5. LEICESTER ABBEY
In 1143 an abbey of Augustinian canons was
founded at Leicester in honour of the Assumption
of the Virgin Mary by Robert le Bossu, Earl of
Leicester. (fn. 1) The abbey was endowed with the
possessions of a college of secular canons, usually
known as the College of St. Mary de Castro,
established at Leicester by Robert's father. (fn. 2) The
new Augustinian house did not altogether replace
the college, which continued to exist in a modified
form under the control of the abbey. (fn. 3) The
endowments which were transferred from the
college to the abbey consisted of all the churches of
Leicester, (fn. 4) the church of Lilbourne (Northants.},
the manor of Asfordby, (fn. 5) and other property. (fn. 6) To
these possessions Earl Robert le Bossu added the
Leicestershire churches of Knaptoft, Stoney
Stanton, 'Erdesby', (fn. 7) Enderby (fn. 8) with the chapel of
Whetstone, Cosby, Shepshed with all the churches
of the soke of Shepshed, Thurnby, and Illston, the
church of West Ilsley (Berks.), and the churches
of Brackley and Earthinghoe (Northants.J. Earl
Robert also gave lands at Stoughton and Pinslade
(Leics.), and other property. (fn. 9) The manor of
Knighton was granted to the abbey by Robert
le Bossu, who had obtained it from the Bishop
of Lincoln. (fn. 10) After a complicated series of
exchanges, during which the abbey's lands at
Asfordby and Segrave were for a time handed over
to the bishop, Leicester Abbey finally gave up its
claims to Knighton in or before 1218. (fn. 11) The
abbey's property at Segrave was returned to it, but
the lands at Asfordby, with the advowson of the
church there, seem to have been permanently lost.
Westcotes, near Leicester, which had been given
to the abbey by Earl Robert FitzParnell in compensation for the Asfordby and Segrave lands, was
retained by the abbey until the Dissolution. (fn. 12) The
abbey also obtained, before 1162, (fn. 13) from various
donors the churches of Evington, Humberstone,
Thorpe Arnold, Narborough, Langton, Barrow,
Billesdon, Blaby, North Kilworth, Husbands
Bosworth, Barkby, Hungarton, Easton, Eastwell,
Knipton, Harston, Bitteswell, Croftj Wanlip,
Theddingworth, Thornton, and Queniborough,
all in Leicestershire, Clifton-on-Dunsmore, Cudworth, and Bulkington (Warws.), Adstock and
one-half of the church of Chesham (Bucks.),
Sharnbrook (Beds.), Eydon, Billing Magna, and
Syresham (Northants.), Youlgreave (Derbys.),
and Cockerham (Lanes.), with the manors of
Cockerham and 'Cawkesberia', (fn. 14) and many lesser
gifts. (fn. 15) Dishley church (Leics.) was obtained
from an unknown donor before 1220. (fn. 16) Leicester
Abbey thus acquired within a relatively short time
of its foundation the advowsons of many churches,
though seven of them passed out of the abbey's
hands before the end of the 13th century. (fn. 17) None
of the remainder seems to have been regularly
served by canons of the abbey, not even those in
Leicester itself, (fn. 18) though by a papal privilege
granted in 1148 the abbey was empowered to present its canons to the cures of parish churches. (fn. 19)
The tradition that the founder, Earl Robert
le Bossu, spent the last fifteen years of his life as
a canon of the abbey (fn. 20) is disproved by the known
facts about his career, (fn. 21) though he may have
assumed the habit of a canon at the abbey shortly
before his death. (fn. 22) Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln,
together with Earl Robert, laid down for the
abbey certain regulations, which were confirmed
by Pope Urban III. (fn. 23) By the privilege of 1148,
already mentioned, Eugenius III exempted from
tithe lands newly brought into cultivation and
tilled by the canons themselves, and also exempted
the increase of their livestock. The same privilege
forbade the use of violence or improper means in
the election of abbots, and granted free burial in
the monastery to those who left bequests to the
house, even if they lay under excommunication
or interdict. (fn. 24) In 1207 or 1208 a cell, normally
