The Priory.
I Now come to speak of that little Monastery of Benedictine Monks, which sometime stood here, and was one of those we call Priories Alien, having been a Cell to the Abby of Conchis in Normandy•• Of which kind there were few that had any formall Foundation, as in Wolston I have already shewed: For the first grant to that forrein Monastery, by Rob. de Tonei (son doubtless unto Roger who foun∣ded r Conchis) and Nicholas de Stafford his son, was no other than verball, as it seems by that con∣firmation thereof, which Rob. de Stafford, son to the same Nicholas, made in H. 2. time; wherein he makes mention that his said grandfather and father gave thereunto, this Church of Wotton, to∣gether with the Tithes and oblations of the whole town, and one hide of land adjoyning to the same Church, as also another hide called Doversele, and the lands which the Monks of Conchis had then in tillage here, in exchange for the Mannour of Edric∣ston (now Edston) which at first belong'd to those Monks. But I make a question, notwithstanding the first grant, so made by the before specified Ro∣bert de Tonei, whether any Monks setled here till after his death; for in an Instrument s, of later time, made by the Abbot and Monks of Conchis, whereby they constituted a Prior here, it is said to be de Fundatione nobilissimi domini Nicholai Staf∣ford, which is some argument that he first erected their Mansion here.
Touching the appropriation of the said Church, made in 25 H. 2. to the peculiar benefit of those Monks, having already spoke in Wotton, I shall now endeavour the discovery of what farther aug∣mentation they had by other Benefactors; wherein I find t, that Robert the son of Herveus de Staf∣ford gave unto them divers particular parcells of land lying in Ullenhale; Henry de Montfort the Mill u at Henley; Robert de Chaucumbe divers Lands w in Mockle and Ullenhale; Will. de Burley a yard x land with a croft and messuage in Burley, with all his interest in the Chapell there; Geffrey de Pauncefote and Iohn Durvassall cer∣tain y lands in Buckele (juxta Beldesert.) And to all these had they the addition z of the Mannour of Monkenlane in Herefordshire; which, with se∣verall other lands and Tithes in that Countie, were originally granted a to the said Monks of Conchis by Raph de Tonei (brother to our Robert) who in the confirmation of them made by Will. de Vere Bi∣shop of Hereford in H. 2. time, is called b Radul∣fus senior de Tonei.
As to the originall seizures (in generall) of the lands belonging to these Priories Alien, and the occasion thereof, having spoke in Wolston, I shall here only take notice of what concerns this place, in relation thereto. Of which the first mention, I find, is in 16 E. 3. where the K. by his special Preceptc di∣rected to the Shiriff of this County, reciting, that whereas he had committed the custody of it to Iohn the then Prior, for a certain ferme to be yearly payd into his Exchequer, during his Warrs with France; and that the said Prior had neglected payment of that Rent accordingly, for which respect it was again seized into his hands; he had neverthelesse, at the humble request of the said Prior, who desired no more than a competent allowance for himself, and one Monk then resident with him, comman∣ded that the sum of iii s. by the week for him∣self, and xviii d. for his fellow Monk, might be du∣ly