Chapter XLII: Section III: From 1214 to Dissolution in 1539

1214 Nov. 4. King John at Bury: makes a speech in the chapter-house
asserting his rights over the election of abbot. _p._ 251.

1214 Nov. 20. The discontented earls and barons meet at Bury
(probably on St. Edmund's Day) "as if for prayer."
Archbishop Langton reads to them Henry I's charter: and each
swears on the high altar to make war on John unless he gives
them the liberties contained therein (_Roger of Wendover_,
vol. iii. 293-4).

1215 Mar. 10. Commissioners appointed by the Pope finally give
judgment in favour of Hugh's election as abbot.

1215 June 9. King's approval to appointment of Hugh given in
Staines meadow.

1215 June 15. Magna Charta signed.

1215-6 Louis, son of Philip II of France, invited by the barons to
help them in their struggle against John. East Anglian towns
sacked--Norwich and Lynn by the French; Cambridge, Yarmouth,
Dunwich, Ipswich and Colchester by the barons (Ramsay's
_Angevin Empire_, 1903, _p._ 497). Bury St. Edmunds a
stronghold of the king (Norgate, _John Lackland_, 1902,
_pp._ 257-8). Louis himself fighting in the south of
England. No evidence of Louis or his hordes ever being at
Bury.

1216 Oct. 19. Death of John at Newark. Henry III succeeds to the
throne.

1220 (_circa_). Richard of Newport, sacrist, destroys the old
chapter-house and rebuilds it from foundations. _p._ 247.

1220 Death of Herbert the prior. Richard of Insula (afterwards 12th
abbot) succeeds him.

1224 Abbot Hugh at the Royal camp before Bedford Castle, attended
by knights holding manors under St. Edmund.

1225 (_circa_). Abbot's Bridge built.

1229 Abbot Hugh II made Bishop of Ely: died August, 1254. Described
by Matthew Paris as "flos nigrorum monachorum."

1229 Nov. 20. Richard of Insula recalled from Burton and installed
as 12th abbot on St. Edmund's Day.

1234 Abbot Richard sent abroad on an appeal to Pope Gregory IX.
Attacked on his return with mortal illness, and dies at
Pontigny. Buried in the chapter-house at Bury, where his
skeleton was discovered on January 1, 1903, with skull sawn
through and sternum severed (evidently for embalming
purposes). _p._ 247.

1235 Henry of Rushbrook, prior of Bury, elected 13th abbot.

1235 Royal Charters granted to Abbot Henry to hold two fairs at
Bury and a market at his manor of Melford.

1245 Abbot Henry excused by the Pope, on account of the gout, from
attending the Council of Lyons.

1245 At the request of the convent, Henry III calls his newly-born
son Edmund (founder of the house of Lancaster). Text of
Royal letter in Arnold III. 28.

1248 July 5. Bull of Pope Innocent III (signed at Lyons)
prescribing the solemn celebration of the feast of the
translation of St. Edmund (April 29). Text in _Nov. Leg.
Angl._ (1901) II. 574.

1248 Death of Abbot Henry: buried in chapter-house. Edmund of
Walpole, LL.D., appointed 14th abbot.

1250 Henry III takes the Cross: the abbot does the same, exposing
himself to general derision (Matt. Par. v. 110).

1252 Simon of Luton (afterwards abbot) made prior.

1254 Richard of Clare, seventh Earl of Gloucester, claims St.
Edmund's manor of Mildenhall: threatened with
excommunication by the Pope.

1254 Aug. Death of Hugh, Bishop of Ely (Abbot of Bury, 1213-29).

1256 Aug. Statutes approved by Pope Alexander IV for the governance
of the Abbey of Bury, providing _inter alia_ for "two
persons watching the body of St. Edmund and two the church
treasure and clock night and day."

1256 Dec. 31. Abbot Edmund died: buried in the chapter-house.
_p._ 247.

1257 Jan. 15. Simon of Luton, prior, elected 15th abbot: cost of
confirmation by the Pope, 2,000 marks.

1263 Nov. Franciscan friars expelled from Bury, under a rescript
from Pope Urban IV, and compelled to migrate to Babwell.

1264 (Easter). Serious conflict between the monastery and the
burgesses. The abbot complains to the king: fine inflicted
on the burgesses.

1265 Defeat and death of Simon de Montfort. Many barons of his
party take shelter at Bury, but subsequently dislodged.

1267 February. Henry III summons the barons who owe military
service to the Crown to meet him at Bury.

1272 Sept. 1. Henry III at Bury on his way to Norwich.

1272 Nov. 16. Death of Henry III (Rishanger says at Bury).

1275 April 17. Edward I and his Queen come to St. Edmundsbury on a
pilgrimage, "as they had vowed in the Holy Land."

1275 July 1. Foundation stone of new Lady Chapel laid by Prior
Robert.

1279 April. Death of Abbot Simon at Melford: buried in the Lady
Chapel, which he had built "at the cost of himself, his
parents and his friends" (Leland, iv. 164).

