Antiquaries. The old Norman west
doorway of the chapel has been rebuilt as the
entrance to the Roman Catholic Church in St.
Peter Street.

1 Vol. iii. plates I, 2.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. ff. 73, 92 ; ii.
f. 67.

4 Ibid. Wykeham, i. f. 231.

B Afterwards Bishop of Winchester. See Hist,
of Winchester (1773), by Rev. Mr. Wavell, ii. 77.

200

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

of S. Brinstane, sumtyme Bishop of Wyn-
chester : and I have redde that S. Brinstane
founded an Hospitale yn Winchester.' This
supposition of so exceptionally early a founda-
tion, though frequently copied as a fact into
guide books and local histories, seems to have
been a mere guess of Leland's suggested by
the sight of the image of Bishop Brinstan.

The real history of the hospital begins with
the foundation, about 1275, by John Deven-
ishe, alderman of Winchester, of a hospital or
hospice for the relief of sick and lame soldiers,
poor pilgrims and wayfaring men, to receive
there gratuitous food and lodging for one
night or longer, according to their ability to
travel. He endowed it competently, and
furnished the rooms with bedding and other
necessaries, and made the mayor custodian to
regulate admission to its privileges. The
founder attached a chapel to the house, and
therein established a priest to celebrate for his
soul and for all the faithful departed. About
fifty years later one of the same name as the
founder, probably his son, made a further
bequest to the chaplain of the house, and
added to his duties.

In January, 1332, licence was obtained
by John Devenysh for the gift of IOQJ. of
rents in Winchester and Little Somburne, to
the master and brethren of the hospital of
St. John, to find a chaplain to celebrate daily
in the hospital for the souls of the king's
progenitors, kings of England, and of the
faithful departed. 1

Mark le Faire, who was mayor of Win-
chester in 1408 and subsequent years, was a
benefactor of the hospital, giving it a part of
the George inn, the King's Head, and his
own house. At this time the hospital was
in the full control of the corporation, for in
1408 an order was made by the assembly
that the house of St. John Baptist should be
rebuilt during the year and roofed with lead.
The cost was to be partly defrayed by volun-
tary contributions, for the gathering of which
the assembly appointed two collectors."

It appears from the Black Book of Win-
chester that town assemblies were frequently
held here in the fifteenth and sixteenth cen-
turies. The Trussell MSS. state, indeed,
that this use of the hospital hall for municipal
purposes was coeval with its foundation. ' Yt
appeareth by the book of ordinances of this
cittie (earlier than the extant Black Book)
that in the time of Roger le Long, who suc-
ceeded John Devenishe in the place (as alder-

man), that there was an ordinance made that
everye yeer, uppon the next Sonday after
Midsomer day (except upon some extraordin-
arie occacion hindered, and that not to bee
allowed of but by a generall assemblee), the
maior and his brethren and all the whole corpor-
ation with their wives shoudd meet att this
house at supper, whereat over and above the
rate sett, the maior for the tyme beeing, and
hee that was maior the precedent yeere, were
to bestowe a couple of fatt capons ; which
love-feast and merry meeting was appoynted
to revive the memory of the Devenishes.
This meeting is observed to this daye.' 3
From the same authority we learn that
Richard Devenish increased the endowments
in the reign of Henry VI.

At an assembly held on 20 August, 1442,
as chronicled in the Black Book, it was re-
solved that the chaplain of the fraternity of
St. John was to receive meat and drink and
sufficient cloth for a gown (toga) yearly from
the steward of the fraternity, and four marks
as a stipend.

The corporation in 1442 appointed Wil-
liam Wyke, clerk, as chaplain and keeper of
the hospital, and caused the following inden-
ture of the hospital's goods to be drawn up.
From the provisions for bedding, it would
appear that the house had not given up the
exercise of nightly hospitality for wayfarers.

The present indenture bereth Wittness yt Petur
Hulle mayre of ye Cite of Wynchester and All ye
Commoners of ye same Cite hath delyvered to S r
William Wyke oure keper of oure hous of Synt
Johns of Wynchester al oure goodes and catelles
underrite, Firste viij corperas, iiij tuellis for ye
autres in ye churche goode, and v holde, ij litel
tuelles for ye lavytory olde, j paxebrede of silver
and over gyld a j nother paxbrede, and a hede of
Syn John ye Baptis of Alabastre, j Box of silver
w' oute over gylde, ij chales of Silver w'ynne over
gylde, j chales of silver ye gylde w oute, ij ymages
of Syn John ye Baptis of Alabastre, j ymage of oure
Lady of Alabastre, v chopis (copes) of sylke and a
litel pelow, viij proper vestements w' all ye
apparell, ij surplis feble, j aube w' parurys, j Crys-
tal stone, j Box w' dyvers reliquis, iij Missales, ij
Antiphones, ij portions, yj sawters, ij legendes, ij
Grayellis, j episteler, j marteloge, and vij other
diverse bokes, iij sakeryng belles, iiij cruettes, ij
lamps of brasse, j meltable (dining table) w ij
trestallis, ij belles for ye churche w' j Trunke,
pond' viij c , j forme, ij meteclothis conteynynge in
lenthe xiiij yerdesw' a towell conteynyng in lenth
iij yerdes and a halfe, ij Basonis and j laver,
j litel morter of Brasse for Spices to pounde on
weying xij lb., iiij bras pottes, j belle and j litel

1 Pat. 5 Ed. III. pt. 3, m. 3.

2 Black Book of Winchester, Add. MS. 6036,
3-

n 2O I

3 Trussell MSS. (James I.), cited in Woodward's
Hants, \, 248. Roger le Long was mayor in 1 275,
according to Milner's list.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

pomette, j hangynglaver, xj payre of Shettes, iij
payre blanketts, xxiij keverlytes, j crowl, j spade, j
shovell, j howe, j rake, j spytele, j Longpyke,
j whelberewe, j bounde w' Ire, ij cofor in ye
chambers w' munnimentes and chartes. 1

The next entry in the Black Book, im-
mediately following this inventory, is the
record of a meeting of the assembly in the
house of St. John Baptist on 31 August,
1485. Other meetings of the Corporation
in the same hall are recorded in 1472, 1514,
1520 and 1523.

At an assembly held in the gildhall on 6
January, 1524, there was 'granted to my
lord Suffrygan Seynt Johns house w* the
garden for time of his lyfe yeldying yerely for
the seid house xvjf. \\\}d. and for the garden
us.' Ten years before his death, which
occurred in 1528, Bishop Fox suffered from
blindness. Much of the diocesan work was
discharged by John Pinnock, Bishop of Syene,
who also acted as suffragan Bishop of Salis-
bury.

At an assembly held in St. John's Hall on
2 March, 1531, it was ordained that 'from
hensforthe every Maire in his tyme shall
examyn the Inventory of all the churche
goodes of Saynt Jonys and all other goodes
belongyng to Seynt Jonys hospitall w'in iij
months next after the feist of Seynt Michell
tharchangell upon payne of forfeture of vjs.
viija. to the use of the Citie.'

At an assembly held on 23 April, i535>
' hit is granted to Richard Frankelyn, servant
of the seid Citie, to have the oversight and
kepying of Seynt Jonyes house and the hos-
pitall there as long as it shall please the
meare and the Citie to admyt hym.'

The assembly of 8 August, 1546, decided
1 yt the supper accustomed to be kept at Seynt
John's house shall frome hensforthe yerelye
be kept there the Sonday next following the
Natyvyte of Saynt John the baptist in as
ampel maner as it hathe byn here to fore And
every of the beinche shall paye at the same
supper xiu/., and every other of the xxviij, nd.
apece, and of thother franches man vmd. a
pece, and that whether the! be present there at
the supper or not. And the mayor for the tyme
beinge to fynde a capon at the same supper
and thalderman of the Highe Strete another
capon.'

At the dissolution of such institutions in
1546, this hospital fell into the hands of
Henry VIII., but it was not altogether sup-
pressed, and was by him regranted to the
corporation, the hall to be used by them for
municipal elections and the like purposes.

1 Add. MS. 6036, f. 31.

At that time the hospital revenue was but
lOOi. a year, 30*. of which was for the
priest's stipend.

In 1558, Ralph Lamb bequeathed 400
to the master and brethren of this hospital,
for the purpose of adding to it as many poor
as the rents of the lands purchased with the
bequest would maintain, who were to be
called ' The Almsfolk of Ralph Lamb.' An
estate was purchased at Amesbury, Wilts, as
well as some small properties in Winchester,
and six poor and needy widows were estab-
blished in as many almshouses in a court on
the north side of the main building.

In the charter which was granted by
Elizabeth in 1588 to the corporation, this
hospital, with the addition of the Lamb alms-
houses, was confirmed to them as its keepers.

In an old account book of the corporation,
beginning about 1688, the Charity Com-
missioners (in 1824) found an entry, under
the title of ' The poor of St. John's hos-
pital weekly,' of the names of twenty-two
persons, men and women receiving 6d. a
week each, and of six others receiving is. 6d.
each per week, the latter being probably the
almspeople appointed under Lamb's gifts.*
At the time of the Commissioners' visit, there
were no other almsfolk nor any doles to the
poor save those on Lamb's foundation.

In 1 8 1 1 a suit was begun against the cor-
poration for mismanagement and abuse of
this and other charity trusts. After almost
continuous litigation for nearly twenty years,
the corporation surrendered, and in 1829
resigned their powers and responsibilities to
the trustees appointed by the Court of Chan-
cery.

After the Reformation, when the chaplain's
stipend was appropriated, the chapel was dis-
used. It was rescued from its ruinous con-
dition in 1710, and turned into a schoolroom
for sixty poor children. It was used as a
school until 1838, when it was repaired and
restored to its original use.

St. John's House, with its fine hall and
chapel, still stands at the east end of the High
Street, and behind it are twenty-one com-
modious almshouses.

27. THE HOSPITAL OF

ST. JULIAN OR GOD'S HOUSE,

SOUTHAMPTON

This hospital was founded for the poor, in
the reign of Richard I., about the year 1 197,*
by Gervase le Riche, who was a burgess of

2 Charity Commissioners' Reports, xii. 437.

3 Pipe Roll, 9 Rich. I.

202

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Southampton and reeve of the town in 1185.
According to an inquisition held in 1229,
Gervase le Riche conferred the wardenship on
his brother Roger. 1 The earliest charter now
extant is a confirmation of the year 1197,
by Richard I., of the considerable properties
granted to the hospital by the founder, and
renewed in 1198 owing to the former royal
seal having been lost. 2 These gifts included
a rent of two marks on the house known as
West Hall, in which Gervase lived ; eight
houses and various plots of land in the town
and suburb ; a house and land at Portsmouth ;
his estate at Gussage in Dorsetshire, and lands
in the Isle of Wight. 3 Shortly afterwards
William de Chelegrave granted the whole
land at Hickley, at an annual rent of five
shillings, and by the annual service of a pair
of gilt spurs and a pound of cumin ; and
William de Redvers, Earl of Devon, granted
rights of pasturage and fuel, save for six weeks
each year, over the land of ' Werole,' in the
Isle of Wight, at a rent of two shillings, pay-
ing immediately, through Vincent, the warden,
ten marks, and a pair of gilt spurs to Baldwin,
the earl's son. 4

About 1209, Roger son of Mark con-
firmed to the hospital, for the support of the
priests, brethren and sisters therein, and for
the aid of the poor thither resorting, his father's
gift of the whole land of 'Werole,' at a rental
of six pence in lieu of service. 6

Amongst the other muniments of the house
preserved at Queen's College, Oxford, are
charters of special protection from both John
and Henry III.

Warden Robert de Knowell died about
Christmas, 1285, whereupon Queen Eleanor,
the king's mother, who held Southampton in
dower for life, took possession of the hospital
through her bailiff?, and conferred the warden-
ship on Robert le Stock. The Bishop of
Winchester had however, shortly before this
date, made good against the town his claim to
the advowson in the Court of King's Bench.
On hearing of the queen's action, the bishop,
through the sheriff", ejected Warden Robert,
and appointed in his place, on 3 January,
1286, John le Flemang. A few months later
Warden John resigned, and on n July, 1287,
the bishop issued his mandate for the induction
of Richard de Multon. 8 This dispute was
brought to trial at Westminster in Hilary

1 Rolls ofParRament (Rec. Com.), i. 19.

2 Hist. MSS. Com. iv. 45 1-2.

3 Davies' Hist, of Southampton, p. 3 20.

4 Hist. MSS. Com. iv. 453-4.
6 Ibid. p. 452.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, ff. 4, 5.

term, 1290, before Gilbert de Thornton and
John de Mettingham, the king's justices.
The pleadings are extant, and are of consider-
able length and interest. The judgment was
against the bishop, who had to pay 20
damages, and Robert le Stock, alias le
Aumoner, was reinstated. 7

The bishop, though defeated on technical
grounds, was able to make out a good case.
He was able to show from episcopal registers,
now lost, that Bishop Peter des Roches (1205
44) appointed Warin, a canon of St. Denis,
as warden, in succession to Vincent ; that
Bishop William de Raleigh (1244-60)
appointed John Chilbaton, one of his chaplains,
and afterwards Nicholas Rokeland; that Bishop
John Gervais appointed William Chernbyne
in 1262, and afterwards Robert de Knowell.
Warden Bluntesdon, a favourite of the king,
seems to have been the first non-resident
warden. The scandal of giving the chief
emoluments of hospitals founded for the poor
and infirm to men who rarely, if ever, visited
the house over which they were supposed to
preside, became, alas! the rule and not the
exception. At God's House this procedure
began about a century after its foundation,
and was ever afterwards maintained. In 1 297,
when the see of Salisbury was vacant, the king
gave Bluntesdon the archdeaconry of Dorset,
which he held with this wardenship, as well
as with other preferments, until his death in
1316.

In 1343 the king granted the custody of
God's House to the recent foundation of
Queen Philippa and Robert de Eglesfield
at Oxford, the provost and scholars of
Queen's Hall. By this charter the house
with all its appurtenances and rights passed
entirely to the hall or college, with the provi-
sion that the provost and scholars should
sustain all that was required by the original
foundation, and should use the surplus (if any)
to provide a habitation for any of their scholars
who might be afflicted with any incurable or
chronic illness. The hall was to enter into
possession immediately on the death or resigna-
tion of Robert de Eglesfield, the queen's
chaplain, who then held the wardenship.
After this date the wardens of God's House
are identical with the provosts of Queen's
Hall, Oxford. In 1347 the king repeated his
former charter, stating therein that in conse-
quence of so much of the hospital having been
burnt by foreign invaders (1338), when its
records were destroyed, relief for its depressed
condition caused him to remit to the hospital

7 Rolls of Parliament (Rec. Com.), i. 1 8-20 ;
Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, ff. 191, 192.

203

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

and all its lands for ever every kind of toll,
pontage, murage, passage, etc. This was
confirmed in 1375 by Richard II., who also
in 1385 exempted the hospital property in
Hampshire from the payments of tenths and
fifteenths for that turn. Other royal confirma-
tions were granted in 1399, 1413 and 1429.*
In 1346, in the assessment for making
Edward the Black Prince a knight, it appears
that the prior of God's House, Southampton,
held half a knight's fee in Cosriam. 2

Among the muniments at Queen's College
are not only the charters of God's House, but
also a large number of household account rolls
and rent rolls beginning with the time of
Edward I. Of the earlier of these Mr. Riley
gave in 1877 a long and most interesting
analysis, as well as a summary of facts that
they establish in connection with this house
and its administration, to which we are in-
debted for the following particulars. 3

In the time of the first two Edwards, the
members of God's House consisted of a master
or warden, two priests, a clerk, from two to
three brothers, from three to nine sisters, three
or more poor mendicants (paupers), and two
or three indoor servants, such as cook, washer-
woman or dairymaid, and various outdoor
labourers, such as carters, ploughmen, and
herdsmen of cattle, sheep and swine.

The building contained two halls, probably
for the two sexes ; chambers were assigned to
the warden, which had a cellar beneath let to
a tenant ; the priests had also their chambers,
and there were separate rooms for the brothers
and sisters when in residence. It also seemed
probable to Mr. Riley that the paupers lived
in the house ; judging from analogy it may
be assumed that this was certainly the case.
The duty of the senior of the two priests was
to act as steward or sergeant of the house.
The second priest, who had a lower stipend,
was the chaplain ; though later there was a
third priest appointed as chaplain, and the two
senior priests were styled the two sergeants.

The brothers occasionally paid handsomely
for admission, as with a flock of sheep or
money gifts. They were often made bailiffs
or stewards of the different manors, and resided
at Cosham or Warror in the Isle of Wight,
or at Heckley near Southampton. Occasion-
ally they took part in field labour, such as
reaping and haymaking. The sisters, too, at
times were engaged in winnowing. The
sisters, in addition to their meals, received a
farthing a day in lieu of clothing. The

1 Pat. Rolls, under dates.

a feudal Aids, ii. 339.

3 Hist. MSS.Com. iv. 453.

paupers, in addition to their board, received a
farthing every other day ; when working in
the fields they received additional remuneration,
chiefly in the form of shoes. No money
payment to the brothers is ever mentioned in
the accounts, but they had a liberal allowance
of materials for clothing.

The warden, who absorbed the greater
portion of the revenues, had a mansion or
residence at Gussage in Dorset. Occasionally
the accounts make mention of a warden
residing at Salisbury, Winchester, Odiham,
and even Wokingham in Berkshire. Brothers
and servants of the house were frequently
engaged in the laborious work of carrying
wine, cider, ale, stores or provisions to various
distant places where the warden for the time
might be dwelling. The accounts also reveal
that wardens now and again imposed their
relatives (nepotes) on the hospital, receiving
from it money, clothing, board and educa-
tion.

In 1373, with characteristic energy, Bishop
Wykeham proposed to visit God's House, as
one of the most important hospitals in his
diocese. When the notice was received by
Queen's College as wardens, steps were at once
taken to resist the bishop. On 27 June, the
chancellor issued a prohibition to the bishop,
in the king's name, on the ground that the
hospital was held in free alms of the Crown
by the provost and scholars of Queen's, and
that therefore the Crown was visitor. This
prohibition was duly entered in the bishop's
register. 4

In 1462, Edward IV. granted to the
warden, chaplains and brothers of God's
House the alien priory of Sherborne, with the
object of securing the increase of divine
worship within the hospital of St. Julian or
God's House, and perpetual masses for the
souls of the king and his successors, and for
the souls of ' Richard late Duke of York, our
father of famous memory, and of Richard, late
Earl of Cambridge, our grandfather who lies
buried within the hospital.' 6 The church or
chapel of the house was dedicated to St.
Julian, and hence the hospital itself occasion-
ally went by that name. In 1463 the king
inspected and confirmed to Queen's Hall the
letters patent of Richard II. and the charter
of Edward III. granting them the hospital.'

The Valor of 1535 affords interesting
particulars as to the hospital. The gross

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 8.

8 Pat. i Edw. IV. pt. 4, m. 13. The result of
this was to grant the Sherborne estates to Queen's
Hall. See the account of Sherborne Priory, p. 228.

6 Ibid. 3 Edw. IV. pt. 3, m. 17.

204

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

revenue amounted to 140 131. io^d. and
included the manors of Cosham and Warror
in the Isle of Wight, the manor of Heckley,
tenements at Exbury and Hamley, a garden
in Winchester, a great number of small tene-
ments and rents in or near Southampton, and
the property of Sherborne priory. The
charges on the income included, in addition
to a variety of payments at Monk Sherborne
and dues to divers Southampton officials, 18
a year to the three priests (Geoffrey Rudde,
Thomas Asheley and William Gy) appointed
by the founder and Edward IV. to pray for
the souls of the founders and others ; 24 for
the maintenance of six poor brethren and four
poor sisters, in food, clothing and other
necessaries ; 20 for seven beggars indigent
and infirm, beds and burial costs, etc. ; and
28 for daily hospitality to wayfarers and
strangers from beyond the sea, and daily dis-
tribution of alms at the gate. Beyond these
deductions the commissioners also asked that
the following expenses might be deducted :
Commons and stipends of butler, cook and
undercook, 9 6s. 8d. ; stipend of barber, 8/. ;
stipend of washerwoman, 16*. ; wax, wine
and bread for the chapel, i 135. $d. ; utensils
of hall, pantry and kitchen, jCi 6s. 8d.; petty
daily expenses, 18 ; average loss from un-
occupied houses at Southampton, 6 ; fuel
for hall and kitchen, 2 1 31. \d. ; and travel-
ling expenses and the like, on the business of
the hospital, 3 13*. \d. From all this it
may be inferred that God's House, under the
direction of Queen's College, was fairly carry-
ing out the intentions of the founders, and
soundly administering the funds.

According to the accounts of 15689, the
senior priest was acting as steward, and ' the
house was still celebrating the exequies of
Edward IV. and Richard, Earl of Cambridge,
of Master Pereson, and the founders generally,
each at a cost of 4*.' 1 At the same time the
cost of the pauper inmates (including eight
brothers and sisters) was 4 1 1 2s. od.

The old domestic buildings of this house,
which dated back in the main to its original
foundation and were still substantial, were,
grievous to relate, swept away by the college
in 1 86 1. In their place were erected the
present ' somewhat feeble though more
commodious buildings,' in two blocks. The
eastern block accommodates four brethren,
whilst the northern range is for the like
number of sisters. The old gateway has been
renewed, and the chapel of St. Julian ' restored '
out of all semblance to antiquity. An account

1 Davies' Hist, of Southampton, 461-2, citing an
account penes Rev. L. L. Carrick.

of the occupation of this church by a Walloon
congregation has already appeared. 2

WARDENS OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JULIAN
OR GOD'S HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON

Roger le Riche 3
William Fulient
Vincent
Warin

John Chilbaton
Nicholas Rokeland
William Chernbyne, 1262
Robert de Knowell, d. 1285
Robert le Stock or le Aumoner, 1285
John le Flemang, 12867
Richard de Multon, 4 1287
Richard le Stock or le Aumoner, rein-
stated 1290"

Roger de Estok, resigned in 1293
Henry de Bluntesdon, 6 1293-1316
Gilbert de Wygeton, 7 1316, 1332
Robert de Eglesfield, about 1343

28. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY
MAGDALEN, SOUTHAMPTON

The hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, South-
ampton, frequently styled in the town accounts
Le Maudelyne, was founded by the burgesses,
at their own cost, as a refuge for lepers, in
or about 11723, when there is a claim for
for allowance on the Pipe Roll of ^i 35. 2d.
for land given to the lepers of Southampton.
It was confirmed by Pope Alexander III. in
1179 to the priory of St. Denis, by the name
of the chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, but it
does not appear that the priory gained any
benefit from the hospital till the time of
Edward III. Probably it was only assigned
to the priory in the first instance in order that
they might see that the church or chapel was
duly served, and some priest found brave
enough to continuously administer to the
souls of the lepers.

Originally the burgesses appointed the
master or warden of the hospital, but in the
reign of Edward I. the Crown claimed the
presentation and appointed William Balweys.
This intrusion was resisted both by the bur-
gesses and the bishop. The latter, in 1285,

2 Supra, p. 75.

3 Rolls of Parliament (Rec. Com.), i. 19.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, ff. 4, 5.

5 Ibid. ff. 191, 192 ; Roll] of Parliament (Rec.
Com.), i. 1 8-20.

8 Pat. 21 Edw. I. mm. 15, n.
7 Ibid. 6 Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 7 ; Dugdale'j
Monasticon, vi. 674.

205

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

appointed Robert, rector of the church of St.
Cross, Southampton, at the instance of the
burgesses, to the wardenship. 1 Thereupon
Bishop Pontoise was charged with purpres-
ture against the king in seizing the advowson ;
and at Michaelmas, 1290, when the case was
heard, the bishop replied that he had never for
himself nor his church made any claim to the
advowson, and the sheriff of Hampshire was
ordered to seize the wardenship for the Crown. 2
However, on this followed an inquiry in
Easter term, 1291, when the jury found that
neither the bishop nor the king had any right
to the advowson, but that it had been un-
interruptedly exercised by the burgesses until
the Crown appointment of William Balweys. 3
Nevertheless, in 1342, the Crown again
claimed the advowson ; and on 6 May of that
year Edward III. granted to Richard le
Paneter the life custody of the hospital of
St. Mary Magdalen, Southampton. 4

In 1347 the hospital and its possessions
were appropriated by the king to the priory of
St. Denis, Southampton, in consideration of
the poverty of that house, but under covenant
that the canons should perform all the duties
of the hospital. 5 This grant was confirmed
by Richard II. in 1390. These grants show
that there was from the first a definite obliga-
tion to maintain a chantry for a priest to
celebrate on certain days.

