RELIGIOUS HOUSES Richard of Stoughton, 1 elected 1348, died 1349 Simon of Grantesden, 2 elected 1349, resigned 1350 Adam of Leverington, elected 1350, resigned 1355 John of Risley, 3 elected 1355, resigned 1385 William of Lidlington, 4 elected 1385 Gregory Norwich, elected 1493, resigned 1510 Nicholas Smith, elected 15 io, 10 resigned I53 1 Richard Rogers, 11 elected 1531, died i53i Robert Burre, 12 elected 1531 The seal of the priory, affixed to Harl. William Chanewe, 6 elected 1444, re- Ch. 83, A 28, is in excellent preservation, signed 1465 representing our Lady seated with the holy William Stoughton, elected 1465, died Child on her knee, a bishop with crosier on 1473 either side, and the prior crouching below. Thomas Stoughton, elected 1473, re- Legend: presulis in prato " famulor de signed 148 1 virgine nato. Reverse : the Assumption, Robert of Potton, elected 1481, resigned our Lady encircled by angels, a crown sus- 1482 pended above her head. Legend : s. ecclie John of Bosworth, elected 1482, died 1493 et conventus sce marie de bissemede. HOUSE OF AUSTIN NUNS 10. THE PRIORY OF HARROLD The priory of Harrold was probably founded between 11 40 and 1150, 8 on land which was then a part of the honour of Huntingdon, and held by Sampson le Fort 7 of the Scottish kings. The site of the priory with the churches of St. Peter, Harrold, and Brayfield (Northants) was originally granted toGervase, abbot of St. Nicholas of Arrouaisc, that he might send there some nuns of his order 8 : they were at first governed by a prior, with a few canons, 9 to protect or guide the 1 Line. Epis. Reg., Inst. Gynwell, 375. » Ibid. 362d. He is said in the chartulary to have resigned after a year and a day, and his successor in 29 Edward III., which corresponds with the next institution. 3 Ibid. 393. He is said to have been prior twenty-eight years. 4 ibid. Inst. Buckingham, 344. 6 Ibid. Inst. Alnwick, i84d. 6 One confirmation charter of Malcolm IV. (1153-65) speaks of all the lands which they held in the time of his father and grandfather ; and the first charter of Sampson le Fort speaks of the assent and consent of Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, who died in 1 148 (Lansd. MS. 391, fit. 4, 6). 7 ' Sampson Fortis ' is the name on the charters ; but Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), ii. 329 speaks of ' Samp- son le Fort ' as donor of the church of Harewold. 8 The charters of Sampson le Fort and of Simon, Earl of Northampton, were made direct to Gervase, ' ad sustentationem sororum suarum sanctimoni- alium super ecclesiam de Harewolde ' (Lansd. MS. 391. ff- 4. 5)- The prior and canons are mentioned in one charter of Malcolm IV. (Lansd. MS. 391, f. 6) sisters ' according to the institutions of St. another has ' sororibus et fratribus eas tuentibus secundum institutiones ecclesis Sancti Nicholai de Arrowasia ' (ibid. f. 5), and that of Simon, Earl of Northampton, has ' sororum sanctimonialium et cum cis Deo servientium ' ; one of Sampson le Fort has only the sisters (ibid. f. 4), and another the ' brothers and sisters ' (Dugdale, Mon. vi.). It seems fairly clear that the sisters were the first consideration, and that the brothers were only there for the sake of the sisters (as originally in the Gilbertine rule). It would be easier to speak with confidence if there were any other house of Arrou- asian nuns besides this with which to compare it ; but though there were plenty of houses of Arrou- asiana»»«H.f (Nutley, Bourne, St. Peter's Dorchester, etc.), this appears to be the only house of nuns of this order in England. 10 Line. Epis. Reg., Inst. Smith, f. 458. For- merly prior of Huntingdon (Dugdale, Mon. vi. 280). L. and P. Hen. Fill. iv. 6047 (Convocation of 1529). The five intervening names are given from the chartulary, reckoning the years backwards from Nicholas Smith, in the hope that the later entries are more correct ; which at last leaves only twenty years for William Chanewe instead of twenty-five. In the original they stand thus : William Chanewe (or Chanu), twenty-five years ; William Stoughton, eight years ; Thomas Stoughton, eight years ; Robert Potton, one year ; John of Bosworth, eleven and a half years ; Gregory Norwich, seven- teen years. 11 Line. Epis. Reg., Inst. Longland, 249 (Char- tulary : ' quondam prior de Broke et prior istius ecclesie qui obiitpost secundam mensam prelationis sua: a°d. 1531 '). « Ibid. 246d. 13 An allusion to the name Bissemede (Bishop's mead). 337