occupied by four canons, was established at
Cockerham. The cell had ceased to exist by the
middle of the 14th century, and probably never
became conventual. (fn. 25) The great choir of the
abbey church was built by Parnel, wife of Earl
Robert és Blanchemains, the founder's son. (fn. 26)
Parnel's son, Robert Earl of Leicester, gave
the abbey 24 virgates of land at Anstey. (fn. 27) The
resignation in 1235 of Abbot Matthias Bray was
probably due to pressure exercised by Bishop
Grosseteste. (fn. 28) In 1311 the Bishop of Durham
granted lands at Ratby to the abbey, (fn. 29) and in
1315 the manor of Lockington (Leics.) was
acquired. (fn. 30) In October 1326 a violent attack
was made upon the abbey by the Earl of Lancaster's
followers, who broke in and seized the property of
Hugh Despenser the elder deposited there. (fn. 31)
Under Abbot William Clowne, elected in
1345, (fn. 32) Leicester Abbey enjoyed a period of great
prosperity. Clowne's character is described in
very favourable terms by a canon of the abbey. (fn. 33)
In his time canons of Leicester became heads of
four other Augustinian houses, (fn. 34) while the abbey's
endowments were increased by the acquisition of
the Leicestershire manors of Ingarsby and Kirby
Mallory, with the advowson of Kirby Mallory (fn. 35)
and other property, and by the appropriation of
the churches of Hungarton and Humberstone. (fn. 36)
Clowne also secured for the abbots of Leicester
exemption from attendance at Parliament, to
which the heads of the house had been summoned
intermittently since 1265. (fn. 37) Thanks to his
friendly relations with Edward III, Clowne was
able to obtain in 1363 for the prior and convent
the right of having custody of the abbey with its
temporalities during future vacancies. (fn. 38) The abbey
had previously obtained this privilege at times for
particular vacancies, (fn. 39) but Clowne secured the
right for the whole period of all future voidances.
It was also probably during Clowne's abbacy that
Henry of Knighton, a canon of Leicester Abbey,
began to write his chronicle. (fn. 40)
After Glowne's death at the beginning of
1378, (fn. 41) the abbey entered a difficult period; It is
probable that the late 14th century saw a decline
in the income derived from the abbey's lands. (fn. 42)
During the 15th century the abbey, once active in
producing corn and wool, leased out most of its
demesne lands, so that by 1477 the only property
still in the canons' hands for cultivation was the
demesne in the immediate vicinity of Leicester,
and the demesnes of Stoughton and Ingarsby, not
far from the abbey. (fn. 43) A canon of the abbey,
Philip Repyngdon, became, while studying at
Oxford, one of the most notable of Wycliffe's
followers, and in 1382 certain of his opinions were
declared heretical. Repingdon recanted, (fn. 44) and
lived to become Abbot of Leicester and eventually
Bishop of Lincoln. When Archbishop Courtenay
visited Leicester in 1389 during his metropolitical
visitation of Lincoln Diocese, he ordered the election of four persons to form a council for the abbot. (fn. 45)
Repingdon, elected Abbot of Leicester in 1393, (fn. 46)
became Bishop of Lincoln in 1405. It was perhaps
felt that as bishop he was inclined to interfere in
the internal affairs of the house, for in 1412 the
canons of Leicester Abbey obtained a royal
licence permitting them to obtain from the Pope
exemption from the Bishop of Lincoln's jurisdiction, so long as Repingdon should be bishop. (fn. 47)
Such exemption, if ever obtained, was nullified in
the following year, when Repingdon obtained
from the Pope a declaration that Leicester Abbey
should be fully subject to him and his successors. (fn. 48)
The state of the abbey as revealed by Bishop
Alnwick's visitation in 1440 was not altogether
sound. (fn. 49) The number of canons had fallen to
fourteen, besides the abbot, William Sadyngton,
and one other canon who was studying at a
university. There had been not long previously
as many as thirty or forty canons in the house.