According to the old ordinances of the
Gild Merchant of Southampton, the lepers of
La Maudeleyne received a pittance of ale
from the alms of the gild. 8

In November, 1377,3 commission was issued
to inquire by a jury of the county touching
the petition of the prior of St. Denis, which
alleged that from time immemorial a penny
per tun of wine imported at Southampton,
whether by denizens or aliens, had been
accustomed to be paid to the warden of the
lepers of the hospital of St. Mary Magdalen ;
that the late king granted the hospital and all
its profits to the priory, and that he was then
hindered in receiving the said penny a tun on
wine, which was the greatest part of the
hospital's profit. 7

At a subsequent inquisition, towards the
close of Richard's reign, it appeared that the
priory was not carrying out its obligations,

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 77. It is
here styled the chapel of St. Mary Magdalen.
1 Rolls of Parliament (Rec. Com.), i. 45.

3 Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.), 19 Edw. I. 225.

4 Pat. 1 6 Edw. III. pt. I, m. 5.

5 Ibid. 22 Edw. III. pt. i, m. I.

Davies' Hut. of Southampton, pp. 139, 449.
7 Pat. i Rich. II. pt. 2, m.

and the Crown granted the wardenship to
John Newport, clerk ; but in 1398 this
action was revoked at the suit of the priory. 8
Neither chantry nor hospital were however
being duly supported by the priory, and the
buildings were becoming ruinous. In 1401,
Henry IV. confirmed the property of the
hospital once again to the priory, but tacitly
sanctioned the abandonment of all the original
scheme for the help of the afflicted poor,
simply insisting on their praying for his weal
whilst living, and for his soul after death. 8

At the dissolution of the priory of St. Denis,
the property of this hospital was estimated
at an annual income of 16 i6s. The
house in the fourteenth century stood in
1 8 acres of land called ' Le Maudelyne,' in
the West and East Marlands ; the Winches-
ter road now passes through the premises.
It also possessed 3 acres in Bove-barre Street,
four cottages in Foleflode without the bars,
and a few rents in the town and neigh-
bourhood. 10

MASTERS OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY
MAGDALEN, SOUTHAMPTON

William Balweys, in the time of

Edward I. 11

Robert, rector of St. Cross, I285 13
Richard le Paneter, 1342"
John Newport, in the time of Richard II. 14

a8A. GOD'S HOUSE, PORTSMOUTH

In the time of King John, a hospital for the
relief of the poor was rounded at Portsmouth
by Bishop Peter des Roches, which usually
went by the name of Domus Dei, or God's
House.

The dedication of this hospital apparently
fluctuated considerably, generally varying be-
tween St. John Baptist and St. Nicholas, the
former eventually dying out. This probably
arose from the original general dedication of
the whole building being changed at a period
of refounding or enlarging, and this in its turn
differing from the dedication of the chapel.
Or there may have been two separate founda-
tions that were amalgamated. It is named St.
John Baptist in 1283, 1284, 1305 and 1308 ;

8 Ibid. 21 Rich. II. pt. i, m. I.

8 Ibid. 2 Hen. IV. pt. 3, m. 6.

10 Ibid. 22 Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 37 ; Madox's
Formulare AngRcanum, dccxxvii.

11 Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.), 19 Edw. I. 225.

12 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 77.

13 Pat. 16 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 5.

14 Ibid. 21 Rich. II. pt. I, m. i.

206

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

and St. Nicholas in 1235, 1298, 1314, 1349,
i3 6l > J 356, 1376, 1393, etc. 1

On 2 November, 1214, King John granted
a charter of confirmation to the hospital just
recently built at Portsmouth in honour of the
Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin, the Holy
Cross, the Blessed Michael, and All Saints, for
the maintenance of Christ's poor. The gifts
confirmed were eleven messuages from different
donors in the town of Portsmouth, land at
Westwood in Portsmouth, the gift of the bur-
gesses ; and 1 5 shillings in rents. 3

In 1224 and again in 1236 there were
further grants to this house under the title of
the hospital of St. Nicholas. 3 In 1229 pro-
vision was made that the privileges of God's
House should not interfere with those of the
parish church, and the former was bound to pay
5*. quarterly as a pension to the mother church. 4
In the reign of Henry III. and subsequently,
the head of this hospital was occasionally styled
prior, but more usually master or warden.

In June, 1284, a quitclaim was granted to
the Bishop of Winchester of the hospital of
St. John Baptist, Portsmouth, whereof the king
had recently impleaded him. B

The master and brethren of God's House
were accustomed to receive i$s. rent charge
from the tenants of the manor of Wymering
by the gift of the Earl of Albemarle. In 1285
John le Botillier exchanged his manor of Ring-
wood for that of Wymering, and no mention
was made of this charge to which he objected.
Whereupon the king, desiring that the gift
should be confirmed to God's House, granted
John le Botillier 15*. yearly at the exchequer
until he was provided with land to that yearly
value. 8

Before this hospital ' for Christ's poor ' had
been in existence for a century, the usual gross
abuse of its funds, namely the providing largely
from its small income for an absentee head,
began to operate. In January, 1305, Pope
Clement V. granted dispensation to Robert de
Hartwedon, at the request of Hugh le Des-
pencer, whose clerk he was, to hold the recto-
ries of Dinton and Thingdon, as well as
another benefice, conjointly with the Ports-
mouth hospital of Domus Dei. 7

1 Wright's Domus Del of Portsmouth (1873).
This is in the main an account of the garrison
chapel ; but it has a good historical introduction.

3 Charter Roll, 16 John, pt. I, m. 6.

3 Pat. 20 Hen. III. m. 120.

4 Woodward's Hist, of Hants, iii. 334.

5 Pat. 12 Edw. I. m. n.

6 Ibid. 13 Edw. I. m. 14. John le Botillier
received this 151. from the exchequer until 1293,
when land in lieu was found for him ; Pat. 2 1
Edw. I. m. 5. T Cal. of Papal Letters, ii. 10.

In 1306 the right of free warren over the
manors of Portsmouth, Fodrington and Fel-
dershey was granted to the hospital. 8 The
advowson of this hospital was granted to the
Bishops of Winchester in 1 3 1 6. 9

In 1319 Ralph de Camoys obtained judg-
ment against Robert, the warden of the house
of St. Nicholas, Portsmouth, with respect to
the moiety of the manor of Lafham, which
had been assigned to the hospital in I299. 10

A chantry was founded here in 1325, with
the assent of William de Harewedon, warden
of the house of St. Nicholas and the convent
of the same, and with the bishop's confirmation.
The founder was Joan, daughter and heir of
Alan Plokenet, and widow of Sir Henry de
Bohun. The chaplain was to be presented by
Joan and her heirs, and he was to say daily
mass for the founder, for Robert de Harewedon,
the late warden, and for William the present
one, and for their parents and friends. 11 In
1340 Thomas de Hatfield, the king's clerk,
obtained a grant for life from the Crown of the
hospital of St. John, Portsmouth. 12

In 1342 Edmund Arundel, described as
brother of the Earl of Arundel and kinsman of
the king, petitioned the pope for reservation of
a canonry and prebend of Salisbury, notwith-
standing that he already held a prebend of York
and the wardenship of Portsmouth hospital.
The petition was at once granted. 13 On a
vacancy occurring in 1348, through Arundel's
death, the Bishop of Winchester, instead of
hastening to secure the advowson for some
resident administrator, at once petitioned the
pope for a dispensation to allow his nephew
John Edingdon, who, though a B.A., was
only in his eighteenth year, to hold the war-
denship of St. Nicholas, Portsmouth, in con-
junction with a prebend of Lincoln and the
rectory of Burghclere. The pope complied. 14
The pluralities that Bishop Edingdon so dis-
gracefully secured for his young nephew are
specially illustrated in this appointment. A
protest was raised at Portsmouth on the appoint-
ment to the hospital of John Edingdon, as
it was not considered, from the wording of the

8 Charter Roll, 35 Edw. I. n. 8.

9 Ibid. 10 Edw. II. n. 5.

10 Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.) p. 334.

11 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 14. The
Patent Rolls of a later date ( 1 3 3 1 ) show that William
de Harewedon was not only collated by the bishop
to this wardenship, but also to the church of Cron-
dale.

12 Pat. 14 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 28.

13 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 8 ; Cal. of Papal
Letters, iii. 8 1.

14 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 144, 153 ; Cal. of
Papal Letters, iii. 274.

207

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

papal mandate, that the pope was aware of all
the young man's preferments. But neither
bishop nor pope were to be thwarted, and in
1350 John was confirmed in the wardenship
of St. Nicholas, although it was acknowledged
that he then held a canonry and prebend of
Lincoln, the church of Cheriton, the hospital
of St. Cross, and a canonry of Salisbury, with
expectation of a prebend. 1 The estate of the
hospital of St. Nicholas was ratified by the
Crown to Nicholas de Wykeham as master on
5 February, 1388, together with four prebends,
the church of Witney and the archdeaconry
of Wilts. 2 Bishop Wykeham, by his will, left
a set of vestments and a chalice to the hospital.

On the resignation of the mastership of St.
Nicholas by Thomas Kirkeby, in 1461, Bishop
Waynflete collated William Elyot to that
office. 3

When the Valor Ecc/esiasticus was drawn
up (1535), John Incent held the mastership.
The gross annual value was returned at 79
I 3 J - l\d., an d tne clear value, after distri-
bution of alms, etc., at 33 19;. 5^., the
latter sum being apparently the master's in-
come.

Leland, who was at Portsmouth about 1539,
says : ' There is also in the west south west part
of the town a fair Hospitale sumtyme erected
by Petrus de Rupibus, Bishop of Winchester,
Whereyn were a late xij poore men and yet vj
be yn it.' This last master of the Portsmouth
hospital and of St. Cross, Winchester, is iden-
tical with John Incent, born at Berkhamstead
in 1480, who became dean of St. Paul's in
1 540. He took the degree of bachelor of laws
at All Souls' College, Oxford, in 1507, and in
1513 was made commissary to Fox, Bishop of
Winchester. He is best known as the founder
of Berkhamstead Free Grammar School in
IS4I. 4

This house was formally surrendered to the
Crown by John Incent on 2 June, 1 540. 8 The
chapel was spared, being first used as a chapel
royal attached to Government House, and after-
wards converted into a garrison chapel.

MASTERS AND WARDENS OF GOD'S HOUSE,
PORTSMOUTH

Robert de Hartwedon or Harewedon, 8

13.05, I3'9
William de Harewedon, 1325

1 Cat. of Papal Letters, iii. 357.

* Pat. 1 1 Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 36.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, i. f. izjb.

4 Cussans' Hertfordshire, iii. 76. It is strange
that Dean Incent is omitted in the Diet, of Nat.
Biography.

* Dep. Keepers' Reports, viii. app. 2. p. 38.

Thomas de Hatfield, 7 1340

Edmund Arundel, 1342, 1348

John de Edingdon, nephew of the Bishop

of Winchester, 8 1348, 1350
Thomas de Edingdon, nephew of the

Bishop of Winchester, resigned in 1366
Nicholas de Portsmouth, 9 1366
John de Wormenhall, 1376
Richard de Wykeham, 1376-8
Nicholas de Wykeham, 10 1378
John Stacy, king's clerk, 11 1386
Thomas Kirkeby, 1461
William Elyot, 12 1461
John Incent, 1535, 1540

29. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN
BAPTIST, BASINGSTOKE"

The great Walter de Merton, Bishop of
Rochester, and founder of Merton College,
Oxford, was a native of Basingstoke. His
parents were buried in the church, and his
mother had inherited property in the town.
There was in the town, by an early founda-
tion of unknown date, a small hospital,
dedicated to St. John Baptist, for the accom-
modation of sick folk and wayfarers. Walter
de Merton, in the midst of other works of
extraordinary munificence, remembered this
small house, extended its area, rebuilt both
house and chapel, and then took steps to
insure its permanence by placing it under the
protection of the Crown, and became its
re-founder between 1230 and 1240. For its
rule, he appointed a warden, with a chaplain
and clerk to carry on divine worship, and
made it primarily a place of retirement for
aged and infirm priests, though it was still to
exercise hospitality towards ' the wayfaring
poor of Christ.' After the death of his
parents, he bestowed on the hospital the whole
of his Basingstoke estate, charging the bene-
faction with the perpetual maintenance of
wax lights at the Lady altar of the parish
church, which lights his parents had been

6 Cal. of Paper Letters, ii. 10.

7 Pat. 14 Edw. III. pt. i, m. 28.

8 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 144, 153 ; Cal. of
Papal Letters, iii. 274.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. 1 34b.

10 Ibid. Wykeham, i. ff. 79, 100.

11 Pat. 10 Rich. II. pt. i, m. 20.

12 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynflete, i. f. I25b.

13 The statements in this sketch are, in the
main, taken from the admirable History of Basing-
stoke, by Messrs. Baigent & Millard, published in
1889. Where references are given in footnotes,
the authorities named have been consulted at first
hand.

308

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

accustomed to offer. In Walter's lifetime,
the hospital received other bequests. For
instance, about 1250, the prior and convent
of the Cluniac house of Bromholm, Norfolk,
granted ' to God and the Brethren of the
Hospital of St. John Baptist at Basingstoke '
6s. Sd. of annual rent in Basing, to maintain
a lamp to burn day and night before the rood
in their chapel.

The muniments at Merton College afford
information with regard to an early corrody
at the hospital. An agreement, circa 1240
50, was made between Thomas le Forester
and the warden and brethren of the hospital,
whereby Thomas granted them all the tene-
ments in Basingstoke held by him of the chief
lord, on their paying him yearly during his
life eight quarters of wheat, two of maslin,
and two of barley in equal portions at
Michaelmas, Christmas, Easter and St. John
Baptist's Day ; two loads of oats on the feast
of the Purification ; 6s. 8d. at Michaelmas ;
and also to find him a fit and competent place
to live in within the hospital, namely the
upper room (solarium) on the north side of the
hall. Also if Joan his wife should survive
him, the warden and brethren were to pay her
yearly a moiety of the grain. 1 It does not
seem clear from this whether or not Joan was
an inmate of the house as well as her husband;
but in all probability this was the case.
Many of the deeds pertaining to this hospital,
from 1240 to 1270, speak of ' the warden,
brethren, and sisters.'

The instrument whereby Henry III. took
the house under his special protection and
made it a royal hospital was dated in 1262 ;
and in 1268 the chapel was exempted from
episcopal control by the papal legate, Cardinal
Ottobon. The college at Oxford was
specially enjoined, by each of its successive
codes of statutes, dated respectively 1264,
1270 and 1274, to maintain and encourage
the Basingstoke hospital, and special provision
was made for the members of the college
having the privilege of residing there if need
should arise. Henry III. also granted the
hospital perpetual exemption from taxation
and payment of subsidies. When the taxers
and collectors of the tenths and fifteenths for
Hampshire infringed these rights in 1336,
the Crown, on complaint, at once interfered,
and letters were addressed to the county

1 Hiit. of Basingstoke, p. 598. This agreement
is not only sealed by all the parties to it, but also
with the seal of Walter de Merton, the founder.
The extracts relative to this hospital from the
Merton muniments occupy pp. 593-650 of the
appendix to the history.

officials, citing the perpetual freedom from all
secular service and exaction granted by
Henry III. and ordering the immediate
restitution to the wardens of all that they had
levied.*

Walter de Merton died on 27 October,
1277. To this hospital he bequeathed the
large sum of 450 marks, as well as 100 marks
towards providing a chaplain to celebrate
divine service for ever in its chapel. In
February, 1284, licence was granted to Peter
de Abingdon, warden of Merton College, to
convey to the master and brethren of the
Basingstoke Hospital one messuage, 150 acres
of land, 6 acres of meadow, and 4 of pasture
with appurtenances in Basingstoke, and 16
acres of land in Iwode. 3 This purchase of
property at Basingstoke and Iwode for the
hospital was no doubt done in accordance
with the terms of the will, wherein it was
provided that if land was not bought within
four years after his death with the 450 marks,
the college was to take the money and pay to
the hospital in its stead an annual pension of
20.* The 100 marks for the chaplain was
intended for the endowment of the definite
chantry founded within the hospital chapel,
and sanctioned by a charter of Henry III. in

1253-

The Hundred Rolls of the beginning of

the reign of Edward I. furnish the name of
the hospital's warden in 1273-4, when the
jury returned that Henry Cardeyf, the warden
of St. John's Hospital, had encroached on the
king's highway to the extent of 10 perches
in length and 3 feet in breadth. 5

In 1336 Edward III. confirmed to the
warden of Merton College the mastership of
the hospital, to be held for ever in right of
his office. 8 However in May, 1344, Edward
III. (probably through some blunder of a
Crown official) granted the wardenship to John
de Hamelton, then vacant, alleging it was
of the king's donation. The warden and
scholars of Merton College naturally resisted
this obvious infringement of their rights, with
the result that the appointment was cancelled
in the following July, the Crown admitting its
error and removing John de Hamelton from
the wardenship.

In 1379 the college began the unhappy
principle of leasing the hospital. It was in
the first instance leased for a yearly rental of
575. to John Underwood and his wife for

3 Close, 10 Edward III. m. 29.

3 Pat. 12 Edw. I. m. 16.

4 Hobhouse's Life of Walter de Merton, p. 48.
8 Hundred Rolls (Rec. Com.), ii. 222.

Woodward's Hist, of Hants, iii. 226.
209 27

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

their lives jointly and separately, or for forty
years as a term. In 1395 it was leased for
twenty-five years to John Carter, vicar of
Basingstoke, who was to reside there with his
own servants, and to receive once a year one
of the Merton fellows, with his servant and
three horses for a day and two nights. At
his entrance the vicar received a missal and
breviary, a chalice, vestments, and apparel
for the altar, all of which he was to answer
for at the end of the term.

Soon after this, attention was drawn to the
highly unsatisfactory state of the hospital, and
Henry IV. ordered an inquisition as to its
actual state. The statement of the jury,
sworn at Basingstoke on 30 November, 1401,
was to the effect that the hospital was founded
to maintain a chaplain, a clerk and two poor
people, as well as the poor and sick scholars
of Merton College ; that during the past six
years there had been no clerk nor the two
poor people maintained there, and this by
default of the warden of Merton, who was
ex qfficio warden of the hospital ; that the
clear yearly value of the hospital was $ 6s.,
and that the profits and issues had been and
still were received by the warden. On the
delivery of this verdict, the revenues of the
hospital were seized by the Crown in order
to secure the fulfilment of its rights and bur-
dens ; they were not restored until 1405.

In 1434 the college again leased the
hospital, the holder of the lease being bound
to reside there with his servants, to provide a
chaplain to celebrate in the chapel, if he was
unwilling or unable to celebrate there himself ;
to keep the houses and enclosures in repair ;
to reserve fit chambers {cameras honestai) for
the two poor people or others sent there
according to the statutes on account of sick-
ness ; to allow any thus sent to serve the
chapel if they wished, and if there are several
priests sent they are to have portions of the
stipend allowed ; not to cut down trees or
make waste save that which is required for
repairs, for fences and for fuel ; and to enter-
tain the bursar or another member of the
college at his own expense each year for a day
and two nights. The college was to pay
40*. towards the building of the great barn and
for the repairs of the house within three years,
and after the three years 1 31. 4^.

A lease for seven years made in 1455, at a
yearly rent of 1 31. ^.d., provided that in case of
the re-building of the mansus hospitalis, lately
destroyed by fire, the rent of it was to be
added to the 131. ^d. A lease of 1479 has
endorsed upon it an inventory of the chapel
goods. They included a missal, chalice,
corporal and two cases, two dalmatics, one

green and the other blue, an albe and an amice,
three altar cloths, two cruets, a brass vessel
for holy water and a brass handled sprinkler,
and a blue coloured stole.

The 20*. yearly stipend due to the chaplain
out of the farm of St. John's was claimed by
the Crown in 1551, the office of the chaplain
being probably of the nature of a chantry
priest. Merton College opposed, and by a
Chancery decree of November in that year,
the college was exonerated from the yearly
payment of this sum to the Crown. The
leases of the hospital throughout the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries, down to one
entered into with Elizabeth Knight at 4.
rental, for twenty-one years, in 1695, all
provide for maintenance of the chapel ; but
no lease after 1543 says anything about a
chaplain.

William Sherwin, fellow of Merton,
visited the hospital on 16 June, 1697, and
reported at length to the college, chiefly as to
their lands and woods, which he valued as at
least worth 80 per annum. As to the
fabric he says :

The house is but low, ordinary and mean, but
it is kept in tenantable repair and that is all,
though there has lately been some money laid out
upon it. The place reserved for such fellows as
are distract is separate from the chief house, is
extremely dark and fit for none but persons in that
condition. There is a sort of chapel near, in
which formerly there was preaching once a month
and the tenant paying the curate, and was on that
account exempted from all tithes. It would be a
mighty improvement to our estate, and the tenant
would be glad to pay a curate could the custom
be revived, but I am afraid it has been disused too
long.

In letters written by Dr. Warton (son of
the vicar of Basingstoke), poet laureate and an
antiquary, to the bursar of Merton College in
1772 and 1773, it is stated that part of the
chapel of Walter de Merton's hospital still
remained, built of flint, with one or two
stout-mullioned Gothic windows built up ; it
had a semicircular ceiling of boards in small
panels, with the founder's arms on little
shields at some of the intersections. The
dimensions given are extraordinarily small,
namely ' about twelve feet long and five
broad within the walls' but it must be
remembered that at its best this was a very
small foundation, merely two resident poor
brothers in addition to chaplain and clerk.
When Dr. Warton wrote, the little chapel
was divided into two floors, a bedroom above,
with a kitchen ; it is described as standing on
the banks of the Lodon, about 200 yards
north-east of the church,

210

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

In 1778 the old hospital house gave way to
new brick buildings, but some remains of the
chapel were still standing in 1819.

30. THE HOSPITAL OF FORDING-
BRIDGE

Very little is known or can be gleaned
with respect to the hospital at Fordingbridge.
It was dedicated in honour of St. John Bap-
tist, which was the usual dedication of town
hospices, for the transitory relief of poor way-
farers, and the more permanent maintenance
of some of the local poor.

It was from an early date under the control
of the diocesan. Bishop Pontoise (1282
1304), the first Bishop of Winchester, whose
registers are preserved, collated to the warden-
ship. 1

In 1328 there was considerable dispute
over the appointment of James de Stepellavyn-
ton to the wardenship, his collation by Bishop
Stratford being opposed, and not accepted
until he had threatened Dame Joan Tracy,
William her chaplain and six others with
excommunication. 2

On 15 May, 1385, Bishop Wykeham col-
lated William Olyver to this hospital ; and on
4 August, 1396, John Tannere.*

The advowson of the hospital of St. John,
Fordingbridge, was among the very consider-
able endowments intended to be transferred
to the great Hospital of St. Cross, Winchester,
by Cardinal Beaufort. 5 This transference or
amalgamation formed part of his large scheme
that was actually accomplished ; for a compotus
of St. Cross for the year ending Michaelmas,
1526, includes receipts from the small Ford-
ingbridge hospital. 6

WARDENS OF THE HOSPITAL OF FORDING-
BRIDGE

Adam de Northaye, 7 1313
James de Stepellavynton, 8 1328
Clement de Fordingbridge, 9 1329
Thomas de la More, resigned in 1348
Richard de Mora, 1348-9
William Wyse, 1349-62
Robert Michel, 10 1362-9
Edward Tavenere, 1369
William Olyver, 1385
John Tannere, 11 1396

COLLEGES

31. THE COLLEGE OF MARWELL

Bishop Henry de Blois (1129-71) founded
a small college of secular priests in the church
or chapel of Marwell Park, Owslebury,
which was augmented by his successors,
Bishops Peter des Roches and Woodlock.
The foundation charter recites that the church
was built by Bishop Blois and dedicated in
honour of the martyrs SS. Stephen, Lawrence,
Vincent and Quintin. At the same time he
erected houses and other buildings near to the
church, to serve for four priests, who should
there continuously pray for the King of
England and the Bishops of Winchester, and
for other benefactors and faithful Christians.
For the endowment he assigned 13 of rents
at Twyford ; of which sum 6oj. each was to
be assigned to the chaplains, and 2Oi. for the
ornaments and lights of the church. 3

To Bishop Blois' foundation Peter des
Roches added, by a deed dated the second
Sunday in Lent, 1226, a deacon, and laid

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 1 5b.

a Ibid. Stratford, ff. 36, iO3b.

