quo prius exierat Which his Brother Galfridus hearing contradicted it affirming that Church was de feodo suo servitium sicuti de alio feodo suo in se habuisse Whereupon the Abbot impleaded him about this and about other forfeitures and he fearing the penalties if judgment went against him came and made the same surrender his Brother had done and disclaimed all interest in this Church which he had pretended to be his Fee and as Hugo's words are clamavit solutam quietam de se haeredibus suis in perpetuum ac in manum Abbatis per quandam virgam reddidit dimisit His heirs also Turoldus and Robertus did the same in open Court which was very full and the aforesaid Galfridus begged the Abbots pardon which he obtained The Abbot also before the above named persons freed him from the service dimidii Militis and pardoned him seven Marks of Silver de relevamine suo All which was done on the day that the Abbot Martin received the Homages of his Tenents which shows it was in the entrance of his Government The same year Pampelina Wife of Osbern holding certain Lands unjustly in Burch Withrington and Glinton for which she could show no right came into the Abbots Court at Castre and surrendred them all into his hands declaring them to be free from her and her Heirs and begging with many prayers the Abbots pardon Who took compassion upon her when he understood her poverty and restord her the Land of Wither de Witherintona which she said her Husband Osbern had bought to hold it of him for sixpence a year Rent instead of all services owing to the Abbot And because she was Niece to his Predecessor John he pardoned her ten shillings she owed him for the service of her Land There are several other such Acts of his of the same year which show he was not unmindful of the good of the Church in the very entrance of his Government The Church of Castre after this was supplied by a Chaplain whose name was Robert as I find in a Grant made of this Church but it doth not appear in what year by the Abbot and the Convent to the Archdeacon of Northampton in Eleemosynam with all its appurtenances in Tithes and Lands either Wood or Pasture Meadow or Arable For which he was to pay every year one Mark of Silver for the service of the Altar and if he either dyed or took upon him a Religious habit it was to return to the right of the Monastery freely and quietly salva Episcopali dignitate They granted him also plenariam societatem in capitulo So that they would give him the habit of a Monk if he would live among them or if he dyed in another place and in another habit obsequies should be made for him as for one of their Monks Whereupon Robert Chaplain of Castre proclaimed with a loud voice in the Chapter-house the Church of Castre to be free and quiet from all claim that he had hitherto had unto it and delivered the Charter which he had received to the Archdeacon I do not find what was done in the following years till 1140. when Radulphus filius Arconbi de Glinton being mindful of the salvation of his Soul and repenting of his sins came to Burgh and standing before the great Altar many standing about him offered to God and St. Peter for the salvation of his Soul and forgiveness of his sins unam culturam terrae de suo dominio in Peychirche quae jacet pro sex acris In testimony of which Donation he demised his Knife in the very Church laying it upon the Altar and Martin the Abbot on the other side gave from the Charity of St. Peter one Mark of Silver to the aforesaid Radulphus desiring to make him the more cheerful in this Donation That form of confirming a grant by the donors laying his Knife up on the Altar was usual in those times For in the year wherein King Stephen was taken Prisoner the next I think after that now mentioned upon the Feast of the invention of the holy Cross Guido Malfet with Adelize his Wife came into the Chapter-house of Burg and there restored to God and to St. Peter and the Monks of the Church ad luminare Altaris two parts of all the Tythes of the Land he held of St. Peter for the Souls of his Father and Mother and for his own Soul his Wives and Childrens which Tythes he had in part formerly kept wrongfully from the Church And after he had done this in the Chapter-house he went to the Altar of St. Peter and there finally granted and confirmed what he had done in the Chapter-house per cultellum super altare ab eodem positum In the year 1150. also I find that Ingelramus Wardeden came to Burgh with his three Sons and there made a solemn acknowledgment that the thirty shillings which he yearly claimed from the Abbey had been unjustly and to the peril of his Soul received by him And therefore before the High-Altar in the presence of the Convent he both promised amendment of his fault which he acknowledged by laying his Knife on the Altar and also disclaimed all right in the premise by the same Knife c. so the words are Et de culpa