A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



of the best repute to him, namely Ralph de la 

 Campayne the sub-prior and Laurence Sennale. 33 



Nicholas de Bretteville resigned his office as 

 prior on St. Bartholomew's Day 1310, and the 

 archbishop admitted Robert Clyvill, a monk from 

 Rouen, as prior. Provision was made for the 

 old prior during his life. 34 



On the death of Prior Nicholas English in 

 1409, the king claimed the presentation in con- 

 sequence of the war with France, and William 

 Ouston was instituted in succession. 35 Prior 

 John Halum died in 1420, and on 30 October 

 Robert Cliffbrth was elected in his place. But 

 the king claimed to be the true patron, and soon 

 afterwards presented John Gaynesbury to the 

 priory; he was admitted on 5 May 1 42 1. 36 King 

 Henry VI again presented on 23 November 

 1431 ; the new prior was John Cotyngham, a 

 monk of St. Mary's Abbey, York. 37 



There was a royal presentation in 1465, when 

 another monk of St. Mary's York, Robert 

 Scotis, was instituted prior. 38 Edward IV in 

 1472 presented William Massam, a monk of 

 Durham, to whom his own house were greatly 

 attached ; he was granted the privilege of wear- 

 ing the Durham frock, like any other brother of 

 the house, whenever he came on a visit. 39 

 Henry VII presented in 1496 and again in 1507, 

 when Thomas Gardiner, a monk of Westminster, 

 was made prior ; on this last occasion the presen- 

 tation is entered in the register as having been 

 made by the king as Duke of Lancaster. 40 The 

 institution of the last prior in 1534 is also regis- 

 tered as being done under the seal of the Duchy 

 cf Lancaster. 41 



The special commissioners of 1536, Legh and 

 Layton, visited this priory and affected to have 

 found four monks guilty of disgraceful offences 

 and one of adultery. They declared the annual 

 value to be i8o. 42 



On 25 March 1536 Prior Dalton wrote to 

 Cromwell saying that he was visited with sickness 

 and could not go up to show Cromwell his 

 muniments, regal and papal, in accordance with 

 his injunctions, but he was forwarding him all 

 the evidence concerning royal grants and the 

 Bishop of Frome's confirmations. 43 The modest 

 pension of 2O marks was granted to George 

 Dalton, the dispossessed prior, on 2 July 1536. 



Sir Gervase Clyfton obtained a grant from the 

 Crown of the site of the monastery, together with 

 Blyth rectory, on 10 July I538. 44 



Ibid. 6969, fol. 1 19. 



"Harl. MS. 6970, fol. 

 " Ibid. 6972, fol. 1 8. 

 " Ibid. fol. 24*. 



37 Ibid. fol. 286. 



38 Ibid. fol. 34*. " Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 5 i-z. 



40 Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 43. 



41 Ibid. fol. 47. "L. and P. Hen. rill, x, 364. 

 "Ibid. 550. 



41 Aug. Off. Bks. ccix, fol 1 1 I*. 



There is an imperfect impression of the seal 

 of this priory at the British Museum, attached 

 to a charter of 1420. The Virgin is seated on 

 a carved throne, with the Holy Child in her lap, 

 lifting up His right hand in benediction, and 

 having a flower in the left. The legend is 

 wanting ; the matrix was of 13th-century 

 date. 46 



PRIORS OF BLYTH 



R. dePauliaco, n88 46 



William Wastell, 12 47 



Gilbert, occurs I224 48 



Theobald, occurs 1260 49 



William Burden, 1273, resigned I303 60 



Nicholas de Bretteville, elected 1303 " 



Robert de Clyvill, 1310" 



Ralph de Toto, I328' 3 



Peter Meslier, resigned I344 54 



Peter Textor, 1 344 65 



Gilbert, occurs 1365 K 



Thomas de Vymond, resigned 1376 6r 



Nicholas English, 1376 68 



William Ouston, 1409" 



John Halum, died 1420 M 



Robert Clifforth, 1420" 



John Gaynesbury, 1421 62 



Robert Toppeclyff, 1429 63 



John Cotyngham, 1431 64 



Nicholas Halle, 1438" 



Thomas Bolton, I448 66 



William West, 1451-8" 



Robert Bubwith, 1458 M 



Robert Scotis, I465 69 



William Massam, died 1472 70 



Robert Gwyllam, 1496 



Thomas Gardiner, 1507" 



John Baynebrig, 1511 73 



George Dalton, 1534 74 



45 Harl. Chart. 44 A. 19. 



46 Raine, Hist. of Blyth, 50. 



"Ibid. 48 Harl. MS. 3759, fol. 123. 



49 Ibid. 6970, fol. 144*. 



60 Ibid. fol. 100*. 



11 Ibid. " Ibid. 6972, fol. 23. 



63 Ibid. M Ibid. fol. 24. " Ibid. 



66 Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 51. 



67 Harl. MS. 6969, fol. 63. 



88 Ibid. " Ibid. 6972, fol. 24*. 



60 Ibid. 6969, fol. 119. 



61 Ibid. " Ibid. 



63 Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 51. 



64 Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 28. 



65 Pat. 17 Hen. VI. 



66 Pat. 26 Hen. VI, pt. i. 



67 Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 27. 



68 Ibid, fol 30. 69 Ibid fol. 34*. 



70 Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 5 1 . 



71 Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 39. 

 " Ibid. fol. 43. 



" Ibid. fol. 44. 

 74 Ibid. fol. 47. 





