Gisburne.'

Sodomitæ per voluntariam pollutionem. Jacobus Cokrelle, Prior, Robertus Grygg, Willelmus Peers, Thomas Lawghthouse, Ricardus Sterre, Nicolaus Pecok.

Incontinentia.

Jacobus Cokrelle, Prior, cum diversis feminis. Ricardus Walker, Gilbertus Haryson, petunt dissolvi

religione.

a

Fundatores, Dominus Conyers, Jacobus Strangwiche, Comes Rutland, Willelmus Gascoygne.

Redditus annuus, vcc li.

The unfortunate Prior, James Cockerell, was implicated in the Pilgrimage of Grace, and suffered at Tyburn. In the indictment he is termed James Cockerell, Clerk, Rector of Lythe, quondam of Gysborough. Except his neighbour, Sir Francis Bygod of Settrington and Mulgrave, no one else in the immediate neighbourhood joined in the rising.

At the Dissolution there were twenty-five inmates in the house. The following pensions, which were to commence on the feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1540, were granted to the Prior and Convent:-Robert Pursglove, Bishop of Hull, late Prior, 250 marcs; John Smyth, late sub-Prior, £8; Richard Marton, Henry Fletcher, Oliver Grason, Richard Lasynbye, Robert Bawnes, Cristofer Bolton, William Hynde, priests, £6. 13s. 4d. apiece; Cristofer Thompson, priest, £6; John Clerkeson, Bartholomew Lylforde, Henry Alanbye, Richard Sterre, Gilbert Herryson, Edward Edward Cokerell, Cokerell, William Wisedall, Cristofer Malton, Robert Gregge, John Herryson, John Lighton, Robert Watson, George Hauxeley, priests,

£5. 6s. 8d. apiece; Thomas Whytebye, priest, £8; Thomas Walker, deacon, £4.1

The arms of the Priory were the Bruce arms, argent a lion rampant azure, differenced by a red bend2. References to descriptions of Priory seals in this volume will be found in the index under Gyseburne seals. In addition to those mentioned there a drawing of one is given by Dodsworth (MSS. lxx. 4°), which was attached to a grant of confraternity, made by Prior John on March 12, 1507-8, to Henry, Lord Clifford, and his wife Anne. Obverse, Virgin with child sitting under a canopy of three compartments, with a figure in the attitude of prayer issuing from either side at the top. Around the Virgin and child, AVE MARIA GRACIA PL. On either side of the canopy a compartment containing a kneeling figure. Around all s' CAPITVLI SCE: MARIE DE GISBVRNE. Reverse, Prior sitting under a canopy of the same form as on the obverse, with a crozier in right hand, and the left held up in the attitude of blessing. No figures in the upper part. Inscription around, ORA Two outer compartments, each containing a kneeling figure facing the Prior. No outer inscription. There are two seals of the Priory amongst the documents at Durham undescribed. The first, which is attached

'P. R. O. Augmentation Office. Misc. Book 246, fo. 32. The grant of the Prior's annuity, dated 10 March, 31 Hen. VIII. (1539-1540), is found in the same series, Vol. 234, fo. 408. 'Tonge's Visitation, p. 24.

Loc. xix. 15. Receipt from John, Prior de Gisburnia, to the Prior and Convent of Durham, for a thousand

3

is

marcs of silver at 13s. 4d. a marc, by the hands B. the Subprior, "ad opus domini papæ de subsideo eidem domino papæ de Scotia collato computatis. H. T., qui deliberationi dictæ pecuniæ nobis per manum dicti Supprioris plenarie factæ interfuerunt, Magistro W. de Kilkenny, Domino W. de Seleby, W. de Sadbergia, W.

to a deed dated the morrow of the translation of St. Swithin (B. Swidthuni), that is July 6, 1241, is of green wax, oval, 13 × 1, Our Lady seated adverse, Christ sitting on her left knee, beneath demy figure praying under an arch on which there are two crosses. GILL'. The other, of which are many copies attached to deeds, dated between 1355 and 1352,1 was oval, 2 x 14, the annunciation, with Gabriel holding a roll, on which AVE MARIA, beneath a figure to right praying, above, God the Father, both hands raised, s' 10

IGT PRIORIS DE G

VRN.

