10. THE PRIORY OF BELVOIR
According to the received tradition the priory
of Belvoir was intended at first to be an independent abbey. It was begun by Robert de
Todeni, lord of Belvoir, on land near his own
castle, in 1076; but, being hindered by secular
employments from completing the work, he was
advised by Archbishop Lanfranc to hand over the
unfinished buildings to the primate's old friend
and companion, Abbot Paul of St. Albans, for a
cell to that abbey. The abbot was to complete
the monastery and place four monks there to
pray for the soul of the founder, who was
received at the same time, with his wife, into
the fraternity of St. Albans. (fn. 1) The agreement
was carried out, and Robert de Todeni was
buried at his death in the chapter-house of the
priory. (fn. 2) It never became a very large or important cell, but it had many honourable names
amongst its benefactors, several of whom were
buried, like the founder, in its church or chapterhouse. The first William d'Albini was laid in
the chapter-house, and Oliver d'Eyncourt beside
him. The second William d'Albini, and the
fourth of that name, were buried in the priory
church, with their wives. (fn. 3)
There is nothing very unusual or striking in
the history of the house. The church of Redmile, given to the priory by William d'Albini, (fn. 4)
was claimed in 1258 by Robert de Roos and his
wife, (fn. 5) , and, though the dispute was settled in
favour of the prior, other members of the same
family seem to have been discontented with this
result, and were accused in 1295 of trespassing
on the property of the monks at Redmile and
Belvoir, of assaulting their men and carrying off
their corn. (fn. 6) William de Roos, however, in
1308 made his peace with the prior, and
granted him the advowson of the church of
Woolsthorpe. (fn. 7)
The list of priors of this house is a very long
one. It seems that they were frequently
changed or transferred to other cells. A few of
them are worthy of special mention. Roger of
Wendover, prior in the early part of the thirteenth
century, was the first of the chroniclers of
St. Albans, but at Belvoir he certainly did not
distinguish himself, except by 'dissipating the
goods of the church in reckless prodigality, and
following in all things the footsteps of his predecessor, Ranulf the Simple, whom all men hold
blameworthy for his scandalous dilapidations.' (fn. 8)
He was deprived of his office by William,
twenty-second abbot of St. Albans, in 1226. (fn. 9)
William of Belvoir, second prior of that name,
ruled the priory with great success during the
difficult period of the great pestilence, and, in
spite of the burden of debt which he inherited
from his predecessors, left the house in good
estate, having planted trees, repaired the conventual buildings, and performed many other
good works. (fn. 10) Simon Southrey, prior in 1396,
was recalled to the mother-house by Abbot John
Moot, and made claustral prior there. (fn. 11)
The monks of this house seem to have been
frequently in a state of poverty and debt.
Sometimes this may have been through the
mismanagement of the priors, as in the case of
Roger of Wendover; and the career of William
of Belvoir, already noticed, shows how much
can be done or undone in this respect by one
man. But the revenues of the house were never
very large, and when Abbot John Moot was
collecting contributions from the cells to pay off
the debts of the abbey to the king and the pope,
Belvoir, like Wallingford, was only expected to
send 40s., while Tynemouth sent £7 and Bynham £4. (fn. 12) Every cell was expected to pay
something towards the expense of maintaining
at Oxford scholars from the abbey, (fn. 13) and a small
present had to be sent if possible to each newly
elected abbot. (fn. 14) During the few years immediately preceding the dissolution of monasteries
this priory was not actually in debt or money
difficulty, (fn. 15) but it had ceased to be able to support
even four monks as at first. Richard Belvoir, a
monk of the house, who was examined in 1538
with reference to the advowson of an appendant
church, testified that for the last few years there
had been no one living at the priory except the
prior and himself, and that he did not remember
having more than two or three companions at
any time, who were sent to and fro at the
discretion of the abbot of St. Albans. (fn. 16)
The cell of Belvoir was surrendered with
the parent abbey in 1539. (fn. 17) Of its internal
history very little can be traced. The priors, as
in the case of all cells of St. Albans, were
presented by the abbot and instituted by the
diocesan, but the right of visitation was reserved
to the former. (fn. 18) They took an oath of obedience
to the abbot, promising to maintain the privileges of the mother-house, and not to alienate
any property of the cell, or grant any corrodies,
without leave. (fn. 19) They had, however, full jurisdiction over the brethren under their charge,
presiding at their chapter, hearing their confessions, and inflicting suitable punishments when
necessary. (fn. 20) Apostates from the cell were at first
sent back to the abbey for their penance; but
Abbot Thomas de la Mare, at the end of the fourteenth century, ordered that in future they should
return to the house they had forsaken. (fn. 21) Priors
of cells had to attend the yearly general chapter
of the abbey, (fn. 22) and there is plenty of evidence
that the cells were regularly visited by the abbot
in person. (fn. 23) There are no records of any serious
troubles at Belvoir which called for the abbot's
notice, except the case of Roger of Wendover.