3 This charter is recited in an inspection and
confirmation of Edward II. ; Pat. 1 8 Edw. II. pt.
2, m. 15. It is printed in Dugdale's Manas tic on,
vi. 1344.

down rules for the general governance of the
chaplains on a collegiate basis. The four
priests were annually to choose one of their
number to act as prior, to whom due obedi-
ence was to be paid both within and without
the church ; no one was to be absent from
the saying of the canonical hours, or from
their common meals, or at night time, without
the prior's special leave ; no one was to be
granted longer leave than eight days by the
prior ; if more was desired the bishop's licence
was to be sought ; any one guilty of incon-
tinence or any other serious fault, or even if
suspected, was to be expelled without hope of
restitution ; surplices and black copes were to
be worn in the quire ; the Sarum use was to
be followed from mattins to compline ; and
of the 12 for stipend of Bishop Blois, jCi
was to be assigned to each for clothes, and the

* Winton. Epis. Reg. Wykeham, i. ff. 23, 154,
203.

5 Pat. 33 Hen. VI. pt. 2, m. 18.
8 Muniments of St. Cross; cited in Woodward's
Hants, i. 239.

7 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 1 8 1.

8 Ibid. Stratford, ff. 36, lo3b.

Ibid. f. ii7b.

10 Ibid. Edingdon, i. ff. 33, 42b, 1150.

11 Ibid. Wykeham, i. ff. 23, 154, 203.

211

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

remaining 8 were to be spent for common
purposes by the prior with the advice of his
brethren. Bishop Peter added an annual
gift of fifty quarters of grain. This was to be
given by the rector of the church of Bishop-
stoke on the five feasts of St. Michael, St.
Nicholas, the Purification, SS. Philip and
James, and SS. Peter and Paul ; three
quarters of corn, three of barley, and four of
oats on each occasion. They were also to
receive from the rector of Bishopstoke four
reasonable cartloads of hay at the time of hay
harvest. The prior was to prepare an annual
balance sheet, and if there was any surplus
it was to be divided amongst them. 1

Bishop Woodlock (1305-16) also added to
the property of the college as recorded in his
register. 2 Marwell or Merwell was his birth-
place ; hence he was sometimes called Henry
de Merwell.

From Bishop Wykeham's institution regis-
ter we find that he collated Richard Merke
and John Aubeoyle to priests' offices in
capella de Mere-well in 1371 ; Richard Allen
in 1373; Walter Oures in 1376; John
Mikeltone in 1384 ; William Elkstoke in
1395 ; Richard Beck in 1396 ; John
Wegull in 1398 ; ThomasTellere in 1399 ;
Walter More and John Grene in 1402 ;
and Richard Stanstede in 1404.

As time went on and the purchasing power
of money became so materially lessened, the
pension from the church of Bishopstoke was
utterly inadequate for the support of four
priests. At the time of the Valor (1535) this
small college was termed a chantry, and sup-
ported two priests, William Atkinson and
Thomas Smyth ; the sum of 12 was then
divided between them.

This chantry was of course suppressed ; it
went with the episcopal estate and manor
house of Marwell to Sir Henry Seymour.

32. THE COLLEGE OF ST. ELIZA-
BETH, WINCHESTER

Near to the gate of his castle at Wolvesey,
Bishop Pontoise built, in 1301, the college
of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. The founda-
tion consisted of a number of secular clergy
and choristers living under the rule of a pro-
vost, with so clearly an expressed object that
it was in reality a chantry on a large scale.
In the episcopal registers and other documents,
it is most usually described as the chapel of
St. Elizabeth, but frequently as a college and
sometimes as a chantry.

1 Pat. 1 8 Edw.II.pt. 2, m. 15.
J Wharton's AugjRa Sacra, \. 316.

By the foundation charter, 3 the bishop es-
tablished three altars in the great chapel.
The dedication of the high altar was to the
honour of St. Elizabeth ; the second to the
honour of St. Stephen and St. Laurence ; and
the third to the honour of St. Edmund and
St. Thomas of Canterbury. To serve these
altars and to maintain a stately ritual, the
foundation provided for the establishment of
seven chaplains, one of whom was to be
provost, three were to be in deacons' and three
in sub-deacons' orders. All were to be ap-
pointed, as vacancies occurred, by the bishop ;
they were to live together and have a common
table ; to be satisfied with one dish and pit-
tances on week days and two dishes on Sun-
days and double feasts ; to dress humbly, and
to wear in chapel surplices and black copes ;
to receive annually in addition to their board
for clothes and other necessaries : the provost
6 marks, the chaplains 40*. and the clerks
20J. ; to have a common dorter for the clerks
save in sickness ; each chaplain to have a
young shaveling, between the age of ten and
eighteen, to wait on him, and to sing in sur-
plice in church ; and the choristers to dine
together in hall at a separate table. Their
clerical duties were to rise each day at daybreak
and say together (submissa voce aperte et distincte)
mattins of our Lady, and afterwards to chant
antiphonally mattins of the days ; after mat-
tins to celebrate solemn Lady mass after the
use of Sarum ; next to intone the proper day
hours, followed by the hours of our Lady in a
low voice ; immediately afterwards, the mass of
St. Elizabeth was to be sung, followed by the
saying of three masses at the three altars, two
for the departed and one of the Holy Spirit ;
and about nine o'clock * high mass was to be
solemnly sung. Each chaplain was to say at
each mass six special collects (i) for the
founder, (2) for the then Bishop of Winches-
ter, (3) for all the departed bishops of the
diocese, (4) for the king and queen and their
children, (5) for kings and queens and all
faithful departed, and (6) a general collect for
the quick and dead, but especially for the
prior and convent of St. Swithun's. Before
evensong, all the chaplains and clerks were to
say, in low but distinct voice, Placebo and
Dirige ; afterwards to say evensong of our
Lady, and to sing evensong of the day, to be
followed by compline of our Lady and com-
pline of the day. Everything was to be ac-
cording to the use of Sarum ; the provost and

3 Printed in Dugdale's Monasticon (from the
Patent Rolls), vi. 1339-41.

* The third hour ; but the actual time would
vary materially according to sunrise.

212

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

chaplain were to appoint one of their number
as precentor, to order the masses and services.
The provost, in the presence of the chaplains
and the treasurer of Wolvesey, was yearly at
Winchester to deliver a statement of account,
and a report as to the condition of the chapel
and house. No one was to be absent from
masses or hours save by special leave. No
chaplain or clerk was to be admitted, unless
first examined in letters and singing, and in
knowledge of the divine offices. Women were
not to enter any part of the house, save the
chapel and hall. Each chaplain and clerk on
admission was to swear to be faithful to the
statutes and rules, and to continue in personal
residence.

The original endowment included the ap-
propriation of the church of Hursley and 6
acres in the meadows of St. Stephen where
the college stood. Soon after the foundation,
Simon de Fareham gave to the college the
manor and church of Botley. Other gifts
were the manors, etc., of Kingsclere and
' Culmestone Gynninges,' and lands at Shed-
field. 1

John de Wynfred was the first provost ap-
pointed by the founder.

In 1307, Edward II. inspected and con-
firmed the letters patent of his father confirm-
ing the foundation charter of the chapel .of St.
Elizabeth with the chapel of St. Stephen ; and
at the same time confirmed to Richard de
Bourne, the provost, and the chaplains and
clerks, the grant of appropriation of the church
of Hursley, which had been made without
the licence of the late king. 3

In February, 1313, licence was obtained
sanctioning the gift to the college of the
manor of Norton St. Walery by Robert de
Harewedon, clerk, and William de Stamford. 3
In the following April, the provost and chap-
lains of St. Elizabeth were excused the ser-
vice of rendering yearly a sore sparrow-hawk
for the manor of St. Walery, at the request
of Hugh le Despencer the younger, of whom
it had been held in chief by that service.*

Bishop Asserio collated priests, deacons and
sub-deacons to the chapel of St. Elizabeth, 5 and
Peter, Bishop of Corbavia, held ordinations in
this chapel, on behalf of the Bishop of Win-
chester, on 21 November and 18 December,
1322, and also on 1 9 February and 12 March,

1 Inspection and confirmation charter of Ed-
ward II. (Pat. 13 Edw. II. pt. I, m. 13).

8 Pat. i Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 9.

3 Ibid. 6 Edw. II. pt. I, m. I.

* Ibid, i Edw. II. pt. 2, m. 15, n.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, ff. 447, 451,
460, 505.

I323- 8 The ordination of 18 December was
a large one, there being 75 acolytes, 27
sub-deacons, 36 deacons and 47 priests.

We find that in 1 346 the college held one
knight's fee in Norton and Sutton Scotney,
a twelfth part of a fee in Clerewodcott, one
fee in Culmeston and half a fee in Botley. 7

In 1350, Bishop Edingdon, in direct con-
travention of his predecessor's statutes, obtained
the papal sanction for John de Nubbelaye,
rector of Alresford and canon of Romsey, to
hold the provostship of the chapel, together
with his rectory and canonry, as the income of
the chapel was too small to be held by itself. 8

Bishop Edingdon, when ratifying to the
college the gift of Hursley church, contrived
in some way to secure to himself and suc-
cessors the rectory house. The possession of
the rectory was however restored to Provost
John de Sheptone and the chaplain by Wyke-
ham in 1373, when the college undertook to
pay an annual pension of 135. 4^. to the
bishop. 9

In September, 1400, the bishop commis-
sioned John Elmore, the official, and Simon
Trembury, treasurer of Wolvesey, to visit the
college. 10

After the death of Bishop Wykeham, the
provosts of St. Elizabeth were in the main
non-resident and the holders of other prefer-
ments.

The college of St. Elizabeth was visited
on 4 March, 1501, by the commissary of
the prior of Canterbury, during the vacancy
of the see. The visitation entry merely states
that Richard Wilmer, precentor, appeared as
proctor for Richard Newport, the provost,
and gives the names of five chaplains, five
clerks and seven choristers who were present.

When the Fa lor of 1535 was taken,
' Doctor Pers ' (Peers) was provost ; the gross
annual value was declared at j 1 20 o;. 8d. and
the clear value at 112 ijs. 4^.

On the dissolution of this college among
the smaller houses, in 1536, it formed one of
the numerous grants made by Henry VIII.
to Thomas Wriothesley, who sold the site to
the warden and fellows of Winchester Col-
lege for 360.

Leland describes the college of St. Elizabeth
as ' situate Est upon the New College ; and
ther is but a litle narro causey betwixt them.

6 Ibid. Asserio, Hants Record Society, pp.

544-52-

7 Feudal Aids, ii. 326, 331, 334, 337.

8 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i, 208 ; Cat. of Papal
Letters, iii. 456.

9 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 79b.
10 Ibid. iii. f. 327.

213

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The mayne Arme and Streame of Alsford
Water devidid a litle above the College into 2
Armes on eche side of the College. Withyn
these 2 Armes not far fro the very College
Chirch of S. Elizabeth is a Chapel of S.
Stephan.' *

Mr. Kirby describes the acquisition of this
site by Winchester College as a piece of good
fortune. It stood in what is now the war-
den's kitchen garden, facing the cloisters.
On the ordnance map, in the meadow near
the school bathing place, is marked ' site of St.
Elizabeth College ' ; but the foundation of an
oblong building on that site really belonged
to the chapel of St. Stephen.

When Wriothesley sold St. Elizabeth's to
Winchester College, he imposed a condition
that the buildings should be either pulled
down or converted into use as a grammar
school before Pentecost, 1547. In the deed
of sale, 1 8 April, 1544, the college of St.
Elizabeth is described as having a church,
belfry and cemetery, and containing 4^ acres.
Possibly there may have been orginally some
idea of turning St. Elizabeth's into a boarding
house for scholars ; but within a year of the
purchase the new owners began the work of
demolition, stripping the lead from the church,
and using the stones for building the wall
which bounds the south side of Meads. 3

The rather clumsy fifteenth century oval
seal (see illustration) represents St. Elizabeth
of Hungary standing in a canopied niche,
with a palm branch in the right hand and a
book in the left. Behind her is an angel
with extended wings holding a crown over
the saint's head. The idea of this seal is far
better than its execution. Legend : s' COM-
MUNE COLLEGII SANCTE ELIZABETH.

COLLEGE OF ST. ELIZABETH, WINCHESTER
PROVOSTS

John de Wynfred, 1301
Richard de Bourne, 1307
Adam de Capel, 3 1316, 1317
Nicholas de la Flode, 4 1320-2
John de Gorges, 5 1322
John de Thynden, 8 1334

1 Leland's Itinerary, iii. 85.

2 Kirby's Annals of Winchester College, 256-8.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, passim.

* Ibid. Asserio, f. 14. Provost Adam ex-
changed with his successor for the rectory of New-
church, Isle of Wight (ibid. f. 23).

Ibid. f. 23.

' Pat. 8. Edw. III. pt. i,m. 35 ; pt. 2, mm. 33,

John de Nubbelaye, 7 1350
John de Peveseye
John de Sheptone, 8 1373
Thomas Boys, 9 1381-7
John de Ketone, 10 1387
Simon Wylet, 1387-97
John Hulyn, 11 1397-1401
Walter Hardene, 1401
Richard Newport, about 1501
Dr. Pers or Peers, 1535, 1536

33. THE CHAPEL AND GILD OF
THE HOLY GHOST, BASING-
STOKE 111

The extensive and beautifully situated ruins
of the chapel of the Holy Ghost, in a large
and well-planted cemetery to the north of the
town, are well known by sight, as they stand
so close to the railway station and at once
attract attention.

Hasty observers might be apt to conclude
that the cemetery was of comparatively late
origin, but on the contrary it is far older than
the ruins. It is supposed that this extra-
mural burying-place for the town had its
origin during the interdict in the reign of
John (1208-14), when churchyards were
closed. On the removal of the interdict the
ground would be consecrated, and a chapel
probably erected for masses for the faithful
departed there buried. At all events it is an
historic fact that a chapel of the Holy Ghost
stood in the liten or corpseland, as it is still
called, prior to the year 1244, when William
Raleigh, Bishop of Winchester, assigned a
third of the offerings in that chapel to the
vicar of Basingstoke. Simon, chaplain of the
chapel of the Holy Ghost, is one of the
witnesses to a deed of 1250 in the muniment
room of Merton College.

That the chapel was one of considerable
size and importance becomes manifest when
it is mentioned that David Martin, Bishop of

7 Cal. of Papal Petitions, i. 208 ; Cal. of Papal
Letters, iii. 456.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 48 ; iii.
f. ygb. Provost Shepstone exchanged the church
of Smarden with the preceding provost.

8 Ibid. i. f. 129.

10 Ibid. iii. f. 2313. Provost Ketone, treasurer
of Wolvesey, held for six months in commendam.

11 Ibid. i. f. 178, 271.

12 A short account of the history of this chapel
and gild was issued by Rev. S. Loggon in 1 742,
of which an enlarged edition was printed in 1819.
The History of Basingstoke by Messrs. Baigent &
Millard (1889) deals thoroughly with the subject,
pp. 1 1 0-7 1 , and appendix 663-77. The sketch
here given is mainly based on this last volume.

2I 4

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

St. David's, acting for the Bishop of Win-
chester, held a large ordination therein on 24
May, 1309. The numbers then ordained
were 45 first tonsure, 30 acolytes, 24 sub-
deacons, 20 deacons and 22 priests. 1

In 1463, Michael Skylling conveyed to
John Powlett, William Brocas and others (as
trustees) certain messuages, gardens, lands and
tenements in Basingstoke which he had lately
had by the gift of John Bettys, for the endow-
ment of an obit to be kept yearly in the
chapel of the Holy Ghost on the anniversary
of John Bettys. The trustees were to keep
the buildings in repair, and to distribute on
the Monday next after the Ascension to the
priests, clerks and poor people attending
3*. 4</., yielding the surplus to the wardens
of the chapel for the remuneration of the
chaplain there celebrating. At what time a
gild was attached to the chapel has not been
ascertained. The licence or charter granted
by Henry VIII. on the joint petition of
Bishop Fox and Lord Sandys is dated
November, 1525, and recites that the town-
folk, ' out of their devotion to the third person
in the Divinity,' had long before begun and
tontinued the maintenance of a gild or fra-
cernity in honour of the Holy Ghost which
the king desired to establish on a permanent
basis. The brethren and sisters were accord-
ingly vested with powers to receive and hold
gifts of land and other property, being con-
stituted a corporate body with a common seal,
and were empowered to elect an alderman
and two wardens annually for their better
government. No provision was made for a
chaplain (one had been already endowed), nor
was there any reference to any educational
object.

The Valor of 1535 gave ,6 131. \d, as
the chaplain's income. The tithe of all
ecclesiastical benefices having been assigned to
the king, the sum of 13*. \d. was demanded.
But the warden of the gild for the year 1536
refused payment, and the bishop together with
the collector petitioned to be exonerated on
certain specified grounds. Thereupon the
Crown ordered the sheriff to hold an inquiry,
with the result that a return on oath was

made, testifying that long before the passing
of the late Act, certain wardens of the gild,
out of their devotion and freewill, and by
reason and consideration of the unhealthiness
of the air and of the pestilential infection
which frequently broke out in the parish and
town of Basingstoke, maintained a chaplain to
celebrate divine service in the chapel of the
Holy Ghost, and were accustomed to pay
him the yearly stipend of 6 ly. \d. pro-
vided he in all things behaved himself well ;
that the said chaplain had no possessory title
except the will of the wardens and was
removable at their pleasure ; and that there
was no fixed chantry, nor ever had been in
the said chapel. The wardens either forgot
or conveniently ignored the obit endowment
of 1463 which was among their documents.
The exchequer, in 1540, devised the exonera-
tion, and the wardens were released from any
further demands.

This gild of the Holy Ghost escaped the
operation of the Act of 1545 for the sup-
pression of such institutions, on account of the
king's death ; but it fell a victim to the
renewed legislation of Edward VI. In 1550
the Crown granted the confiscated possessions
of the gild to John Doddington and William
Warde for the sum of 1,675 4*. 8d. In
1552 a portion of the estates were leased
by the Crown for twenty-one years to John
Carter. In 1556 the townsfolk petitioned
Philip and Mary for a revival of the gild and
a restoration of its endowments. A new
charter of incorporation was granted, wherein,
in reviving the fraternity, it was stated that
the licence of Henry VIII. provided for the
celebration of divine service in the chapel and
for the instruction and education of young
men and boys within the town. The estates
were restored and the old' government of
aldermen, wardens, and brethren and sisters
re-established. The funds were to be used
for providing a suitable priest who was to be
responsible for the chapel services and for the
education of the young.

The later history of the gild will be
found in the section upon the Schools of the
county.

ALIEN HOUSES

34. THE PRIORY OF ST. HELEN

The small Cluniac priory of St. Helen,
situate on the northern shore of Brading
Haven, was founded circa 1090.* It is

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, ff. jzob, 3*1.
3 Stone's Arch, dntij. I. W. pt. i. p. 102, note A.

mentioned in 1292 with a long list of other
houses of the Cluniac order, to whose superiors
the king granted protection. 3 In 1295 there
was but one professed monk (an Englishman)
in the house, in addition to the prior. The

3 Pat. 22 Edw. I. m. 7.

215

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

prior left the island and the monk joined the
Carisbrooke community. 1

Brother Aymo, the prior of St. Helen, to-
gether with the majority of the beneficed
priests of the Isle of Wight, got into serious
trouble with Bishop Sandale, apparently for
resisting his diocesan authority, and were ex-
communicated. In the case of Prior Aymo,
the excommunication was relaxed, and due
intimation of his absolution forwarded to the
secular authorities on 20 November, 1316.*
In 1347 Peter de Chirlu, prior of St. Helen,
quitclaimed to John de Wallup, prior of Brea-
more, the advowson and rectory of Brading. 3

On 8 May, 1388, Richard II. remitted for
seven years the annual farm of 50*. with all
the arrears, by which the priory of St. Helen
was held of the Crown by Richard Newbury,
the prior thereof, during the wars with France
on account of the poverty of the house.
This remission was made on condition that
Prior Newbury continued in residence, and
maintained divine service and the buildings so
far as the means of the priory admitted. 4

St. Helen was suppressed with other alien
houses in 1414 and made over to the Crown.
At Michaelmas, 1461, the priory was granted
by Edward IV. to William Beaufitz for ten
years, and in the following year this grant
was renewed for twenty years. 5 Neverthe-
less, in 1467, Edward IV. granted it to Eton
College; and again in 1474, in free alms, to
the warden or dean and canons of the king's
free chapel of St. George within the castle of
Windsor. 6

PRIORS OF ST. HELEN

Aymo, 1316

Peter de Chirlu, 1347

Richard Newbury, 1388

35. THE PRIORY OF HAYLING

The island of Hayling is stated by the
Winchester Annals to have come into the
possession of the cathedral church of St.
Swithun, partly by the gift of Queen Emma,
the wife of Ethelred, and partly by the gift of
Bishop Alwyn.

A charter of William I., probably of the
year 1067, in which he describes himself as

Stone's Arch. Antiq. I. W. ii. 197.
Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, ff. 5, zzb.
Ancient Deeds P.R.O., B. 533-5, 539, 677;
the account of Breamore Priory.
Pat. ii. Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 4.
Ibid, i Edw. IV. pt. 4, m. 22, p. 5, m. 6.
Ibid. 7 Edw. IV. pt. 3, m. 13 ; 14 Edw. IV.
pt. I, m. i.

Lord of Normandy and King of England by
hereditary right, for the profit of his soul and
at the urgent advice of his councillors, bestows
on the famous abbey of St. Peter of Jumieges
the manor of Hayling. The charter con-
cludes with a prayer that any one infringing
this gift may be removed from the communion
of saints. 7 A charter of Henry I. between
noi and 1 1 06, addressed to Archbishop
Anselm, William, Bishop of Winchester,
Henry de Port, sheriff, and all his lieges of
Hampshire, granted to the abbey of Jumieges,
Hayling with all its appurtenances and privi-
leges. A charter of Bishop Henry de Blois,
between 1139 and 1142, refers to the strife
between the churches of Winchester and
Jumieges concerning the right to a portion of
Hayling Island, and states that he and the
whole convent of Winchester at the prayer of
Pope Innocent, and in consideration of the
poverty of the church of Jumieges, grant the
said portion of the island to that church as its
possession for ever, and will never again stir
up strife concerning it. The first witness to
this charter was King Stephen, and the second
Archbishop Theobald. But notwithstanding
this solemn covenant the dispute still lingered.
In 1150 Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury,
wrote to Bishop Henry of Winchester saying
that the monks of Jumieges had lately
approached him, imploring him to bear witness
to the truth as to the agreement made in his
presence between them and Bishop Henry as
to Hayling. He therefore stated simply what
he remembered of it. His recollection was
that, for the peaceful and quiet possession of
the land, the monks promised him to pay 100
marks, of which Henry, if he will kindly
remember, remitted 20 ; of any other under-
taking given him, neither Theobald nor any
of those who were present have any recollec-
tion. He bears witness to what he heard.
The archbishop concluded with the pious
aspiration that Henry might be pleased to
approve what so many witnesses declare to
have been done, and that God would grant him
eternal bliss. 8

About the year 1174 Henry II. granted a
general charter of confirmation to the abbey of
Jumieges of their English possessions. There-
in is specified the ' greater part of the island
of Hayling, with the church and tithes of the
whole island, except the tithes of pulse and
oats in the land of the Bishop of Winchester,
and in the same island sac and soc and thol

7 Round's Cal. of French Documents, i. 526 ; see
also vol. i. V.C.H. Hants, p. 435, as to the
Domesday entry.

8 Round's Cal. of French Documents, i. 55, 56.

216

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

and theam and infangenethef and all other appointed times. The vicar was summoned

customs.' 1 From this it is evident that the
whole of the land of the island was not then
in the possession of the abbey, but that the
monks had manorial rights and franchises over
the whole. The grant of ' thol ' would be of
much importance and value. They also held
the whole of the ferry rights.

