A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



This injunction was always observed down to 

 the dissolution. The abbot appointed the prior 

 of this cell, which was jointly dedicated in honour 

 of St. Michael and St. Felix, and removed him at 

 will. The unusual practice in such a case was 

 also invariably observed of presenting each suc- 

 cessive prior to the Bishop of Norwich for his 

 sanction, although the priory could not be con- 

 sidered a benefice. Owing to the frequent 

 recall of these priors, the number recorded in the 

 diocesan institution books is abnormally large. 



The taxation roll of 1 29 1 shows that the 

 income of the priory was then £35 5s. I if//. 

 Of this sum £10 12s. I if//, was from lands or 

 rents in different parishes, whilst the spiritualities 

 that made up the remainder were portions from 

 the rectories of 'Canburgh,' North Tuddenham, 

 Barnham, Swaffham, Chediston, Sibton, Spex- 

 hall, South Cove, Wicks, and Ryburgh, in 

 Norwich diocese ; and from those of Bassing- 

 burne, Little Abington, and Lynton, in Ely 

 diocese. 1 



An attempt was made by the Earl of Rich- 

 mond, in 1 1 99, on the appointment of John de 

 Acaster to be prior of Rumburgh, to claim the 

 position of patron to that cell. But on an in- 

 quisition being held, the jury returned that the 

 lords of Richmond never had custody nor seisin 

 of the cell of Rumburgh during vacancies. 2 



Rumburgh was one of those small priories 

 included for suppression, in favour of Cardinal 

 Wolsey's great college at Ipswich, in the bull of 

 Clement VII, dated 14 May, 1528. 3 



On 11 September, 1525, Dr. Stephen Gar- 

 diner, at the commission of Cardinal Wolsey, 

 and under his seal, arrived at Rumburgh, and 

 there in the convent declared to the prior and 

 monks, with the authority of the pope and the 

 king, the suppression of the house, assigned the 

 goods both movable and immovable to Wolsey's 

 college at Ipswich, and ordered that the religious 

 should enter other monasteries of the same order. 

 Thomas Cromwell and others were present as 

 witnesses. 4 On the news reaching York, 

 Edmund, abbot of St. Mary's, wrote, on 24 Sep- 

 tember, complaining that among the goods taken 

 away from Rumburgh by the commission were 

 certain muniments belonging to the monastery of 

 York, which had lately been sent there for re- 

 ference in a dispute between the abbey and men 

 of worship in Cambridgeshire. He also begged 

 that the priory might be allowed to remain a 

 member of their monastery as it had been for 

 three centuries. The rents of the cell were 

 little more than £30 a year, and the abbot and 

 his brethren were quite willing to give instead 

 300 marks to the college. 6 



1 PopeNich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 85/5, 87, 117, \iU, 

 119, 121, 126, 126^, 127, 131, 266^, 267, 267^. 

 'Harl. MS. 236, fol. 55. 



3 Rymer, Toedera, xiv, 240. 



1 L. andP. Hen. Fill, iv, 4755. 



4 Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv, 46. 



However, in March, 1528-9, the abbey felt 

 compelled to execute a formal release and quit- 

 claim of the priory of Rumburgh to the car- 

 dinal's college. 6 



On the cardinal's downfall, Rumburgh priory 

 and its property reverted to the crown and was 

 granted to Robert Downes, who had licence, on 

 1 April, 1 53 1, to alienate it to Thomas, duke 

 of Norfolk. 7 



A survey of the site of the monastery taken 

 soon after its suppression, wherein the dimen- 

 sions of the different buildings are set out, states 

 that ' there ys a seynt in the churche of Rum- 

 burgh called Seynt Bory, to the which there is 

 moche offeryng uppon Michelmasday of money 

 and cheses.' 8 



Priors of Rumburgh ' 



Blakere, c. 1070 10 



John de Acaster, 1199 11 



William de Tolberton, 1308 ls 



Matthew de Ebor, 131 1 13 



James de Morlound, 1316 H 



William de Touthorp, 1319 16 



Geoffrey de Rudston, 1322 le 



Adam de Sancto Botulpho, 1331 " 



William de Newton, 1331 ls 



John de Maghenby, 1332 19 



Roger de Aslakby, recalled 1343 s0 



John de Manneby (? Maghenby again), 1347 !1 



Alexander de Wath, resigned 1347 22 



Richard de Burton, 1347 23 



John de Gayton, recalled, 1357 M 



John de Martone, 1357 25 



Richard de Appilton, 1361 26 



Thomas Lastels, 1370 27 



John de Garton, 1373 28 



Nicholas Kelfeld, recalled 1392 " 



Thomas de Helmeslay, 1392 M 



William de Dalton, 1394 31 



John Selby, 1405 32 



William Hewyk, 1407 33 



Thomas Ampulforth, 1412 34 



Thomas Staveley, 1 4 1 7 3S 



Thomas Gasgy 11, 1426 K 



I L. and P. Hen. Vlll, iv, 5353 (5), 5354. 



7 Pat. 23 Hen. VIII, pt. i, m. 17. 



8 Dugdale, Mm. v, 615. Possibly St. Birinus, of 

 Dorchester. 



9 The dates are those of appointment unless other- 

 wise stated. 



10 Cott. MS. Galba, E. ii, fol. 59. 



II Harl. MS. 236, fol. 55. 



" Norw. Epis. Reg. i, 28. ■ Ibid, i, 44. 



" Ibid, i, 66. 15 Ibid, i, 78. " Ibid, i, 95. 



17 Ibid, ii, 41. 18 Ibid, ii, 46. 19 Ibid, ii, 49. 



20 Ibid, iii, 72. " Ibid. M Ibid, iv, 66. 



83 Ibid. " Ibid, v, 22. " Ibid. 



* Ibid, v, 49. B Ibid, vi, 8. w Ibid, vi, 2 1 . 



29 Ibid, vi, 168. "Ibid. ■ Ibid, vi, 192. 



32 Ibid, vi, 329. a Ibid, vii, 5. u Ibid, vii, 54. 



34 Ibid, viii, 22. x Ibid, ix, 15. 



78 