1279 Dec. 28. John of Northwold, guest master of the abbey,
solemnly received in the Abbey Church as 16th abbot, after
having gone to Rome to be blessed by Pope Nicholas III. Cost
of his journey, 1,175 marks, his credit from abbey being
only 500 marks.

1281 A new division between the property of the abbot and that of
the convent, sanctioned by Edward I in consideration of
L1,000.

1285 Feb. 20. The King with the Queen and her three daughters make
a pilgrimage to Bury.

1292 April 28. The King, with his son and daughters, again at Bury,
remaining either at the abbey or the manor of Culford for
ten days. Granted charter that none of his justices should
sit within the banlieue of St. Edmund.

1292 Dispute between monastery and town. Royal Commission of
inquiry sent down. The burgesses to present annually an
alderman for confirmation by the abbot: the alderman to
present four persons to the sacrist as keepers of the four
gates.

1294 Mar. 18. Edward I again at St. Edmundsbury "with great
devotion."

1296 Nov. Edward I holds a Parliament at Bury to obtain an aid from
the clergy and people. Difficulties in its collection.

1301 Oct. 29. Death of Abbot John I: buried in the church before
the choir altar.

1301 Nov. 30. Edward's I's letter giving permission for a new
election.

1302 Jan. 2. Election of Thomas of Tottington (Samson's birthplace)
as 17th abbot.

1305 Further disputes between the convent and the town. The king's
justices impose fines on the aldermen and burgesses.

1312 Jan. 7. Death of Abbot Thomas: buried in north aisle of abbey
church (part of his memorial brass now at Hedgerley church,
Bucks). Succeeded by Richard of Draughton.

1326 Edward II spends Christmas at Bury.

1327 Great riots at Bury: the abbey plundered. The abbot seized and
carried off, and eventually deported to Diest in Brabant.
The outlying manors ravaged, and nearly the whole of the
conventual and domestic buildings burnt: loss of property
assessed at L140,000. Charter extorted by the townsmen from
the convent. (French text in Arnold III. 302-317.)

1330 Sept. 13. Charter of Edward III granting free warren in all
demesnes of the Abbey of St. Edmund, and a weekly market at
Melford, with an annual fair of nine days.

1335 Death of Abbot Richard: buried in north aisle of the church.
The sub-prior, William of Bernham, hastily elected 19th
abbot for fear of the Pope's interference.

1345 Jan. 24. Completion of Richard of Bury's _Philobiblon_.

1345 Quarrel between the abbey and Bishop Bateman of Norwich.
Morality and discipline of the abbey reported bad by
diocesan commissioners.

1346 The abbot appeals to the Pope, and also sues Bishop Bateman in
the King's Court, pleading the Charter of Hardicanute
(1035): the judges give sentence in the abbot's favour.

1346 (_circa_). Completion of abbey gateway, erected after
destruction of a previous gateway by the townspeople in the
riots of 1327.

1351 Presentation to the abbot of three names for selection of an
alderman to have charge of the municipal government of Bury.
Admission by the abbot of John Ewell as a matter of favour.

1361 Death of Abbot William: buried in Lady Chapel. Henry of
Hunstanton elected his successor, and proceeds to Avignon,
but dies of the pestilence near that city before obtaining
confirmation by the Pope.

1361 John of Brinkley appointed as 20th abbot by Pope Innocent VI.

1375 Date of last miracle recorded in Bodleian MS. 240 (Symon
Broun, nearly lost at sea, vows to St. Edmund and is saved.
_Nov. Leg. Anglie_ (1901) vol. II. _p._ 678).

1379 Death of John of Brinkley at Elmswell: buried in the Lady
Chapel. John of Timworth, sub-prior, elected by the monks
21st abbot. Urban VI appoints Edmund de Bromfeld instead,
and a controversy ensues, lasting five years.

1381 Rebellion in East Anglia under Jack Strawe. Murder of John de
Cambridge, the prior, and Sir John Cavendish, the chief
justice. Town of Bury outlawed and fined 2,000 marks.

1383 Richard II and Anne of Bohemia visit Bury and remain ten days
at the monastery, at an expense of 800 marks.

1384 June 4. Matters having at length been arranged with the Pope,
John of Timworth's election as abbot is confirmed (died
1389).

1390 William of Cratfield elected 22nd abbot.

1400 Oct. 1. Thomas of Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, visits
Bury: received as a visitor with much respect, but without a
procession.

1408 Nov. 25. Letters patent of King Henry IV finally deciding, in
favour of Bury Abbey, the disputed question as to the
jurisdiction of the Liberty of St. Edmund over Hadleigh and
Eleigh. _pp._ 76-8, 239.

1410 Catalogue of 195 Monastic Libraries (including that of Bury),
compiled by John Boston, monk of Bury.

1415 June 18. Death of Cratfield. William of Exeter elected 23rd
abbot.

1424 William Exeter causes the marble tomb of Ording (and (?) of
Samson) in the chapter-house to be renewed. _p._ 247.

1424-33 Building of the present St. Mary's Church on the site of an
older church in S.W. corner of the cemetery of the abbey.