Similarly the number of boys in the almonry had
been reduced from about twenty-five to only six,
and the abbot was accused of having admitted
unsuitable boys in return for money. Abbot
Sadyngton kept a tight grip on financial affairs,
pocketing various minor revenues, keeping the
offices of treasurer and cellarer in his own hands,
and failing to render account to his canons. He
also kept many lay servants, some of whom he
favoured excessively, and he was said to indulge
in magical practices. The abbot was negligent in
preventing private ownership of property by the
canons, and there were features of the abbey's life
which must have encouraged this sin. Each canon
received a yearly allowance of 5 marks, and it had
been customary for the goods of a deceased canon
to be divided amongst the most needy of his
brethren. The abbot was obviously on bad terms
with many of his canons. The general financial
position of the abbey was, however, satisfactory.
Its net annual revenue was then estimated at
£780, while a further £400 or more yearly was
derived from what were apparently casual profits.
The conventual buildings had been extensively
rebuilt. No serious immorality was disclosed by
the visitation, a charge of incontinence against the
abbot being apparently not sustained, while he
was allowed to clear himself by his unsupported
oath of the charge of having practised divination.
In the injunctions issued after the visitation,
Bishop Alnwick ordered that the number of
canons should be raised to thirty, and that there
should be at least sixteen boys in the almonry. The
abbot was ordered to render proper accounts to
his brethren, to grant no corrodies without the
bishop's licence and the convent's consent, and to
take vigorous action to prevent the canons owning
private property. The abbot was further enjoined
to behave more charitably to his canons. (fn. 50)
In or shortly before 1485, the abbey was
granted the church of Stoke (Staffs.), with licence
to appropriate it, (fn. 51) but the grant does not seem to
have taken effect, as the church is not amongst
the abbey's possessions as listed in 1535. (fn. 52) Little
is known of the internal affairs of the abbey between 1440 and 1518, when another visitation
took place. It was at the end of the 15th century
and the beginning of the 16th century that
William Charyte, Prior of Leicester, drew up an
elaborate record of the possessions of the house. (fn. 53)
A catalogue of the books in the abbey's library,
drawn up by Charyte, lists more than 900
volumes. (fn. 54) Many of the faults discovered in 1440
were still to be found when the abbey was again
visited in 1518. Abbot Pescall, like Sadyngton,
was charged with keeping financial control too
much in his own hands. As in 1440, complaints
were made about the excessive number of hounds
kept in the abbey, and about the failure to educate
the boys in the almonry properly. In 1518 it was
further said that the prior was too old to perform
his functions properly, and that some canons were
in the habit of eating and drinking at unaccustomed
hours. Bishop Attwater, in his injunctions, dealt
with some of the defects revealed by the visitation. (fn. 55) At an unknown date Bishop Longland,
who succeeded Attwater in 1521, made his first
visitation of Leicester Abbey. There is no record
of the visitation itself, but certain injunctions,
which probably followed it, have survived. (fn. 56)
These injunctions show the state of the abbey in
a most unfavourable light. The abbot, Pescall,
was extremely remiss in his attendance at the
divine offices in the conventual church, and when
he did enter the church he was often accompanied
by his fool, who disturbed the services by his
buffoonery. The prior too was evidently unsuitable, for the bishop had to order him to be
present at the divine offices and in the refectory.
