Page:VCH Buckinghamshire 1.djvu/414

Rh Ralf de Silveston, elected 1263, resigned 1275 William de Esteneston, elected 1275, resigned 1279-80 Adam de Hanred, Henred or Heured, 1279-80, resigned 1284 William de Brackley, elected 1284-5, election annulled Adam de Hanred, Henred or Heured reappointed 1285, resigned 1287 Richard de Silveston, elected 1287, resigned same time John de Houghton, elected 1287, resigned 1289 Gilbert de Merse, elected 1 289, resigned same time Peter de Saldeston or Shalstone, elected 1289, deposed 1294 William de Brackley, elected 1294, resigned 1316 John de Westburg, elected 1316, died William de Skelton, elected 1344, died 1349 William de Horwood, elected 1349, resigned 1383 John Pirye, elected 1383 John Horwood, elected 1396 John Hals, elected 1420, died 1444 John Pinchbeck, elected 1444, resigned 1468 William Rogers, elected 1468, resigned 1488 Thomas Rowland, elected 1488, resigned the house 1494

Seal : A pointed oval seal of the thirteenth century represents the Virgin seated on a throne, a sceptre in her right hand, the Holy Child on her left knee with cruciform nimbus, lifting up the right hand in benedic- tion and holding a book in the left. In the upper part of the seal is the representation of a church, in base a prior is kneeling in prayer. Legend: s' COMMVNIS : SANCTE : MARIE: D'LVFFEILT.

The priory of Bradwell, like that of Luffield, has scarcely any history at all. It was founded somewhere about the year 1155 by Meinfelin, lord of Wolverton, and the patronage of the house continued in this family for a century at least. Its endowments were very small, and it had scarcely any property outside this county.

As early as the reign of John the prior had to contest with Alan of Etchingham the ad- vowson of Padbury church, and there were several suits in the thirteenth century in connection with the church of Chalfont St. Giles, which passed for some time out of the hands of the monks. This house appears to have been among those which suffered most from the effects of the Great Pestilence : the prior, William of Loughton, died in 1349, and a dispensation granted in the same year to a certain monk of illegitimate birth to hold any office, even that of prior, suggests that the number of those eligible was very small at that time. It is stated by Browne Willis that the prior in 1361 was sequestered for causing or allowing dilapidation of the conventual buildings, and there seems to have been a vacancy for some years after this. Not even