By the Rev. Canon Moherly. 



143 



Mr. Bigge, seventy years later, is expressly called Sir Edward Fox, 

 knight, and given as an example of a lay-master. He was the first 

 layman that ever held the office : and seems to have been appointed 

 by the dean and chapter in direct contravention of the direction 

 given by Bingham in his Ordination, perhaps from a prevision of 

 what was going shortly to happen to the Church, and a desire to 

 save the hospital. There is no doubt also that the hospital at this 

 time was very poor, and perhaps it may have been thought as well 

 to give it in charge to a man of business, who was already well 

 acquainted with the working of it. 



To him succeeded, after 1534, Sir Richard Long, apparently son 

 of Thomas Long of South Wraxall, and brother of Sir Henry 

 Long, of the same place, who was steward of Monkton Farley 

 Priory until its dissolution in 1541. Sir Richard Long's reign, 

 which lasted till 1543, saw the dissolution of all the monasteries in 

 England, and no doubt the hospitals felt themselves threatened. It 

 was, no doubt, in view of some such blow as was directed against 

 colleges and hospitals in 1545 that St. John's chapel was suppressed 

 either by him or his successor : for here there was undoubtedly a 

 " superstitious use," and " it appeareth/'' says Mr. Bigge, " by the 

 certificate of 37 Hen. 8 [1545] that the chapel had ceased before 

 that time : for it was certified that there were no priests nor massing 

 there at that time.'" At this time, probably, fell also the Valley 

 College. This had been flourishing in 1535, with twenty scholars, 

 two chaplains, and Richard Dudley, the precentor, for a master : 

 but John Bigge, prebendary of Yatesbury and custos, died in 

 1544, and there probably never was another. By the Act of the 

 next year the buildings were confiscated to the King, and so utterly 

 demolished that the exact spot where they stood is a question. 



But St. Nicholas itself had escaped : and that the rejoicing was 

 great (though as yet premature) is likely from the appointment of 

 the Rev. Dr. Crayford by the dean and chapter in 1543 to be custos. 

 He was not instituted by the bishop as to a clerical office, though a 

 cleric himself ; perhaps it was thought safer so. 



King Henry VIII. died soon after the passing of the Act which 

 condemned hospitals and colleges ; but the Act was renewed by his 



