113. THE PRIORY OF MINTING
The priory of Minting, for Benedictine
monks, was founded in consequence of a grant
made by Ranulf de Meschines, earl of Chester,
to the abbey of Fleury. The grant was made
before 1129, (fn. 1) but it is uncertain when the
priory was actually built; the earliest mention
of a prior is in 1213.
The priory does not seem to have done the
parent abbey much credit. About 1238 Bishop
Grosteste wrote to the abbot requesting him to
send a prior who knew the way of truth, and
would walk in it fearlessly and lead his brethren
to salvation. This request received no attention, and a few years later he wrote again still
more strongly. He told the abbot he ought not
to send to such a distance from their home any
but men long tried and found faithful; those
who had been at Minting lately had been wont
to live luxuriously with harlots; they had enriched
themselves, known no obedience to rule, and had
been given to much eating and drinking, not
being ashamed to eat meat even on Wednesdays.
The monks of Fleury might be all that could be
desired; but this English cell was a disgrace to
them. One brother had been deposed for incontinence, disobedience, wandering abroad, and
eating flesh contrary to the rule; three others
for holding private property, intolerable disobedience, frequenting houses of ill-repute, and
taking part in sports not merely idle and worldly,
but actually sinful. More than one complaint
of this kind had been made, but the last state of
the house was worse than the first. (fn. 2)
It is to be feared that the abbots of Fleury
looked upon their English property mainly as a
source of revenue, and cared little about the
conduct of the brethren sent to take charge
of it.
In 1322 Bishop Burghersh issued a commission for the visitation of the priory, and for the
absolution of the prior, who on a former visitation had refused admission to the commissioners. (fn. 3)
The priory was in the king's hands in 1337,
1344, and 1346 on account of the wars with
France. (fn. 4) It is probable that the losses of this
time rendered it unable to support more than
one or two monks. In 1403 it was being
farmed by a clerk, William Spenser. (fn. 5) It was
finally granted in 1421 to the Carthusian priory
of Mount Grace. (fn. 6)
The original endowment included the manor
and church of Minting, and the church of
Gautby, with other lands. (fn. 7) The church of
Lavington also belonged to the priory in the
fourteenth century. (fn. 8) Its total revenue was
valued in 1384 at £41 11s. 8d.; and in 1387
its goods and chattels were worth 50 marks. (fn. 9)
Priors of Minting
Raymond, (fn. 10) occurs 1213
John, (fn. 11) appointed 1239, occurs 1240
William, (fn. 12) occurs 1322
John Chauvel, (fn. 13) resigned 1327
William de Sargolio, (fn. 14) presented 1327, resigned 1330
William le Spicer, (fn. 15) presented 1330, resigned
1334
John Chaperon, (fn. 16) presented 1334, occurs to
1345
Peter de Soliaco, (fn. 17) presented 1349, resigned
1358
Simon de Naudaria, (fn. 18) presented 1358