HOUSE OF PREMONSTRATENSIAN CANONS
27. THE ABBEY OF BEELEIGH BY MALDON (fn. 1)
The Premonstratensians first settled in Essex
at Great Parndon. The date of this is not
known, but it must have been before August,
1172, when Robert, abbot of 'Perhendune,'
appears (fn. 2) as a witness to a charter of Ralph de
Marci to St. John's, Colchester. The abbey
was colonized from Newhouse in Lincolnshire,
the first house of the order in England, which
had itself been colonized about 1143 from
Licques near Boulogne, a daughter house of
Prémontré. But afterwards, probably on account
of the number of daughters of Newhouse, the
supervision and dignity of 'father abbot' of
Beeleigh were transferred to the abbot of Durford in Sussex, a much smaller house than
Beeleigh.
In 1180 (fn. 3) the canons migrated from Parndon
to Maldon; Robert Mantell granting to them
land in Maldon, Totham and Goldhanger, the
churches of St. Peter and All Saints, Maldon,
and St. Lawrence in Dengie and half the
church of St. Margaret, Bures. This seems to
have been considered as a new foundation, for
the patronage of the abbey remained from henceforward until the dissolution with his heirs, the
lords of the manor of Little Maldon. Henry
II granted (fn. 4) in frankalmoin to the canons, after
the migration, 140 acres of assarted land in the
forest between Roydon and Epping and between
Parndon and Epping. Richard I on 7 December, 1189, confirmed the above grants and others,
including grants of land in Parndon from Picot
de Perundune, Robert son of Roger de Perundune and Ralph de Marci, and granted various
liberties; and his charter was subsequently confirmed by later kings in 1364, (fn. 5) 1392 (fn. 6) and 1472. (fn. 7)
The abbey was at first called Maldon, the name
Beeleigh in its various forms not occurring till
the next century. It was dedicated to St.
Mary and St. Nicholas.
The temporalities of the abbey were valued
in the Taxation of 1291 at £41 17s. 9½d.
yearly; the principal amounts being £7 9s. 7d.
in Goldhanger, £6 8s. 4d. in Parndon, £6 7s. 10d.
in Maldon, £5 16s. 2d. in Purleigh, £3 1s. 4d.
in Burnham, £2 15s. 6d. in Stow, £2 13s. 2d.
in Tollesbury, £1 15s. 8d. in Great Totham,
£1 7s. 2d. in Woodham Mortimer and £1 3s.
in London; with smaller sums in Woodham
Walter, Moulsham, St. Lawrence, Tolleshunt
Tregoz, Langford, Chignal Zoyn, Magdalen
Laver, Tillingham, Wickford, Writtle, Norton,
Ulting and Roxwell, Pensions of £2 in the
church of Laindon and £1 in the church of
Great Parndon are also mentioned as belonging
to the abbey. It also owned the advowson of
the rectory of Laindon. The church of St.
Lawrence was appropriated to it and a vicarage
endowed, but in 1438 the rectory was restored. (fn. 8)
The two churches of St. Peter and All Saints,
Maldon, granted by Robert Mantell, were
united (fn. 9) in 1306, when a vicarage was ordained.
Hugh de Neville granted the advowson of the
church of Great Wakering, which was confirmed
by his brother John and again on 4 July, 1291,
by Edward I. (fn. 10) The church was appropriated (fn. 11)
to the abbey in 1284 by the bishop, who however
reserved the collation of the vicarage to himself.
In 1307 (fn. 12) the prior of Prittlewell claimed that he
held the fourth part of the church of his own
advowson; but the bishop reported that the
church belonged to one rector and that the abbot
and convent had long held it to their own use.
The last church to be acquired was that of
Ulting, which was granted (fn. 13) by Robert Fitz
Walter and appropriated (fn. 14) in 1299.
