A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



Above, in a smaller niche, the Trinity, and on 

 each side in a canopied niche, a saint. In the 

 base Archbishop Simon kneeling, between two 

 shields of arms. Legend : 



SIG* LU GREGORII DE SUDBURY 1 



70. THE COLLEGE OF WINGFIELD 



In 1362, Lady Eleanor, relict of Sir John 

 Wingfield, and Thomas Wingfield, brother of 

 Sir John, being his executors, founded, in accor- 

 dance with his desires, a college of priests in the 

 parish church of Wingfield. The original 

 foundation only provided for a provost or master 

 and three other priests ; but this number was 

 afterwards increased to nine priests and three 

 choristers. It was jointly dedicated in honour of 

 St. Mary, St. John Baptist, and St. Andrew. 

 The original foundation also provided for the 

 support at the college of three poor boys. 2 



Licence was granted in November, 1401, to 

 the provost or master and the chaplains of the 

 collegiate church of Wingfield, for Thomas 

 Doupe to grant in mortmain to them land in 

 Stradbroke, Wingfield, and Earsham. At the 

 same time Michael earl of Suffolk obtained 

 licence to grant land rent in Stradbroke, Wing- 

 field, Silham, and Earsham,worth ioi. yearly. 3 



The Valor of 1535 shows a clear annual value 

 of ji9 14.5. $d. The temporalities were 

 obtained from Wingfield, Chekering, Sydeham- 

 cum-Esham, Stradbroke, Walpole, Benhall 

 Robert, Middleton Chekering, and Raydon 

 Wingfield ; the gross value being ^47 los. ^.d. 

 The spiritualities were the rectories of Wing- 

 field, Stradbroke, and Syleham, with the chapel 

 of Esham. Among the deductions was the sum 

 of ^8 paid to the three poor boys on the foun- 

 dation. 4 



Bishop Goldwell made a personal visitation of 

 this college on 27 September, 1493, wne n 

 William Baynard, the master, with three fellows 

 and four ' conducts,' was examined. The 

 report of the visitation stated that though there 

 was not much worthy of reformation, the 



ordinance and statutes of the house were not 

 read before the members, the master was too 

 remiss in correction, and that no provision was 

 made for teaching grammar. 6 



When Bishop Nykke visited in 1526, Thomas 

 Halkyn, one of the fellows, said that the college 

 seal was in the hands of only a single fellow, 

 but that otherwise all was well ordered by the 

 master. Three other fellows gave equally 

 satisfactory testimony. 7 



The last visitation of this college, prior to its 

 dissolution, was held on 4 July, 1532 ; it was 

 attended by Robert Budde, master, Nicholas 

 Thurlynge, fellow, and three stipendiaries. 

 There were no complaints, and nothing to re- 

 form ; but Robert Tompson, stipendiary and 

 steward of the college, said that they were two 

 priests short. 8 



Robert Budde, master of the college, and four 

 of the fellows signed the acknowledgement of the 

 royal supremacy on 17 October, 1534. 



The college was surrendered on 2 June, 1542. 

 The instrument of surrender is signed by Robert 

 Budde, master, and by four fellows. Annexed to 

 the surrender is the commission, dated 12 May, 

 of the same year, and the commissioners' cer- 

 tificate of the surrender, dated 17 June. 10 



In this college were buried the bodies of 

 William de la Pole, duke of Suffolk, 1450, and 

 his son and heir, John de la Pole, duke of 

 Suffolk, 1 49 1. 11 



The fine seal of this college bears St. Andrew 

 crucified on a saltire cross ; in the base the arms 

 of Wingfield. Legend : 



-f- COMMUNE -\- SIGILLUM -|- S + MARIE -f- 



DE WYNGFIEELD 12 



MASTERS OF THE COLLEGE OF WINGFIELD 



Robert Bolton, occurs 1 404," resigned 1426 u 

 John Burthan, 15 appointed 1426 

 Henry Trevyllian, 16 appointed 1433 

 William Baynard, 17 occurs 1493 

 Thomas Dey, 18 occurs 1530 

 Robert Budde, 19 occurs 1532 



ALIEN HOUSES 



71. THE PRIORY OF BLAKENHAM 



Walter Gifford, earl of Buckingham, gave the 

 manor of Blakenham to the great Benedictine 

 abbey of Bee in the reign of William Rufus. 6 



As this was an estate of some importance and 

 must have required supervision, it is probable 



Add. Chart. 8405 ; B.M. Cast, Ixxii, 14. 

 Norw. Epis. Reg. v, 88. 

 Pat. 3 Hen. IV, pt. i, m. 22. 

 Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iii, 407. 

 Dugdale, Man. vi, 1002, where the charter is cited 

 from the original at Eton College. 



that it was placed in the charge of one or two 

 monks who would have their chapel and offices 



6 Jessopp, Visit. 52-3. 7 Ibid. 223. ' Ibid. 296. 

 ' Dep. Keepers Rep. vii, App. ii, 304. 



10 Ibid, viii, App. ii, 49. 



11 Weever, Funeral Monuments, 758. 



" Add. Chart. 10642 ; B.M. Cast, Ixxii, 15. 

 " Brit. Arch. Assoc. Journ. xxi ,347. 

 14 Norw. Epis. Reg. ix, 15. Mentioned as master 

 in 1405 ; Pat. 5 Hen. IV, pt. ii, m. 7. 



6 Norw. Epis. Reg. ix, 15. w Ibid, ix, 61. 

 " Jessopp, Visit. 52. 

 18 Add. Chart. 10642. " Jessopp, Visit. 296, &c. 



152 