The canons, following the example of their
superiors, were also lax in their attendance in
choir, so that out of at least twenty-five canons
in the house not more than eleven were usually
present. The canons were accustomed to roam
about outside the monastery, and two of them
were suspected of incontinence. The finances of
the house were in no less need of reform than its
spiritual state. At some time before the issue of
the injunctions Bishop Longland had found it
necessary, on account of the abbey's indebtedness,
to appoint two administrators to control its
business affairs, but Pescall had removed the
bishpo's two nominees. One of the administrators,
Richard Lichefeld, had proved unworthy, and the
bishop in one of the injunctions removed him from
the office of cellarer. The other administrator
was reappointed, and together with a new cellarer
was given control over the abbey's finances. The
bishop forbade the abbot and prior to grant out
property at farm without the convent's consent,
and ordered that the abbey's common chest should
have three keys, to be kept by the abbot, the prior,
and one of the two administrators. When in 1528
the abbey was visited by the chancellor of the
diocese Pescall's conduct was found to have improved but little. His attendance in choir was still
lax, and he had a burdensome habit of taking his
meals apart from the canons, at irregular times
and in unusual places. Complaints were made
about the excessive number and the conduct of the
abbot's lay servants. It was further said that the
novices, though diligently taught, were unwilling
to learn, and were disrespectful to their seniors.
While the prior was commended by his fellow
canons for having done much to relieve the abbey's
financial position, Richard Lichefelde, who was
once again cellarer, was said to be of little use to
the house. The canons were still in the habit of
going out of the abbey without leave. There were
in 1528 twenty-four canons in the house, not
including the abbot. (fn. 57)
In view of the facts concerning Pescall given
in the visitation records, it is hardly surprising that
Bishop Longland concluded that the abbot's
deposition was essential. Some time elapsed before
this could be achieved, and in the interval the
bishop seems to have harassed Pescall by constant
interference in the internal affairs of the house. (fn. 58)
Pescall, on the other hand, tried to secure his
position by presents to Thomas Cromwell. (fn. 59) It
was in 1530, while Pescall was still abbot, that
Cardinal Wolsey died at Leicester Abbey.
Pescall finally resigned at the end of 1533 or the
very beginning of 1534. (fn. 60) He was granted a pension of £100 a year. (fn. 61)
The new abbot, John Bourchier, elected by
acclamation in January 1534, was apparently
Cromwell's nominee. (fn. 62) Bourchier must have had
a difficult task, for the house was £1,000 in debt,
and Pescall's pension was an additional burden. (fn. 63)
Bourchier's term of office was, however, to be
short. In 1534 with twenty-five canons he
acknowledged the royal supremacy over the
Church. (fn. 64) The abbey's clear yearly income was
assessed in the following year at £951. 14s. 5¾d., (fn. 65)
making it by far the richest religious house in
Leicestershire. The abbey therefore survived the
dissolution of the smaller monasteries. Richard
Layton, visiting the house in 1535, reported that
Bourchier was an honest man, but that the canons
were factious, and refused to confess anything.
Layton therefore intended to prefer charges of
adultery and unnatural vice against them. (fn. 66)
Bourchier took steps to secure Thomas Cromwell's favour. The canons objected to the
proposal to grant Richard Cromwell a lease of
Ingarsby, which had been retained as the abbey's
demesne, but the abbot sent Thomas Cromwell
£100 in 1536, and later a present of sheep and
oxen. (fn. 67) The abbey was finally surrendered in
October 1538 by Bourchier and nineteen
canons. (fn. 68) Bourchier seems to have reduced the
debts of the house considerably, for the money
owing in 1538 only amounted to £411. 10s., apart
from debts to the king. (fn. 69) Bourchier was granted
the large pension of £200 a year. (fn. 70)
The lands held by the abbey at the Dissolution
lay mostly in Leicestershire. (fn. 71) Of the churches
granted to it at various times, some had been lost. (fn. 72)
The abbey abandoned the advowson of Adstock
in the 15th century, (fn. 73) while the advowson of
Billing Magna was exchanged for land at Cossington (Leics.). (fn. 74) The advowson of Blaby was lost
shortly before 1424, after prolonged litigation, (fn. 75)
but the abbey continued to receive a pension from
Blaby church. (fn. 76) The church of Dishley was
transferred to Garendon Abbey in 1458, (fn. 77) and
the advowson of Hathern was alienated, in or
shortly after 1379, to the college of St. Mary de
Castro, at Leicester. (fn. 78) The advowson of Narborough is listed in the Matriculus of the Archdeaconry of Leicester as disputed between
Leicester Abbey and Fulk Fitzwarine, (fn. 79) and by
1329 the patronage was in. lay hands. (fn. 80) The
abbey continued to possess until the Dissolution (fn. 81)
the churches of All Saints, St. Leonard, St.