1427 Thomas Beaufort, second son of John of Gaunt, buried in Abbey
Church (coffin discovered and re-interred 1772).

1429 Death of William Exeter. William Curteys or Curtis elected
24th abbot.

1430 Dec. 18. Fall of Southern side of western tower.

1430 Dec. 30. Fall of Eastern side of western tower. Immediate steps taken to contract for a new tower.

1430 Abbot Curteys builds a library for the abbey (see his
regulations for use of books in _James, pp._ 109-11).

1432 Ruins of tower cleared away. Rebuilding commenced: estimated
cost, 60,000 ducats of gold.

1433-4 Visit of Henry VI to Bury Abbey from Christmas till St.
George's Day. The monastery presents him with a
magnificently illuminated _Life of St. Edmund_, by John
Lydgate (now in Brit. Mus. Harl. MS. 2278).

1446 Sept. 17. Henry VI writes to Abbot Curteys to ask him to be
present at laying of foundation stone of King's College,
Cambridge, on Michaelmas Day.

1446 Death of Curteys. Succeeded by William Babington as 25th
abbot.

1447 Feb. 10. Parliament at Bury, in the Abbey refectory. Duke
Humphrey of Gloucester present, and arrested (Feb. 18) for
high treason.

1447 Nov. 13. Charter of Henry VI confirming the abbey privileges.
(Text in Arnold III. 357.)

1449 Royal Charter granted, freeing the Abbot of all aids to the
King for forty marks a year.

1453 Death of Abbot Babington: John Boon, or Bohun, appointed 26th
abbot.

1462 General pardon granted by Edward IV to the Abbot and monks,
whose sympathies had been Lancastrian.

1462 Nov. 17. A lost Abbey register bought by John Broughton, and
presented by him to the monastery at the instance of Abbot
Boon.

1465 Jan. 20. Abbey Church completely gutted by fire. (St. Edmund's
shrine said to have been saved.) Abbot Boon spends and
collects large sums for its repair and rebuilding.

1469 Death of Abbot Boon: buried in the Lady Chapel. Succeeded by
Robert of Ixworth as 27th abbot.

1474 Richard of Hengham appointed 27th abbot.

1479 Thomas of Rattlesden appointed 28th abbot.

1479 May. William of Worcester visits the Abbey and takes
measurements of the various buildings.

1486 Visit of Henry VII to Bury.

1497 William of Codenham appointed 29th abbot.

1513 Death of Codenham. John Reeve of Melford appointed 30th and
last abbot.

1532 Abbot Reeve assists at the funeral of Abbot Islip of
Westminster.

1533 July 21. Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, buried in great
state at the Abbey (subsequently re-interred in St. Mary's
Church).

1535 Nov. 5. Letter from John Ap Rice to Thomas Cromwell as to the
state of morals and worship of relics at Bury Abbey and
enclosing _compertes_ of proceedings (_Compendium
Compertorum_ now at Record Office).

1536 Nov. 26. Grant by the Abbey to Thomas Cromwell and his son
Gregory of an annuity of L10.

1538 (_circa_). Visit of Leland the antiquary to Bury, in search of
ancient books and records.

1538 Sept. Sir John Williams, Richard Pollard, Philip Parys and
John Smyth report to Cromwell that they have been to St.
Edmundsbury, "where we founde a riche shryne which was very
comberous to deface. We have takyn in the said monastery in
golde and sylver MMMMM marks and above, over and besydes a
well and riche crosse with emereddes, as also dyvers and
sundry stones of great value, and yet we have left the
churche, abbott and convent very well ffurnesshed with plate
of sylver necessary for the same" (MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. iv.
229). The actual amount of plate taken at 'His Majesty's
visitation' on this occasion was 1,553 oz gold plate, 6,853
oz. gilt plate, 933 oz. parcel-gilt plate, 190 oz. white
plate. (_Monastic Treasures_, 1836). See also under Dec. 2,
1539.

1539 Nov. 4. Deed of surrender of Bury Abbey signed by Abbot Reeve,
Prior Thomas Denysse of Ryngstede and 41 other monks.

1539 Nov. 7. Sir Richard Rich, Sir A. Wingfield, Ric. Southwell,
Wm. Petre, John Ap Rice, and T. Mildmay inform Henry VIII of
the surrender of the Abbey: they "have taken the plate and
best ornaments of the house" for the King, and have sold the
rest. They also ask whether they are "to deface the church
or other edifices of the house." The lead and the bells (if
the house be defaced) will be worth 4,500 marks.

1539 Dec. 2. Indent of Richard Southwell of amount of plate taken
from Bury Abbey--150 oz. gilt plate, 145 oz. parcel-gilt
plate, and 2,162 oz. white plate, besides a pair of birrall
candlesticks (handed to the King), and an ornamented mitre
(_Monastic Treasures_, 1836). [Thus, with the spoils of
1538, 1,553 oz. gold plate (all on the first occasion), and
10,433 oz. silver plate, were taken from the Abbey.]