...... firmiter præcipio, quod prædicti canonici et omnes succes- COMPUT' MINISTRORUM DOMINI REGIS temp. HEN. VIII. Com' Linc' Wellowe Grymmesby-Redd' assis', &c. Thrynscoo, Bradley, et Howton-Redd' assis' 0 Wellowe-Firma terr' et dom' Clee alias Wellesby-Mes' et terr' Holme juxta Grimsby-Maner' Stalingborough-Firma terr' Garnthorpe-Firma terr' et ten' £ s. d. 2 3 1 0 13 4 1 4 4 Manbye-Redd' assis' 0 1 0 Wellowe-Firma terr' đnical', &c. 32 6 0 Sallebye-Redd' assis' 0 6 8 Grymsby-Firma rector' 3 10 0 Wynthorp-Redd' assis' Cukwolde et Swalowe-Redd' assis' 0 5 0 Thorganby-Pensio de rector' 1 13 4 Hooton-Pensio de rector' 2 13 4 Habur-Redd' assis' Humberston-Redd' assis' 0 7 0 Rybye-Firma rector' Barowe in Marisco-Redd' assis' 0 12 6 Caburne-Firma rector' 800 9 10 0 Priory of St. Thomas, at Stafford. TANNER, in the Text of the Notitia Monastica, calls this a Priory of Black Canons built by Richard Peche, bishop of Coventry and Litchfield, about the year 1180, to the honor of St. Thomas the Martyr, viz. Becket of Canterbury." In the Notes, he says, "There is reason to think, from the charter of Gerard Stafford, fil. Brieni," that HE was the true founder, and brought these canons hither from Darby or Darley, and fixed them here upon land which he held of the bishop of Litchfield, as chief lord; and from thence might compliment him with the title of founder." It is observable, Tanner adds, that the Litchfield Annals, both in the Monasticon, and in the Anglia Sacra,d only say that this bishop founded this Church "de episcopio." No doubt Tanner gives the date 1180, because Becket did not die till 1170. b See the Charter in the Appendix to the present Account, Num. II. e Former edit. vol. iii. P. i. p. 218. d Vol. i. p. 435. e Tann. Notit. Mon. Staff. xxiv. f MS. Note communicated by William Hamper, Esq. See the Appendix, Num. III. The following Charters are here given, by the kindness of William Hamper, Esq., from "Chetwyndorum Stemma, sive Chetwyndianæ Familiæ de Ingestre in agro Staffordiensi, ac olim de Chewynd in Com. Salop, Successio; ex ipsis autographis, penes Walterum Chetwynd arm. deducta, et insigniis, sigillis, aliisque ejusdem familiæ monumentis illustrata. Anno Domini M.DC.LXXXX." (In the possession of Earl Talbot, A.D. 1817.) 1. Carta Prioris Sancti Thomæ Domino Ada de Mutton. Omnibus Christi fidelibus, &c. frater Philippus dictus prior sancti Thomæ Martyris juxta Stafford, &c. Sciat universitas vestra nos con but he was a great encourager of the building of this Monastery, and had a great liking to it; for, when he resigned his bishoprick, he became a canon here, ended his days, and was buried here: but Gerard seems to be more likely to have been the real founder." Erdeswick, and Loxdale in his MS. Collections for Staffordshire, are of the same opinion with Tanner. The latter says, "However this may be, the bishop was certainly a great benefactor to the place: to him they owe all their lands on the south side of Sow, with the churches of Baswick, Acton, and Bednall, and perhaps Charnes. Robert de Ferrars, Earl of Derby, gave the canons here two mesuages in Chartley, and the advowson of the church of Stow.s f cessisse domino Adæ de Muttun et hæredibus suis præsentationem unius canonici in domo nostra inperpetuum, &c. ad celebrandum divina pro anima Philippi de Muttun fratris prædicti Adæ, et pro salute animæ suæ et antecessorum et successorum suorum, &c. Hiis testibus, domino Henrico de Audithlegh, domino Roberto Marmiun, Radulfo de Muttun, Willielmo de Audithlegh, Galfrido del Bec, Willielmo de Bromlegh, et aliis. 