Source: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol1/pp365-369
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:00:11+00:00

Document:
A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 1. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1905.
The first monks of Biddlesden were probably sent from the abbey of Gerondon in Leicestershire, for the earliest charters were made out to the abbot of that house; but after the custom of Cistercian foundations, it became an independent abbey almost at once. The original endowment was confirmed by Robert, Earl of Leicester, by Stephen and Henry II., by Theobald of Canterbury, and Robert of Lincoln. (fn. 4) Many well-known names in this county are reckoned amongst the benefactors of Biddlesden: William and Ralf de Cheinduit, Roger and Miles de Bray, Roger Foliot, Ralf de Pinkeney, Thomas de St. Waléry, and Beatrice, wife of the younger William de Beauchamp. Their gifts were bestowed for the most part during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The church of Ebrington in Gloucestershire was granted to the abbey as late as 1378. (fn. 5) But it was not a wealthy house at any time, and its revenue never rose much above £100.
Of the internal history of the house nothing whatever is known until just before the dissolution. An abbot was deposed in 1192, (fn. 15) but his offence is not recorded. The house was exempt from episcopal visitation, like all Cistercian monasteries, so that the Lincoln registers throw no light upon its condition from its foundation to its surrender. As its yearly income was under £200, it would naturally have been dissolved with the smaller monasteries in 1536. In this year the local commissioners reported that there were eleven monks in the house, of whom nine were priests, and none guilty of any immorality. There was a former abbot living in the house, with a pension of £13 6s. 4d. for his maintenance, and there were as many as fifty-one servants attached to the monastery, of whom twentyfour were 'hinds' or farm labourers, thirteen did the work of the house, nine were children (possibly servers at mass), and four were women who came in by the day. (fn. 16) The commissioners stated further that only one of the monks desired a capacity to depart to another house of religion, but this does not seem very consistent with the fact that they petitioned for the monastery to be continued, and actually paid as much as £133 6s. 8d. for this privilege. (fn. 17) The house was not surrendered till 25 September, 1538. The form of the surrender is not of the ordinary type, and is in English. As it has been more than once printed in full, there is no need to reproduce it here verbatim. (fn. 18) It has received the more attention because it is not, like so many others, a merely formal declaration that the surrender is quite voluntary and that there are many excellent but unnamed reasons why it should be made; but it contains a certain amount of vague self-accusation. Summed up, it is a confession that the 'manner and trade of living' of the monks of Biddlesden and others of their 'pretensed religion' for many years past did most principally consist in 'dumb ceremonies': that they had been exempt from their own ordinaries and diocesans and subject to 'forinsecal potentates' such as the bishops of Rome and abbots of Citeaux, 'which never came here to reform such discord of living and abuses as now have been found to have reigned amongst us': and that they had never been taught in the true knowledge of God's laws, but now had happily discovered by the study of the gospel that it was most expedient for them to be ruled by their Supreme Head the king. Even if this document had been composed by the monks themselves and not merely handed to them to sign, it would prove very little against them, and over against it may be set not only Dr. London's approval of the house (fn. 19) —which might be a poor compliment—but the favourable report of the local commissioners.
A very similar one, (fn. 67) light brown in colour, representing a hand and vested arm issuing from right, grasping a pastoral staff in pale. Legend: +SIGILLVM DE BEHTLESDENA.
A dark green pointed oval seal or counterseal, 1264-1286, (fn. 68) represents a dexter and vested arm issuing from the right and holding a pastoral staff in pale. In the field on the left a crescent enclosing an estoile. Legend: [C]ONTRA S' ABB'IE DE BETLESDENE.
A pointed oval seal or counterseal, pale yellow in colour, and imperfect, attached to a charter bearing date. 1275, (fn. 69) represents a dexter hand and vested arm issuing from the right, holding a pastoral staff with large crook in pale. In the field on the left two crescents and an estoile. The legend is defective: [C]ONTRA S' . . . ESDEN . . .
A very small green pointed oval seal attached to a charter of 1265. (fn. 70) The impression, which is very imperfect, represents a crescent enclosing an estoile of many points. Legend: AVE MARIA GRA.
