ST. MARY'S TOWER, TAUNTON. 139 



tributed 40 marks to the work." Here, then, \ve have an 

 R. B. engaged in ecclesiastical arcliitecture during the 

 late Perpendicular period. He was also a person of great 

 devotion, and a bountiful friend to rnany churches, as the 

 follovving records will prove. John, Abbot of Newminster, 

 in Northumberland, addresses him as the founder of the 

 Monastery of Pipwell, in Northamptonshire. The Dean 

 and Chapter of Lincoln, in recompense of bis Services to 

 them, receive him, and my lady his wife, to be brother and 

 sister of their chapter. The prior of the Cathedral of Cur- 

 ham receives him in the like manner. We also find that 

 he was a great favorite with Henry VII, and that he was 

 recommended by the Bishop of Ely as "a man sober, 

 Beeret, and well-witted to compass the marriage of the 

 king with the Princess Elizabeth ; and that he had entered 

 heartily into the design of advancing the Earl of Pich- 

 mond to the throne, and engaged Sir Giles, afterwards 

 Lord Daubeney, and other gentlemen of note, to take part 

 with Henry ; and not only did he serve his king in the 

 civil capacities above named, but as a soldier also "he by 

 indenture covenanted to serve him in his wars beyond the 

 seas." He was made Knight Banneret after the Battle of 

 Bosworth, and was also at the battle of Blackheath when 

 Lord Audrey, from Wells, had headed the Cornish rebels ; 

 so that there i3 little doubt but that he was with the king's 

 army when it advanced against Perkin Warbeck, who had 

 seized Taunton Castle — his friend, Lord Daubeney, being 

 constable of the castle at this period. 



Whatever trutb there may be in the tradition that 

 Henry VII built churches in this county, in acknow- 

 ledgment of the support given by its people to the 

 Lancastrian party, there seems but little doubt but that 

 he was in some way a benefactor to this town, as we find 



