21. THE HOUSE OF THE AUSTIN FRIARS OF WINCHESTER
There is but little to add to what has
been said in the Ecclesiastical History with
respect to the establishment of the Austin
friars, or friars-hermits of St. Augustine at
Winchester in the reign of Edward I.
In 1302, Geoffrey Spiring of Fareham
gave to the Austin friars a messuage in the
suburb of Winchester for the enlargement of
their area; (fn. 2) and in 1313, Hugh Tripacy
granted them a plot of land, 12 perches long
by 6 perches wide, adjoining their dwelling
place, for further enlargement. (fn. 3)
Bishop Sandale (1316-20) ordained three
friars from the Austin house at Winchester;
and his successor, Bishop Asserio (1320-3),
the like number.
In July, 1328, the grant of the Bishop of
Winchester to the Austin friars of the lane
called Sevenetwychene, in the south suburb
without the walls contiguous to their house,
for the enlargement of the site, was confirmed
by the king. (fn. 4)
In June, 1343, Pope Clement VI. instructed
the Bishop of Winchester to grant licence to
the prior and Austin friars of Winchester to
accept a manse in the city given them by
Oliver Bohun, knight, and Margaret his wife
with King Edward's licence, and thither to
transfer themselves, and build a church and
necessary offices; their place without Southgate being in a dangerous, lone and unfit
site. (fn. 5) The bishop however, for certain
reasons, opposed this removal; but in May,
1346, the prior received the pope's sanction
to at once proceed to the new site without
any longer waiting for the consent of the
diocesan. (fn. 6) Milner says that the site of this
house after its removal was opposite St.
Michael's church, in a close called College
Mead.
The following is the meagre inventory of
the goods of the friars taken at the time of the
dissolution of the house.
Md this stuffe under wryttyn ys praysed by
Mayster Burkyn, alderman of Wynchester and
Mayster Knyght at the mayorys assygnacion by ye
syght of the kynges vysytor under the lorde privye
seal for ye kynges grace the whyche longyd to the
austen frearys, that is to say: iiij great candelstykes ij small, a stop (sic) and copper crosse about
an C and an halffe, vjs. viijd.; Wyll'm Alen berebrewar axythe for bere; iiij aulter clothys,
ijs. iiijd.; ij payntyd clothys, xd.; a sensor, xyjd.;
iiij antepaynys, xxd.; a surpples and a rochet,
viijd.; vj coupys, xiijs. iiijd.; ij towellys, ijd.;
a myeter, jd.; ij small crossys coveryd with sylver,
iijs. iiyd.; a banner clothe, viijd.; ij quysshons,
xijd.; iiij corporasys with the casys, xvjd.; a sute
of grene wantynge an albe, vs.; viij vestymenttes
with ther albes, xxs.; a crosse and a laten baason
and a paxe, iiijs.; ij deske clothys, xd.; viij lent
clothys, iijs. viijd.; iij chests, ijs.; a paxse, ijd.; iij
fether beedes and a bolster, ixs.; ij coverys, vjd.;
iiij brasse pottes and ij panys, xvjs.; ij cobyrons a
trevet a pothooke a hoke eyaryn (iron), xviijd.; a
bason, ij coverys, ij borddes, xxd. Summa
vli. vijs. ixd. (fn. 7)
There were debts on the house to the
amount of 27s.