2. Carta Ada de Mutton, de Terris in Queinton. Sciant, &c. quod ego Ada de Mutton concessi, &c. Deo et ecclesiæ sancti Thomæ Martyris juxta Stafford, &c. donationem totius terræ in Queinton quam Philippus frater meus donavit cum corpore suo, sicut idem Philippus eam melius et liberius tenuit de dono Roberti Marmion, &c. Habend. et tenend. de me et hæredibus meis, &c. liberè et quietè, &c. imperpetuum. Hiis testibus, dominis Henrico de Audithelegh, R. de Mutton, &c. Tanner's References to Manuscripts and Records concerning this Priory are below. There are no Ministers' Accompts of this Priory in the Augmentation Office. The Valor of the 26th Hen. VIIIth has therefore been abstracted in its room.b ROBERT WYTHELL was the last Prior. The Editors are obliged to their friend Mr. Hamper for an Impression of the COMMON SEAL of this Priory, 12 Hen. VI. It is oval, on red wax, and as it represents a bishop, with his mitre and episcopal staff, the probability is it was intended for the founder, Richard Peche, bishop of Coventry and Litchfield. The Legend is, SIGILL. COE. PRIORATVS. SCI. THOME. MARTIRIS. JVXTA. STAFFORD. Cartae ad Prioratum S. Thomae Martyris, juxta NUM. I. Stafford, De prima Fundatione ejusdem. [Ex pervetusto Rotulo MS. in bibl. Hattoniana 1640.] HUIC W. (scilicet Waltero Durdent) apud Coventriam sepulto successit Ricardus Peche, ad electionem L. prioris et monachorum Coventriæ, et apud Coventriam intronizatus, sed non sepultus. Sepultus est enim apud Stafford in ecclesia quam ipse struxerat in honore beati Thomæ martiris, ubi habitum canonicorum regularium susceperat, in quo habitu sepultus est. Nam allata sunt pontificalia ejus per G. Peche consanguineum suum monachum apud Coventriam, sicut ipse episcopus disposuerat. NUM. II. Carta Gerardi de Stafford, Filii Brienni, de Terra de Akinesford. [Ex cod. MS. Collectaneorum Sampsonis Erdswike, nuper de Sandon in com. Staff. arm., in bibl. Deuves. p. 66.] SCIANT, tam præsentes, quàm futuri, quod ego Gerardus de Stafford, filius Brieni, dedi et concessi in puram et perpetuam elemosinam Deo et St. Mariæ et beato Thomæ martyri, et canonicis Deo et S. Thomæ regulariter servientibus, totam terram meam, quam tenui de episcopo Cestrensi, quæ est ultra aquam de Berkeswicha, scil. Akynesforde, usque ad Wythedeneslade in longitudine; et in latitudine à viâ de Tirale usque aquam de Sowe; et de aqua quantum spectat ad illam terram. Hanc autem terram, pro salute animæ meæ, et uxoris meæ, et parentum nostrorum, dedi et concessi canonicis, quæ Albinus abbas de Derby tradidit mihi, ad serviendum ibi Deo et S. Mariæ, et S. Thomæ, liberè et sine subjectione alterius domus ; illis nominatim, et omnibus illis, qui cum illis et post illos ibidem Deo servient canonicè, concessi prænominatam terram debitam, et liberam et gratam. Ego autem ero advocatus eorum, et protector memorati loci ad nocentiam domus contra consilium fratrum. NUM. III. Carta Roberti de Ferrariis, Comitis Derbiæ, de duobus Messuagiis in Certeleye, et Advocatione Ecclesia de Stoue. [Pat. 12 Edw. II. p. 1, m. 12. per Inspex.] OMNIBUS has literas visuris vel audituris, Robertus de Ferrariis comes Derbiæ, æternam in Domino salutem. No 3. Carta Domini Philippi de Mutton, de Manerio de Abbeton. Omnibus has literas, &c. dominus Philippus de Mutton miles salutem. Noverit &c. me dedisse, &c. Deo et beatæ Mariæ et glorioso martyri Thomæ, et ecclesiæ suæ juxta Stafford, et fratri Nico. priori, &c. pro salute animæ meæ et animæ Petronillæ uxoris meæ, &c. in