RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



than 2,000 sheep. Canon Henry Sympson had 

 several complaints as to ruined walls, insufficient 

 lamps, and the quality of the bread, ale, and 

 meat. It is of interest to note a reference to the 

 bad repair of the school-house (' camera scolae 

 vocata scolehous-chambre '). This must refer to 

 a school for outsiders ; so small a house would 

 not require a separate room for the instruction of 

 novices. Canon Edmund also complained as to 

 lights and food, the hours of meals, the lack of a 

 barber, absence of servants and defects in the 

 building, all the fault of the prior ; but he dis- 

 believed a reported scandal against his superior. 

 He also stated that the number of canons on the 

 foundation was formerly seven. Canon John 

 Whetebred complained of the quality of the bread 

 and ale and the absence of servants. Canon 

 Richard Mason thought the food was not whole- 

 some and that there was no provision for ad- 

 ministering the necessaries of life to the infirm or 

 giving them attendance ; he also drew attention 

 to the bad condition of the church and buildings. 



The bishop's consequent injunctions included 

 the removal of one Agnes Clarke from the 

 priory's service, and the exclusion of Christian de 

 Weting ; the finding light and lamps for the 

 church in the winter ; an improvement in food 

 and drink ; the repair of the school-house before 

 All Saints' Day, and the execution of other neces- 

 sary repairs ; and the providing of a barber and 

 servants. The visitation was then prorogued to 

 Michaelmas.* 



In 1520 Prior Martin was followed by Robert 

 Codde. In that year John, bishop of Chalcedon, 

 with certain colleagues, visited the house on be- 

 half of Bishop Nicke. Prior Codde testified that 

 all things were going on well, and a like brief 

 report was made by the four canons, Edmund 

 Banyard, John Whetebred, Richard Mason, and 

 Richard Breccles. The injunctions, consequent 

 on this visitation, ruled that the prior was to pro- 

 vide within thirty days a place of confinement 

 with stocks and chains for the correction of 

 canons ; and that the canons were not to fre- 

 quent taverns, nor to leave the priory without 

 permission of their superior, and to give up the 

 use of buckles.^ 



William Barlow alias Finch occurs as prior in 

 1525. He had already been prior of several 

 small Austin houses, Tiptree and Leighs in Essex, 

 Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, and Bisham 

 in Berkshire ; he was afterwards successively 

 bishop of St. Asaph, St. David's, Bath and Wells, 

 and Chichester. 



The priory was again visited by Bishop Nicke 

 in 1526. Prior Barlow gave a good report of 

 everything. Canon Banyard said that there was 

 no farmery nor attendance for the infirm canons ; 

 Canon Whetebred complained that there was no 

 regular confessor, and that an annuity had been 



' Jessopp, Norw. Fisit. (Camd. Sec), 85-7. 

 • Ibid. 154.-85. 



granted to one Mr. Redmayne ; Canon Mason 

 also objected to this annuity, and drew attention 

 to the ruinous condition of the church ; and 

 Canon Breccles complained that silence was not 

 observed in the dorter. The only consequent 

 injunction was an order to the prior to provide 

 a confessor for the canons.' 



This house was suppressed, at Cardinal Wolsey's 

 request, by Pope Clement's bull of 14 May, 1528, 

 towards the endowment of his projected college 

 at Ipswich. It was dissolved on 18 September, 

 1528, by Drs. Gardiner and Legh, the canons 

 being ordered to enter other Austin houses. The 

 work of demolishing the church and building was 

 at once undertaken, £/^ \y. 4a'. being paid for 

 taking down the lead. In the same year 5 31. ^d, 

 was paid by the cardinal to the vicar of Croxton 

 as his pension, and there was also a payment of 

 40i. to ex-Prior Barlow.^ 



After the cardinal's fall the land and site and 

 possessions of the late priory of Bromehill, includ- 

 ing six manors in Norfolk, a windmill at Weeting, 

 lands, rents, &c., in twenty-four Norfolk and 

 three Suffolk townships, together with an annual 

 rent from Weeting of ;^20, and the advowson 

 of Croxton Church were granted by the crown 

 to the master, fellows, and scholars of Christ's 

 College, Cambridge.' 



Priors of Bromehill 



Geoffrey,' occurs 1240 

 Henry,' occurs 1268 

 William,* occurs 1308 

 Ralph de Threkestone,' elected 131 1 

 John de Welle,*" elected 1342 

 Thomas de Soham," elected 1344 

 Peter de Burnham,'^ elected 1349 

 William Estmore," elected 1394 

 Robert Stowe,'* elected 141 2 

 John de Walsoken,** resigned 1424 

 Richard Winchester,*' elected 1424 

 John Rammesey,*' elected 1446 

 Robert Foster,** elected 1466 

 William Kyrtelyng,*' elected 1479 

 William Lovell,^" elected 1 49 1 

 Thomas Axill,"* elected 1 491 

 Thomas Martin," elected 15 14 

 Robert Codde,^' elected 1520 

 William Barlow,^* occurs 1525, last prior 



' Ibid. 242-3. 



* L. and P. Hen. Fill, iv, 4229 (9), 4755. 



' Pat. 23 Hen. VIII, pt. ii, mm. 23 and 24. 



' Blomeficld, Hist. ofNorf. ii, 164. 



' Ibid. ' Ibid. 



' Norw. Epis. Reg. i, 44. 

 '" Ibid, iii, 54. " Ibid, iv, 46. 



'-Ibid. 103. " Ibid. vi. " Ibid, vii, 33. 



'■■ Ibid, ix, 37. " Ibid. " Ibid, xi, 6. 



"Ibid. 156. 



" Blomeficld, Hisl. ofNorf. ii, 164. " Ibid. 



" Ibid. " Ibid. " Ibid. 



" Ibid. 



375 



