Page:VCH Bedfordshire 1.djvu/428

 A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE follow ; if the letter was written some time during the summer of 1536, there was a year and a half still before it was decided whether Henry Emery, supported by the Duke of Norfolk, or Thomas London, supported by Sir John Gostwick, was to be the last abbot of Warden. Letters from all of these parties are preserved amongst the State Papers, and give some idea of the order of events, though the story is at best a confusing one. The first letter, 1 dated 16 July [1537], is from Henry Emery to the Duke of Norfolk's treasurer. He alludes in it to a plan they had devised, whereby a secular steward should manage the pecuniary affairs of the monastery, and the abbot should have a regular allow- ance for his living, and also an opportunity of dealing with troublesome monks without in- curring suspicion. He adds that Sir John Gostwick had been at the monastery, and at first appeared to be his friend ; but now he had joined with his enemies and had a commission to sequester the goods of the house. The next letter, 2 dated 5 August, from Norfolk to Cromwell, states that the bearer, Henry Emery, has resigned in favour of Dan Thomas London of the same house ; but London, in breach of the agreement between them, had ' procured the repair of Dr. Petre for the taking of his resignation.' Cromwell's favour was requested for Emery. On 23 August Dan Thomas London 3 wrote to Cromwell to ask if it was really by his authority that the 'late deposed abbot, Father Emery,' had returned and demanded the keys back again. Norfolk on 3 October 4 again wrote to Cromwell to thank him for his kindness to his prote-g£, who was evidently reinstated, and Sir John Gost- wick also wrote, 6 in a letter undated, to thank him for his kindness to ' the poor monk of Warden,' who was probably London. The house was finally surrendered e on 4 December by Henry Emery as abbot, and his convent. It is impossible in reading these letters to avoid the conclusion that all these different 1 L. and P. Hen. VIII. (P.R.O.), xii. 264. » Ibid. No. 452. 3 Ibid. 572. « Ibid. 828. 5 Ibid. 576. This letter is placed by Dr. Gard- ner just after the letter from London to Crom- well ; but it is of course possible that it does not refer to London. But it seems likely that it does, and that the kindness referred to was the promotion of London to some living, as his name does not appear amongst the signatures on the deed of surrender. Ibid. 1 171. persons had been working for their own ends, though it is difficult to see exactly what they were. The total impression left to us of the house in its last days is discreditable and un- satisfactory. The surrender 7 is in the conventional form, the same as that of Elstow Abbey ; and con- tains the signatures of Henry Emery and thirteen monks, who probably all received pensions. The abbot in his first letter al- ready quoted speaks of fifteen monks and refers to another who had lately left the mon- astery. 8 In the thirteenth century, as has been seen, the numbers were much larger ; the thirty monks whom Fawkes de Breaut6 dragged to Bedford Castle were not the whole convent ; there may have been as many as fifty or sixty altogether. The prior and cellarer are often alluded to in early docu- ments ; and the last abbot mentions an official called the ' custos ordinis.' The original endowment of the abbey com- prised all the assarts of Warden and Southill with the wood between those two vills, with permission to cut what wood was wanted for the use of the monastery, and including pannage and herbage, etc., granted by Walter Espec ; also the church of Old Warden ; and part of the wood of Middleho which the abbot of Ramsey granted. These grants were confirmed by Stephen, Henry II. and Richard I., and Henry III. added the right to assart or enclose the wood of Middleho, Hunts. 9 Henry Braybrook and his wife granted lands in Westwarden, their son Wis- chard Leydet and his wife altogether forty-two acres of pasture. 10 The income of the house in temporalities and spiritualities in 1291 was about ^200. u The manor of Steppingley came into the possession of the abbey some time in the fourteenth century, 12 and in 1387 the granges of Ravensholt and Burdon (Cambs) were exchanged for the manor of Beeston. 13 In 1284 the abbey had only one knight's fee, held of the barony of Bedford, and two I Deeds of Surrender (P.R.O.), No. 253. 8 A young monk named Hugh, who had probably been sent out under the new regulations as being under twenty-four years of age. 8 All these are found in the Inspeximus of Ed- ward I. (Exch. Trans, of Charters, No. 5). to Add. MS. 24465, ff. 27, 27b, 28. A certain Ralph Fleet and his wife gave the monks of Warden land in front of St. Martin le Grand, London, for a hospice, at a rent of 5/. a year. Date unknown (Dugdale, Mon. v. 373). II Pope Nich. Tax (Rec. Com.) u Add. MS. 24465, f. 30b. " Pat. 10 Rich. II. m. 24. 364