By Rev. Chr. Wordsv.-orth, M.A. 259 



this conjecture when I found it confirmed by the fact that at the 

 time of the Valor Ecclealasticus (1535) Trinity Hospital, Easton, was 

 under the Prior of St. Margaret. 



In 1232 the Prior of St. Margaret's was a personage of sufficient 

 importance and integrity to be conmiissioned along with the Dean 

 of Christianity of Marlborough and the " Master of the Schools of 

 Marlborough " (the earliest reference that I have come across to 

 the forerunners of the College^) by Pope Gregory IX. himself, to 

 arbitrate in a case of tithes at Lavingtou between Elias de Dereham, 

 canon and architect of Salisbury Cathedral, and the prior and 

 convent of Jumeaux {de duobus GemeUis) in Amiens diocese.- 



In 1229 the Constable of Marlborough Castle was ordered to 

 permit the Prior of St. Margaret's to take the customs of ale called 

 Tolcestcr, as usual, in the Barton of Marlborough, and also to hold 

 lands in the said barton till the feast of St. Michael. Mr. Lyne's 

 farm opposite Marlborough College still keeps its name of Barton 

 Farm. It was originally the farm kept in hand by the King or 

 the Constable of the Castle to supply their needs. 



In 1337 fifty men broke into the priory of St. Margaret and 

 burnt the trees and timber there.^ 



In 1350 King Edward III., considering their slender means, 

 granted a license for the gift of some land to the prior and canons.* 



In 1376 (April 2nd) Bishop Ergham gave an indulgence of 

 forty days' pardon to encourage contributors to the funds of St. 

 Margaret's ; ^ and in 1385 (January 25th), in answer to a humble 

 petition from the convent, in which they represented their poverty 

 — their income being under 40 marks a year, and their numbers 

 only five brethren beside the prior, who had scarcely sufficient to 



' These " Schools" were still in existence in 1340 and were threatened by 

 certain persons holding "scholas captatorias et adulterinas" to their prejudice. 

 Reg. Wilton., I., 53. 



- Sarum Charters, p. 250. Cited in a document of 1239. Registrum 

 Ruhrnm, No. 105, fo. 80. 



•■' Miss R. Graham, St. Gilbert, p. 139. 

 ' lb., p. 151. 

 ^ Reg, Ergham, fo. 4. 

 VOL. XXXIV. — NO. CIV. T 



