8 PAPERS, ETC. 



died before the arrival of the evil days which madc his 

 House notorious. Indeed, it is not improbable that those 

 troublea were associated with the election of his successor. 



A few years after their foundation, these Canons were 

 removed from their monastery. The exact circumstances 

 are nowhere recorded, but it appears that a violent 

 altercation had unhappily arisen which resulted in the 

 death of their Steward, who was a relative of the pious 

 founder. A sentence of outlawry was accordingly passed 

 upon them, their House was declared to be forfeited, and 

 their lands and churches were made over by the then 

 sovereign, King Henry the Second,* with the concurrence 

 of Ralph Archbishop of Canterbury, of Reginald Bishop 

 of Bath, and of many of the chief men of England both 

 clerical and lay, to Garner of Naples, Prior of the Hospital 

 of S. John of Jerusalem in England. Among the earliest 

 records of this transfcr, for the original deed has not to my 

 knowledge been preserved, is a charter of " inspeximus " 

 granted by K. John, recouuting at large the possessions of 

 the Hospitalars, and concluding with the usual forms of con- 

 firmation of all previous donations, together with express 

 mention of the arrangement to be noticed immediately. 

 This charter was dated at Ronen, 30th of August, Ist of 

 John, A.D. 1199.t 



As I have already hinted, it was not a simple transfer, 

 but a very important stipulation was introduced into the 

 grant, and directed to be fully and faithfully observed. It 

 appears that there were a few Sisters belonging to the 

 Order, who reslded at several of the Commandries, as 

 at Hamton near Kyngeston, Kerebrooke, Swynfeld, and 

 other places. It was now ordered and agreed to that these 



* MS. in Coli. Arm., L. 17, f. 155. Appendix, No. III. 

 t Eot, Cart. 1 John, m. 17. 



