A HISTORY OF NORFOLK Melton, gave the large sum of ^^40 in 1 50 1 for the construction of a new rood loft.^ Among the numerous interments in the colle- giate church of which there is record the fol- lowing may be mentioned : Joan, widow of Sir Thomas de Gissing, 1388, to be buried by her husband's tomb ; she bequeathed a vestment of red velvet and gold stars to the altar of St. Katharine. Sir Thomas Hemgrave, 141 9, before the image of the Blessed Virgin in the quire. Richard Schyrlok, 1434, before St. John's image. William Fake, 1483, before the holy rood ; he ordered four marble stones one foot square and twenty half-yard square to be laid as pavement by his grave, to give example to others to pave the whole church with marble.^ The bishop had the right of collation to the deanery and to the ten prebends. The different prebends were known by the names of (i) the Morning Mass, (2) the Chancellor's, (3) the Trea- surer's, (4) the Precentor's, (5) the Provostship, (6) the Sacrist's, (7) the Chapter's Mass, (8) the High Mass, (9) the Lady Mass, and (10) the Great Mass. The six conducts were chantry priests added by degrees to the foundation for the souls of their several founders and benefactors. They were (i) Kyrkely's chantry, founded in 1331 ; (2) Appleyard's, in 1388 ; (3) Church- man's, 1391 ; {4) Kentone's, 1405 ; (5) Sedman's, 14H ; and Wygenhale's in 1460. In addition there were two other chantries, Bokenham's, 1479, and Goldwell's 1520. In connexion with this church were the gilds of Corpus Christi ' and the Tailors' gild.'* The college was visited by Bishop Goldwell in 1492, when nothing was found demanding reformation. The visitation was attended by the dean, John Neel, seven prebendaries, and six chantry priests.' The visitation by Bishop Nicke in 1526 was equally satisfactory, save that the college income was slender and insufficient ; it was attended by the dean, Nicholas Carr, three prebendaries, and six chaplains.^ The last visitation was on 7 June, 1532, when Dean Spencer, six prebendaries, and five chaplains attended. Ever)'thing was satisfactory save that the steward reported that the income of the college was not sufficient for the burdens and expenses of the house. Miles Spencer, dean, Thomas Cappe, pre- bendary, together with six other members of the college, signed their acknowledgement of the king's supremacy on 30 July, 1534.* The Valor of 1535 enumerates as spiritualities the four Norfolk rectories of Field Bailing, Moulton, Bowthorpe, and Easton, the three Nor- ' Blomefield, Hist. ofKorf. iv, 1 80-1. ' Ibid. ' Coll. and Chant. Cert. Norf, <)a.
- Ibid. Za. 'Jessopp, A'o/Tf. Visit. 10.
Mbid. 208. 'Ibid. 270. ^Dcj>. Keeper's Rep. vii, App. 2, p. 295. wich rectories of St. Peter Mancroft, St. George, and St. Andrew, and the Suffolk rectory of Fressingfield, valued at ;^63 "js. T^d. per annum. The temporalities in Norfolk and Norwich were valued at ^^47 13^. "jd. The pensions and fees due from the college were considerable, so that the clear annual value is only returned at j^86 125. id. At this time Dr. Spencer was dean and received a stipend of j^i6 16;. 8^. Thomas Pellis was chancellor, Edmund Stewarde, precentor, Richard TaiUor, treasurer, William Hedge, prebendary of the first stall on the north side ; Thomas Cappe, prebendary of the second north stall ; Richard Redmayne, prebendary of the first south stall ; and John Bury, prebendary of the second south stall. The return states that none of these prebendaries received any stipend on account of the insufficiency of the endowments. The dean made a like return with regard to the other inmates of the college ; but as there was a balance in hand of ^69 i6j. after the payment of his own salary, it is difficult to understand why the prebendaries and others did not draw their share. The surrender of the college was signed on 29 January, 1544. The only signatures are those of the dean and the bishop of the diocese.* Dean Spencer cunningly persuaded his colleagues to resign on small pensions, and on 22 April following the surrender he obtained from Henry VIII a grant of the site of the college and its whole possessions for himself and his heirs at a nominal sum. The grant contem- plated the immediate destruction of church and college by its late dean, for it specified the timber, iron, glass, tombs, and stones of the church, chancel, cloisters, and other buildings, with all the lead on the roofs and about the cisterns and conduits.^ Spencer was a shameless pluralist. He was rector of Helvingham and Redenhall, Norfolk ; vicar of Soham, Cambridgeshire ; archdeacon of Sudbury ; and vicar-general of the diocese. He lived to the age of ninety, and was buried in the cathedral church.'^ Deans of Chapel-in-the-Fields College, Norwich '- John le Brun, 1260 Richard de Ringstead, 1305 Walter, 1309 Walter de Ditchingham, 1 32 1 Simon de Cley, 1326 William de Hemenhall 'Ibid, viii, App. 2, p. 35. '" Ibid. X, App. 2, p. 275. " Blomefield, Hist, of Norf. iii, 633 ; iv, 171. " The list of deans, slightly amended, is taken by the Norfolk historian from the diocesan registers (Blomefield, Hist, of h'orf. iv, 170-1) ; he also gives long lists of the prebendaries from the same sources, 171-4- 456