In 1248 there was a fierce dispute relative
to the right of presentation to the church of
St. Peter, Winterborne Stoke, in the diocese
of Salisbury. Eventually the pope issued his
mandate to the Bishop of Salisbury formally to
induct one of the claimants, and stated in his
communication that the prior of Hayling, who
claimed the church by gift of Pope Gregory,
deserved to forfeit Pope Gregory's grant be-
cause of his violence. 2

The church of St. Swithun managed to
keep a foothold in the island, and in 1284
transferred their tenants of Hayling to Bishop
Pontoise and his successors. These lands in
the north of the island remained in the
possession of the Bishops of Winchester, as
part of the manor of Havant, down to I553- 3

It has been more than once asserted that the
priory of Hayling was not founded or erected
till the reign of Henry III., but this is im-
probable. The abbot and convent of Jumieges
would be quite sure to send over a colony of
monks to the island so soon as the Conqueror
gave them so valuable a gift, and a cell or
priory, with suitable buildings, including a
chapel or conventual church, would be speedily
erected.

A dispute arose during the episcopate of
John de Pontoise respecting the chapel of
St. Peter in the north of Hayling Island, some-
times termed the chapel of Northwood. The
bishop's award was to the effect that the vicar
of Hayling and his successors were faithfully
to serve the chapel as had been customary ;
namely that during the weeks of Christmas,
Easter and Whitsuntide, and on double
festivals and on every Sunday, there was to be
full and complete service, namely mattins,
evensong and compline, as well as masses, and
that mass should also be celebrated on Mon-
days, Wednesdays and Fridays every week.*
The dispute was however renewed in 1317
between the parishioners of the chapel of St.
Peter and Michael, the vicar, inasmuch as he
had for some time neglected to give them
mattins, evensong or compline on any of the

1 Dugdale's Monasticon, ii. 1087.

2 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 257.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise ; Longcroft's
Hundred of Brosmere, p. 176.

4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. 4zb.

before the bishop, and pleaded as an excuse
that no books were provided for such services.
The vicar and parishioners however agreed
to accept implicitly the bishop's ruling. The
bishop, recognizing the right of the rector of
the church of Hayling, to which the chapel
was annexed, summoned the prior of Hayling,
as proctor for the abbot of Jumieges, as well
as the vicar and parishioners to appear before
Master Henry de Clife, his commissary.
After deliberation, the vicar of his own free
will undertook to follow out precisely the
ordinance of Bishop Pontoise, and also took
upon himself the burden of finding the
necessary books. The bishop gave his formal
decision, reciting the action of the vicar, on 9
December, 13 17.*

The priors of Hayling were simply nomi-
nated by the foreign abbot and were removable
at will, and so we look in vain for any
reference to them in the episcopal books. On
an aid being granted to Edward I., the prior
of Hayling was summoned, but he pleaded
that the priory was alien and not conventual,
and that all the priors of the same, from time
whereof the memory of man ran not to the
contrary, had been appointed or removed at
the motion and will of the abbot of St. Peter
of Jumieges in Normandy and were not per-
petual and were not inducted. 6

The taxation of 1291 returned the prior of
Hayling as holding in the island 20 of rents,
agricultural land taxed at 5, a mill taxed at
13*. 4<f., a dovecote at 4*., a garden at 6*.,
and service of villeins at 20*., yielding an
annual income of 27 35. $d. At the same
time the rectory of Hayling, which was in
the hands of the prior on behalf of the abbot
of Jumieges, was returned at the high annual
value of 80, whilst the vicarage was worth
14 6s. 8J.

This priory suffered much from two causes,
war and the encroachment of the seas. In
1294 Edward I., in consequence of war with
France, seized all the alien priories in England
which were dependent upon the abbeys of
Normandy. The prior himself was for a time
taken into custody, the goods and chattels
seized, and an inventory of the lands and
tenements forwarded to the exchequer. In
this return of the priory of Hayling, it is
stated that the prior's garden and dovecote
within the precincts were worth by the year
50*., and that there were 366 acres of waste
land in demesne worth by the year 12
4.5. 2d. ; 10 acres of wood, 2Os. ; 100 acres of

217

5 Ibid. Sandale, f. 21.

* Longcroft's Hundred of Brosmere, p. 1 77.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

sheepwalk, i6x. 8d. ; and a watermill, 6os. ;
giving a total of 19 IDS. lod. The annual
value of the whole manor, including the
church at 80, was 144 &. 3^. The
goods and crops were estimated at 67 i6s. ;
under this heading were included a palfrey
worth, 6os. ; a sumpter horse, 40;. ; and two
asses, 4*. The prior himself was probably
released, as was the case with the heads of
other alien houses, on finding sureties to
observe neutrality during the continuance of
the war. 1

On the renewal of hostilities with France
in the reign of Edward II., the alien priories
including Hayling were again seized. A
return was made of its possessions in January,
1325, by authority of a commission addressed
to Ralph de Bereford and Richard de
Westcote, keepers of the alien houses of
Hampshire. The prior of Hayling however
appeared in person before the barons of the
exchequer at Westminster, and pleaded that
his house and its appurtenances might be
committed to him for safe custody. His
prayer was granted on condition of his finding
security for the safe custody of all the goods
and chattels.

And now another misfortune befell the
priory. From the beginning of the reign of
Edward I. the sea had been making gradual
encroachments on the west shore of the island,
and lessening by degrees the property of the
monks. But in 1324-5 the whole line of
our south coast suffered much depredation, and
a very considerable portion of the island of
Hayling was definitely submerged beneath the
waters, including the priory church and con-
ventual buildings. The prior forwarded a
statement to the Crown, and on 8 March,
1325, an inquisition was held before Ralph de
Bereford and Richard de Westcote, as wardens
of the alien houses, to ascertain the truth.
The jurors found upon oath that 206 acres of
arable land of the priory demesne had been
inundated and destroyed by the sea since 1294,
and that they were worth 10 6s. by the
year, because the better land of Hayling was
that nearest the sea ; that 80 acres of pasture
belonging to the priory had been submerged,
worth 2Os. a year ; that six virgates of the
land of customary tenants had been destroyed,
the rental of which was 48*. ; that nearly the
whole hamlet of East Stoke with lands pertain-
ing, as well as a great part of the larger hamlet
of Northwood and its lands, which belonged
to the parish church of Hayling and which the
prior had for his proper use, were submerged,

1 Add. MS. 6164, ff. 4, 5.

diminishing the annual value of the priory by
26 13*. 4^. ; that the two priory mills were
less by 2Os. a year because the tenants used to
grind at these mills ; that the court fines and
perquisites were less by 205. a year ; and that
the full annual value of the possessions des-
troyed by the sea amounted to the considerable
total of 42 "]s. tfd. They returned the
then annual value of the lands, tenements and
church at 48 8*. t>d?

In November, 1313, John Abel, escheator
citra Trentam, received orders to desist from
demanding fealty from the prior of Hayling
for the priory lands, and to permit him to hold
the same without hindrance, as he complained
of being distrained for fealty of the lands he
held of the king in Hampshire, Wiltshire
and Somerset of the gift of William the
Conqueror in free alms, without doing any
secular service. It was definitely stated in
this order that none of the priors of Hayling
nor the abbots of St. Peter of Jumieges, of
which the priory was a cell, had done fealty
at times of voidance of either the priory or the
abbey. 3

The priory was bound to provide support
for two of the king's pensioners. In
February, 1318, Oudinus Bruant, king's yeo-
man, was sent to the prior and convent of
Hayling to receive the same maintenance for
life as Philip Walrond, deceased, had received
in that house by order of Edward I. 4 In
1334 Simon Bacon was sent to the house of
Hayling to receive such maintenance as Philip
Walrond had had there. 5

These were bad times for even the best
established of the alien houses. The heavy
exactions of the Crown led the manorial
villeins in some cases into the mistake of
thinking that the law would not intervene for
the maintenance of their rights. In February,
1338, the prior of Hayling, who was holding
the priory and its lands of the Crown at a
rental of 80, complained that though his
predecessors time out of mind had had divers
villeins in the manor of Hayling, from whom
they used to receive corporal ransom at their
will, and fines in any voidance, yet these had
by their confederacy among themselves and
others refused to make such ransoms and
fines or other services and customs to the prior ;

8 Extents of alien priories, 1 8 Edw. II. P.R.O.

3 Close, 7 Edw. II. m. 18.

4 Ibid. II Edw. II. m. lod.

8 Ibid. 8 Edw. III. m. 37d. The name of
William, prior of Hayling, occurs about this time
on recognizances dated 1330 and 1337. Close, 4
Edw. III. m. 39d ; and 1 1 Edw. III. pt. z, m.
2 3 d.

218

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

had rescued distraints made for these ; and
when the prior and his bailiffs and servants
would have taken other distraints had rescued
them with armed force. Commissioners were
thereupon appointed to take an inquisition at
Hayling as to all the particulars.

Nor had the inundations come to an end
with the winter storms of 13245. The sea
continued to encroach on Hayling throughout
the fourteenth century. In 1340 there was
a further grievous incroach of the water to
such an extent that men then living officially
testified that they had known the first church
of Hayling (which was originally all in the
centre of the island) standing in good preserva-
tion by the sea shore, and that it was then two
miles (leucas) from the shore, and so deep in
the water that an English vessel of the larger
class could pass over it. 1 Jurors in 1341
testified to the greatly diminished value of the
priory and the church, so much having been
destroyed by the sea. 2

In 1391, Simon Dubosc, abbot of Jumieges,
retired from the abbey to Hayling, having
obtained a restoration of the priory through
the Duke of Lancaster, while he was in France
as an ambassador endeavouring to arrange
terms of peace. Three monks accompanied
him from the mother abbey to re-establish
discipline at Hayling Priory. 3 The abbey
continued to enjoy a considerable share of the
revenues of the priory until 1413, when the
general dissolution of the alien priories came
about, and Henry V. granted Hayling to the
monastery of Sheen in Surrey.

A chartulary of Sheen in the British Museum
contains a catalogue, covering many folios, of
the various evidences and charters of the
suppressed house of Hayling that had come
into their keeping. 4 Among the long list of
muniments were indentures binding the prior
to find life corrodies for two men at the king's
mandate ; a charter of free- warren from Henry
I., the titles to the churches of Hayling,
Winterborne Stoke and Chewton, 'a byll of
supplication made by the tenantys of Hayling
to the priour and convent of Shene,' also ' a
byll of supplication made by the tenantys of
Hayling to the Comons in the Parlyament of
ther sume of dymes to be diminished," and a
bull of Pope Innocent as to the appropriation
of the church of Hayling and the chapel of
North wood.

1 Longcroft's Hundred of Brosmere, p. 220.
3 Inqwsittmes Nonarum, f. 120.
8 Deshayes' Histoire de FAbbaye de Jumiiges, pp.
87, 88.

* Cott. MS., Otho B. xiv. ff. 53-68.

36. THE PRIORY OF ANDOVER

Among the various English gifts that the
Conqueror bestowed on the Benedictine abbey
of St. Florent, Saumur, was the church of
Andover, with a hide and 14 acres of land,
tithes of all the demesne lands in the parish,
and extensive pasture rights, with wood for
fuel, for fencing and for building purposes. 8
In noo William Rufus renewed the gift to
St. Florent of the church of Andover, with its
tithes and all its appurtenances, and directed,
with characteristic fierceness, that all churches
built under the mother church of Andover
should be utterly destroyed, or should be held
by the monks of St. Florent. 6 In 1 146 Pope
Eugenius III. confirmed to the abbey the
church of St. Mary of Andover, with the
chapel of Foxcote, and this confirmation was
repeated ten years later by Pope Adrian IV.,
and by Pope Urban III. in n86. 7

The abbey of St. Florent placed a colony
of monks at Andover, and established there a
priory or cell directly after the church was
given them. The homes of the monks are
described as being juxta ecc/esiam. In the
present large churchyard, a little to the north
of the parish church, a piece of trim ivy-
covered walling is still standing, which is said
to be the only remnant of the old priory.

Between 1160 and 1173 an agreement
was made and confirmed at Andover between
the monks of St. Florent and Philip Croch,
in the presence of Froger, abbot of St.
Florent, concerning three virgates and two
acres of land held by the church of Andover
at Easton, of the fee of Matthew Croch.
Philip was to pay the prior of Andover half a
mark of silver annually for that land as long
as he lived. The prior was to do no service
to the king nor any one, but Philip was to
acquit it in everything. On the day of
Philip's death the monks were to have the
land freely. Philip swore, with his hand on
the four gospels, that he would never seek
directly nor indirectly to deprive the priory of
that land or rent. 8

In the time of Pope Urban IV. there is a
curious instance of papal interference, when
the prior of Andover was Master Berard of
Naples, papal subdeacon and notary. On
29 May, 1264, a papal letter was addressed
to him, reciting that by custom he had, as

6 Pat. 8 Edw. II. pt. 2, m. I. The charter of
William the Conqueror is cited in an inspection
and confirmation of Edward II.

8 Round's Cal. of French Documents, i. 415.

7 Ibid. p. 403, 404.

8 Ibid. p. 415.

219

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

prior of Andover, the right to present a fit
person for the perpetual vicarage of St. Mary,
Andover, to the abbot of St. Florent, to which
the priory was subject, to be by him presented
to the bishop ; but that as the vicarage had been
long void, and as on account of the disturb-
ance of the realm the prior (who was non-
resident and an Italian) had had no notice of
the voidance, so that neither he nor the abbot
could present, the said prior and abbot were
licensed to present a fit person within six
months from the time that the prior was
aware of the voidance of the vicarage ; any
collation, provision or investiture of any
ordinary notwithstanding. 1

In 1294, when the priory of Andover was
seized by Edward I., it was found that the
prior's messuage and dovecot within the pre-
cincts were worth 5*. a year, and 48 acres of
lands 245., and 12 acres of meadow I2d.
Rents from diverse tenements realized 68*.,
and the tithes of the church 66 13*. 4^.
The total annual value came to ji i8s. \d?

On 22 October, 1 305, Robert de Combor,
a monk of St. Florent, was instituted to this
priory by Bishop Woodlock. In the previous
year there had been a great dispute between
John de St. John, prior of Andover, and
Robert de Combor as to the latter's violent
intrusion into the priory. During the
vacancy of the see of Winchester the matter
was referred to the Archbishop of Canterbury,
and immediately on Bishop Woodlock's ap-
pointment, the primate issued his mandate to
the bishop to execute speedy justice in this
quarrel. The bishop appointed the rural dean
of Andover to report, with the result that
Robert submitted, renounced all rights, and
was absolved. However, he was shortly
afterwards formally instituted, probably on
the resignation of Prior John. 3

Prior John de Pomariis is mentioned in the
Close Rolls of 1331, where his name appears
in conjunction with the parson of Horncastle
as owing 200 marks to two merchants of
Florence. The amount was to be levied, in
default of payment, on their lands and chattels
in Hampshire. 4 In the following year Prior
John de Pomariis and his brother ecclesiastic
were in a yet more serious pecuniary dilemma,
for they owed on bonds the large sums of
130 to Bartholomew Richo, merchant of
Kerio, and 113 6f. Sd. to Asselinus Simon-
etti, merchant of Lucca, and Bindus Gile of

1 Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 418.

* Add. MS., 6164, f. 8.

3 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, pp. I, lob,
etc.

* Close, 5 Edw. III. pt. i, m. zd.

Florence ; these debts were ordered to be
levied in default of payment on their lands,
chattels and ecclesiastical goods in the
county. 8 In 1334 the amounts due to the
merchant of Kerio were still unpaid, for in
that year Bartholomew Richo put in his
place William de Newenham, clerk, to
prosecute the execution of a recognisance for
8 1 made to him in Chancery by John de
Pomariis, prior of Andover, and Master Peter
de Galiciano, parson of Horncastle church, in
the diocese of Lincoln, and of another recogni-
zance for 50 made to Bartholomew by the
same prior and Peter. 8

Andover was another of the alien houses
expected to keep at least one royal pensioner.
In November, 1333, John de Baddeley,
yeoman of the king's napery, by reason of his
good and long service, was sent to the prior
and convent of Andover to receive such
maintenance from that house for life as
Richard le Naper, deceased, had received at
the request of Edward II.

On i October, 1337, pardon was granted
to Prior John de Pomariis of his outlawry in
Hampshire for non-appearance before Wil-
liam de Shareshull and his fellow justices of
oyer and terminer to answer touching a tres-
pass against the king at Winchester. 7

The Patent Rolls of 1341 have a long
entry relative to the priory of Andover, which
is of much interest as illustrating the intricacy
of the dealing with alien houses. John de
Pomariis, the late prior, had been removed by
his superior, the abbot of St. Florent, to the
priory of Sele, Sussex, which was another cell
of this great house of Anjou. Prior John, in
a petition to the king, recited that he had held
the priory of Andover as well in the time of
Edward II. as of the present king, when the
alien priories were taken into the Crown's
hands through the war with France, without
fine or farm, because he was born of the
duchy of Acquitaine, and was not of affinity
or confederacy with the king's enemies ; he
therefore asked that as he had been removed
to Sele the king would order him to be dis-
charged of the farm of fifty marks which the
last prior of Sele, because he was born of the
power of the king's enemies, was held to
render. The king, because John had been
born of his duchy and was his liege man, and
because the priory of Andover had come into
the hands of an alien of the power of the
king's enemies, and had on that account been
taken into his hands and would remain in

* Ibid. 6 Edw. III. mm. 38d, $6A.

6 Ibid. 8 Edw. III. m. lod.

7 Ibid. II Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 19.

220

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

them during the war with France, granted
that John should hold the priory of Sele with-
out fine or farm, and commanded the sheriff
of Hampshire to take Andover priory into his
hands and to account for the true value thereof
from the date of the removal of Prior John. 1

On 23 October, 1399, Nicholas Gwyn,
on the death of Prior Denys, was instituted
to the priory of Andover by Bishop Wyke-
ham at the king's presentation. Nicholas was
an English Benedictine monk, and he held
the priory under the condition of paying the
apport of forty marks to Henry IV. and his
successors, so long as the war with France
continued, and in addition maintain sundry
English monks, chaplains and officials. At
the general dissolution of the alien priories in
1414, Gwyn was permitted to alienate the
priory to Winchester College. The college
however could not have gained any profit
from the transaction for some time, as the
possessions of Andover priory were held by
them subject to a yearly pension of forty-five
marks to the Crown, of twenty marks yearly
to Queen Joan, the widow of Henry IV., as
part of her dower, and of a life pension of
fifty-two marks to the ex-prior, Gwyn. 2 The
college tried its best to get released from the
pension to Queen Joan, but without effect ;
she did not die until 1437. Gwyn enjoyed
his pension for twenty years.

This grant to the warden and scholars of
Wykeham's college was confirmed by Ed-
ward IV. in 1 46 1, 3 in consequence of an
attempt that was made that year to refound
the priory of Andover by a Bill in Parliament.
In 1535 the Winchester accounts returned
the Andover priory property at 31 a year,
but there were probably some arrears or
special deductions for that year, as in 1548 it
produced j8i. 4

PRIORS OF ANDOVER
Berard of Naples, about 1264
John de St. John, 1304
Robert de Combor, 8 1305
Helias de Combor, 6 1307
Ralph de Combor, 1316

1 Pat. 15 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 12.

* Wykeham's Register (Hants Record Society),
i. 221 ; ii. 615 ; Kirby's Annah of Winchester Col-
lege,?- 173-

8 Pat. Edw. IV. pt. 7, m. 31.

* Leach's Winchester College, 146-7.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, pp. i, lob,
etc.

* This and the following institutions are quoted
from a writ for return of presentations to alien
priories, 2 Hen. IV., given in Wykeham's register,

Helias de Combor, 7 1320
John de Pomariis, 8 1331, 1341
Philip Maghe, 1341
Denys Canoun, 1363-99
Nicholas Gwyn, 1399-1414

37. THE PRIORY OF HAMBLE

The priory of St. Andrew, Hamble, was a
cell of the great Benedictine abbey of Tiron,
near Chartres, which was founded in 1109.
Tanner is wrong in describing Tiron as a
Cistercian abbey. The priory of Hamble
was placed on the rise or point of land at the
junction of the Hamble river with Southamp-
ton Water, and was hence usually termed
' Hamble-en-le-rys ' or ' Hamblerice,' now
Hamble-le-Rice. William Giffard, Bishop
of Winchester, 1100-28, was the founder.
The original charter is not extant, but there
is a confirmation of Giffard's grant of Hamble
to the monks of St. Andrew among the
Winchester College muniments. 9 That
charter, from the witnesses, cannot be later
than 1140.

A bull of Pope Innocent II., of the year
1132, addressed to his dear son William,
abbot of Tiron, confirming to him several
English endowments, specifies the church of
St. Andrew in England (ecclesiam Sancti
Andree de Anglia) with its appurtenances,
which other charters prove to be that of the
priory of St. Andrew at Hamble. An
undated charter, but apparently about 1135*
is from Emma, wife of Roger Alis, notifying
her gift to the monks of Tiron dwelling at
St. Andrew's, Hamble, of the lands and mea-
dows that she held at 'Auditon.' The charter
recites that she made this gift in chapter of
the monks of St. Andrew and placed it on
the altar in the presence of Prior Geoffrey.
About 1 142, Ascelina, wife of Guimond, gave
to God and the monks of Tiron at St. An-
drew's, in the presence of her brothers who
were dwelling there, the house and land per-
taining to it, which had been given her by
her brother Roaudus, who was then a monk.
In 1147 Pope Eugene III. confirmed to the
abbot and convent of Tiron, inter alia, the
church of Hamble, which was again con-
firmed about 1175 by Pope Alexander III.
On 23 August, 1179, an elaborate papal

but in each case the actual episcopal register has
also been examined.

7 This was probably a re-appointment. Priors
of alien houses were frequently moved from one
priory to another.

8 Close, 5 Edw. III. pt. i, m. zd.

9 Archttohga, \. 259.

221

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

confirmation of all the benefactions and privi-
leges of the abbey of Tiron enumerates the
priory of St. Andrew in England. 1

Among the Winchester College muniments
is a charter of Henry II. confirming the rights
of the monks of Tiron to a yearly pension of
fifteen marks for their shoes \calceamenta\
which had been granted them by Henry I.,
and another charter of the same king, exempt-
ing the monks of Hamble from toll, passage
and pontage, etc., throughout England and
Normandy.

