Chapter XLI: Section II: During Abbot Samson's Lifetime (1135-1211)

1135 SAMSON born at Tottington, near Thetford.

1144 Samson taken by his mother on a pilgrimage to St. Edmund.
_p._ 56.

1146 Death of Anselm: buried in Infirmary Chapel.

1146 Ording, Prior of St. Edmund, appointed 8th abbot.

1150 Fire, which destroys the conventual buildings--Abbot's palace,
refectory, dormitory, the old infirmary, and the
chapter-house. Rebuilt by Helyas the sacrist, Ording's
nephew. _p._ 247.

1150 (circa). Galfridus de Fontibus writes the tract _De Infantia
Sancti Eadmundi_, dedicated to Ording. _p._ 218.

1153 Eustace, eldest son of King Stephen, plunders some of the
lands of the monastery. Dies at Bury.

1156 Jan. 31. Death of Ording: buried in chapter-house. _p._ 247.

1156 Hugh, Prior of Westminster, elected 9th abbot. Receives
benediction at Colchester from Archbishop of Canterbury.

1157 Battle of Coleshill: Cowardice of Henry of Essex.
_pp._ 103, 243.

1160 (_circa_). Samson returns from Paris, and made _magister
scholarum_ or schoolmaster. _p._ 66.

1160 (_circa_). Samson's visit to Rome. _pp._ 72, 236.

1161 Jan. 12. Bull of Alexander II, confirming the Abbot and monks
of Bury in all their rights and privileges, authorizing
appropriation of certain manors to special purposes, etc.
Future abbots to be freely elected. In important matters
there is to be an appeal to the Holy See. (Text in Arnold
III. 78-80.)

1161 May 22. Brief obtained from Pope Alexander III, confirming the
right of the Abbey to the revenues of Woolpit. _p._ 74.

1163 Abbot Hugh at the Council of Tours, where he usurps the seat
of the Abbot of St. Albans.

1163 Wager of battle between Henry of Essex and Robert de Montfort
at Reading. _pp._ 104-5.

1166 Samson takes monastic orders. _p._ 60.

1172 Apr. 7. Bull of Pope Alexander III, dated at Tusculum,
exempting the Abbey from the visitation of the Archbishop of
the Province as _legatus natus_ of the apostolic see (_Cf._
Rokewode, p. 107). _p._ 7.

1173 Jocelin of Brakelond becomes Monk of St. Edmund. _p._ 1.

1173 Hugh the Prior deposed: succeeded by Robert. _p._ 1.

1173 October 17. Battle of Fornham. _pp._ 1, 86, 221.

1175 (_circa_). Samson master of the novices. _p._ 6.

1180 (_ante_). Samson compiles the work _De Miraculis Sancti
Eadmundi_. (See Appendix I.) _pp._ 215-21.

1180 Sept. 9. Abbot Hugh's accident near Rochester. _p._ 10.

1180 Nov. 15. Death of Abbot Hugh I. _pp._ 10, 225.

1180-2 Samson subsacrist and master of the workmen. Rebuilds choir of
Abbey Church, and makes preparations for building the great
tower. _p._ 14.

1181 June 10. Martyrdom of the boy Robert by the Jews. _p._ 23.

1181 Aug. 9. Arrival at Abbey of Archbishop of Trontheim on a
visit. _p._ 23.

1182 Feb. 21. Appointment of Samson as Abbot at Bishop's Waltham,
with Henry II's approval. _p._ 31.

1182 Feb. 28. Samson receives the blessing of the Bishop of
Winchester, at Merewell. _p._ 36.

1182 Mar. 21. (Palm Sunday). Samson is solemnly received at St.
Edmunds. _p._ 37.

1182 Mar. 29. Samson calls a meeting of the convent, the Knights
and certain burgesses as to the election of bailiffs.
_p._ 109.

1182 Mar. 31. Samson sends messengers to Rome for confirmation of
the Abbey's privileges. _p._ 84.

1182 Apr. 1. Barons, Knights and freemen summoned to do homage.
_p._ 41.

1182 Samson appointed a judge in the ecclesiastical courts, by Pope
Lucius III. _p._ 51.

1182 Contests as to town rights and dues. _p._ 108.

1183 Samson restores the Church of Woolpit to the monastery.
_p._ 72.

1184-5 Samson founds St. Saviour's Hospital, at Babwell. _p._ 69.

1186 Kalendar or general survey of Abbey estates completed.
_pp._ 44-5.

1187 Victory over Archbishop Baldwin as to jurisdiction in case of
homicide at Monks Eleigh. _p._ 76.

1187 Jan. 21. Samson obtains from Pope Urban III the privilege of
giving the episcopal benediction. _p._ 84.

1187 Feb. 11. Dispute as to jurisdiction, between Samson and the
Monks of Canterbury, brought before Henry II in
chapter-house at Canterbury. _pp._ 77, 238.

1187 Sept. 29. Loss of Jerusalem: Samson's grief. _p._ 60.

1187 Samson waits upon Henry II at Clarendon, to obtain a
recognition of the immunity of the Abbey from certain taxes.
_p._ 96.

1188 Jan. 20. General exemption granted by the Pope to Samson and
his successors from the authority of the Archbishop of
Canterbury. _p._ 84.

