48. THE PRIORY OF DRAX
This house was founded by William Paynel
in the reign of Henry I, (fn. 1) with the advice of
Archbishop Thurstan. In the foundation charter
William Paynel records that he had given to
the canons serving God and St. Nicholas in the
territory of Drax the island (insulam) (fn. 2) called
Hallington and Middleholm, on which the
priory church was founded, as well as other land
in the neighbourhood.
In addition the founder gave the parish church
of Drax, the churches of. Bingley, Middle Rasen,
and two others in Lincolnshire, and that of Saltby
in Leicestershire.
From other benefactors the priory received gifts,
scattered over a wide area, (fn. 3) most of which have
been carefully extracted by Burton from the
chartulary of Drax. (fn. 4) Edward I granted the
canons free warren in their lands of Carlton,
Camblesforth, and Newhay, if not in his forest. (fn. 5)
On 10 August 1280 (fn. 6) Archbishop Wickwane
visited the priory of Drax, and delivered a
number of injunctions in the chapter house.
First, he directed that henceforward, in transacting the common affairs of the house, the
prior was not to be influenced by the heedless
and disordered counsel of anybody, as he had
hitherto been, inducing the contempt of seculars,
offending his brethren, and injuring the monastery. He was to act according to the counsel
of the convent. Further, the prior was enjoined
to avoid all malicious plotting with evil wishers
of the monastery, and quarrels and foolish
rebukings of his brethren, at least in the presence
of laymen, but he was to correct and chastise
in a convenient and private place, and was to
be more diligent and circumspect in the spiritual
rule and temporal business of the house. Brother
William de Snayth, who had lately been dismissed from being sub-prior, was not to hold
any office, but was to give himself to monastic
contemplation, be more courteous to his brethren,
and not so much addicted to his bed, &c. Hugh
de Rykhale, on account of his contentions which
had distracted the convent, was to have the
lowest place among the priests in cloister and
convent, was to conform to rule, and hold no
office or solempnis honor of the monastery, without
the archbishop's express assent. As he had
inordinately eaten flesh meat, he was to abstain from flesh on Sundays during the current
year.
Elyas, the sub-cellarer, who wandered about
to the injury of the monastery, was not to go
outside cloister or church. The archbishop removed from the house a layman, John de Weland,
on account of his demerits, and denounced him
as excommunicate, for having laid violent hands
on Laurence de Lincolnia, (fn. 7) one of the canons.
Elyas, a canon who violently struck John de
Lincolnia (fn. 8) his fellow-canon and was not yet
absolved, was daily, till the feast of All Saints,
in full chapter to humble and prostrate himself
before God, in the presence of John de Lincolnia, heartily imploring his prayers, and those
of the whole convent.
Twice a year the prior sub congruo testimonio
was to open and examine everyone's carol, and
anything found therein was to be appropriated to
the common use of the house.
No base persons were to be admitted to meals
in the refectory, and no laymen, except lawyers
and doctors, were to interfere with the private
affairs of the infirmary. No meals or drinkings
except such as were absolutely necessary were
to take place after general compline, and all
warming and unlawful relaxation at the infirmary fire was wholly forbidden at all times.
Further, the monastery was not to be burdened
by the relatives of the prior, and no canon or
brother was to receive money or payment for
work. Other punishments for faults discovered,
the archbishop deferred, hoping for amendment.
Fifteen years later Archbishop Romanus held a
visitation of the priory on 13 October 1295, (fn. 9) and
in a decretum sternly forbade the presence of
any unworthy (inhoneste) persons in the refectory.
Only worthy (honeste) persons were to have their
meals there, according to the judgement of the
president. Gossiping and relaxations, especially
in the prior's chamber and the refectory after
compline, or after the convent had retired to
bed, were forbidden. No corrodies were to be
sold without the archbishop's special licence.
The bursar was to render accounts twice a year
to the seniors, and they were to make the state
of the house known to the convent.
Silence was to be duly observed, and no
claustral canon was to go out without leave, and
those who did were to be punished. They
were on the other hand to be carefully engaged
in divine service, the mass of the Blessed Virgin,
and the study of books. The cloister and
infirmary were not to be open to lay people,
specially women. The carols of everyone were
to be inspected once a year, so as to exclude
all suspicion of private possessions. A lamp was
to burn continually every night in the dormitory
to remove any possible chance of fault. The
sick were to be properly tended and useless
servants removed. The almoner was cautioned
to be more careful. Gifts were not to be
received by any member of the convent without
leave. Old clothes were to be given to the
poor. Canons of ill repute were not to have
leave to go out, nor were they to be promoted
to office. No intercourse was to be held with
women, and especially not with those who were
suspected. The prior and sub-prior were to
correct faults equitably, and licence to go out
was not to be granted except for good reasons.
At the archbishop's previous visitation (concerning which the Register is silent) J. de Eboraco only
partly cleared himself of crimes alleged against
him, and J. de Neuhay not at all. The archbishop therefore ordered that for four years
J. de Eboraco was, each Friday, to have bread,
ale, and vegetables only, and Brother J. de
Neuhay for seven years the same, except on Fridays in Lent and Advent when he was to have
bread and water only. They were both suspended
from the celebration of divine services, and were
to take the lowest places among the priests,
while undergoing this penance. A memorandum
is added, that on 31 December 1295, the archbishop left it at the discretion of the prior to
dispense these penances when he deemed proper.
