A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



of the best repute to him, namely Ralph de la 

 Campayne the sub-prior and Laurence Sennale." 



Nicholas de Bretteville resigned his office as 

 prior on St. Bartholomew's Day 1310, and the 

 archbishop admitted Robert Clyvill, a monk from 

 Rouen, as prior. Provision was made for the 

 old prior during his life.'* 



On the death of Prior Nicholas English in 

 1409, the king claimed the presentation in con- 

 sequence of the war with France, and William 

 Ouston was instituted in succession." Prior 

 John Halum died in 1420, and on 30 October 

 Robert ClifForth was elected in his place. But 

 the king claimed to be the true patron, and soon 

 afterwards presented John Gaynesbury to the 

 priory; he was admitted on 5 May 1421.'° King 

 Henry VI again presented on 23 November 

 143 1 ; the new prior was John Cotyngham, a 

 monk of St. Mary's Abbey, York." 



There was a royal presentation in 1465, when 

 another monk of St. Mary's York, Robert 

 Scotis, was instituted prior.'* Edward IV in 

 1472 presented William Massam, a monk of 

 Durham, to whom his own house were greatly 

 attached ; he was granted the privilege of wear- 

 ing the Durham frock, like any other brother of 

 the house, whenever he came on a visit.'' 

 Henry VII presented in 1496 and again in 1507, 

 when Thomas Gardiner, a monk of Westminster, 

 was made prior ; on this last occasion the presen- 

 tation is entered in the register as having been 

 made by the king as Duke of Lancaster.*" The 

 institution of the last prior in 1534 is also regis- 

 tered as being done under the seal of the Duchy 

 cf Lancaster.*^ 



The special commissioners of 1536, Legh and 

 Layton, visited this priory and affected to have 

 found four monks guilty of disgraceful offences 

 and one of adultery. They declared the annual 

 value to be ;^i8o.*^ 



On 25 March 1536 Prior Dalton wrote to 

 Cromwell saying that he was visited with sickness 

 and could not go up to show Cromwell his 

 muniments, regal and papal, in accordance with 

 his injunctions, but he was forwarding him all 

 the evidence concerning royal grants and the 

 Bishop of Frome's confirmations." The modest 

 pension of 20 marks was granted to George 

 Dalton, the dispossessed prior, on 2 July 1536. 



Sir Gervase Clyfton obtained a grant from the 

 Crown of the site of the monastery, together with 

 Blyth rectory, on 10 July I538.'*'' 



''Harl. MS. 6970, fol. 145(5. 



" Ibid. 6972, fol. 18. 



" Ibid. fol. 243. '' Ibid. 6969, fol. 119. 



" Ibid. fol. zU. 



^ Ibid. fol. 34*. ^ Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 5 1-2. 



"Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 43. 



-' Ibid. fol. 47. "L. and P. Hen. VIII, x, 364. 



" Ibid. 550. 



*' Aug. Off. Bks. ccix, fol 1 1 1^. 



There is an imperfect impression of the seal 

 of this priory at the British Museum, attached 

 to a charter of 1420. The Virgin is seated on 

 a carved throne, with the Holy Child in her lap, 

 lifting up His right hand in benediction, and 

 having a flower in the left. The legend is 

 wanting; the matrix was of 13th-century 

 date.*' 



Priors of Blyth 



R. dePauliaco, 1 1 88" 



William Wastell, 1 2— ■" 



Gilbert, occurs 1224*' 



Theobald, occurs 1260 ■*' 



William Burdon, 1273, resigned 1303"* 



Nicholas de Bretteville, elected 1303 '* 



Robert de Clyvill, 1310" 



Ralph de Toto, 1328" 



Peter Meslier, resigned 1344 '* 



Peter Textor, 1 344 " 



Gilbert, occurs 1365 "^ 



Thomas de Vymond, resigned 1376'' 



Nicholas English, 1376'' 



William Ouston, 1409^' 



John Halum, died 1420°° 



Robert ClifForth, 1420" 



John Gaynesbury, 142 1 '^^ 



Robert Toppeclyff, 1429*' 



John Cotyngham, 143 1 ** 



Nicholas Halle, 1438 «' 



Thomas Bolton, 1448 '* 



William West, 145 1-8" 



Robert Bubwith, 1458^" 



Robert Scotis, 1465*' 



William Massam, died 1472 '" 



Robert Gwyllam, 1496" 



Thomas Gardiner, 1507'* 



John Baynebrig, 151 1 " 



George Dalton, 1534'* 



"Karl. Chart. 44 A. 19. 



" Raine, Hiit. o/Blfth, 50. 



" Ibid. ** Harl. MS. 3759, fol. 123. 



" Ibid. 6970, fol. 144^. 



" Ibid. fol. 100^ 



" Ibid. " Ibid. 6972, fol. 23. 



" Ibid. " Ibid. fol. 24. " Ibid. 



^ Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 51. 



" Harl. MS. 6969, fol. 63. 



's Ibid. '» Ibid. 6972, fol. 24/5. 



"'Ibid. 6969, fol. 119. 



«' Ibid. " Ibid. 



" Raine, Hist, of Blyth, 51. 



" Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 28. 



«'Pat. 17 Hen. VI. 



» Pat. 26 Hen. VI, pt. i. 



" Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 27. 



" Ibid, fol 30. «' Ibid. fol. 343. 



™ Raine, Hist, of Blyth, ^l. 



"' Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 39. 



" Ibid. fol. 43. 



" Ibid. fol. 44. 



" Ibid. fol. 47. 



