Ios. a year, and the church 66s. 8d. The donor had nothing left after making this gift. The licence in mortmain was granted on April 10 following, for a fine of 40s.1

At the time this gift was made Brian Fitz Alan's widow must have been of very considerable age, as she was already his widow with two children in 1302. Her parentage is unknown, but she must have been of good position, as her husband dowered her in all his lands at the church door when he married her.3 There were only two children of the marriage, Maude, wife of Gilbert de Stapelton, and Katherine, wife of John Grey of Rotherfeld, who was to be prayed for in Rokeby Church. In Danby Wiske Church, near Northallerton, is preserved a curious memorial of Brian Fitz Alan's widow. Forming the lintel over the doorway into the tower is a female effigy with the face downwards, and bearing on her dress a barry coat for Fitz Alan. As this family appears to have had no connection with the place, the effigy must have been brought from another church, perhaps Bedale, where the very fine monument of her husband still remains.

The motives which induced Archbishop Zouche to authorise the appropriation of Rokeby Church are much the same as those which influenced his predecessor in relation to Startforth Church. The undeniable poverty of the canons, the unfruitfulness of their lands, expense of entertaining guests, attracted to the Abbey by its proximity to the highway, troubles from the Scotch, fines, invasions, robberies, and the destruction of goods and cattle, all certified on trustworthy evidence, had so diminished their resources that it was impossible for them to celebrate divine service in the church or discharge their other duties. The revenues of Rokeby Church were so small that, after paying all charges, they were insufficient to support the chaplain. Under these circumstances, and as the church was close to Eggleston, the archbishop gave leave that it could be served by the canons from the Abbey. A sum of 25. a year was to be paid to the archbishop to indemnify him for any loss and as a mark of subjection, and a fitting pension and half the rectory house were to be assigned to the canon serving the church as a dwellinghouse.

The chief church which was appropriated to Eggleston Abbey was that of Great Ouseburn, near Boroughbridge. On January 24, 1347-8, Thomas de Rokeby, knight, obtained the royal licence to appropriate the church of Usseburne to the abbot and convent of

1 Calendar of Patent Rolls (1338-1340),

P. 459.

2 Ing. p. m., 30 Edw. I, No. 15.

3 Ibid., 34 Edw. I, No. 137a.

4 Reg. Zouche, fo. 66. Dated at Cawode, May 6, 1342.

Eggleston, to make amend for the damage they had received from the royal army during its stay there before the battle of Neville's Cross.1

The same archbishop, William la Zouche, who had granted the licence to appropriate Rokeby, did the same also for Usseburn." This licence contains a considerable amount of information about the condition of the Abbey as regards its temporalities. It states that the house had suffered ever since the time of its foundation from insufficient endowments. Their land was barren, and, owing to cold and storms, the crops did not get ripe. For want of accommodation elsewhere, the canons, even if they were in want themselves, were forced to entertain a number of persons travelling along the road near by. They had been robbed of part of the property settled on their house when it was founded, and this by no fault of theirs. Taxes, whether imposed by the Pope or King, had grown heavier. The incursions by the Scotch continued, and they had been obliged to rebuild their houses and churches which had been burnt down, as they had no others suitable. They had suffered a great deal of depredation and robbery, especially from the English army, which had made a stay of two days with them on its way to Durham, to fight the Scotch. The damage done was enormous, all their stock of hay, corn, wood, and other provisions, enough for the coming year, having been entirely consumed. All this had caused them to incur heavy debts and liabilities, so that unless they received help from outside, they would be obliged to disperse, and then the worship of God would decline and hospitality and other works of piety cease. To prevent this catastrophe, and overcome by their. importunity, the archbishop, after consultation with the Dean and Chapter of York, gave them leave to appropriate this church as a relief for their poverty, on condition that they said masses for himself and his successors and for the canons of York. The question of a provision for a vicar was reserved, but it was enacted that the vicar was to be presented to the ordinary for institution, and was to receive a suitable income. Although Ouseburn was a considerable distance from Eggleston, the archbishop gave leave that it should be served by one of the canons; but, lest in consequence the number in the Abbey should be diminished, it was enjoined that another canon should be admitted in place of the one sent to Ouseburn.