In 1324 (fn. 10) Archbishop Melton issued a letter
on behalf of the priory, in which he stated that
the priory, because of the inundations of the
Rivers Ouse and Aire which surrounded it, the
frequent invasions of the Scots and other enemies,
and the loss of cattle, had become so impoverished that it was hindered from its works of
piety and hospitality.
The church of Bingley, as already noted,
was one of the founder's gifts to the priory. (fn. 11)
The gift was confirmed by Archbishop Roger,
and the prior and canons appear to have frequently appointed one of their number to serve
it. A strange episode is related in this connexion
in the Register of Archbishop Bainbridge, (fn. 12) in
which John Wilkynson, canon of Drax, was involved. A rumour had been set about that, as
Wilkynson in his examination put it, 'there
was a grete good in the cuntrey which myght
be gote, if there was any connyng men in the
cuntrey.' In other words, that there was some
hidden treasure at a place called Mixenden near
Halifax, which could be obtained by a series of
incantations. It is, perhaps, one of the most
extraordinary stories of mediaeval necromancy
on record. Six persons were charged with the
offence, the chief of whom was Thomas Jameson, who had served the office of Sheriff of
York in 1497, and been lord mayor in 1504,
but the canon of Drax had taken no small
share in the venture.
One of the witnesses, Henry Banke, chaplain
of Addingham, said that he had heard Brother
John the parish priest of Bingley state in the
house of Christopher Hardwick of Addingham
'that there was as moch goode in a place besides
Halifax as wold raunsome a kyng; and that
oone Leventhorp nowe dede had seene the foote
of the kist, and the devell sitting upon it, and
that he had put a swerd to remove it, and he
nypped it a soundre in the myddist, as it had
been a rish; and the said Sir John said it coold
never be gott but with losse of a Cristen sole.'
The evidence of 'Sir John Wilkynson chanon of
Drax, sworne and examyned,' is entered in the
Register. He admitted having made 'a cerkill'
of 30 ft. compass, and that he had agreed to call
up a spirit called Belphares, and he related how,
when a boy of twelve, he had been present at
an invocation made at Wakefield by 'a scolar of
Orlyaunce' (Orleans), for a pair of bedes; he
had seen 'in a glasse, a woman that had the
beides in her hand, and a sprite, crouned like a
Kyng, in a chare of gold, and the clerke said that
he was a sprite.' He admitted that he and
Jameson, and another priest, James Richardson,
'were sworne upon a booke, and confered togadir to make a lamina for invocation of a sprite
called Obirion,' that Jameson had agreed to
send a horse for him to Otley 'the Fridaie afore
the first chaunge of Marche, to come to Yorke
to hyme (Jameson), to make the lamyna, which
must be made betwixt the chaunge of the mone
and the pryme, and that was Mondaie, Tuysdaie, and Wednesdaie; and to make their invocation on Thursday after at v of the cloke in
the mornyng, at Yorke, in a chambir to be
provided to the said Sir James (Richardson),
havyng iiij wyndowes, that is to say in every
quarter oone.' He said that Jameson came to
Bingley on St. Matthew's Day, and showed him
that Richardson had made all ready, and desired
him to go to York, and 'wirke the warke' with
Richardson. He admitted that his books were
at Drax Abbey, and that Richardson had brought
eighteen singing loaves, which he himself had
given to one of the others; but he denied that he
had ever said that he would consecrate them,
or that they should appear in the likeness of a
child to the sprite, but he confessed that they
were all agreed that the ground where 'the
cerkyll' was should be hallowed, and that a
collect was copied out of the mass book, to be
recited at the hallowing of the incense and fire,
and that in the 'book of experiment' was the
collect for the hallowing of the 'great holy
water.' He admitted that he had said that their
works might be done as well in one place as
in another, for he 'cowde make the spirite
Belphares carye it wherdir he wold,' and he
also said that he had stated 'opynely that the
goode cowde not be had without losse of a
Cristen Saule, and therefore he wold not execute
it.' The story is too long to be dealt with here,
as it only bears incidentally on Drax, whose
canon figured so conspicuously in it. All the
six persons charged were found guilty, and
punishments were awarded. They had to walk
through the streets of York on the Sunday
following, carrying banners with grotesque characters and symbols, and were to be publicly
scourged by the dean of Christianity at certain
stages. On the Thursday before the Nativity
of St. John the Baptist much the same penance
was to be performed at Bingley.
By a deed dated 5 December 1531, (fn. 13) the prior
and convent covenanted with Robert Threpland
and Alys his wife that they should dwell at a
grange called the Abbey Grange, and be servants
to the prior and convent. Robert Threpland
was to be 'sergeaunte and oversear' of all their
husbandry, as other 'sergyauntes' had been, and
Alys his wife was to 'kepe the deyry house of
the sade pryor and cohventes at the sade graunge.'
