RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



ters were well ordered at the college and that 

 they were out of debt. Thomas Legate, the 

 college steward, who had been a fellow for 



12 years, gave a good report of everything, save 

 that the statute as to their dress being of one 

 colour and pattern was not observed. William 

 Tublayne, who had been fellow for 12 or 



13 years, William Nutman for 7 years, and 

 John Sickling for 10 years, all made favourable 

 reports. 1 



The bishop next visited Sudbury College on 

 10 July, 1526, when Richard Eden, the master, 

 was in attendance ; he was examined and gave 

 an undeviating favourable report of everything 

 pertaining to the house. But the bishop, acting 

 apparently on private information, 2 contented 

 himself on that occasion with the master's 

 testimony, and prorogued the visitation, adjourn- 

 ing it until after the Michaelmas synod. On 

 the visitation being resumed, evidence was given 

 of great disorder. The master was absent, and 

 Thomas Legate, a fellow and president in the 

 master's absence, deposed that annual accounts 

 were not rendered and that the fellows were 

 ignorant of the state of the house, that he 

 believed they were in debt, and that Nutman, 

 the steward, was much in fault. He also com- 

 plained of the almost daily quarrels and disputes 

 between Nutman and Sickling, another of the 

 fellows. William Tublayne also complained of 

 Nutman, stating that he neglected to pay their 

 quarterly stipend properly, and did not attend to 

 the repairs of the manors, farms, and granges. 

 Nutman deposed that all was well, save that the 

 house was in debt. Sickling said that he had not 

 heard or seen any accounts for 14 years, and 

 that the steward made no monthly returns as he 

 was ordered by the statutes, that their stipends 

 were not properly paid, and that there was a 

 niggardly supply of provisions. Thomas Coche 

 alias Kerver, a former fellow, had provided the 

 infirmary with feather beds and other bedding, 

 but they were not at the service of the fellows 

 when ill. Robert Chickering, another fellow, 

 stated that the manor houses, granges, and other 

 houses belonging to the college were in a 

 grievous state of dilapidation, through the neg- 

 ligence of the steward, that the agriculture of 

 the college property was in a sad plight, and that 

 their food was sparse and unhealthy, all owing 

 to the bad management of the same official, 

 who refused to supply any accounts. William 

 Fisher, another fellow, testified in a like manner. 

 The injunctions consequent on this visitation 

 are missing. 3 



The last visitation of this college, prior to its 

 dissolution, was made on 7 July, I53 2 - 

 Thomas Legate, the sub-warden, testified that 

 the number of the fellows was defective. There 

 ought to have been eight, but there were only 



1 Jessopp, Visit. 150-1. 

 f Ibid. 224-6. 



Ibid. 



three. The two other fellows, Chikering and 

 Fisher, said that there had only been three 

 fellows for the last three years, and that they 

 knew nothing of the accounts, for they were 

 never presented. It was further stated that 

 sometimes, at time of divine service, there were 

 only two chaplains in quire ; that there were no 

 choristers, and that a youth of eighteen acted as 

 college steward. On 9 July the bishop called 

 the master, Richard Eden, to account in the 

 chapter - house, ordering him to exhibit the 

 faculties, together with institutions and collations, 

 whereby he held many benefices ; he was to 

 appear before him on the morrow of St. Nicholas's 

 Day in the chapel of his manor of Hoxne, and 

 to hear his will as to the charge of perjury, 

 which, with other articles, had been alleged 

 against him. The warden swore on the Holy 

 Gospels that his faculties, with institutions and 

 collations, were in his house at London in a 

 secret place to which he only had access. 



The bishop ordered the warden at once to 

 remove from the college a French chaplain ; and 

 to fill up the number of fellows to eight before 

 next Michaelmas. The visitation was then 

 prorogued until the following Lady Day. 4 



Richard Eden, the last master of the college, 

 who was also archdeacon of Middlesex, surren- 

 dered it to the king on 9 December, 1544. 

 The surrender, in addition to the master's 

 signature, was signed by Edmund Lyster, 

 Thomas Legate, and Robert Paternoster, chap- 

 lains. 8 



On 3 February, 1544-5, tne king granted 

 the college and its appurtenances and property to 

 Sir Thomas Paston, one of the gentlemen of the 

 privy chamber. 6 



MASTERS OF THE COLLEGE OF SUDBURY 



John Cordebef, 7 occurs 1375 

 Peter Hermis, 8 resigned 1393 

 John Stacy, 9 appointed 1393 

 George Bryce, 10 died 1446 

 Thomas Bett, 11 appointed 1446 

 Henry Sything, 12 appointed 1452 

 Robert Sylman, 13 appointed 1464 

 Thomas Aleyn, 14 occurs 1493 

 John Carver, 15 occurs 1514 

 Richard Eden, 16 occurs 1520 



The fine seal bears St. Gregory seated in a 

 canopied niche, with papal tiara, the right hand 

 raised in benediction, and a cross in the left. 



4 Ibid. 297-8. 



5 L. and P. Hen. VIII, xix, pt. ii, 718. 



6 Proc. Stiff. Arch. Inst. vii, 30-1. 



7 Bodl. Chart. Suff. 233. 



8 Pat. 17 Ric. II, pt. i, m. 15. 'Ibid. 

 10 Norw. Epis. Reg. xi, 2. " Ibid. 

 " Ibid, xi, 29. " Ibid, xi, 143. 

 14 Jessopp, Visit. 41. 



"Ibid. 80. "Ibid. 150. 