Later seal of the fourteenth century. (fn. 71) Two partial impressions, one containing the upper, the other the lower part of a pointed oval seal, represents a saint standing in a canopied niche. In base a shield of arms: a fesse and quarter: ERNALDUS DE BOSCO, founder. Legend: SIG ... NT' DE.
Seal of Abbot Giffard 1228-1236. (fn. 72) Pointed oval, dark green, represents Minerva helmeted, in profile to the left holding a spear. Legend: +VIVE: VT: PLACEAS: DEO.
Seal of Abbot Thomas about 1238-1240. (fn. 73) Pointed oval, opaque yellow in colour, the impression is fine but very imperfect, represents the abbot full length, in his right hand a pastoral staff, in his left a book. Legend: . . . BATIS . . . TO NICHOL . . .
Seal of Abbot Philip 1245. (fn. 74) Pointed oval, dark green, represents the abbot standing on a platform, holding in his right hand a pastoral staff, in his left a book. Legend: + SIGILL': ABATIS: DE: SANCTO: NICHOLAO.
Seal of Abbot William 1264-1286. (fn. 75) Similar to seal of Abbot Philip. Another seal of Abbot William, a pointed oval, represents the Virgin half length, the Holy Child on her left knee. In base under an arch the abbot half length in prayer. (fn. 76) Legend: [M]ATER DEI [MEM]ENTO ME[I].
Another seal of Abbot William, (fn. 77) oval, impression of a bust couped at the neck, in profile to right, wearing a double tiara. Legend: IHESV: MERCI.
Seal of Abbot John Sarum. (fn. 78) A pointed oval seal attached to a charter dated 1304, the impression is very fine but imperfect. It represents the abbot standing on a carved corbel under a trefoiled canopy supported on either side by a slender shaft, in his right hand a pastoral staff, in his left hand a book. Legend: . . . I . . . BVTLESDENE.
1. Dugdale, Mon. v. 364, from the Annals of Peterborough.
2. The land had changed hands two or three times before this, being first granted by Robert of Meppershall to Geoffrey de Clinton in return for certain benefits and then restored to Robert again as a dowry with a kinswoman of Geoffrey's. Ibid. 365-8. Robert's charter of confirmation is extant. Harl. Chart., 85 g. 48.
3. Chron. Majora (Rolls Series), v. 487.
4. Harl. MS. 4714, 1-3. This chartulary is of late date, but the originals of many of the charters contained in it are extant, and prove it to be very correct on the whole, with the exception of a few obvious blunders, such as the date 1251 attached to the charter of Henry II., witnessed by Thomas Becket as chancellor.
5. Ibid. 267d. The advowson was disputed by a certain Henry Bemys and his wife until 1399, when they finally surrendered their claim. Harl. Chart. 84 F. 14, and 84 H. 23.
6. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 133d. There was a similar dispute about tithes in Syresham in 1382. Ibid. 156-161.
7. Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.), 192.
8. Pat. 8 Edw. I. m. 18.
9. Dugdale, Mon. v. 366.
10. Pat. 30 Edw. I. m. 26.
11. Ibid. 2 Edw. II. m. 26d.
12. Close, 19 Edw. II. m. 24d.
13. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 250d.
15. Ann. Mon. (Rolls Ser.), ii. 251.
16. Dugdale, Mon. v. 365; from Browne Willis.
17. L. and P. Henry VIII. xiii. (2) 422 and 457.
18. Deed of Surrender (P.R.O.) 22: and see L. and P. Henry VIII. xiii. (2), 421.
19. L. and P. Henry VIII. xiii. (2), 422.
21. Exch. Mins. Accts. Bdle 76, no. 26.
22. Harl. Chart. 84 H, 45-48, 85 g, 48, and Harl. MS. 4714, ff. 1-3.
23. Harl. MS. 4714, ff. 58, 59d, 100, 101d.
24. Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.), 192.
25. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 267d.
