9. ST. MARY'S ABBEY, YORK
On the north side of the Ouse at York there
stood in pre-Conquest days the church or monasterium of St. Olave, (fn. 1) which in the days of the
Conqueror had come, together with 4 acres of
land around it, into the hands of Alan Rufus,
son of Eudo, Count of Bretagne. (fn. 2) This church
and land were given by the earl to Stephen, a
monk of Whitby, on which to found a Benedictine abbey. (fn. 3)
Archbishop Thomas of Bayeux and his
canons looked askance upon the settlement of
Benedictines in York in the neighbourhood of
the Minster. (fn. 4) Alan's right to the church and
land was disputed by the cathedral authorities,
the archbishop himself laying claim to them. (fn. 5)
The matter was eventually settled by the king
giving to the archbishop the church of St.
Stephen in York instead of St. Olave's, and the
abbot further propitiated the prelate by a gift of
land in Clifton and Heslington. In 1088 King
William Rufus visited York and saw how inadequate were the premises at St. Olave's for
the requirements of the brethren, and he conferred upon them additional lands adjacent to
their dwelling, and the year after he himself
laid the foundation stone of a new house, which
was dedicated to the honour of the Blessed
Virgin, the Danish ascription of their old church
being superseded. (fn. 6)
The abbey had not long been founded before
a number of cells were established and made
dependent upon it. That of Wetheral in
Cumberland seems to have been the first.
Afterwards there followed St. Bees in the same
county, St. Martin's near Richmond, Rumburgh
in Suffolk, Sandtoft and Haines in Lincolnshire,
St. Mary Magdalen at Lincoln, and later on
Warmington in Northumberland and Marsk in
Notts. (fn. 7) At what date the cell of Wetheral
was founded is not known for certain, (fn. 8) though
Drake says it was given to the abbey at the time
of the foundation by the Earl of Cumberland. (fn. 9)
It was at all events confirmed to the abbey in
1131-2 by King Henry I. Henry I also confirmed to the abbey its various possessions, and
made it quit of aids and tallages, enjoying the
same privileges as those possessed by the minsters
at York and Beverley. (fn. 10)
During the abbacy of Geoffrey, (fn. 11) 1131-2, the
Benedictine rule had become somewhat slack,
and some of the brethren of St. Mary's were
pining for a more rigid rule, such as Cistercian
foundations would offer; the prior, Richard,
and the sub-prior were among the number. The
abbot tried to put an end to the movement,
but the malcontents appealed to the archbishop,
Thurstan, who sympathized with them; and
finally in 1132 thirteen of them left St. Mary's
amid a turbulent scene and found their way to
the valley of the Skell, where the Cistercian Abbey
of Fountains was established, Richard being
chosen as its first abbot. (fn. 12)
A trouble of a different kind came to the
abbey five years later, when the house was
much injured in the great fire of 1137. (fn. 13)
The abbey, as we have seen, was founded in
the reign of William I, and on a greater scale by
William II. Henry I confirmed its possessions
and privileges, (fn. 14) which Henry II afterwards
ratified, (fn. 15) as also did Henry III and most of his
successors. (fn. 16) These privileges were very great:
(1) exemption from royal exactions; (2) immunity from all pleas and quarrels; (3) soc, sac
tol, tern, infangthef and utfangthef (fn. 17) ; (4) freedom
from attendance and service at county courts,
tithings, wapentakes, and hundreds; (5) the
possession of a prison and gallows. Moreover
the town of Bootham with its fair, market and
liberties belonged to them (fn. 18) : and a vast district
in and around York became known as ' the
Liberty of St. Mary.'
The Archbishop of York had the right of
making an annual visitation of the abbey, but
the first extant record of any archiepiscopal
survey was one made by the southern Primate.