1 Cal. of Patent Rolls (1345-8), p. 452. "In recompensacionem deperditorum et dampnorum vehemencium que dilecti nobis in Christo abbas et conventus de Eggleston per exercitum nostrum nuper ibidem congregatum, et ante bellum de Dunolmo per aliqua

tempora perhendinantem sustinuerunt.” The battle of Neville's Cross was fought on Oct. 17, 1346. The inquisition, if any, taken about this church, has not been preserved.

2 Reg. Zouche, fo. 71d, dated May 23, 1348.

This licence to serve the cure at Ouseburn with a canon seems to have been a later conception, as it is added at the bottom of the folio on which the appropriation occurs. To indemnify the archbishop for the loss of the fruits during a vacancy of the living, which he and his successors would lose by this appropriation, an annual pension of 15s. was charged on it in his favour. On the death of the then rector, Sir John de Maunby, the abbot and convent were to enter into possession of this church without any further formality.

One more advowson, that of Bentham, in north-west Yorkshire, was given to Eggleston, but it never seems to have been appropriated. The inquisition' on the matter was taken at York, before Peter de Nuttle, the escheator, on March 28, 1357. The donors were Thomas de Fencotes, knight, and his wife, Beatrice. The advowson is worth Ioli. a year by knight service of Sir John de Moubray, as parcel of the manor of Bentham, Moubray holding in chief by the same tenure. The donors possessed over and above this gift the manors of Bentham and Ingleton, worth forty marks a year, and held by knight service of the same chief lord. The licence in mortmain3 was granted in the May following, at the instance of the Earl of Richmond.

During the two succeeding centuries, except for the consecration of abbots and a few uninteresting lawsuits, there is no record of the Abbey. In 1421 Thomas Greenwood, canon of York, left 26s. 8d. to the "poor" monastery of Eggleston, to pray for his soul. On the eve of the Dissolution the house was in a very poverty-stricken state. In 1535 its clear annual income only amounted to £36 8s. 3d., when Easby was valued at £111 175. 11d., and Coverham at £60 18s. 3d.s

The following is an abstract of this valuation :—

Scite of the abbey, with gardens, orchards, and arable lands in hand, 9li. 6s. 8d.

1 Ing. p. m., 3 Edw. III (2nd MS), No. 2. The jurors were Gregory de Thornton, William del More, William Redman of Dent, John de Cokersand, Adam del Boure of Dent, John de Dounebigging, John de Burgh, Adam son of Adam del Boure, Ralph del Westhous of Thornton, John Ward of Sutton, Richard son of Adam del Boure, and Adam Brid of Sutton.

2 She was daughter of Henry son of John, and granddaughter of John son of Hugh, and Isabel, daughter and heiress of Michael de Ryhill. She brought her

Demesnes, manors, granges, mills, lands, and tenements in Starfforde, 10li. 6s. 1d.; Thorpe, 40s.; Lyrtyngton, 30s.; Badersdale, 205.; Richemond, 95.; Sadbury, 4s.; Middleton Tyass, 8s.; Kylvyngton, 12li. 125. 5d.; Skeythby, 103s. 4d.; Milton,1 8li. 13s. 4d. 42li. 6s. 2d. Rents and farms in Bernard Castle, 20s., and Eggleston, 20s. 40s. Sum of Temporalties 53li. 12s. 10d.

...

...

...

Tithes of sheaves and hay from the rectories of Great Osburn, 4/i., and Stratfforde, 26s. 8d...: 106s. 8d.

Tithes of the church of Arckyndale, that is of sheep and wool, 40s.; hay, 40s.; offerings, 10s.; tithes of lead ore (ure plumbi), 40s.; and of calves and other small tithes, as in Lent payments,3 16s. 6li. 6s. Sum of spiritualties 11li. 125. 8d.

...

...

Sum of all the Temporalties and Spiritualities, 65li. 12s. 6d.

4

Payments :-Rents to the King, for lands in Bernard Castelle, 11d.; to Richemond Castle, for lands adjoining the Abbey, 25. 10d.; to the bailiffs of Richemond, for lands in the town of Richemond, 23d.; to the heirs of Thomas Mounteforthe, for lands in Strafford, 4s.; to the prior of Marton, 8s.; to [the prior] of Mount St. John, 12d.; to Richemond Castle, for lands in Stratfford, 25. 4d.; to the Bishop of Durham, for lands in Kylvyngton, 66s. 8d.; to the heirs of Thomas Cleseby, for lands in Skeithby, 5s. 7d.; to William Parre, esq., for lands in Lyrtyngton, 10s. 5d.; to the rector of Rombaldchirche, 6s. ... 109s. 8d.

