A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



The entries as to free chapels — that is chapels not subject to the diocesan 

 or to the incumbent of the parish — are also instructive as showing that their 

 suppression and that of their ministers did a grievous wrong to the due 

 administration of religious worship. Now and again the suppression of a 

 free chapel might do no particular harm when it was near to or adjoining 

 the parish church. Thus the Lady chapel at the east end of Long Melford 

 church was technically a free chapel, and there were several cases in which a 

 free chapel is entered which was but a quarter of a mile from the parish 

 church. But it must be recollected that suppression in all these cases 

 involved the disendowment of the minister, and the priests who served such 

 chapels were, like the chantry priests, as a rule the assistant clergy of the 

 parochial incumbent. Thus at Kersey, where there was a free chapel a 

 quarter of a mile from the church, the priest ' always used to helpe the 

 Curatt synge devine service uppon the holy dayes in the parisshe Chirche of 

 Carseye.' In other cases chapels at some distance from their parish church, 

 and serving as chapels of ease for hamlets, were ruthlessly closed, and the 

 lead of their roofs, the iron and glass of their windows, as well as the bells 

 and church furniture sold. This was the case with the free chapel of 

 Chilton, a hamlet of Clare, whose priest held service there once a week, and 

 for the rest of the time sang in the parish church. Still worse was the 

 instance at Botesdale, a hamlet about a mile and a half from the parish 

 church of Redgrave ; the commissioners stated that it was an ancient chapel 

 originally built by the inhabitants for their own use, and that there were 

 forty-six householders and 160 housling folk in the street or hamlet. A 

 third instance is that of the free chapel in Leiston parish, built for the ease 

 of the people ' on the sea banckes, where the inhabitants be alwayes ready to 

 kepe watche and warde for the defence and saftie of the same Towne and 

 countrye.' 



This Suffolk certificate as to chantries, free chapels, &c. is remarkable 

 as showing in what a large number of cases those who held the advowsons 

 or who were the chief men in the parish or district had become a law unto 

 themselves, and had anticipated the action of the crown by nominating 

 laymen to hold these ecclesiastical positions or coolly retaining the incomes 

 in their own hands. Most of the county certificates show one or two 

 cases of this kind, but we are not aware of another county so prolific in 

 such instances as Suffolk. 



In the case of Palgrave free chapel, distant half a mile from the church,, 

 the commissioners found that the building was decayed and the incumbent a 

 layman. The free chapel of St. Margaret in Tattingstone was held by 'John 

 Fytzhew gent, a layman.' The free chapel of Nayland had been dissolved 

 in the time of Henry VIII, and granted to Richard Holden. The free 

 chapel of Cowling, which was distant a mile from the parish church, had a 

 layman custos ; and the free chapel of Lindsey was in like plight. 



The chantry of Haverhill had been dissolved in 1542, and granted by 

 letters patent to Lord Russell. The Duke of Norfolk had suppressed the 

 chantry at Framlingham, and appointed no incumbent for three years. The 

 chantry of Huntingfield, worth £y a year, had no incumbent, for ' one 

 Nicholas Arowsmyth taketh it to his own use by virtue of a deed feoffment 

 20 May, 23 Henry VIII.' The Bedingfield chantry in Greswell church, 



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