Another interesting Hamble evidence pre-
served at Winchester is a lease by Prior Beau-
mont, in the year 1320, to John Poussant de
tow la servises corvus et coustumes of Hamble
Manor. Raoul dit 1'Ermite, prior of And-
well, was at that time proctor-general of the
abbey of Tiron, and was a party to the
lease. 2

When Edward I. seized Hamble Priory in
1294, it was found that the prior held a house
and garden and dovecot, valued at 45. a year ;
79 acres of land, 13*. id. ; 8 acres of
meadow, 55. ^.d. ; pannage over 4 acres of
wood, 1 8d. ; and wood necessary for house
repairs and fences. There were also four
free tenants holding 21 acres of land, paying
a rental of 6s. ; twenty-seven customary
tenants holding 4 acres of land and paying
28;. 4<, whose labour was worth nothing,
propter capcionem cibarum, and sixteen cottars,
who paid 1 2d. a year. A pension of bread
and of beer from St. Swithun's, Winchester,
was valued at 5 8s. a year ; the tithes of World-
ham, 40*. ; and land and meadow at Hunte-
born at 22/. The total annual value of the
priory was reckoned at 1 8 14*. Sd. 3

Several of the religious connected with the
three alien houses of Hampshire pertaining to
the abbey of Tiron were accused in 1 3 1 3 of
conspiring to destroy charters. A commission
of oyer and terminer was issued on the com-
plaint of Master Robert le Wayte of Chiriton,
that Alan, prior of Hamble ; Ralph, prior of St.
Cross in the Isle of Wight ; Brother Robert de
Andwell and Master Ralph de Mailings, with
others, broke three charters and a deed of
covenant at Andwell and Hamble.*

In 1331 a difference arose between the
prior of Hamble and the parishioners as to the
repairing the ruinous bell tower of the (parish)
church. The bishop appointed John de Erde-

1 Merlet's Cartulaire de FAbbaye de Tiron, char-
ters 182, 262, 291, 292, 326, 328.

8 AnlunhffA, \. 251-62, a valuable article
on this priory by F. Kirby.

3 Add. MS. 6164, ff. 4, 5.

4 Pat. 7 Edw. II. m. 143, 9d, $d.

sope to act as his commissioner in inquiring
into and settling the dispute. 8

In May, 1334, Nicholas, abbot of Tiron,
had letters nominating Richard de Beau-
mont, prior of Hamble, and another his at-
torneys in England. 8

Hamble affords an instance of the peculiar
use to which the incomes of alien priories
were occasionally put. In 13 52 Edward III.
granted an annuity of ten marks to Agnes
Pore, nurse to his daughter Margaret, to be
paid yearly from the farm of the priory of
Hamble as long as the war with France
lasted, and when it was ended, by the ex-
chequer. During the peace of 1360-8 Ham-
ble was relieved of the pension, but at the
latter date, on the renewal of the war, the
priory had again to pay the ten marks. On
the accession of Richard II. this grant to
Agnes Pore and its payment by Hamble was
re-affirmed. 7

The priory was vacant in 1375, and as the
abbot of Tiron neglected to present, the ap-
pointment lapsed to the bishop. Wykeham
collated William de Foxele, or Foxle, a monk
of Chertsey, to the priory on 10 August of
that year. 8 It has been suggested that the
new prior was possibly of the family of
Thomas Foxley of Bramshill, the constable
of Windsor Castle, under whom Wykeham
served in early life.

Before the youthful Richard had been a
month on the throne, a French expedition
harassed the English coast, and in August,
1377, did sad havoc in the Isle of Wight and
on much of the seaboard of the mainland.
The priory of Hamble, notwithstanding its
dependency on a French abbey, suffered much
from the burning and plunder of its pos-
sessions. Its grievous condition was brought
to the knowledge of the council, with the
result that the priory and its possessions
were ratified by privy seal to William Foxle,
the prior, and he was exempted during the
war from payment of any farm rent and
pardoned all arrears, to the intent that the
rents and profits should be spent on repairs.*

Prior William Foxle died on 31 May,
1386, and in the following August the king
granted the priory for their lives, without any
rent, during the continuance of the war, to
Sir Bernard Brocas, knight, and Tydeman the
monk. 10

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Stratford, f. 58b.
Pat. 8 Edw. III.pt. i, m. 17.

7 Ibid. I Rich. II. pt. 5, m. 13.

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. 62b.
8 Pat. 3 Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 19.

10 Ibid. 10 Rich. II. pt. i, m. 37.

222

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

In 1391 the abbot of Tiron presented two
clerks, John Beck and John Kent, to the
bishop, and he admitted Beck to the priory
on 20 February.

The priory was however purchased by
Bishop Wykeham later in the same year from
the abbey of Tiron, to assist in the founda-
tion of Winchester College. Particulars as to
its value have been given under Andwell.

Soon after Hamble came into the hands of
Winchester College, namely in 1401-2, the
large sum of 17 "js. id. was spent on the
church, chiefly in providing it with, a new
roof. The manor was also furnished with
a new dovecot. In 14101 the bell tower
of the church was either entirely rebuilt, or
underwent very considerable repairs. In the
following year three new bells were provided
for this tower ; they were cast by Richard
Brasier of Wickham, who was paid 40*. in
addition to the three old bells. 1

In 1404 the French, though a nominal
truce existed, were making descents on our
shores. The college, mindful of the severe
losses of Hamble Priory from that cause in
1377, equipped a party of men and sent them
down to their newly-acquired possessions at
Hamble, but the expected foreigners did not
land. The entry in the college balance sheet
for that year includes a sum of 6 gs. under
the heading, Custus pro defensione patrie?

In 1411 one Nicholas Diford, a copy-
holder of Meonstoke, came to the audit with
100 oysters in payment of his quit rent.
These doubtless came from Hamble, which
was formerly in high repute for its oysters.
The prior of Hamble used to render 20,000
oysters at mid-Lent to the monks of St.
Swithun as an acknowledgment for an annual
corrody of six gowns, six pairs of shoes, six pairs
of boots, together with twenty-one loaves and
forty-two flagons of ale weekly, which he and
his brethren received from that monastery.
After the property became vestedjn Winches-
ter College, the corrody, valued at 10 yearly,
was made the endowment of Wykeham's
chantry in the cathedral church. 3

Mr. Kirby is probably right in surmising
that this early corrody is an indication that
the monks of Hamble numbered six at the
time of its foundation. If that was the case,
the amount works out at half a loaf and one
flagon daily for each monk. The weekly
delivery of this food at Hamble must have
been a serious charge on the Winchester
house, though Bishop Lucy gave them the

1 Archttokgical Journal, vii. 86, 87.

* Ibid. p. 156.

s ~

Ibid. p. 158-9.

advantage of water carriage all the way by
making the river Itchen navigable to South-
ampton.

PRIORS OF HAMBLE

Geoffrey, 1135

Alan, 1313

Richard de Florie

John de Estrepaniacho, 4 1318-22

Richard de Beaumont, 5 1322-45

James Pasquier, 1345

William de Monastery's 8

William de Foxele, 7 1375-86

John Beck, 1391

38. THE PRIORY OF ANDWELL

This small priory was a cell or dependency
of the great Benedictine abbey of Tiron. It
was founded early in the twelfth century by
Adam de Port of Mapledurwell. His grant
of lands in Nately and other rents were con-
firmed by a charter of Henry I. Roger de
Port, the eldest son of Adam, much in-
creased his father's benefaction by giving to
the monks of St. Mary of Andwell lands at
Winchester, the mill of Andwell before the
gate of their house and a virgate of land per-
taining to it, and a virgate of land at Maple-
durwell. The churches of Stratton, Hinton
and Bradford were also granted to them,
together with numerous minor gifts by the
De Port family of Mapledurwell. 8

The church of this priory, the successor no
doubt of an earlier structure, was dedicated
by John, Bishop of Ardfert, acting as suffragan
for Peter de Roches, Bishop of Winchester,
about the year 1220. An indulgence of
forty days was granted to all who, having
confessed and repented, had come to the
consecration and offered alms, and also of ten
days for those who had made like attendance
at the dedication of the altars, which had
taken place on the Feast of the Holy

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Sandale, f. 42. Prior
Estrepaniacho resigned in 1322.

5 Ibid. Asserio, ft". I2b, 24b. Prior Beaumont
had been appointed in 1320 to act during the
absence of Prior Estrepaniacho.

8 He was presented during the episcopate of
Bishop Edingdon (1346-70). These last two
institutions are taken from Bishop Wykeham's
return of all the alien priory appointments. The
date of the latter is not given.

7 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. 62b.

8 See article on the alien priory of Andwell by
Rev. W. H. Gunner (Arch. Journ. 1852, ix. 246-
61), corrected by Mr. Round in Genealogist, n..
xvi. 710 ; also Lucien Merlet's Cartulaire de
FAbbaye de Tiron, 2 vols. (1882-3).

223

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Innocents. The church was dedicated in
honour of St. John Baptist. The thirteenth
century seal of the priory represents that saint
carrying an Agnus Dei in his right hand, with
a monk kneeling before him, and the legend
Sigillii Prioris de Anede-welle.

Only one of the grants in the Cartulaire de
Tiron mentions Andwell by name ; this
occurs in the charter of Roger de Port, circa
1150, by which he gave to his monks at
Andwell (Henedewella) the mill before their
gate with the land belonging to it, as freely
as he held it on the day of the gift. But
several of the papal confirmations of English
grants to Tiron, such as those of EugeniusIII.
(i 147) and Alexander III. (i 179), specify the
church or priory of Mapledurwell. As the
parish of Mapledurwell adjoined the extra-
parochial district of Andwell, and as Tiron
held land and served a chapel in that parish,
there can be no doubt that it is but an alias
for the priory of Andwell. 1

In 1223 an agreement was come to between
Theobald, abbot of Tiron, representing the
cell of Andwell, and Alan Basset. The
abbot and convent released to Alan all claim
in Hookwood, and gave him land in the field
of the chapel at Mapledurwell, retaining a
third of the moor called Eastmoor. He
restored to them a way sufficient for a laden
horse to go along with his leader at the head
of his tillage toward the water of Mapledur-
well to the house of Andwell. 2

Richard de Beaumont and James Pasquier,
who were priors in succession of the sister
priory of Hamble, were also priors of Andwell.
Probably Pasquier, who died whilst prior of
Hamble and who was instituted to that house
in March, 1345, on the resignation of Beau-
mont, exchanged priories with the latter.
The absence of all reference to the admission
of priors to Andwell throughout the episcopal
act books makes their succession doubtful.

In 1274 the prior had in Up-Nately ten
tenants who held of him in villenage five
yardlands that formerly belonged to Basing-
stoke manor. In 1290 the holdings of the
prior of Andwell at Nately and Mapledurwell
were worth 2 per annum, whilst in his own
manor the rents, meadow and mill were
valued at 3 yearly. An extent and inven-
tory of the possessions of the priory taken in
1 294 show that within the precincts were a
messuage, garden and dovecot worth icw.
yearly, whilst the lands and other possessions
yielded a total of 6 14*. id. From free
tenants the prior received 4 &., and twenty-

1 Round's Cal. Trench Documents, \. 358, 527.
" Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., A. 3242,

one customary tenants who held three virgates
paid 48*. ; but deductions left a clear rental
of 431. 8^., so that the whole income of the
priory only came to ^8 171. iod. 3 The
inventory showed that the priory stock
included a horse worth a mark ; two cart-
horses, 8s. ; six plough-horses, 19*.; a mare and
foal, 6s. 8d. ; three colts, 6s. ; eighteen oxen,
1 08*. ; two cows, 7*. 6d. ; three better cows, 1 51. ;
three yearling bullocks, 2s. ; one heifer, 2s. 6d. ;
thirty-three sheep, 141. 2d. ; forty-two lambs,
2CW. ; twelve hogsteers, 8x. ; and twenty hogs,
2Os. ; yielding a total of 12 icw. 8d. The
dead stock was worth 29;. 4^., by far the
largest item being a brazen pot in the kitchen
at i6s. 8d. The seed-corn and crops were
valued at 12 I2s. y leaving the total value of
the inventory at 26 I2s.*

It would seem that the priors of Andwell
were simply the nominees of the abbot of
Tiron, and were apparently removable at
pleasure. The distance of the controlling
force and the complete freedom from episcopal
supervision or even recognition, worked evilly
for the discipline of the house. The exactions
of the Crown during the reign of Edward III.,
when there was war with France, in seizing
not only the apport or usual annual tribute to
the abbey of Tiron, but further sums under
the guise of securing the custody of the house
to the respective priors, were also a sore
burden. Eventually in May, 1368, Bishop
Wykeham sequestrated the priory of Andwell
(together with that of St. Cross, Isle of Wight)
for dilapidations. In the document securing
this, addressed to the archdeacon of Win-
chester and the warden of the college of St.
Elizabeth, the bishop comments severely on
the faults, negligences and carelessness of the
priors which had brought about the loss and
collapse of both the spiritual and temporal
affairs of the priory ; adding that the house
and buildings would soon be in irreparable
ruin unless some speedy remedy was pro-
vided.

In 1385 the priory was in the hands of
Thomas Driffielde and Eleanor his wife, and
was returned as being of the annual value of
,13 6s. Sd. f It was let to farm by the king's
treasurer in order to secure the apport. After
Richard came to the throne it was let to one
Thomas Thorpe for 10 a year, and in
December, 1387, John de Uvedale, sheriff of
Hampshire, and four others were appointed to
inquire touching waste and defects in the

3 Add. MS. 6164, . 6, 7.

4 Roll 22 Edw. I. P.R.O. ; Woodward's
Hampshire, iii. 283-4.

8 Winton. Epis, Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 213.

224

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

alien priory of Andwell, before its custody was
committed, at a certain yearly farm, to Thomas
de Thorpe. 1

During the latter part of the reign of
Richard II. the parent monasteries of these
alien houses were permitted to sell them to
other religious houses, or to particular persons
who desired to use them for founding chantries,
hospitals or other works of charity. 3 Bishop
Wykeham availed himself of this privilege by
purchasing Andwell from the abbey of Tiron,
and paying Thomas Thorpe 20 for his
interest therein. The bishop bestowed the
priory and its lands on his newly founded
college at Winchester, to which it still
belongs.

Andwell at the time of its purchase was
valued at 10 los. a year. The other Hamp-
shire purchases made by Wykeham from the
abbey of Tiron were Hamble, valued at
6s. ; St. Cross, Isle of Wight, valued at
and Worldham Chapel, valued at ji.
Roughly speaking, he obtained ,30 a year
for about ,380, rather more than twelve
years' purchase. 3

Wykeham no sooner secured the Andwell
property than he saw to its repair. In a list
of extraordinary expenses incurred by the
college from the opening day in 1393 down
to 1401, occurs the then very large sum of
538 41. for the repairs of manors, rectories
and chancels that had been secured from
various alien priories. The items are not
separated, but the repairs included the grange
and chamber at Andwell. 4

At Epiphanytide, 1410, the warden kept
open house for two days to a number of
country gentlemen. The manor of Andwell
contributed a heronshaw towards the feasting ;
the man who brought it to Winchester, a
distance of twenty-two miles, received is. for
his pains. 5

PRIORS OF ANDWELL

Hugh 8

Walter Britell

William de Pulchra Quercu

Gervase, 1210, 1216'

Nicholas, time of Henry III. 8

1 Pat. 2 Rich. II. pt. i, m. id.
1 Rymer's Fan/era, vii. 697.
3 Leach's Winchester Cottege, p. 145.
* Kirby's Annals of Winchester, pp. 1501.
s Ibid. p. 158.

8 This and the two following names are taken
from the Winchester College muniments.

7 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., A. 241.

8 This and the following names are taken from
the Winchester College muniments.

Robert, time of Edward I.

Richard Edward II.

Ralph

Godfrey de Insula, time of Edward III.

Richard de Beaumont

James Pasquier

39. THE PRIORY OF ST. CROSS,
ISLE OF WIGHT

The small priory of the Holy Cross at the
north end of the town of Newport, Isle of
Wight, was a cell of the Benedictine abbey
of Tiron. It was founded about 1120. On
30 May, 1147, a b u U f PP e Eugenius III.
confirmed the church of the Holy Cross in
the Isle of Wight to the abbey of Tiron, and
again a bull of about the time of Pope Alex-
ander III. confirmed to Stephen, abbot of
Tiron, inter alia, the church of the Holy
Cross of the Isle in the diocese of Win-
chester. 9

A survey of alien priories of the year 1295
names, among the possessions of St. Cross, a
horse for the prior, 5 heifers, a two-year-old
colt and filly, 2 bulls, 10 oxen, 6 cows, 6
bugles, 2 calves, i boar, 5 sows, 4 pigs and
14 young pigs. 10

In 1391 the annual values of the tempor-
alities of this priory were assessed at .10 3;. Sd.
With other alien houses it was seized in time
of war with France and administered by the
Crown. 11

In May 1369 the priory's income was
sequestrated by Bishop Wykeham in conse-
quence of the dilapidated condition of the
buildings. 12

On 2O April, 1390, licence was granted
by the Crown to the abbot and convent of
Tiron to alienate the advowson and patronage
of the church or chapel of St. Cross in the
Isle of Wight, called the priory of St. Cross,
and all lands and tenements of the said con-
vent to the warden and scholars of Winchester
College. The conveyance to the college is
dated i September, 1391.

Soon after the priory came into the hands
of the college a considerable sum was spent
on the repairs of the hall, the chamber, and
the chapel of St. Cross and on a new water-
wheel. 13

' Round's Cal. of French Documents, i. 358.

10 Stone's Arch. Antiq. of I. W. ii. 197.

11 Cal. of the Patent Rolls, passim Edw. I. and
III.

13 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. I zb.

13 Kirby's Annals of Winchester College, 150-1.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

40. THE PRIORY OF MONK
SHERBORNE

The largest of the alien priories established
in Hampshire was that founded by Henry de
Port, in the time of Henry I., at Monk Sher-
borne, otherwise called West Sherborne, which
pertained to the Benedictine abbey of St.

with small additional gifts by himself and his
mother Hadwise. His confirmation is granted
to the monks of Sherborne (among whom he
desired to be buried) and not to the abbey of
St. Vigor. John de Port was living as late
as 1167. His son Adam, who succeeded
him, granted to the Sherborne monks the

Vigor, at Cerisy in Normandy, now Cerisy-la- tithes of all his mills at Sherborne in ex-

Foret (Manche). His selection of this abbey

for his gift was doubtless due to the fact that

it lay only some twelve miles from his Norman

home at Port-en-Bessin, while its priory of

Deux-Jumeaux was half way between the

change for the possession of the mill granted by
his grandfather as above ; the first witness to
his charter is his wife Sibyl, who is styled
comithsa. William de St. John, son and heir
of Adam de Port, who took the name of St.

charter of confirmation of certain lands which
had been bestowed on William Fitz-William
by Adam de Port in conjunction with the prior
and convent of Sherborne. 2 There is another

two. Though subject to St. Vigor and send- John from his mother Mabel, granted a short

ing doubtless from the earliest times its apport

or tribute to the parent house, Sherborne was

in the exceptional position of being an alien

priory or cell which had its true conventual

life and a certain degree of genuine independ- charter of this William de St. John extant,

wherein he makes mention of William, prior
of Sherborne ; it is witnessed by Gervase, prior
of Andwell.

The charter of Bishop Henry de Blois con-
firming those of Henry and John de Port to
the monks of Sherborne is amongst the Queen's
College muniments ; it is witnessed by Ralph,
archdeacon of Winchester and Robert de
Inglesham, archdeacon of Surrey, and dates
therefore between the years 1130 and 1140.

Amongst the same muniments is a grant,
probably of the time of Henry II., to the priory
of St. Fromond, Normandy, of the church of
Shaw (Berks), a grant to the same prior of a
' pension ' of 40;. out of the rectory of that
church made by Herbert, Bishop of Salisbury,
in 1 207, and also a notification by James, prior
of St. Fromond to R., Bishop of Salisbury (pro-
bably Richard Poore, 1217-28), of the grant
of the church of Shaw by his house to the prior

ence. The prior and convent of Sherborne,
not the abbot and convent of St. Vigor, were
accepted by the Bishops of Winchester as
patrons of such livings as Bramley and Church
Oakley, whilst the later priors received episco-
pal institution. It is on this account, we
suppose, that Bishop Wykeham paid no atten-
tion to Sherborne when drawing up for the
crown, in 1401, the list of institutions to alien
priories that were to be found in the various
episcopal registers of the diocese. Neverthe-
less, as will be noted, Sherborne was regarded
throughout as an alien priory by the civil
authorities.

Hugh de Port, at the Domesday Survey, was
possessed of a great barony, of which Basing
was the head. He had too a son and heir,
Henry, who, in his foundation charter, gave to
God and St. Vigor of Cerisy the whole of
West Sherborne with its woods and church

and tithes. To this he added the meadow of an( ^ convent of Sherborne, together with the

Longbridge and the mill and meadows of ' the
other Sherborne ' (Sherborne St. John), all his

t_j

grant itself from the one priory to the other. 3
Among the Sherborne evidences now at

iiiwi W*1VJ U\Jl 11V, I kjlltl UU1 11C Ol. I 1)111 1 ). HI! lllS & *** u"w WL 11 v V. 1\JV,1H_VO 11W W CLL

tithes in Basing and certain other lordships, Oxford, is an interesting deed from a social
and the churches of Bramley, Newnham, point of view, whereby Baldwin de Portsea, a
and Upton (Grey). 1 These gifts were con- knightly tenant of John de Port in n 66, con-
firmed by John de Port, Henry's son, together veyed a virgate of land at 'Froditonia' (Fratton

in Portsea) to the monks of Sherborne, and

1 Dugdale's Monasticon, VI. 1013-4. The
originals of this and the other De Port charters given
by Dugdale are preserved at Queen's College, Ox-
ford. The series of charters quoted in this and the
following pages are all to be found among the muni-
ments of Queen's College (see Hist. MSS. Com-
mission Appendix to Fourth Report, pp. 451-5).
In his Baronage (i. 465) Dugdale cites a charter, as
at Queen's College, in which Adam de Port, of the

mesne at Littleton, Wilts, to the priory of Deux
Jumeaux, which gift was confirmed, at a later date,
as to the monks of St. Vigor.

2 Mr. Round's papers on 'The families of St.
John and of Port ' and on ' The Ports of Basing
and their Priory ' in Geneakgist, n.s. xvi. pp. i et
seq. ; xviii. 1379.

8 St. Fromond had been colonized by monks from

Mapledurwell line, gave the chapel and tithes of St. Vigor. The church of ' Sagie ' or ' Sageys ' as

"NTi.T.r., U ,. . . il J _ /* . 1 . 1 1 1 - " * *

Newnham, on the day of that chapel's dedication,
with the tithes of Mapledurwell to the monks.
This Adam, who (probably later) founded the
priory of Andwell, also gave the tithe of his de-

226

O / 7

it is styled in these documents, is identified through-
out in the Historical MSS. Report as that of Seez
(a cathedral) in Normandy ; but Mr. Round has
identified it in the Genea&gist as that of Shaw.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

two men, William and Ernulf, dwelling on it,
together with their children. 1

In 1273 Lawrence, abbot of St. Vigor, set
forth in a deed, still preserved at Queen's Col-
lege, that his monastery had two priories, one
the priory of Deux-Jumeaux (De Duobus Ge-
mellis) in Normandy, and the other of Sher-
borne in England, and that the prior and
monks of both these priories desire to act
honorably to each other ; therefore the chapter
of St. Vigor, Cerisy, for their own good and
peace and that of the two priories, ordained
that the sum of ten shillings a year, which the
Bishop of Salisbury has been wont to pay to
the priory in Normandy from ' Lavintone '
[Lavington, Wilts] should henceforth be
always paid to the priory of Sherborne (the
expense and trouble of transferring the money
to France being so great), due compensation
having been made to the French priory by the
monks of Sherborne. There is also another
deed of the same year by which the abbot and
convent of Cerisy appointed Richard de Bour-
digny, prior of Sherborne, and Bartholomew,
called ' Robyn,' of Cerisy, dwelling in that
priory, their attorneys to receive the rent of
los. payable yearly by the Bishop of Salisbury.
Licence was granted by the Crown, during
pleasure, in 1275, to the priors and monks of
Shireburn to take weekly two cartloads of dead
wood in the forest of Pamberfor their hearth. 3

The priory acquired other endowments ;
for in 1291 the prior was rector ex officio of
Aldermaston, Berks, and his house was in re-
ceipt of ' pensions ' from the churches of Pad-
worth, Sulhamstead, and Shaw in that county,
of St. Frideswide's at Wallingford, and of
Lavington, Wilts, in addition to owning
temporalities at Sotwell, Berks, which was held
by the family of De Port under Hyde Abbey. 3
And in 1316 the prior was returned as one of
the lords of West Shiffbrd, Berks,* where his
house had received an early endowment from
the same family. That the house had received
benefactions from other quarters is shown
by an interesting suit of 1233 ^ t ' le resu lt of
which the prior lost the advowson of Windle-
sham, Surrey, which had been given to his
house by a huntsman of Henry II. who made
his son a monk there.

The extent and inventory of Sherborne
priory, taken in 1294, names 300 acres of land

1 ' . . . cum duobus hominibus, videlicet Guil-
lemo et Ernulfo, in eadem terra manentibus, et
simul infantes eorum ' (Genea&giit as above).

* Pat. 3 Edward I. m. 32.

