RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



were in attendance. The result of their examina- 

 tion was summed up in the report. The ser- 

 vants of the house were badly paid ; there were 

 formerly three lamps burning in the church, and 

 then scarcely one ; the altars lacked their proper 

 coverings ; there was too great parsimony both 

 in food and drink ; the vestments of the church 

 needed repair ; the fire for the canons was 

 insufficient in the winter ; there was an absence 

 of necessaries for the sick in the farmery ; the 

 prior did not show the state of the house to his 

 brethren ; Robert Sutton obtained the prior's 

 licence to hold the cure of Hanworth for two 

 whole years, and the prior was too rigorous in 

 correcting him without reasonable cause ; and 

 the prior was unwilling to pay to Canon Robert 

 Wymondham his pension as a priest. There is 

 no record of the injunctions that followed on 

 this visitation.^ 



The priory was visited on 21 July, 1 5 14, by 

 Bishop Nicke. The prior acknowledged that 

 he made no return of his accounts to his breth- 

 ren. Canon Edmund Norwich said that there 

 was general irregularity in attending the divine 

 services. Canon Andrew Wales said that the 

 cure of Hanworth was served by a canon and 

 not by a secular chaplain. Canon John Hick- 

 ling complained that there was no schoolmaster. 

 Five other canons, one of whom was a subdeacon, 

 and another an acolyte, were content to testify 

 omnia bene. As a result, the bishop enjoined 

 on the prior to provide an instructor in grammar 

 before Christmas. The bishop also united the 

 vicarage of Hanworth with the rectory for the 

 term of the life of the then prior.^ 



The priory was again visited on 18 July, 

 1520, by the bishop suffragan of Chalcedon and 

 other commissaries, when Prior Robert Wynd- 

 ham and eight canons were severally examined. 

 They all united in reporting omnia bene^ and 

 the only injunction was that the prior should 

 furnish an inventory and balance-sheet of his 

 house at the next Michaelmas synod at Nor- 

 wich.' 



On 13 June, 1532, the aged Bishop Nicke 

 visited the priory in person, when Prior Robert 

 and nine canons were examined. The prior, 

 Robert Walsham the sub-prior, and five of the 

 canons had no complaints to make. Richard 

 Norwich, the chanter, stated that the steps to 

 the hall were so worn that they were in a dan- 

 gerous state. Canon John Hickling said that 

 the expense of attendance in the farmery was 

 laid upon the sick. Canon Robert Aleyn con- 

 firmed this statement. The bishop's consequent 

 injunctions provided that the attendance in the 

 farmery was to be paid for at the expense of the 

 house, and that the steps to the hall were to be 

 repaired before Christmas. To these injunctions 

 was added a most exceptional one that does not 



' Jessopp, 'Norv.\ 

 •Ibid. 125-6. 



Visit. (Camd. Soc), 25-7. 

 ' Ibid. 173-4. 



appear to have been caused by any statements in 

 the formal examinations. It was ordered that 

 cudgels {fustibm) should be provided for the 

 defence of the priory. This was evidently con- 

 sidered a matter of importance, for there is added 

 in English ' Memorandum for clubs to be pro- 

 vided.'* 



Prior Robert and nine of the canons subscribed 

 to the king's supremacy in the chapter-house on 

 4 June, 1534.5 



The scandalous cotnperta of Legh and Ap Rice, 

 drawn up early in 1536, give the names of six 

 canons of this house who are supposed to have 

 confessed their incontinency to these visitors.* 

 Before, however, the county commissaries could 

 visit the priory later in the same year, the house 

 had been dissolved. They therefore contented 

 themselves with reporting its dissolution, and 

 stating that ' the Religious person es are sent uppe 

 for ther Dispensacions to my lorde of Caunter- 

 buryes grace. They added that — 



the possessiones of the housse ys grauntyd to the 

 Bishoppe of Norwiche by Acte of Parliamente whiche 

 said Bisshope claymeyth by the same Act the goodes 

 and catalles appertaynyng to the same whiche we have 

 lefte to your determinacione and judgement.' 



The prior obtained a pension of 20 marks.* 



Priors of Hickling ' 



Alexander, 11 85-1 209 



Roger, 1209, resigned 1232 



Nicholas, 1232-48 



Alan, 1248-70 



Hubert, 1 2 70-6 



Geoffrey, 1276-88 



Ranulf, 1288 '«-93 



John, 1 293-13 19 



Richard de Hemesby,^' 1319-49 



John Grys'^ alias Netesberch," 1349, resigned 



1358 

 Richard de Hemesby," 1358, resigned 1366 

 William de Wroxham,'° 1366-90 

 John de Tudyngton,'^ I390~3 

 Thomas Haneworth,'' "393) resigned 1408 

 John de Hickling,'* 1408-24 

 Richard Norwich, '' 1424, resigned 1 43 1 

 Roger Okkam,^" 1431 



' Ibid. 277-8. 



* Rymer, Foedera (Rec. Com.), xiv, 506. 



" L.andP. Hau Fill, x, 143. 



' Chant. Cert. Norf. No. 20. 



' Aug. Off. Books, ccxxxii, fol. 56 b. 



' The list of priors is complete from 11 85 to 143 1 

 in Oxenedes, Chrcn. Minor (Rolls Ser.), 433-8, but 

 for the most part only their Christian names are 

 there given. 



'" He was a canon of Butley and was not elected but 

 collated by the bishop. 



" Norw. Epis. Reg. i, 79. '^ Ibid, iv, 96. 



" Ibid, v, 27. " Ibid. " Ibid. 73. 



'Mbid. vi, 153. "Ibid. 1S4. 



" Ibid, vii, 5. " Ibid, viil, 90. 



™ Ibid, ix, 55. 



385 



49 



