A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



Thomas Robys, 1 1462 

 John Foster," 1490-99 

 Robert Wode, 3 1499-1509 

 Walter May, 4 1509-36 



12. THE PRIORY OF SOUTHWICK 



Henry I. in 1133 founded in the church 

 of St. Mary, Porchester, a priory of Austin 

 canons. The foundation charter assigned to 

 the canons the appropriation of the church of 

 Porchester, timber for fencing, building and 

 fuel, as well as common pasture in the wood 

 of Hingsdon ; the manor of Candover ; a hide 

 of land in Southwick, and a hide of land in 

 Applestead. The charter gave the canons 

 every possible manorial right over their lands. 

 This charter was witnessed, amongst others, 

 by the Bishops of Winchester, Salisbury and 

 St. Davids, and by the Bishops elect of Dur- 

 ham and Ely. 6 



An undated deed of the early part of the 

 thirteenth century records a grant by Luke, 

 the prior of Southwick, to John the goldsmith, 

 of the plot and house which Robert, the 

 sacrist of Southwick, built in Portsmouth, in 

 exchange for half a virgate of land in 

 Kingston. 6 



In 1 204 King John granted the canons of 

 Southwick a confirmation charter of the manor 

 of Dean, 7 and in 1214 he issued general 

 letters of protection for the monastery. 8 In 

 1234, Henry III. granted the priory a weekly 

 market and an annual fair. 



Pope Innocent IV., in February, 1254, 

 issued a mandate to Berard de Nimpha, a 

 papal agent, living in England, to imprison for 

 life and deprive of their benefices certain 

 forgers of papal letters, and to cite to Rome 

 (with six others) the prior of Southwick, who 



1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Waynfiete, i. f. iz3b; 

 Pat. 2 Edw. IV. pt. 2, mm. 18, 13. 



2 Winton. Epis. Reg., Courtenay, f. n. 



3 Add. MS. 15314, ff. 94b, 101. 



4 Winton. Epis. Reg., Fox, ii. ff. io8b, 1 10. 



6 Cited in the Inspection and Confirmation 

 Charter of Edward III. (Charter Roll, 27 Edw. 

 III. m. 9, No. 19). Add MS. 32, 280 chiefly 

 consists of the late Sir F. Madden's transcript of 

 the greater part of a chartulary of South wick, which 

 was then in the possession of Mr. Thistlethwayte. 

 It is described as a large quarto of 271 folios, and 

 containing copies of 1,016 instruments. It was 

 compiled in 1396, under the direction of Prior 

 Hursley. It appears to be strictly a chartulary, 

 and to contain no narrative account of the house, 

 or of its buildings and administration. 



8 Ancient Deeds, P.R.O., D. 100. 



7 Charter Roll, 5 John, m. 5. 



8 Close, 1 6 John, m. 19. 



is mentioned in the letters suspected to be 

 false, that he may, if possible, prove his 

 innocence." 



Licence was granted to the prior and canons 

 in May, 1278, after injunction made by the 

 sheriff, to enclose with hedges and a ditch a 

 certain way opposite the great gate of their 

 priory leading southward, upon condition that 

 they made another way on their own ground 

 of the same width. 10 



In 1280 the prior of Southwick was called 

 upon to show by what right the convent held 

 the manors of Dean and Colemore ; where- 

 upon the prior, who appeared personally, 

 produced the charter of King John, and the 

 jurors decided in favour of the monastery. 

 The prior's right to gallows, a market, and 

 assize of bread and ale in the town of South- 

 wick was also called in question by the counsel 

 for the Crown. The prior produced charters 

 of Henry III. to substantiate his claims to 

 gallows and a Wednesday market, but with 

 regard to the assize of bread and ale he 

 pleaded a prescriptive title. The jury found 

 that the prior was only entitled to this assize 

 on the market day, and that it pertained to 

 the king on all other days of the week. 11 



On i o January, 1281, Archbishop Peckham, 

 from information he had received, deemed it 

 advisable to interfere in the affairs of South- 

 wick priory and removed Prior Andrew from 

 his post. On his removal the archbishop 

 drew up an ordinance as to his future treat- 

 ment. The ex-prior was to receive daily two 

 loaves called miches, 12 one chopyn, 13 and two 

 gallons of convent beer, and from the kitchen 

 and for his clothing the same as were supplied 

 to the sub-prior. He was also to have com- 

 mons for one servant. An honorable chamber 

 was to be selected for his use and that of one 

 other canon as his companion. He was to 

 receive half a mark in money on the feasts of 

 Christmas and Pentecost. The ex-prior was 

 to be regular in attendance in the quire and 

 chapter, and on solemn days to take his meals 

 in the frater with the rest of the convent 

 This order was dated 12 February, 1282. 14 



The energetic archbishop again visited the 

 monastery of Southwick in 1284 and found it 

 disturbed in spiritualities and most desolate in 

 temporalities. He forwarded a long visitation 



9 Cat. of Papal Letters, i. 303. 



10 Pat. 6 Edw. I. m. 16. 



11 Placitade Quo Warranto (Rec. Com.), 767, 768. 

 la Miche or Micche, signifying a loaf, is used in 



Chaucer, etc. 



13 Chopyn, probably a coarse wheaten loaf (see 

 Hallivieirs Diet. ' chobbins ' and ' cob-loaf). 



u Cant. Archiep. Reg., Peckham, f. 



164 