26. Harl. Chart. 84, F. 5. Alms were still distributed to the poor in his name in 1535, and also for Arnold de Bois. Valor Eccl. iv. 238.
27. Feud. Aids, i. 79, 81.
29. Ibid. i. 108, 109.
30. Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.).
31. Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iv. 238.
32. Dugdale, Mon. v. 365.
33. Dugdale, Mon. v. 368-9.
34. This list is almost the same as that made out by Browne Willis. As it is mainly a list of occurrences (only three elections appearing in the episcopal registers), it is an evidence of his general care and accuracy, at any rate in dealing with his own county; and the verification of nearly all the names and dates which he gives is a presumption in favour of those which cannot so easily be traced. He seems to have had a considerable acquaintance with old wills, from which he may have obtained some of these.
35. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 2.
36. Browne Willis, History of Buckingham, p. 157.
37. Ann. Mon. (Rolls Ser.), ii. 248.
39. Ibid. Called Adam of Bath in Harl. MS. 4714, f. 33, and occurs with the date 1209 on f. 155d.
40. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 26d: the second date is given by Browne Willis.
41. Browne Willis, History of Buckingham, 157, gives the date 1226, and adds 'Stephen of Canterbury died 1228.' The mistake may easily be traced. Ann. Mon. (Rolls Ser.), iii. 109, has 'Eodem anno obiit Stephanus Cantuariensis; abbas de Bitlesden,' etc. It was probably Henry who died in 1228, if he was abbot in 1226.
42. Feet of F. 16 Hen. III. 14.
43. He was made abbot of Waverley in this year. Ann. Mon. (Rolls Ser.), ii. 316.
44. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 20d; and Harl. Chart. 84 d, 32, have W. dated 1239 and 1240.
45. Browne Willis, History of Buckingham, 157.
46. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 20; Feet of F. 35 Hen. III. no. 3.
47. Feet of F. 39 Hen. III. no. 4, and 55 Hen. III. no. 4.
48. Harl. MS. 4714, ff. 6, 11d.
49. The earliest reference, in Harl. MS. 4714, f. 338, is dated 1266; the latest, in f. 105, is 1286.
50. Harl. Chart. 84 E, 20, 25.
51. Linc. Epis. Reg. Memo. Sutton, 159; Harl. Chart. 84 E, 29.
52. Harl. Chart. 84 E, 28, 38.
53. Linc. Epis. Reg. Memo. Dalderby, 121; and Harl. Chart. 84 E, 43 (1315).
54. Linc. Epis. Reg. Memo. Dalderby, 347; Harl. Chart. 84 E, 47 (1321).
55. It is uncertain whether this was the same Thomas of Buckingham, re-elected, or another of the same name. He occurs only in 1324 (Harl. Chart. 84 E. 50); but the references to his predecessor John are very numerous.
56. Close, 19 Edw. II. m. 24d; Harl. Chart. 84 E, 60.
57. Harl. Chart. 84 F, 1.
58. The earlier date is given by Browne Willis; Ibid. 86 B, 8, and 84 F, 2 give 1355 and 1357.
59. Ibid. 84 F, 4; 86 G, 11. There are numerous references to him between these dates.
60. Harl. MS. 4714, ff. 242d and 293d.
61. Harl. Chart. 84 F, 15.
62. Ibid. 85 G, 59 and 84 F, 16.
63. Harl. MS. 4714, f. 342d.
64. The earlier date is given by Browne Willis: there are several later references.
65. Linc. Epis. Reg. Memo. Longland, 191d.
66. Harl. Chart. 84 G, 12.
67. Ibid. 84 D, 21.
68. Harl. Chart. 84 E, 11.
69. Ibid. 84 E, 4.
70. Ibid. 86 E, 48.
71. Ibid. 83 F, 20.
72. Ibid. 84 D, 25.
73. Ibid. 84 D, 28.
74. Ibid. 84 D, 36.
75. Ibid. 84 E, 14, 15.
76. Ibid. 84 E, 13.
77. Ibid. 84 E, 10.
78. Harl. Chart. 84 E, 36.
79. P.R.O. Deed of Surrender, No. 22.

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