The Dissolution of the A hhey. 65 



In 1537, the Abbey was dissolved, the last Abbot, Thomas 

 Stephens, with twenty out of the thirty monks, signing the deed 

 of surrender.* Stephens was pensioned off with a hundi-ed 

 marks ; and some of the monks received various annuities and 

 compensations for their losses. So fell the monastery of 

 Beaulieu, and its stones went to build Henry VIII.'s martello 

 tower at Hurst, and its lead to repair Calshot,t to fight against 

 the very Power which had raised it to its glory. 



Few abbeys have known so lovely a site. Placed close to the 

 banks, it overlooked the Exe, formed by the tide more into a 

 lake than a river. On eveiy side it was sheltered : on the north 

 by rising ground and the woods of the New Forest, and on 

 the east again by the Forest and more hills, from whence an 

 aqueduct brought down the water for the use of the monks ; 

 and on the south and west all was guarded by the river. 



To this day the outer walls are in places standing, with 

 the water-gate covered with ivy. And inside is the palace, 

 placed amongst its own grounds, surrounded by elms. Above 

 its doorway is cut a canopied niche, where stood the patron 



* The following list of books at Beaulieu, taken by Leland {Collect, de 

 Febus Brit., vol. iv. p. 149), just before the dissolution, will show what 

 was in those days an average ecclesiastical librarj' ; — " Eadmerus de Vita 

 Anselmi, et Vita Wilfridi Episcopi Stephanus super Ecclesiasticum, Libros 

 Begum, et Paruholua Salomoui.i. Joannes Abbas de Fordo, super Cantlca 

 Canticorum. Damascenus de Gestis Barlaam eremitce, et Josaphat regis 

 IndicE. Libellus Candidi Ariani" (most probably the Z)e Generntwne Dirnna). 

 " Libellus Victorini, rhetoris, contra Candidum " (the Confutatorium Candidi 

 Ariajii, written against the preceding work). " Tres libri Claudiani de 

 Statu Anima: ad Sidonium Apolhnarem. Gislehertus super Epistolas Puuli. 

 Prosper de Vita contemplativd et activd." 



t Ellis's Letters, second series, vol. ii. p. 87. For Henry VIII.'s 

 enforcement of "\Volse3''s levies on Beaulieu, see State Papers, vol. i., part ii., 

 p. 383. 



K 65 