3 Taxation of Pope Nicholas.

4 feudal Aids, i. 50 (where the entry is wrongly
assigned to Sherborne Abbey, Dorset).

of the annual value of 65*., 20 acres on the
hill (super montana de Schireburn unde potest
seminar e\ 3*. 4</., 10 of meadow, lev., 6 of
moor, 3*., pasture, 2s. 6d., common pasture,
6s. 8d., and pannage, 2y. ^d. ; total, j6 3*.
led. The rents paid by twenty-four tenants
realized ^22 19*., and their labour for the lord
was estimated at 20s. Pensions, spiritual dues,
and portions came 10^57 12*., yielding a total
income for the priory of 87 141. lod. The
livestock inventory reached ^27 141. 6d.
The monks had an abundance of corn-seed,
including wheat enough for forty-three acres
and oats for 86 acres. The dependent churches
paid the monks 42 ; namely, Upton, 9 marks,
Chinham, 10 marks, Sherborne, 106;., and
Bramley 36 marks ; the church of Aldermaston
was farmed to Nicholas, clerk of Herriard. It
had been a bad wet year for the hay ; it is
entered at only 131. 4^., residuum inundatum.*

In June, 1338, the prior, who was in
arrears to the extent of 53 of an annual pay-
ment of 80 to the king for the custody of his
priory, was ordered to pay that sum forthwith
to Menaudus Brocas, one of the keepers of the
king's great horses."

In the autumn of the same year, distraint
was made on the prior of Sherborne to find a
man-at-arms by the keepers of the seaboard of
Hampshire ; but, on the petition of the prior
to the king, alleging that he and his monks
had nothing left wherewith to live after ren-
dering the j8o yearly, the distraint was super-
seded. 7

The heavy rent demanded by the Crown
involved this unhappy priory in such financial
difficulties that resort was had to exceptional
measures. In July, 1340, protection with
clause no/umus, that is to say, immunity from
the seizure of his cattle by the Crown officials,
was granted for the prior, whilst Nicholas de
la Beche and James de Wodestok were ap-
pointed overseers and chief keepers of the priory
during pleasure, to receive the revenues and to
apply them to relieve the estate of the house by
advice of the prior and some of the more dis-
creet members of the convent. The priory is
described as grievously burdened with debt and
of the foundation of the ancestors of the heir
of John de St. John, tenant in chief, the
king's ward. 8

The election of the prior Inguerand de
Duino, monk of Cerisy, on the death of prior
William Bernand, is set forth with much detail
in Wykeham's first register. On 12 August,

6 Add. MS. 6164, f. 7.

8 Close, 12 Edw. III. pt. 2. m. 23.

7 Ibid. p. 3, m. 15.
8

Pat. R. 14 Edward III. pt. iii. m. 52.

227

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

1375, Inguerand appeared before the bishop at
Waltham, bringing a letter from the prior and
convent of Cerisy, sealed with green wax and
verified by Master Stephen de Rippia, notary
public, praying that their choice might be con-
firmed. On 28 August the bishop issued his
mandate to the official of the Archdeacon of
Winchester, ordering him to proceed to the
priory of Sherborne on 30 August, and there
to make proclamation that if any wished to
object to the form of the election of Inguerand
or to him personally, they were to appear be-
fore the commissary and before Giles and Peter,
monks of Sherborne and their fellows, and
John Atte More, steward of the house, and
John the porter, on a day and time named.
The due setting forth of this proclamation was
testified to the bishop under the seal of the
rural dean of Basingstoke who was present.
Any objectors were cited to appear on the
Wednesday after the feast of the Exaltation of
the Holy Cross in the chapel of the Castle of
Farnham. Subsequently, on 26 September,
the bishop, at his manor at Southwark, com-
missioned Master William Lozinge, canon of
Salisbury, his chancellor, to sit in the church of
St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, and there
to give his judgment. The chancellor pro-
nounced the election null and void by reason
of various defects of procedure and form, but
admitted Inguerand on account of his many
virtues (as stated elaborately in the usual form),
in exercise of a power of provision delegated
by the bishop. 1

In May, 1370, the bishop commissioned
his official to correct a delinquent monk of
Sherborne, William le Valeys, for abusive
words to his prior and brother monks and for
general disobedience to the rule. 3

In April, 1380, a grant was made to Ingue-
rand, the prior, of the custody, without rent,
of the priory of Sherborne, with the issues,
from the death of William, the late prior (in
the king's hands on account of the French war),
by mainprize of John Atte More and Roger
Savage as granted to William in 1369." Three
years later, certain letters patent which had
been granted to one John Slegh, as custodian
of Sherborne priory, were revoked in favour of
Prior Inguerand, as neither John, after notice
from the sheriff", nor the king's attorney had
shown cause against the revocation. 4 Never-
theless, as is shown by frequent entries about
this date on the Patent Rolls, the king pre-

1 JVykebam'i Renters (Hants Record Society),
i. 63-66.

1 Ibid. iii. f. 34!).

3 Pat. 3 Ric. II. pt. 3, m. 16.

4 Ibid. 6 Rich. II. pt. 3, m. lo.

sented to various benefices pertaining to the
priory, as holder of the temporalities during the
war.

Among the official instruments in Wyke-
ham's registers is a form, undated, of commis-
sion to take an inventory of the goods of
Sherborne, when it was thought that Prior
Inguerand was dying. His condition is there-
in stated to be so serious as to render him
quite incapable of attending to the affairs of
his house, and that there was hardly any
hope of his recovery. It was also alleged
that in the event of his death the priory,
in which there were but few monks,
would be in sore straits in both sacred and
secular affairs. 8 Inguerand died early in
1397, and on 2 February of that year, the
bishop admitted as prior Walter Marshall of
Bristol, a Benedictine monk. The form of
admission recites that the priory of Sherborne,
under the rule of an alien priory, was vacant
by the death of Inguerand, and that in ac-
cordance with the legislation of i Richard II.,
during the war with France, the bishop
entrusted Walter with the rule and govern-
ance of the priory (on the nomination of
Sir Thomas de Poynings, Lord St. John),
on condition of his supplying mattins, mass,
and the other desired offices according to
ancient use, and of his keeping the convent-
ual church and house and buildings in proper
repair, and checking all waste. 8

In the same year there was another vacancy,
apparently through the resignation of Walter
Marshall. On 3 October, 1397, Bishop
Wykeham having first formerly annulled his
election made by the alien abbey, as he was
willing to act graciously, accepted Guilliaume
Trenchefan, monk of St. Vigor, as prior of
Sherborne, with the personal assent of Sir
Thomas Poynings. After the general sup-
pression of the alien houses, the priory of Monk
Sherborne was given by Edward IV. to the
Hospital of St. Julian, or God's House, South-
ampton. God's House had, however, been
given by Edward III. to Queen's College, and
hence the endowments and muniments of this
priory were transferred to that college, which
college still holds them.

PRIORS OF MONK SHERBORNE

William, early thirteenth century
Richard de Bourdigny, 1273
Thomas, 7 about 1329
Robert Corbet, 1347-9

5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 29 ib.

8 Ibid. i. f. 266.

T Close, 3 Edw. III. m. 8d.

228

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Denis Vanceyo, 1 1349
William Bernand, 2 about 1369
Inguerand de Duino, 3 1375-97
Walter Marshall, 1397
William Trenchefan, 4 1397

41. THE PRIORY OF ELLINGHAM

An alien priory was founded at Ellingham,
as a cell to the Benedictine Abbey of St.
Sauveur-le-Vicomte, in the diocese of Cou-
tances, by William de Solariis in the year
1 1 60. The charter specifies the church of
St. Mary of Ellingham with all its appur-
tenances, together with 43 acres of land and
2O of meadow in that vill, and 3 acres near
the church on which to build. 5 A charter of
Henry II. notifies that the endowment of
William de Solariis at Ellingham was under
his care and protection. 6

A charter of Walter de St. Quintin, circa
1170, granted to the Abbey of St. Sauveur,
for the honour of God and the Blessed Virgin,
and for his weal and that of his friends, his
chapel at Rockford (a mile to the east of
Ellingham) and all his demesne in his fee of
Rockford ; the chapel to be subject to the
church of Saint Mary and All Saints of
Ellingham, as daughter to mother, and to
receive from it the service of masses three
days a week at the hands of the chaplain of
Ellingham, or of a monk (of the priory). The
chartulary of St. Sauveur also records two other
small bequests of land to the priory of Elling-
ham of about the same date, 7 and two others,
at Fordingbridge and Chardford, occur in the
charters at Eton.

In 1292 Bishop Pontoise assumed the
custody of the priory in consequence of the
prior having departed across the sea without
a licence ; 8 but on 13 July, 1292, the bishop
instituted to the priory, on the death of
Michael the last prior, Thomas dit le Petit,
presented by the abbot of St. Sauveur. In

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. ff. 30, 58.

* Ibid. Wykeham, iii. f. iya.

3 Wykebanfs Registers (Hants Record Society),
i. 63-66.

* Ibid. f. 260.

5 Round's Cat. of Documents in France, i. 348.
The foundation charter is recited in Winton. Epis.
Reg., Pontoise, f. lozb. It differs somewhat
from the above and is of the year 1 163 ; the acres
of land are increased from 43 to 72, and the
church is described as the church of All Saints with
the chapel of St. Mary. This latter charter is
still preserved at Eton, together with its confirma-
tion by Richard, Bishop of Winchester.
Ibid. i. 349- ' Ibid - L 35 1-

8 Winton. Epis. Reg., Pontoise, f. n.

1298 Thomas de Bere, acting for the Bishop
of Winchester, made an award in favour of
William Cancelot, then prior, who claimed
to present to the church of Ellingham.

Of the next two priors there is apparently
no record of their institution, but in Septem-
ber, 1305, the official of the Bishop of Bath
and Wells made an award in favour of
Geoffrey, prior of Ellingham, who claimed
half a mark yearly from John, rector of
Babington, Somerset, of which the church
had been given to St. Sauveur by William
Fitz John of Harptree, temp. Henry II. 9 On
10 April, 1311, Bishop Woodlock granted
Prior Geoffrey leave of absence 10 until i
August; and on 5 September, 1318, Bishop
Sandale granted leave of absence to John le
Vyonn, prior of Ellingham, to visit his abbey,
from that date until the next feast of St. Peter
ad Vincula (i August). He was enjoined,
after this eleven months' absence, to return
without further delay. 11 A second leave of
absence to cross the seas was granted to Prior
John by Bishop Strafford on 19 October,
1327. His death occurred whilst he was
abroad, and the priory was sequestrated by the
bishop on 19 January, I328. 12

When Edward I. seized Ellingham priory
in 1294, in consequence of the war, it was
found that the prior held a messuage and i o
acres of land worth by the year 10*. 3^., that
there were thirteen tenants holding 23 acres
of land and io acres of meadow, paying a
rental of 415. jd., a pound of pepper, and a
pound of cinnamon worth 8^., and that the
church was worth ,12 a year.

On 17 March, 1328, Richard Pelleue, a
monk of St. Sauveur, was instituted by Bishop
Stratford, on his abbot's presentation. Pro-
tection was granted in July, 1337, to various
aliens to secure the goods in their custody,
among whom was Prior Pelleue. 13

The references to Ellingham Priory on the
Patent or Close Rolls are very few. In May,
1385, the king, by reason of the alien priory
being in the hands of the Crown through the
war with France, presented William Olyver,
keeper of the neighbouring hospital of St.
John's, Fordingbridge, to the vicarage of
Ellingham. 14

At an inquisition held at Ringwood on 10

8 His charter of donation is now among the
Ellingham deeds at Eton. Hist. MSS. Com. Rep.
ix. App. I. p. 350.

10 Winton. Epis. Reg., Woodlock, f. 163.

11 Ibid. Sandale, f. 3ob.

12 Ibid. Stratford, ff. 32b, 340.

13 Pat. ii Edw. III. pt. 2, m. 13.

14 Ibid. 9 Rich. II. pt. 2, m. 15 and m. 8.

229

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

September, 1397, concerning the true value
and extent of the priory of Ellingham by
virtue of a letter of the king to the escheator,
the jurors declared the clear annual value at
11 6s. 8d., and stated that Thomas Trewyn,
who had been appointed by letters patent
custodian of the priory, had secured the tithes
of corn and hay for that year about the feast
of St. Peter ad Vincula (i August). 1

After the final dissolution of the alien
priories the rent reserved to the Crown from
Ellingham Priory was bestowed by Henry VI.
on Eton College, to which Edward IV., in
1462, added the fruits of the parish church of
Ellingham. 2

PRIORS OF ELLINGHAM
Richard de Wauville, 3 1240
Michael, died 1292
Thomas dit le Petit, 4 1292
William Cancelet, 1298
Denys, instituted 1301
Geoffrey, 1305, 1311
John le Vyoun, 1318, 1327
Richard Pelleue, instituted 1328
Galicanus de Hamberga, instituted 1347
William de Albigneye, instituted 1361

42. CARISBROOKE PRIORY

The priory of Carisbrooke, which was situ-
ated on the high ground to the north-west of
the castle, was dedicated to the honour of the
Blessed Virgin. It was a cell of the Benedic-
tine abbey of Lire, and established to collect the
dues of the parent house in the Isle of Wight.
The church of Carisbrooke, and other prop-
erty, had been granted to the abbey of Lire,
probably by William Fitz Osborne, Earl of
Hereford. They were at all events owned
by that house while he held the lordship of
the Isle of Wight 6 (circa 1067-70). The
priory of Carisbrooke is said to have been
founded by Baldwin de Redvers about 1156.

1 Add. MSS. 6165, p. 113.

3 Pat. i Edw. IV. pt. 3, m. 24.

3 Charter in archives of St. Lo.

1 This and other episcopal institutions to Elling-
ham priory are taken from a return made by
Bishop Wykeham in 1401 of all the Winchester
institutions to alien priories recorded in the epis-
copal registers ; but in each case the original has
also been consulted.

8 Transcript of the chartulary of Carisbrooke
priory in the possession of W. A. Lindsay, K.C.,
F.S.A., Windsor Herald, p. i. Charter by Bald-
win de Redvers to Hildebrand, abbot of Lire, of
the church of Carisbrooke, to hold it as ever the
abbot held in the time of William Fitz Osborne
or Richard de Redvers father of the grantee. See
also V.C.H. Hants, i. 407-8.

He gave to the abbey of Lire all the churches,
tithes, lands, rents and benefits that he held
throughout the island. Further grants by
his son, William de Vernun, were made
direct to the church of St. Mary, Carisbrooke,
and to the monks there serving God. Henry
II. 's confirmation charter to Lire Abbey par-
ticularizes their possessions throughout Eng-
land. The abbey then held in Hampshire
the churches of Clatford and St. John's,
Southampton, and in the Isle of Wight the
churches of Carisbrooke, Arreton, Freshwater,
Godshill, Whippingham, Newtown and New-
church. 6 Godfrey, Bishop of Winchester
(1189-1205), empowered the abbot to con-
vert the church of Carisbrooke and chapel
adjoining it ad usus suos proprios? Several
churches were afterwards granted to the mon-
astery by various persons.

Edward I., in 1285, licensed the prior and
monks of Carisbrooke to hold a road going
through their priory from the south gate to
the north gate, which they closed to keep
out persons wandering there day and night,
and in exchange for which they made
another road, 40 feet long, to the west of
the said priory, with the assent of Isabel de
Fortibus, lady of the Isle of Wight. 8

Simple protection was granted by the
Crown for a year in 1290, and again for
a like period in 1292, both to the abbot of
Lire staying in Normandy, and for the prior
and monks of Carisbrooke, 9 and in 1298
Edward I. recognized the right which Isabel
de Fortibus had granted to the monastery of
Lire of the custody of the temporalities dur-
ing a vacancy in the priory. 10

A survey of alien priories of the year 1295
shows that the priory had granges at Sheet,
Chale and Northwood. The prior had a
palfrey worth 4. 135. od., a pack-horse worth
2OJ., and a white horse. The expenses of
the prior and five monks in removing from
the island to some place remote from the
coast by royal command amounted to 4.5. ^d.
When taken into the hands of the Crown
by reason of the war, there were found,
besides grain, 1 1 plough horses, 2 draught
horses, a two-year-old colt, a mule, 51 oxen,
i bull, 22 cows, 8 heifers, 15 calves, 3 sheep,
1 06 lambs, i boar, 4 sows, 42 pigs, 23 young
pigs, 7 sides of bacon, 2 poids of cheese and
3 sacks of wool. 11

6 Dugdale's Monasttcon, vi. 10401.

7 Transcript of Carisbrooke chartulary.

8 Pat. 13 Edw. I. m. i.

9 Ibid. 18 Edw. I. m. 16 ; 20 Edw. I. m. 9.

10 Transcript of chartulary of Carisbrooke, p. 20.

11 Stone's Arch. Antiq. 1. W. ii. 197.

230

RELIGIOUS HOUSES

Jn '333 the prior of Carisbrooke, as proctor
in England for the abbot of Lire, contributed
five marks towards the expenses of the marriage
of Eleanor, the king's sister, with a proviso that
such contribution should not prejudice the
priory as a precedent. 1

In 1374 the prior of Carisbrooke petitioned
the king against the exactions of the sheriff,
pleading that the enemy had burnt their
granges and cowhouses, as well as their con-
ventual buildings, and had despoiled their
tenants and parishioners.*

The monks of Carisbrooke served the
chapels of Newport and Northwood, receiving
from the former town the annual pension of
two marks granted to them by Richard de
Redvers circa 1180. They had also under
their care the burial ground, with its chapel
dedicated to the Holy Cross, under the castle
of Carisbrooke, consecrated by Bishop Henry
of Winchester (probably Henry Woodlock,
I 3S- 1 (>), as a place of sepulture for the small
religious communities in the Isle of Wight.

The seal of the priory (here illustrated) is
oval in shape, and shows the Virgin and Child
and below a kneeling figure. The legend
runs : + SIGILLVM : ANDREE : PRIOR . . . ROC.
The grants to the priory were of small
extent and value, 3 the parent community of
Lire treating the prior as their locum tenens
and absorbing the larger benefactions.

The priory was seized by the Crown during
the reigns of Edward I.* and Edward III.,
and being in the king's hands was granted by
Richard II. to the Carthusian priory of
Mount Grace, Yorkshire. Restored to Prior
Thomas Val Oseul by Henry IV. on con-
dition of the ' apport ' or customary tribute
to Lire being paid to the Crown, and future
appointments of monks being filled by Eng-
lishmen, it was seized again by Henry V.
and bestowed on his new charter-house at
Sheen, and the monks dispersed.

The temporalities of Carisbrooke priory
were declared of the annual value of
28 is. -2.\d. by the taxation of 1291. The
various rectories of the island pertaining to
the priory or the abbey of Lire were then of
great annual value Carisbrooke, 80 ; Fresh-
water, 60 ; Godshill, 66 131. \d, ; New-
church, 66 13;. 4^. ; Arreton, 33 6s. Sd. ;
Whippingham, 24 ; and Newtown, 8.
Two of these, namely Carisbrooke and
Arreton, were at that time appropriated to
the abbey of Lire.

1 Pat. 7 Edw. III. pt. 2. ra. 20.

8 Stone's Arch. Antlq. 1. W. ii. 198.

1 Transcript of chartulary already referred to.

4 Pat. 5 Edw. I. pt. i. m. 1 2d.

231

A survey of the priory made in 1385 gave
the annual value at 86 131. \d. In 1446
the value was 194 is. 2$d., whilst in 1538
the annual worth of the priory as parcel of
the possessions of Sheen was declared to be
*. Sd.

PRIORS OF CARISBROOKE
Hugh, temp. Henry II.
John de Insula, 6 circa 1 190
William de Glocester," circa 1205
Robert of S. Pier-sur-Dire, circa 1257
Andrew, circa 1264
Richard Preause, circa 1279
John de Caleto, 7 circa 1286
Warin Pyel, 8 circa 1298
John Poucyn, 9 circa 1313
Blase Doubel, circa 1336
John Pepyn, 10 circa 1348
Nicholas Gavaire, 11 circa 1361
Peter de Ultra Aquam, 12 circa 1363
Thomas de Val Oseul, 1371
Odo de Ulmis, 1401
Nicholas de Ulmis, 1405

43. THE PRIORY OF APPLEDUR-

COMBE

The priory of Appledurcombe was founded
(circa) 1 100 as a cell to the Benedictine abbey
of Montebourg in the diocese of Coutances,
on the manor of the same name which had
been granted that community by Richard de
Redvers in 1090.

The priory held land in Sandford, Week,
Appledurcombe and Wydcombe.

A survey of 1295 shows that the priory
possessed 2 horses, i bull, 8 oxen, 12 cows,
2 bugles, 9 calves, 130 sheep, 248 ewes, 160
lambs, 4 boars, 12 sows, 48 pigs, 28 young
pigs, and 4 hens and a cock. 13

In 1339 Edward III. gave orders for the
removal of the prior of Appledurcombe and
his monks from their priory near the sea coast
to Hyde Abbey owing to the war with France.
We suppose the order was carried out, as it is
entered in the episcopal registers together with
an injunction to the abbot of Hyde to see to
its due performance. 1 *

8 Ancient Deeds (P.R.O.), B. 2836.

8 Transcript of Carisbrooke chartulary, p. 1 6.
7 Ibid. p. 20. 8 Ibid.

9 John Poucyn presented to the rectory of
Newchurch in 1322. He is described as prior
of Carisbrooke and proctor of the abbot of Lire.
Winton. Epis. Reg., Asserio, f. 23.

10 Winton. Epis. Reg., Edingdon, i. f. 33.

11 Ibid. f. nob. la Ibid. f. 123.

13 Stone's Arch. Antiq. 1. W. ii. 197.

14 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. f. ijSb.

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

In 1385 the annual value was returned at
45.* On 27 March, 1395, orders were
conferred in the priory church or chapel on
four sub-deacons, three deacons, and four
priests by Simon, Bishop of Achonry, acting
as suffragan of Winchester.*

The prior, temp. Richard II. petitioned the
king and council for relief in consequence of
the devastation caused to their property by
the enemy from both France and Spain. 3

The priory was held by the Crown during
the wars with France in the reigns of Edward

1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, iii. f. 213.

3 Ibid. f. 406.

3 Stone's Arch. Antiq. I. W. ii. 198.

I. and III., and was suppressed with other
alien houses in 1414, and was bestowed by
the Crown on the Nuns Minoresses without
Aldgate. In 1 528 the prioress, Dame Dorothy
Comberford, granted a thirty-three years' lease
of Appledurcombe to Sir James Worsley. 4

PRIORS OF APPLEDURCOMBE 5

Hugh, in the time of Stephen
Lawrence Bertram, 1331
Peter de Mouster, 1385
Thomas atte Tounesende, 1403

* Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, f. 406.

5 Prior Stephen de Collevilla in an undated
charter mentions as a former prior Peter de
Mymbrantot.

232

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART
AND INSCRIPTIONS

IN classifying the archaeological materials derived from any particu-
lar geographical area it will be found that they consist chiefly of
fixed structures and portable objects. The first of these come under
the heads of architecture or engineering, whilst the second are
treated of amongst the finds of antiquities. There still remain however
inscribed and sculptured monuments which form a class by themselves
as they are neither structures nor are they portable objects. It is also
impossible to separate the inscribed from the sculptured stones because
many of the latter are also inscribed. Then again both the inscriptions
and the sculptured decoration of the monuments are related to the
illuminated MSS. of each period, the forms of the letters and the style
of the ornament being the same whether executed in stone or drawn
on parchment. A knowledge of palaeography, inconography and the
evolution of decorative art are essential to the study of the inscribed
and sculptured monuments, so that they lie altogether outside the
domain of architecture pure and simple, although in certain cases both
sculpture and inscriptions form parts of ecclesiastical structures ; but
not being essential features of architecture it is better that they should
be investigated by themselves. 1

1 The inscriptions of the period we are considering namely between A.D. 450, after which well-
formed Roman capitals ceased to be used in Great Britain, and A.D. 1150, when Lombardic characters
were first introduced are of the following kinds as regards the forms of the letters :

(1) Ogams. (5) Anglian or Old Northern Runes.

(2) Debased Roman capitals. (6) Scandinavian or Later Runes.

(3) Anglo-Saxon capitals. (7) Norman capitals.

(4) Hiberno-Saxon minuscules.

The languages of the inscriptions are :

(1) Latin. (3) Anglo-Saxon.

(2) Celtic. (4) Old English.

The purposes for which the inscriptions have been cut are :

(1) For sepulchral epitaphs.

(2) For dedication stones of churches.

(3) To describe the sculptured figure-subjects with which they are associated.

(4) To give the name of the sculptor.