Pensions-To a chaplain chanting at Stratfford for the soul of Richard Tyndall, 66s. 8d.; to the chaplain of the chantry at Ellerton for the souls of the heirs of Thomas Cleseby, 66s. 8d.; to a chaplain at Rombaldcherche, 66s. 8d.; to a chaplain at Richmond, 66s. 8d.; to the Archbishop of York, for the church of Usebourne, 5s.; to the Archdeacon of Richmond for the same, 55.; for the church of Stratford, 25. 14li. 8s. 8d.

...

(M. 2d.) Sinodals and procurations to the Archdeacon of Richmond, for the churches of Usebourne, 135. 4d., and Stratford, 8s. 2 d. 21s. 6d.

The survey was made in pursuance of an Act of Parliament, passed 26 Henry VIII (1534-5), when Thomas Darnton was abbot. The auditors were William Knyght, Archdeacon of Richmond, and John Dawkyns (Dakyns), clerks, and Robert Bowes, Roger Lascelles, William Blythman, John Metcalff, James Rokeby, and Richard Crosby.

1 An error for Multon, now Moulton.

2 Now Arkengarthdale, near Reeth. Plantagenet Harrison (p. 276) asserts that this church was given to Eggleston by Conan, Earl of Richmond, in the reign of Henry II.

3 "Lib' Quadragesimal'," in the original, which probably should be extended "Liberacionibus Quadragesimalibus."

4 St. John of Jerusalem, that is the Hospitallers.

Fees: Of the lord Dacres, seneschal of the lands of the Abbey, 40s.; of Ambrose Middleton, seneschal of the Court, 20s.; of William Shippertt, bailiff and receiver of Kylvyngton and Stratford, 20s. ... 4li.

Alms-Alms given every week to the poor and indigent, 12d.; money given by the ordination and foundation of lord Dacres, the founder, 52s.; similar alms in bread distributed to the poor on the Friday in each week before Easter, 6s.; and in money during the same time, 4s. 4d.; and in similar alms given to sixty poor persons on the day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24), for the soul of John, late rector of Rumbaldchirche, 15s... 78s. 4d.

At the time of the suppression of the smaller religious houses, Eggleston, having an annual income of only 36li. 8s. 3d., fell within the category of those which were destroyed as being under 200li. a year. For some reasons unstated, but not difficult to guess, it was exempted, and refounded on January 30, 1536-7, John Darnton being abbot. The Cistercian Nunnery of Kirklees, near Brighouse, in South Yorkshire, was another house also exempted at the same time. The grant for the continuance of the latter house, dated May 12, 1538, is printed in this Journal (xvi, 329), but here again no special reasons are assigned.

Almost exactly three years after its refoundation, that is on January 5, 1540, Thomas, Abbot of Egliston, and the convent made the final surrender of the house and its possessions in the counties of Richmond, York, and Durham into the King's hands. The following pensions were granted :-Thomas Sheppard, the abbot, 13li. 6s. 8d.; Robert Redshawe, the sub-prior, 4li.; Henry Clacton, William Mason, William Wright, Thomas Hildereth, Ralph Cottes, and Thomas Egleston, priests, 40s.; and John Clappam, sub-deacon, 26s. 8d., making a total of 30li. 135. 4d. amongst nine persons.3

3

On January 24 in the same year the monastery of Egleston, with the demesnes in Egleston and Stratford, two grain mills, called Barnard Castell mills, and the tithes of Stratford, were farmed to Alan Kynge, of London. In 1548 the site was granted to Robert Strelly and Frediswinda his wife.

1 The difference between income and charges is a shilling too little, and a tenth almost 6s. Id.

3 Ibid., XV, II.

Some time after his death the

2 Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII, xii, 143, from the Patent Roll, 28 Hen. VIII, Part 4, m. 16.

4 Ibid., xv, 562, and xvi, 725.