A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



exiled Almaric, Walter de Standune and John 

 de Seldford,''* and rid himself of Alexander de 

 Langley by promotion.^' 



When the abbot had ensured his position he 

 showed himself in a different and better light. 

 The conclusion of wars internal and external 

 was followed by a visitation of the cells.'" At 

 three out of eight priories, Belvoir, Wymondham 

 and Hatfield, the priors were unsatisfactory. 

 The abbot confined himself at first to admoni- 

 tion, but as the delinquents did not amend he 

 removed them.'^ 



In 1218 the abbot obtained from Honorius III 

 papal protection for the monastery, its property 

 and cells, and confirmation of all the privileges 

 of St. Albans.*^ The next year he brought 

 about a settlement of certain disputed points 

 with the Bishop of Lincoln,^ particularly in 

 relation to the cells of Belvoir, Hertford and 

 Beaulieu.^* An agreement of a similar kind was 

 made in 1228 with the Bishop of Norwich as to 

 the priories of Wymondham and Binham.'' 

 When circumstances permitted, William turned 

 his attention to the improvement of the fabric 

 and ornaments. Here much was done." The 

 dormitory was finished, part of the church 

 roofed, the tower heightened and repaired,^' 

 cloisters were made on the south side, altars to 

 St. Mary and St. Wulfstan constructed, the 

 chapel of St. Cuthbert rebuilt, and the west 

 front at last completed.^' All this necessitated 

 heavy expenditure. In 1229 the king's pro- 

 tection was given, apparently in May when 

 Henry was at the abbey,'' to those sent from 



St. Albans to collect money for the repairs by 

 preaching and begging,*" and in October royal 

 letters were directed on the abbot's behalf to 

 his men for help to pay his debts.*' For decora- 

 tive work William had an artist at hand in 

 Walter de Colchester, the sacrist, an accom- 

 plished sculptor and painter *^ who had already 

 given proof of his ability in John de Cclla's 

 time.** His fame was not limited to St. Albans, 

 for he was employed at Canterbury on the shrine 

 of St. Thomas.** Walter established a school 

 of painting at St. Albans, which flourished for a 

 century.*^ The abbot was punctilious in the 

 performance of his religious duties, and well- 

 informed on all matters relating to divine 

 service.** The changes he introduced testify 

 to his love of beauty and order in religious 

 observances. He ordained a daily mass of St. 

 Mary ' cum nota ' *' for which he made careful 

 arrangements*'; he added several lights**; 

 and appointed that the daily private service of 

 All Saints should be said in the quire, and not 

 interrupted by processions.^" 



His recorded acts of administration were very 

 sensible. Thus he purchased a hostel in London 

 for lodging himself and his monks when neces- 

 sary,^i and a house at Yarmouth for storage of 

 fish bought as occasion offered.''^ 



If William de Trumpington was not without 

 faults, he was a commendable and exceedingly 

 able abbot, probably the best that the monastery 

 could have had at that time, when it needed a 

 strong rule. Whatever may have been the feel- 

 ing towards him at the beginning of his abbacy, 



28 Gesta Abbat. i, 260. 



" At the request of the Earl of Arundel, Alexander 

 was made Prior of Wymondham. He had, however, 

 soon to be recalled to the abbey on account of mental 

 aberration. There he recovered for a time and w.is 

 made keeper of the abbot's seal, for he was very clever 

 at composition. But he went mad again, and with 

 the cruelty always shown to the insane in those days 

 he was whipped in chapter and sent to Binham Priory 

 to be kept in chains till he died (ibid. 266). 



3" Ibid. 270-3. 



'1 Ibid. 274-5. 



'2 Dugdale, Mon. ii, 232. 



5' Gesta Abbat. i, 275-7. O"^ °f these was the 

 ordination of a vicarage in Luton Church. 



^ The abbot alone was to have authority in these 

 cells, but the priors on appointment were to be pre- 

 sented to the bishop and do canonical obedience for 

 the spiritual administration received from him. 



'5 Gesta Abbat. i, 278-9. 



3« V.C.H. Herts, ii, 485. 



'^ Under the direction of Richard de Tyttenhanger, 

 lay brother and chamberlain. After his death the tower 

 was embellished at the suggestion of Matthew de 

 Cambridge, keeper of the abbot's seal, who managed 

 the alterations connected with the new altar of 

 St. Mary {Gesta Abbat. i, 280, 285). 



38 Ibid. 280-8. 



" Cal. Pat. 1225-32, p. 252. 



■'" Cal. Pat. 1225-32, p. 252. 



*' Ibid. p. 273. 



••^ For his works see V.C.H. Herts, ii, 485. 



^3 He engraved the silver-gilt covers of two copies 

 of the Gospels and painted pictures for the altars of 

 St. Mary, St. John, St. Stephen, St. Amphibalus and 

 St. Benedict {Gesta Abbat. i, 233). 



" Matt. Paris, Hist. Angl. ii, 241. The saint's 

 translation took place in 1220. 



*5 W. Page, 'The St. Albans School of Painting,' 

 Arch. Iviii, 278-85. 



*' Gesta Abbat. i, 303-4. 



*' There was already one ' sine nota.' 



*' Six monks were deputed to celebrate in rotation, 

 and a bell called St. Mary was assigned to summon 

 them to their office. The abbot provided the missal 

 and all necessaries {Gesta Abbat. i, 284-6). 



*' A candle crowned with flowers before the image 

 of the Virgin on the principal festivals (ibid. 286), 

 and six wax candles near the shrine of St. Alban, for 

 which a mark from Binham Priory (ibid. 284) and 

 2/. payable from Bradway (Cott. MS. Jul. D iii, 

 fols. 65—6) were assigned. The two candles burning 

 daily at the mass of the Blessed Mary ' sine nota ' 

 were also in his time increased to four {Gesta Abbat. 

 i, 284). 



*" Gesta Abbat. i, 293. 



" Ibid. 289. 



'2 Ibid. 290 



380 



