A HISTORY OF NORFOLK of Chertsey by his royal relative.^ On Hugh's cession, about 1151, Daniel was reinstated as abbot. ^ He began to build a new chapter- house and dorter for the monastery, and built the hospital of St. James, Horning. Abbot Daniel ordained that on the ' month's mind ' of a deceased monk sixty poor folk should be fed with bread, vegetables, and two dishes from the cellarer ; also that the chanter on the seven principal yearly feasts should receive from the abbot a cake [placentum) and a pottle of wine, with one dish from the kitchen. He died on 8 November, 11 53. William II, who succeeded Daniel, completed the chapter-house and dorter begun by his pre- decessor ; he died on 8 February, 1 168, when the abbacy was apparently left vacant for seven years, to its great injury.' Thomas, prior of Tofts, whom William of Worcester particu- larizes as ' the good abbot,' was the next ruler of St. Benet's ; he reconstructed the frater and parts of the cloister, and did other necessary work for the house, dying on 1 1 September, n86, when Ralph, the prior of the house, was elected abbot. He is described as a man who was provident and discreet in matters spiritual as well as temporal. He conferred many benefits on the monastery, rebuilding from the foundations the rest of the cloister, and the farmery with its chapel and cloister, and covering with lead the church, 'rater, dorter, chapter-house, farmery, and other offices. He also assigned to specific monastic purposes the revenues from the churches of Hoveton, whose appropriation he had secured.* He died on 4 February, 12 lO, during the interdict, and was buried outside the cemetery. The body was, however, re-interred with much honour in the abbey church by his successor, Abbot Reynold. His anniversary was specially solemnized in albs. After Ralph's death John, a monk of St. Edmund's, styled John leChamiel by William of Worcester, was elected abbot. He only ruled for about half a year, dying suddenly before he had even received episcopal benediction, in the year 12 14. It is manifest from this that King John must have kept the abbey vacant during the interdict, after the death of Abbot Ralph. Reynold, who succeeded on ' Oxenedes, Chron. (Rolls Ser.), 295. It is clear from this passage that the Hugh, ' nepos ' of King Stephen, and abbot of Chertsey, was not identical with the Abbot Hugh who rebuilt the church in 1 1 10, as he was alleged to be, in the account of that abbey in F.C.H. Surrey, ii, 57. ' Oxenedes, loc. cit. says nothing about his first period of office, which is, however, definitely referred to in a passage quoted from ihe chartulary by Dug- dale, Mon. iii, 63. ' Dugdale, Mon. iii, 69, A', g ; from William of Worcester.
- The two churches of Hoveton were those of
St. Peter and St. John ; Ca/. Bodl. Chart. 248. the death of John, built the great hall of the guest-house, and covered it with lead. On the death of Reynold in 1229, Sampson, the prior of St. Benet's, was elected abbot, and received the royal assent to his election in June of that year.' Oxenedes describes him as a man of holy conversation, leading a regular and simple life, and during his spare time giving himself up altogether to painting, in which art he had much skill. He died on 27 May, 1237. Robert de Thorkeseye, prior of Ramsey, was the next choice of the convent ; the king's assent to his election was given on 15 June, 1237.* Abbot Robert sold much of the wood of Swan- ton, but he bestowed on the church three copes, one of which was embroidered with Indian gold and silver ; two great silver basins, and a silver- gilt thurible of great price. He also built a stone chamber with a chapel at the eastern part of the church, and rebuilt the bakehouse from the foundations. He died on 12 August, 1251 ; but his successor, William de Ringfield, chanter of St. Benet's, did not receive the royal assent to his election until 15 October.' Oxenedes describes him as a somewhat pompous man and greedy of praise. He endeavoured to secure the exemption of the abbey from seizure by the royal escheator during vacancies, but died when in the midst of these negotiations, on 21 April, 1256. On 8 May Adam de Neatishead re- ceived the royal assent to his election as William's successor.* Oxenedes gives him a high character, and says that he was much more worthy of praise than some of his predecessors. In the second year of his rule he laid with his own hands the first stone of the foundations of the new presbytery, and added much to the orna- ments of the church. He procured the appro- priation of the churches of Felmingham, Neatis- head, and Bastwick, assigning their incomes for the sustaining of hospitality ; and he reassigned the fruits of the church of Horning for the re- lief of the poor. Although he ruled during a time of strifes and war, nevertheless Abbot Adam safely secured all the possessions of the abbey. Abbot Adam died on 19 August, 1263, and Richard de Bukenham received the royal assent to his election as Adam's successor on 2 October.' Richard is described as severe in the correction of offences, but solicitous for the saving of souls, of good life, and of honest conver- sation. He brought to an honourable conclusion the work that his predecessor had begun in the new presbytery. On 4 December, the day of the interment of St. Benedict, 1274, Abbot Richard celebrated solemn mass in honour of ' Pat. 13 Hen. Ill, m. 7. ^ Prvnne, Papal Usurpations, iii, 69-70. ' Pa't. 35 Hen. Ill, m. I. ' Ibid. 40 Hen. Ill, m. lo-l I. ' Ibid. 52 Hen. Ill, m. 2. 332
