560 Marlborough Chantries and the supply of Clergy in olden days. 



de Preshewifcfc. The advowson and presentation of the chantry 

 was to he in the patronage of T. Beke, of Arlegh Whyteknyght 

 (prohahly Earley in Sunning), Berks, gentleman, Isabella his 

 wife (Was this, perhaps, Isabella Brydde's daughter ?) and their 

 heirs, who were to present a priest to the chantry for institution 

 and admission within two months of its vacancy. The Bishop, Ric. 

 Beauchamp,connrmed this deed by affixing his seal, 14th April, 1475. 



The patronage appears to have passed subsequently into the 

 hands of the rector of St. Peter's and the Mayor of Marlborough 

 for the time being, and to have been exercised jointly by them in. 

 1479 and 1502, but to have lapsed to the Bishop in 1496, 1506, 

 and 1512. Sir J. Seymour is named as patron of the chantry in 

 1514 and 1520. In 1538, J. Grolleau, the chantry priest, who 

 was at one time Bector of Huish, returned his outgoing as 6s. 8d. 

 per annum to the poor folk at the Martinmas anniversary, or obit, 

 2s. to the Queen (Anne Boleyn) and 15s. 1-fc?. in tenths to the King, 

 In 1544, February 25th, the King granted to Q. Katherine Parr 

 for her life time, among other possessions, the Castle of Marl- 

 borough, the patronage of Longbridge Deverill, East Monkton 

 otherwise Monkton Deverill, the rectory of St. Peter's, the 

 vicarage of St. Mary's, and the cantaria S. Katherine in Marl- 

 borough. 1 The Queen died early in September, 1548, but as early 

 as 23rd July, 1547, K. Edward VI. had already granted the said 

 property to his uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, his 

 heirs and assigns, in perpetuity. The Duke was condemned for 

 felony and beheaded, 22nd January, 1552. 



The chantry priest, aged 62, was deprived when the chantries 

 were confiscated in 1548. The goods of the Jesus Service and 

 Our Lady's Service in St. Peter's Church were sold by the Crown 

 in June of that year, but what became of those in the Brydde's 

 coffer of St. Katharine's chantry does not appear. 



In 1557, H. Fayrefield was rated for the chantry of St. Katharine 

 (MS. Harl. 607). In 1565, we read at the head of a rent-roll, 



1 Pat. 1 Edw. VI., p. 4, roll 802, m. 36, n. 15, citing this grant to Katherine, 

 " late " Queen. No Rector or Vicar here was ever admitted on a presentation 

 by any of the Seymours. Q. Elizabeth presented a Rector of St.Peter's in 1579. 



