Book II.] TURFITES OF THE PERIOD. 63 



the Upper House of Convocation, and a Parliamentary baron, 

 being summoned by a particular writ to sit " inter pares, pro- 

 ceres et barones regni," His apartment in the abbey was a 

 kind of well-disciplined court, where the sons of noblemen and 

 gentlemen were sent for education, and returned thence excel- 

 lently accomplished. Abbot Whiting had bred up nearly 

 three hundred after this manner, besides others of a meaner 

 rank, whom he fitted for the universities. At home his table, 

 attendance, and officers were an honour to the nation ; some- 

 times he even entertained five hundred persons of fashion at 

 a time, and every week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, all the 

 poor of the neighbourhood were relieved by his particular 

 charity, and when he went abroad he was attended by upwards 

 of one hundred persons. His stud was kept at Sharpham ; 

 and attached to the abbey, which must have been a paradise 

 for sportsmen, was a lake five miles in circumference, and one 

 and a half miles broad, wherein were "greate abundance of 

 pykes, tenches, roches, and yeles, and dyvers other kyndes of 

 fysshes." There was also a swanery of " xl couple," a heronry 

 " to the nombre of iiii," while pheasants and ground game 

 abounded. 



^2 Charles Brandon, DuKE OF SUFFOLK, the king's brother- 

 in-law. 



^^ Sir George Lawson (son of Sir Thomas Lawson by 

 a daughter of Sir — Dorrell, Knt.), of Little Usworth, in the 

 county of Durham. He married Mabella, daughter and heir 

 of Sir Reginald Carnaby, Knt., by whom he had four sons 

 and three daughters. 



" " Master Norrys." Afterwards Sir Henry Norris, Gen- 

 tleman of the Privy Chamber (who had the exclusive privilege 

 of accompanying the king to his bedroom), and Esquire of 

 the body. His career is so well known that it is only neces- 

 sary to remind the reader that he was convicted of a criminal 

 intercourse with Anne Boleyn, and was consequently con- 

 demned and beheaded, to justify the king's divorce. 