sua quam timuit recognovit cultellum super illud pro emendatione posuit omne rectum quod in eisdem triginta solidos hactenus clamaverat de se haeredibus suis natis innatis de omni progenie sua per eundem cultellum reddidit quietum clamavit After which they all took their Oaths also upon the Altar that they would never pretend to these thirty Shillings in time to come There were more memorable things than these done in the year before mentioned 1140. When King Stephen granted a great many Charters to this Church The first of which directed to the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Chancellor Justices Barons and all his Subjects declares that he had granted in perpetuum Eleemosynam to God and St. Oswald and the Church of St. Peter de Burgh c. for the Soul of King Henry his Uncle and other Kings his Ancestors and for the health of his own Soul of Matildis his Wife and Eustachius his Son and his other Children omnia assarta quae Abbas Monachi de Burgo homines sui fecerunt c. i. e. all the Woods grubbed up which was a great offence by the Abbot Monks and their Tenants in the Lands of the Abbey of Burgh untill the day that he came to Burgh in his return from Lincolnshire when he had newly finished his Castle at Castre in Lindsey viz. Septimo idus Junii An. MCXL Ã passione Oswaldi Regis Martyris quingentesimo primo Another Charter he granted about the Liberties of the Village of Pilesgate a second concerning Land in Northorp a third about Essarts in Nasso de Burgo with three more which I shall not mention
Abby was at this time in full tenure and possession of King Henry made a tripartite kind of division assuming a third to himself confirming another third upon the Bishop and the rest upon the Dean and Chapter Those which King Henry took to himself being surrendred unto him were then let out unto Tenants at a yearly rate these and thus Com. North. Â Â Â Â * Or L. Russel afterwards E. of Bedford Eyebury then in the hands of Sir John Russel 13 l. 6 s. 8 d. Â Oxeney then in the hands of Roger Horton Gent. 1 l. 10 s. 0 d. Â Dosthorp called Gillims le Lane-land then in the hands of John Stoddard 2 l. 0 s. 0 d. Â Pillisgate in the hands of David Vincent 19 l. 0 s. 0 d. Â Kettering cum Pightesly with the Advowsons of the Rectories there in the Queens hand 111 l. 3 s. 4 d. ob q. dimid * Given first to the Dean and Chapt. but taken away again with Polebrook also Stanwigge then in the Queens hand 27 l. 16 s. 0 d. ob Cottingham cum Desborough with the Advowsons of the Rectories in the Queens hand 67 l. 2 s. 1 d. Â Oundle with the Advowson of the Vicaridge in the hand of the Lord Russel 172 l. 0 s. 3 d. ob Ashton in the Queens hand 29 l. 3 s. 8 d. Â Wermington cum Egilthorp with the Advowson of the Vicaridge in the Queens hand 97 l. 4 s. 10 d. ob q. Polebroke with the Advowson of the Rectory then in the hands of Sir Edward Montague 12 l. 14 s. 0 d. ob q. Clopton with the Advowson of the Rectory in the hands of William Dudley Esq 3 l. 17 s. 4 d. Â Lullington with the Advowson of the Rectory in the hands of Sir Edward Mountague 8 l. 15 s. 7 d. ob Hundreds of Polebrook and Navesford in the Q. hand s. 19 l. 9 s. 3 d. q. Hundred of Howkeslow in the Queens hand 16 l. 13 s. 4 d. q. Com. Rutland Tinwel with the Advowson of the Rectory in the hands of Sir William Cecil 33 l. 13 s. 4 d. Â Com. Lincoln Gosberkirk in the Queens hand 74 l. 9 s. 2 d. ob q. 3 ob Com. Hunt Fletton in the hand of Roger Forest 27 l. 0 s. 6 d. Â Sum. total 733 l. 9 s. 9 d. 0. 3 pt q. dimid King Henry having taken these Lands from the Church of Peterburgh made provision for the Bishoprick to which he subjected the Counties of Northampton and Rutland for his Diocess and appointed the Abbots dwelling for the Bishops Palace and for his maintenance confirmed these Lands viz. Burghbury Eye Singlesholt Northam Witherington Walton Paston Gunthorp Southorp Thirlby The Hundred of Nassaburgh A Pasture in Park-lane of 8 Acres 40 Acres Sheepcotes S. Johns Yard The Vineyard and Toothill Snorshills Edgerly 50 Acres In Padholm 18 Acres Eastwood 180 Acres Westwood Burghbury 246 Acres The Spittle More at Eye and the Tything Barn there Pensions from Helpiston Etton Wittering Houses and Shops in the Parish of S. Gregory London and in the Parish of S. Bridget The Advowsons of Castre Bernack Paston Polebrook Scotter South Collingham The Vicaridge of S. John Baptist in Peterburgh The Deanery of the Colledge at Irtlingburgh and the Chantry there The Chappel of S. John upon or adjoyning to the Bridge in Stamford For all which the Bishop was to make to the King Annual acknowledgement by the payment of 33l 10s 8d In this Dotation of the Bishoprick bearing date September 4. and of King Henry 33. which was of our Lord 1541. John Chambers Hen. Isaacson in his Chronology pag. 375. B. Goodwin in J. Chambers the present Abbot was nominated for the Bishop whom some will have to be Doctor of Physick and Dean of S. Stephen's in Westminster and continued in his new transformed government about the space of 15 years to the year 1556. the 4 or 5. of Queen Mary Although an Inscription in Brass about the Verge of his Marble Monument beareth date otherwise for it was thus Credo quod redemptor meus vivit in novissimo die de terra surrecturus sum in carne mea videbo Deum salvatorem meum reposita est haec spes mea in sinu meo Moritur die ........... Anno Domini Millesimo Quingentesimo Tricesimo Which could not be for then he must die about his second year of government long before the dissolution of his Abby when he was nominated Bishop for Goodwin saith he was consecrated Bishop October 23. 