1188 Jan. 21. Henry II takes the Cross between Trie and Gisors.
_p._ 80.

1188 Feb. Henry II at Bury. Samson refused permission to accompany
the King to the Crusades. _p._ 81.

1189 Sept. 3. Richard I crowned at Westminster; Abbot Samson
present.

1189 Sept. Purchase of the manor of Mildenhall from Richard I.
_p._ 70.

1189 Nov. Samson appointed one of the arbitrators to settle the
dispute between Archbishop Baldwin and the Monks of Christ
Church at Canterbury.

1190 March 18. Massacre of 57 Jews at Bury. _p._ 69.

1190 Oct. Conflict as to monastic discipline, at the Council of
Westminster, between Samson and the Bishop of Ely. _p._ 81.

1191 Death of Robert of Cockfield. _pp._ 86, 255.

1191 Samson's quarrel with William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely.
_p._ 79.

1191 Sept.-Oct. Excommunication of Longchamp, and his flight from
England. _pp._ 79, 240.

1192 Complaints of the monks to the abbot concerning the Abbey
revenues. _p._ 114.

1193 Return of Longchamp. Samson refuses to celebrate Mass before
him. _p._ 80.

1193 Collection of money for the ransom of King Richard.
_pp._ 71, 234.

1193 Samson excommunicates the disturbers of the peace, and appears
in arms before Windsor. _p._ 82.

1193 Samson visits Richard I in his German prison "with many
gifts." _p._ 82.

1194 Feb. 4. King Richard released from captivity.

1194 Mch. 12. Lands at Sandwich after an absence of 4-1/4 years;
pays, before the end of the month, thanksgiving visits to
(1) Canterbury (2) St. Edmundsbury.

1194 June 28. Samson's contest with turbulent young knights, who
hold a Tournament without his authorization. _p._ 83.

1194 Samson grants a Charter to the town. _pp._ 116, 244.

1194 Abbey debts entirely discharged. _p._ 46.

1196 Samson's contest with his fifty knights concerning their dues:
the abbot victorious. _pp._ 97-9.

1196 Samson takes the cellarer's department into his own hands.
_p._ 131 _et seq._

1197 Commission of Pope Celestine III for the restoration of the
Monks of Coventry. _pp._ 142, 246.

1198 Jan. 14. Samson at Coventry in high spirits. _p._ 143.

1198 Jan. 18. Coventry Monks re-inducted by the Archbishop.
_p._ 143.

1198 Samson charges moiety of Wetherden in favour of schools at
Bury. _p._ 144.

1198 (_circa_). Archbishop Hubert Walter proposes to visit the
Abbey of Bury. _p._ 122.

1198 Dispute between King Richard and Samson as to the wardship of
Nesta of Cockfield. _pp._ 147-9.

1198 Samson goes to Normandy to settle with King Richard as to the
four knights demanded from the Abbey for the war against the
King of France. _p._ 129.

1198 July 18. Richard I confirms by Charters the Manor of
Mildenhall to the Abbey. _pp._ 70-2, 235.

1198 Oct. 17. Fire in the Abbey: shrine of St. Edmund in danger.
_p._ 162.

1198 Nov. 23. Shrine transferred to high altar. _p._ 170.

1198 Nov. 26. Samson views St. Edmund's body. _p._ 173.

1198 Dec. 1. Letter of Pope Innocent III exempting the Abbey from
the visitation even of a legate, unless he were a legate _a
latere_. _pp._ 124, 245.

1199 Reconciliation between Hubert Walter, Archbishop of
Canterbury, and Samson. _p._ 127.

1199 April 6. Death of King Richard I.

1199 May 27. King John crowned at Westminster. _p._ 178.

1199 King John visits Bury. _p._ 178.

1199 Violent quarrels between Samson and his monks: he withdraws
from the Abbey for a week: reconciliation effected.
_pp._ 179-83.

1200 Mar. 15. Ratification by King John of Charter granted by
Samson to St. Saviour's Hospital at Babwell. _p._ 72.

1200 Nov. 6. Samson one of three arbitrators in dispute between
Archbp. of Canterbury and Canons of Lambeth. _p._ 229.

1200 List drawn up of knights of St. Edmund. _pp._ 183-6.

1200 Hugh, Abbot of Cluny, visits Bury. _p._ 189.

1200 Death of Prior Robert: Herbert succeeds him. _p._ 191.

1201 Eustace, Abbot of Flay, preaches at Bury. _p._ 202.

1201 Sept. Samson appointed one of three Commissioners sent by
the Pope to Worcester to investigate the miracles of
St. Wulfstan.

1202 Dispute between the monks of Ely and of Bury concerning the
market at Lakenheath. _pp._ 203, 253.

1202 Hugh of Northwold (afterwards abbot) admitted a monk.

1203 Jan. 31. Samson appointed by the Pope on a commission
concerning the dispensation of Crusaders from their vows:
and summoned over sea to advise the King on this question.
_pp._ 207-11.

1203 Dec. 21. John at Bury, and makes valuable offerings: but
prevails on convent to grant him for life the use of the
jewels which his mother Queen Eleanor had presented to St.
Edmund. _p._ 251.

1208 Mar. 24. Interdict comes into force throughout England.

1210 Sept. 23. Fall of central tower of Abbey Church.

1211 Dec. 30. Death of Samson: buried in unconsecrated ground.
_p._ xl.

1213 July. King John expresses a wish for the vacancy to be filled:
Hugh (II) of Northwold chosen.

1214 July 2. Interdict solemnly dissolved.

1214 Aug. 12. Samson's body exhumed and buried in the chapter-house
of Bury Abbey. _pp._ xlii., 247.