23. THE FRANCISCANS AT BRIDGWATER
The Minorites were established here soon
after 1230 through the generosity of William
Briwere, the son of that William who had
founded in the town the hospital of St. John
the Baptist. Leland in his Itinerary 1540 (fn. 12)
gives the tradition concerning the foundation
as it was preserved in Bridgwater in the time
of Henry VIII. 'A goodly howse wher sumtyme
a college was of Gray Freres. Wylliam Bruer,
sunne of Wylliam Bruer the first, buildid this
house. One of the Lordes Botreaux and his
wife were especial benefactors to this house.
Thereupon his hert and hys wife's body were
buryed there.'
As early as 1246 (fn. 13) Henry III ratified the
gift by the burghers of Bridgwater of a place in
their town where the Friars Minor might build
for themselves a church and necessary buildings.
For the rest of the century the work of
building seems to have been going on, for on 28
December 1284 (fn. 14) Edward I sent an order to
Richard de Plescy the keeper of the king's forest
to allow the friars six oaks fit for timber, and
they had already received a similar gift from the
Petherton Forest in 1278. (fn. 15)
Under the constitution Super Cathedram
Bishop Drokensford licensed six Minorites on
4 May 1318 (fn. 16) to preach in the diocese and to
hear confessions, and on 23 June of the same year
he issued an official list of the Minorites he had
thus licensed. (fn. 17) They were of course in priest's
orders and they came to work at such times and
in such places as might suit the parish priests,
and he strictly forbade them to interfere with
the parish priest and prohibited any not so
licensed doing such work.
On 24 February 1332 (fn. 18) Bishop Ralph of
Shrewsbury licensed Maurice de la More, a
Franciscan of Bridgwater, as Diocesan Penitentiary, and on 8 October 1333 (fn. 19) he gave a
similar licence to William de Anne the warden
of the Franciscan house at Bridgwater, and in
March 1353 (fn. 20) he gave a similar authority to
another Bridgwater Franciscan, Richard Aunger.
In the 14th century certainly the labours
of the Minorites were under episcopal sanction
and regulation. Bishop Drokensford (fn. 21) ordered
that his list of names should be everywhere
published in the Consistories and in all the
chapters of the clergy and in the parish churches.
During the 15th century their increasing
influence is shown by the increasing stream of
legacies which they received. (fn. 22) The old restraints
concerning property had been put aside and
the Franciscans, whose spiritual work was doubtless very much valued, were trusted and enriched
by the laity. The right to be buried in their
chapel and to have the benefit of their prayers
was prized and purchased by the noble families
in the neighbourhood.
Among the Minorites of Bridgwater three (fn. 23)
appear to have attained some fame. Leland
records of Brother Henry Cross that he was
famous in his age not only for erudition but also
for piety. He wrote several books which testify
his good affection towards sacred literature.
He was made doctor of divinity at Oxford and
was the thirteenth reader in the house of the
Friars Minor there. He died at Bridgwater and
was there buried among the brethren of his
order.
Another was Brother John Sumner (fn. 24) of whom
Leland says there was scarce his equal at that
time in England, but none exceeded him. As a
mathematician his works on astronomy were
highly commended, and about 1390 his works
on Canons of the Stars and Corrections of the
Calendar had made him very noted. The
third, William Auger, (fn. 25) was from Oxford, but
he went and settled in Bridgwater as the warden
of the house. He took most delight in reading
and meditating on the Holy Gospels and wrote
a commentary on St. Luke's Gospel. He died
in Bridgwater 1404.
William de Worcestre (fn. 26) who lived in the
middle of the 15th century (1415–90) gives
us in his Itinerary some notes of the chapel of
the Minorites at Bridgwater. ' Longitudo
ecclesiae Fratrum minorum de Bruggewater est
120 steppys et ejus latitudo 30 steppys et latitudo
navis ecclesiae 14 steppys. Guardianus ecclesiae
monasterii Bruggewater vocatur frater Blackborow et frater Pollard est legista fratrum,
Stevyn Byrkcombe discipulus fratris Johannis.'
William also says that in the martyrology of
the Friary he saw that prayers were asked for
the soul of 'domini Willelmi de Cantelupe
fundatoris hujus ecclesiae ordinis Sancti
Francisci.' This last statement however was
certainly incorrect.
The house was surrendered to the commissioners of Henry VIII on 13 September
1538 by John Herys the warden, and his six
brethren. (fn. 27)