1541. But it is probable that there was a mistake which if it hapned in his time a wonder he did not reform it the Monument indeed might be extant in his time for he might be careful in providing the house of his mortality before he came to inhabite therein At the foot of his figure upon the same Stone was laid a plate of Brass wherein these Verses were engraven En pius en validus pastor jacet hic Johannes Burgh Burgo natus ac domus hujus apex Cui caro mundus opes cesserunt idgenus omne Praelia divinus carnea vincit amor Ordinis infestos redigens sub vindice mores Dum comes ipse fuit norma locique decor Pauperimos ditans lapsis peccata remittens Mitibus ipse pius asperimus rigidis Sta lege funde preces Deus est cui singula cedunt Dic velit ipse dare celica regna sibi He had also another more stately Monument at the head of this made of white Chalk-stone with his Statue exquisitely carved lying on the top perhaps being Abbot and Bishop he might have a Monument for each but these Monuments habent sua fata sepulchra were demolished Anno 1643. There were lately some doors in the Church curiously carved with the device of this John thus An Eagle a Crosier and Mitre a Bur-dock with Burs thereon and a Ro-buck with the Letters R. O. on his side the summ whereof was John Abbot or Bishop of Bur-row At the same time that King Henry thus established the Bishop and his Revenues he established also the Dean and Chapiter with theirs of which hereafter Return we now to our Series of Succession John Chambers being dead the Succession continued in 46 DAVID POOL Who was first Fellow of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford afterwards Dean of the Arches and Chancellour of the Diocess of Lichfield and made Bishop of Peterburgh 1556. But I find not his nomination thereunto by Queen Mary only the Pope's in the donation and confirmation of him in this Bishoprick For it is sufciently known that this Church and Kingdom of England began again to submit to the Roman yoke from which they had been delivered in the time of King Edward 6. under which relapse I find the Popes power in reference to the Church of Peterburgh to have been more practised than ever it was before for throughout the whole Series of Abbots formerly recited
who promoted him he saith in another place by the consent of the King Deposuit certis ex causis Willielmum Abbatem de Burgo eidem ex assensu Regis supposuit Cancel larium suum Benedictum Actus Pontif. Cantu That is Richard the Archbishop obtained the place for him as John Bromton explains it ad An. MCLXXVII eodem anno Rex concessit Benedicto Priori Sanctae Trinitatis Cantuariae Abbatiam de Burgo c. Our Historian whom from this time forward I take to be Robert Swapham for by the very writing it appears a new man begins to carry on the story where Hugo left saith he was Prior Ecclesiae Christi Cant. which is the same it will appear presently and was elected Abbot at Winchester All agree he was made Abbot in the year MCLXXVII in the beginning of which I find him still Prior of Christs-Church For William Thorn in his Chron. hath set down a composition made between the Monks of St. Austin in Canterbury and the Church of the Holy Trinity which begins thus Benedictus Prior Conventus Ecclesiae Christi Cant. universis Christi fidelibus salutem c. and then relating how he and Roger Elect of the Monastery of St. Austin had changed certain Lands one with another which are there particularly mentioned it concludes thus Facta est autem haec compositio vel conventio anno ab incarnatione Millesimo CLXXVII seven year after the Murder of Thomas a Becket in his Church Where by the way it may be observed that this Roger had himself been a Monk of the Church of the Holy Trinity where Benedict now was Prior and was keeper of the Altar where Thomas was slain As soon as Benedict was here setled he straightway indeavoured to destroy the ill Customs which had crept into the Monastery to restore regular discipline and then to free the Church from the debts left by his Predecessor of whom the Romans and many in England had exacted 1500. Marks The Ornaments of this Church also were dispersed and pawned in several places