For this service done 'in the most commodyous
and profitable maner that they can for the sade
pryor and convent,' they were to receive as
follows:—Robert was to have meat and drink
in their hall as had been in times past, but if he
happened to be impotent, and unable to come to
the hall, then he was to have his reasonable meat
and drink delivered by the cook and butler to
such persons as he might send. In addition he
was to have 13s. 4d. yearly 'and a cote clothe.'
His wife was to have every week 'two lofes of
white breyde, and two lofes of browne breyde,
ij galons of the best ale, and foure galqns of the
worse ale, and one meile of meite from the
kechyn, ons on the day, every day in tyme of
lent, and also al other days in the yere except
Wednysdays, Frydays, and Saturdays and all
fastynge days,' and 6s. 8d. for her wages, 'and a
garthynstede to sawe too pekkes of hemp sede in.'
If she was unable to do her work, then she was to
provide 'an honest woman to do the sade office,
and huswyfery, so that hit be done after a clenly
and profitable fashion.' Robert and Alys, during
their lives, were to have 'gressynge for ij whyes
that never bare calfe.' After the death of Robert
or Alys one whye was to belong to the prior
and convent. Also Robert and Alys might keep
'one swyne' on condition that after their deaths
the pig so kept should belong to the prior and
convent. For this appointment they paid the
prior and convent £10 in ready money. It is an
interesting and characteristic example of the way
in which such monastic appointments were
negotiated.
The priory was supervised on 15 June 1535, (fn. 14)
and suppressed on 24 August following. Among
the charges then paid were 30s. pro vadiis novem
confratrum from the Nativity of St. John Baptist,
each receiving 3s. 4d. At the suppression on
24 August 1535 (fn. 15) there were ten canons, two of
whom received 26s. 8d. each and the others
23s. 4d. each. There were also twenty-nine
servants and boys.
In the account of Leonard Beckwith, from
Michaelmas 1535 to Michaelmas 1536, (fn. 16) the
revenue derived from Drax was £141 10s. 10d.
This may be compared with the clear value of
£78 15s. 1d. in 1522, (fn. 17) and that of £92 7s. 5d.
clear value in the Valor Ecclesiasticus. (fn. 18) Leonard
Beckwith's account states that there were six bells
in the 'campanile,' valued at £20, and William
Emson, the late prior, received a pension of £18.
There were of plate wholly gilt two chalices
with patens, and three maser bands, together
42 oz.; and of silver parcel-gilt a chalice and
paten, and two salts, with one cover, together
32 oz.
Priors Of Drax
Norman, occurs 1178 (fn. 19)
Alan, occurs 1205, (fn. 20) 1226 (fn. 21)
Robert, succeeded and occurs 1227, (fn. 22) 1234 (fn. 23)
John de Rasen, occurs after Prior Robert (fn. 24)
Gernagan, c. 1243 (fn. 25)
Robert, occurs 1252 (fn. 26)
Adam, occurs 1272 (fn. 27)
Thomas de Camesale, occurs 1282, (fn. 28) resigned
1286 (fn. 29)
Elyas de Burton, confirmed 1287, (fn. 30) occurs
1289 (fn. 31)
War . . ., occurs 1291 (fn. 32)
John de Lincoln, confirmed 1291, (fn. 33) occurs
as John only 1295 (fn. 34)
Henry de Shirewoode, 1301, (fn. 35) died 1332 (fn. 36)
Gilbert de Ounsby, confirmed December 1332
(quaere, alias de Eboraco), (fn. 37) 1334 (fn. 38)
John de Saxton alias Sapertun, (fn. 39) elected
1349 (fn. 40)
John de Wiggeton, occurs 1354 (fn. 41)
Thomas de Shirburn, occurs 1360, (fn. 42) 1368, (fn. 43)
1388, (fn. 44) died 1391 (fn. 45)
Richard de Ledes, elected 1391 (fn. 46)
John de Usflet, occurs 1393, (fn. 47) 1398 (fn. 48)
William Selby, died 1429 (fn. 49)
William Chippyndale, elected 1429 (fn. 50)
John, occurs 1465, (fn. 51) 1475 (fn. 52)
Thomas Hankoke (fn. 53)
Richard Wilson, elected 25 October 1507, (fn. 54)
occurs thence till 1529-30 (fn. 55)
William Emson, occurs 1531 to 1536, (fn. 56) last
prior (pensioned)
The 12th-century seal (fn. 57) is a vesica, 25/8 in. by
1¾ in. It shows a figure of the patron saint in
his pall, blessing and holding his crozier. The
legend is:—
✠ SIGILLVM SANCTI NICOLAI EPISCOPI
The 12th-century seal (fn. 58) of the chapter is
similar in design, but larger, and the legend is
longer. All that remains of it is:—
SIGILLVM CAPITVL . . . NICH . . . DE DRA . . .
The prior's seal (fn. 59) of the same date is a vesica,
15/8 in. by 11/8 in., and has a half-length figure of
the prior praying. The legend is:—
✠ SIGILLVM PRIORIS DE W