A prior was removed at the end of the thirteenth
century by Abbot John III, but the chronicler
especially remarks that it was done without any
sufficient cause. (fn. 24) During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries there were several very good priors
in charge of Belvoir. We are especially told that
the house was in good estate just after the great
pestilence, when so many monasteries were in a
disorganized and unsettled condition. William
of Belvoir not only managed to clear off heavy
debts, but set an example of true piety and
devotion; and after thirty-three years of active
life he resigned his office that he might spend
the rest of his days like a true monk, in
prayer and contemplation in his own cell. (fn. 25)
It was at his own desire, too, that Simon
Southrey, half a century later, was recalled to
the mother-house, ' wearied with worldly cares,'
and wishing for a more secluded life than he
had perhaps found possible at Belvoir. (fn. 26) A later
prior, Richard Hall, must have had a good
reputation for orthodoxy, for in 1453, when
heresy was so rife, he received a licence from
Bishop Ched worth to ' preach the word of God '
anywhere in the diocese. (fn. 27) John Hatfield, prior
from 1465 to 1480, was also held in some esteem
at the mother-house, for he was deputed by the
abbot to settle certain disputes in the troublesome
cell of Tynemouth. (fn. 28) John Guildford, during
the same century, had the privilege of burial in
St. Albans Abbey, ' on account of his merits.' (fn. 29)
The record of this house during the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries seems therefore to be good, so
far as we can judge. At the time of the dissolution alms were still distributed to the poor at
the priory gate every week to the value of
43s. 4d. annually; on Maundy Thursday,
6s. 8d. in addition, and on anniversaries of
different benefactors, 51s. 4d. (fn. 30)
The original endowment of Robert de Todeni
included the vill of Horninghold (Leics.), and
4 carucates of land near the castle of Belvoir,
with tithes in divers places. (fn. 31) William d'Albini
and other benefactors added the churches of
Horninghold, Barkestone, Redmile, Claxton,
Plungar, Swinford, Ashby, and Hose (Leics.),
with Tallington and Aubourn (fn. 32) (Lines.). The
churches of Redmile, Swinford, and Ashby were
lost before 1277, (fn. 33) but the others were still held
by the priory in 1534. (fn. 34) No large benefactions
were made later, except a legacy of £55 16s. 8d.
from John de Belvoir, canon of Lincoln, for
whom a chantry was undertaken by the monks. (fn. 35)
The prior in 1303 held part of a knight's fee
in Uffington, Tallington, and Caswick, and oneeighth in Aubourn. In 1346 the former holding was said to be one-fourth of a fee. (fn. 36) In
1534 the clear value of the priory was
£98 19s. 5d. in temporals and spirituals. (fn. 37)
Priors of Belvoir
Temmaer, (fn. 38) occurs temp. Hen. I
Brientius, (fn. 39) occurs temp. Stephen
John, (fn. 40) occurs 1169
Simon, (fn. 41) occurs between 1174 and 1195
John, (fn. 42) occurs between 1183 and 1195
Nicholas, (fn. 43) occurs 1195
Simon, (fn. 44) died 1204
Ranulf the Simple (fn. 45)
Roger of Wendover, (fn. 46) occurs 1224, deposed
1226
Martin of Bosham, (fn. 47) instituted 1226, occurs
1240
Geoffrey, (fn. 48) occurs 1251
Ralf of Wellington, (fn. 49) occurs 1264 and 1269
William of Huntingdon, (fn. 50) occurs 1270 and
1277
Reyner, (fn. 51) instituted 1277, occurs 1285
Minion of Barton (fn. 52)
Roger of Hanred, (fn. 53) occurs 1287, died 1295
Peter of Maydenford, (fn. 54) instituted 1295, transferred 1299
John of Stakethorn, (fn. 55) occurs 1303 to 1317
William of Belvoir I, (fn. 56) instituted 1319.
John of Kendal, (fn. 57) instituted 1320, occurs
1329
William of Belvoir II, (fn. 58) instituted 1333
William of Stenington, (fn. 59) occurs 1361 to 1367
Richard of Belvoir, (fn. 60) occurs 1367 to 1384
Stephen, (fn. 61) occurs 1386 to 1390
Simon Southrey, (fn. 62) occurs 1390 to 1396, resigned about 1397
John Savage, (fn. 63) instituted 1397
William Hall, (fn. 64) instituted 1400, occurs to
1414
John Guildford, (fn. 65) occurs from 1414 to 1423
John Wyteby, (fn. 66) occurs 1430 to 1441
Robert Ouresby, (fn. 67) instituted 1433
William Alnwick, (fn. 68) instituted 1435
Richard Hall, (fn. 69) occurs 1453
John of Banbury, (fn. 70) occurs 1459
John Hatfield, (fn. 71) occurs 1465 to 1480
Anthony Zouch, (fn. 72) occurs 1485
John Thornton, (fn. 73) occurs 1498
Robert Ashby, (fn. 74) occurs 1498
John Clare, (fn. 75) occurs 1516
Ralf Eytdn, (fn. 76) occurs 1520
Henry, (fn. 77) occurs 1525
Thomas (Randyll ?), (fn. 78) occurs 1531
Thomas Hamtyll (fn. 79)