The site of the Priory and the land belonging to it in the neighbourhood of Guisbrough remained a very short time in the royal hands. On Nov. 21, 32 Hen. VIII. (1540), the King granted a lease of them with other property for twenty-one years, from Michaelmas then last to Thomas Legh, at an annual rent of £224. 12s. Of this sum £49. 5s. 4d. was payable in re

Legh had officiated

spect of the site and lands near by. as one of the visitors of monastic houses in the North of England immediately before their suppression, and this lease no doubt formed part of his reward. On July 20, 1 Edw. vi. (1547), a lease in reversion for a further period of twenty-one years, of the site of the Monastery and lands adjacent was granted at the same

Carlan, Reginaldo de Pontecurvo, Nicolao nuncio Magistri Petri Rubei, et aliis."

'Misc. Charters 3372, 3654. Receipts from John, Prior of Gisburne, to the Prior and Convent of Durham for 5s., the rent of Edmundbyrs.

? A translation of this lease is given in Ord's Cleveland, p. 574. A

copy of the original will be found in P. R. O. Augmentation Office. Misc. Books, No. 213, fo. 73. At the same time Legh had a lease of the site of the monastery of St. Bees "cum uno turre plumbo cooperto, vocato le Yatehouse," for twenty-one years at £98 11s. 8d. a year (Ibid., fo. 75)

rent to Thomas Chaloner, Esq.' Three years later, (Oct. 31, 4 Edw. vi. 1550), in consideration of £998. 13s. 8d., the King granted the above property in fee to Sir Thomas Chaloner, knight, and Dame Joan, his wife, and his heirs, to be held as the fortieth part of one knight's fee.' The property still remains in the hands of his descendants.

Before concluding the Editor desires to return his hearty thanks to the Rev. Canon Atkinson for advice and assistance, which have at all times been most freely rendered during the progress of this work; to the Rev. William Greenwell for access to the documents relating to the Priory in the possession of the Dean and Chapter of Durham; and to H. A. Hudson, Esq., the Registrar of the Diocese, for some very pleasant hours spent in searching the Archbishops' Registers.

1 Ord's Cleveland, p. 576. P. R. O. Augmentation Office Books, No. 218, fo. 79b.

2 Ord's Cleveland, p. 577. P. R. O. Patent Roll, 4 Edw. vI., Part 3, m. 1. On June 1, 1550, Chaloner and his wife had licence from the king for themselves, their household and guests not exceeding ten in number, "quod ipse, ipsa eorumque familia, ac amici prædicti deinceps, durante vita naturali ipsius Thomæ, temporibus Quadragesimalibus et aliis diebus

jejunalibus quibuscumque, carnibus et lacticiniis vesci libere et impune valeant et possint, aliquo statuto, actu sive proclamatione, constitutionibus aut ordinationibus quibuscumque in contrarium facto aut edito, seu imposterum fiendo vel edendo, in aliquo non obstante." Special reference made to an Act passed in 2 Edw. VI., which was not in any wise to invalidate this licence (Ibid., Part 5, m. 25).

LIST OF PRIORS.

1. WILLIAM DE BRUS is only mentioned twice in the Chartulary, once (No. 6) in a charter of the time of Archbishop Thurstan, and again (No. 142) in a charter of later date, where he is spoken of as being dead. He was a contemporary of Nicholas, second Abbot of Whitby, who was living about 1132 (Whitby Chart., 215). "Obitus Willelmi Brus, primi Prioris Calend. Augusti," is the entry in a Calendar formerly belonging to the Priory (Atkinson's History of Cleveland, ii. 25, from Coll. Topog. et Gen., iv. 261). Graves (History of Cleveland, 425n.) states, that he was a brother of the founder, died in 1145, and was buried in the Chapter House. (See p. xxx.)

2. CUTHBERT went to Rome in 1142 with William, Abbat of Rievaulx, and Waltheof, Prior of Kirkham, to oppose the elevation of William Fitz Herbert, afterwards St. William, to the see of York (Fasti Ebor., i. 222). He was witness to a charter by the same Archbishop (1143-1147), confirming certain churches to Whitby (Whitby Chart., 167); also to a charter of Archbishop Henry Murdac (1147-1153), confirming the church of Carnaby (Kerandbi) to Bridlington Priory (Ibid., 165n.). He was certainly

1 According to Burton (Mon. Ebor., 355) Ranulph, Prior of Guisbrough, was witness to a charter by Swain Fitz Swain, granting lands whereon to build the Abbey of Sawley, which

was founded 1146-7. There appears to be no other record of this Prior, so it must be a question whether he ever existed, or whether he has not been confused with No. 3.