Hervey de Sutton, and his heir Robert, gave to the canons of Radford, the Church of Sutton on Trent, and the right and patronage thereof, and whatsoever other right they had therein.— And there was a fine levied at Nottingham, 20 Henry III. between Walter, prior of Worksop, and Richard de Sutton, of the said advowson, whereby it was declared to be the right of the said prior, as that which he had by the gift of Hervey de Sutton. This Church, King Edward the First, in the thirty-first year of his reign, being at Strivelin, 25 April, licensed to be appropriate to the monastery of Worksop. It was at this time valued at ten marks.

*

Alan de Mering, son of Harvei, by the grant of Harvei de Sutton his Lord, gave one place of land in the territory of Mering to the canons.†

Ralph de Vilers gave to Robert his brother, one bovate of land in Calverton, which Bernard held, reserving a pound of cummin, or three half-pence at Easter: this he gave to the priory of Worksop, and the gift was confirmed by his descendants.‡

William de Kawres, son of Robert de Kawres, for his soul's health, and the soul of Agnes his wife, by the consent of his heirs, gave to God and St. Mary and St. Cuthbert, and the brethren, and their servants, and their carriages, free passage in his ferry boat of Marnham, without custom or demand; which Robert, son of William de Kawir, (quasi Chaworth,) confirmed to the said canons, and which the prior of Worksop claimed in Eyre, 3 Edward III., and had accordingly. This Marnham was on the Trent, and this privilege of free-ferry was commodious when the canons wished to pass to the other side of the county, or into Lincolnshire, where the convent had some possessions. In the 10 Edward II., an inquisition, ad quod damnum, went to inquire whether a messuage at Lincoln might be given by "Joh'is de Baunford," to the priory of Worksop. It appears, also, from the Valor Ecclesiasticus, (Henry VIII.,) that the prior had 40s. annual value at Rushton, in the diocese of Lincoln. This is the Ryston of "Liber Taxatio Ecclesiastica P. Nicholai,"|| IV., in which record, the above sum is assessed as a spirituality, "Pens' prioris de Wyrsop." The same record contains, also, the following entry :-" Prior de Wyrkesop h❜t in Decantibus. (Lincoln.) In temporals, “ Lincoln,' 5. 15. 0.—Grymesby, 0. 2. 0.— Hoyland, 1.0.0." Under the survey of the Priory possessions in this work, occurs likewise this

This taxation was begun in the year 1288, when Pope Nicholas the Fourth granted the tenths to King Edward the First, for six years, towards defraying the expense of an expedition to the Holy Land; and that they might be taxed to their full value, an inquisition, by the king's precept, was begun in that year, and not finished, at least before 1291. The record of this taxation, is considered an important historical document, as all the taxes, as well to our kings as the popes, were regulated by it, until the celebrated survey made in the 26th year of Henry VIII.

entry "Ecclia' de Karleton in Lyndryk, p' t' porc'oem-13 6 8." It appears too, that "Prior de Wirkesop tenet unu bovať terre in Karleton, in Lindrick, in pura eleemosina de foedo Robti Furnell."*

I find, from the transcript made by Dodsworth from the Priory register, that the Convent had some property at Denaby, near Conisburgh, in Yorkshire, namely, six marks, out of the mill there, or should that fail, out of the manor of Denaby. This gift was made to the canons by John, the son of Matthew Briton, of Denaby, and afterwards confirmed by Roger, the son of John, with some enlargement. John le Vavasor, who became the owner here, as the nephew and heir of the above Roger, saw and confirmed the grant of his uncle above-mentioned.+

In the hundred rolls (temp. Edw. I.) "In Wapp de Stafford," the prior of Worksop, is said to have part of the "villa" of "Canteley." This Cantley is near Doncaster; and the Priory property here, was a meadow at Brampton, or Branton, in the above parish, of the gift of John de Evermeles, whose charter, executed 1259, and entitled "Carta Johana de Evermeles de Brampton," is still extant, as follows:

"Omnibus Christi fidelibus hoc scriptum visuris vel audituris, Johanna de Euermeles de Brampton, juxta Doncastre, salutem in Domino. Noverit universitas vestra me in propria potestate et ligia viduitate mea invadiasse priori et conuentui de Wyrksop, totum pratum meum sub manerio meo de Brampton, quod habuerunt de me ad firmum cum omnibus pertinentiis suis. Ita quod si dictis priori et conuentui ad festum sancti Michaelis, anno domini, MCCL nono, unam marcam non soluero, totum predictum pratum cum pertinetiis suis, dictis priori et conuentui, absque contradictione et calumpnia mei vel heredum meorum, in perpetuum solutum, quietum, et integrum remanebit. Obligavi etiam me, quod non licebit in Johane dictum pratum, nec aliquam terram, nec molendinum meum, nec redditum alicui vendere dimittere nec invadiare, nec alicui aliquo modo alienare infra annum in suo cyrographo de dicto prato annotatum; quod si fecero, totum predictum pratum, sicut superius predictum, dictis priori, et conuentui omnino solutum et quietum remanebit in perpetuum. In cujus rei testimonium presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hiis testibus domino Waltero, rectore ecclesiæ de Canteley; Henrico de Beyrton, clerico;

• Testa de Nevil, p. 1.