(5) To illustrate the meaning of a figure-subject or the use of a sculptured object by means

of a text from Scripture, a verse of poetry or some appropriate sentence.

With regard to the respective ages of the different kinds of letters in use during the early Christian
period in Great Britain the oldest are Ogams and debased Roman capitals, which occur on rude pillar

233 30

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

Only three inscriptions belonging to the early Christian period
have been found in Hampshire, namely, (i) on the Ogam pillar from
Silchester, now in the Reading Museum ; (2) on the Anglo-Saxon head-
stone of Frithburga at Whitchurch, between Basingstoke and Andover ;
and (3) on the south transept arch of Breamore Church, on the outskirts of
the New Forest. The Silchester Ogam stone has already been mentioned
by Mr. F. Haverfield, 1 but although dug up on a Romano-British site, it
belongs to a class of monuments which, taken as a whole, are certainly

stones dating from about A.D. 450-650. Next come Anglo-Saxon capitals and Anglian Runes. These
were employed contemporaneously and sometimes on the same monument, say from A.D. 650850.
Anglo-Saxon capitals are found at a later date, with some slight modifications in the forms of the letters,
but after the Viking invasions the place of the earlier Anglian Runes was taken by a later kind of Runic
'futhorc' or alphabet, similar to that used in Scandinavia at the same period. Hiberno-Saxon minuscules
occur chiefly on the elaborately decorated crosses from A.D. 750-1050.

A study of the geographical distribution of the inscriptions in different kinds of letters shows that
the Ogams and debased Roman capitals are confined to Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and
those parts of England where Celtic influence was strongest in pre-Norman times, namely in the coun-
ties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Hants and Northumberland. Anglo-Saxon capitals and
Anglian Runes are found most frequently in Northumbria and Mercia. Hiberno-Saxon minuscules,
although common in lapidary inscriptions in Ireland and Wales, are comparatively rare in England.
The later Runes belong more especially to the districts where there were Norse settlements in the tenth
and eleventh centuries, as the Isle of Man and the coast of Cumberland.

There almost always exists a definite relation between the class of letter in which the inscription is
written and the language. Thus all the Ogam inscriptions are in the language of the Goidelic Celts ;
the earlier Runic inscriptions are in Anglo-Saxon ; the later Runic inscriptions are in Norse or Danish ;
the inscriptions in debased Roman capitals are in illiterate provincial Latin ; the inscriptions in Anglo-
Saxon capitals and Hiberno-Saxon minuscules are generally in Latin, but sometimes also in the vernacu-
lar of the district.

Lastly a few words as to the leading characteristics of the alphabets used in the early Christian
epigraphy of this country.

The Ogam alphabet was in all probability invented by a Goidelic Celt in the south-west of
Ireland or in South Wales somewhere about A.D. 400, and is obviously derived from the Roman alphabet
by dividing it into four groups of five letters, each of which was represented by straight strokes varying
from one to five in number. The Ogams are either cut on the angle of a stone or on each side of a
stem-line, and the alphabet or ' Bethluisnion ' is as follows :

HOT

B L F S N

/////?//

///////?//////

MGNgStR AOUEI

The Runic futhorc or alphabet was possibly derived from the Greek alphabet in early Byzantine
times. It resembles the Ogam alphabet in two respects (i) that the letters are formed of straight
lines ; and (2) that they are arranged in groups, but in three groups of eight letters instead of four
groups of five letters. The Anglian Runic futhorc is as follows, the four last being extra letters :

f I) t F H IX P Htl MCTh

FUThORKGW HNIAEoPXS

t & H fH 3 H ft F F ft t

TBEMLNgDO AOeYEa

The later Runic Scandinavian futhorc was derived from the Old Northern Runic futhorc by
modifying the forms of some of the letters and discarding others altogether. It is given below :

1 Victoria H'utory of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, i. 279.
234

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

Christian rather than Pagan. Possibly the Silchester example may be the
oldest 1 Ogam inscription yet discovered, and it is remarkable as being the
only one known to exist in Great Britain outside the Celtic area of Ire-
land, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Wales and West Wales (i.e. Devon and
Cornwall). The Silchester Ogam inscription has upset the previously
accepted theory that the Ogams cut on a stem-line 2 are of more recent
date than those cut on the angle of a rectangular pillar.

The Ogam stone from Silchester was found in 1893 at a depth of
9 feet in a well in Insula IX. It is a stele or pillar of friable sandstone
with a moulded base, standing on what was originally a square plinth
and surmounted by a rude fir-cone or phallic emblem. The stone is
i foot ii^ inches high ; the plinth must have been when perfect about

F R M R r * t M- * ' (,

FUThORKGW HNIAEoPXS

t * * T r * * *

T B EMLNgDO

The Manks Runic futhorc is similar to the above except for the following letters :

\ r * i

ONES

The debased Roman capitals, which are in many cases associated with Ogams on the sams
monument, differ from the letters of the classical period in being very rudely formed with the stroke-
sloping instead of being horizontal and vertical. The horizontal I placed thus, and the sicklee
shaped G something like an S thus, O, are characteristic features.

The Anglo-Saxon capitals are well formed, their chief peculiarity being their angularity as in the
following :

C cl E 3 D S

C D G O O S

The letters M and N were made thus :

W HH

M N N

and new characters introduced for

D r i

Th W &

Hiberno-Saxon minuscules were gradually evolved from Roman capitals in the process of devising
such forms as could be most quickly written with a pen in the early Irish and Saxon MSS. This
evolution may be clearly traced in the early Christian inscribed stones of South Wales and Cornwall.
The oldest are entirely in debased Roman capitals, then a few minuscule letters such asdcjhmft
are introduced, and lastly we get inscriptions entirely in minuscules. The Hiberno-Saxon minuscule
alphabet is as follows :

a^cbep^h timnopqp. PCUJJC

abcdefgh ilmnopqr stux

1 The only other instance of an Ogam inscription on an undoubtedly Roman stone is that on the
altar at Loughor, Glamorganshire (Archtetk&a Cambrensis, ser. 3, xv. 258).

9 The earliest example of an Ogam inscription cut on a stem-line hitherto known was probably that
at Maumenorigh near Dingle, co. Kerry (R. Rolt Brash's Ogam Inscribed Monuments of the Gaedhll,
pi. 21). The use of the stem-line was supposed to be of late date because it is suitable for writing in a
MS. or engraving on metal, whereas the Ogam character seems to have been obviously suggested by
notches cut on the corners of a square stick or stone.

235

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

i foot 2 inches square, and the fir-cone is io| inches in diameter at the
bottom and 7 inches at the top. The Ogam inscription is on two
vertical stem-lines and reads from the bottom upwards thus :

U *' I irm

E B I C A T O (S) (MA Qu) I M U C O (I)

' (The gravestone) of Ebicatus the son of the descendant of . . . '
This stone was first described by Professor John Rhys, LL.D., in the
Academy (August 19, 1893), and blocks reproduced from photographs
by Mr. S. Victor White of Reading are given in the Illustrated Archceologist
(June, 1894), which show the state of the stele shortly after its discovery
and before it was affected by exposure to the atmosphere.

According to Prof. Rhys the meaning of the name Ebicatus is
' One who fights with arrows or with a javelin.' Maqui is known to
signify ' the son of because on the bi-literal and bi-lingual Ogam stone
at St. Dogmaels, 1 Pembrokeshire, its equivalent is given in Latin as Jilt.
The modern form is the familiar Scottish mac, which is rendered in
Welsh as map. The occurrence of the word maqui shows that Silchester
Ogams were cut by a Goidel (or ' Q Celt ') and not by a Brython (or ' P
Celt '). z The word mucoi is coupled with maqui in a great many of the
Ogam inscriptions in Ireland, and there has been much discussion as to
its exact meaning. Prof. John Rhys in his Welsh People (p. 52) trans-
lates maqui mucoi as ' son of the kin of,' and gives as an example the
Ogam inscription at Dunmore, 3 co. Kerry, which reads Maqqui Erccias
maqqui mucoi Dovinias, and means ' (The monument of) Mac Erce, son of
the kin of Dubinn.'

The Anglo-Saxon headstone of Frithburga at Whitchurch, was
taken out of the wall of the north aisle of the church when the building
was restored in 1868, and the monument now stands on a new pedestal
in the nave near the north pier of the chancel arch. Attention was first
called to its existence by the late C. Roach Smith in the Builder (Nov. 1 1 ,
1871), and it has been subsequently described by J. Romilly Allen in
his Christian Symbolism, and by the Rev. G. W. Minns, F.S.A., in the
Hampshire Field Club Papers (iv. 1899, p. 171).

The headstone of Frithburga has a semicircular arched top. It is
i foot 10^ inches high, by i foot 8 inches wide, by 8 inches thick at
the top and 1 1 inches wide at the bottom. It is sculptured in relief on
the front with a bust of Christ having a cruciferous nimbus round the
head, and giving the benediction with the right hand, and holding a book
in the left. The sculpture on the back is incised and consists of elegant
scrolls of foliage issuing from a central stem and interlaced. The in-
scription which is in two lines of Anglo-Saxon capitals commences near

1 4rchirokgiaCambrensii,stt. 3, rv. 155 ; the Latin inscription reads SAGRANI FILI CVNOTAMI,
and the Celtic Ogams SAGRAMNI MAQuI CVNATAMI.
1 See Prof. J. Rhys, Celtic Britain (S.P.C.K.), p. 21 1.
8 R. R. Brash's Ogam Inscribed Monuments of the Gadhll, pi. 17.

236

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

the bottom of the narrow edge on the left, and reads round the top and
down the other side as follows :

HIC CORPVS FRIDBVRGAE REQVI
ESOIT IN PACE SEPVLTVM

' Here lies the body of Frithburga, buried in peace.'

The chief peculiarities of the palaeography of the inscription are
the use of the square c and square G, and the full-stop made with three
dots, thus : as in some of the Hiberno-Saxon MSS. and on some of the
early sculptured stones in England, Wales and Scotland. 1 The o is of
the round shape, and the Q is made like a P reversed thus, q. The third
letter of the name Frithburga may either be D (i.e. Dh) or the Greek 0,
and the last letter but one has a v cut over the A apparently through a
mistake on the part of the cutter of the inscription. It is not certain
whether the word which precedes ' sepultum ' is to be read ' pace ' or
' pacem.' For ' requiescit ' there should be ' requiescat.' The meaning
of the name Frithburga is ' Pledge of peace.'

The inscription in Breamore church, nine miles south of Salisbury,
is cut on the front of the voussoirs of the arch of the opening between the
part of the nave below the central tower and the south transept. This
is the only one of the original four arches beneath the tower now
remaining, the one on the north having been blocked up, and those on
the east and west replaced by arches of the fifteenth century. The south
tower arch is of Saxon date and is 4 feet 1 1 inches wide. On the face
of the arch inside the tower is cut the following inscription in Anglo-
Saxon capitals 6 inches high :

HER SPVTELAB SEO GECPYDRXEDNESDE
' Here the covenant becomes manifest to thee?

When found the letters were filled in with plaster and coloured red,
with a red line above and below. The palsographical peculiarities of
the inscription to be noticed are the use of the square c and G, the
angular 8, the Saxon B for DH, and P for w and the joining together
of the letters HE and TE. It may here be remarked that the shape
of a letter is not always a certain guide to date, as in the present case
although one s is made angular the two others are of the modern
curved form. The language of the inscription is Old-English, pro-
nounced by Dr. H. Sweet to be not much earlier than the middle of
the eleventh century. It is probable that the inscription was continued
round the other arches, as a fragment of stone built into the adjoining
wall bears the letters DES.

The discovery of the Saxon remains in Breamore church was first
published in the Athenceum (August 14, 1897), and a full account of the
building, by the Rev. A. du Boulay Hill, shortly afterwards appeared in
the Archaeological "Journal (Iv. 34).

Having now concluded the examination of the early lapidary in-

1 On the dedication stone at Deerhurst, Gloucestershire ; on the crosses at Llantwit Major,
Glamorganshire ; and on the ' Drosten ' cross-slab at St. Vigeans, Forfarshire.

237

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

scriptions of Hampshire, we will proceed to consider the sculptured
stonework of the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods in the county. 1

The examples of Saxon sculpture in Hampshire are comparatively
few in number and are as follows :

Headstone of Frithburga at Whitchurch.
Fragment of a cross-shaft at Steventon Manor.
Font at South Hayling.
Rood at Headbourne Worthy.
at Breamore.
inside Romsey Abbey.
Sundial at Corhampton.
Warnford.
St. Michaels, Winchester.

The first of these has already been described. The fragment of a
cross-shaft at Steventon Manor was found built into the old manor
house, and is now fixed in a wall so as to preserve it and at the same
time allow all the carving upon it to be seen. It is a mere fragment
3 feet high by 1 1 inches wide, showing portions of two faces of the
shaft. On each face are portions of two panels containing zoomorphic

1 It may be remarked before going further that the scope of the present inquiry is confined to the
study of the decorative sculpture (whether consisting of symbolical figure-subjects, zofimorphs, foliage, or
purely geometrical ornament) which occurs upon Christian sepulchral and other monuments, and the
details of ecclesiastical buildings from the seventh to the twelfth century.

Now it is a curious fact that in the pre-Norman Christian period decorative sculpture is almost
exclusively found on sepulchral monuments and crosses which were erected for various purposes and
hardly ever on the details of churches, whilst in the twelfth century exactly the reverse is the case.
With few exceptions the sculptured stonework still in situ in Saxon churches belongs to a late period,
i.e. the eleventh century, and is comparatively unimportant in quantity, so that it is hardly necessary to
classify it. With the sculpture in Norman churches it is different. In these buildings the largest sur-
faces of dressed stone available for decoration and at the same time those which occupied the most
prominent positions were the tympanum over the outside of the entrance doorway and the baptismal
font. It is therefore the Norman tympana and fonts which furnish us with the most important
examples of symbolical and ornamental sculpture. The other details of Norman churches which
exhibit sculpture are of minor importance, and may be classed under the general head of 'miscellaneous.'
They consist principally of arch-mouldings with beak-heads or medallions enclosing figures, capitals of
columns, corbels and slabs built into walls.

The subject of Christian iconography has been so little studied in this country, and writers on
architecture and antiquities have been so constantly in the habit of dismissing all early sculpture with
such contemptuous epithets as rude, uncouth, or grotesque, that a few words may not be out of place as
to the frame of mind in which such representations must be approached if they are to be made to yield
any meaning. In the first place we must at once dismiss the idea that what appears to us as grotesque
was anything of the kind to the artist of eight or nine hundred years ago. It cannot be supposed that
the ecclesiastical sculptor of the twelfth century would purposely throw ridicule on such subjects as the
Last Supper or Christ in Glory, and yet some of the figures in these scenes carved on Norman tympana
and fonts are as archaic and barbarous to look upon as many a South Sea idol. Another frequent source
of misapprehension is the juxtaposition of such obviously sacred subjects as the Agnus Dei or the
symbols of the Four Evangelists with monstrous centaurs, griffins, dragons et hoc genus omne. A super-
ficial knowledge of the medieval bestiary would at once show that from the point of view of the mystic
zoology of the middle ages there was nothing incongruous whatever in associating scriptural symbols with
creatures which conveyed under an uncouth exterior an equally pregnant Christian moral to the initi-
ated. Again, many ludicrous mistakes have been made in the attempted interpretation of ancient figure
sculpture because it has been supposed that they necessarily have reference to the use of the object upon
which the representations occur. For instance according to our modern idea of the fitness of things the
scenes sculptured on a font should refer to the rite of baptism, but an examination of a large number of
Norman fonts shows that this was the exception rather than the rule. In fine the only possible chance
of extracting any meaning from an ancient sculpture is by ruthlessly setting aside our preconceived
notions of what it ought to mean according to our twentieth century methods of thought, and
endeavour by a careful study of the history, literature and art of the middle ages to assume the same
attitude of mind towards the physical and spiritual worlds as existed a thousand years ago.

238

o
ft

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

interlaced ornament much defaced. There is a roll moulding on the
angle of the shaft and a smaller moulding surrounding the panels.
The bodies of the beasts have a central rib with diagonal corruga-
tions on each side to indicate conventionally the texture of the
skin. 1 On the Steventon Manor cross-shaft the wider parts of the
bodies of the beasts are the principal feature in the design, and the
interspaces of the background are occupied by the narrower parts
which form a series of loops interlaced with each other and with
the wider parts of the bodies. This kind of interlaced work based on
the idea of loops is akin to that used in Scandinavia, and altogether
different from the Celtic interlaced work, which is derived from the
plait. Although Prof. G. Stephens assigns a seventh century date to the
Brunswick ivory casket, it seems probable that the sculptured monuments
of the Wessex school belong to the end of the pre-Norman Christian
period rather than to the beginning. Mr. Henry Harris, the proprietor
of Steventon Manor, who has kindly furnished particulars about his
cross-shaft, writing on January 14, 1895, says : ' I have also preserved
hundreds of tons of Norman worked stones which had been built into
old walls [about twelfth century work], and out of which I believe the
old manor-house here, the residence of the Brocas family, is built.'

An ancient font preserved in South Hayling church has interlaced
work upon it which may be of the Saxon period. The illustration here
given was supplied by the late Mr. J. T. Irvine, F. S.A.Scot., and
explains itself.

The Saxon roods at Headbourne Worthy 2 and Breamore, although
they have both been sadly mutilated by over-zealous iconoclasts, are still
of very great interest.

The former is built into what was the original west wall of
the nave just above the old Saxon west doorway, but although still
in the same position it is within a western annexe, which was built
in the fifteenth century for the protection of the rood and to afford
shelter to its worshippers. At the time the church was restored by the
late Mr. George Edmund Street in 18656 the western annexe was
windowless and had been taken possession of by two owls and their four
young ones, who were forcibly ejected. The crucified Saviour is repre-
sented on the cross in the ancient Byzantine manner, 3 with the body
unbent and the limbs extended straight on the arms of the cross. On
each side are the figures of St. Mary and St. John and above is the
Dextera Dei issuing from a cloud. The feet of the Saviour are sup-
ported on a suppedaneum, and those of St. Mary and St. John on brackets.

1 This peculiar treatment is found on other sculptured stones of the ancient kingdom of Wessex at
Colerne, Wilts ; Roberrow and West Camel, Somersetshire ; and Dolton, Devonshire ; and also on the
ivory casket in the Ducal Museum at Brunswick, bearing an inscription in Anglian Runes stating that it
was made by Nethii for the most noble victory-lord in Montpellier of Gaul.

8 This has been described and illustrated by the Rev. J. H. Slesson in his Notes on the Church of
St. Sioithun, Headbourne Worthy, p. 1 5 ; by Owen B. Carter in Weale's Quarterly Papers on Architecture,
iii. I ; and by the late Father Daniel H. Haigh in his paper on ' The Saxon Cross at Bewcastle ' in the
drchteobgia JEliana, n.s. i. 1 74,

3 See J. R. Allen's Christian SymboRsm, p. 141.

239

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The Saxon rood at Breamore,* which is built into the exterior wall
of the nave above the south doorway, resembles the Headbourne
Worthy rood except that the body of the Saviour is bent, which would
indicate a later date.

The rood at Romsey is built into the south wall of the choir on
the inside. The crucifixion is treated in the Byzantine manner with
the limbs unbent. On each side of the top arm of the cross is an angel
and on either side of the shaft are St. Mary and St. John, and below the
soldiers with the spear and sponge some foliage is to be seen near the
foot of the cross. The shaft of the cross is made unusually long to
allow of the figures of the soldiers being placed below those of the chief
mourners.

It is impossible not to associate these Hampshire roods with two
other representations of the crucifixion belonging to the Winchester
school of Saxon ecclesiastical art, namely the miniature in the psalter
written by ./Elsinus 3 (a monk and afterwards abbot of New Minster)
between A.D. 978 and 928, and now in the British Museum Library
(Titus. D. xxvii.) ; and the magnificent golden cross given by king Cnut
to New Minster, the donation of which is illustrated in the Register of
Hyde Abbey* (A.D. 984-1005).'

The three Saxon sundials in Hampshire at Corhampton, Warnford
and St. Michaels Winchester, are all very much alike, and all are cut
on a square stone with a leaf-like ornament at each of the four corners.
The dial faces are in all three cases enclosed within a double circle, and
the lines indicating the divisions of time radiate from the centre, but do
not go beyond the circumference of the inner circle. In the Corhamp-
ton and Warnford sundials the lower half of the circle is divided into
four equal angles, but in the Winchester one the quadrant on the left
side is divided into six equal angles, whilst the quadrant on the right side
is divided into four equal angles. Three of the radial lines have small
crosses on the end next the circumference, a peculiarity which may be
noticed in many other Saxon sundials. The object of the crosses is to
mark the principal divisions of the day more clearly. All three of the
Hampshire sundials were intended to be placed vertically. The one at
Corhampton, which is in situ, is built into the south wall. Warnford
church although founded by Wilfrid was rebuilt in Norman times by
Adam de Port, as is recorded by two inscriptions in Lombardic capitals,
one in the north wall and the other inside the south porch. The sun-
dial no doubt belongs to Wilfrid's Saxon church. St. Michaels Win-

1 Described by the Rev. A. du Boulay Hill in his paper on the church already alluded to in the
Arcbifokgcal Journal, Iv. 86.

* Reproduced in Dr. W. de Gray Birch's Early Drawings and Illuminations in the British Museum.

8 C. J. Wall's Alfred the Great, p. 25.

1 The characteristics of the Saxon type of crucifixion are given in J. R. Allen's Christian SymboKsm,
P; '55- I* generally includes representations of Sol and Luna, and has St. Mary and St. John at
either side instead of the soldiers with the spear and sponge, which are universally used in the Irish
type of crucifixion. Saxon roods are by no means common, but there are examples at Daglingworth,
Gloucestershire, and Little Langford, Wilts. Others of early date exist abroad at Montmille Priory
near Beauvais, France, and at Horn, Westphalia.

240

SCULPTURED NORMAN FONT, WITH FIGURE SI'BJKCTS FROM THE LEGENDARY LIFE UF Sr. XU.-IIOI.AS,

IN WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL.

FACE OK NORMAN FONT IN WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL SCULPTURED WITH PAIRS OF DOVES AND BUNCHES

OF GRAPES.

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

Chester was entirely rebuilt in 1822, but the sundial, which has been
preserved, is so exactly like the other two that we can have no hesitation
in assigning it to the Saxon period. 1

The examples of Norman figure-sculpture in Hampshire are as
follows :

Fonts Miscellaneous

East Meon. Romsey Abbey (exterior rood).

St. Mary Bourne. (capitals of columns).

St. Michael's, Southampton. Oakley (slab).

Winchester. St. Michael's, Southampton (slab).

Porchester. Binstead, Isle of Wight (arch-stones).

Tympana Whippingham, Isle of Wight (slab).

Shalfleet, Isle of Wight. Winchester Cathedral (capital of

column).

The first four of the fonts given in the above list form a group by
themselves, on account of characteristics which they possess in common,
and because of their obvious connection with another similar group of
fonts in France and Belgium. They have not been inappropriately
termed fonts of the Winchester type, and their material, shape and
style of decoration are clear indications of a common origin. The black
marble of which they are all made is unknown in England but has been
traced to the quarries near Tournai in Belgium. The shape of the bowl
rectangular on the outside and round within, being supported on a large
central column with four smaller detached shafts at each of the angles. The
decoration consists chiefly of vine scrolls and scenes from the legendary
lives of saints, which are rare in the art of the twelfth century in Eng-
land but comparatively common in the sculpture in the north of France
and Belgium at the same period.

