69. THE COLLEGE OF SUDBURY
There lived at Sudbury in the first half of the
fourteenth century, close to the old church of
St. Gregory, a worthy burgher, Nigel Theobald, a
person of some position and one of the leading wool
merchants in the county of Suffolk. (fn. 1) To Nigel and
Sara his wife were born two sons, Simon of
Sudbury and John of Chertsey. The eldest
son, distinguished for his learning, was consecrated bishop of London in 1361, and translated
to the primatial see of Canterbury in 1375.
Among the records of the borough of Sudbury
is a grant of land near the croft adjoining his
father's house, which was assigned to Simon the
future archbishop by Hugh de Dedlyn in 1339. (fn. 2)
On this plot of land and on the site of their
father's house, the two brothers Simon and John
founded the college of St. Gregory, a charter
granting the requisite permission being sealed by
Edward III on 21 February, 1374-5. In the
previous year the brothers had obtained the
advowson of the church of St. Gregory from the
prioress, prior, and convent of Nun Eaton. The
advowson and appropriation of the church were
to be put in the hands of a community of chaplains, one of whom was to be warden. (fn. 3)
A deed dated 9 August, 1375, when Simon
had become archbishop, was enrolled between
Simon and his brother John, of the one part,
and Henry bishop of Norwich, of the other part,
for the actual erection of the college, with the
licence of the latter prelate, who secured for
himself the sum of two marks and for the prior
and chapter of Norwich five shillings annually as
an acknowledgement. This licence was confirmed in 1381. (fn. 4)
In March, 1380, licence was granted for the
alienation to the college by the joint founders, of
the manors of Balidon and Middleton, 570 acres
of land, &c., of the yearly value of £17 0s. 9½d. (fn. 5)
There were further grants in the following
year of a messuage and three shops in
St. Michael's, Cornhill, London, and of over
200 acres of land in Sudbury and other places in
Suffolk, which were the endowment of the
priory of Edwardston (commonly called the
priory of St. Bartholomew, Sudbury), a cell of
the abbey of Westminster. (fn. 6)
In the college the warden lived, with five
secular canons and three chaplains; they kept
the canonical hours and celebrated in the adjoining church of St. Gregory.
In 1384 the endowments of the college were
increased by the alienation to the warden and
chaplains, by John Chertsey and John Rennyshale, of the manor of Braundon, Essex, of the
yearly value of £12 5s. 11d. (fn. 7)
The Valor of 1535 shows that the college
was then in receipt of £37 0s. 0¾d. from houses,
lands, rents, &c., in Sudbury and the Sudbury
manor of Neles; of £76 1s. 4½d. from lands in
Essex; and of £19 from property in London.
In spiritualities there was the further income of
£15 1s. 4d. from the church of Sudbury with
its chapel of St. Peter, and a small pension from
Cornard Parva. The gross annual value was
£147 2s. 9d., and the net value £122 18s. 3d. (fn. 8)
Archdeacon Goldwell visited this college as
commissary of his brother in 1493.
Thomas Aleyn, the master, presented his
accounts, and eight other fellows attended; it
was found that no reform was needed. (fn. 9) The
next recorded visitation was in 1514, by Bishop
Nykke in person. Master John Carver, and
eight fellows were examined; all declared that
everything was in good order, save that there
was a debt of £15. The bishop enjoined on
the master and fellows to prepare a tripartite
indenture of the jewels and movable goods of
the college, whereof one part was to be handed
to the bishop at his next visit. (fn. 10)
At the visitation of 16 June, 1520, Richard
Eden, the master, although he had been duly cited,
made no appearance either personally or by
proctor. His name was again called on the
following day, and as there was again no appearance, the bishop excommunicated him.
