COLLEGES
64. THE COLLEGE OF JESUS, BURY ST. EDMUNDS
A college was founded at Bury in 1480 by
John Smyth, esquire, a wealthy burgess, as a
residence for certain chantry priests presided
over by a warden or master; they were to say
divine service in the church of St. Mary and to
pray for the souls of the founder, of his wife
Anne, his parents John and Avice, and his
daughter Rose.
By his will dated 12 September, 1480, John
Smyth left 20d. to every priest of the college
present 'at myne dirige,' and he further provided
that whensoever the college of priests became
incorporate and had royal licence to purchase or
hold property, then he desired his feoffees of the
manor of Hepworth, upon due request to them
by the master or president and fellowship
(phelaschep) of the same, to deliver the said manor
with its appurtenances to them for the sustentation of the said chantry priests; he also made
a like provision with regard to his manor of
'Swyftys.' (fn. 1)
Six days after drafting his will, the founder
executed a deed conveying the manor of Swifts
to trustees, who were to assign all the profits to
the master or president of the college of priests
'newe builded within the town of Bury, to be
wholly applied to the building and sustention
and repair of the college,' reserving, however, to
himself for his life a yearly sum of 10 marks. (fn. 2)
The royal licence was obtained in the following year, founding a chantry and perpetual gild
of 'the sweet name of Jesus,' consisting of a
warden and society of six chaplains or priests,
who were to live together in a common man
sion, to pray daily for the souls of John Smyth
(the deceased) and others, as well as for the
brethren and sisters of the gild, and to do other
works of piety. (fn. 3)
The college received various small bequests
by wills of Bury townsmen. William Honyborn, of Bury, dyer, in 1493, left 12d. 'to the
gilde of the holy name of Jesu, holden at the
college.' John Coote, by will of 1502, left
3s. 4d. to the gild of St. Nicholas held in the
college, and also provided that 'at my thyrty day
the priests of the colage to have a dyner among
themseffes in the colage, after the discression of
myne executors and supervisor.' Edmund Lee
of Bury, esquire, in 1535, left 6s. 8d. 'to the
company of the Jesus College in Bury, towards
their stoke for salte fyshe and lynge.' Thomas
Neche, master of the college, was one of the
witnesses of this will. (fn. 4)
This college was suppressed by Edward VI.
The Chantry and College Commissioners of
2 Edward VI made the following report of this
establishment:—
The messuage called the Colledge wythe vj small
tenements in Burye. In feoffamente by oone William
Coote clerke to contynnewe for ever to the intente
that in the seid Capytall Messuage nowe called the
Colledge, all the priestes of the parysshe churches of
Seynte Jaymes and Seynte Maryes in Bury should
contynually kepe & have their lodgings. And in iiij
of the seide small tenementes iiij poore mene should
have other dwellynges free for ever. And thother
two tenementes to be letten yearly, and with the
money that shoulde growe of the farme, the seid vj
houses shoulde mayntayne the seid vj houses in
reparation. The whiche capytall messuage and ij
tenements bene at this daye and at all tymes sythe
decayse commytted to thuse aforeseide and noother.
And oone Thomas Neche clerke of thage of lxiii yeres
having cs. yerely in the name of a pencian owte of the
parsonage of Founcham All Seyntes, and hath the
parsonage of Trayton of the close yerely valew of vj li,
and xls of a prebente in Staffordshyre. A manne
beinge indifferently welle learned.'
The college is described as being distant two
furlongs from the parish church, and of the
annual value of 40s. The goods and household
stuff were valued at 77s. 2d., and a bell weighing
20 lb. at 3s. 4d.
Separate entry is made of a chantry endowment of £6 8s. 4d. yearly value, for the master
or president of the college to say mass for the
soul of William Coote in the parish church of
St. Mary's, which was also held by Thomas
Neche.
Also of another chantry founded by John
Smyth for a chaplain of the college to say mass
in St. Mary's Church, of the value of £12. The
chantry priest was John Stacye, and the surplus
was to be used for the repairs of the college. (fn. 5)