104 PAPERS, ETC. 



met in tlieir Chapter House, and, in the prcsence of the 

 Commissioner, John Tregonwell, unwilllngly slgneJ the 

 instrumeut of Surrender. Tliat it was done at the violation 

 of every natural and reasonable feeling cannot, I presume, 

 be questioned. It wonld indeed be impossible to frame a 

 document, the terms of which could be more at variance 

 with the minds of those who attached to it their band and 

 seal. Like the declaratlon of supremacy ah'eady described, 

 it was prepared before-hand, with blank Spaces reserved for 

 the insertion of the name and style of the particular House 

 for which it was made to serve, which in the present in- 

 stance are supplied in a band and with writing materials of 

 a different kind. "To all the faithful in Christ," says this 

 vile effusion, " to whom the present writing shall come, 

 William Wyllyams, Prior of the Alonastery or Priory of 

 the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul of Taunton, in the 

 county of Somerset, of the Order of S. Augustine, and the 

 Convent of the same place, health eternal in the Lox*d. 

 Know ye that we the aforesaid Prior and Convent, with 

 unanimous assent and consent, &c., from certain just and 

 reasonable causes " — which are, however, neglected to be 

 stated — " specially moving cur minds and consciences, 

 have Avillingly and of our own accord given and conceded, 

 and do by these presents give, concede, grant, and confirm 

 to our most illustrious prince and lord Henry the Eighth, 

 by the grace of God king of England and France, defender 

 of the Faith, lord of Ireland, and on earth supreme head of 

 the Church of England, the whole of our said INIonastery 

 or Priory of Taunton aforesaid, and also all and singular 

 our manors, domains, messuages, gardens, curtilages, tofts, 

 arable lands, and tenements, meadows, pastures, woods, 

 underwoods, rents, reversions, Services, mills, passages, 

 knights' fces, wardships, natives, villans with their follow- 



