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 A HISTORY OF NORFOLK deeply the death of his friend, and on appeal to the pope a dispensation was granted.' On 7 April, 1324, the sheriff of Hampshire was ordered to cause Margaret, the eldest daughter of Sir Roger de Mortimer of Wilmore, to be conducted to the prior)' of Shouldham. At the same time the sheriff ordered the convent to receive and keep her safely amongst the nuns, informing them that they would receive from the king's treasure i$d. weekly for her main- tenance and a mark yearly for her robe. Mar- garet's younger sisters, Joan and Isabella, were in like manner severally despatched to the Gil- bertine houses of Sempringham and Cockersand, i2tL a week being paid for their maintenance.^ The untrustworthy compcrta of Ap Rice and Legh, presented in 1536, alleged confessions of incontinence by two nuns and three canons of this liouse.^ The house was surrendered on 15 October, 1538; it was signed by Robert Swift, prior, Richard Foster, sub-prior, and eight other canons, and also by Elizabeth Fincham, prioress, Joan Plomstede, sub-prioress, and five other nuns.* On 24 November the prior obtained a pension of ;/^20, and eight canons smaller amounts ; at the same time a pension of ^^5 was assigned to the prioress, and smaller sums to eight nuns.' After the dissolution this priory and its posses- sions remained in the hands of the crown until 1553, when it was sold to Thomas Mildmay for ;^ 1)049 9^- ^¥- Priors of Shouldham William,' occurs 1250 Richard,* occurs c. 1270 Benedict,^ occurs 1281 Nicholas,'" occurs 1294 Thomas de Carmirton alun Carmelton, re- signed before 1305 Robert de Syvington,'- occurs 1387 Robert," occurs 1404 Nicholas Feriby,'* occurs 1413 Hugh HuU,'^ occurs 1435 Thomas,'^ 1439 John Wenham, 1455 Thomas Stanton,'* occurs 1479 Thomas,'^ 1 493 John Edmund,-'* occurs 1502 John Bray,^' occurs 1 5 1 7 Robert Swift,-^ occurs 1534 Prioresses of Shouldham Margaret) 03 „ .v ^occurs 1404''' Cecily J Anna^,=* 1453 Joan,-* 1465 Elizabeth Fincham,-^ 1531 HOUSES OF PREMONSTRATENSIAN CANONS 42. THE ABBEY OF WEST DEREHAM Hubert Walter, dean of York, who after- wards became successively bishop of Salisbury and archbishop of Canterbury, founded at his birthplace of West Dereham, in the year 1 188, an abbey for Premonstratensian canons, which was colonized from Welbeck. The canons were to pray for the souls of the founder and his parents, his brothers and sisters and all his relatives and friends, as well as for the souls of Ralph de Glanville, justiciary of England, and Bertha his wife.^ King John, on 7 September, 1 199, confirmed all the grants made to the abbey by the founder and by other early benefactors ; at the same time, at the request of the founder, who was then archbishop of Canterburj', he conferred on the abbey and its tenants exemption from all ' Cal. Papal Reg. ii, 214. ' Cal. of Close, 17 Edw. II, m. 15. Sir Roger de Mortimer had escaped out of the Tower of London. Chnn. <ie Sempringham, fol. 351. ^ L. and P. Hen. Fill, x, 143. " L. and P. Hen. Fill, xiv (i), 600. kinds of service, tolls and dues.'' In the same year John granted to the abbey a weekly Wed- nesday market, and an annual fair of four days, namely on the festival of St. Matthew and the three following days,^* and in 1 201, the king confirmed to them the grants of half the church of Holkham and of the church of Ringland.^' . ' Blomefield, Hist, of Nor f. vii, 424. ^ Ibid. = Pat. 9 Edw. I, m. 12. '° Pat. 22 Edw. I, m. 12 a'. " He essoins as ' formerly prior ' in this year ; Assize R. 1235, m. 38 d, 45. " Pat. 10 Ric. II, pt. i, m. 23. '^ Memo. R.K.R. Trin. 5 Hen. IV, m. 5. " Norw. Epis. Reg. vii, 60. " Blomefield, Hist, of Norf. vii, 424. '* Norw. Epis. Reg. x, 27. " Blomefield, Hist, of Norf. vii, 424. '^ Ibid. " Norw. Epis. Reg. xii, 175. ''" Blomefield, Hist, of Norf. vii, 424. " Ibid. " Ibid. " They are named jointly as prioresses ; Memos. R.K.R. Trin. 5 Hen. IV, m. 5. " Tanner, Norw. MSS. i, 579. " Ibid. »" Ibid. " Chart. R. I John, m. 10. " Blomefield, Hist, of Norf. vii, 331. " Chart. R. 2 John, 18 April. 414
 * Rmer, Foedera (Rec. Com.), xiv, 620.
 * Foundation Charter (Dugdale, Mon. vi, 899-900).