The Dhsolntion of the Ahhcy. 65 



In 1537, the Abbey was dissolved, the last Abl)ot, Thomas 

 Stephens, with twenty out of the thirty monks, signing the deed 

 of surrender.* Stephens was pensioned off" with a hundi-ed 

 marks ; and some of the monks received various annuities and 

 compensations for their losses. So fell the monastery of 

 Beaulieu, and its stones went to build Henry VIII.'s martello 

 tower at Hurst, and its lead to repair Calshot,t to fight against 

 the very Power which had raised it to its glory. 



Few abbeys have known so lovely a site. Placed close to the 

 banks, it overlooked the Exe, formed by the tide more into a 

 lake than a river. On every side it was sheltered : on the north 

 by rising ground and the woods of the New Forest, and on 

 the east again by the Forest and more hills, from whence an 

 aqueduct brought down the water for the use of the monks ; 

 and on the south and west all was guarded by the river. 



To this day the outer walls are in places standing, with 

 the water-gate covered with ivy. And inside is the palace, 

 placed amongst its own grounds, surrounded by elms. Above 

 its doorway is cut a canopied niche, where stood the patron 



* The following list of books at Beaulieu, taken by Leland {Colled, de 

 Rehns Brit., vol. iv. p. 149), just before the dissolution, will show what 

 was in those days an average ecclesiastical librarj' — " Eudmerus de Vita 

 Anselmi, et Vita Wilfridi Episcopi. Stephatnis super Ecclesiasticuni, Librox 

 lieo-um. ct Parabolas Salomoiiis. Joannes Abbas de Fordd super Caidica 

 Cunticurmn. Dainascemis de Gestis Barlaam eremitce, et Josaphat i-tgis 

 Indice. Ltbelhis Candidi Ariam" (most probably the De Generatione Divina). 

 " Libellus Victorini, rhetoris, contra Candidnm " (the Cntifutatorium Candidi 

 Ariani, written against the preceding work). " Tres lihri Claudiani de 

 Statu AnimcB ad Sulonium Apolhnarem. Gislebertus super Epistolas Paulu 

 Prosper de Vita content plativa et activa." 



t Ellis\s Letters, second scries, vol. ii. p. 87. For llcnry Vlll.'g 

 enforcement of Wolsey's levies on Beaulieu, see State Papers, vol. i., part ii., 

 p. 383. 



K 



