A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



Abbots of Sulbv 



John,' occurs 1207 



Walter,* deposed 1232 



Williain,3 elected 1232 



Hugh,* elected 1276 



Henry, 5 occurs 1 301 



John of Welford," elected 1 3 14 



Walter,^ occurs 1326 



William Gysburgh,^ occurs 141 4 



John Coventry,' resigned 1447 



William KnoUes,'" elected 1447 



John Halley,^' admitted 1452 



John Middleton,'^ occurs 1487 and 1 500 



Robert Goodall,'' occurs 1513 



Ralphe Armonte,'* admitted 1534 



The conventual seal with counter-seal of 

 Abbot William, date about 1 240-1 250, has a 

 fine but imperfect impression.'^ The obverse is a 

 pointed ova! representing the Virgin with nimbus, 

 seated on a carved throne, the Holy Child, also 

 with nimbus, on her left knee, in her right hand 

 a lily branch. Her feet on a footboard. Legend : 



Another seal of about 1 276-1 280 has the 

 legend in full.'* 



SIGILL' CONUENTUS SANTE marie DE SULEBl 



There is also an impression of the chapter seal 

 dated 1257, of which only a fragment of the 

 upper part remains," a pointed oval representing 

 the Virgin crowned. Legend : 



+ MATE[r DEI memento] MEI 



Of the seal of Abbot Walter, 1232, only a 

 fragment remains.*" Obverse, a pointed oval, 

 represents the abbot standing, in his right hand a 

 pastoral staff. Legend defaced : 



-|- DE SVLEB 



-f SIGILLUM . A 



BI 



Reverse, a smaller counter seal with mark of 

 handle. Impression of an antique oval intaglio 

 gem : Legend : 



+ SIG 



Of the pointed oval seal of Abbot Hugh, 

 about 1 276-1 280, only a fragment remains, 

 representing the Virgin half-length, the Holy 

 Child on her knee.*' 



HOUSE OF KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS 



18. THE PRECEPTORY OF DINGLEY 



There was a preceptory of the Knights 

 Hospitallers at Dingley as early as the reign of 

 Stephen. William de Clopton, and his wife 

 Emma, gave to this preceptory in the reign of 

 Henry II. a messuage, with divers rents and 169 

 acres of land, all in Clopton. To the same 

 preceptory William, earl Ferrars, and Letitia 

 Ferrers gave much land in Passenham ; and 

 Roger, earl of Hereford, a mill at Towcester.'* 



In 1296 Hugh de Dingley held one manor 

 at Dingley, and the Knights Hospitallers another 

 and smaller manor ; this division continued till 

 the dissolution of the order. '^ The lords of the 

 principal manor presented to the rectory of 

 Dingley until 1448, when the prior of St. John 



1 Feet of F. 8 John, cited by Bridges, Hist, of 

 No'-thants, i. 599. 



2 Line. Epis. Reg. Roll of Wells. ^ Ibid. 

 * Ibid. Roll of Gravesend. 



5 Bridges, Hist, of Northants, i. 599. 



6 Line. Epis. Reg. Memo, of Dalderby, f. 268d. 



7 Close, 19 Edw. II. m. lld. 



8 Add. MS. 25, 288 f. 156. 



9 Line. Epis. Reg. Memo, of Alnwick, f. 74d. 

 1" Ibid. " Ibid. Memo, of Chadwonh, f. 3d. 

 1* Cal. Anct. D. h. 5041. 

 " Browne Willis, Mitred Abblcs, ii. 162. 

 u Ibid. '^ Add. Chart. 22,026. 



16 Dugdale, Mon. ii. 546. 



17 Cardigan MSS. eited by Bridges, Hist, of 

 Korthants, ii. 305. 



142 



of Jerusalem presented;*- the presentation re- 

 mained in the knights' hands until their sup- 

 pression. 



The report of Prior Philip de Thame to the 

 Grand Master Elyan de Villanova, for 1338, 

 giving full particulars of all the English possessions 

 of the order, is fortunately extant, and was well 

 edited for the Camden Society in 1857 ; it 

 shows for this commandery a total income of 

 ^^79 4^., and a total expenditure of ^^37 o;. 4^/., 

 leaving the handsome balance of ^^42 35. ScA for 

 the general treasury of the grand prior of 

 England. This return also specifies that Sir 

 William Waldechef was preceptor or commander, 

 and that the two who held corrodies in the 

 house were Hugh le Chaplain and Robert de 

 Braibrock, ' scutifer.' 



The order of St. John was divided under 

 three separate heads — knights, chaplains, and 

 serving brothers. The serving brothers were 

 sub-divided into two classes, the one included 

 those who entered this rank of the order with 

 the hopes of winning their spurs under the White 

 Cross banner, and afterwards advancing to the 

 class of knights, whilst the other was formed of 

 men of lower birth, who had no such expecta- 

 tion. To the former of these two divisions 



'8 Add. Chart. 22,523. A good impression of this 

 seal is attached to the Deed of Surrender, No. 230. 

 '9 Add. Chart. 22,423. 



20 Add. Chart. 20,848. 2' Add. Chart. 22,464. 

 ** Line. Epis. Reg. Inst, of Alnwiek. 