John White, aged 80, testified that he had
been a fellow of Sudbury for 50 years; he said
they lacked three fellows of their full foundation
number, but they had two 'conducts' or
stipendiaries in their place; that one of the
fellows had been acting as chantry priest at
Melford for five years; and that divine worship
was duly observed; and that all temporal mat
ters were well ordered at the college and that
they were out of debt. Thomas Legate, the
college steward, who had been a fellow for
12 years, gave a good report of everything, save
that the statute as to their dress being of one
colour and pattern was not observed. William
Tublayne, who had been fellow for 12 or
13 years, William Nutman for 7 years, and
John Sickling for 10 years, all made favourable
reports. (fn. 11)
The bishop next visited Sudbury College on
10 July, 1526, when Richard Eden, the master,
was in attendance; he was examined and gave
an undeviating favourable report of everything
pertaining to the house. But the bishop, acting
apparently on private information, (fn. 12) contented
himself on that occasion with the master's
testimony, and prorogued the visitation, adjourning it until after the Michaelmas synod. On
the visitation being resumed, evidence was given
of great disorder. The master was absent, and
Thomas Legate, a fellow and president in the
master's absence, deposed that annual accounts
were not rendered and that the fellows were
ignorant of the state of the house, that he
believed they were in debt, and that Nutman,
the steward, was much in fault. He also complained of the almost daily quarrels and disputes
between Nutman and Sickling, another of the
fellows. William Tublayne also complained of
Nutman, stating that he neglected to pay their
quarterly stipend properly, and did not attend to
the repairs of the manors, farms, and granges.
Nutman deposed that all was well, save that the
house was in debt. Sickling said that he had not
heard or seen any accounts for 14 years, and
that the steward made no monthly returns as he
was ordered by the statutes, that their stipends
were not properly paid, and that there was a
niggardly supply of provisions. Thomas Coche
alias Kerver, a former fellow, had provided the
infirmary with feather beds and other bedding,
but they were not at the service of the fellows
when ill. Robert Chickering, another fellow,
stated that the manor houses, granges, and other
houses belonging to the college were in a
grievous state of dilapidation, through the negligence of the steward, that the agriculture of
the college property was in a sad plight, and that
their food was sparse and unhealthy, all owing
to the bad management of the same official,
who refused to supply any accounts. William
Fisher, another fellow, testified in a like manner.
The injunctions consequent on this visitation
are missing. (fn. 13)
The last visitation of this college, prior to its
dissolution, was made on 7 July, 1532.
Thomas Legate, the sub-warden, testified that
the number of the fellows was defective. There
ought to have been eight, but there were only
three. The two other fellows, Chikering and
Fisher, said that there had only been three
fellows for the last three years, and that they
knew nothing of the accounts, for they were
never presented. It was further stated that
sometimes, at time of divine service, there were
only two chaplains in quire; that there were no
choristers, and that a youth of eighteen acted as
college steward. On 9 July the bishop called
the master, Richard Eden, to account in the
chapter-house, ordering him to exhibit the
faculties, together with institutions and collations,
whereby he held many benefices; he was to
appear before him on the morrow of St. Nicholas's
Day in the chapel of his manor of Hoxne, and
to hear his will as to the charge of perjury,
which, with other articles, had been alleged
against him. The warden swore on the Holy
Gospels that his faculties, with institutions and
collations, were in his house at London in a
secret place to which he only had access.
The bishop ordered the warden at once to
remove from the college a French chaplain; and
to fill up the number of fellows to eight before
next Michaelmas. The visitation was then
prorogued until the following Lady Day. (fn. 14)
Richard Eden, the last master of the college,
who was also archdeacon of Middlesex, surrendered it to the king on 9 December, 1544.
The surrender, in addition to the master's
signature, was signed by Edmund Lyster,
Thomas Legate, and Robert Paternoster, chaplains. (fn. 15)
On 3 February, 1544-5, the king granted
the college and its appurtenances and property to
Sir Thomas Paston, one of the gentlemen of the
privy chamber. (fn. 16)
Masters of the College of Sudbury
John Cordebef, (fn. 17) occurs 1375
Peter Hermis, (fn. 18) resigned 1393
John Stacy, (fn. 19) appointed 1393
George Bryce, (fn. 20) died 1446
Thomas Bett, (fn. 21) appointed 1446
Henry Sything, (fn. 22) appointed 1452
Robert Sylman, (fn. 23) appointed 1464
Thomas Aleyn, (fn. 24) occurs 1493
John Carver, (fn. 25) occurs 1514
Richard Eden, (fn. 26) occurs 1520
The fine seal bears St. Gregory seated in a
canopied niche, with papal tiara, the right hand
raised in benediction, and a cross in the left.
Above, in a smaller niche, the Trinity, and on
each side in a canopied niche, a saint. In the
base Archbishop Simon kneeling, between two
shields of arms. Legend:—
SIG' LU ....... GREGORII DE SUDBURY (fn. 27)