In 1257 Dame Hawisia de Neville, wife of
Sir John de Gatesden, granted 40 marks to R.,
then abbot, and the convent to purchase land
for the maintenance of a canon to celebrate
divine service. The abbot and convent acknowledged (fn. 15) the grant under their seal; and in
1258 the Premonstratensian chapter confirmed (fn. 16)
the agreement and admitted her to participation
in the prayers of the order. Andrew, abbot,
and the convent at Easter, 1265, agreed (fn. 17) with
the executors of the will of Master Stephen de
Sandwych, archdeacon of Essex, to celebrate
certain services for his soul. Henry de Wengham, bishop of London, who died in 1262, left (fn. 18)
360 marks sterling by his will to the abbot and
convent to find two chaplains in the church of
St. Paul, London, to celebrate for his soul, each
of them to have six marks yearly, and four
marks to be distributed on the day of his obit
between the canons and the servants of the said
church, and 25s. to the poor on the same day,
and half a mark to the chapter of St. Martin le
Grand, London, every year. The abbot bound
himself and his convent to the observance of this
on the feast of St. Katharine the Virgin, 1298.
But they seem not to have kept it, and many
lawsuits on the matter are recorded on the De
Banco rolls until a later agreement was made (fn. 19)
between the dean and chapter of St. Paul's and
John Boston, abbot, and the convent in 1451.
In 1269 contentions and discords arose between the abbot Reginald and the convent, and
in consequence the king, on 6 November, took (fn. 20)
the abbey into his protection and committed the
custody of it to John le Moine and William de
Aumbly. It is very likely that Reginald was
removed, for Andrew appears again as abbot
in 1272, protection being granted (fn. 21) to him on
30 July. Edward I dated letters patent from
Beeleigh on 10 September, 1289. (fn. 22)
The abbot of Beeleigh was summoned (fn. 23) to
Parliament under Edward I, though not at any
later time.
Several mentions of Beeleigh are to be found
among the Premonstratensian records. (fn. 24) The
abbot was present at the council of the order
which met at Revesby in 1310 to inform the
abbot of Prémontré that payment of tribute was
forbidden by the statute of Carlisle in 1307.
The abbots of Beeleigh, Durford and Titchfield
were present at Bayham on 8 April, 1454, at a
meeting held by the abbot of Bayham, the commissioner of the abbot of Prémontré, when they
summoned a chapter general to meet in the
church of the Friars Preachers at Northampton
on 10 July. The abbot of Beeleigh was one of
the definitors elected in the provincial chapter
held at Lincoln on 28 September, 1489, and
again in the chapter at Grantham on 30 April,
1492. Richard Redman, bishop of St. Asaph
and abbot of Shap, the commissioner of the order
in England for thirty years, visited Beeleigh
several times, and his reports are exceptionally
favourable, comparing well in every way with
those on other houses of the order.
In answer to a set form of questions it was
stated that the abbey was dedicated to St. Mary
and St. Nicholas; the abbot of Newhouse was
formerly father abbot, but now the abbot of
Durford; the abbey had three churches, all
served with secular canons, and the earl of
Essex was patron. In 1475 William Kyrkeby
was abbot and Thomas Scarlett sub-prior, and
there were seven other canons. Two canons of
Barlings in Lincolnshire were at Beeleigh, having
probably been sent there for discipline. In 1478
Redman reached Beeleigh at the dinner-hour on
7 July, but the record of his visitation is missing.
On the ninth he proceeded by Tilbury ferry to Rochester, where he spent the night at the expense
of the abbot of Beeleigh, and the next day he
was at the abbey of Langdon in Kent.
In 1482 he visited Beeleigh on 25 August.
Thomas Lambe had to say the whole psalter
within forty days for striking one of his brethren.
Nicholas Brige was sentenced to one day on
bread and water for rebellion against the circator
and for breaking silence in the cloister. Nothing
else had to be reformed, and all things spiritual
and temporal were in good order under the new
abbot. A general precept was issued as to
diminution of the size of the tonsure, and order
was given that all going out of the dormitory
without licence after compline were to be put
on bread and water for one day. The debt of
the house had been twenty marks at the last
visitation, but it was now £116, chiefly on
account of great expenses at the infirmary. Ten
canons are mentioned, of whom three were
novices.