+ Sub titulo de Hoton Pagnel, (near Brodsworth, in Yorkshire) et Denyngby. Johannes filius Mathei Britonis de Denyngby dedit canonicis de Wyrkesop 6 marcas argenti de Molendino suo, ac Manerio suo, de Denyngby (com. Ebor.) si molendinum ad solutionem dictarum 6 marcarum sufficere non possit. Test. dominis Thoma de Furnivall; Thoma de Bella Aqua; Radulphi de Normanvill; Ernulpho Monteney; Roberto patre ejus; Roberto de Wykersey militibus; Rogerus le Breton filius Johannis Breton de Denyngby, dat et confirmat canonicis de Wyrkesop, molendinum suum de Denyng

by cum fundo et stagno et baijs et cum omnimoda secta omnium tenentium meorum tam liberorum quam nativorum in villa de Deningby.

Noverint universi quod ego Johannes le Vauasor de Denyngby inspexi chartam Rogeri le Breton avunculi mei cujus heres ego sum, &c., de molendino de Denyngby, &c., ut supra. Confirmatio ejusdem test. dominis Rogero filio Thomæ, Nicholao de Leycester, Henrico de Tineslowe et Ricardo Bernacle seneschallo, Thoma Sceffeld. dat apud Ebor. 22 E. I.-Dods. MSS. cxxvi. f. 146. b.

Johanne Besacra, [Bessecar,] Ricardo de Happelsthorp; Rogero de Dukton in Alkeley, [Awksley]; Radulfo de Canteley, et Aliis.*

I find no mention of Wiseton in the charters, but Thoroton states that the Priory had lands there at the dissolution, rated at £5 3s. Od. He likewise says, that the rectory, perhaps a moiety of it, was appropriated to the monastery of Worksop.†

From the preceding, and probably defective, enumeration of the various grants made to this establishment, by the founders and their families, as well as by other well-disposed individuals, some conception may be formed of the riches of the religious, and the provision which the spirit of the times induced men to make for the maintenance of religion. Of the economy and discipline of the monastic institution, it would be out of place to speak largely here: many excellent publications on the subject being easily accessible, and most persons influenced by common curiosity on the matter, having generally an accurate knowledge of the conventual system.

The idea of entire seclusion from the world, and all secular engagements and emoluments, was probably not voluntary at first, but originated in the peculiar circumstances of the early Christian church, when the sword of persecution drove the confessors of the truth to seek such places as afforded an asylum and sanctuary from their enemies, no less than a covert for the exercise of their mutual devotions.

Nor is the history of the various orders, into which the system of monachism has branched, involved in much less uncertainty. Of the origin of Canons we have only varied and confused accounts: some refer the institution of the canonical life to Urban the first, who was bishop of Rome, about A.D. 230; others to St. Augustine, who, having gathered a society of godly men, he lived with them in religious seclusion; and, when he was consecrated bishop, built a monastery for clerks and priests within his palace, with whom he might live in common. Canons were distinguished into secular and regular: the former being frequently such as having been deacons or parish clerks, and having assisted in the priestly ministrations, were moved to enter themselves into the priesthood, and take upon themselves the cure of souls, obtaining such benefices as they could; the latter were such as led a monastic life, and adhered to the Augustinian rule, which consisted principally in three particulars—that "they should have nothing of their own; to be chaste; and to keep their cloisters." They slept upon mattresses, with woollen blankets, gave themselves to fasting, silence, study, and preaching. They lived in common, and did not

• Dodsworth MSS. vol. viii. p. 76. b.

+ Thoroton, vol. ii. p. 75.

Persons in general who contributed to the support of the establishment, were called Founders: and the following

notice is transcribed from an old heraldic account-book in the British Museum:-" The founder of the abbey of Worsop, ys the Lord Furnival, and the heyre to the Lord Furnival ys the Right Honorable Lord George, Erle of Shrewysbury.”— Harl. MSS. No. 1499. fol. xliij.