RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



Baussain, the Earl of Arundel and others for 

 400 marks a year,** but in 1414 it was sup- 

 pressed with other alien priories, and finally 

 passed to the king, who granted it and all its 

 possessions on i April 141 5 to his new founda- 

 tion at Sheen.*' 



The establishment at Ware appears at one 

 time to have been fairly large, for the prior was 

 accompanied on a journey to France in 1343 

 by ten of his household.*^ Of the convent 

 nothing is known, but it is probable that it 

 dwindled considerably during the 14th cen- 

 tury.** 



The property of the priory was valued in 

 1297 at about j^zoo per annum, ^^ but as this 

 amount at least was paid for its custody in the 

 14th century it must then have been worth 

 more. 



Priors of Ware 



Richard (?), occurs 1174*^ 



Hubert, occurs c. 1203-6 ^'^ 



A., occurs 1219 °* 



William, occurs 1231 ^* and 1234 ^^ 



Nicholas, occurs c. 1235-9 '' 



John, occurs January 1259-60" 



WiUiam, occurs 1278-9 ^^ 



Fulk, occurs 1281-2 ^* 



Ralph, occurs June 1297*' 



Hugh, occurs 1327-8 "^ 



WilHam Herbert, occurs November 1377- 



May 1381 «2 and 138583 

 Nicholas Champene, occurs February 1410,** 



24 November 1413,'^ and at the dissolution 



of the priory *" 



A seal, a pointed oval in shape, attached to 

 an agreement of 1260," shows the prior vested 

 for mass and standing on a carved corbel with 

 a book in his hands. Legend : s' iohannis : 



PRIORIS : DE : WARE. 



On the seal of Ralph, prior of this house,*^ 

 two figures are represented standing in a 

 double niche under a canopy, the one a 

 king, the other a bishop or abbot; in the 

 field on each side are three roses. In the 

 base, under a pointed arch the prior kneels 

 in prayer. Legend : . . . m : radvlph . . . 



HOSPITALS 



21. HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY BIGGING, 

 ANSTEY 



It is not known when or by whom^ the hospital 

 of St. Mary Bigging or of the Bigging in the 



^' Pari. R. iv, 3 1 ■^b. The farm was paid until 

 March 1415. 



*' Pari. R. V, 365. 



^^Cal.Pat. 1343-5, p. 35. 



*° If the monb were French the number of the 

 convent must have decreased through the restriction 

 on the admission of aliens during the French wars. 

 But in any case the higher rent paid by the prior for 

 the custody as time went on indicates less expense in 

 the house itself or in other words a smaller convent, 

 since it is not likely that the property of the priory 

 increased much in amount or value. 



50 Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 31^, 38, 38^, 45^, 

 49^. 56, 57. 59^» 63, e^b, 64, 643, 65, 65^, 67, 

 693, loob, 114, 162, i65i5, 1961^, 219, 223, 227, 

 228, 237^, 243,^, 249^, 251, 2511^, 270; Karl. 

 MS. 60, fol. izb, 29^. 



*^ He was then proctor of St. Evroul in England 

 (Round, op. cit. 226), and therefore probably Prior 

 of Ware. 



^^ Ibid. 227. 



"' R. of Hugh de Welles (Cant, and York Soc), i, 49. 



" Lond. Epis. Reg. Gilbert, fol. 1 69-70. 



" R. of Hugh de Welles (Cant, and York Soc), ii, 



3^3- 



88 Anct. D. (P.R.O.), A 2447. 



^ Possibly the owner of Anstey was the founder or 

 principal benefactor, for in 1435 the hospital was 

 said to be of the foundation of the Duke of York 

 (Early Chan. Proc. bdle. 39, no. 24), then lord of 

 Anstey (see above, p. 13). 



^ 



457 



parish of Anstey was founded, but it existed and 

 had land in Buckland in 1287 ^ and paid subsidy 

 in 1291.* 



An exchange of lands was effected between 

 Dionisia de Monchesney, lady of Anstey Manor 

 at this time,* and John the warden of Bigging,^ 

 possibly John de Boclonde, master in 1308,* 



"Harl. Chart. 84 D 56. 



"^ Reg. of Archbp. Peckham (Cant, and York Soc), 

 140. 



*' Reg. Epist. John Peckham (Rolls Ser.), i, 209-10 ; 

 ii, 432. 



^^ Cal. Pat. 1292-1301, p. 270. 



«i De Banco R. I Edw. Ill, m. 42 ; 2 Edw. Ill, 

 m. 237. 



62 Cal. Pat. 1381-5, p. 13. 



8' A petition from the prior, who must have been 

 Herbert (Anct. Pet. [P.R.O.], no. 7262), speaks of 

 the Princess of Wales as dead, and is therefore later 

 than Aug. 1385. 



«* Cal. Pat. 1408-13, p. 157. 



6" Pari R. iv, 313^. 



88 20 July 1414 he is called Prior of Noion of 

 Newmarket, alias Prior of Ware {Cal. Pat. 1413-16, 

 p. 89). 



67 Harl. Chart. 84 D 56. 



88 B.M. Seals, Ixiv, 72. 



2 Assize R. 325, m. 2. 



3 Lay Subs. R. bdle. 120, no. 2. The master paid 

 31^. ■>i\d. for property in Anstey, 2IJ. 3j^. for that 

 in Little Hormead. 



^ Ibid. ; Cussans, E'tst. of Herts. Edwinstree Hund. 

 56. She died in 131 3. 



6 Anct. D. (P.R.O.), A 1040. 

 « Sharpe, Cal. of Letter-Bk. 5. 95. 



58 