In 1488 he visited on 8 July. Nothing
worthy of reformation was detected, and all
things were being done to the glory of God
through the prudent rule of the abbot. He
had, however, ocular demonstration of carelessness as to the tonsure, and it was not decent
to have such abundance of hair. The debt was
now reduced by the providence of the abbot to
£76, and there was a sufficiency of cattle, grain,
and other necessaries. The name of the abbot
is left blank, but thirteen other names are given,
four being those of novices.
In 1491 the visitation was made on 3 October. Everything within and without was in
most laudable condition, and there was nothing
of any kind to reform nor any precept to be
made. The debt, which at the last visitation
had been £76, was now cleared off, and the
house was peroptime stuffata with grain and
cattle.
The visitation of Beeleigh in 1494 is missing.
In 1497 the bishop visited on 9 October.
Thomas Skarlett was abbot, Thomas Frebrige
sub-prior, and there were eleven other canons,
three of them being novices. Everything was
in every way satisfactory, and he could find
nothing to reprimand. There was no debt, and
a sufficiency of grain and cattle.
In 1500 he again visited on 9 October, and
noted the excellent repairs to the windows and
other buildings of the church, but yet there was
no debt and the house was well supplied with
grain and cattle. There was nothing to correct
and no precept. Thomas Skarlett was abbot and
Richard Ynglande sub-prior, with nine other
canons, three of them being novices.
Thomas Wilkinson, abbot of Welbeck, made
a general visitation of the order in England in
1506, reaching Beeleigh in October on his way
from Kent to Suffolk, according to the following
extract from his progress:
Oct. 6. To pass the night at Rochester, at
the expense of the abbot of Beeleigh.
Oct. 7. At Billericay, at the expense of the
same.
Oct. 8. At Beeleigh to supper.
Oct. 9. To visit and decide. And to pass
the night at Colchester, at the expense of the
abbot of Leiston.
Pope Boniface IX on 22 July, 1391, granted (fn. 25)
relaxation to penitents who on the feast of St.
Roger should visit and give alms to the church
of the monastery.
Abbot Thomas became entangled in the conspiracy of the countess of Oxford and others
against Henry IV in 1403-4, though he does
not seem to have taken any active part in it.
The story is told in detail in his own confession. (fn. 26)
In the week before Christmas, as he was riding
home from London, a man of the abbot of Colchester met him with a letter praying him to
come to Colchester and there sing a mass in the
abbey, where there should be all the gentles of
the country. He went accordingly and there
met a gentleman called Beloyne and a man called
William Blithe, and they went with the abbot
of Colchester into his chapel. Blithe was asked
for news, but refused to give any until after
Candlemas, though he read from a paper divers
things which the abbot forgot. The abbot
heard no more of him until the Friday before
Clean Lent Sunday, when he came to Beeleigh
Abbey between ten and eleven and asked to
speak with the abbot, praying him to send for
one John Pretilwell to meet a gentleman from
London. Pretilwell came on Sunday to mass,
and Blithe came the night before 'yn gise of a
kneyzt with a grete gylde girdil,' and on Sunday
after they had eaten they walked in the garden,
where Blithe spoke first with Pretilwell and
afterwards all together. He said that King
Richard was coming out of Scotland, and Queen
Isabel and the duke of Orleans were on the sea
proposing to arm at Orwell, and Glendower out
of Wales with a strong power, and all his people
should meet together at Northampton, and he
brought messages and proclamations from King
Richard. He wished to borrow a horse, a spear
and other harness from the abbot, who would not
lend them, and after supper on Sunday he went
his way. Afterwards he asked the abbot by
letter to lend him four marks, and the abbot,
thinking that 'if hit happid othir than well he
meyzt have desesid me and oure place,' sent him
two marks, and later 20s. more. The abbot of
Colchester also told him that King Richard was
alive and coming out of Scotland, and that the
countess of Oxford and men of the country
were ordained to receive him. But nothing
happened, and some time later a yeoman of the
abbot aroused him out of bed at midnight saying
that fourscore men were come, and he heard
that many had been taken and more would be
ere daybreak, and 'for drede that y was ferid to
have be take and desesid bodeli y woidede.' A
warrant (fn. 27) was issued for his arrest on 5 June, and
he shortly afterwards surrendered, and on St.
