36. THE DOMINICAN FRIARS OF SUDBURY
The Friars Preachers were established at
Sudbury by Baldwin de Shipling and Chabil his
wife, who were afterwards interred in the quire
of the conventual church, which was dedicated
to our Saviour. (fn. 1) They were settled here before
1247, for in that year Henry III gave them six
marks towards their support. (fn. 2)
Their first site was about 5 acres in extent,
and there is record of its being twice enlarged.
In 1299 Robert de Pettemer, chaplain, was
allowed, after inquisition, to give the friars a strip
of adjacent land, 134 ft. by 40 ft.; (fn. 3) and in
1352 a far more considerable enlargement was
sanctioned, whereby Nigel Theobald (father of
Archbishop Simon) gave them 4½ acres of land,
3 acres of meadow, and 1 acre 1 rood in
Sudbury, adjoining their original homestead. (fn. 4)
In August, 1380, Archbishop Simon and his
brother John Chertsey obtained licence for the
alienation to the Friars Preachers of Sudbury of
a piece of land in 'Babyngdonhall' 20 ft.
square containing a spring, and for the making
by the latter of an aqueduct thence to their
house. (fn. 5) The archbishop and his brother paid
a half mark for this permission, and made the
grant; but so much opposition was offered by
landowners to the making of the conduit that it
was delayed for nearly five years. At length the
friars obtained from the king royal protection for
themselves, their servants, and labourers engaged
in this work, and all sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, &c.,
were charged to defend the friars and prevent
any molestation or violence in the matter. (fn. 6)
The records of the royal alms bestowed on
this house are scanty as compared with many
friaries. Edward I in 1299 gave the friars of
Sudbury three days' food; the executors of
Queen Eleanor in 1291 gave 100s., and
Edward I in 1296, when at Waddington, near
this town, gave 30s. to the thirty black friars of
Sudbury for three days' food. (fn. 7)
Father Palmer collected a large number of
small bequests made to these friars by will,
between 1355 and 1506. (fn. 8)
The provincial chapter of the Dominicans was
held at Sudbury in 1316. The king gave £15 for
the food of the friars on this occasion, being £5
for himself and £5 for his queen, and £5 for his
son Edward. On 24 August the 'de orando pro
rege et regina,' &c., was issued to the assembly.
The province met here again in 1368, when
Edward III made a like donation. (fn. 9)
This priory was suppressed some time before
October, 1539, for in that month Thomas Eden,
clerk of the king's council, and Griselda his wife
obtained a grant of the site and appurtenances in
as full manner as John Cotton, the last prior,
held the same. (fn. 10)
Weever has a long list of distinguished burials
in this church, which includes, in addition to the
founders, many members of the families of
Gifford, Cressenon, Walgrave, and St. Quintyn. (fn. 11)
The most noteworthy member of this community was John Hodgkin, who took a
prominent part in the Reformation movement
immediately preceding the dispersion of the
friars. He was a D.D. of Cambridge and taught
theology in the convent of Sudbury. In 1527
he was appointed provincial by the English
Dominicans. In February, 1529-30, Godfrey
Jullys, prior of Sudbury, and the brethren granted
him the use of a house to the west of their
church, with garden and stabling, at a yearly
rental of 15s., so long as he was provincial. On
the establishment of the royal supremacy in
1534 Hodgkin was regarded with some suspicion, and court influence procured his deposition and the appointment of John Hilsey as
provincial in his place. Hodgkin endeavoured
to get reinstated, and he wrote a sycophantic
and meanly submissive letter to Cromwell,
declaring that he would be 'ever ready to do in
the most lowly manner such service as he shall
be commanded.' Towards the end of 1536 he
was restored to the office of provincial; and the
priory of Sudbury, 'considering the help and
comfort they had by the presence of Master
Doctor Hodgkin provincial,' renewed the lease
of his lodging at the reduced rental of 13s. 4d.
On 3 December, 1537, he was appointed by
the king one of the suffragan bishops, and was
consecrated at St. Paul's on 9 December under
the title of bishop of Bedford. On the suppression of the friary of Sudbury, Hodgkin had his
lease registered in the Court of Augmentation,
and continued to reside there till February,
1541. At that date he obtained the vicarage of
Walden, Essex, and afterwards other preferment.
He did active work as suffragan and married in
the reign of Edward VI. When Mary came
to the throne he was deprived of his preferments,
but repudiating his wife and expressing penitence
obtained a dispensation and preferment from
Cardinal Pole. On the accession of Elizabeth
Hodgkin was quite ready to conform yet again,
and took part in several consecrations of bishops.
He died in 1560. (fn. 12)