Let us commence with the font in Winchester Cathedral which

1 No Saxon sundials now existing have preserved the gnomon, but it is most likely that it projected
horizontally. In any case these sundials must have been very imperfect contrivances for the measure-
ment of time, as their makers were evidently entirely ignorant of the true principles on which their
setting out depends. Whatever the position of the face of the dial, the gnomon should be parallel to
the axis of the earth, and there is only one kind of sundial in which all the hour angles are equal, and
that is when the face of the dial is at right angles to the gnomon, and therefore parallel to the plane of
the equator. Such a dial is called an equatorial dial, and the size of the angles between the radial lines
for all other positions of the dial-face with regard to the gnomon can be found by a simple geometrical
construction, or what mathematicians call the process of ' projection.' Every one who is familiar with
the seventeenth and eighteenth century vertical sundials still to be seen on the south walls of our
churches will have observed that the hour angles are very large near the horizontal diameter, and get
gradually smaller and smaller towards the vertical diameter or the mid-day hour line. Now as the
Saxons made all the angles equal, it will be at once seen how extremely inexactly the time must have
been shown. There is a drawing of a sundial in a Saxon psalter in the British Museum (Tib. c. vi.
fol. 7) of the eleventh century, which shows all the hour angles made equal, and consequently that the
proper geometrical way of setting out the lines of a sundial was not known at that period. The
inefficiency of sundials thus designed is possibly one reason why such time-tellers are so rare between
the twelfth and the sixteenth century. After the invention of clocks, sundials became to a great extent
unnecessary, and the later sundials of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries may be looked upon
more as attempts to display the newly acquired knowledge of mathematics than as really useful appliances
for the measurement of time.

Ample information on this subject is given in Father Haigh's papers on ' Yorkshire Dials ' in the
Yorkshire Archaok&cal "Journal (v. 1 34) and on The Saxon Cross at Bewcastle ' in the Artbitohgta
jEliana (n. s. i. 149), in both of which illustrations of the Hampshire sundials will be found.

tl 241 31

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

has been taken as typical of the group in this country. The subjects
represented on the four sides of the outside of the bowl are as follows :

West Side. Two stories from the legendary life of St. Nicholas of Myra each shown in
two scenes, but so jumbled up together that it is not an easy matter to separate them. The
three figures in the ship on the right of the panel and the figure lying horizontally below
the ship illustrate the first part of the story of the childless nobleman, who made a vow that
he would present a gold cup to St. Nicholas if a son and heir were born to him ; and the
rest of the story is told by the two figures on the extreme left of the panel. This is the
story as given in The Golden Legend, 1 Another nobleman prayed to S. Nicholas that he
would, by his merits, get of our Lord that he might have a son, and promised that he would
bring his son to the church, and would offer up to him a cup of gold. Then the son was
born and came to age, and the father commanded to make a cup, and the cup pleased him
much, and he retained it for himself, and did do make another of the same value. And they
went sailing in a ship toward the church of S. Nicholas, and when the child would have
filled the cup, he fell into the water with the cup, and anon was lost, and came no more up.
Yet nevertheless the father performed his avow, in weeping much tenderly for his son ; and
when he came to the altar of S. Nicholas he offered the second cup, and when he offered it,
it fell down, like as one had cast it down under the altar. And he took it up and set it again
upon the altar, and then yet was it cast further than tofore and yet he took it up and remised
it the third time upon the altar ; and it was thrown again further than tofore. Of which
thing all they that were there marvelled, and men came for to see this thing. And anon, the
child that had fallen into the sea, came again prestly before them all, and brought in his
hands the first cup, and recounted to all the people that, anon as he was fallen into the sea,
the blessed S. Nicholas came and kept him that he had none harm. And thus his father was
glad and offered to S. Nicholas both the two cups.'

The meaning of the sculpture on the font is now clear. In the first scene on
the right of the panel we see the ship containing the nobleman (with a beard, seated
near the bow and holding up his hands in astonishment probably at the roughness of
the sea) ; his son (a beardless youth on the left of the mast, resting his elbow on the
gunwale and supporting his face with his right hand) ; and the captain of the vessel (with
a beard and having the tiller under his right arm). The figure with a cup in his hand lying
in a horizontal position below the ship on the left is no doubt intended for the nobleman's
son, who has tumbled overboard. The second scene on the extreme left of the panel shows
us S. Nicholas with his episcopal mitre and crozier holding the wrist of the nobleman's son,
who is distinguished by having the cup in his hand. The two groups of figures in the middle
of the panel represent the murder of the three children by the wicked host and their sub-
sequent miraculous restoration to life by St. Nicholas. The incident is thus related by the
writer of an article in the Pall Mall Gazette of December 5, 1896 :

' Many strange legends have gathered around the name of St. Nicholas, but the strangest
of them all is that which tells how he became the patron of schoolboys. And a ghastly little
tale it is. A pork butcher there were pork butchers, it seems, even in those days was sitting
one night in his shop when three little boys who had lost their way appeared at the door, and
begged for a night's shelter. The man welcomed them quite kindly, gave them some supper
and a bed, but no sooner were they well asleep than he chopped off their heads, for his supply
of sausage-meat had run short that morning. Just as he had finished packing their little
bodies away in the brine, St. Nicholas knocked at the door and asked for food and lodging.
He wished to sup, he said, on the three little boys who were in the brine-tub. The butcher,
conscience stricken, recognized his visitor, and made a full confession ; whereupon the Saint
restored the small boys to life there and then, and became the guardian of them and all their
kind.'

Immediately to the right of St. Nicholas and the nobleman's son with the gold cup, at
the left end of the panel, the wicked host stands axe in hand with his equally detestable wife
and partner in his crimes looking over his shoulder. In front of him below the axe are
the heads of the three children appearing out of the salting-tub arranged in a vertical row, one
below the other. To the right of this group is St. Nicholas with his crozier and mitre
bringing the children to life.

1 Dent's Temple Classics edition, ii. 1 20.
242

FACE of NORMAN FONT IN WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL SCULPTURED WITH A LION AND L)OVK>.

FACE OF NORMAN FONT IN WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL srni.i'-iTRKn \v
LEUKXDAKY I. in-; v ST. NICHOLAS.

SCKM-'.S KRuM I ILK

FACE OF NORMAN FONT IN WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL SCULPTURED WITH SCENES FROM THE
LECENDAKY LIFE OF ST. NICHOLAS.

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

South Side. The story of St. Nicholas saving the three daughters of a poor nobleman
from leading a life of shame is here represented in one scene. At the right end of the panel
is a very elaborate church ornamented with arcades of round-headed arches, and having a door
with wrought iron straps and keyhole-plate. St. Nicholas habited as a bishop stands in front
of the church, and the poor nobleman who is kneeling at his feet receives a purse of gold
from St. Nicholas with the left hand, and conveys it with the right hand to his daughter.
The two other daughters are standing close to the first, holding each other's hands sympa-
thetically ; and at the extreme left end of the panel is to be seen the bridegroom with a hawk
resting on his wrist, ready to marry one of the ladies that St. Nicholas' generosity has provided
with a suitable dowry.

The story as related in The Golden Legend 1 is as follows : 'And it was so that one, his
neighbour, had three daughters, virgins, and he was a nobleman ; but for the poverty of them
together, they were constrained, and in very purpose to abandon them to the sin of lechery, so
that by the gain and winning of their infamy they might be sustained. And when the holy
man Nicholas knew hereof he had great horror of this villainy, and threw by night in to the
house of the man a mass of gold wrapped in a cloth. And when the man arose in the
morning, he found this mass of gold, and rendered to God therefor great thankings, and there-
with he married his oldest daughter. And a little while after this holy servant of God threw
in another mass of gold, which the man found, and thanked God, and purposed to wake, for
to know him who so had aided him in his poverty. And after a few days Nicholas doubled
the mass of gold and cast it into the house of this man. He awoke by the sound of the gold,
and followed Nicholas, which fled from him, and he said to him : " Sir, flee not away so but
that I may see and know thee." Then he ran after him more hastily and knew that it was
Nicholas ; and anon he kneeled down, and would have kissed his feet, but the holy man
would not, but required him not to tell nor discover this thing as long as he lived.'

East Side. Three circular medallions containing (i) in the centre a pair of doves pecking
at a bunch of grapes ; and (2 and 3) on the right and left a pair of doves with their necks
bent back so that their beaks touch their wings.

North Side. Three circular medallions containing (i) in the centre a beast with its head
bent back, biting the end of its tail ; and (2 and 3) on the right and left a dove with its head
turned backwards and the feathers of the wings and tail spread out.

Although the outside of the bowl of the Winchester font is square,
the inside is circular and surrounded by an elegant wreath of running
foliage. Two of the spandrels at the angles are filled in with foliage,
whilst in each of the other two are a pair of doves drinking from a
vase surmounted by a small cross.

The large column on which the bowl is supported in the middle is
ornamented with horizontal flutings, and two of the smaller columns
at the corners have a moulding twisted spirally round them, so as to
make them look like a cable.

The dimensions of the Winchester font 2 are as follows :

Diameter of bowl outside

ft.

in.

inside .

Depth of bowl outside

,, inside .

Total height

Next in interest to the Winchester font comes the one at East
Meon, which is of similar design but i inch higher and i inch wider.

1 Dent's Temple Classics edition, ii. no.

* Illustrated accounts of this font will be found in the Vetusta Monumenta, vol. ii. pi. 39 ; the
Reliquary, x. 206 and n.s. iv. 262 ; Journal of the British Archxological Association, 1. 6, 20 ; Milner's
History of Winchester, ii. 76 ; and Woodward's History of Hampshire, i. 49.

243

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

The figure-subjects on two of the sides of the font at East Meon are
purely scriptural. 1 The scenes are taken from the opening chapters
of the Book of Genesis, and are arranged from right to left, beginning
on the north side and continuing on the east side, the subjects being
as follows :

On the North Side. (i) The creation of Adam ; a group of two figures ; the Almighty
on the right, represented as Christ with the cruciferous nimbus, placing His right hand on
Adam's left shoulder. Adam is on the left, holding up the right hand and hiding his naked-
ness with the other.

(2) The creation of Eve ; a group of three figures ; the Almighty standing on the
right and Adam lying down on the left, with Eve coming out of his side. The Almighty is
placing His right hand on Eve's left shoulder in the same way as He places it on Adam's
shoulder in the preceding scene.

(3) The Temptation of Adam and Eve ; a group of two figures, a tree and serpent ;
the Tree of Life in the centre with the serpent coiled round it. On the right Eve receiving
the apple from the serpent with the right hand and covering her nakedness with a fig-leaf
held in the left hand ; and on the left Adam raising the apple to his mouth with the left
hand and hiding his nakedness with a fig-leaf held in the other.

On the East Side. (i) The Expulsion from Paradise; a group of three figures and a
building ; the angel standing with a drawn sword in front of the gates of paradise (which are
conventionally treated as a Byzantine architectural composition) driving Adam and Eve before
him, who are still hiding their nakedness with fig-leaves held in the right hand.

(2) The Curse after the Fall ; a group of three figures. On the right the angel
showing Adam who is on the left how to dig with a spade ; beyond on the left Eve with
a distaff and spindle. Adam and Eve are represented wearing clothes in this last scene.

The remaining two sides of the font are ornamented with arcading
surmounted by a frieze sculptured with winged dragons, doves and
animals.

The top of the bowl has a circular wreath of conventional vine
scrolls round the inside rim. Two of the spandrels at the angles are
filled in with foliage, and the other two with pairs of doves drinking
from a vase surmounted by a cross, as on the Winchester font.

The bowl of the font at St. Mary Bourne is sculptured on two sides
with panels each containing a pair of conventional vines, and on the other
two with arcading surmounted in one case by fleurs-de-lys and in the other
by pairs of doves drinking from a vase. The top of the bowl is orna-
mented in the same way as in the fonts at Winchester and East Meon,
except that the pairs of doves in the spandrels at the angles are drinking
from a vase which is not surmounted by a cross.

The font at St. Mary Bourne 2 is the largest of the series, the bowl
the only ancient part now remaining being 3 feet 7 inches across, or
4 inches wider than that at Winchester.

The last font of the Winchester type in Hampshire to be described
is in St. Michael's church, Southampton. 3 It is 3 feet 4 inches wide
and 3 feet 6 inches high, so that it is the same width as the East Meon
font, but 3 inches higher. The bowl of the font at Michael's is sculp-

1 The East Meon font has been described and illustrated in the Archtcokpa, x. 183.

8 This font has been described and illustrated in Dr. Steven's History of the Parish of St. Mary
Bourne and in the Journal of the British jjrch&ological Association, xxxvi. 30.

3 The font at St. Michael's, Southampton, has been described and illustrated in the Rev. J. S.
Da vies' History of Southampton.

244

FACE OK NORMAN FONT AT Sr. MARY BOURNE, srui.iMTREi) \vini CONVENTIONALISM) VINE.

% V;

FACE OF NORMAN FONT AT ST. MARY BOURNE, HANTS, SCULPTURED WITH CONVENTIONALISED VINE.

FACE of NOKMAN FONT AT ST. MARY UOI'RNK, HANTS, scui.i'i UKI:I> WITH AKCADIM; AM>

DUl.NKINi; FROM \'ASEs.

FACE OF NORMAN FONT AT ST. MAKV BOUK.NE, HANTS, SCULPTURED WIIH ARCADI.NG AXU FLEUKS-UE-LYS.

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

tured on the west side with the eagle of St. John, the lion of St. Mark
and the angel of St. Matthew, each enclosed within a circular medallion.
The three other sides have similar medallions enclosing beasts, some with
wings, others with their tails bent round between the hind legs, but all
looking backwards and grinning so as to show a horrible set of teeth.

The top of the bowl is decorated in the same way as in the case of
the other fonts of the series.

Having now given an account of all the details of the four fonts of
the Winchester type in Hampshire, we are in a position to examine the
group as a whole. 1

The Hampshire series of fonts are interesting as perpetuating three
of the most ancient Christian symbols the dove, the cup or vase and
the vine, all of which were originally borrowed either from a Jewish 2 or
more probably from a classical 3 source, and are used either separately or

1 It may be remarked that the Hampshire examples are not the only ones of the kind in England,
there being at least three others, namely (l) in Lincoln Cathedral ; (2) in St. Peter's church, Ipswich ;
and (3) in Thornton Curtis church, Lincolnshire. Fonts belonging to the same class exist at the
following places on the continent :

BELGIUM

Zedelghem near Bruges (Reliquary for 1898, p. 259).

Termonde near Ghent (P. Saintenoy's Font Baptismaux, p. 91, and Messager des Sciences et des Arts
de la Belglque for 1838, p. 233).

Lichtervelde (Messager des Sciences, etc., for 1857, p. 144).

FRANCE

Montdidier, Somme (Viollet le Due's Dictionnaire raisonnh de I' Architecture, v. 536, and C. Enlart's
V Architecture nmane dans la Region plcarde, p. 37).

Nordpeene, Nord (Revue de f Art chretien for 1895, p. 313).

Vermand, Aisne (ibid. p. 319).

Ribemont, Aisne (ibid. p. 312).

Noiron le Vineaux, Aisne (Nesfield's Continental Sketches').

St. Just, Oise (A. de Caumont's Court d* Antlqulth monumentales : Atlas, pi. 87).

La Neuville les Corbie (La Plcardle Hlstorique et Monumentale, No. 6, 1899, p. 473).

The Very Rev. G. W. Kitchin, D.D., F.S.A., formerly dean of Winchester and now dean of
Durham, has shown in his valuable paper on the ' History of the Cathedral Font, Winchester,' in the
Journal of the British Archteological Association (1. 6), that all the fonts enumerated in the above list were
made at Tournai in Hainault from a hard marble of a dark blue-black colour, obtained from the neigh-
bouring quarries on the banks of the river Scheldt. There appears to have been a very remarkable
school of ecclesiastical art in the twelfth century at Tournai, and the sculptured fonts which were pro-
duced there at that period were so much appreciated that they were exported from Belgium to the
north of France and to England. The transport of such bulky objects was in all probability effected as
far as possible by ship. Dean Kitchin points out that the popularity of St. Nicholas in Europe dates
from the time when 'in 1087 Italian merchants trading with the East brought over to Bari, on the
south Adriatic coast of Italy, besides their ordinary merchandise, the bones of St. Nicholas.' In Eng-
land St. Nicholas became known through the mystery play written by a Benedictine monk named
Hilary in A.D. 1125, and Wace's Anglo-Norman Life of St. Nicholas written in the middle of the twelfth
century. From these facts Dean Kitchin concludes that the date of the Winchester font must be some
time in the latter half of the twelfth century, and therefore must have been brought over from Belgium
either by Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester (A.D. 1229 to 1271), or his successor in the episcopate,
Richard Toclive (A.D. 1174 to 1188). The shape of the mitre worn by St. Nicholas as represented on
the Winchester font points towards the same period. The only other instance of the occurrence of
scenes taken from the legendary life of St. Nicholas in Norman sculpture is on the font in the parish
church at Brighton, which is dedicated to that s-unt. The font at Brighton is cylindrical and therefore
of an entirely different kind from that at Winchester. The font at Zedelghem near Bruges however,
given in our list, has scenes from the life of St. Nicholas sculptured upon it, and treated very much in
the same way as on the Winchester font.

2 Dean Burgon's Letters from Rome, pp. 130, 163, 233.

3 The celebrated mosaic from Hadrian's Villa at Tivoli now in the Capitoline Museum at Rome
represents four doves perched on the edge of a bowl of water, and one of them drinking from it, as
described by Pliny (lib. xxxvi. c. 60).

245

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

in combination. The dove as depicted on the sepulchral inscriptions
of the catacombs at Rome of the first four centuries A.D. is Noah's dove
with the olive branch in its mouth, either accompanied by the ark (ren-
dered literally as a rectangular box with the lid open) or more frequently
by itself. The dove symbol is equivalent to the words IN PACE of the
inscription it illustrates, and it also signifies the Holy Ghost and therefore
in another sense the soul 1 of the departed. Doves in early Christian art
are usually arranged symmetrically in pairs facing each other with a vase,
or the Chi-Rho monogram of Christ, or the cross in the centre between
them. On a sculptured sarcophagus of the fifth century in the Lateran
Museum at Rome engraved in J. W. Appell's Monuments of Early
Christian Art (p. 21) a pair of doves are perched on the horizontal arms
of the cross with the Chi-Rho monogram above. On the sarcophagus
of the emperor Honorius in the mausoleum of Galla Placidia at Ravenna
the pair of doves are perched on the arms of the cross which is combined
with the Agnus Dei standing on the mountain with the four rivers of
paradise flowing from its foot. The two-handled cup or vase was per-
haps, as Dean Burgon has suggested, the Jewish Passover cup adapted to
Christian purposes. In shape it resembles the vases which are seen so
frequently on Romano-British mosaic pavements forming the central
object, on each side of which the rest of the design is arranged symme-
trically. In early Christian art the two-handled cup is no doubt used as
a eucharistic symbol, and in support of this view it may be mentioned
that the most ancient chalice now in existence 2 is of this shape. It is
also used as a symbol of baptism in the well-known mosaic in the bap-
tistery of the basilisca at Salona 3 near Spalato in Dalmatia. The cup
occurs in the third or fourth century catacombs at Rome * with a dove
holding the olive branch on each side and the Chi-Rho monogram of
Christ, and in the seventh century we find the same symbol, but with the
olive-branches omitted, the vine added and the cross substituted for the
monogram. 6 Sometimes again the doves are replaced by a pair of pea-
cocks. 6 The Christian vine was clearly copied from Roman art, 7 and its

1 In the twelfth-century Spanish Commentary on the Apocalypse in the British Museum Library
(Add. MSS. No. 1 1,695) doves or birds flying are inscribed ' anlmce interfectorum'

8 The chalice now in the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris, found at Gourdon, Chalons-sur-Marne,
with medals of Anastasius and Justinian A.D. 508-527 (A. de Caumont's AbMdaire <T Anheokge Archi-
tecture Refigieuse, p. 117).

3 The vase here represents the Fountain of Life, and there are stags on each side drinking from it.
The inscription, ' Sic ut cervus desiderat ad fontes,' etc, explains the meaning of the subject. (Dr. R.
Munro's Boznia, Herzegovina and Dalmatia, p. 264 ; and R. Garrucci's Storia dell* Arte Criitiana, iv. 278.

4 P. Aringhi's Roma Subterranea, ii. 348.

6 On the end of the sarcophagus of Archbishop Theodore in the church of S. Apollinare in Classe
at Ravenna (J. W. Appell's Monuments of Early Christian Art, p. 30).

6 On a sculptured parapet in the church of S. Apollinare Nuovo at Ravenna, and on the sarcopha-
gus of Archbishop John in the church of S. Apollinare in Classe at Ravenna. A cross and pair of pea-
cocks but without the vase occurs on the front of the cathedral at Athens (A. N. Didron's Christian
Iconography, i. 389).

7 The ceiling of the vaulted aisle of the church of S. Constantia (A.D. 320) at Rome, and a sculp-
tured sarcophagus with the Good Shepherd in the Vatican Museum are decorated with vintage scenes
which are more suggestive of the worship of Bacchus than of anything Christian. A fine example of the
ceiling of a chamber in the catacombs at Rome with the Good Shepherd in the centre and the classical
vine is given in Dr. E. L. Cult's History of Early Christian Art, p. 163, after Bottari, pi. 3.

246

SCULPTURED NORMAN FONT AT ST. MIUIAIU.'S, Sou TIIAMPTON. NORTH SIDE.

EAST FACE OF NORMAN FONT AT ST. MICHAEL'S, SOUTHAMPTON, SCULPTURED WITH A WINGED BEAST AND LIONS.

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND INSCRIPTIONS

significance is explained by the passage in St. John's Gospel (xv. 1-5)
commencing, ' I am the true vine.' Both the dove l and the peacock *
are found in combination with the vine and are generally placed sym-
metrically in pairs. The dove is usually shown pecking at a bunch
of grapes.

The facts just stated enable us to elucidate the meaning of the sym-
bolism of the fonts of the Winchester type in Hampshire. The vine forms
the chief motive of the decoration of the font at St. Mary Bourne, and it is
interesting to observe that the treatment corresponds almost exactly with
that of the font at Montdidier, near Amiens in France, except that in the
latter case the significance of the symbolism of the vine is made still more
clear by placing a figure of Christ giving the benediction in the centre.
These two fonts afford a remarkable instance of the transformations
produced by successive copying. The bunches of grapes being the most
essential feature have degenerated least, whilst the leaves are so highly
conventionalized as to be altogether unlike the reality. The bunches
of grapes, although not sufficiently pointed at the ends, can be easily
recognized.

The pair of doves pecking at a bunch of grapes in the central
medallion of the east side of the Winchester font may be taken to mean
the souls of the faithful obtaining spiritual nourishment from Christ
the true vine. The pair of doves drinking from a vase on the top and
one of the sides of the St. Mary Bourne font, and the pair of doves
drinking from a vase surmounted by a cross on the tops of the fonts
at Winchester, East Meon and Montdidier mean the souls of the
faithful obtaining spiritual nourishment from the fountain of life 3 at
baptism or from the chalice when receiving the sacrament of the
Mass. The symbol of a pair of doves drinking from a vase is extremely
rare in Norman sculpture in England, the only other example besides
those just mentioned being on a sepulchral slab in Bishopstone * church,
Sussex.

The font in Porchester church is of an entirely different kind to
those of the Winchester type. It is cylindrical and is ornamented
round the lower part with intersecting Norman arcading and round
the top with a band of beautiful foliage having figures of men, beasts,

1 Dr. J. S. Northcote's Epitaphs of the Catacombs, p. 162 ; Dean Burgon's Letters from Rome, p. 233.
Many of the pre- Norman crosses of Northumbria are decorated with vine scrolls and birds pecking at the
bunches of grapes.

* On the ambone from the church of S. Salvatore, Brescia (R. Cattaneo's Architecture in Italy,
p. I Ji), and on the ivory chair of Maximian at Ravenna (R. Garrucci's Storia dell' A tie Cristiana, vol. vi.
pis. 414-23).

8 See representations of the mystic fountain in the baptistery at Salona already mentioned and in
the Gospels of Charlemagne in the National Library in Paris (Auguste Molinier's Les Manuscrits et let
Miniatures, p. 121, after Count Bastard). The Fountain of Life, which in the baptistery at Salona in
Dalmatia is shown flowing from a two-handled vase, is in other mosaics of the sixth century symbolized
by the four rivers of paradise flowing from the foot of a small mountain surmounted by the cross or by
the Agnus Dei. The symbolism of the mystic fountain is explained by the decoration and the inscrip-
tion in Greek, ' Drink water with joy,' on an early Christian leaden cup from Tunis, illustrated in Dr.
E. L. Cult's History of Early Christian Art, p. 331.

4 Allen's Christian SymboKsm, p. 333.

247

A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE

birds and winged dragons invo