RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



bargain about RoUeston Church rather than as 

 an act of mere courtesy. 



The royal visitors Legh and Layton visited 

 Thurgartonin 1536, wrhere they surpassed them- 

 selves in the w^holesale character of their hideous 

 charges. Out of the comparatively small number 

 of canons of this house, they actually stated that 

 ten were guilty of unnatural offences, that the 

 prior had been incontinent with several women, 

 and six others with both married and single women. 

 They also stated that eight of the canons desired 

 to be released from their vows. They further 

 recorded that a pilgrimage was held here to St. 

 Ethelburg, but so little acquaintance had they 

 with hagiology that they described this well- 

 known lady saint as a man — ad Sanctum Ethel- 

 hurgum. The annual income was returned at 

 ^240." 



On the resignation of Prior Thomas Dethick 

 in February 1537 a congi (Tilire was granted 

 by the Crown to the sub-prior and convent to 

 hold a new election. Their choice fell on John 

 Berwick.*^ 



Dr. Legh, who had made such a string of 

 appalling charges against the Thurgarton canons, 

 wrote to Cromwell on 12 June 1538, to the 

 effect that he had just succeeded in carrying out 

 the dissolution of the monastery of Halesowen 

 and was setting out for this Nottinghamshire 

 house.^' Two days later the surrender of 

 Thurgarton Priory was signed by John Berwick, 

 prior, William Chace, sub-prior, and by seven 

 other canons, namely John Kampney, John 

 Longeyscare, John Ryley, Richard Leykes, 



Robert 



Henry Gaskyn, and Richard 



Hopkyn." 



Legh, who received the surrender, tarried 

 some days at Thurgarton. On 16 June he 

 wrote from the dissolved priory to Wriothesley, 

 telling him that he had accomplished his desires 

 with regard to Mr. Cooper.*' 



The following pensions were granted to this 

 house on 23 July 1539 : — John Berwick, prior, 

 a house called Fiskerton Hall, with a chapel in 

 the house, a garden, a stable called ' le mares 

 stable,' tithes of hay of two meadows, and ^^40 

 a year ; Richard Hopkyn, sub-prior, £6 1 3^. 4^. ; 

 and John Ryley, Henry Gaskyn, John Langes- 

 kar, Robert Cant, Richard Leke, John Champ- 

 ney, and William Chace, canons, £$ each.'° 



It is noteworthy that Richard Hopkyn, who, 

 according to Legh and Layton, was a confessed 

 adulterer, obtained the highest pension, and 

 among those in receipt of a pension of ^^5 appears 

 the name of Richard Leke who was entered on both 

 the black lists of the commissioners. 



" L. and P. Hen. Fill, x, 364. 

 «" Pat. 28 Hen. VIII, pt. iii, m. 31. 

 " L. and P. Hen. VIII, xiii (i), 1 172. 

 " Dep Keeper's Rep. viii, App. ii, 45. 

 '' L. and P. Hen. VIII, xiii (i), 1 1 84. 

 * Aug. Off. Bks. ccxxxii (2), fol. 56-7. 



Priors of Thurgarton 



Thomas, occurs c. 1 1 90 " 



Henry, 1209 ; *' occurs 12 18'' 



William, occurs 1234-45 ^ 



Richard, occurs 1250-7 "^ 



Adam, occurs 1263-76°^ 



Robert de Baseford, resigned 1284°' 



Gilbert de Ponteburg, 1284-90^ 



Alexander de Gedling, 1 290-1 304 °* 



John de Ruddeston, 1304-19^° 



John de Hikeling, 1319-31 °' 



Robert de Hathern, 1331-7^* 



John de Ruddeston, re-elected 1337-8'' 



Richard de Thurgarton, 1338-45 ™ 



Robert de Hickling, 1345-9'^ 



Robert de Claxton, 1349 '^ 



John de Calveton, died 1381'' 



William de Saperton, 1381 '* 



Robert de Wolveden, occurs 1432 ; '' resigned 



1434" 

 Richard Haley, 1434" 

 William Bingham, 1 47 1-7 '' 

 Richard Thurgarton, died 1491 " 

 John AUestre, 1494*" 

 John Goverton, 1505*' 

 John Angear, 1517-34^2 

 Thomas Dethick, 1534-6^' 

 John Berwick, 1536 *^ 



10. THE PRIORY OF WORKSOP 



The priory of Worksop for Austin Canons, 

 according to an old chronicle cited by Dugdale, 

 was first founded, probably after a humble 

 fashion, by William de Lovetot in the year 

 1 103.1 



The fuller endowment charter of Worksop 

 Priory is in the hands of Colonel Henry Mellish 

 of Hodsock Priory.^ By this charter, of the 



" Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 63. 



" Willis, Mitred Abbeys. 

 "Harl. MS. 6972, fol. 81. 

 «» Ibid. fol. 82, 83, 88. 

 «' Ibid. fol. 84, 86, 87, 89. 

 •" Ibid. fol. 85, 86, 89, 90. 

 ^ Ibid. 6970, fol. 673. 

 " Ibid. fol. 73^, %ob. 

 "^Ibid. fol. 84, loi. 

 ^ Ibid. fol. loi ; 6972, fol. 22^. 

 «' Ibid. fol. 223. 23. ^» Ibid. fol. 23. 



«= Ibid. " Ibid. fol. 23, 25. 



" Ibid. fol. 25. " Ibid. 



" Ibid. fol. 29. " Ibid. 



" Ibid. 6971, fol. 74. 

 '^ Ibid. 6972, fol. 35. 

 " Ibid. " Ibid. fol. 41-2. 



" Ibid. fol. 37. ^ Ibid. fol. 43/J. 



»' Ibid. fol. 49. »' Ibid. fol. 51, 5 3 3. 



^' Ibid. fol. S3/5. ^ Thoroton, i^otts. 305. 



' Dugdale, Mon. vi, 118. 



' Thoroton Soc. (1905), ix, 83-9, where the charter 

 13 given in facsimile. 



125 



