4 PAPERS, ETC, 



Chanccllor of England, tlic " Prcesul incomparahilis " of the 

 Historia major Wintoniensis, somc time (for the exact 

 date is uncertain) about the year 1115, the 15th of 

 King Henry I. It will be recollected that Taunton 

 was a manor of the ßishops of Winchester;'" and it 

 is probable that this circumstance may have decided 

 GyfFarde in the choice of his locality. Leland mentions 

 his successor, Henry Blesance, or de Blois, brother of 

 King Stephen and grandson of the Conqueror, known 

 as the princely benefactor of the hospital of S. Gross, 

 ncar Winchester, and the unflinching friend of Archbishop 

 Becket, as a Joint founder.f Most likely the last-named 

 bishop erected a portion of the Priory buildings, and from 

 his liberality in this department was considei'ed to deserve 

 a share of the honour. To William Gyffarde, hovvever, 

 the merit of the original foundation is unquestionably due. 

 The charter which commemorated the good work is not 

 extant in any form ; but the fact is certified by an Inquisi- 

 tion taken before the King's Eschactor at Taunton, on the 

 6th of January, 1316-17, to which I shall draw the reader's 

 attention in its chronological order. The House was 

 founded for Black Canons, or Canons Regulär, of the order 

 of S. Augustine, (who had been first located by Endo at 

 Colchester in 1 105, and the next year at S. Mary Overy 

 in Southwark, by the same Bishop Gyffarde) and was 

 dedicated to the Apostles SS. Peter and Paul. 



The first contemporary notice which I have found relat- 

 ing to the Priory is contained in a charter by which 

 Robert, Bp. of Bath, aniong the notahilia of his episcopate, 

 converts Ilywis, or Huish, part of his manor at Bane- 



* Cod. Dipl. jEvi Sax. nn. Mii., dxcviii., DC, &c. Domesday, vol. i., 

 p. 87b. Hot. Ilutidrcd. 4 Edw. I, lu. 13., &c. 



t Collect., vol. I., p. 81. 