which was such a burden to this Abbot that out of the load of grief he had upon his mind he went to Canterbury with one Monk alone and there staid many days When he had a little eased and freed himself not without much labour from those demands and vexations he returned hither and gave his mind to Meditation in the holy Scripture They are the words of Swapham who saith he composed himself unum egregium volumen one most excellent volume as they then accounted it de passione miraculis Sancti Thomae and caused a great many others to be transcribed for the use of the Monastery which are those set down by Mr. G. out of Wittlesea who did in this but transcribe Swapham Who tells us of a great many benefactions besides those named by Mr. G. especially in precious Ornaments bestowed upon the Church which made his memory deserve as his words are to remain in benediction for ever The principal were three rich Palls and six Chesibles the last of which were black Embroidered with Golden Trees before and behind and full of pretious Stones from the top to the bottom He acquired also many Reliques of Thomas a Becket viz. his Shirt his Surplice and a great quantity of his Blood in two Crystal vessels with two Altars of the Stone upon which he fell when he was murdered Whose Chapel begun by William de Waterville he finished together with an Hospital adjoyning to it From whence I gather that Mr. G. is mistaken in his opinion about the place of it which was not in the middle Arch of the Church-Porch but at the gate of the Monastery and is now as I conceive the School-house For thereabout the Hospital was as I learn from a Charter of King Richard I Swaph fol. XLIX Wherein this benefaction of Benedict's is remembred It contains a grant of all the Lands sometimes belonging to Thuroldus de Sutona unto his beloved and faithful Clerk Magister Damianus to have and to hold them de Hospitali Sancti Thomae Martyris juxta portam Ecclesiae de Burg which Land was the purchace of Benedict Abbot of Burgh and assigned by him to the aforesaid Hospital in perpetuam Eleemosynam Upon this condition that the aforesaid Damianus should pay out of it yearly to the Almoner of the Church of Burgh one Mark of Silver and after his decease the whole Land to return to the aforesaid Hospital It is dated at Spire 20. of Novemb. in the fifth year of his Reign per manum Will. Eleyensis Episcopi Cancellarii But this is more fully cleared by the Chron. MS. of John Abbot who saith expresly that this Chapel of St. Thomas was at the Gate of the Monastery Ad An. MCLXXV Solomon Prior Eliensis factus est Abbas Thorneyensis Benedictus Prior Cantuariensis factus est Abbas Burgi Qui fecit construere totam Navem Ecclesiae Burgi ex lapide ligno a Turri usque ad frontem Et Capellam in honorem Sancti Thomae Martyris ad portam Monasterii He begun also that wonderful work as Swapham calls it juxta bracinum but did not live to finish it The Abbey in his days was full of all good things in the Convent there was joy and peace in his house nobleness and exaltation among the Servants in the several Offices jocundness and mirth the greatest plenty of meat and drink and at the Gate a gladsome reception without any murmuring of the Guests or Strangers He procured a large Charter from Rich. I. in the first year of his Reign dated at Canterbury confirming to them all their Lands and Possessions in the several Counties of the Realm which are particularly enumerated in perpetuam Eleemosynam And thereby it appears that Benedict recovered the aforesaid Lands in Sutton with the Mill and appurtenances from Thorald Son of Anketillus who restored them to the Church as part of its Demeans And afterward also purchased of the Nephews and Heirs of the same Thorald Pilesgate Badigtune and Bernack and other Lands which Gaufridus Son of Gaufridus gave to the Monastery with a great many other things worth the remembering if I had room to insert them I will name only the last Concedimus etiam pro amore Dei Sancti Petri ob reverentiam beati Oswaldi Regis Martyris quod praedicti Monasterii Milites qui Guuardam suam faciunt in Castello nostro de Rokingam sint quieti solvendo singulis annis tempore pacis de feodo militis 4. solidos sicut facere solebant tempore Henrici R. avi nostri c. There is a Charter of the same year bearing date 22. March from Roan confirming all their Liberties particularly the 8. Hundreds for which he afterwards granted a special Charter by it self Which Charter being lost when he was Prisoner in Germany he renewed it and in some things inlarged it in the Xth year of his Reign Many others there
