110 PAPEliS, ETC. 



Mary the Virgin, and St. Thomas the Martyr, The 

 accounts of this Priory are unfortunately very meagre. 

 The Canons probably led a contemplative and unambitious 

 life,and we may hope a religious and iiscful one also; for they 

 enjoyed a good repute with their neighbonrs, as may be in- 

 ferred from a charter of the 18th of Edward II.,\vhich recites 

 and confirms the grant to this Priory of lands in Somerset, 

 Wilts, and Dorset, by WilUam de Courteuey, Galfrid GHbe- 

 wyn, Hugo deNyweton, Henry Engayne, Robert OfFre, John 

 de Eston, Alicia OfFre, Henry de Pendeny, Henry Lime- 

 chest, and Richard de Hordwell, many of them namcs still 

 in existence in this part of England. At the valuation of 

 its estate in the 26th of Henry VIII., its annual income 

 amounted to £87 : 2s. llid., and the head is styled Abbot, 

 though it was undoubtedly a Prioiy of canons regulär of 

 St. Augustine, foUowing the rule of St. Victor, and con- 

 nected with the great Abbey of St. Augustino, founded at 

 Bristol by Fitzharding of Berkeley. A very imperfect 

 impresslon of the common seal of this Priory is extant in 

 the Chapter House of Westminster, appended to the 

 acknowledgement of supremacy, a.D. 1534. It represents 

 an ancient church, situated over an arch, underneath 

 which is the gigantic head of a man ; the Impression is in 

 red wax.* This is all that I have been able to collect of 

 the history of the society which for so many years inha- 

 bited these conventual buildings ; and though it might be 



* From Rutter's Somerset, pago 59. " The name of the earliest 

 recorded Prior was John, in 1266, 50th of Henry III. Reginald Prior, 

 in 1317, lOth Edward II. Thomas lived in 1383, 6th of Richard II. 

 Thomas de Banwell died in 1414, 2nd of Henry V. Peter Loviare was 

 elected in the some year. William Lustre died in 1457, 35th of Henry 

 VI. John Turman yas elected in the presence of six cauons, in 1458, 

 36th of Henry VI. Richard Spryng was Prior in 1498, 13th of Henry 

 VII., and resigned in 1525, 16th of Henry VIII. The last Prior was 

 Roger Tormenton, elected 24th September, 1625, but on 21st day of 

 August, 1534, subscribed to King Henry's supremacy." 



