Roger thus deposed, a reverend and virtuous man, named Ralph, a prior of the church of Worcester, and born at Evesham, succeeded, and was confirmed in his place with benediction of an abbot, by Nicholas, bishop of Tusentum, the bishop's legate; and was, at York, A. D. 1221, consecrated abbot by the Bishop of Chichester; and, having been a governor in the church 15 years, died 6 kal

Jan. 1229.

After him Thomas de Marlborough, prior of this monas. tery, was chosen abbot, yet could not be admitted but by the court of Rome. Whereupon, with a derogation from the jurisdiction of the archbishop, he had the next year the benediction of an abbot, by the Bishop of Coventry. Before this, this man was a student, and learned in both the laws, who died 2 id. Sept. 1236, having been abbot 7 years, and lies buried in the body of the church, and in the south wall, under the image of a bishop wrought in marble, Richard Le Gicoss, prior of Huckley, succeeded. This abbot was much employed in the service of King Henry the third, as well on this side as beyond the seas. He was lord chancellor of England; and, lastly, in the parts of Gascoinge, entered the way of all flesh, 5 id. Dec. 1242, when he had sat abbot 6 years.

After him Thomas de Glancer, a monk of this same house, was chosen, and the next year confirmed abbot, by Bishop Innocent the 4th; and, by the same bishop's command, received the benediction of this abbey from the Bishop of Ely, the bishop having first taken the oath of obedience; neither could he yet obtain of the king his temporalities until the king received afterwards from the bishop a special mandate therefore this Thomas holding his place almost 14 years, died 18 kal. Jan. 1255; buried in the midst of the body of the church. Henry, prior of this monastery, was afterwards confirmed abbot by Bishop Alexander the 4th who, when he had 7 years wisely and worthily governed, went blessedly to our Lord, id. Nov. 1263, and lieth buried in the body of the church. Abbot Henry leaving this life, the church of Evesham endured a long vacancy. end, about the feast of the holy cross, in autumn, A. Dom. 1266, the legate Ottoban came to Evesham, and there or dained Sir William de Whitechurch, once a monk of Per shore, the abbot of Alncester, now abbot of Evesham, who, remaining in his seat 16 years, died 3 non. Aug. 1282, and was buried in the midst of the body of his church. John de Brickhampton, a monk of this house, succeeded, who was confirmed abbot at Rome by Bishop Martin the 4th;

In the

and in the end, concluding in a good old age, took his last sleep 15 kal. Sept. 1316. William de Cheriton was after elected abbot, 3 kal. Sept. being before a monk of this house, and was on Quadragesima Sunday confirmed in his place by Bishop John 22d. After he had ruled his church here 28 years, he ended in peace his life, id. Dec. 1344.

William de Boys, a monk of the same house, was three weeks after the decease of William de Cheriton, 3 kal. Jan. with a general assent elected abbot; and on PalmSunday next following, at Avignon, confirmed by Bishop Clement the 6th. Returning into England, he was with great reverence and honourably received at home by the brethren of the monastery, and on Whit-Sunday honourably installed. Wearied in the end with grievous sickness, he died 8 id. Junij, 1367, and was buried by Lewes, Bishop of Hereford, in the body of Evesham church before St. Egwyn's altar, 12 kal. Julij, under a marble stone. He was abbot 22 years and a half. John de Ombersley, a monk and cellarer of this same house, canonically chosen by the convent the 4th of July next ensuing, and received 15 kal. Aug. by the hands of the Bishop of Lincoln, the gift of his benediction at Banbury, and in the calends of the same month installed at Evesham, who residing there 12 years, he died Anno Dom. 1379, and lieth buried in the middle of the body of the same church.

Ombersley departing this world, Roger Zotton, a very religious man, and a sacrist of this house, was, 12 kal. Dec. by the full consent of the convent, elected abbot, and accepted afterward by the king, according as their privilege appointed. He received at London his benediction by the Bishop of Lincoln, and was on Christmas-Eve honorably installed in the monastery of Evesham. And when he had lived above 39 years after his election, and governed his church, after a long life, died in the Lord on the day of St. Chrysogon the martyr, being 8 kal. Dec. 1418, anno 5 Hen. V. about 9 of the clock, and was buried in the midst of the body of the church.

In the next week after, on St. Nicholas-day, 8 id. Dec. Richard Bromsgrove, being the infirmary of this house, was with a joint consent chosen abbot, and received his benediction in his own church of Bengnorth by the Bishop of Bangor, then chancellor of Oxford, and on Christmas-Day was honourably installed. And having 17 years resided here, he died 10th May, 1435, and is interred in St. Mary's chapel, at the steps to the altar.

Sir Joni Nickwan, prior of this house, was, 12 kal. Jan.

chosen abbot, that is to say, on St. Thomas the apostle's day; and at Dangersweld, by the Bishop of Bath, then chancellor of England, received his benediction.

This

abbot having above 26 years continued in the place of authority, spinning out a long life, and wearied with griev ous sickness, in his blessed old age ended his days A. D. 1460; and in the chapel of the blessed Mary, before the image of St. Catharine, his body was recommended to ecclesiastical funerals.

After him was a man of most worthy honour, Richard Pembroke, having his grace to be Doctor of Divinity. He was chosen by the general voice of the whole convent 30th of May, 1460; and on the 8th of April in the year following, receiving his benediction by the Bishop of Hereford, was with due honour installed. He governed this monastery 7 years, and dying the 7th of May, 1467, the 7th of Edward the IVth, was buried in the body of this church.

