RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



clerk, and Nicholas de Flamstede, monk of St. 

 Albans, in custody of the priory of Binham, by 

 reason of divers destructions therein ; but in 

 August, 1323, the custodians were ordered to 

 meddle no further with its affairs, because the 

 king understood that the priory and its estates 

 were improving.^ In the latter year Nicholas 

 de Flamstede was definitely appointed prior 

 by the abbot. It was the custom of the 

 cells of the great abbey to make considerable 

 presents to a newly elected abbot ; but on 

 the election of Richard de Wallingford as 

 abbot, in 1326, it is recorded that the priory 

 of Binham was in considerable straits, and 

 found a difficulty in sustaining its own monks, 

 so that it was only able to offer 405. to the 

 new abbot.^ 



About 1400, when Robert Stoke was prior, 

 an ordinance was drawn up by the abbey of 

 various payments due from the different cells. 

 The annual contribution of Binham to the pro- 

 vincial chapter was 13^. 8d., and as a pension 

 for the schools 5 35. 4.d., in addition to 20s. as an 

 acknowledgement of their obedience.' 



In 1454 there was an unusual occurrence in 

 the annals of St. Albans. A number of monks 

 who had left the abbey in the time of Abbot 

 Whethamstede's predecessor returned. Among 

 them was one Henry Halstede, who had formerly 

 been prior of Wymondham, and of quarrelsome 

 repute. He entreated with much persistency to 

 be reinstated as a monk of the abbey, and to be 

 made prior of Binham ; promising that, in that 

 event, he would entirely rebuild the dorter of 

 Binham Priory, which had at that time fallen 

 into ruins. The monks of St. Albans, however, 

 objected to this proposal, as the character of 

 Halstede was odious to many of them ; but the 

 abbot recommended that he should be appointed 

 if he would give sureties in writing not only to 

 rebuild the dormitory, but also to clear off all the 

 debts of the priory of Binham. To these pro- 

 posals Halstede readily assented, but the brethren 

 still objected to his readmission, and sent the 

 kitchener of the convent to the sacrist as a depu- 

 tation to express their views. The abbot, con- 

 sidering them to be self-willed, remonstrated 

 with them at considerable length, taking a high 

 religious line of forgiveness. His arguments 

 prevailed, the convent assented to Halstede's re- 

 admission, who was forthwith sent as prior to 

 Binham.^ Another brother, John Middleton, 

 who had for several years deserted his monastery, 

 was also sent to Binham shortly after Halstede's 

 appointment.' 



The scanda.\ous comperta of Legh and Ap Price, 

 drawn up early in 1536, alleged three confessions 



' Close, 19 Edw. II, m. 39. 



' Gcsta Abb. S. Albani (Rolls Ser.), 187. 



' Cott. MS. Claud. E. IV, fol. 346. 



* Reg. Whethamitede (Rolls Ser.), i, 139-4-3- 



' Ibid, i, 144-7. 



of incontinency from the monks of Binham. 

 When the county commissioners for suppression 

 reported later in the same year, they gave no 

 details of this house, merely stating that : ' The 

 Priory of Bynhame namyd to be a cell to the 

 monastery of Seynte Albounes hath a Prive Seale 

 to appere before yore incontynent upon thesyght 

 thereof.' 



As a cell it escaped the suppression of the 

 smaller monasteries. In March, 1538, Sir 

 Richard Rich, one of the visitors, wrote to 

 Cromwell, saying that he was intending to 

 suppress Binham before his return, for though it 

 claimed to be a cell of St. Albans, it made leases 

 under its own seal without any mention of the 

 abbot.^ The actual suppression did not, how- 

 ever, take place until May, 1539, when Thomas 

 Williams, the last prior, received a pension of 



Thomas Paxton, a gentleman of the king's 

 privy chamber, obtained a grant in September, 

 1539, of almost all the priory's property, includ- 

 ing the manor and advowson of Binham. The 

 clear annual value was estimated at [\Q\ 8j. \\d. 

 He had to pay a rent of j^io 3!.* 



Priors of Binham 



Osgod, 1 1 06 



Enisandus,' c. 1 125 



Ralph,'" occurs 11 74 



Peter,'' occurs 11 89, 11 93, 1197 



Ralph Gubion,'^ occurs 11 98-9 



Thomas,'^ occurs 11 29-1 200 



Richard," occurs 12 14 



Miles'' 



William de Gedding," died 1227 



Richard (II) de Parco," elected 1227, resigned 



1244 

 Richard (III) de Selford," occurs 1244 

 William,'^ occurs 1262 

 Adam de Motu,^'' occurs 1264, 1267 

 Milo " 

 Peter ^^ 

 Robert de Waltham,^* occurs 1279, 1289 



« Karl. MS. 604, fol. 67. 



' Aug. Off. Books, ccxxxii, fol. 43^. 



* Pat. 31 Hen. VIII, pt. i, m. 32. 



^ Cott. MS. Claud. D. xiii, fol. 24. 



'" Blomefield, Hist, of Norf._ ix, 210. 



" Cott. MS. Claud. D. xiii, fols. 24, 126, 164. 



" Ibid. fols. 126, 132. " Ibid. fols. 125, 126, 131. 



" He is probably the Richard ' de Kancia ' named 

 in 1250 as a former prior (Assize R. 560, m. 52). 



'* Miles is also mentioned in 1250 as a former prior 

 (ibid.). 



'* Matt. Paris, Chron. Mrjora (Rolls Ser.), vi, 292. 



" Ibid. V, 177 ; also called Richard Rufus (ibid, 

 note), or le Rus (Assize R. 560, m. 5, 4</. 52). 



'«Cott. MS. Nero. D. i, 154. 



" Ibid. Claud. D. xiii, 179. 



'"Ibid. 152, 171. " Ibid. 



" Ibid. 128, 133. "■ Ibid. 



345 



55, 9+- 

 150, 152. 



44 