In 1195 Geoffrey, Archbishop of York,
was suspended from his spiritual duties, (fn. 19) and
Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, went to York
as papal legate. On Tuesday 13 June he visited
the abbey of St. Mary, being received by the
monks in solemn procession. Afterwards, assembled in the chapter-house, the monks complained
of the incompetency of Robert their abbot
through weakness and physical infirmity, and
Archbishop Hubert deposed him from the
abbacy. (fn. 20) After a short vacancy the king gave
the abbacy in 1197 to Robert Longchamp,
Prior of Ely, brother of the chancellor. (fn. 21) On
6 March 1226 a papal mandate was issued
to Archbishop Walter Gray, authorizing him
to visit the abbey once a year, or twice if
need arose, and correct any abuses by counsel
of the religious and sometimes of five or six
of the better canons of the cathedral church, (fn. 22)
and on 26 February in the following year a papa
mandate was issued to the abbot and convent
that they were to receive the archbishop in order
that he might correct what was amiss according
to the rule of St. Benedict. (fn. 23)
About this time there seems to have been
some abuse on the part of the abbey
authorities with respect to their indults and
privileges. These were suspected by the archbishop and certain skilled lawyers as being false,
and on 5 May 1225 the pope ordered them to
be submitted to himself for purposes of examination. (fn. 24) On 15 March next following a papal
letter was directed to the archbishop quashing an
indult in the name of Pope Celestine giving
power to the abbot to excommunicate invaders
of the abbey properties, as it had been found to
be false, and revoking anything that had been
done by its aid. (fn. 25)
Pope Honorius III, it appears, had ordered the
abbot and convent to make provision for twelve
Roman clerks in churches of which the patronage belonged to them. This impoverished them
considerably, so that some who wished to join
them had to buy their own habits. In consideration of this Pope Gregory IX granted licence to
the house to convert to their use the church
of Kirkby Lonsdale and to put in a chaplain
to serve it. (fn. 26) Similar licences were granted in
connexion with the churches of St. Michael,
Appleby, (fn. 27) and Gainford, in the diocese of
Durham. (fn. 28) An indult to the abbot to use the
mitre, ring, pastoral staff, sandals, and other
pontifical insignia, with the faculty of blessing
vestments and giving solemn benediction when
no bishop or legate was present, (fn. 29) granted by
Innocent IV in 1245, was confirmed by Pope
Martin V on 13 January 1418, Thomas the then
abbot receiving the further privilege for himself
and successors to bless altar linen, &c., to receive
vows of chastity, to bless and give the veil, &c.
and to give solemn benediction at mass and
after matins and vespers and at table, in the
absence of a Catholic bishop or papal legate. (fn. 30)
Many of the dissensions and troubles of the
house arose from its relations with the mayor,
council and citizens of York. In 1262 a
number of the abbot's men were actually killed
in a quarrel, some of his houses in Bootham
destroyed, and the abbot, Simon de Warwick,
took to flight and was absent from the house
for a period of two years. (fn. 31) A commission
was granted in 1311 on complaint by the abbot
that the mayor and bailiffs ' levied toll, murage,
pontage and pavage on his men coming to
the city with their goods, and also carriage,
although by the king's confirmation of the
charters of his predecessors the abbot's men are
exempt from such; (that they) hindered his men
coming to the city to buy provisions for him and
his convent, compelled his men staying within
his liberty of Bouthum to contribute, together
with the commonalty of the city, divers aids,
tallages, and contributions assessed upon the
commonalty, and carried away their goods, and
did not permit them to replevy the same.' (fn. 32) In
this same year one of the monks, Stephen de
Oustwyk, was assaulted at the cell of 'la Maudeleyne ' at Lincoln and imprisoned. (fn. 33)
On 22 March 1319 Archbishop Melton
held a visitation of the abbey, and on 4 May
1319 (fn. 34) he issued a long decretum to the abbot
and convent. No serious offences had been
disclosed at the visitation, but emphasis was laid
on the unsatisfactory financial condition of the
house, which was owing no less a sum than
£4,029 2s. 1½d. Needless expense, therefore,
was strictly prohibited, and in the matter of
granting corrodies and pensions the convent
was to be consulted. The monks were forbidden to shave one another, and the abbey was
forthwith to be provided with uno barbitonsore
artificiali, who was to shave both young
and old monks. Once a year at least, twice
if possible, the abbot, prior, or the presiding
monk was to call to his aid two of the senior
monks and cause each monk to open his chest
and carol for inspection. In case of refusal they
were to be broken open, and any article illicitly
received and secreted was to be confiscated to
the common use. The sacrist, as formerly, was
to have the tithes, rents and provisions pertaining
to his office, and was to keep in order the
church ornaments, the clock, the ornaments of
the stalls, the lectos sacristarum, &c. He was to
provide tapers, wine, light and other essentials,
especially the fourteen tapers on every great
festival. The service which the abbey was
under obligation to perform for John de Ponte
and Thomas de Fridethorp was to be duly said.
