RELIGIOUS HOUSES to the abbot and canons the advowson of the church of Bodham, with two acres of land.' Anthony, bishop of Norwich, and the prior and convent of Norwich, gave their sanction to the appropriation of the church of Bodham in August 1330' but the crown licence for the same was not granted until 1332.' In 1338 licence was also given to appropriate the church of Thurton of their advowson,^ but apparently advantage was not immediately taken of this, as in 1343 the abbot and convent of St. Mary's, Langley, signified to the pope that their income from the market had been much reduced by floods both of river and sea, as well as by the number of people asking hospitality, and therefore prayed that the parish church of Thurton, in their patronage, value not exceeding twelve marks might be appropriated to the monastery, not- withstanding that of custom the bishop takes the fruits of the first year, they being ready to come to terms with him. As the church was only half a mile distant from the monastery, they also prayed that it might be served by one of their own canons. The diocesan was instructed by the pope to arrange for this appropriation, but to reserve a fitting vicar's portion.' The taxation of 1291 shows that the abbey had much prospered in the first century of its existence. It had at that date possessions in sixty-two Norfolk and thirteen Suffolk parishes, and its annual income was estimated at Further additions continued to be made to the abbey's endowment in rents and lands ; thus Edward I, in 1302, inspected and confirmed a quit claim made by Roger le Bygod, earl of Norfolk, to the Premonstratensian church and canons of St. Mary, Langley, of 6j. rent and suit at the earl's hundred of Ersham from three weeks to three weeks, for lands which they hold of the earl's fee in Riverhale, Brokedys Reden- hall, Poringland, Yelverton &c.° Abbot Richard and his canons acknowledged by an undated deed that they owed Sir William Monchesney homage and relief on the ap- pointment of each abbot of their house for a certain tenement, and an aid to knight his son and marry his daughter, as they did in the time of Sir Warin Monchesney.' The abbot of Langley was the collector for the diocese of Norwich of the crusade tenth im- posed for three years by Boniface VIII ; the amount, j^200, was handed in to the king's clerk and a receipt obtained on 10 February 1304.' The like sum was forwarded by the abbot from ' Add. MS. 5948, fol. 55^. » Cal. of Bod I. Chart. 171. ' Pat. 6 Edw. Ill, pt. i, m. 3.
- Ibid. 12 Edw. Ill, pt. iii, m. 23.
•■' Cal. Papal Pet. i, 29 ; CaL Papal Reg. iii, 138. ' Cal. of Pat. 30 Edw. I m. 19. ' Anct. D. (P.R.O.) A. 2978. » Cal. of Pat. 32 Edw. I, m. 25. Norwich diocese in the following year, and
- ^229 in. kd. in the third year. In discharging
this onerous office the abbot of Langley did not give satisfaction, and on 10 December 1306, Walter de Norwich was appointed by the king to examine, in the presence of the abbot, the acquittances given by him to the various con- tributors. The abbot and his fellow canon, Thomas de Jernemuta, had been lately presented at Westminster for entering as arrears divers sums which certain defaulting clerks and religious asserted that they had fully paid. Walter was instructed to enrol all the sums received by the abbot during the whole time he was engaged in the collection, with the names of those who paid, and those to whom he had failed to give acquittances, and to certify to the auditors. The bishop of Norwich was ordered to give notice to all aggrieved persons to be present.' Robert de Kendall, constable of Dover Castle, and warden of the Cinque Ports was ordered, on 8 August 1 31 6, to permit Geoffrey, abbot of Langley, Bartholomew, abbot of Dereham, and two other abbots of the Premonstratensian order, to pass the sea from the port of Dover to attend their chapter general at Premontrc^, provided that they carried with them no money in the name of apport, 'census,' or imposition, contrary to the late king's statutes."* Robert de Maners, an old soldier, who served the late king in his wars in Scotland and was then too infirm for further service, was sent to the abbey of Langley, in 13 17, there to receive his life maintenance. '^ On Ascension Day 1345, William, abbot of Langdon (Kent) as commissary for the abbot of Pr^montr6, sent John de B. and Thomas de C, canons of Wendling, to the abbot of Langley with a letter of request that they might be admitted to the house of Langley, as the abbey of Wendling was in such very straitened circum- stances, mainly owing to the war, that it could not support its own canons. In the spring of that year, when Langley was formally visited by the abbot of Langdon, as Premonstratensian commissary, with the help of the abbots of Alnwick (as father abbot), Dereham, and Ley- ton, canons John de London, John de Binham, and Thomas de T., were sent away to other houses of the order in consequence of their faults. But on 6 May of the same year, the abbot of Langley was instructed by the abbot of Langdon to receive the temporarily banished brothers back again.* Licence was granted by the crown in 1346, to the abbot and convent of Langley to build a belfry within the abbey and crenellate the same." ' Ibid. 35 Edw. I, m. 43. '" Close, 10 Edw. II, m. 2 8</. " Ibid. m. 14 a'. " Add. MS. 4935, fol. 40. " Pat. 20 Edw. Ill, pt. ii, m. 4. 419