Martin, St. Mary de Castro, St. Michael, St.
Nicholas, and St. Peter, at Leicester. These
churches all seem to have been appropriated at an
early date, probably in the 12th century. (fn. 82) The
church of St. Clement at Leicester was also once
part of the abbey's possessions, but there is no
record of the abbey having presented a vicar later
than 1221-2. (fn. 83) The other churches which the
abbey retained were Barkby, (fn. 84) Barrow on Soar (fn. 85)
with the chapels of Quorndon and Mountsorrel, (fn. 86)
Queniborough, (fn. 87) Shepshed, (fn. 88) Bitteswell, (fn. 89) Lockington (fn. 90) with the chapel of Hemington, Thorpe
Arnold (fn. 91) with the chapel of Brentingby, Eaton, (fn. 92)
Hungartoh (fn. 93) with Baggrave and Ingarsby,
Enderby (fn. 94) with the chapel of Whetstone, Billesdon (fn. 95) with the chapels of Goadby and Rolleston,
Thurnby (fn. 96) with the chapel of Stoughton, Theddingworth, (fn. 97) Thornton (fn. 98) with the chapels of
Bagworth and Stanton, Cosby, (fn. 99) Humberstone, (fn. 1)
Evington, (fn. 2) North Kilworth, Husbands Bosworth,
Croft, Harston, Eastwell, and Long Whatton. (fn. 3)
The last was probably one of the churches of
the soke of Shepshed. Besides these churches,
all of which are in Leicestershire, the abbey
possessed the churches of Bulkington, (fn. 4) Cliftonon-Dunsmore, (fn. 5) Cudworth, (fn. 6) Brackley (fn. 7) with the
chapel of Halse, (fn. 8) Farthinghoe, (fn. 9) Clay Coton
(Warws.), (fn. 10) Eydon (Northants.), (fn. 11) Rugby (fn. 12) with
the chapel of Brownsover (Warws.), (fn. 13) Lilbourne, (fn. 14)
Syresham, (fn. 15) Chesham (with a moiety of the
advowson), (fn. 16) Sharnbrook, (fn. 17) Youlgreave, (fn. 18) and
Cockerham. (fn. 19) The First Minister's Account lists
property with a net annual value of £786. 16s.
