A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 



During the short rule of Reginald de Eye 

 one of his monks, Henry de Wangeford, fled 

 from the priory to the neighbouring house of 

 Austin Canons, from which he went away after 

 sunset in company with one of the canons, 

 Richard de Harpele, and some servants of the same 

 house who escorted him with arms half a league 

 in the direction of Elveden, when Prior Reginald 

 came up with a number of monks and servants, 

 and a fight ensued ending in the re-capture of 

 brother Henry,' who was taken back to the 

 priory and there imprisoned for two months, but 

 eventually escaped. - 



To Ralf de Frezenfeld succeeded Thomas 

 le Bygod, a monk of Walden. His appoint- 

 ment as prior was confirmed by the bishop on 

 31 December, 1304. Blomefield says that he 

 was elected by the sub-prior and monks ; but 

 this seems most doubtful, for he had not shaken 

 ofF his allegiance to Cluni and attended the 

 chapter-general in the year following his appoint- 

 ment. On 14 October, 1305, Thomas prior 

 of Thetford, nominated two attorneys to act for 

 him in his absence until the following Easter.' 



On 3 February, 1307, Walter de Norwich, 

 king's clerk, was appointed to the custody of the 

 priory of Thetford, which was stated to be of the 

 king's patronage since the death of Roger le 

 Bigod, earl of Norfolk. The reason for taking 

 this step was said to be that the house was 

 oppressed with debt.* 



John de Benstede and William Inge were 

 accordingly appointed by the crown in October, 

 1307, to the custody of the priory of Thetford, 

 with its cells of Wangeford and Horkesley, to 

 apply the rents and issues to the discharge of the 

 debts of the house, reserving for the prior and 

 convent and its ministers a reasonable sustenance.' 



In 1308 the king committed the custody of 

 the house to William de Ventodoro, dean of the 

 priory of St. Peter of Carennac, Gascony, during 

 the voidance of the priorship, instituting him ad 

 interim prior of Thetford. In January, 1309, 

 the term of his custody was extended to Michael- 

 mas.' When Michaelmas came William de 

 Ventodoro's term of custody was further extended 

 to Easter, to enable the abbot of Cluni, to whom 

 the preferment belonged, to prefer one of his 

 monks and present him to the king. From an 

 inquisition it appeared that upon every voidance 

 the abbots of Cluni had been accustomed to 

 prefer one of their monks to that house, and by 

 letter to present him to the Earl of Norfolk for 

 the time being as patron of the priory, for the 

 restoration of the temporalities ; that the earls 

 had always made such restoration until Earl 



' Assize R. 1234, m. 26. ' Ibid. m. 21. 



' Pat. 33 Edw. I, pt. ii, m. 10. 

 * Ibid. 35 Edvv. I, m. 38. 

 ' Ibid. I Edw. II, pt. i, m. 18. 

 ' Ibid. 2 Edw. II, pt. i, m. 16 ; Duckctt, Chart, 

 end Rec. of Cluni, 115, 116. 



366 



Roger during the war with France had caused 

 certain of the monks, on the death of Vincent to 

 elect Reginald de Eye, to whom he delivered the 

 temporalities ; that upon every voidance the earls 

 were accustomed to place a porter (a horseman 

 or footman) in the priory, who received necessary 

 sustenance, but who took nothing else either for 

 himself or his lord ; and that the earls, fealty 

 having been done them by the priors preferred, 

 were accustomed by their bailiflfe to restore the 

 temporalities and remove the porter without 

 taking or retaining to their own use any of the 

 goods of the priory.' The custody of the 

 temporalities in the hands of William de Vento- 

 doro was still further extended until Christmas, 

 1309.* Soon after this date William must have 

 been presented and accepted by Cluni as actual ■ 

 prior, for in February, 13 10, he obtained, under 

 the title of prior of Thetford, protection for a 

 year's absence across the seas, and nominated 

 attorneys to act for him.' In 1311, Prior 

 William Ventodoro again obtained protection to 

 cross the seas from 14 May until the following 

 All Saints' Day."' Soon after this Prior William 

 either died or resigned, for in December, 131 1, 

 we find the temporalities of Thetford restored to 

 Martin de Rinhiaco, a Cluniac monk who had 

 just been preferred to be prior by the abbot 

 of Cluni." 



In 13 1 3 there was a most serious riot at the 

 priory, when a mob made forcible entry, assaulted 

 Prior Martin and his monks and servants, maimed 

 some of them, and followed others who fled to 

 the church so that they might be in sanctuary, 

 and actually killed several of them by the 

 high altar, and carried away the goods of the 

 priory. On 1 7 August a commission of oyer 

 and terminer was appointed to inquire into the 

 affray and give judgement, and protection for a 

 year was granted to Prior Martin. '- 



At the request of the prior and convent 

 Walter de Norwich was appointed in 131 4, 

 during pleasure, to be keeper of the house, which 

 the king had taken into his protection on account 

 of its poverty and indebtedness. A reasonable 

 allowance was to be made for the sustenance of 

 the convent and its servants, and the balance was 

 to be reserved for the discharge of the debts of 

 the priory and to make good its defects. The 

 keeper was to accept the advice and assistance of 

 some of the more discreet of the house, and so 

 long as he remained in custody no sheriff, bailiff, 

 or other minister of the king was to lodge in the 

 priory or its granges without the keeper's special 

 licence.'' 



' Ibid. 2 Edw. II, pt. ii, m. 21. 



' Ibid. 3 Edw. II, m. 32. 



' Ibid. 5 Edw. II, m. 5, 19, 9. 



'" Ibid. 4 Edw. II, pt. ii, m. i 3. 



" Ibid. 5 Edw. II, pt. i, m. 5. 



" Ibid. 7 Edw. II, pt. i, m. 16 ; pt. ii, m. \- d. 



" Ibid. 8 Edw. II, pt. i, m. 30. 