puram et perpetuam elemosynam, omnes terras et tenementa quæ habui in villa de Abbetone in com. Stafford. cum homagiis, redditibus, wardis, releviis, escaetis, et commodis, serviciis liberorum, viz. Adæ le Mey, &c. et omnibus villanis meis qui de dicta villa originem duxerunt, et sequelis ipsorum, &c. Tenend. et habend. de domina Isabella de Chetwynd domina de Mutton et hæredibus suis liberè, &c. imperpetuum. Hiis testibus, Will. de Caverswelle, Will. Bagod, Johanne Giffart de Chillington, militibus, &c. The Editors have inserted these Charters in a Note, solely on account of the space to which this Work is from necessity limited. He says, "Vide registrum, cartas originales, et alia munimenta ad hunc prioratum spectantia, penes. Fowler arm. de eadem. Collect. cl. Rog. Dodsworth. ex quodam libro cartarum hujus prioratus MS. in bibl. Bodl. Dodsworth, vol. iv. fol. 35. et vol. cxviii. fol. 111. spectantes. verit universitas vestra me dedisse, concessisse, et hac præsenti cartâ meâ confirmâsse, fratri Nicholao priori S. Thomæ martyris juxta Stafford, et ejusdem loci conventui, in liberam, puram, et perpetuam elemosinam, pro salute animæ meæ, et animabus Mariæ et Alianoræ uxorum meorum; et pro animabus antecessorum et successorum mearum omnium, unà cum corpore meo, cum de me humanitus contigerit, apud S. Thomam sepeliendo, duo messuagia in villa de Certeleye in com. Staff. cum xvii. acris terræ: et advocatione ecclesiæ de la Stowe extra Certeleye, cum omnibus pertinentiis suis; videlicet unum messuagium quod Nicholaus messor aliquando tenuit, juxta messuagium quod Rogerus filius Line aliquando tenuit, et aliud quod Willielmus Gardinarius aliquando tenuit, ex opposito ulmi, cum ædificiis, gardinis, et ortis ad dicta messuagia spectantibus; et xvii. acris terræ, quarum una se extendit à gardino dicti messuagii quod Nicholaus Messor aliquando tenuit, &c. Tenenda et habenda dictis priori et conventui et successoribus suis in liberam, puram, et perpetuam elemosinam, liberè, quietè, &c. Hiis testibus, dominis Johanne de Chetewind, et Philippo de Chetewind militibus; domino Reginaldo rectore ecclesiæ de Leyg.; Thoma Meverel de Gayton; Radulpho de Momeye, Rogero de Mercintone, Ricardo Parcario de Certele, &c. et aliis. In bibl. Harleiana, MS. 506. p. 65, 68. MS. 2044. fol. 12. et MS. 2077. p. 106. ex libro cartarum hujus prioratus. "Cart. antiq. R. 34. pro villa de Draicot ex dono Hervei Bagot et Millicentæ uxoris. Claus. 8 Hen. III. n. 4. pro carecta bosci mortui e foresta de Cannok. Pat. 2 Edw. I. m. 23. d. Cart. 12 Edw. I. n. 45. pro lib. war. in Cotes, Corberton, Hopton, Frodes wall, Drengeton, Heywood, La Lee, Colton, Whitegrene, Mere, Brayton, Stocken, Acton, Pendeford, et Shradecote, in Staff. Swinehurst, Lanc. et Durampdesthorp, Leicestr. Plac. in com. Staff. 21 Edw. I. assis. rot. 7. d. de mess. et terris in Hopton. Ibid. rot. 9. et 27. et quo war. rot. 4. d. Pat. 23 Edw. I. m.. Claus. 12 Edw. II. m. 26. Pat. 21 Edw. III. p. 2, m.. Pat. 25 Edw. III. p. 3, m. 9 et 12. pro eccl. de Bushbury. Pat. 7 Ric. II. p. 1, m. 38. pro ten. in Stafford, Ambrighton, Lee, Newton, &c. Pat. 12 Ric. II. p. 2, m. 25. pro eccl. de Weston approprianda. Pat. 5 Hen. IV. p. 2, m. 13. pro ten. in Salt et Euston. Pat. 9 Hen. IV. p. 2, m. 19. pro eccl. de Berkeswich approprianda. Pat. 12 Hen. IV. m. 28. Pat. 2 Hen. V. p. 3, m. 3. pro ten. in Stafford et Colton." See also the Taxat. P. Nich. IV. p. 242 b. Rot. Hundr. vol. ii. p. 298. Abbrev. Plac. p. 201. de Quo War. pp. 228, 237, 386, 793. P See the Append. Num. IV. |