Ministers the days then being very evil because there was great discord inter Regnum Sacerdotium between the Civil and the Ecclesiastical power For they that should have defended the Church took Arms against it and they who seemed to be friends of Religion endeavoured to destroy it There had been a Petition preferred by the Almoner of Burgh in his Predecessors time to Pope Clement showing that he having no Ecclesiastical benefice belonging to the Almonry whereby he might be able to keep good hospitality was willing to assign the Church of Makeseia to that use if the Abbot and Convent who had the right of presentation would consent Whereupon the Pope moved Hugo Bishop of Lincoln to use his Authority to perswade them to grant the said Parsonage to that use which Hugo did and Pope Celestine afterward confirmed the Grant of the Church of Makeseia and Normanby with all their appurtenances unto the use of the Almonry After which Acarius by the Petition and advice of the Convent setled all the Tythes of all their Lands for the maintenance of Hospitality except of those two Mannors de Stanewig de Irtlingburgh Which was afterward confirmed by William Bishop of Lincoln who recites the whole Charter of Akarius in his Fol. XCIII He granted also out of reverence and respect to this Church of Makeseia and at the Petition of Galfridus Son of Radulphus de Halone one of the Milites of Burgh and at the desire of the Parishioners that they would hereafter have no passage through the Church-yard of Makeseia for their Horses Oxen Cows Hoggs or other Animals nor by themselves nor Servants lay any thing in the Church-yard which might discolour or dishonour it saving to themselves only the herbage of the Church-yard and liberty to mow it c. Galfridus on his part giving the Eleemosynary of the Church of Burgh two Acres of Arable Land in the field of Makeseia so that the Church yard might be freed from all that filth which was caused by the Carriages of the Procurators of the Eleemosynary Both these Charters are remaining Swaph fol. CIII In another Charter this Abbot granted to the same Eleemosynary the offerings of the Chapel before mentioned of Tho. a Becket called there Capella Sancti Thomae ad Portam for the use of the Hospital which belonged to it Yet so as that on Festival days when the Parishioners of St. John Baptist were bound to make their Oblation at that Church none should be admitted to hear Mass in the Church of the Hospital to the prejudice of the said Church of St. John Baptist But if any man were so weak in Body that he could not go so far as the Parish-Church and therefore made his Oblation in the aforesaid Chapel two parts of three of such Oblation should be given to the Sacrist and the remaining third to the Chaplain of St. J. Baptist Upon other days if any body came out of devotion to this Chapel and made his offerings here they should be wholly applied to the use of the Hospital In like manner if Strangers came to pray there whether on Festival or other days and offered any thing or if any Legacy were given to the Hospital all should be intirely applied to the uses of the poor people there Fol. CIV and fol. CC. And accordingly an agreement was made and drawn in writing between the Sacrist the Chaplain of St. John Baptist and the Almoner In which the Festivals are expressed on which the Parishioners of St. J. Baptist were wont to offer and might not be admitted unless in case of weakness to hear Mass in the Chapel of the Hospital viz. All-Saints All-Souls Christmas Circumcision Epiphany Purification Good-Friday Easter Ascension Whitsunday St. John Baptist the Assumption and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin and Saint Giles This Abbot did many other memorable things for the benefit of the Infirmary and of the Monks Chamber and many things were done by others in his time particularly Robert de Tot by the will and assent of Akarius whom he calls his Lord gave seven acres of Arable Land in Paston to the Chapel beatae Mariae de Parco which I cannot set down without inlarging this Supplement too much beyond the bounds to which I am confined One thing done in his time I must not forget which is a Bull sent from Gregory the IXth to the Bishop of Lincoln and him the Abbot of Burgh importing that the Abbot had represented to him how some Monks of his Church had incurred the sentence of Excommunication for laying violent hands one upon another and upon other both Secular and Religious persons and Secular Clergy and other Monks were under the same sentence for denying due obedience to the Abbot when they were corrected by him others because they had entred the Monastery by Simony and how some of these Excommunicated Persons had presumed to celebrate divine Offices not having obtained absolution For whose Salvation the Abbot being solicitous had petitioned the said Gregory that it might not be necessary for them to come to the Apostolical See for the benefit of absolution and dispensation he in confidence of his discretion granted him power to absolve them in all the forenamed cases except such enormous excesses in laying hands on any body as might seem fit to be referred to the See Apostolique