The tithes of the chapel of Croom, and an
annual rent of 20s. for the benefit of the sick
in the infirmary (fn. 35) was being used for the whole
as well as the sick: this was to be remedied.
The common seal was to be kept in the treasury
and the statutes and Melton's injunctions were
to be read in chapter once a month. (fn. 36)
The dispute between the abbey and citizens
was renewed and greatly intensified in 1334. The
citizens complained that the abbot usurped their
rights and liberties within the city and suburb,
refused to allow measures to be tested, abused
the power of excommunication for base motives,
interfered with the city bailiffs, and assumed the
office of a coroner, &c., &c. (fn. 37) The abbot ably
defended himself, denying the various charges of
illegality. These angry disputes went on until
at last Archbishop Thoresby brought them to
an agreement in 1343. (fn. 38)
In the year 1344 Archbishop Zouch made
a visitation of St. Mary's. He questioned by
what right the abbot and convent received the
tithes, portions and pensions from a great many
places which were specified. They exhibited a
number of papal bulls and other 'evidences,' and
the archbishop declared their title good and sufficient. (fn. 39)
The public records abound with references
to the great Benedictine abbey of St. Mary.
The abbot had his seat in Parliament; exercised
jurisdiction over many towns, villages, churches
and dependent houses (fn. 40) ; was frequently in a
position to furnish loans to the sovereign (fn. 41) ;
supplied necessaries in the time of war (fn. 42) ; acted
as collector at various periods for tenths and
fifteenths, (fn. 43) papal and royal; had his London
residence and several country houses (fn. 44) ; and had
numerous possessions in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire
and many other counties. Licences in mortmain granted to the abbey (fn. 45) for the acquisition of
various properties were numerous, and also the
appropriation of churches, (fn. 46) the royal permission
to elect new abbots when vacancies arose, and
the seizure and restitution of the temporalities. (fn. 47)
In addition to manors, lands and vills,
the advowsons of a great number of churches
belonged to the abbey, many of which were appropriated and vicarages ordained in some of
them. In the city of York there were seven
such churches; in other parts of the county
thirty-three; and several in other counties. (fn. 48)
Indults were granted to the abbot, Thomas,
in 1415 and 1417, (fn. 49) to hear the confessions of
the monks and to grant absolution, imposing
penance. This abbot was elected Bishop of
Rochester (fn. 50) on 7 April 1421.
Archbishop Lee visited St. Mary's Abbey on
7 September 1534, (fn. 51) and issued his injunctions the
following year, 11 September 1535. (fn. 52) He ordered
that the Benedictine rule should be strictly kept,
and that offending monks should be duly
punished. The abbot, whom he addressed as
John, (fn. 53) was charged with being, according to
report, too familiar with Elizabeth Robinson, a
married woman, of Overton. He was ordered
to abstain from all intercourse with her or any
other suspect woman, and to reside always in
the monastery unless hindered by legitimate
cause. The monks were ordered not to wear
worsted or other costly garments, as some of
them had been in the habit of doing, but all
were to wear garments of cheap material and
of the same colour. Once a year, in the presence
of the whole convent or certain members elected
ad hoc, the abbot should render an account
of the state of the house and his administration of
it. Wine was not to be sold in the abbey precincts nor any wine-stand permitted therein, and
the abbot was not to use silk in his hood or
sleeves, nor gilt spurs, saddles or bridles. These
injunctions were issued from Bishopthorpe on
11 September 1535, just a week before the king
inhibited the archbishop from making any further
visitations. (fn. 54)
In the Valor Ecclesiasticus
(fn. 55) a very interesting
account is given of the alms and distributions
at St. Mary's Abbey. There was a distribution made daily to three poor people at the
time of the high mass, for the soul of William
Nesfield and of his foundation. Like alms
were distributed on the anniversary of Dom.
William Wells, formerly Bishop of Rochester.
