RELIGIOUS HOUSES What Dr. Jessopp says of the 1 492 visitation must at least have been true of its earlier history: — That in a community of nearly fifty men of different ages, temperaments and parentage, all should be living devout and virtuous and blameless lives, it would be foolish to suppose ; but there were no signs of anything like a general laxity of conduct among the J^orwich monks. There can be little doubt that the long sus- tained strife between the monks and the citizens had the evil effect of drawing the atten- tion of successive superiors far too much to the secular side of their rule, and this tendency was further accentuated by the not infrequent occur- rence of disputes between prior and bishop. In the appointment of East Anglian bishops, the earnest desires of the priory chapter were usually set aside by pope or king. Only three of the long roll of bishops of Norwich had been priors of the Holy Trinity (Turbe Skerning and Tot- tington), two of whom were of the best. Priors of Holy Trinity, Norwich Ingulf, occurs 11 21 William Turbe, occurs 11 24, bishop of Nor- wich, II 46 Helias, elected and died 11 58 Ranulph John, occurs c. II 70 Elric Tancred Girard,' 1185-1201 William de Walsham,^ 1201-18 Ralph de Warham,' 121 8 ; bishop of Chich- ester same year William FitzOdo,^ 1219-35 Simon de Elenham,^ 1235, 125 I Roger de Skerning,^ 1257, bishop of Norwich, 1265 Nicholas de Brampton,' 1265—8 William de Burnham,* 1268-72 William de Kirkby,' 1272-88 Henry de Lakenham,^" 1289-1309 Robert de Langley,^^ 1310-26 William de Claxton,'^ 1326-44 Simon Bozoun,^' 1344-52 Lawrence de Leck,^* 1353-7 Nicholas de Hoo,^* 1357-82 Alexander de Totington,^^ 1382 ; bishop of Norwich, 1406 Robert de Burnham, 1407-27 William Worsted,'^ 1427-36 John Heverlond,^^ 1436-53 ' Cotton, Historid Anglicana (Rolls Ser.), 92 •■ Ibid. 92, 109. "* Ibid. 1 10, 118.
- Ibid. 137, 156.
- Ibid. 143, 150.
"•Ibid. 170. '- Ibid, ii, 9. '* Ibid, iv, 138. " Ibid, vi, 84. '* Ibid, ix, 27. ' Ibid. 109, III. ' Ibid. 118, 137. ' Ibid. 141, 143. ' Ibid. 149, 170. " Norw. Epis. Reg. i, 35. " Ibid, iv, 45. " Ibid. V, 23. " Ibid, vii, 3. " Ibid, ix, 87. John Molet,-" 1454-71 Thomas Bozoun,^' 1471-80 John Bonewell,^^ 1480-8 William Spynke, 1488-1502 William Baconthorp, 1502-4 Robert Bronde, 1504-29 William Castleton alias Catton, 1529 ; dean 1538 The first seal of the priory, eleventh century (circular, 2f in.), shows our Lord in half length with nimbus, sceptre in right hand, and left raised in benediction upon the cathedral church, which is a building with side towers, each having a domed roof surmounted by a cross. Legend : — SIGILL . . IS . NORWICENSIS . . LE . . ^' The elaborate second seal (circular, 3^ in.) came into use in 1258. Obverse. — The cathedral church shows ar- cading, stringcourse, and pediment, with three pinnacled towers. On each side of the central tower is an angel censing. Under the tower is the founder, right hand raised in benediction, left hand holding crozier ; on the plinth below, Herbertus Fundator, In the arcade each side of the bishop are three monks' heads. At the sides, over the roof, are the sun and crescent moon. Legend : — SIGILLUM . . ECCLESIE . . SANCTE TRINITATIS . . NORWICI Reverse. — An elaborate architectural elevation, probably intended for the west (.') front of the cathedral. In the upper part is a double-quatre- foil shape compartment, in which is the half- length of our Lord with uplifted hands. In the doorway, of two pointed arches, with central pillar, over which is a trefoil compartment con- taining the emblem of the Trinity, is repre- sented the Annunciation, with the words Ave Maria on the plinth below. On the roof are two birds. In the middle on either side of the central panel of the fagade are two circular com- partments containing heads. Legend : — EST . MICHI . NUMEN . IDEM . TRIBUS . UNI LAUS . HONOR . IDEM . ET . BENEDICO . GREGI FAMULATUR . QUI . MICHI . REGI On the rim of the seal : — ANNO . DOMINI . MILLESIMO QUINQUAGESIMO . OCTAVO . HOC . SIGILLUM In 1544 this beautiful and striking seal was shamefully mutilated to suit the changed tastes of the time. The Annunciation was clumsily removed to make way for a shield of arms, a cross within a bordure, but the tops of the heads of the Virgin and St. Gabriel are visible.^^ »° Ibid, xi, 31. " Ibid, xi, 179. " Ibid, xii, 75. " B.M. Iviii, I. " B.M. Iviii, 3, 4 ; Dugdale, Mon. iv, pi. xxi ; Blomefield, Hist, ofhior/. iv, 62. »' Add. Ch. 2013. DUCENTESIMO EST FACTUM 24 327
