A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



reduced, for instance the pension of £6 a year 

 from Tuddenham church stood only at 401. in 

 the last Valor. 



The priory was visited by Archdeacon Gold- 

 well, on behalf of the bishop, on 12 November, 

 1492. Prior Reginald and seven canons were 

 present ; the visitor found that no reform was 

 needed. 1 



Bishop Nyklce visited the house on 21 June, 

 1 5 14. The record of this visit is incomplete. 

 The prior, Thomas Vicar, said that Canon 

 William Brigges, then at Snoring, was an apos- 

 tate and of evil life. Richard Skete complained 

 that no one had been appointed sacrist, that the 

 beer was of poor quality, that the prior had re- 

 turned no account since his appointment, that 

 Stephen Horham, the prior's servant in charge 

 of the dairy, had the spending of the profits of 

 seven or eight cows, that Stephen was married, 

 and he had suspicions as to his wife, and that 

 Stephen had laid violent hands on him. Richard 

 Downham made some like complaints, and also 

 spoke of the bad repair of the buildings and nave 

 of the church, and that there were not sufficient 

 vessels in the kitchen, and that spoons and other 

 silver plate had been pledged. William Kings- 

 mill made like complaints, and said that the 

 prior, whom he considered remiss but not crimi- 

 nal in his conduct, had presented no accounts for 

 seven years. The depositions of Robert Barne- 

 ham and Thomas Herd were to much the same 

 effect. 2 



At Bishop Nykke's visitation of June, 1520, 

 only the prior, John Thetford, and three canons 

 were present. The prior stated that the priory 

 buildings were in sad decay, and that the income 

 was not sufficient for their support. Richard 

 Noris said that Thomas Lowthe, the predecessor 

 of the present prior, had taken with him a breviary 

 belonging to the house. 3 



At the visitation of July, 1526, the prior and 

 five canons were present. Prior Thetford com- 

 plained of the unpunctuality of the canons at 

 high mass on Sundays and the principal feasts. 

 Nicholas Skete thought the beer was too sweet 

 and weak. 4 



The last visitation was held in July, 1532, 

 when the prior and three canons were severally 

 examined, and all testified omnia bene so far as 

 the condition of the house permitted. There 

 were also three novices who were professed by 

 the bishop. The bishop enjoined on the prior 

 to see that the newly professed were instructed 

 in grammar. 5 



Prior John Thetford and six canons sub- 

 scribed to the royal supremacy in their chapter- 

 house on 26 August, 1534. In that year Prior 

 Thetford, who had been a canon of Butley, gave 

 to the church of that monastery two chalices, 



Jessopp, None. Visit. (Cam. Soc), 32. 

 Ibid. 88-q. s Ibid. 



Ibid. 242-3. 



Ibid. 



!55- 

 303. 



one for the chapel of All Saints and the other 

 for the chapel of St. Sigismund ; also two relics, 

 with a silver pix for relics, and a comb of 

 St. Thomas of Canterbury. He resigned the 

 priory of Thetford about the close of 1534, and 

 became prior of Holy Trinity, Ipswich. 



Legh and Ap Rice, the notorious visitors of 

 Cromwell, visited this priory towards the end of 

 1535. According to their comperta Prior Clerk 

 confessed incontinency to these men and his 

 desire to marry ; they also reported badly of three 

 others. 6 



The county commissioners for suppression of 

 this house in 1536 reported that it was of the 

 clear annual value of £44 12s. \od. ; that the 

 lead and bells were worth £80, and the 

 movable goods £29 8s. ~jd. ; and that the debts 

 owing amounted to £] is. "]\d. The house 

 was 'very Ruvnousande in Decaye.' They found 

 only one religious person there, 'of slendre 

 Reporte who requirythe to have a dispensacione 

 to goo to the Worlde.' The persons who had 

 their living at the house were sixteen — namely, 

 two priests, two hinds, four children, and eight 

 waiting servants. 7 



Prior Clerk obtained a pension of ten marks. 8 



The house, site, and possessions were granted 

 in 1537 to Sir Richard Fulmerston. 



Priors of Thetford 



Richard, 9 1202 



Gislebert I0 



William, 11 1228 



Richard, 12 1242 



Roger de Kersey, 13 1247, died 1273 



William, 14 1274 



Peter de Horsage, 15 elected 131 5 



Richard de Wintringham, 16 elected 1329 



John de Shefford, 17 elected 1338 



Roger de Kerseye, 18 1347 



Robert de Thetford, 19 1349 



Robert Edwyn, 20 resigned 1 35 1 



Adam de Hokewold, 21 elected 135 I 



William de Haneworth, 22 elected 1358 



Adam de Worsted, 23 elected 1378 



Robert de Stowe, 24 died 1420 



John Paltok, 25 elected 1420 



John Grenegras, 26 elected 1432 



6 L. and P. Hen. Fill, x, 364. 



7 Chant. Cert. Norf. No. 90. 



8 Misc. Bks. (Aug. Off.), ccxxxii, 35^. 

 B Martin, Hist, of Thetford, 189-90. 



10 Ibid. " Ibid. " Ibid. 



13 Ibid. " Ibid. 

 u Norw. Epis. Reg. i, 63. 



16 Ibid, ii, 28. "Ibid, iii, 19. 



18 Martin, Hist, of Thetford, 189. 



19 Ibid. *° Norw. Epis. Reg. iv. 134. 

 " Ibid. M Ibid, v, 29. 



" Ibid, vi, 63. " Ibid, viii, 57. 



"Ibid. ,6 Ibid. ix, 57. 



no 