Alban's day (June 22), at Codham manor, wrote
out a full confession before the king's commissioners. Pardon was granted (fn. 28) to him on
13 November at the instance of the queen, but he
was probably removed not long afterwards, for
he is described as 'late abbot' in a warrant (fn. 29)
dated 29 July, 1405, for the arrest of John
Ultyng, a fellow canon, charged with felony in
Surrey. John Ultyng afterwards in 1418 became abbot of Durford.
On 17 May, 1481, the hospital of St. Giles,
Maldon, was granted (fn. 30) by the patrons and others
to Thomas Scarlot, abbot, and the convent of
Beeleigh. The king's licence had been obtained (fn. 31)
on 18 February, and on 25 November the bishop
sanctioned (fn. 32) the appropriation of the hospital to
the abbey. The abbot and convent made petition for the appropriation on the ground of the
dilapidation of their buildings, the destructive
effect on their lands of inundations of the sea,
and the general evils of the times; all which
causes had so impoverished them that they found
it almost impossible to maintain their daily hospitality, which was a necessity as they were so
close to the king's highway.
Henry Bourchier, earl of Essex, who died in
1483, and Isabel his wife were buried in the
chapel of St. Mary in the abbey. Their son Sir
John Bourchier by his will (fn. 33) proved on 3 November, 1495, left his body to be buried in the
abbey near them, beneath their sepulchre and
tomb, and willed that a tomb be made there for
him and both his wives, according to his degree.
He was, however, buried in the church of Stebbing. His widow, Dame Elizabeth Bourchier,
by her will (fn. 34) proved on 14 May, 1498, left her
body to be buried within Our Lady's chapel in
the monastery, and willed that the bones of her
husband be taken up from Stebbing and carried
there. William Malb by his will (fn. 35) proved on
21 February, 1505, left considerable sums to
the abbey.
The abbey is only mentioned a few times in
the records of the borough. In 3 Henry VII
Fullbridge was in need of repair, and the bailiffs
accordingly ordered wood to be felled in the common streets and lanes of the borough. When
the wood was felled in the lane leading from
Woodham Walter park gate to Lymborne brook,
Abbot Thomas Scarlot and his canons came and
would have carried it away, but the bailiffs and
honest persons of the town went thither and
'lettid the abbot and brought awey the wode to
the toune, and the abbot hadde there never a
stykk and his cartis went home ayeyn idill.'
The matter was 'in travarsse' between the
abbot and the town for nine or ten weeks.
Evidences were produced on both sides, and it
was proved that the lane was a bound of
the town and common for the town before the
abbey was an abbey. The abbot was, however, allowed by the town to make bars to
keep his cattle out of Woodham Mortimer
lands.
In an account for the repair of Fullbridge in
8 Henry VIII 3s. were paid to the abbot for six
pounds of wax, and 3s. for a quarter and a half
of 'quyke sand otherwise callid lyme.'
The abbey is returned in the Valor as being
worth £157 16s. 11¼d. yearly, the gross value (fn. 36)
being £196 6s. 5d. It consequently came under
the operation of the Act of 1536, and was dissolved, the abbot receiving a pension (fn. 37) of £18
yearly. An inventory (fn. 38) of its goods was taken
on 6 June by the king's commissioners. They
consist of tapestry and other articles of furniture
in the different chambers, viz., the great chamber, the children's chamber, the dining chamber,
etc.; beds and bedding; malt and implements
in the brewhouse; a table of alabaster at the
high altar (valued at 13s. 4d.), with altar-cloths,
mass-books, etc., in the choir; ornaments of the
Lady chapel (including a pair of organs at 100s.),
the Jesus chapel, the rood chapel, the chapel of
St. Katharine and the vestry; articles in the
kitchen, buttery and infirmary; and cattle, with
some plate remaining in the hands of the commissioners. The goods were valued at £74
18s. 10d., besides cattle worth £31 15s. and
corn worth £14 3s. 8d. The debts due to
the house amounted to £32 11s. 2d., and
those due by it to £121 18s. 4d., a strangely
large amount in view of its prosperous condition a few years before. There were 129¾
ounces of plate, valued at £23 16s. 6d. An
inventory was also taken of cattle left in the
hands of Lancelot Madeson at the monastery
on 24 July.