after satisfaction made to those who had been injured And that he should proceed against the Simoniacal Monks according to the constitution in a General Council and suspend those who in contempt of Ecclesiastical discipline had officiated in the Church during their Excommunication for two years à suorum executione ordinum Which being finished he might mercifully dispense with them if they were of an honest Conversation and a better life Several compositions also made by him I must omit and conclude as R. Swapham doth that this good man governed the Monastery for about X. years and was such an example to all of order honesty kindness and bounty that from him posterity might learn how to behave themselves both in the cloyster and in the World And particularly he was extroardinary kind to the Convent unto whom he sent meat every day from his own Table for the consolation of the Brethren which the Prior divided among them The like he did to the domus infirmorum sending flesh-meat to those who were weak and would often say in the Convent Domini Domini nisi per quosdam vestrum stetisset c. My Masters my Masters had not some of you hindred I had done much good to you Which saying saith Swapham from which we may gather he lived in this time was not understood by us then but after his death we perceived why he said this and knew of whom it was meant But it is no matter saith he they are gone they lifted up themselves and the Lord hath cast them down As for this good man he never rendred evil for evil to any man but studied more
possible proof of their right Whereupon the Pope sent his Apostolical Letters to the Priors of Deeping and St. Leonard in Stamford and to the Dean of Stamford that they should hear and examine such Witnesses as the Abbot and Convent could produce and cause their testimony to be Recorded and to make a publick Instrument thereof Datum Laterani 7. Kaland. April Pontif. nostri Anno 7. And here it may be fit to mention the Council of Laterane unto which there was a general citation saith Swapham thoughout Christendom in so much that there were assembled 400. Bishops above 800. Abbots and Priors and Procurators without number So John Abbot MCCXV Romae Concili um Lateranense secundum celebratum est ubi Episcopi CCCC Abbates Priores DCCC ultra Procuratorum non erat numerus Here it was provided among other things that all Convents of Monks should fast that is eat no Suppers from the Feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross till Easter Which order the Abbot when he returned from this Council prevail'd with his Convent to observe as they did at Rome But not without many intreaties for it had been the custom not only here at Burgh but in other places for the Monks to eat two meals a day at certain times for instance from the exaltation of Holy Cross till the first of October from the Nativity till the Octaves of the Epiphany and many other days within that compass of time forementioned on which the Convent was wont to have one dish at Supper with Cheese And therefore propter integrita tem Eleemosynae that their constant allowance might not be diminished the Abbot ordained that what was wont to be provided for their Supper they should have at Dinner While the Abbot was at Rome King John demanded the whole military service of the Abbot Whose Attorneys complaining that they could not justitiare milites libertatis Burgi make these men do their duty the King commanded their fees to be destrained Which when the Attorneys said they could not do the King gave away the Land of Nic. de Bassingburn to Baldwinus de Gynes and the Land of Roger de Torpel to Will. Blome and the Land that was Rad. de Dyve in Vpton to Rob. de Nevile of Scottone and the Land of Richard de Watervile to Will. de Palmes and the Land of Will. Andegavensis in Chirchefeild to Ade Furneis and the Land of Hugo Wac in Deeping with the appurtenances to Will. de Bruere and so he disposed of the rest of the Lands And commanded Will. de Aundres Constable of Rockingham that he should destrain all the military feods and that he should not meddle with the demesne of the Abbot but let it be undisturbed utpote liberam Eleemosynam Domini Regis These feods I suppose were restored upon their submission for I find in a Marginal Note Swaph fol. CCLXX. that Rog. de Torpel refused to serve unless the Abbot paid his expences upon which his Estate he held of the Abbot being ordered to be seised he scarcely obtained the favour to serve upon his own proper charges Before his time there had been great discord and murmuring contention and envy frequently happened among the Brethren propter minutionem about blood-letting which was very necessary some time to those sedentary people who were subject to repletion And no wonder because no body could accipere minutionem be let blood without an Order from the Prior who let some have it oftner others more rarely