TAÜNTON TRIORY. 65 



On the 2 Ist of April, 1526, John Hill was presented to 

 tlie Church of E.unyngton, on the death of Robert Huet.* 



William Wyneyard, M.A., succeeded, on the 13th of 

 March, 1526-7, to the vicarage of Pytmynster, vacant by 

 the resignation of James Henton.f 



On the 2 Ist of March, 1529-30, James Dowdyng was 

 presented to the Church of S. Egldius of Thurlokeston, on 

 the resignation of John Ogans.f 



We have now arrived at the period of a transaction 

 which availed to make yet another accession to the power 

 and wealth of the Priory. The history of the proceeding 

 has hitherto been very obscure, but sufficient can be 

 presented to render it intelligible, There was a small and 

 little known Priory, dedicated to S. James, and founded 

 for Canons of the order of S. Augustine and the regu- 

 lation of S. Victor, at StafFordell or Staverdale, about 

 three miles from Wincanton. The Priory Church was the 

 mother church of the neighbouring town. The honour of 

 the foundation is divided between Sir William Zouche and 

 Richard Level, lord of the Manor of Wincanton, to each 

 of whom it is attributed. The former seems to have been 

 the actual founder, but the latter so considerable a bene- 

 factor as to merit an almost equal share of praise for the 

 good work. The Priory was endowed with lands in 

 Wincanton, Prestley, Rackington, Eastrepe, Cattlesham, 

 Thorn-Coffin, and other places in the county of Somerset, 

 and in Buckham-Weston, in the county of Dorset. In the 

 24th of Edward III., Sir Richard Lovel, knt., founded a 

 chantry in the Priory Church, with a messuage, a mill, 

 two carucates of arable land, twelve acres of meadow, 



* MS. Harl. 69G7, f. 37b, 



t MS. Harl. C9ß7, f. 38b. 



t MS. Harl. G907, f. 33b. 



VOL. IX., 18Ö9, PART II. I 