A complete rental of the possessions of the
abbey, taken soon after the dissolution, is preserved. (fn. 39) The spiritualities amounted to £22 2s.
yearly. The demesne lands of the abbey were
valued at £30 0s. 4d., and the manor of Canons
in Great Parndon at £16 2s. The net value
of the whole of the temporalities was £145
15s. 2d. yearly, after deductions of £4 2s. 1½d.
for rents, £2 13s. 4d. for the fee of the chief
steward, £1 6s. 8d. for the fee of the understeward, and £3 6s. 8d. for the fee of the bailiff
and collector; and exclusive of £22 2s. 8d. for
the farm of lands called Jankenes Maldone in
Hazeleigh, which had been granted to the queen
by Act of Parliament. (fn. 40) This makes the net
value of the abbey £189 19s. 10d., appreciably
more than in the Valor.
Henry, earl of Essex, writing (fn. 41) to Cromwell
on 13 January, before the dissolution, thanks
him for his goodness to the abbot, though what
is meant does not appear. On 23 March he
writes (fn. 42) to ask Cromwell, inasmuch as the Act
is passed that all places of religion being under
300 marks be wholly in his Grace's hands, to
remind the king that the little house of Byleygh,
of which he is founder, lies entirely within his
own lands. He will give 1,000 marks, to be
paid in three years, for its recovery, and promises
that it shall never be used as a religious house
again.
The earl did not get what he wanted. The
possessions of the abbey were leased or granted
away to various persons. The monastery itself
with the mill there and the rectory of St. Peter,
Maldon, were leased (fn. 43) on 8 January, 1537, to
John Gate of Garnetts, High Easter; and on
15 July, 1540, the king, for £300, granted (fn. 44) to
him in fee the monastery and various possessions
in Beeleigh, Maldon, Woodham Walter, Langford, Ulting, Great Totham and Purleigh, and
the rectories and advowsons of the vicarages of
St. Peter and All Saints, Maldon, the whole
being valued at £35 10s. 11½d. yearly, at a rent
of 71s. 2d.
Abbots Of Beeleigh
Robert, (fn. 45) occurs 1172.
Henry, occurs 1209 (fn. 46) and 1235. (fn. 47)
John, occurs 1247, (fn. 48) 1249. (fn. 49)
Walter, occurs 1253. (fn. 50)
Roger, occurs 1254, (fn. 51) 1255, (fn. 52) 1262. (fn. 53)
Andrew, occurs 1265. (fn. 54)
Reginald, occurs 1269. (fn. 55)
Andrew, occurs 1272, (fn. 56) 1280. (fn. 57)
R. occurs 1298. (fn. 58)
William, occurs 1331. (fn. 59)
John. (fn. 60)
Thomas Cokke (fn. 61) [? 2384-1405].
John Colchestre, occurs 1417, (fn. 62) 1423. (fn. 63)
Stephen, occurs 1429, (fn. 64) 1438. (fn. 65)
Thomas, occurs 1439, (fn. 66) 1443. (fn. 67)
John Boston, occurs 1451. (fn. 68)
William Kirkeby, occurs 1463, (fn. 69) 1468, (fn. 70)
and 1475. (fn. 71)
Thomas Scarlot, occurs 1481, (fn. 72) 1500. (fn. 73)
John Copsheth or Copsheffe, occurs 1515, (fn. 74)
the last abbot. (fn. 75)
The seal (fn. 76) of the abbey (1257) is a pointed
oval of green wax measuring about 1½ in. by
1 in., representing an abbot holding a crosier.
Legend:
SIGILL ABBIS ET CONVENTUS DE
MAUDUNE