Richard Hawkesbury, prior, was elected abbot A. D. 1467, and, being blessed by the Bishop of Lincoln, on Tuesday the 6th of Aug. was with due reverence installed. He ruled this church 10 years, and died the 6th of April, 1477, the 17th of Edward the IVth.

William Upton, a monk of this house, and prior of Aln◄ cester, was chosen about the 18th of April 1477, the 17th of Edward the IVth, and was consecrated by John, Bishop of Bericons, in the chapel of the rectory of St. Christopher's, London, near the stocks, the 6th of May, being Saturday before the Rogation; and the 10th of May he was honourably installed. He was abbot only 5 years; in the 5th year he died, the 11th of August, 1483, and 22d of Edward the IVth, and was buried in the church between the font and the altar.

John Norton, prior of the cloyster, was elected abbot the 4th of Sept. 1483, the 1st of Richard the IIId. was consecrated by the Bishop of and the 1st of October next following was with due honour installed. This abbot first instituted the feast of the visitation of St. Mary to be yearly celebrated, and on the vigil of the same visitation (as he earnestly desired) closed the last day of his life. He was abbot 8 years, and died the 2d of July, 1491, and the 7th of Henry the VIIth, and was buried in the body of the church, at the greeses* to the altar of Jesus.

Thomas Newbold, cellarer of this monastery, was chosen

* Stairs or steps

abbot the 8th of July, 1491, and 7th of Henry the VIIth, and consecrated by the Bishop of Hereford; the 10th of September following was installed. He governed above 22 years, and died a sudden death, the 6th of December, in the night of St. Nicholas, 1513, and lieth buried in the body of the church, at the head of John Norton.

Clement Lichfield, prior of this house, was by the convent chosen abbot on St. Innocents-day, the 28th of Dec. 1513; who, receiving his benediction, by the Bishop of Assalon, on the day of St. Maurus, was installed with due reverence and honour. This man having obtained the degree of a bachelor, was endowed with singular learning. He built a school for the education of children, assigning rents for the maintenance of a school-master.

So far the writer out of whose Latin I translated this. Lichfield afterwards resigning his dignity, abbot Philip succeeded him in whose time this monastery, with the reigns of all other religious houses in England, perished. This Clement Lichfield over-lived his monastery of Evesham, which had continued, as before is specified, 826 years saw himself deprived of his house, and the sate* of the monastery given, in the 34th of King Henry VIIIth, by that sacrilegious king, to Sir Philip Hobby, who, enriched with the spoils of this and other abbies, died without Jesust. Neither yet did he leave these to his second brother, Mr. William Hobby, but conveyed all to his third brother, Sir Thomas Hobby, whose son and heir, Sir Edward Hobby, deprived all our shire‡ by seal to others.

And now to return to Clement Lichfield. His goodly church, where so many of his predecessors lie buried (as before exactly described,) with Simon Mountfort, that mighty Earl of Leicester, is so absolutely overthrown, as that there remaineth nothing but a huge deal of rubbish overgrown with grass. He erected, in the church of All-Saints, in Evesham, a little but most curious chapel, at whose door he lieth humbled in the earth; where is mentioned, that in his time the new tower of Evesham was built, which is yet untouched. But, to shew the magnificence of this abbey, which, seated once pleasantly on the western rising bank of the river Avon, brought first to light, and nourished under her, this fair tower of Evesham, which now flourisheth, let us but guess what this monastery, now dissolved, was in former days, by the gate-house, yet remaining; which,

though deformed with age, is as large and stately as any at this time in England. This abbey of benedictine monks was immediately subordinate to the pope; and the abbot thereof a great baron of parliament.

At the end of the MS. are the four following instruments; which being already in print, we shall only give their titles, and refer the reader to the places where they may be found.

1. "The Epistle of Constantius, Bishop of Rome, to Brythwald, Archbishop of Canterbury, concerning the Vision of Egwyn, the Calling of a Council, with the Institution of a MONASTERY." See in Monast. Anglic. vol. L I. p. 144. "Bullam Papæ Constantini Saxonico charactere scriptum." See also Spelman's Concilia, vol. I. p. 209. and Wilkins's Concilia, vol. I. p. 71.

2. "The History of the General Synod or Provincial Council of England, celebrated at a place called Alncester commonly, now Alcester, by Brythwald, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Wilfred, of York, wherein the Donations of the new-born Monastery of EVESHAM are confirmed." See Wilkins's Concilia, vol. I. p. 72.

3. "The Charter of King Kenred and King Offa for the Lands wherein the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bishop Egwyn, with very much more conferred on the Monastery of EVESHAM in the Lateran Church, being all confirmed by Pope Constantine." See Monast. Angl. vol. I. p. 145.

4. "The Charter of Egwyn, Bishop of Wiccians (or Worcestershire,) wherein he mentioneth his Vision, with the foundation and Donations of his Monastery.” Monast. Angl. vol. I. p. 145.

1778, Oct.

See

LXXXVI. Curious Questions answered by T. Row.

MR. URBAN,

I SHALL esteem myself fortunate, if, by inserting this letter in your truly useful Miscellany, I should gain informa tion upon three or four articles that I have long and in vain sought. I am confident that the learned Mr. Row, who has so ably illustrated many valuable and curious parts of ancient learning, can gratify me in this request, if the following inquiries can claim his notice.

How long has the rose been part of the Clerical habit; and is it peculiar to the English Clergy?