1¾d., but this probably does not include all the
abbey's endowments. (fn. 20)
Abbots of Leicester (fn. 21)
Richard, elected 1143 or 1144, ruled twentyfour years. (fn. 22)
William of Kalewyken, elected 1167-8, ruled
ten years. (fn. 23)
William of Broke, elected 1177, resigned
1186. (fn. 24)
Paul, elected 1186, ruled nineteen years. (fn. 25)
William Pepyn, elected 1205, ruled nineteen
years. (fn. 26)
Osbert of Duntun, elected 1222, (fn. 27) died 1229. (fn. 28)
Matthias Bray, elected 1229 (fn. 29) resigned 1235. (fn. 30)
Alan of Cestreham, elected 1235. (fn. 31)
Robert Furmentin, elected 1244. (fn. 32)
Henry of Rotheleye, (fn. 33) elected 1247, (fn. 34) resigned 1270. (fn. 35)
William of Shepheved, (fn. 36) elected 1270, (fn. 37) died
1291. (fn. 38)
William of Malverne, elected 1291, (fn. 39) died
1318. (fn. 40)
Richard of Tours, elected 1318, (fn. 41) died 1345. (fn. 42)
William of Clowne, elected 1345, (fn. 43) died
1378. (fn. 44)
William of Kereby, elected 1378, (fn. 45) died
1393. (fn. 46)
Philip of Repingdon, elected 1393, (fn. 47) resigned
1405. (fn. 48)
Richard of Rothely, elected 1405, (fn. 49) resigned
1420. (fn. 50)
William Sadyngton, elected 1420, (fn. 51) died
1442. (fn. 52)
John Pomery, elected 1442, (fn. 53) died 1474. (fn. 54)
John Sepyshede, elected 1474, (fn. 55) died or resigned 1485. (fn. 56)
Gilbert Manchestre, elected 1485, (fn. 57) died
1496. (fn. 58)
John Penny, elected 1496, (fn. 59) resigned 1509. (fn. 60)
Richard Pescall, elected 1509, (fn. 61) resigned
December 1533 or January 1534. (fn. 62)
John Bourchier, elected 1534, (fn. 63) surrendered
the abbey 1538. (fn. 64)
The 12th-century seal (fn. 65) of the abbey is round,
2½ in. in diameter. It shows the Virgin Mary
seated on a throne, crowned and holding a sceptre
in her right hand, with the infant Jesus, holding
a book, on her left knee. The legend is:
SIGILLUM SANCTE MARIE DE PRATIS
The counterseal, a circle 1¾ in. in diameter,
shows the half-length figure of an abbot, with a
crosier and book, between two ecclesiastics. In
the base of the design are three half-length figures
of ecclesiastics, under a triple arch.
Another 12th-century seal, (fn. 66) 1¾ in. in diameter,
has a half-length figure of the Virgin Mary
crowned, holding a fleur-de-lis in her right hand,
and a book in her left. The legend reads:
SIGILLUM SANCTE MARIE DE PRATO
It is, however, not certain that this seal belongs
to Leicester Abbey.
Another seal, (fn. 67) on a 16th-century document,
is very similar to these two. It is round, 2½ in. in
diameter, and shows the Virgin seated beneath a
canopy, holding the infant Jesus on her left knee
and a fleur-de-lis in her right hand. The legend
reads:
SIGILLUM SANCTE . . . DE PRATO.
The counterseal shows the same design as that
mentioned above, with the legend:
PONIMUR A TERGO SIGNI TESTES SUMUS ERGO.
A 14th-century seal, (fn. 68) apparently used by the
proctor of the abbey's revenues, is circular, with
a diameter of 1⅕ in. It shows an enthroned abbot,
holding a crosier and book, between the heads of
four ecclesiastics. All that now remains of the
legend is:
S PROCURA .... CONVQCIONF ABB' IS ET
CONVE .... RE . (fn. 69)
The counterseal, a circle ⅞ in. in diameter, has the
Virgin Mary enthroned, with the Child on her
left knee, and a star on either side of the figures.
The legend reads:
AVE MARIA GRACIA
A large vesica-shaped seal (fn. 70) of the 15th century,
3 by 1¾ in., shows the Virgin standing crowned,
between the letters 'T. R.', and surrounded by
four angels. The scene is perhaps a representation of the Assumption. In the base is a kneeling
abbot, holding his crosier, between two seals
each bearing a cinquefoil ermine. Of the legend
all that remains is:
SIGILLF .... IE
A 13th-century seal (fn. 71) of the abbey is a large
oval, 2 by 1½ in., and shows a full-length figure of
an abbot, holding crosier and book. All that can
be deciphered of the legend is:
.... ABBA .... YRCEST ....
Another seal (fn. 72) of the house, probably of about
1300, is of very similar size and shape to that just
described. It shows the figure of the Virgin Mary,
seated on a throne in a canopied niche, having
on her left knee the Child with His right hand
raised in blessing.