A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



befallen the mother-house, and in 1354 the abbot 

 of Bayham, as commissioner of the order in 

 England, summoned a chapter at Grantham to 

 consider the question of making a gift to the 

 abbot of Pre'monstr6. 28 



An abbot of this house was again commissioner 

 of the order in 1421 when he asked leave to go 

 to Flanders to meet the abbot of Premonstre's 

 agents to arrange various matters. 29 Another 

 abbot contested the same post with the celebrated 

 Richard Redman, abbot of Shap, in the spring of 

 1459. This abbot, Thomas, had been appointed 

 commissioner about I444 30 and again sometime 

 before 1454, when he summoned a general 

 chapter of the order at Northampton, at which 

 certain orders were made concerning the dress 

 of the canons. 31 In March, 1458-9, how- 

 ever, the father abbot cancelled his commission 

 and appointed the abbot of Shap instead; 32 

 Abbot Thomas, however, appears to have con- 

 cocted charges of extortion and oppression 

 against Redman 33 and temporarily recovered his 

 position ; 34 but upon further inquiry the father 

 abbot reinstated Redman, who in April, 1459, 

 appointed certain abbots to inquire into the abbot 

 of Bayham's conduct and if necessary depose and 

 excommunicate him. 35 Either this abbot or a 

 successor subsequently held office, but was again 

 deprived, on a charge of negligence, in favour of 

 the abbot of Shap in I466. 36 



Of the inner history of this house we have few 

 early details, but in 1305 orders were issued by 

 the abbot of Prmonstr for the arrest of three 

 canons of Bayham for rebellion and disobedience, 37 

 and in 1315 Abbot Laurence was compelled to 

 resign as the result of a visitation. 38 Of the visita- 

 tions made by Richard Redman, abbot of Shap 

 and bishop of St. Asaph, accounts are preserved 

 in the Bodleian Library. 39 In the case of that of 

 1472 we learn that there were seven canons, 

 besides the abbot and one novice ; several of these 

 were serving cures and were ordered to return at 

 once into residence ; the house was deeply in- 

 volved in debt by the mismanagement of recent 

 abbots. In September, 1478, the visitor found 

 the buildings in utter ruin, the number of canons 

 insufficient and three of them apostate, whom he 

 forthwith excommunicated ; the abbot, however, 

 was praised for his success in reducing the debts 

 and increasing the stock of the community. 

 Similar praise was earned by the abbot in 1488, 



28 Gasquet, op. cit. No. 35. 



" Acts ofP.C. ii, 283. 



30 Early Chanc. Proc. bdle. 15, No. 169. 



" Gasquet, op. cit. 75-7. 



"Ibid. 38. "Ibid. 144. 



34 Ibid. 78. "Ibid. 144. 



" Ibid. 39. 



37 Coram Rege R. 1 80, m. I d. 



38 MS. 59 ; C.C.Coll. Cam. 



39 Abstracted in SMS. Arch. Coll. vs., 1 64-9 ; printed 

 in full in Gasquet, op. cit. ii, Nos. 241-60. 



88 



but again the number of canons in residence was 

 too small and orders were given to recall those 

 who were serving cures other than churches be- 

 longing to the abbey. Strictures were also passed 

 upon the canons for wearing fashionable boots 

 and shoes like those of laymen, and the cellarer 

 was absolved for having struck one of his brethren. 

 In 1491 the same good providence in temporal 

 matters was found joined with the same slackness 

 in things spiritual, orders being given to restrict 

 the wandering habits of the canons and to cele- 

 brate mattins and the other canonical hours 

 more regularly ; one brother was on this occasion 

 banished to Newhouse, in Lincolnshire, for in- 

 continence. In 1494 also one canon had to be 

 banished for incontinency and another excom- 

 municated as apostate, and the number of canons 

 was ordered to be increased, but in 1497 the 

 visitor had nothing but praise for the excellent 

 management of the abbot. Finally, in 1500 

 nothing is found amiss and the visitor is able to 

 ' render thanks to God for the laudable providence 

 of the abbot ' ; he, however, renewed his injunc- 

 tion for increasing the number of canons, the 

 community at this date consisting of the abbot 

 and ten brethren, of whom two were apostate, 

 one a novice and another serving the cure of 

 Pembury. 



In 1524 when Wolsey, at the height of his 

 power, obtained the papal licence to suppress a 

 number of small monasteries and bestow their 

 endowments upon his colleges at Oxford and Ips- 

 wich, Bayham was one of the houses appointed to 

 be thus suppressed, 40 but the fall of this house,which 

 was dissolved in May 1 525, 41 was greatly resented 

 by the neighbourhood, and a large force assembled 

 under the leadership of Thomas Towers, a late 

 canon, whom they reinstated as abbot, holding 

 the abbey with armed force for some little time ; 4S 

 but in the end the resistance seems to have 

 flickered out and died a natural death, the ring- 

 leaders being captured and imprisoned. 



ABBOTS OF BAYHAM 



Jordan 43 



Reginald, occurs I22I-35, 44 and 1243" 



Benedict, occurs 1 245 46 



Reginald, occurs 1 246-9 a 



John, occurs I25& 48 



Thomas, occurs I263 49 



John, occurs I272 60 



40 L. and P. Hen. rill, iv, 650. 



41 Ibid, iv, 1137. 



43 Suss. Arch. Coll. vii, 221-3. 

 "Cartul, No. 122. 



44 Feet of F. (Suss. Rec. Soc.), Nos. 175-333. 

 44 Chartul, No. 373. 



46 Feet ofF. (Suss. Rec. Soc.), No. 424. 



47 Ibid. Nos. 429-92. 



48 Feet of F. Suss, file 19, No. 20. 

 "Ibid, file 2 3, No. 19. 



60 According to Cooper, Suss. Arch. Coll. ix, 179. 