some after five weeks others after 6. and others not till after 8. or 10. or 15. or perhaps half a year To take away therefore all trouble out of their minds about this matter this Abbot ordered that the Convent should be divided into six parts and upon the day of letting blood he that was the Senior of that part whose turn it was to have the benefit of it should ask licentiam minuendi and that under his hand for his Brethren from the Prior. In the Margin of the Book there is this Note That in Abbot Walter 's time this mode of minution was thus far altered that they should be divided into five parts and then minuerentur modo supradicto For Robert Grosteste Bishop of Lincoln in his Visitation had forbidden the eating of flesh altogether unto the Monks every where except only in the Infirmary or in the Abbots Chamber which was accounted by them an unsupportable burden It is further also noted that the Convent in former times had liberty at three seasons in the year to eat as much flesh as they pleased in a house deputed for that purpose and in the domus Hospitum house where they entertained Strangers and in all places where they eat out of the Refectory they might eat flesh Which liberty was quite taken away by the above named Inhibition of the Bishop They who were minuti let blood were formerly refreshed in the Refectory three times a day with a regular diet as appears by the antient Customary of this Church Swapham observes that he found LXXII Monks here when he came to the Convent and so many I have noted before King Henr. I. found here when he took an account of all belonging to the Monastery upon the death of John de Sais And therefore what is said of Akarius his taking in XXII Monks must be understood I think of supernumeraries whom he maintained for his time at his own charges ex intuitu pietatis as the words there are For the maintenance of these the Lands in Alwalton and Flettun had been given by Andreas but were not sufficient to supply the Kitchin with provisions though it had other Rents besides which are all distinctly mentioned in a Charter of his Swaph fol. CV wherein he gives those Mannors intirely to the Celerary with all that had been reserved out of them to the Abbot at the Feast of St. Michael This Abbot Robert therefore gave other Revenues not only for the recreation as the word is of those 72 Monks but for the increment of eight Monks more whereby the whole Number was made LXXX And particularly Belasise as Mr. G. observes to find those 8. with Bread and Beer Which Corn and Malt was afterward changed into money in Abbot Walters time because the Celerarius of the Abbot and his Servants would receive none but the very best which was the occasion of great quarrels In the Charter wherein he settles those Lands he makes mention of the observation of his own Anniversary the expences of which were to be born out of them Andreas I noted before began this custome as far as I can find assigning an annual Pension for the celebrating of the Anniversary of Benedict his Predecessor After which I find no mention of it till this Abbots time who took care not only of his own but both of Andreas his and of his Successors Akarius For after the Constitution of Akarius directing how the sour Stone of Wax from Croyland should be imployed
the Church after his death which was on the sixth of January Which was Depositio Willielmi de Hotot Abbatis Anniversarium Richardi de Watervill Johan filii ejus And such was the regard that his Successor John de Kaleto had to him that he ordained there should be a distribution to the Poor sine impedimento after Mass was said for them on this day and the like on all Anniversaries There was a family of his name Hotoft or Hotot which held half a fee at Flintham in Nottinghamshire as Dr. Thoroton in his History of that County tells us from which its likely this Abbot came JOHANNES de Caleto He is as oft called Joh. de Calceto as de Caleto and it appears by a Charter of his concerning his Anniversary wherein he relates what good deeds he had done for this Church that the Abbey was kept vacant for some time before he was promoted It begins thus Omnibus Christi fidelibus praesens scriptum visuris vel audituris Johannes de Kaleto Divina permissione c. And the sense of it follows thus in English Be it known to all that we though unworthy being intrusted by the providence of the Divine goodness with the Government of the said Church found it in Debt the moveable Goods of it in the hands of the Kings Bailiffs who had the custody of it in the time of the vacancy being in danger to be confiscated In so much that it lay upon us intirely to provide both for our selves and for our Brethren and for the Servants and for all Strangers all things necessary from the Feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin till the time of the next Harvest For which reason and because we indeavoured