A ' widow-right' was distributed every Sunday
to ten widows, each receiving 1d. Similarly, of
the foundation of William the Conqueror, a
distribution was made to the ten above-named
widows and to ten other poor people, called
' Frereright,' and to other poor people in bread
and ale, of 105 qrs. of wheat at 5s. per qr. and
of 135 qrs. of barley malt among the said poor
and others in want coming to the monastery on
Wednesdays and Saturdays each week. There
was also the interesting educational charity
already dealt with. (fn. 56)
With the passage of the years the properties
of various kinds belonging to St. Mary's became
enormous. In the Taxation of 1291 they are
valued at £758 3s. 4d., (fn. 57) and at the Dissolution
the abbey was worth no less an annual sum than
£2,085 1s. 5¾d. (fn. 58) The dissolution took place
in 1539, the house being surrendered by the
abbot, William Thornton, alias Dent, (fn. 59) and
fifty monks on 26 November, when the abbey
and the site fell to the crown. (fn. 60) The abbot
received a pension of 400 marks, the prior,
Guy Kelsaye, one of 20 marks, and on the
pension lists are the names of forty-seven other
monks, but the amount of their pension is not
specified, the place being left blank. (fn. 61)
Abbots of St. Mary's (fn. 62)
Stephen de Whitby, first abbot, died 1112
Richard (fn. 62a)
Geoffrey, occurs 1122, 1128, (fn. 62b) died 1132
Severinus (fn. 63) or Savaric, (fn. 63a) died 1161
Clement, died 1184
Robert de Harpham, deposed 1195 (fn. 64)
Robert de Longchamp, appointed 1197, (fn. 65)
died 1239
William de Roundel, occurs 1241, (fn. 66) died
1244
Thomas de Wardhull, elected 1244, (fn. 67) died 1258
Simon de Warwick, elected 1258, (fn. 68) died 1296 (fn. 69)
Benedict de Malton, succeeded 1296, (fn. 70) occurs
1302, (fn. 71) resigned 1303 (fn. 72)
John de Gilling, 1303, (fn. 73) died 1313 (fn. 74)
Alan de Nesse, 1313, (fn. 75) died 1331 (fn. 76)
Thomas de Multon, 1331, (fn. 77) resigned 1359
William Maneys, occurs 1380, (fn. 78) died 1382 (fn. 79)
William Bridford or Brydford, 1382, (fn. 80) died
1389 (fn. 81)
Thomas Stayngreve, 1389, (fn. 82) died 1398
Thomas Pygdt, 1398, died 1405 (fn. 83)
Thomas de Spofforth, succeeded 1405, resigned 1421, Bishop of Hereford 1422
William Dalton, succeeded 1422, died 1423 (fn. 84)
William Wells, succeeded 1423, (fn. 85) Bishop of
Rochester, 1436
Roger Kirkby, elected 1437, (fn. 86) died 1438 (fn. 87)
John Cottingham, elected 1438, (fn. 88) died 1464 (fn. 89)
Thomas Booth, succeeded 1464, (fn. 90) resigned
148.5, (fn. 91) died same year (fn. 92)
William Sevens, elected 1485, (fn. 93) Bishop of
Carlisle 1495, Bishop of Durham, 1502,
continued abbot till 1502
Robert Worhope, succeeded 1502
Edmund Thornton, elected 1507
Edmund Whalley, elected 1521, occurs
1530 (fn. 94)
William Thornton or Dent, elected 1530,
last abbot, surrendered 1539 (fn. 95)
The 11th-century seal (fn. 96) is a vesica, 25/8 in. by
23/8 in., with a design of our Lady crowned and
seated, holding the Child and a book. Above
the Child is the sun and on the left side is a (?)
lily. Only a few words—
SIGILLVM SANCTE MARIE . . .
remain of the broken legend. The counterseal,
a vesica 1¼in. by ¾ in., shows an arm andhand holding a long cross, with the legend—
SIGNVM SALVTIFERVM
The seals of two early abbots are in the
British Museum. That of Robert de Longchamp, (fn. 87) 1197-1239, is a vesica, 2¾ in. by 15/8 in.,
with the abbot standing and holding crozier and
book. The legend is—
SIGILL' ROBERTI DEI GRACIA AGGIS SBE MARIE
EBOR'.
The seal (fn. 98) of Simon of Warwick, 1258-96,
is a vesica of similar design with the legend—
S' SYMONIS WĪ GRĀ ABBATIS SE MĀR EBORACI
The seal for tithes (fn. 99) in use at the beginning
of the 14th century is a vesica, 1¼ in. by
1 1/16 in., with our Lady and the Child, and the
legend—
S' ABGIS EBOR' AD DECĪAS DEPVTAHE.