A HISTORY OF NORFOLK Sir James de Audeley, councillor of the Prince of Aquitaine and Wales, petitioned Urban V in 1366, for an indulgence to those who visited on Trinity Sunday and during the Octave the chapel of the Holy Trinity in the Premonstra- tensian monastery of Langley, wherein his ancestors are buried, and where three priests celebrate the divine offices. In response to this petition the pope granted an indulgence of a year and forty days.' Bishop Redman's first visit was paid on i July, 1475 ; he left on 3 July, dining at Beccles at the expense of Langley Abbey." The abbey was again visited by this bishop as commissary- general, on the same day of the month in 1478. In answer to the visitation questions the precise date of the foundation was returned as 1 9 Febru- ary, 1 195, and the dedication as the Assumption of the Virgin. The abbot of Alnwick was named as their father abbot, and Wendling as their daughter house. They had fourteen churches of moderate value ; in some of them the canons served the cure, but not as perpetual curates. Nicholas was the name of their abbot, and Richard Fynes (who died in i486) their patron.' The visitor found the abbot bowed down by age and sickness, and hence the discipline was bad. Prior John Bristow was remiss in cor- rection. Two of the canons were appointed to look after the spiritualities and temporalities of the house. Thomas Russell, for evil living, was sentenced to forty days bread and water, and to be banished to another house for three years. Two others were apostate, going out without leave, and were also sentenced to forty days of penance. The fastening of any room so as to prevent the entrance of the superior was for- bidden. All recreation outside the precincts was stopped until the next general chapter. The prior was to attend that chapter and report as to observance of injunctions.* Redman's next visit to Langley was on 20 August, 1482 ; John Myntynge the abbot, John Bristow the prior, and fifteen others (in- cluding a novice and an apostate) were in attendance. There was again much scandal. The abbot was accused of some incontinence and waste ; and his powers were temporarily transferred to two of the canons under the abbot of Wendling. Common taverns near the monas- tery were not to be visited. No one was to leave the precincts save those responsible for ser- vices in churches. The injunctions also included a variety of minor and usual orders.* During his tour in the early summer of i486, Bishop Redman reached Langley at supper time on 27 June.^ Two years later, when Walter ' Ca/. Papal Pet. i, 519. ' Redman, Visit. (Bodleian), fol. 5. ' Add. MS. 4935, fol. 41. ' Redman, Visit. (Bodl.), fols. 13, 21.
- Ibid. fols. 34 and 44^.
- Ibid. fol. 71.
Alpe the abbot, John Shelton the prior, and thirteen other canons were present, he found matters going on excellently, and the debt re- duced from ^([200 to j^ioo. There must, however, have been some irregu- larities, for he left behind him injunctions against hunting or fishing by night, against illicit deser- tion under pain of the greater excommunication. At the visitation of 1 49 1 the grave case of Canon Thomas Ludham came before the visitor. In a quarrel he had cut off a man's right hand ; he was sentenced to forty days penance and to perpetual imprisonment.' The visitation of 1494 was attended by the same abbot and prior as in 1482, but there were only eight other canons.' The discipline of the house was bad, and the abbot was threatened with punishment and de- privation.' During his tour in 1497 ^^^ bishop reached Langley at supper time on 20 June ; he held his visitation the next day, but did not leave until the 23rd, when he slept at Norwich at the expense of Langley. This unusually long stay of the bishop and his retinue was probably in- tended as a kind of punishment for the laxity he had found at this abbey.'" At the visitation made in October, I 500, attended by Abbot Alpe, Prior Shelton, and eleven other canons, a scandal about the prior was repeated, but the visitor does not seem to have considered it serious." In the year 1500 William Curlew was elected abbot; but in 1502, for some delinquencies which arc not named, he was obliged to resign, and on 10 December, 1502, Robert abbot of Alnwick, as father-abbot of Langley, being too aged and infirm to ride or in any way visit liis daughter church personal!)', wrote to Richard the bishop of Ely, giving him full authority to act in his name, and to conduct an election of a new abbot. He told the bishop in his letter that the house of Langley was in sore financial straits, being much in debt, and not having sufficient for its domestic needs, or for the spiritual benefices that it held. He also anticipated certain difficul- ties or discord as to the election, and authorized the bishop as his representative to excommunicate any who might be rebellious.'^ Richard Redman, abbot of Shap, was consecrated bishop of St. Asaph in 147 1 ; in 1495 he was translated to Exeter, and in I 501 to Ely. On 9 April, Thomas abbot of Welbeck, as commissary general of the abbot of Pr^montr^, instructed John Maxe, abbot of Langley, and ' Redman, Visit (Bodl.), fol. 99. Thomas Ludham seems to have escaped. He was summoned to appear before the General Chapter at Grantham in I492 ; not appearing he was excommunicated. About ten years later he was again cited to appear before Redman, when he was bishop of Ely. Gasquet, Colkcianea Anglo Premmstratensia, i, 172, 249.
- Redman, Visit. (Bodl.), fol. 118.
' Ibid. fol. 124. '0 Ibid. fol. 141. " Ibid. fol. 151. "Ibid. fol. 42. " No year is given, but it is probably I 503. 20