with all our might to preserve the liberties of the Church for the renewing and acquiring of which liberties contained in a Charter of King Henry Son of King John we paid to the King and his Courtiers five hundred and seventy Marks besides Jewels given by the by to the Kings Ministers and because we discharged the Church of a Debt of 520 Mark wherein the Bishop of Hereford ingaged our Church to the Court of Rome and in a manner freed the Church from all Debts whatsoever as much as was possible in such a time Therefore our beloved Children the Prior and the Convent of the said Church devoutly and humbly desiring to give some reward according to their ability to our labour and diligence and not willing that these nor other our benefits though small should be hereafter forgotten but be called to mind perpetually by our Successors serving God in the same Church have unanimously granted that the day of our Deposition shall be made an Anniversary and be kept curialiter out of the goods of the Church We therefore have given and assigned to the Celerarius of the Convent for ever that Land which de Biffleto near Castre Wood we have caused to be turned into Pasture and Ploughed that he who is in that office for the time being may as far as that Revenue will extend feed and refresh the Poor who come hither on that day giving every one of them Bread and Beer and provide three good dishes of Meat more large than ordinary for the Convent that they may do their devotion more cheerfully and assist more vigorously in divine Service The Pitanciarius also shall find Wine as on other principal Feasts for the Convent that day out of those five Hogsheads of Wine which we have given to the use of the President in the Refectory and of the Priest that attends Weekly c. In what year this Charter was made it doth not appear but it was after the year 1256. when on Palmsunday he made that Grant of the five Hogsheads of Wine as I find in a particular Charter confirmed in Chapter which he made he saith out of his Pastoral care of the Poor and Strangers and for the honour of St. Peter and of the Saints whose Reliques lay in this Church c. Wherein he provides that the President of the Refectory whosoever he was should have of his gift one galon and a half of Wine every day in the year to be distributed among the Brethren and Guests who eat there that day and this both when the Abbot was absent and when he was present And in like manner the Priest who said high Mass should have one galon of the same Wine Which that it might be abundantly provided he gives the ten Pound out of the Mannor mentioned by Mr. G. which was purchased in his time Which Land he therefore requires should be kept in the hand of the Abbot that without any delay or difficulty the money might be paid on the Octaves of St. John Baptist to the Procurator who should be especially deputed by the Prior of the Convent So that out of the aforesaid ten Pound he should buy five Hogsheads of Wine to make the aforesaid pittance in the Refectory and no where else And he adds that out of this Wine provision should be made for the whole Congregation and for all Religious Strangers according to the custom on his Anniversary as on the Anniversary of Benedict it was to be more plentifully Unto which Deed his Seal and that of the Chapters was set How the Church of Polebroke out of which that ten Pound was paid came to be his shall be shown in its due place I have mentioned this about his Anniversary in the first place because it recites many of his benefactions from the beginning of his Abbotship which I do not know how to place in the particular years wherein they were done There is a Charter of his in the year 1251. in this Stile Joh. de Calceto Dei gratia Abbas de Burgo Sancti Petri c. which I do not meet with before for they are wont to say divina permissione But afterward I find some other Abbots imitated him He grants therein the annual Rent of sixteen Shillings a year out of his houses in the Suburbs of London in Parochia Sancti Sepulchri Eight Shillings of which were for the Refectory the other half for the Hospitalary Other houses this Church then had in London for William de Colonia granted him and the Convent I find not in what year all his Land in London in the Parish of St. Gregory over against the houses of the Dean of St. Paul they paying yearly five Florins to that Church c. There is a bond of Peter de Howm to him for the paiment of five Shillings Rent yearly unto Burgh for a house in Lincoln in the Parish of St. Peter in the Skin-market lying between his own house on the North and the house sometime belonging to Leo Judaeus on the South part c. In the year 1253 Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury granted an Indulgence to this Church relaxing to those who out of devotion to St. Oswald came to offer in this Church and were truly penitent and confessed